History And Heritage At 150 Years: West Chester University Prepares For Its Sesquicentennial

Press release from West Chester University:

December 2, 2020

At the threshold of the University’s Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2021, elements of WCU’s history and the upcoming celebrations have been curated on a 150th-anniversary website that has just been launched.

Although its roots date back to the West Chester Academy, founded in 1812, the institution
that became West Chester University was chartered as West Chester Normal School in
1870 and opened for its first classes in September 1871.

Why “Normal”? In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the word “normal” was applied
to institutions that trained teachers.

Four eras define the institution’s evolution: West Chester Normal School/State Normal
School, 1871-1926; West Chester State Teachers College, 1926-1960; West Chester State
College, 1960-1983; and West Chester University, 1983-present. Each era saw changes
in curriculum and extra-curricular activities including sports; growth in student
and faculty populations, campus size, and diversity; and an expanding relationship
with both local and global communities.

Throughout, student success has remained at the forefront. It is reflected in WCU’s
current strategic plan, Pathways to Student Success.

Check out the brief introductory video and the historic, vintage, and current photos on the timeline. Alumni, students, employees, and retirees of WCU are invited to share memories of
their time on campus in text and photos on social media using #WCU150. Some of those submissions will be collected for future posting on the sesquicentennial
website.

What is WCU planning to acknowledge this milestone?

Visit the University’s sesquicentennial website often for updates, including specific
event information, regular postings of photos and stories, and memories and mementos
from alumni and retirees.

This press release was produced by West Chester University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.