Page:A history of the Michigan state normal school (now Normal college) at Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1849-1899 (IA historyofmichiga00putniala).pdf/48



been somewhat migratory in its habits. It was first domiciled in narrow quarters in the old main building, afterwards, for several years, in the present Conservatory building, later in the rear addition to the main building. ‘The large increase in the number of normal students from 1883-4 to 1891-2, and the consequent increase in the number of teachers, created an urgent demand for more rooms to accommodate the regular normal classes. The most natural way of securing the needed additional rooms seemed to be by providing a separate building for the Training school. Yielding to the urgent solicitations of members of the Board and others the Legislature in 1895 appropriated $25,000 for the erection of such a building. The question of finding a suitable location for the proposed structure was a very serious one. It could not be placed upon the original normal grounds without crowding the buildings so close together as to increase very greatly the danger in case of fire, to say nothing of the general appearance. In this emergency the city of Ypsilanti again manifested its liberality and public spirit, by purchasing and donating to the Board of Education a very desirable site, consisting of something over three acres of land adjoining the old campus on the west side. For this the city paid $8,500.

‘The plans originally adopted by the Board contemplated a structure 170 feet in extreme length and 107 feet in extreme depth, and ¢onsisting of a centre portion and two wings. In their report for 1896 the Board say: "When the plans had been completed and submitted, it was found that the building called for in such plans could not be completed for the amount of the appropriation. It was therefore thought best to retain the model building plans, to complete the building for present use within the appropriation, and, whenever in the future it should seem necessary to add to the building, to do so along the lines of the original plans. ‘The building, according to the reduced plans, was completed so as to be occupied by most of the grades of the Training school about the first of April, 1897. At some subsequent time it will doubtless be finished in accordance with the original design, and it will then afford ample and excellent accommodations for the whole school.