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NEA
WSU
Ed Dept.
Winona,
MN
WSU
Home Page
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On August 16, 1859, the city of Winona
submitted a bid of $7,000 to the state of Minnesota to build a Normal
School. The state requested $5,000, but with an extra $2,000 from
Winona, the deal was approved. In 1860, the first normal school in
Minnesota and the first normal school west of the Mississippi River,
was opened in Winona, Minnesota.
The theory of the Normal School was
quite straight forward. A normal school was established for the training
of selected individual in the basic skills of reading, writing, arithmetic,
and related subjects. The thought was that those individuals would
then pass that knowledge on to groups of children for their improvement,
as well as for overall betterment of the state, the church, or whatever
the sponsoring agency might be.
The 1st Normal School in America was
opened at Lexington, Massachusetts, July 3, 1839. This school was
only open to women and the enrollment was less than 15. Originally,
normal schools were nothing more than a training school which accepted
graduates of the eighth grade. They were given enough additional education
so that they could go out and pass on their knowledge in rural areas.
At first it was well below high school level, and many graduates from
the normal school returned to high school to get their degree.
The city of Winona, for the purpose
of accommodating the school, erected a hall (picture at right) in
a central and convenient part of the city. This building contained
one large school room, one recitation room, a library room, and a
suitable cloak room. It was offered without charge until permanent
arrangements could be made.
Although the first building was owned
by the city, the school was open for admission September 2, 1860.
There were two faculty members and a total of 61 students. This building
was used for eight years until the first Winona Normal School building
was opened.
The $7,000 subscribed by the citizens
of Winona was not used for operating expenses, but was reserved for
constructing the permanent building in 1867-1868. At this time, its
appreciated value amounted to about $10,000. The building was constructed
on land that later became part of Somsen Hall at Winona State University.
 In
1879, with the arrival of Dr. Irwin Shepard as the fourth man to serve
as principle of Winona Normal School, professionalization of teaching
became a reality. One of Shepard's most important contributions to
the Winona Normal School, and the Normal School System in Minnesota,
was the establishment of a Normal School diploma as a certificate
of qualification to teach.
During Shepard's administration, 1200 teachers graduated from Winona
Normal School. He also assured that Normal School graduates were sufficiently
prepared to teach upper grades in elementary school by extending the
time requirement of a course for high school graduates from one to
two years.
By 1910, the faculty consisted of
35 and students were estimated at 869. At the turn of the century,
the Winona Normal school was post high school and professional in
it's makeup. On March 19, 1921, the Winona Normal School was given
a new name; Winona State Teachers College. The first degree class
graduated in 1926.
Through many building expansions and
transformations, the Winona Normal School base has become the Winona
State University campus. The college is now recognized as an educational
and research institute.
Sources:
DuFresne, R. A. (1985). Winona State University: A history of one
hundred twenty-five years. Library of Congress
Edstrom, F. B. (1984, February 29). Irwin Shepard, educator. Winona
Area Post
Ruggles, C. O. & faculty. (1910). Semi-centennial historical
sketch and notes: Winona State Normal School. Winona: Jones &
Kroeger Co.
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