History of the College

Explore TTC's history

On March 7, 1863, the Kansas Legislature passed the enabling act to establish the Kansas State Normal School.

Over the years, the name of the overall institution has gone through name changes:

1863-1923: Kansas State Normal
1923-1974: Kansas State Teachers College
1974-1977: Emporia Kansas State College
1977-present: Emporia State University

A university history gives 1907 as the first date teacher training was organized as a department. It has grown from a department and now is one of the four colleges of Emporia State University. Through its existence, the department/college has gone through name changes, including:

1907-1929: Department of Pedagogy
1929-1969: Department of Education
1969-1983: School of Education and Psychology
1983-1988: College of Education
1988-present: The Teachers College

Department/College Leadership

1907-1913: John H. Glotfelter – Principal, Training Department
missing information
1917-1948: Herbert G. Lull – Head, Department of Education and Director of Teacher Training
1948-1950: John E. Jacobs – Head, Department of Education and Director of Teacher Training
1950-1952: James H. Buchanon, Head, Department of Education
1952-1959: Don E. Davis – Head, Department of Education
1959-1968: Alex A. Daughtry – Chairman, Department of Teacher Education
1968-1971: Joseph T. Sandefur – Head, Department of Education
1971-1978: A. Truman Hayes – Dean, School of Education and Psychology
1978-1983: Richard Ishler – Dean, School of Education and Psychology
1983-1984: Leo M. Ensman – Interim Dean, College of Education
1984-1995: Jack Skillett – Dean, College of Education; Dean, The Teachers College
1995-2008: Teresa Mehring – Dean, The Teachers College
2008: Ken Weaver – Dean, The Teachers College
2008-2012: Phillip Bennett – Dean, The Teachers College
2012-2019: Ken Weaver – Dean, The Teachers College
2019-2023: Joan Brewer – Dean, The Teachers College
2023-present: Sara Schwerdtfeger, Interim dean, The Teachers College