The New Hampshire State Normal School was founded in Plymouth in 1871. By 1905, Concord, Manchester, Nashua and Portsmouth had their own teacher training schools, but all of these together were providing about 80 graduates per year, while the school districts of the state needed about 350 teachers per year. Most of the teachers hired were inexperienced. The New Hampshire State Teachers’ Association adopted a “Declaration of Principles” in 1905, and a resolution in 1906, each calling for more normal schools to meet the demand for teachers trained to a set of standards, or norms.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT THE FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION, 1906
Resolved, As recommended by the committee on legislation, that the State Teachers’
Association sees and feels the need of more facilities for normal training in our state, and
recommends the establishing of a normal school in the southeastern part of the state and
another in the southwestern. The constant increase in the demand for trained teachers in the
towns is most gratifying and is constantly in excess of the supply. We understand how the
remoteness of location hinders the attendance of worthy and deserving young ladies of
limited means and many turn to other employments or go to a normal school in some
neighboring state and are thus lost to us. New Hampshire needs all her best talent and
should suitably provide for its development and enjoy its work in our own schools and upon
our own children….