History
Millersville University was established in 1855 as the Lancaster County Normal School, the first state normal school in Pennsylvania. It subsequently changed its name to the Millersville State Normal School in 1859 and Millersville later became a state teachers college in 1928. It was renamed Millersville State College in 1957 and officially became Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 1983.
In November 1852, the Lancaster County Educational Association met in Strassburg resolving to form an institute for teacher training. The first institute, which led to the Lancaster County Normal School and received major support from Thomas H. Burrowes, was held in January 1853. While the Association was working to organize, Lewis M. Hobbs, a popular teacher of the Manor district, lobbied heavily in Manor township for a more permanent training facility for teachers. Jacob Shenk, a local farmer, donated a tract of five acres (present-day site of Ganser Library, Biemesderfer Executive Center, and Dutcher Hall) with Hobbs collecting investments from local residents. On April 17, 1855, Lancaster County Normal School opened with James P. Wickersham as Principal and a peak of 147 teachers in attendance. President of the school was Thomas H. Burrowes and Vice President was Lewis M. Hobbs. November 5, 1855 marked the start of the first full session, with a new expansion off of the original Academy building that made 96 rooms available for nearly 200 students and their teachers.
Completed in 1894, Biemesderfer Center, also known as the Old Library, is the centerpiece of Millersville University's campus. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees designated $27,500 for the construction of the library in 1891 with the contract awarded to Lancastrian D.H. Rapp, who submitted the lowest bid in a blind auction.
Millersville University has nine residence halls. Four residence halls are designated for freshmen: Bard, Gaige, Hull, and Harbold. Diehm is the designated hall for students in the University Honors College. Hobbs, Gilbert, Lenhardt, Burrowes, and Diehm are for upperclassmen students. Other housing options include Shenks and Reighard halls, and Brookwood Court and Healthy Living apartments.
The Millersville University Library is housed in Ganser Hall. In September 2011, the University closed Ganser Hall for two years in order to complete renovations.
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“If you look at the 150 years of modern China’s history since the Opium Wars, then you can’t avoid the conclusion that the last 15 years are the best 15 years in China’s modern history.”
—J. Stapleton Roy (b. 1935)