The SJSU Student Memorabilia Collection documents the academic and social experiences of students who attended the college from 1881 to 1971.The bulk of the collection is comprised of school catalogs, certificates/diplomas, report cards, teacher curriculum cards, and faculty correspondence. Other formats of note include event booklets, dance cards, newspaper clippings, year books, scrapbooks, photographs, and magazines. The collection consists of three series, which are arranged by the chronological era of the college, and delineated by format: Series I: San Jose Normal School, 1881-1920; Series II: San Jose Teacher College, 1921-1934; Series III: San Jose State Collge, 1935-1971.

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, The institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San Jose and the school relocated to it’s new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

2.09 Linear feet, 2 Boxes