The Mankato free press., 1910-04-22
PROF. GAGE IS DEAD
WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF
THE MANKATO NORMAL.
Passed Away in Sacramento a Few
Days Ago; Following His Princi-
palship Here He Held Position of
Superintendent at St. Paul; He
Had Been in Failing Health Since
Christmas Time.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Word has been received in the city
of the death of Professor George NJ.
Gage, the first president of the state
normal school in this city, which oc-
CURED at Sacramento, Cal. few days
ago, while he was OH a visit to a
daughter living there He had made
his home in Portland. Oregon, for
many years, and was enjoying good
health until shortly before his death.
Was a Native of Maine.
Maine, and was educated as normal
school specialist. He became superin-
tendent of the Pennington normal
school i'll Maine, and later came to
Minnesota, where he became the first
president of the Mankato normal
school, then called principal. From
that position he was called to the SUI
pcrintendency of the st. Paul schools,
which position he held for many years.
After his wife's death in 1896, he
moved to Portland to be with his son,
L. w. Gage. and for many years was
dnopNlditu Will dCIuC Z.
until his health failed at Christmas
time.
Professor Gage leaves three children,
Mrs. c. f. Tinker of Sacramento, 3.
w. Gage of Portland, and Miss Frances
C. Gage. national northwest secretary
of the Young Woman's Christian asso-
ciation.
Funeral services were held Friday
afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at Homan's
undertaking parlors. The services at
the crematorium were private
Death Recalls Early History.
The death of Professor Gage recalls
the early history of the state normal
school. The following extract from
President c. II. Cooper's article on "The
State Normal School, in "Mankato.
Its First Fifth Years" will be of in
tcrcst in this connections:
"The building could not be made
ready by the time appointed for the
opening of the school, and it was open
ed in the basement of the Methodist
church on October I, 1868, with George
Ai- poCN a. Nho 10 ucSCllDCu
in Il report of that year as "a gentle
man of good experience in flourish
ing state normal school i'm New Eng
land Oct. 26, the school was re-
moved to the second story of store
building. corner of Main and Front
street, over what is now called the
Corner Cafe
Quarters in Shaubut Building
These quarters in tine Shaubut
building were 100 feet long and %
feet wide. divided as follows: First
room. 22 by 22; second room. Is by
%: third and fourth rooms, Is by 10
each. On the Goth of October, the first
day i'll these quarters, there were 40
desks. with fifty-two students enrolled
in the normal department and sixteen
in the model school. total sixty eight
At the close of the term there were
ninety enrolled.
Tine second term opened January 6.
1869. with ifty-fivc students i'm the
normal department and twenty-f four in
he model school. The assistants of
Professor Gage were Miss Susie DYER
and Miss Emma II. Collin. the latter
newly employed for that term.
Ground Broken in 1869.
May IL. 1869. ground was broken
for the new building, and on the 22nd
of June of that year the corner stone
was laid with appropriate services un-
der the auspices of the Odd Fellows.
President Gage made the address. Sept
I. 1870. the school began to occupy the
new building. and by April, 1871. il
was comfortably and conveniently
that day. Judge Buck tells, with
great gusto, how he was scored
by Il farmer of the county for the
wicked extrayagance of the manage
ment in building so enormous a struc-
turc.
'ln 1872. President Gage resigned to
accept the position of superintendent
of the st. Paul schools, and was sue
ceeded i'll office by Miss J. a. Sears
who remained but one year. I'm 1873
Rev -. c. John became president OF
the school and served until 1880. when
he resigned TO become the president OF
Hamline university"
Professor Gage was very pleasant
luan TO meet He will be remembered
by the older residents. and his death
4