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Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science records

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: UA-055

Scope and Contents

This collection contains a bulletin for the Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science dating from 1906.

Dates

  • Creation: 1906

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Ball State University Libraries make every reasonable effort to provide accurate information regarding the copyright status of materials held by Archives and Special Collections. Patrons may scan items or request a reproduction of one or more items in the collection; however, it is the responsibility of the patron to evaluate whether or not the intended use complies with copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

After the closing of Palmer University in 1905, a group of Muncie citizens persuaded a state senator to introduce a bill in the Indiana General Assembly requesting the state take over the university campus and open a tuition-free normal school. Though the bill was voted down in the Senate, it attracted the attention of Francis M. Igler, dean and vice president of the Indianapolis College of Law, and James McCormick, a real estate salesman. Ingler and McCormick convinced the Univeristy Association to allow them to form a corporation and operate a school financed through stock sales. In the fall of 1905, the campus reopened as Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science.

Igler took on the role of president of the new school. Unfortunately, various frustrations caused him to resign during his second year. In an attempt to keep the school running, trustees George McCulloch and Frank C. Ball brought in former faculty member Lemuel A. Pittenger to replace Igler. McCulloch and Ball also made an offer to the trustees of Taylor University in an attempt to convince them to relocate their university faculty and resources to Muncie. The Taylor trustees declined the offer. The Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science was forced to close in the summer of 1907 due to a lack of funds, faculty, and students.

In order to keep up the insurance, the University Association allowed a local farming family to use the univeristy building and grounds. In 1909, a group of Muncie citizens once again petitioned the state to take over the property and open a state-funded normal school. Though the vote was close, the proposal failed once again. The campus would eventually reopen in 1912 as the Muncie Normal Institute. The original university building is still standing and is currently the Administration Building on the campus of Ball State University.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 legal archival folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically.

Related Materials

Related materials can be found in the following collections:

UA.053: Eastern Indiana Normal School records

UA.054: Palmer University records

UA.064: Muncie Normal Institute and Muncie National Institute records

UA Restructuring

Materials from RG.01.01.01 were pulled to create the new UA.055.

Title
Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science records
Status
Completed
Author
Mindy Shull
Date
2021-12-14
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Ball State University Archives Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
765-285-5078