University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - Quiver Yearbook (Oshkosh, WI)

Page 7 text:

o f r f Ni T ©sc t Growth is the only indication of life. Newman. f - 90 QJea ts 0 ojj Qiiowth f t In 1866 the city of Oshkosh began negotiations for the purpose of securing a normal school. After a brief controversy over the site of the school, the land was purchased December 8, 1868. The city of Oshkosh had offered the state $30,000 toward the cost of building; the actual structure cost $70,000. It was a three-story building containing eighteen rooms suitable for classrooms and offices. There were no funds to maintain or staff the building at that time, so it remained vacant for a year. The first regular session of the school was held on Tuesday, September 12, 1871. The staff consisted of six teachers and President Albee. The original registration was forty-three. Now, ninety years later, there are over 135 instructors on the staff. The registration, approximately 2260, is increasing every semester. The college has gone from a nor- O mal school to a state college; from one building to over eleven major buildings. It is still progressing. Therefore, it seems only fitting to dedicate the 1961 QUIVER to the progress the school has made in the past ninety years as well as to the progress it is now and will be making in the next ninety years.

Page 6 text:

Miss Ruth Willcockson After 39 years of teaching at the Wisconsin State Collegeat Oshkosh, Miss Will- y cockson retired this fall. Here since 1921, she served under three presidents and watched the school progress from a teachers’ 1 college to a state college. For her -)r first three years, she served as fifth ' grade critic in the campus school. Then, in 1924, she became an instructor of English. Miss Willcockson proved outstanding in cooperation and in the unstinted effort given to her work. She was particularly interested in American literature and the development of its related courses. She made a valuable contribution to the education of all she taught. t f t , t 'i 1 f +

Page 8 text:

On June 6, 1871, the Board of Regents employed Mr. George Sumner Albee as the first president of the school. He came to Oshkosh from a position as superintendent of schools in Racine. President Albee believed in giving personal attention to students. He also believed that students in a normal school should have work in the theory of teaching from the beginning of the program of study. He established the first kindergarten directly connected with any normal school in the United States. Under the first president, several additions were made to the normal school. In 1874 a two-story addition which provided four more classrooms was built on the rear of the original building. In 1876 an addition for a model school was built. Recognizing the importance of physical education, President Albee encouraged the building of the first gym; which was completed in 1888. In 1894 a new unit was added to the south end of the original building. President Albee died on September 4, 1898. A bust of him, sculptured by Miss Helen Farnsworth Mears, stands on the left side of the main library desk. President Albee 1871-1898 The Oshkosh Normal School with iti additions during President Albee's administration. 2