Western Michigan University - Brown and Gold Yearbook (Kalamazoo, MI)

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The old Administration nearing completion during the summer of 1905. unique among normal schools of the country. No other normal school has such a department, al ' though the idea is endorsed by welhknown men . . . Our plan will be different from that of any other normal school. To head this new and im ' portant department, Waldo appointed Ernest Burnham, who was to be a valuable teacher at Western until his retirement in 1940. Waldo secured other faculty members, some of them on a temporary basis, and on June 27, 1904, Western became a functioning institution. There were eleven faculty members and 117 students, coming from thirteen Michigan counties, enrolled for the six week session. The students were pleased with the new school and with the cordiality of the staff. After the summer school closed, there were still plenty of problems to be solved. The most urgent was that of finding buildings. Then came the selection of qualified teachers for several of the first appointments had been for the summer only. Rooms were found in four different buildings, including the city high school, the Methodist Church House, the Y.M.C.A., and in the old Kalamazoo College building between Lovell and South streets. The latter housed most of the classes, and all of the administration, which con ' sisted of Waldo and one secretary. Seven new teachers were hired, and the first fall term of the school opened on Monday, September 26, 1904, with an enrollment of 107 students. This was the time when the school really began, for the six week summer session did net include many of the usual things associated with a regular normal school. Numerous faculty committees were appointed to handle questions concerning the course of study, the year book, the bulletin, athletics, a teachers bureau, lectures, entertainments, and students ' ac ' commodations. That fall the school colors, brown and gold, were selected by a committee, and an- other one offered five dollars for the best school song written to the tune of the Heidleberg Stein Song. School spirit was evidenced in various ways, especially when the classes got into a bitter and open war over which of the class colors should fly over the building. The Juniors gave the Seniors a reception when the argument was over, and thus the first Junior ' Senior dinner dance might be said to have taken place. There were only twenty men enrolled in the 10

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v46out 1905. One By 1900, the state of Michigan had teacher training schools at Ypsilanti, Mt. Pleasant, and Marquette. These schools served the eastern, cen ' tral, and northern parts of the state, but there was no teacher training school in the western part of the state, which had about oncfifth of the popu ' lation at that time. A bill was passed by the legis- lature to estabhsh such a school, but it was vetoed by the governor. Another bill was passed, and this one was signed by the governor on May 27, 1903, estabhshing Western State Normal School. The location of the school was not specified. It was therefore left to the State Board of Educa- tion to select the town. A large number of com ' munities wanted the new school, but Kalamazoo was quick to organi2;e an active campaign to secure it. The city offered the State Board of Education a free building site, $40,000 for building, and of ' fered to pay half of the salaries of the training ' school teachers for five years. Kalamazoo was a transportation center for Western Michigan, and in addition to its geogra ' phical advantages, the offer of the city was most attractive. The State Board voted August 28, 1903, to select Kalamazoo. Work was then begun to establish the new school. Several places in the city were considered as building sites, and in Nov ember, Prospect Hill was selected. It took until In the Beginning March of 1904 to secure a clear title to the land, so it was not until May that the actual work began on the hill. The school was s cheduled to open on June 27, 1904. Before that time a president and faculty had to be found, also a building for classes to meet in until the new school on Prospect Hill was ready. The first position to be filled was that of the principal. On April 1, 1904, the State Board named Dwight Bryant Waldo to that office. Waldo had been principal of Northern State Nor- mal School at Marquette (from its opening). Be- fore that he had taught all levels of school, from, the ungraded rural schools to college classes. He was an excellent man for the job. Even though he had less than three months before the opening of school, he went to work carefully. The school would teach the same subjects as the other state normal schools, but the choice of personnel was important, and a multitude of de- tails had to be studied. Waldo sa w that the chief function of the school would be to prepare teach- ers for the rural schools. Consequently, he asked the State Board to create a rural school depart- ment at the new school. On May 19, 1904, the Kalamazoo newspaper carried a statement by Waldo, which read in part: In creating a rural school department the new normal will become

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The old Playhouse — home of the Western Players in 1921. The Temporary building lasted from 1918 to 1953. fall term, but they formed an athletic association early in October. Only six students had ever play- ed football, but they were enthusiastic about get ' ting up a game with the High School. Waldo had a strong interest in athletics and he backed the group, promising them a paid football coach as soon as funds were available. No schedules were entered into, but occasional football, basketball and baseball games were played and some track events held. The students organized two literary groups, one for men and one for women. These were the fore- runners of the social fraternities and sororities that came years later. The Rural Sociology Seminar was founded, and under another name is the oldest student group in the college today. A Young Womens Christian Association was also begun at this time. At the end of the term, plans were made for the commencement week, which began on Sunday with a baccalaureate sermon. Class day exercises and a school picnic were held Tuesday. The fac- ulty held a reception for the seniors on Wednes- day evening. On Thursday morning in the city ' s new public school on Vine Street, life certificates were given to four women and four others re- ceived three year rural certificates. The first grad- uating class then left Western State Normal School. From these beginnings. Western grew. The building on top of Prospect Hill was under con- struction beginning in the summer of 1904. It was finished by the fall of 1905. The administrative offices moved in on September 1, and Western had its own home. The same year the state, con- XlVO Material Growth stantly prodded by Waldo, appropriated $60,000 for a gym and $12,000 for additional class rooms. These additions were built onto the main building, and all three were joined together. They were first opened for use in the spring of 1908. At this time a railroad was built up Prospect Hill to serve The Library, finished in 1925 and Walwood Union, 1938.