GENERAL INFORMATION HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL was not until about fifty years ago that the public mind in Virginia came to connect the stableness of free institutions with the intelligence of the people, and to see that general education is the basis of general thrift. The first Legislature It
to assemble after the adoption of the post-bellum Constitution
established,
July
11, 1870, a
twelve years or more the
system of public schools.
For
conduct of these schools was en-
trusted to such teaching force as was found ready at hand.
In this experimental period nothing was more fully demonstrated than that, if the returns were to be in any wise commensurate with the cost and the high mission of the system, some provision must be made for a reliable source of supply
by education and training for their work. To meet this demand the Legislature, in March, 1884, passed an act establishing the State Female Normal School. In October of the same year work was begun, buildings already in use for school purposes having been procured in the town of teachers fitted
of Farmville.
One hundred ten students were
enrolled the
From
the outset the school has steadily grown,
sary,
from time
to time, the
enlargement of
first session.
making necesits accommoda-
In January, 1914, the Legislature changed the name of the school to State Normal School for Women at Farmville. In January, 1916, the Legislature granted to the Virginia tions.
Normal School Board the education.
At
privilege of conferring degrees in
the next meeting of the
Board
this school
was
authorized to offer a four year course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education.
During the
thirty-five years of its existence the school has
sent out 2,037 graduates, nearly all of
whom
teachers of the public schools in the State.
are, or
have been
There have been
Of these, a large number (besides those who have graduated) have carried to the different sections of 6,468 matriculates.