By Elizabeth Lowry Freelancer
Withstanding the test of time, Western’s Information Technology Center is celebrating its centennial this year.
In 1882, the Oregon State Legislature — according to John C. Almack’s History of Oregon Normal Schools — passed a law that created state normal schools. Derived from the French term ecole normale, normal schools were institutions that provided training programs in the “norms” of teaching.
Western, named Christian College at the time, renamed to Oregon State Normal School. Four other normal schools were opened in the cities of Ashland, The Dalles, Weston and Drain.
However, 16 years later in 1898, legislature would pass The Daly Bill which took away the power to grant teaching certificates from both denominational and state normal schools. While the plan was to eventually give authority back to state schools, in 1909 state funding was pulled completely and all five normal schools closed.
Through the support of the Monmouth, Independence and Polk County communities, the Monmouth school was able to open its doors once again, renaming to Oregon Normal School (ONS) in 1911.
With the new lack of normal schools, ONS found itself in the predicament of raising student enrollment and decreasing space.
With only four classrooms in their model school, dubbed “the Patch School” due to its differing colors of exterior paint on its original floor subsequent addition of a second floor, ONS approached the Oregon State Legislature to request funds for a new training school.
In 1915, Legislature awarded ONS $50,000 and development for the Monmouth Training School was put on the fast track.
Under the supervision of skilled state architect John Virginius Bennes and Corvallis contracting firm Snook and Traver, construction for the two story building, which included a basement, began on Aug. 11, 1915. Using many Oregon-based materials, including stones mined from Oregon quarries, the Training School officially opened Feb. 14, 1916.
The finished building was comprised of a 210-seat auditorium, 7 classrooms with attached recitation rooms, restrooms, administrative offices and a 2,000-book library. The basement contained two playrooms, domestic science and art rooms and a children’s lunch room.
As the campus population continued to increase, the Training School went through several major changes in its 100-year history, including the addition of its northeast and southeast wings for increased classroom space in 1949 and 1959 respectively. In 1964, the Training School changed its name to Campus Elementary School (CES) to avoid confusion with the new Monmouth Elementary School. By 1986, CES had closed and the building underwent a structural remodel before being repurposed as the Instructional Technology Center (ITC).
Currently the ITC is home to Western’s computer and audio/visual centers. An architectural staple, the ITC holds a rich historical past and a bright indispensable future to Western’s campus.
The ITC exhibit “100 Years of Service: Never Cease to Learn” exhibit is located on the second floor of Hamersly Library and is available for viewing until June 30.
