The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-07-23
The st. Cloud State Normal
School.
THE. NEW BUILDING COMPLETED.
Outline History of the School.
The Results of Good Man.
agement.

As the new building for the State Normal
School at this place will be completed this
week and turned over by the contractor to
the State, we deem it fitting time to give
a brief outline history of the school. The
bill establishing this school and the school
at Mankato was passed by the Legislature
of 1866; the State appropriating S., 900 and
agreeing to maintain the school for term
of ten years provided the people of St.
Cloud donated an equal amount. At
public meeting some time afterwards it was
voted to issue bonds to the amount of
5000. These bonds were issued in July,
1868, and taken at once by citizens and the
money deposited in the State Treasury
There was considerable discussion as to
where the building should be located, but
after personal visit here and a careful ex-
animation of the different places proposed,
the State Normal Board selected what was
known as the 'Stearns House" property
The location is beautiful one, on bluff
of the Mississippi, commanding fine view
up and down the river. The price paid for,
the property and adjoining lots was $3.50
and a further expenditure of $3.50 was
made in altering and improving the build
ing, which had been used for hotel, so as
to make it serve the purposes of the school
temporarily.
In 1869 an appropriation of $4,000 dol
lars was made toward the erection of per-
manent building, and this amount was ex-
pended on a foundation built of granite
Strong efforts were made during the
three subsequent sessions of the Legislature
to obtain further appropriations for putting
up the superstructure, but they failed Of
success. Last year, however, an appropria-
ton of $4,000 was secured. and the con-
tract for completing the building was let to
Mr.. A. Montgomery, of this city, in
accordance with plans drawn by Mr.. A. M.
Radcliffe, Architect, of St. Paul. Mr.. Mont
gomery began work in the early summer,
and has the building completed in advance
of the date fixed by the contract-August
list, 1874-and be has done an excellent job.
1t is said on all sides thot tho stato owns
no other building which makes so good
showing for the amount of money ex-
pended. As before stated, the foundation
is Of granite, while the superstructure is of
am-colored brick-both brick and stone
being obtained in the vicinity of St. Cloud.
1t makes very fine appearance and from
its commanding location can be seen for a
long distance. The city has vacated, to be
added to the school grounds, small
park and street, which with the lots dona-
ted and purchased make a tract of ground
of some five or six acres. These grounds
are now being graded, and will be improved
with ornamental and shade trees, etc. But
to return to the building. 1t is 98x84 feet;
So feet high, from the grade to the roof "a
mansard }, and rs feet to the top of the
tower, and faces to the west. In the base
ment are two large play rooms for use in
winter; and the heating apparatus is in the
basement.
On the first floor are one model room, 40
x18; one practice teaching room, 20x28 ;
one normal class room, 20x28; one appa-
ratus room, 20x28; one library room, 20x
%; one reception room, 18x23; two nor
NAL cloak rooms 12x2o each and two mod
el cloak rooms, 9x16 each. A corridor, SO
x12 feet runs from north to south, and at
either end are the stairs to the second floor.
There is cross corridor, 65x12. The cell
ings on this floor are II feet high. There
are four entrances, the front one being
reached by broad granite steps. On the
| rear is porch 81 feet long.
On the second floor is the normal room,
! 50x654 feet. There are four class rooms,
two on each side, 20x2s feet each. The
ceilings on this floor are ISL feet high.
The third floor, in the mansard roof,
where there is a 12-foot ceiling, will be left
unfinished at present. 1t can be arranged
into rooms At any time the wants of the
school may require.
In each room is crate fireplace, and
in the normal room are four, for ventilation.
Coal will be burned in these CRATES. In adj
dition, there are six ventilating shafts. The
building will be heated by furnaces.
The illustration at the head of this col,
umn gives tolerably good, and only tol-
erably good, idea Of the appearance Of the
building, which looks considerably better
than is here represented, yet we know that
even this will be matter of satisfaction to
many friends of the school who have heard
of and yet have never been able to see the
building.
The first term of the School opened
September 18th, 1859, with the following
corps of teachers:
Prof: Ira Moore, Principal.
Mrs. G. II. Sanderson,
Miss Lucinda Stannard.
Miss Cornelia Walker,
Miss Kate Elliott.
The first three were in the Normal De-
partment the last two in the Model rooms
The number Of Normal pupils was so; in
the two Model rooms there were 20 pupils.
At the beginning Of the second term the
Normal Department was filed to its great
est capacity-80 pupils-and has continued
so ever since
The second year Witnessed but one change
Miss Carrie B. Ravens taking the place
of Miss Stannard.
In June, 1871, the first class-number-
ing fifteen-was graduated, and its men,
bers have done faithful and almost contin-