The Milne School, established in 1845 as a state normal school, evolved into a model education institution for grades 1-8, emphasizing practical teaching for normal school students. Over the years, it expanded to include high school levels, introduced various student societies, and adapted its curriculum, culminating in the school being renamed after William Milne in 1915. Ultimately, Milne School closed in 1977 due to economic downturns and changes in student demographics.

1. The Milne School,
1845-1977
By
Geoff Williams
University Archivist
Amended by Mike Ungerman ('59) for Milne Alumni Reunion 2012

2. Experimental/Model School
1845-1890
The Experimental/Model School was
founded in 1845 as the “State
Normal School” right below the state
capitol building on State Street.”
What would become the Milne
School in 1915 combined subject
matter education and practice
teaching in grades 1-8.
Initially, 45 students were enrolled
for $20 a year for 26 students and
21 free seats.

3. Experimental/Model School
1845-1890
David Page was the first
principal.
The names Experimental
School and Model School were
used interchangeably during the
19th century.
Page Hall is named for David
Page.
Principal David
Page, 1844-1848

4. First Permanent Home
Faculty, ca. 1850
The first permanent home was in 1849 at Lodge and Howard Streets.
See the Milne mural above. The early faculty is shown next to it. The
arrow points to William Phelps, the first principal from 1845-1852.
The Experimental School was founded to give a place for Normal
School students to do their practice (experimental) teaching for
grades 1-8. High School teachers were not trained until the 1890s.

5. Experimental/Model School
Faculty, ca. 1850
In the Floor plan for the Lodge & Initially 1st through 8th grades were
Howard Street building, note the later divided into a primary and
separate boys & girls cloak rooms; intermediary department.
also the 'experimental school
chairs.'

6. Rapid Expansion
In 1883, Kindergarten (photo right) was introduced with a move to the Willet
Street Building (photo left). In 1890, a High School Department was added
to existing Kindergarten, Primary and Intermediary Departments. 200
students in practice school. The Auditorium was upstairs in the building.

7. High School Expansion
William J. Milne, 1889-1914, William Jones, 1890-1904,
President, NY State Normal first principal of the Model
College, presided over the High School responsible for
expansion of high school teacher training.
curriculum.

8. Rise of Student Life
1890: Quintillian Society for women was
formed.

9. Rise of Student Life
1904: The Crimson and White
newspaper first published

10. Rise of Student Life
1895: Adelphoi
Society for men
formed.
These are the
earliest minutes
(1902) we have
for the Adelphoi
literary society.

11. Willet Street Building Burns
1906: The Willet
Street building
burned forcing a
move to new
quarters.

12. Move to Western Avenue
1909: The Normal College moved to
Western Avenue to Draper Hall after the
Willet Street Building burned. The Practice
John School was restricted to High School until
M.Sayles, 1915 when Junior High was added.
Principal, 1915: High School renamed Milne School
1907-1939 after William Milne's death in 1914

13. Milne School Staff 1940
Principal Robert Fredericks (back row, 4 th from left) and staff
in 1940

14. Milne Building and Athletics
Feb 1929: “Building incomplete,
dusty, noisy, and full of shocks, but
all our own.”
Junior High reintroduced.
Some room for athletics in Page
Gym and on the front lawn.

15. Milne Building and Athletics
Basketball and baseball were the major
sports... Where did you play baseball?

16. Academics and Curriculum
The Milne School was extremely 70 students per class, small class sizes,
desirable from the start. Practice teachers no tracking of students, lots of
conduct lessons. Critic / supervisor homework according to Ted Fossieck.
teachers monitor and step in when
needed.

17. Academics & Curriculum
A number of 1925 grads went to good colleges: Antioch, Colgate, R.P.I.,
Russell Sage, and Syracuse from this Crimson & White yearbook page.

18. Academics and Curriculum
First practice school in
NY, pioneered audio-
lingual approach to
teaching foreign
languages.
One of the first schools
to give advanced
placement courses and
early admittance
courses.
1940s: student
teachers start teaching
in suburban schools.

19. Academics and Curriculum
1950s: Up to half of student
teachers instruct at
suburban schools.
1966: Milne becomes a
distant school when SUNYA
moves to the Uptown
Campus; plans to build a
Milne School near
Stuyvesant Plaza were
never carried out.

20. Milne High, 1948-1972
Theodore Fossieck, Principal, 1948-1972

21. Milne High, 1940-1972
1940: Money appropriated
to make a documentary
film about Milne life (where
is it?)
{Note: Jan Welt('60) made
a student film circa
1958/9; anyone have a
copy?}
1961: Milne admissions
opened up.

22. Milne High, 1940-1972
“Duck and Tuck”...Do you
remember nuclear
defense?
1966 SUNY Albany
moves to Uptown
Campus.

23. The Final Years, 1965-1977
1960s: Early plans to
move Milne to Uptown
Campus

24. The Final Years, 1965-1977
Bricks & Ivy,
1965
Mid-1960s: Changing awareness of
the outside world in Bricks & Ivy,
where students use first names. Age of
Aquarius sign in the door to Page.

25. The Final Years, 1965-1977
Times
Union
1972
1970s: New York State economy in a tailspin.

26. The Final Years, 1965-1977
1977: Milne
closes...
Dramatic change in
the background of
students. Since
1961, students
chosen from all
categories of
applicants, no
longer just those
from the middle
class. Bricks & Ivy 1977