The American State Normal School

CHRISTINE A. OGREN is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education at the University of Iowa, USA. She was a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation postdoctoral Fellow, and has contributed essays to prestigious publications such as the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Education, Encyclopedia of the Midwest, Journal of Higher Education, and History of Education Quarterly.

Introduction: 'It Wasn't Much of a College' PART I: EARLY NORMAL SCHOOLS, 1840s-1860s 'To Awaken the Conscience': Establishing Teacher Education and State Normal Schools 'Grand Beyond Compare': Further Dimensions of Early State Normal Schools PART II: THE HEYDAY OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 1870s-1900s 'The Masses and Not the Classes': A Tradition of Welcoming Nontraditional Students 'Substantial Branches of Learning' and 'A Higher Degree of Culture': Academic Studies and Intellectual Life Teacher Education: Breathing 'The Ozone of Teaching' 'Queer Boys' and 'Not Necessarily Bloomer Women': The Public Sphere, Gender Attitudes and Life Choices Epilogue: 'Lots of Pep! Lots of Steam! Appendix: State Normal Schools in the United States