Albion State Normal School records available online at ISU Oboler Library

“The photographs have been digitized and we need the public’s help with identifying buildings, locations, events, people and dates,” said Ellen Ryan head of Special Collections. “Add tags to the images or leave appropriate comments.”

The collection includes correspondence, student files, ledgers, cards, course catalogs, commencement programs, certificates, diplomas, photographs, grade books and memorabilia covering the period from 1894 through 1952.

The Albion State Normal School was established by an Act of the Idaho Legislature on March 7, 1893. Five acres were deeded to State of Idaho by Josiah E. Miller as initial property of the Albion State Normal School on April 14 of that same year and the first building for the school was constructed using volunteer labor and local materials. On Sept. 11, 1894, the Normal School, located in Albion, Idaho, opened with a student population of 26 and offered a two-year teacher training program.

In 1947, the school was renamed the Southern Idaho College of Education and began awarding baccalaureate degrees. By 1951 the Normal School was not able to fulfill its mandate from the state. Over the strong objections of the citizens of Albion, the school was closed in 1951 and its responsibilities transferred to Idaho State College, now ISU.

“There will be more materials added to the collection in the near future,” Ryan said.

 The collection’s website is http://idahostateu.com/alibioncollection.  To subscribe and receive updates go to the RSS feed on the homepage of the collection.

For more information contact Ryan at ryanelle@isu.edu.