A reexamination of Illinois State University s early years and
educational mission are the focus of a forthcoming sesquicentennial history
of the University, written by John Freed, University Distinguished Professor
Emeritus of History. Freed will also touch on that subject as he delivers
the plenary address for the Illinois State Historical Society s 27th Annual
Illinois History Symposium, on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Freed will give the plenary address, The Founding of Illinois State Normal University: Normal School or State University? at 11 a.m. in the Bone Student Center Prairie Room. The Illinois History Symposium is being held at Illinois State in conjunction with the University s 150th Celebration.
In researching the early history of the University for his book, Educating Illinois: Illinois State University 1857-2007, and for his plenary address, Freed found that the University was, from the very beginning, intended to be much more than a teacher training institution. He was also rather surprised to find that the facts surrounding the University s original mission were also downplayed or ignored in earlier histories of the institution. He feels a reexamination of the history will give people a greater appreciation for the educational legacy of Illinois State as it celebrates its 150th year.
In 1857, the founders of Illinois State Normal University intended it to be the state university for Illinois and much more than just a regular normal school for training teachers, said Freed. The founders spoke of ISNU as being a complete university that met the growing educational needs of the state. What was surprising to me was that earlier histories of the University seemed to ignore that fact and emphasized that Illinois State s main mission was that of a normal school for training teachers.
Freed found that University histories that emphasized the normal school legacy were published during a time in the mid 20th century when there was a heated debate about changing the school s name to Illinois State University. Other universities in the state were making the transition away from teachers colleges, but Freed said there was reluctance at Illinois State.
During the 1940s and 1950s there was a lot of resistance to the idea of changing the name and the mission of the University, said Freed. Many on campus argued strongly for staying true to the normal school model, even while other schools were making the transition to full universities. The political climate on campus during that time was reflected in how the University s history was written.
Now that a half a century has passed since the debates over the University s name change, Freed feels that a more objective account of Illinois State s earlier history can be written. The passing of time gives you the benefit of perspective on a subject, said Freed. I think the reexamination of our school s early history will give us a much greater appreciation for the fact that the University s founders intended it to be the premier university in Illinois.
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