History

The roots of Marion Normal College are traced to Thomas Diggs Tharp, who opened a normal college in his own home in 1880.  Through the 1880’s under Tharp and his successor Dr. Joseph Tingley, the school made little progress.  This changed when Dr. T. W. Johnson purchased it and brought in Professor A. Jones as president. In 1890 the Indianapolis Journal described Marion Normal as being in its second year with over 100 students.

 

The 1892 commencement shows the breadth of the school curriculum: five students graduated that year from the business program, three from commercial, two each from the scientific and normal programs and one from Music. Each year newspapers and school journals note, “The year just closed has been the most prosperous in the history of the institution.”  With the new building, enrollment reached 250 in 1894.  In 1900 a Law department had been added, with one female in the graduating class in 1901.  Enrollment had reached one thousand by 1903; the graduating class of 1910 contained 112 names.  Marion continued to add programs to refine its role in the community and state.  Among new programs were oratory, telegraphy, and penmanship--as well as high school and preparatory departments.  An ad in the Mississinewa shows 12 departments. 

 

In 1910 the students began the Criterion, a 32-page publication.  But despite departments of oratory and music, the Mississinewa shows no student organizations in those areas.  The only extracurricular activities shown are religious ones—Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A. and Bible Study.

 

In 1912 President C.W. Boucher accepted an offer from Muncie interests to merge Marion Normal College with National Manual Training Corporation, the Indiana Manual Training Company, and the Muncie Conservatory of Music, to become the Muncie Normal Institute, located in Muncie.  Foreclosed in 1917, Muncie Normal was purchased by the Ball Brothers and given to the state.  That new school eventually became Ball State University.