Posted 10 years ago
upstatenyc…
(263 items)
This is the 1911 yearbook from the Oneaonta Normal School, now known as SUNY Oneonta, or Oneonta State. I picked this up for a couple of dollars at a show in Syracuse, because I live about 25 miles from where this was. The cover is a bit rough, but the rest is in good shape. Gotta love the styles! It was published by the Herald Print, Oneonta, NY. According to the Oneaonta State Milne Library:
"The Oneonta State Normal School, fondly known as “Old Main” in later years, was first built in 1889. The construction began in July of 1888 and was finished by September 4, 1889 when it was dedicated as the Oneonta State Normal School. On February 15, 1894, less than five years later, the building was destroyed by a fire. The fire spread from a storage room adjoining the furnace room and quickly consumed the entire structure. The school was rebuilt in that same year under the leadership of Dr. James M. Milne. The second Old Main was built slightly larger than the original. It was in use until the early 1970s. With the new campus, the building was no longer being used for classes. The college couldn’t maintain the building and it was offered to the city of Oneonta. The city did not have a use for it and it was put up for sale. It was sold twice and both times the owners intended to turn the building into apartments, but the plans were not possible. The building was demolished in 1977."
Interesting!
Thanks aghcollect for the love, and thanks for the comment and love, glasslove
It is interesting!
How is a "normal" school differentiated from other schools?
Racer, Wikipedia says: A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name. Most such schools are now called teachers' colleges." "The term "normal school" originated in the early 16th century from the French école normale.[3] The French concept of an "école normale" was to provide a model school with model classrooms to teach model teaching practices to its student teachers.[4] The children being taught, their teachers, and the teachers of the teachers were often together in the same building.[citation needed] Although a laboratory school, it was the official school for the children—primary or secondary." That is indeed how this school started.
Thank you for the clarification. It's not a term used in Australia.
Racer, It's not used here anymore, either. They were later called teacher's colleges, and now colleges rarely specialize that much.
Very interesting post and pictures, upsatenycollector!
It's always sad to see such beautiful buildings demolished...
here in France "école normale" term is still used!
Thanks, kyratango. That is sad. It's hard to find a balance between keeping everything, and making progress.
The normal school in Hyannis, just a town over,( and where I grew up ), was turned in the town offices,( I worked in the top floor office of the Conservation Commission for a time, many years ago ). Very similar building style with nice murals, still intact. It's sad that architectural history is so often more in books than in the landscape.
Nice post, upstate!
I sent it off too soon! was turned into town offices.:)
Thanks, Budek. That's in MA?