Page:A history of the Michigan state normal school (now Normal college) at Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1849-1899 (IA historyofmichiga00putniala).pdf/31

 only ten years. Previous to the year 1841, there had been no public school in that city. No public high school had been established there, and repeated requests for permission to form classes in Latin and Greek in the schools had been refused by the Board of Education of the city.

Union graded schools were just beginning to be organized in the larger villages of the State, mainly through the zealous efforts and labors of Superintendent Mayhew; but only a very few of these had high school departments.

The denominational schools, of which several had been established, could, at that date claim no higher rank than that of respectable Academies. Facilities for secondary instruction were exceedingly limited, and the incipient University alone offered an opportunity for collegiate instruction and study within our borders.

It will conduce to clearness, and will also be most convenient, to trace the progress and development of the school, from this point, in turn, along several tolerably distinct lines. The headings of the successive chapters will indicate these lines.