Fire at the Inn
On Thursday, September 2, 1948, at noon, just four
days prior to Labor Day, fire broke out in the College
Inn. The cause was never discovered, although painters
were at work in the building and were at lunch when
the fire broke out in a storeroom adjacent to the
kitchen. Volunteer fire companies of Ewing and Lawrence
Townships responded quickly and fought the blaze.
Their efforts prevented the structure from being burned,
but considerable fire, smoke, and water damage was
caused. However, the Inn was restored to its previous
condition in a month and school opened on October
4, only three weeks late.
Miss Hillwood
For students who attended the State Teachers College
during the years of 1930-1955, no history would be
complete without mention of "Miss Hillwood." This
student bus was used to take students on trips to
church, to hear musical productions, to see plays,
to engage in intercollegiate sports, and to visit
museums and other schools. The student bus was also
used to take students on field trips and to provide
transportation for those students doing observation
work and practice teaching. Miss Hillwood was joined
after World War II by a second bus, Miss Hillwood
II, and in 1950 a third bus was acquired. Before her
"retirement," however, she and her driver, Harvey
Brazier, managed to log as many as eighteen trips
a week, averaging 25,000 miles every year.
Water Tower
An era of challenging climbs came to an end in 1977
when the Trenton State College graffiti-covered water
tower was dismantled as a result of a pipe rupture
due to corrosion. Built in 1931, the 190-foot tall
red and white checked giant was a significant landmark
with extensive historical background. The reservoir,
which had a capacity of 150,000 gallons of water,
was replaced by a second Trenton city water main.
For many years students were prompted to scale the
tower, accepting the challenge of the structure. Once
on top, climbers often left their marks to symbolize
the achievement.
Storm Damage
In November 1977 The College sustained damage estimated
at between $250,000 and $300,000 when a tornado-like
storm hit the campus. Heaviest damage was to the roofs
of Packer Hall and the Bray Annex, both of which were
partially destroyed. Trees were uprooted and large
windows in the Student Center were broken. The tennis
court fencing was also destroyed. There were no injuries.
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144
Years of Leadership
Principals and
Presidents of the College
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William F.
Phelps
|
1855-1864
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Edwin
Martin |
1957-1964
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John S. Hart
|
1864-1871 |
Warren
G. Hill |
1964-1966
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Lewis M. Johnson
|
1871-1876 |
Virgil
Gillenwater |
1966-1968
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Washington
Hasbrouck
|
1876-1889 |
Robert
Heussler |
1968-1970
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James M. Green
|
1889-1917
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Clayton
R. Brower |
1970-1980
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Jerohn J.
Savitz
|
1917-1923 |
Harold
W. Eickhoff |
1980-1998 |
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Don C. Bliss
|
1923-1930
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R.
Barbara Gitenstein |
1999- |
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Roscoe L.
West
|
1930-1957
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1970s
Visitors The College has hosted scores of musicians,
actors, and other performers during the twentieth
century. To illustrate the variety of performers The
College has attracted, the following are just some
of the many performers who visited the campus during
the 1970s: Dionne Warwick Steppenwolf The Byrds Jane
Fonda Marcel Marceau Seals & Crofts Muhammad Ali Martin
Mull Duke Ellington Kool & the Gang Bruce Springsteen
Electric Light Orchestra Roger McGuinn Billy Joel
Harry Chapin Vincent Price Melissa Manchester Bonnie
Raitt Labelle Blood, Sweat & Tears Frampton Charlie
Daniels Band
George Benson Arlo Guthrie The Kinks Al Jarreau J.
Geils Band |
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