Continuous Growth

The first principal of the school was Arthur B. Morrill. He was a graduate of Yale in the class of 1878. His time at the school was very successful. He was the principal that guided the school through their humble beginnings and helped them with their initial expansion and eventual move to the new building. When he retired, he passed the torch over to George P. Phenix, who was principal for eleven years. The school saw positive growth during this time. In 1897 there were thirty women enrolled in the program. By 1901, there were eight faculty who headed up the school. When Phenix retired, Henry T. Burr took over as the third principal at the Willimantic Normal School from 1904 to 1918.

It was during Burr’s time in office that the school began to transform. Burr had worked at the New Britain Normal School as a science teacher, giving him much knowledge of the normal school system. In 1912, a second building was acquired called the “model school”. It was located on Windham Street and unfortunately burned down in 1924. In 1917, Burr started looking for the funds for a dormitory. At this point, the school had 148 female students and 119 of them could have made use of a dormitory. On February 2, 1917, The Hartford Courant reported on Henry Burr going to the state committee of education and asking for funding for a dormitory. His point was that young women that had traveled to Willimantic should not have to find housing in such a city. His pleas worked, as he was able to obtain $150,000 from the state for a new dormitory building. This building was completed in 1921 and is known as Burr Hall. Room and board was $200. Burr Hall still stands today. It was an all female dorm up until 2006, when the university decided to make it coed. Burr retired in 1918.

The school went through a transformation in 1937. The State of Connecticut passed a legislative bill making all normal schools in Connecticut into four year colleges.The school was renamed Willimantic State Teachers College in 1937 and started to offer a four year degree in education. Considering the profession was considered a woman’s job, this was a step forward for the femininst movement in Connecticut, as their work was recognized on an accredited level. This also allowed the graduates to move states and still have a valid degree. George H. Shafer was now the president of the accredited college, who guided the transition from normal school to a four year institution. Tragically, the Willimantic Normal School main building burned down in 1943 but was replaced with Shafer Hall.

The school continued to transform and grow throughout the rest of the 20th century. The name and accreditation of Eastern Connecticut State University came about in 1983, when the school had grown enough to offer a variety of course studies. The campus is now spread over 182 acres and offers 40 majors. Eastern is still known today across Connecticut for its teaching program, showing that they never strayed too far from its’ beginnings.