The goal of a normal school was "to
prepare teachers for the common schools of the state." Somsen Hall
(pictured above left) stands today as Winona State University's first
permanent building.
Although the first building was owned
and provided by the city, classes began September 2, 1860. The first
year there were two faculty members and 61 students enrolled in this
small wooden structure. The first "commencement" was in June of 1861
and became the first of many in the years of preparing teachers in
Winona.
Over the next eight years, the Winona
Normal School's enrollment grew to the extent that construction of
a permanent building had to be addressed. Starting in 1867, this building
was constructed on land that later became the home of Somsen Hall
at Winona State University and part of Minnesota's education history.
The
Winona Normal School continued to grow and update their goals to meet
the educational needs of the area. In 1880, a Normal School Diploma,
as a certificate of qualification to teach, was established. At the
turn of the century, the Winona Normal School was post high school
study and focused on professional development.
On March 19, 1921, the Winona Normal
School took on the name Winona Teachers College. A bachelor's degree
was instated and the first students to receive such a degree graduated
in 1926. Another name change in 1957 to Winona State College reflected
the increased mission that included the addition of the bachelor of
arts, master of science in education, and associate in arts degrees.
Then in 1975 Winona State College received full university status
and became part of the Minnesota State University System, changing
the name again to Winona State University.
Now
in its 14th decade of service, there is a renewed sense of excitement
for the future at Winona State University. The university's 13th president,
Darrell Krueger, operates with a keen vision of what quality education
should be for students through the 1990's and beyond.
Teaching,
research, and service are the focal points of Winona State University's
mission for the citizens of the Midwest area. "Active Learning Environment"
emphasize the importance of student collaboration, student/faculty
contact and hands-on activities in learning situations. This concept
can be seen in the Residential College, the Small Business Institute,
the Composite Materials Technology Center, the performing arts, and
others.
Many
changes and additions to the Winona Normal School of the past has
lead Winona State University of today, and what it will become in
the future. Stark Hall, State of the art library (pictured at left),
the Health and Applied Science Building, houses the College of Nursing
and the Miller Brothers School of Engineering which includes the composite
materials engineering program. The expansion of the Kryzsko Commons
student union (below right) was completed in 1996.
WSU
is actively engaged in finding new ways to improve education and sharing
them with other institutions across the country. One example is WSU's
key role in the development of Luminet. Luminet is a city-wide, fiber-optic
information sharing network that links all sectors of Winona to the
university as well as to the internet.
With
more than 135 years of distinction and an eye on the future, Winona
State University is committed to continued refinement as a community
of learners dedicated to improving our world.
Today, Winona State University is
structured into five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts,
Nursing and Health Science, and Science and Engineering. WSU is
part of the university system that operates seven universities in
the state including a branch campus in Akita, Japan. The undergraduate
program at WSU offers studies in more than 80 academic areas with
an additional eighteen graduate programs.
For
more than 150 years the community of Winona, Minnesota has viewed education
as their "leading edge" to the development of new frontiers. Probably
the most significant vision to this mission was made in 1858, when the
city of Winona submitted a bid of $7,000 to the state of Minnesota for
the establishment of the first normal school west of the Mississippi.
