Spartan Stories
Tales from the UNCG University Archives
founding
125 Years Ago: Starting Classes at State Normal
by Erin Lawrimore On October 5, 1892 – 125 years ago this week – the doors of the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) opened its doors for an initial class of 198 women from across North Carolina. The institution was originally chartered by the State of North Carolina in February 1891, with a mission of […]
Ezekiel “Zeke” Robinson
by Erin Lawrimore Robinson with the college’s horse and buggy When the doors opened at the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) on October 5, 1892, school president Charles Duncan McIver had 15 well-qualified faculty members and nearly 200 young female students. While cooks, janitors, handymen, and others worked behind the scenes to keep […]
Behind the Scenes of State Normal with Lula Martin McIver, part two
by Erin Lawrimore In last week’s Spartan Stories blog post, we looked at the early life of Lula Martin McIver, wife of the State Normal and Industrial School’s (now UNCG) founding president Charles Duncan McIver. This week we will explore her role as the first lady of State Normal and her continued influence on education […]
Behind the Scenes of State Normal with Lula Martin McIver, part one
by Erin Lawrimore In a undated speech titled “The Educated Woman’s Contribution to the Service of the State,” Lula Martin McIver, widow of the State Normal and Industrial School’s (now UNCG) founding president Charles Duncan McIver, passionately argued for the value of education for women in North Carolina. Her speech echoes many of the sentiments […]
Ringing “Glad Tidings”: A History of the University Bell
by Erin Lawrimore On October 5, 1892, when the doors of the State Normal and Industrial School officially opened for instruction, the women enrolled were called to classes by the chiming of the University Bell. Originally, the bell stood near the location of the current Alumni House. It was used wake students in the morning, […]
The Lost Architecture of UNCG, part 1
by Erin Lawrimore At the time of its opening in 1892, the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) consisted primarily of four buildings: two dormitories, a “main building,” and the president’s house. Smaller outbuildings existed, but these four structures served as the heart of campus activity. Today, only the Main Building — renamed the […]
Edwin Alderman and the founding of the State Normal and Industrial School
by Sean Mulligan Edwin Alderman, ca. 1892 While Dr. Charles Duncan McIver is credited with being the founder of the State Normal and Industrial School (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro), the contribution and influence that his good friend, Edwin Alderman had on its creation cannot be overlooked. Born in May 1861, Alderman […]
Greensboro Got the Girls … Now Where Do We Put Them?
by Erin Lawrimore In last week’s Spartan Story, we looked at the decision to name Greensboro as the site for North Carolina’s newly-created State Normal and Industrial School. Greensboro citizens were happy and excited — while those in other towns also in contention for the institution were not so pleased. Greensboro won the right to […]
Greensboro Gets the Girls!
by Erin Lawrimore On February 18, 1891, the General Assembly of North Carolina passed an act that officially established a “normal and industrial school for white girls.” This act appropriated $10,000 per year for maintenance of the school, but not for buildings, land, or other facilities. In fact, the act stated that “the institution shall […]
Ezekiel “Zeke” Robinson
by Erin Lawrimore Robinson with the college’s horse and buggy When the doors opened at the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) on October 5, 1892, school president Charles Duncan McIver had 15 well-qualified faculty members and nearly 200 young female students. While cooks, janitors, handymen, and others worked behind the scenes to keep […]
