Normal School Growth: The Case of Pittsburg's State Manual Training Normal Under the Leadership of William A. Brandenburg
Category
Business, Education and Humanities
Department
History
Student Status
Undergraduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Kyle Thompson
Document Type
Event
Location
Student Center Ballroom
Start Date
10-4-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2025 4:00 PM
Description
The Industrial Revolution during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries created an incentive to educate American youth. Prior to industrialism, schooling was limited in rural areas as children spent their days contributing to the family income. As demand for education rose, the demand for teachers simultaneously rose. In response, normal schools began to appear throughout the country. Pittsburg's Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School, founded in 1903, was one of several products of the nation's drive for education. Like several others, Pittsburg's Normal was closely intertwined with industrialism. Many normal schools strove to teach industrial education in addition to regular public-school education to encourage students to pursue an industrial career. Opinions about normal schools are ever-changing - some historians praise them for equipping several generations with the skills they needed to sustain America's industrial reputation, while other historians criticize them for prematurely arranging children's careers and lessening the desire or need to go to college. Regardless of their debated moral intentions, most normal schools were widely successful - some more than others. This paper examines the factors that contributed to both normal school success and failure throughout America in comparison with Pittsburg's Normal to determine if Pittsburg's situation differed from others. By examining factors such as enrollment, community, location, and especially leadership, this paper argues that Pittsburg's Normal did in fact encounter outstanding growth and development. Evidence finds that the school's first official president, Dr. William A. Brandenburg, was probable causation for being the catalyst of growth for Pittsburg's Normal
Normal School Growth: The Case of Pittsburg's State Manual Training Normal Under the Leadership of William A. Brandenburg
Student Center Ballroom
The Industrial Revolution during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries created an incentive to educate American youth. Prior to industrialism, schooling was limited in rural areas as children spent their days contributing to the family income. As demand for education rose, the demand for teachers simultaneously rose. In response, normal schools began to appear throughout the country. Pittsburg's Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School, founded in 1903, was one of several products of the nation's drive for education. Like several others, Pittsburg's Normal was closely intertwined with industrialism. Many normal schools strove to teach industrial education in addition to regular public-school education to encourage students to pursue an industrial career. Opinions about normal schools are ever-changing - some historians praise them for equipping several generations with the skills they needed to sustain America's industrial reputation, while other historians criticize them for prematurely arranging children's careers and lessening the desire or need to go to college. Regardless of their debated moral intentions, most normal schools were widely successful - some more than others. This paper examines the factors that contributed to both normal school success and failure throughout America in comparison with Pittsburg's Normal to determine if Pittsburg's situation differed from others. By examining factors such as enrollment, community, location, and especially leadership, this paper argues that Pittsburg's Normal did in fact encounter outstanding growth and development. Evidence finds that the school's first official president, Dr. William A. Brandenburg, was probable causation for being the catalyst of growth for Pittsburg's Normal
