1844 May 7 - 1890 March 13
The State Normal School was created by the legislature to train teachers for the Common Schools of New York State. It was the 4th state normal school in the country, the first in New York State, and the first outside of Massachusetts. The school was financed by a $9,600.00 grant from the...
1844 June 1
The Executive Committee, forerunner of our current University Council, holds its first meeting. The first members of the Committee were Colonel Samuel Young, chairman (Secretary of State and Superintendent of the Common Schools), Regent Gideon Hawley, Francis Dwight, Rev. Dr. Alonzo Potter, and...
1844 November 23
The first faculty member hired by Executive Committee was George R. Perkins, mathematical instructor. Perkins would become the second principal in 1848.
1844 December 13
David Page's appointment as the School's first principal confirmed by the Executive Committee.
1844 December 16
The first plan of organization for Normal School was submitted by Page and adopted with amendments by the Executive Committee.
1844 December 17
State students also received a weekly room & board allowance, $1.25 for women, $1.00 for men.
1844 December 18
The first classes were held at the State Normal School's temporary building, former Mohawk & Hudson Railway Building, later known as Van Vechten Hall, located at 115-121 State Street. The building’s second and third floors were donated by City of Albany rent free for five years. The City also...
The Experimental School would become the Milne School and last as a teaching laboratory till 1977. Reputed to be one of the, if not the first, practice-teaching school in the country. Forty-five pupils enrolled in first class.
1845 February 20
James L. Wadsworth donates $300.00 in his will to purchase books on the Library List for the school’s Miscellanea Library accepted by the Executive Committee. Wadsworth was a prominent land developer and advocate of school libraries in NYS. This was the first private donation to the school. Other...
The Executive Committee mandates that all students be required to sign a “Declaration of Teaching”--a pledge to teach in New York State district schools. The pledge to teach was not abandoned until 1962.