"The Normal" - Lycoming County Normal School

The Lycoming Normal School At Muncy

The Lycoming Normal School, sometimes called "The Normal", was first located in Montoursville Pa, and later in Muncy.

"Normal Schools" were established primarily to train teachers for public elementary schools.  The Normal School Act of 1857 created 12 normal school districts, spread geographically across the state. "Normal" referred to the teaching standards, or norms.

 Meginness, in his 1892 History of Lycoming County, wrote:  “before the establishment of [the Lycoming County Normal School], the teachers of the county had no acquaintance with the theory of teaching, or school government, and the advancement that was made was slow and unsatisfactory. . . . The Normal teaching presented new methods and theories, which were carried into the work of teaching, and the progress that was made was gratifying to all friends of popular education” 

The "Normals" evolved into state teachers colleges, and then eventually to State Colleges, before becoming State Universities in 1982.

The location in Montoursville was a four room high school building on  the corner of Montour and Jordan Streets.  That building was outgrown in a few years time, and a new building was erected in 1873, to house both the Normal School and the High School.  The Montoursville Normal School closed in 1877.

The Normal School Catalog for the 1913-14 school year listed estimate of approximate expenses: $56 per term, including tuition, room and board at a local Muncy home, laundry, and incidentals.

The Lycoming Mutual Fire Insurance Building

[NOT the Normal School building - but also used by the Normal School]

In 1908, the school needed more space so they acquired the former Lycoming Mutual Fire Insurance building on South Main Street, directly in front of the Normal School. The "Executive Building" offered additional classrooms, offices and a reading room.

The Normal School Building

Located on the corner of Market and High Street in Muncy - behind the Fire Insurance Building.

Muncy High School/Normal School

NOTE - the Fire insurance building still stands today, The Normal School building does not.   The Normal School building was torn down. 

 Both buildings were of somewhat similar design, and the photo above,  of the Normal School, was likely taken from the tower of the Fire Insurance building  - the Normal School being built behind the Fire Insurance Building.  

In 1927, The Muncy Normal School became a branch of Mansfield State College.  In 1938 the Normal School building was torn down to make way for Hoffman Seed and Grain Company.  Hoffman Seed and Gran was later razed, and the McCarty Apartment building was build on the vacant lot.

The schools marble block from the brick wall bordering market street was salvaged and moved to the property of the Muncy Historical Society.

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CLASS PHOTOS & LISTS
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1890

1898

Florence Connelly 1898

1901

1903

1908

1909

1909

1910

1911

1912

1912

1913

1913 Class List

1913 Faculty

Students at the Train Station

From the 1914-15 Brochure

1915

Unknown Year

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READ MORE

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Dr George Brecht first taught at Lycoming Normal, then was principal from 1890-1893 before becoming superintendent of the schools of Lycoming County.

1903 Harris Spotts Principal

1903 - A.M. Weaver, of Muncy, has been elected principal; of the Montoursville schools at a salary of $90 a month. Mr. Weaver has had several terms’ experience as a teacher in the Muncy Normal school and also as principal of the schools at Liberty.

1894 - "The Muncy Normal School, enters upon its 25th year with bright prospects and a very successful one."