1903 – Danbury State Normal School is established by act of the Connecticut legislature. Three acres on White St. are donated by Alexander M. White for the new school. Above is a map of the land 15 years before the donation to the school along with a picture of Alexander White with his family at their home in Brooklyn, New York. (White family photo curtesy of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society)

The need to train teachers had become apparent as more “common” (grade) schools were established in the United States.  Danbury was the 4^th normal school in Connecticut. New Britain was established in 1850, Willimantic in 1889 and New Haven in 1893.  Bridgeport didn’t want a state school and a battle was fought in the legislature between representatives from Waterbury and Danbury, with Danbury winning the right to have the school. 

1904 – First class of the Danbury State Normal School was held in the Danbury High School building on Main Street and had an enrollment of 41 students. John R. Perkins (1903-1923), the Danbury High School principal became principal of the Normal School. Tuition was free and the state provided textbooks.  Students learned to teach math, history, reading literature and basic science. But the cost of boarding in Danbury was a barrier for many students, averaging about $5 per week, and John Perkins looked for ways to help. He kept lists of acceptable boarding families and answered every inquiry himself about available boarding facilities.

1905 – The school year began in the new building (now called Old Main) built to house the Normal school on the land donated by Mr. White.

1906 – The graduation is held in 1906. Katherine Butler, first African American student can be seen in the back row in the class photo.    A correspondence course was offered that year to prepare teachers (who hadn’t attended the school) for the state teaching certificate exam or for advanced credit when entering the school.

1908 – Summer school was started for “teachers of a deficient education and of limited experience” and had an enrollment of 200.

1912 -   In 1912 the greatest attraction for the enrolled students was the demonstration sessions at the rural and model schools. The picture above shows a rural school, Miry Brook, (now part of the Danbury airport) and its students. The other schools were Balmforth Avenue (pictured above left) and Locust Avenue below on the right. 

Ralph Carrington was the first male student to graduate.  He is on the left toward the front in the graduation photo. Not many men were interested at this time in teaching elementary school. 

1916 – A kindergarten was started in the first-floor corner classroom of Old Main. Miss Marguerite Wheeler and her class are said to have planted an oak tree near the western entrance to Old Main.

1917 – 14.5 acres adjacent to the school purchased for future growth. Pres. Perkins had been lobbying for a dormitory on the campus and this was the first step toward that goal. The General Assembly agreed to appropriate funds for the purchase of the land and also for the first normal school dormitory to be built at Willimantic.

1918 - Class of 1918 poses for class photo by Old Main.

1919 - Additional land is purchased for the campus again with the goal of constructing a dormitory.   But the World War delayed this plan. 

1920 – Efforts were made over the years to organize an Alumnae group.  On June 12 the First Annual Alumnae Association meeting was held at the Hotel Green and Miss Annetta Monroe (Class of ’10) was elected president.

1920’s – Danbury Normal School pennant created. A sticker version could be used on students' luggage and steamer trunks. Pictured above is a physical education class in the gymnasium on Old Main.

The Anchor, the school yearbook, published photos of the model teachers at the Balmforth and Locust Avenue schools.

1923 – Lothrop Higgins (1923-1935), former science teacher at the school, becomes principal after the death of John Perkins. 

1924 - The Anchor, the school yearbook, publishes photographs of the model teachers at Locust and Balmforth Avenue schools. 

1925 - Extension courses are offered.

1927 – Fairfield Hall, dormitory for women opens. President Perkins did not live to see the dormitory that he had lobbied for so strongly completed.  After much wrangling in the state legislature, construction had finally been approved and the money appropriated in 1926. The amount was short by $10,000 and plans had to be scaled back to meet the budget shortfall.  

Late 1920s - Aerial view shows the campus in the late 1920s after the completion of Fairfield Hall. The new Danbury High School (which would eventually become White Hall) with its playing fields is on the left.

1929 - Class of 1929 students pose in front of Old Main.               .

1931 – Ruth Haas becomes Dean of Women. replacing Miss Edith Spencer.     A Commercial Department is established to train business teachers.

1932 - All course programs at the school are extended to 3 years to provide more education during the Depression. New Britain Normal School becomes the four-year Teachers College of Connecticut.

1933 - New Haven, Danbury and Willimantic Normal Schools become subsidiaries of New Britain.

1935 - Dr. Ralph C. Jenkins (1935-1946) becomes principal.   Men are encouraged to enroll in the school.

1936 - WPA Workers build an outdoor amphitheater behind Fairfield Hall and student performances are staged there.