472 AUTHENTIC HISTORY , 



nic Institute, nor a School devoted to Agriculture or Engineering; but a College simply 

 as such, in the old American sense ; where there is but one course of study for all stu- 

 dents, and this determined exclusively toward the cultivation of mind for its own sake. 

 This of course limits in some degree the size of its classes. It has no irregulars on its 

 catalogue; and can look for no miscellaneous patronage. Attached to it is a respectable 

 Grammar School; but even this is no part of the College properly so called, although in 

 a general way vuider the supervision of its Faculty. 



Franklin and Marshall College stands under the care immediately of the Gennan 

 Reformed Church. At the same time, one-third of its Board of Trustees, are otitsiders, 

 as they ai-e called, gentlemen taken from other religious denominations. It is thus a 

 public interest in the full sense of the term ; an interest, in which the State is concerned 

 no less than the Church. It is also a local interest of the first magnitude, as all may 

 easily see, for the city and county of Lancaster. 



In the double relation whicli it thus holds to the Reformed Church and to the com- 

 munity around it, there is no reason why the institution, with its present fair auspices, 

 should not take a chief i)lace among the Colleges of Pennsylvania, and win for itself a 

 name of which Lancaster may be proud in all future time. Never had a community, 

 with its population and means, better or more easy opportunity to secure to itself last- 

 ing advantage and distinction in this way. With the spirit of New England, Lancaster 

 county alone, being in truth a whole Commonwealth in itself, might soon have a College 

 in which the entire country would have reason to rejoice. 



State Normal School, at Millersville. (Compiled from official sources.) 



The State Normal School at Millersville owes its existence directly to the influence of 

 the County Superintendent of this county, an office established by the new school bill 

 approved May 8, 1854. During a visit to Millersville he adverted in a public lecture 

 to the project of founding a Normal School, 'and stated that the main difficulty of its 

 execution arose from the want of suitable buildings. A building designed for an aca- 

 demy, being at that time in course of erection, was generously off"ered by the Trustees 

 to the County Superintendent without charge, if he would open his contemplated Nor- 

 mal School at Millersville. The offer was accepted, and on March 5, 1855, a circular 

 was issued defining as its object the furnisliing ' ' to the teachers of Lancaster county, 

 and of as many other parts as can be accommodated, the means of obtaining, during 

 three months of their summer vacation, thorough professional training; first, by giving 

 sound instruction in the various branches; second, by imparting a knowledge of the 

 most approved methods of teaching; by furnishing an opportunity for actual practice in 

 the model schools connected with the Institution." The number of students collected 

 at a month's notice, reached 135; the number of jiupils in the Model Schools about 200. 

 The signal success of the experiment achieved under the most disadvantageous cii'cum- 

 stances, induced the Trustees of the Academy, to initiate measures for enlarging the 

 buildings and establishing a permanent^ Normal School, which went into oi^eratiou 

 about November 1, 1855, under the principalship of John F. Stoddard, who, owing to^ 

 a misunderstanding between himself and tlie Trustees, resigned, when the County 

 Superintendent, J. P. Wickersham, was elected Principal, who launched the 

 school on an unbroken career of prosperity. From 1855 to 1859 the Institution 

 was wholly in private hands, and bore the name of the Lancaster County Normal 

 Institute. "Virtually, however, it was doing the work of a State Normal School, 

 as its students came from all parts of the State, and its special aim was to train 

 teachers. ' ' 



The Normal School Law of Pennsylvania, prepared by the Hon. Thomas H. Bm-- 

 rowes, became a law on May 20, 1857. On June 29, 1857, the Trustees and otliers in- 

 terested in the school, resolved to bring it within the requirements of said law, and 

 with mucli expenditure in time, attention and money (about $40,000) they had the 

 satisfaction of completing their work in the autumn of 1859, enhanced by the recogni- 



