River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-06-11

- AAOO1g 49,
Next Wednesday, June II. the
corner stone Of the new addition
to the River Falls State Normal
School will be laid, marking an
other period in the growth of this
splendid institution. The cere-
monies will be in charge of the
local Masonic Lodge. Hon. Theo-
dore Kronshage, President Of the
Board OF Normal Regents, will de-
liver the address. The program
will at $3.50 p. NJ. EV-
ervone interested in the Normal
school is cordially invited and ur-
gently requested to attend.
HISTORICAL SKETCH
In composing this article the
files Of the River Falls Journal are
used, commencing with the issue
of May 5, 1873, in which the fact
that River Falls has finally been
chosen as the location for the
Fourth State Normal School is an
nounced.)
In 1865 a Normal school fund
was created from the income ron
swamp lands, n half Oh the
moun from this source beng
aportioned for Normal schools. IN
1866 the Normal Board OF Regents
was incorporated and at the same
time PIatCeVille was selected as
the site for one OF the
Soon alter Whitewater and then
Oshkosh were selected. RIVER
Falls citizens worked steadily Tor
five years TO secure the school
here before their efforts were
crowned with success
Action on the idea to secure a
Normal school here was first made
IN 1868 by a committee consisting
of O.. S. Powell, Ct. w. Pratt, Z. B..
Cox, A. d. Andrews and A. Morse,
who, after arranging a 10
~ication to the Board of Regents,
sent DR.. Andrews to Whitewater
to represent River Falls at the
meeting OF that body. The BOard
informed the Doctor that 'since
YOUR people up there in the Wild
erness have manifested SO u
interest in so important q matter,
we assure them that their claims
shall receive due consideration IN
the future"
RAISING THE MONEY
Finally the Board notified the
people of this city that their e
uuest would be considered ii they
would place $780, 900 in the state
treasury for the school and also
guarantee the donation of ten
acres Of land for the site. This
was complied with, but just as the
school seemed assured here, a de-
mand was made for an additional
$4,000. 1t had seemed that every
cent that could be raised was
gathered for the first payment,
but the people of the city ana
neighborhood came to the rescue
and the $4,000 more was secured.
For the Normal fund the town OF
River Falls voted $4,000, Clifton
$4,000, Troy $4,000, Kinnickinnic
$4,000, and Pierce county $4,000.
Hudson and Lacrosse both made
substantial offers for the school at
this time.
THE DEDICATION
On September 2, 1875, the River
Normal school building was ded1-
Icated and on the 7th OF that month
the first session OF ScnOOl was ue1u
in it, under the presidency OF w.
ID. Parker. There were 20 stu
dents in the Normal department
and 104 in the Model Grades.
At the dedication services there
was a large attendance, not only
from this city and community but
from all over the state and much
interest was manifested in the
school. Regent Starr made the
presentation speech, which was
responded to by President Parker.
The first faculty Of the Normal
school was composed of the fol-
lowing teachers: President w. d.
parker, Professor j. B. Thayer,
Professor F. H. King, Professor
Earthman and the Misses Curtis,
Foote, Ellen c.. Jones, Laura CT.
Lowell and Mae E.. Schneider. Pro-
lessor H. A. Weld was resident re-
gent.
THE FIRE
On Monday night, November 80,
1897. the Normal school building
was entirely destroyed by fire.
On Tuesday morning President
parker presided at a mass meeting
in the opera house and was offer
ed about every place in town suit