Editor's note: In honor of the university's centennial year, The Daily News is counting down 100 days to the university's celebration Sept. 6 with 100 of Ball State's most famous traditions and figures. Check back each day to read about Cardinal history.
Standing at almost 138 feet tall and towering 10 floors next to the Applied Technology Building and Art and Journalism Building, the Teachers College is the first and oldest educational institution at Ball State as well as the second tallest building in Delaware County.
Ball State, originally named the Eastern Indiana Normal School, was initially founded as a private teacher training school in 1899.
The college was created by Muncie business leaders to help boost city development. However, community efforts were not enough to sustain the college, so the Ball Brothers purchased the land and buildings and donated it to the state of Indiana.
This led to the creation of the Indiana State Normal School Eastern Division in 1918. The name was changed to Ball Teachers College — in honor of the Ball Brothers — in 1922 and then to Ball State Teachers College in 1929.
In 1965, the Indiana General Assembly decided to finally rename the college Ball State University.
Now, the school has several academic departments including educational leadership, psychology studies, elementary education, special education and family, consumer and technology education. These come with many options for bachelors, minors, masters, doctoral and specialist degrees through the school.
Additionally, it provides activities that range from student teaching to volunteering. Teachers College also has its own academic journal called “The Teacher Educator,” which covers a wide-range of topics surrounding education and teaching.
The school’s educator preparation programs have full accreditation from The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Indiana Department of Education. The college controls several labs, schools and centers including the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Center for School Innovation, neuropsychology lab, Burris Laboratory School and Indiana Academy.
Read more centennial content here.
Contact Andrew Harp with comments at adharp@bsu.edu or on Twitter @adharp24.
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