"The act of May 2, 1862, establishing the California State Normal School, was similar to the New York law of 1844 creating the Albany Normal School. The measure created a 'Board of Trustee' whose members included the State Board of Education and the superintendents of the common schools of three major cities. The trustees were empowered to maintain a normal school in San Francisco for free instruction in teaching for citizens of the State, to prescribe the curriculum and textbooks, to appoint and fix salaries of teachers, and to examine students and award diplomas.
"The third section of the act required the trustees to open the school by June, and granted them the discretionary power of adopting the existing San Francisco Normal School (Minns' Evening Normal School). Furthermore, they could negotiate with the San Francisco Board of Education to establish an 'Experimental School' and arrange for the use of the buildings and equipment for the normal and experimental schools. The sessions of both schools were to be held in the day and for five days each week during five months in the year."1
"The new institution was designed as both a continuation of and an improvement of Minns' Evening Normal School. Whereas the evening school had primarily offered training to in-service San Francisco teachers, the State school was to have a wider scope. The evening school actually continued for a few months while the new school began to function. Actually the founders of both schools were the same individuals who were motivated to sponsor adequate teacher preparation as a permanent feature of the California public school system. The success of the evening school was a tribute to the wisdom of the San Francisco Board of Education."1
After electing Ahira Holmes as principal on June 23, 1862, the "Rules and Regulations of the Normal School" were established, which outlined the initial complete course of study, which mentioned that "The formal instruction was to be completed by a session of supervised teaching in the experimental school."1
On July 21, 1862, the California State Normal School opened "in a small basement room of San Francisco High School on Powell Street."1
"By August 15, twenty-one students constituted the first class, many being admitted on probation because of their lack of knowledge of elementary studies. Most of the pupils appeared ambitious and were making progress. Since no facilities were available for the experimental school, the advanced pupils on occasion conducted the class exercises."1
On October 31, a "Model or Experimental Class" was formed.2 "It was housed on Fourth Street near Mission Street and supervised by Helen M. Clark, a graduate and former teacher of the Toronto Normal School."1 "About thirty pupils have been received into the class, selected from the different Primaries of the city. These pupils are all girls, averaging about seven years of age."2 "The first training school was organized in connection with the city schools of San Francisco. It appears that at first the work in the training school was the same or quite similar to that given in the regular city schools."3
On November 12, the California State Normal School "moved to the Old Musical Hall on Fourth Street, over the room used by the experimental school. The building had formerly been an important meeting place for various community organizations."1
Later in November, a "'Grammar Department' of the experimental school, consisting of more advanced pupils, was formed and placed under the supervision of Helen Clark, while a 'Primary Department' was headed by Kate Sullivan, a former Chicago teacher."1
The California State Normal School was still located in the Old Musical Hall in January.1
"The second year began under more auspicious circumstances. Governor Stanford considered the institution a success and recommended its continuance In the early stages the school was supervised by the State Superintendent and the San Francisco Superintendent. In fact, the city not only furnished the classroom, but also paid the salary of one of the teachers in the experimental school. This close link between the state and the city accrued to the benefit of both. On March 10, 1863, Superintendent Tait of San Francisco stated: 'The city is fully remunerated for what she contributes to the maintenance of this school, by the free tuition which it affords to over one hundred children of our citizens.' The city’s board of education recognized the normal school’s diploma as entitling the holder to a certificate to teach in San Francisco schools; it even permitted normal school pupils to do substitute teaching."1
On October 13, "the normal and experimental schools were moved to the Assembly Hall Building on the northwest corner of Post and Kearney Streets, nearly opposite Dashaway Hall."1 "The primary classes were still held on Fourth Street and the grammar classes were held in the Assembly Hall Building."1
On January 6, "the winter term opened and the school was reorganized, being divided into three classes, senior, junior, and sub-junior. A new course of study and new regulations were adopted. Senior class members were required to teach in the experimental school (AKA the 'Model Department') for an entire week at a time; and it was decided to expel students who were irregular in attendance or who did poor work."1
When the third year opened, normal school students assisted in teaching in the grammar and primary schools of the city and received class credit, on top of their teaching in the experimental school."1
Early in March, President Holmes "visited classes in the experimental school and found that the student teachers were not properly supervised. He said that they should be 'subject to the close espionage and direction of a first class teacher.' To remedy this situation he conferred with the city superintendent, and it was agreed that thereafter normal pupils would teach in the model school under supervision of the principal, who would report directly to Holmes."1
"On July 10, the State Normal School opened in Dashaway Hall, a brick building belonging to a temperance society and located on the south side of Post Street between Kearney and Dupont Streets. The experimental school was temporarily abandoned. In August the normal school occupied Lincoln Grammar School, a new and large brick building at the corner of Fifth and Market Streets. The next month the school moved again to its sixth and final location in San Francisco, a primary shcool [sic] building on Market Street between the Lincoln School and St. Ignatius College. The upper part of the building was occupied by the normal school and the lower by four classes of the experimental or training school. Four normal pupils instructed these classes each week under the supervision of Mrs. C. H. Stout as principal and Helen M. Clark as assistant until the latter was replaced by Mrs. John Swett
"The primary school building was no better than earlier locations."1 According to an anecdote from a male graduate from the Class of June 1866, students had little accommodations and equipments to work with.1
During the 1866-67 school year, a school law was revised to "[define] the membership of the State Board of Education ... [which] made its members the board of trustees of the normal school. In 1866, "the board of trustees requested the board of education of San Francisco 'to allow the Trustees of the State Normal School to prepare and adopt a special course of study for the Training School.'"3 Prior to this, "the original law had called it an 'experimental school.'"1 This indicates something of the relation which existed between the normal school and the public schools of San Francisco."3
"The school was organized as before into three classes. … Some changes were made in the curriculum early in the year. A few higher branches were omitted, making the course more elementary and enabling more emphasis to be placed on teaching methods. The reason for this revision was that the demand for primary teachers was greater than that for teachers of advanced subjects such as mathematics, logic, and the natural sciences. The revised curriculum required that a half hour each day be devoted exclusively to the study of teaching methods in all three classes. Furthermore, a system was adopted whereby the training school teachers graded student teachers on their thoroughness, self-possession, ability to interest pupils, and teaching of manners and morals."1
"In 1868 the two training school teachers were still supervised by the normal department, but paid by the city."1 More specifically, "the board of trustees requested the city board of education of San Francisco 'to allow the State Board of Normal School Trustees the power to elect two teachers for the Training School to be paid by the City of San Francisco such salary as the City Board of Education may designate.' Mr. Allen in commenting upon this arrangement states that 'As far as can be ascertained, during the remainder of the time that the school was located in San Francisco, the teachers in the Training School were paid by the city, though the work of the Training School was entirely under the supervision of the Trustees and teachers of the Normal School.' The normal had furnished the teachers for the training school up to this time."3
Miss Matilda Lewis, a graduate of the Oswego Normal School, was made head of the training school in 1869.3
Legislature voted to relocate the California State Normal School next year.1
"It is quite apparent from the records that the normal school and the city schools were endeavoring to cooperate for a little later the state superintendent and the principal of the normal school were instructed 'to confer with the Board of Education of the City and County of San Francisco with reference to the proper organization and management of the Training School connected with the State Normal School.' This was at the same meeting at which the board considered the question of a permanent location for the normal school. Although it is not stated specifically, there appears to be plenty of evidence to indicate unrest and dissatisfaction with the arrangements. This was also evident in the attempt to secure proper housing for the normal school."3
"In the account given by Cornelia E. Cunningham the training school is described as being in a deplorable condition and 'the pupils having no regard for the authority of the young girls placed over them from week to week.' The reason given is the lack of sufficient teachers. Whether this was due to failure on the part of the city to provide teachers is not stated. Further evidence on this point comes when on March 9, 1870, the board of trustees authorized the appointment of a committee of three for the purpose of preparing a 'plan for the organization of a Training School as an integral part of the State Normal School.' Up to this time the training school had really been a part of the city schools."3
1Gilbert, B. F. & Burdick, C. 1980. Washington square, 1857-1979: The history of San Jose State University. San Jose State University.
2San Jose State College. 1889. Historical sketch of the State normal school at San José, California. J.D. Young, supt. State printing.
3Walter, A. 1933. The origin and development of the San Jose State Teachers College [Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University]. San José State University Library, Special Collections & Archives.