San Jose State Normal School

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San Jose, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San Jose State University offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

The chronology of San Jose State University's various name changes is as follows: Minns' Evening Normal School is founded in 1857; is renamed California State Normal School in 1862; becomes San Jose State Normal School in 1887; is renamed San Jose State Teachers College in 1921; becomes San Jose State College in 1935; is incorporated into the California State Colleges (now the 23-campus California State University system) in 1961; becomes California State University, San Jose, in 1972; and is renamed its current title, San Jose State University, in 1974.

In 1898, the Normal School Board of Trustees established a kindergarten training department with a demonstration class. The following year, the San Jose State Normal School kindergarten training school was established, and had a faculty of three, a student body of ten, and a kindergarten group of some seventy children. The kindergarten training school was eventually abandoned the following year due to a Board decision that the expense did not justify the numerical gain, but kindergarten classes continued at the Normal School and enrollment increased throughout the early 1900s.

From the description of San Jose State Normal School teaching tools collection, 1896-1927. (San Jose Public Library). WorldCat record id: 341768406

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San Jose, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San Jose State University offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

The chronology of San Jose State University's various name changes is as follows: Minns' Evening Normal School is founded in 1857; is renamed California State Normal School in 1862; becomes San Jose State Normal School in 1887; is renamed San Jose State Teachers College in 1921; becomes San Jose State College in 1935; is incorporated into the California State Colleges (now the 23-campus California State University system) in 1961; becomes California State University, San Jose, in 1972; and is renamed its current title, San Jose State University, in 1974.

From the description of San Jose State Normal School Principals and Early Presidents records, 1862-1915 (bulk 1907-1915). (San Jose Public Library). WorldCat record id: 318071273

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal school is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

From the guide to the San José State Normal School Principals and Early Presidents Records, 1862-1915, 1907-1915, (San José State University. Library.)

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several name and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal school now known as San José State University, offer more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

In 1898, the Normal School Board of Trustees established a kindergarten training department with a demonstration class. The following year, the San José State Normal School kindergarten training school was established, and had a faculty of three, a student body of ten, and a kindergarten group of some seventy children. The kindergarten training school was eventually abandoned the following year due to a Board decision that the expense did not justify the numerical gain, but kindergarten classes continued at the Normal School and enrollment increased throughout the early 1900s.

Most of the teaching tools in the collection were produced by the well-known Milton Bradley Company, maker of toys and games for children since 1864. Bradley was a firm believer in German educator Friedrich Froebel's then-radical notion of kindergarten as a cornerstone of childhood education, and pushed the idea in America with an almost evangelical zeal. Even though this concept was not yet accepted as a part of the American school system, Bradley manufactured Kindergarten Gifts and Occupations in 1877, using local timber and materials from his home in Springfield, Massachusetts. These gifts (blocks and items to teach basic skills), were added to the company's product offerings even though sales were initially almost non-existent. As kindergarten gained in popularity in the United States, Froebel's Gifts became an industry standard, providing for child's play while at the same time training children in movement dexterity and the laws of nature. The bulk of the San José State Normal School Teaching Tools Collection consists of such Gifts and Occupations, including balls, blocks for building, colored tablets for design, and colored papers to cut and fold.

From the guide to the San José State Normal School Teaching Tools Collection, 1896-1927, (San José State University. Library.)