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Item set Class of 1892 Photograph Collection--World's Columbian Exposition
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61 items

  • Drawing 2nd Floor - Room 51.
    This image depicts a Drawing class, likely being taught by Charles T. McFarlane before he officially joined the Drawing department. The sole faculty member of the Drawing department listed in the 1892-93 register, John Goodison, passed away sometime around October 1892, a few months before this picture would have been taken. Goodison had been a part of the Normal faculty since 1861, and was highly regarded by both staff and students alike. He was described as being patient no matter the circumstance, and he always had words of encouragement for his students regardless of their talent level.
  • Drawing 2nd Floor - Room 57.
    This image depicts the same drawing class depicted in 4-4 from a different perspective. The class in the photograph is likely an elementary level drawing class as there was a focus on geometrical shapes. The elementary class was a modified version of the Drawing curriculum given to Training School students, and was designed to prepare students to teach basic art lessons at the Elementary level. Subsequent Drawing courses built upon the principles taught in the elementary coursework, and senior students would teach lessons to the Training School students under the supervision of the department head for practice.
  • Elementary Physics First Floor - Room 30, Prof. Gorton
    This image depicts an Elementary Physics class being taught by Professor Fred Gorton. The Physical Sciences occupied the majority of Gorton’s free time, which is evident in the fact that, in addition to serving as a part of the Physical Sciences Department, Gorton was a member of the Sociétéde Physique (Physical Society) and the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (Aurora, 1912, p. 49). Fred remained a part of the Michigan State Normal College’s faculty for 50 years, retiring only a few years before his passing.
  • Empty Physics Laboratory
    This image depicts an empty Physics laboratory, with apparatuses that students used to learn about electricity. According to the 1892-93 Normal Register, Electricity and Light was taught during the second term of the Elementary Physics course. In this course, the purchase, testing, care, and effective use of apparatus was given considerable attention. Hands-on experimentation was prioritized in the physics courses, and all students were expected to demonstrate their knowledge of apparatus manipulation in the presence of a class.
  • Fred Gorton, Physical Sciences class
    This image depicts one of the Physical Sciences classes being led by the man who is standing at the back of the classroom appears to be Frederick R. Gorton. Gorton graduated from the Michigan State Normal School in 1892 at the age of 21, and immediately joined the Physical Sciences department faculty. Starting his career at the Normal as an instructor, Gorton eventually went on to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Berlin, Germany, and then worked as a professor at the Normal until his retirement in 1941.
  • Higher Physics First Floor - Room 31
    This image depicts a higher physics classroom full of scientific instruments but void of people. Physics and Chemistry were the two main subjects taught in the Physical Sciences department, and both of these subjects involved a lot of hands-on experimentation in the Normal School’s laboratory rooms. The Normal offered five courses relating to the subject of Physics, all of which prepared students to go on to teach physics at the high school level. The Normal register notes that to be a successful Physics student one had to not only experiment, but also “make a special study of apparatus and manipulation and have some practice in demonstration in the presence of a class” (p.55).
  • Higher Physics First Floor - Room 31
    This image depicts a higher physics classroom full of scientific instruments but void of people. Physics and Chemistry were the two main subjects taught in the Physical Sciences department, and both of these subjects involved a lot of hands-on experimentation in the Normal School’s laboratory rooms. The Normal offered five courses relating to the subject of Physics, all of which prepared students to go on to teach physics at the high school level. The Normal register notes that to be a successful Physics student one had to not only experiment, but also “make a special study of apparatus and manipulation and have some practice in demonstration in the presence of a class” (p.55).
  • Library First Floor - Room 4.
    This image depicts a large group of students studying in the library, which did not yet have its own building when the image was taken in 1893. During the 1892-1893 school year, when beloved librarian Genevieve Walton became head librarian, there were approximately 12,000 volumes in the library’s collection. There was a recognition in the Normal School catalog that the library needed to expand to include individual collections for each academic department. While it is clear there was an impressive collection amassed already, the catalog stated that in regards to their laboratories and library collections, “Much is yet to be desired” (p.83).
  • Main building from south, showing Conservatory and Boiler house. Rear of the Normal hall from Cross street.
    The three-story Old Main building was constructed in 1852, and was largely paid for by the citizens of Ypsilanti, and other nearby cities (they paid $12,000 and the total cost of the building was ~$20,000). By the time this image was taken in 1893, the Main building had been restored after a fire that had occurred in 1859, and three additions had been completed on the building to accommodate the growing school and student body. The building that would eventually become the Conservatory was first proposed in 1864, but many delays relating to construction and loss of interest in the project delayed its completion until 1870. Originally, the building was used as the Training School, but officially became the Conservatory of music in 1882.
  • Modern Languages 2nd Floor - Room 35, Dr. Lodeman.
    This image depicts a Modern Languages course being taught by the head of the German and French Languages Department, Dr. August Lodeman. Lodeman was a German immigrant who came to the US in 1867 and he joined the Michigan State Normal School faculty in 1872 after having obtained American citizenship. Regarding his comprehension of languages, Lodeman was noted to have few equals and was considered to be at the front of the ranks in his profession.
  • Modern Languages 2nd Floor - Room 36.
    This image depicts a Modern Languages class being taught by Annie Patton, who was Dr. Lodeman’s assistant, and the only other German and French language faculty member. There were eight terms for the German course, and six terms for the French course. Students who took all eight terms of the German course were required to teach a German lesson to Training School students to prove their proficiency in the language.
  • Old Library Reading Room From S.E. Side First Floor- Room 4.
    This image depicts head librarian Genevieve Walton standing in front of her stacks of books. Walton became the head librarian of the Michigan Normal School in 1892 and is considered to be an important figure within library history. During her 40 years as the head librarian, the library's collection expanded from 12,000 volumes to over 70,000 volumes. She also successfully organized the entire collection using the Dewey decimal system.