Branch Normal School Collection

Collection

Identifier: AR-070

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Items in this collection pertain to the history of the Branch Normal School. Many of the items relate directly to the history, administration and student life of the institution.

Dates

Creation: 1897-1965

Language of Materials

English

Access:

Unrestricted access.

Use:

The Branch Normal School Collection is the physical property of the Gerald R. Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University. Literary rights, including copyright, may belong to the authors or their heirs and assigns. Please contact the library for information regarding specific use of this collection.

Institutional History

The Branch Normal School was suggested on March 11, 1897 but the Utah State Legislature. On May 19, 1897 the Selection Commission decided to establish the school in Cedar City, Utah. In September 1897,with only four faculty members, the school was opened at a temporary location while new facilities could be built. Then moved to its permanent location in September of the following year.

From 1898-1913 the school continued to grow. Situated on the outskirts of the city, the campus boosted athletic courts, class buildings, science buildings and labs, boiler house, manual training shops, museum and library. Students had a variety of clubs, operas, public lectures, athletic events and regular chapel exercises in which to participate.

In 1913, the Branch Normal School became the Branch Agricultural College, an extension of the Utah State Agricultural College, later Utah State University, in Logan, Utah.

Extent

2.5 linear feet : 3 boxes

Additional Description

Arrangement

Items are grouped according to general department or campus community. Within each series, items are arrange by type of material, i.e. correspondence, minutes, program, then by date.

Accession Information:

Items from this collection have been donated by various sources over an extended time frame.

The 45 star United States Flag was donated by Robert Anderson in 1974. It was found in a storage room in August, 2024, with corresponding paperwork, and was added to the collection then.

On 1/7/2025 a ledger called Branch Normal School Invoices was found in 007. No know provenance or donation information is available. It was added to this collection on the same date.

Processing Information:

This finding aid was created by the Special Collections Staff, Gerald R. Sherratt Library. If print, oversize or other materials have been removed to be stored separately it will be noted.

The Invoices and Payments ledger will need to be put into a box and assigned a barcode.