Provincial Normal School

| 1850-1909 | 1909-1951 | 1951-1961 | 1961-1997 |

1850
  • J. William Dawson (later, Sir) appointment by provincial government of Nova Scotia as first Superintendent of Education for the province.
1851
  • Dawson recommended establishment of a provincial training school for teachers
  • Dawson secured approval from the Education Committee of the Legislature for establishment of a Normal School
  • Chair of the Education Committee introduced a bill in the Legislature which was lost by a small majority
  • Dawson resigned his position as Superintendent, but held the office without pay through 1852
1854
  • March 31 - Act for the Establishment of a Normal School was passed in the Legislature
1855
  • May - Alexander Forrester appointed first Principal (an office he held until 1869) on the recommendation of J.W. Dawson.
  • Forester visited Normal Schools in New England to become acquainted with the practices in those institutions
  • Summer - toured Nova Scotia speaking on matters affecting education
  • November 14 - the Provincial Normal School opened
1857
  • June - the "Model School" officially opened
1869
  • John B. Calkin appointed Principal (until 1900)
1872
  • Forrester Monument originally erected on Truro Commons (now stands in quad area of Truro Campus NSCC)
1878
  • Original Normal School building replaced
1893
  • Manual Training (later Industrial Arts and then Technology Education) introduced as a course of study
1900
  • David Soloan appointed Principal (until 1928)
  • Science Building officially opened (it now houses the Colchester Historical Museum)
  • Domestic Science (later Home Economics) introduced as one of the teacher training programs
1907
  • Kindergarten Department was integrated into the PNC
1908
  • Physical Training Program (later Physical Education) established