Volume 10 , Issue 22

Sept., 1946 News - Northwestern Normal School

In the September, 1946 Issue of the Alva Review Courier this following headline showed up on the front page with other headlines: "Alva's Early Settlers Wanted College Here Quickly." It went on to state that work started on the Northwestern Normal School project in 1895 and was finished in 1897.

It all began when, "Those hardy citizens who founded the struggling village that came to be Alva were anxious to get an institution of higher learning for this section, and so the first efforts that led to Northwestern State college were made in the year 1895."

It goes on to state that the first attempts to get a school established by the legislature were unsuccessful, but the struggle continued and the bill passed the senate on February 26, 1897. It was signed by Gov. W. C. Renfrow about midnight on March 12 and the problems began immediately for the state's second oldest normal school.

First Leader
The new board of regents for normal schools elected James E. Ament of Illinois as president at a meeting August 28, 1897. His first faculty consisted of two teachers and the Congregational church, rented for $150 a year, was the college building. The Alva Commercial club paid the rent.

School opened on September 20, with 68 students on hand. Before the end of the year there were 166 seeking knowledge.

Plans for a building were underway and finally those of Joseph Foucart, Guthrie, were accepted. Joseph Folk, Illinois, got the contract and with 6,000 cheering spectators present the cornerstone of the building was laid July 1, 1898.

Nice Building
It was not just a cornerstone laying. There had been no appropriation for the enterprise, a huge one considering the times and conditions, and it was underwritten by private citizens of Alva.

The building proved to be an honor to all who were responsible for its erection. The September, 1946 news clipping goes on to state, "Its architectural grace and quality of workmanship it was war in advance of any other school building in the southwest."

After the first year an additional teacher was added to the faculty and the Baptist church was also obtained because of the increasing enrollment.

Steady Growth
In July, 1899 there was a faculty of 11 instructors and in 1900 the school was transferred to its permanent quarters and the enrollment moved up to 413.

The growth was steady. In 1901 the faculty numbered 15 with the attendance 551. In 1902 the faculty was 18 and the enrollment an even 600.

President Ament resigned in 1902 and T. W. Conway, superintendent of public schools in Sterling, Kansas, was elected.

One of his first acts was to add five new members tot he faculty, making a total of 23. Under president Conway the move was begun to obtain a second building for the Normal.

Got Money
Through his efforts, and others, the legislature in May, 1905 appropriated $50,000 for the construction of a new library and science hall. The bill became a law when signed by President Roosevelt in June, 1906 and the building was completed in the fall of 1907.

A home for the president of the institution was erected in 1918.

An appropriation of $50,000 was secured for a gymnasium seating 1,500, built in 1918.

The next building boost came from the legislature of 1923, which voted $100,000 for building and repairs at Northwestern. The major portion of the money was used for the erection of Herod Hall, which housed the auditorium, the registry office, the music department and the nine classrooms.

Sad Day
March 1, 1935 was a sad day for the school and Alva. The "Castle on the Hill" was destroyed by fire.

The legislature appropriated $300,000 for the replacement of the building. From the federal government $245,000 was obtained, making a nice sum for new buildings and euipment, all of which were opened to students during the school year 1936-37.

The new buildings included: Horace Mann, adequate for elementary and high school; a new classroom and library building, Jesse Dunn Hall, providing adequate reading room for the school, stock room for over 100,000 volumes and air conditioned library reading room, classrooms; and a science annex housing the chemistry; physics, biology departments and the biology departments and the biological museum.

Good Buildings
The buildings were constructed of reinforced concrete, brick and kasota stone. Heating lighting and ventilation had been arranged to serve their purpose efficiently and they were well equipped as any school in the southwest.

The sixteenth legislature of Oklahoma allowed the sale of bonds for the purpose of construction of Dormitories on the campus. Bonds totaling $121,000 were matched with a PWA grant of $100,000.

The two dormitories were completed and ready for occupancy at the opening of the fall semester in 1939. The women's dorm accommodated 130 woemn and 118 men stayed in the men's dorm.

Much of the social life of the college centers in the dormitories where attracive parlors provided settings for receptions and parties.

According to the September, 1946 news article, "Funds had recently been allotted for repairs and rebuilding of the old "Science building" to give additional space for the expanded post-war college program."

One of the first things noticed when the tree-covered campus of Northwestern State college comes into view is the tower of Herod Hall. The tower was a mark of beauty symbolizing the knowledge to be obtained at the college.
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