Despite several name changes between 1903 and 2009, campus goal remains the same — to promote learning
As Presque Isle marks its Sesquicentennial celebration this year, the community has had the opportunity to pour over the city’s history and look back on all the events and efforts that made the Star City what it is today. Agriculture and tourism have played large parts in shaping the city, but one thing that residents have always had a strong hand in helping to shape is education and educational opportunities for the region.
It was residents who saw to the establishment of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, which has been a part of the Presque Isle community for 106 years. And since that time, the school has grown from a small teachers’ school that served two dozen students to a much larger university serving about 1,400 students each year. Over the course of a century, the school has changed its name four times, significantly expanded its programs, acreage and buildings, and become an educational and cultural center for the area.
The University has been able to flourish with the support it has received from the community, but this has been the case since the turn of the last century. In the 1890s, Presque Isle residents began working toward an important goal — to establish a school in their town that would offer educational opportunities to the people of northern Maine. Presque Isle had been incorporated as a town about 35 years earlier, and by 1895, the community boasted a railroad, lumber mills and several factories, and was the trade, shipping and tourist center for Aroostook.
Around that time, a handful of community leaders, led by the vision of Rev. George M. Park, began more than six years of work coordinating with the town and the state in order to make their educational goal a reality. In 1902, the town of Presque Isle purchased the old St. John’s Episcopal Secondary School for Boys (which closed in the 1890s after the establishment of public schools) along with five acres of land for $2,500, and then donated the property to the State of Maine so that a normal school could be established. On March 20, 1903, the Maine State Legislature passed a bill that established a new normal school in Presque Isle. Governor John F. Hill then signed the bill that authorized the establishment of the Aroostook State Normal School. It was the seventh such school established in the state and was part of a national movement begun in the 19th century to train teachers.
The Aroostook State Normal School was dedicated on August 18, 1903, and opened its doors for classes on September 15, 1903, just 44 years after the town was incorporated. The new school was composed of a small group — Principal Irving Orison Bragg; two teachers — Mr. Alonzo J.K. Knowlton and Miss Ardelle Tozier; and 17 students (16 women and one man). These students were admitted into a two-year teaching program and their institution was made up of two buildings — Central Hall, which held the classrooms where all the courses were taught, and a second building that served as the principal’s home and office. All of the students commuted as there was no dormitory space available.
A year and a half later, on January 3, 1905, the institution’s Training School opened. The Training School, the equivalent of the student teaching that college students do today, consisted of local students in grades 1-6 who occupied two rooms of Central Hall in order to give Aroostook State Normal School students the opportunity to get experience teaching children. Miss Florence M. Hale served as principal and Miss Nellie W. Jordan served as assistant. Eventually, the Training School moved into the old wooden high school in Presque Isle, which burned down in 1927. In cooperation with the city of Presque Isle, a new brick building was constructed for the Training School and remains on Academy Street to this day.
The spring of 1905 marked the first time a class graduated from the Aroostook State Normal School. Twelve students earned their teaching degrees. Also in 1905, with the growing need for a dormitory at the normal school, Governor William S. Cobb signed a bill appropriating $20,000 for the construction of a dormitory. The town of Presque Isle did not feel that this amount was adequate to appropriately build and complete the dormitory they wanted, so once again showing their strong support for their educational institution, town officials also gave $20,000 to help fund the construction of the new dormitory. The work on this building continued through the winter of 1905. School began late that fall in order to allow the building to be completed to the point of livability. Miss Mary E. Kelley, matron of the dorm, and Miss Tracy, her helper, came to the dormitory on December 4, 1905, in order to get the dorm ready for 24 students to move in. Eight days later, students moved into the new dormitory, which, at the time, was still incomplete on the inside — walls were not painted, there were no window shades and there were no doors on the rooms, but Normal Hall officially became a part of campus.
In 1907, the Aroostook State Normal School bid farewell to retiring Principal Bragg and welcomed Mr. San Lorenzo Merriman, who was appointed by the Board of Trustees and would serve the institution for 33 years. Under his tenure, two buildings were added, 10 additional acres were purchased, and, in 1934, the two-year program developed into a three-year program. In 1907, the school also hired its first assistant principal, Mr. William D. Hall. Merriman had a profound effect on the development of the school. He was known to care deeply for the students, importing fresh meats and growing fresh vegetables in a garden to enhance the dietary offerings and personally paying expenses of several students so they could attend school. Students affectionately referred to him as “Pop.”
The year 1909 marked the beginning of the production of the Salmagundi, a school newspaper that eventually evolved into a school yearbook. The students chose the name to mean ‘a little bit of everything’ – Salmagundi was an “old Dutch dish which consisted of a mixture of spices, chopped meat, pickled herring, oil, vinegar, pepper and onions.”
In order to provide more training with youngsters, the Aroostook State Normal School offered its first summer session in 1910. The six-week term began on July 10 and allowed student teachers to increase their knowledge of and experience with the teaching profession and to offer student teachers a proper Normal School training.
The Aroostook State Normal School adopted its first seal and motto, Education for Service, in 1913. The Class of 1913 also started an important campus tradition that lasted for many years. They planted a tree and dedicated it to Miss Ardelle Tozier. After that first tree planting and dedication, each graduating class for some time would dedicate a tree to someone and plant it on Arbor Day.
In 1918, the normal school closed its doors for a short period when the influenza epidemic ran rampant through the town of Presque Isle. Dorms were emptied, classes were suspended and parts of the old school building were used as a hospital where many of the townspeople were cared for.
A year later, an important expansion began for the school. Governor Carl E. Milliken stated that Aroostook State Normal School could have a new building if it could guarantee a large growth in student enrollment during the next five years. However, his council did not want to make that promise to the school. It was when the state senators and representatives visited the normal school that year and saw the limited space and poor heating conditions — they had to keep their coats on during their visit because of the cold rooms — that things really changed. As a result of their visit, the state government appropriated funds toward the construction of a new building completed in 1921 and commonly called the Administration Building. It was renamed Preble Hall in honor of Mr. Sanford Preble, a sub principal beginning in 1922.
In 1921, Principal Merriman built an off-campus home for himself, and what had been the principal’s home as well as part of Central Hall were converted into 16 dormitory rooms for women. The building that had been the principal’s home came to be called South Hall, as it was the southern-most building on campus at the time.
During the winter of 1921-1922, the normal school began its tradition of hosting Winter Carnivals. The carnival allowed students to compete with each other in a number of events. For that first year, the events included a flag relay race, a snowshoe dash and basketball games between the seniors and juniors.
In 1923, the original St. John’s School facility burned down. The following year, a new building was erected in place of the original buildings and was named South Hall.
In 1940, when Principal Merriman retired, the school welcomed its third leader, Dr. Clifford O.T. Wieden. Three years later, with World War II in full swing, the federal government decided to close down the normal school so that the Federal Public Housing Authority could use it as military housing for women workers at the airbase. However, the school did not provide enough space for housing purposes, so two barracks were built behind what is now Preble Hall. These barracks were later used for school purposes and eventually torn down to make way for Folsom and Pullen halls. For the duration of the war, Principal Wieden, faculty and students went to Washington State Normal School in Machias to continue their education.
On September 23, 1946, Aroostook State Normal School reopened its doors with Principal Wieden, four faculty and three staff members, and welcomed 52 students. That same year, Miss Caroline Gentile was hired to teach health and physical education. She would become the University’s longest serving faculty member.
In 1947, the Maine State Legislature gave the normal school Junior College status and, soon after, in 1950, Aroostook State Normal School upgraded its curriculum to a four-year program. In 1952, the institution was renamed the Aroostook State Teacher’s College in order to reflect its baccalaureate status. Dr. Wieden became the college’s first president. Before his retirement, he would witness two more name changes for the institution, watch the student body increase from 140 students to 600, and see the campus grow from 27 to 150 acres and expand from three to 10 buildings. Also in 1952, Mr. Jan Kok was hired as a music instructor. He remained at the school for many years and greatly impacted the music program and the appreciation that students at the teacher’s college had for music.
A change in athletics came in 1954 when Aroostook State Teachers College became a charter member of the Northeast College Conference, giving students more teams to compete against in intercollegiate athletics. Also in 1954, the college became the first state-sponsored school of practical nursing. Training for this program was held in the barracks that remained on campus from war-time. The nursing program moved to the Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute (now Northern Maine Community College) in 1962.
The year 1958 marked the beginning of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation programs at the Aroostook State Teacher’s College. Since that time, the Physical Education program has been recognized as an excellent program, and it continues to be a strong program to this day.
In 1960, a new multi-purpose building was added to the Aroostook State Teacher’s College campus. This new building was completed and dedicated as Wieden Hall, in honor of Dr. Clifford O.T. Wieden. This facility was the first new building (not including the barracks from the war) since 1924 when South Hall was rebuilt after it burned to the ground.
In 1962, the Aroostook State Teacher’s College bought the Ben Marks Farm for $60,000. This purchase added 123 acres of land to the size of the campus, giving the campus a total size of 150 acres. This purchase was important in the years to follow, as it was in the late 1960s that many more buildings were added to the Aroostook State Teacher’s College. Without the purchase of the Ben Marks Farm, this much-needed expansion of the physical body of the college would not have been possible.
In 1963, a new dormitory, Emerson Hall, was added to campus. Emerson Hall was originally built with the purpose of being a women’s dormitory. As a result, it was named after Miss Leah Crabtree Emerson, the first female member of the State Board of Education.
With the expansion of educational programs at the college, the focus of study was no longer only on teaching; therefore, in 1965, the school was once again renamed. This time, there was only a small change. The new name of the institution became Aroostook State College.
It soon became evident that there was a need for more residence halls, so in 1967 a new men’s dormitory, Merriman Hall, was completed. This dormitory was named after the second principal of the Aroostook State Normal School, Mr. San Lorenzo Merriman, in honor of his dedication and contributions to this school.
Also in 1967, Kelley Commons, the dining hall, was completed. This building was named in honor of Miss Mary E. Kelley, the first matron of the school.
Aroostook State College became a part of the University of Maine System in 1968. As a result of this affiliation, the school was renamed again, this time to the Aroostook State College of the University of Maine.
Another new facility was completed in 1968. This time, it was a classroom building that was needed, and the new facility was dedicated as Folsom Hall, in honor of Miss Ida Folsom, a long-time science teacher at this school. Folsom taught at Aroostook State Normal School from 1912-1935, and had a significant impact on the school’s science program.
Also in 1968, the Aroostook State College of the University of Maine joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). That year, by popular vote, the students adopted the owl as the team mascot.
The year 1969 proved to be another important year for the addition of buildings to the campus, as two more were added. Park and Pullen Halls were finished and dedicated in 1969. Park Hall, a dormitory, was built where the Reverend George M. Park’s home stood. Park Hall was named in honor of his efforts in making Presque Isle the site of the new normal school in 1903. Pullen Hall was named in honor of Miss Marguerite Pullen, a long-time teacher.
Also in 1969, President Clifford O.T. Wieden retired. His position as president was filled by Dr. Stanley F. Salwak who, as the institution’s fourth leader, served for 11 years.
In 1970, the institution received its final name change – the University of Maine at Presque Isle. During Dr. Salwak’s tenure, the University experienced an expansion of programs, buildings, athletic assets and the development of the Foundation of the University at Presque Isle, a private fund-raising arm of the institution. Also in 1970, the Norton Museum was donated and moved to the University campus.
In 1971, Normal Hall was renovated. The change was a significant one, with the rooms being changed from residential dormitories to faculty offices. There were curriculum changes in 1973 with the addition of the bachelor of arts degree, as well as program study in the subject areas of criminal justice and Soviet studies. Also in 1973, the student-run radio station, WUPI, was built. In 1974 the Smith House was purchased and 1975 marked the completion of the library, a greatly-needed addition to campus.
After Dr. Salwak’s retirement in 1981, Dr. Constance Carlson served as interim president for one year before being hired permanently as the University’s fifth leader. She was the first woman president in the University of Maine System and remained in the position for six years. During her administration, there were further additions to program offerings, including accounting, liberal studies and fine arts. Also in 1981, the student newspaper, the University Times, began operations. In 1982, the Special Collections Room was added to the basement of the library.
When President Carlson retired in 1986, she was succeeded by Dr. James R. Roach, the University’s sixth president. President Roach witnessed further expansion of the curriculum, two more buildings and a major Title III grant which funded a learning center and greatly increased the University’s computing capacity. President Roach felt that it was important that the President’s House be located on campus, so in 1987 the Smith House, which then served as a Student Services facility, was transformed into the President’s House, where Dr. and Mrs. Roach lived the remainder of his time as president of the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
President Roach advocated for the addition of another building to the campus. This new facility was to be a student center with offices for student organizations and meeting spaces to fulfill the needs of campus groups wishing to hold meetings, workshops, banquets and other social gatherings. The work on this building — the Campus Center — was completed in 1992, the same year that President Roach retired from UMPI.
In 1993, Dr. W. Michael Easton became the seventh president of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Under his leadership, the University continued its commitment to strengthening programs, establishing a distinctive mission, enhancing ties to the community and increasing the University’s endowment. During President Easton’s tenure, many of the school’s buildings underwent some major renovations. Many offices in Preble Hall were renovated. The first floor of Normal Hall was renovated to include three additional classrooms. Each of the dormitories was renovated to include carpets in each room and in the hallways, making the atmosphere more friendly and comfortable. In 1996, the school became home to the Northern Maine Museum of Science, located in the hallways of Folsom Hall.
In 1999, Dr. Nancy H. Hensel came to the Presque Isle campus as an interim president following President Easton’s retirement. She became the University’s eighth president. During her tenure, the University established the Houlton Higher Education Center, where students in southern Aroostook County can receive work training, complete their GED or earn a college degree. President Hensel also worked to secure funding for Gentile Hall, the University’s health and wellness center named after legendary faculty member, Caroline D. Gentile. The facility features a climbing wall, pool, multi-purpose gym, workout facilities and classroom space. Construction on the facility began in August 2004, a month after President Hensel resigned in order to serve as executive director of the Council for Undergraduate Research in Washington, D.C. Gentile Hall opened on January 21, 2006.
Also in August 2004, Dr. William A. Shields was appointed to serve as acting president while a search was conducted for a permanent replacement for President Hensel. In July 2005, Dr. Karl E. Burgher was appointed as the University’s ninth president. During his tenure, President Burgher undertook several initiatives, including implementing a new academic structure, formal collaborations with other universities within the state system and student recruitment initiatives intended to reach underserved populations. President Burgher stepped down in August 2006 to return with his family to the Missouri Ozarks.
In September 2006, Dr. Donald N. Zillman was appointed as president. He is the University’s tenth and current president. President Zillman has led several major initiatives during his time at the University. UMPI has become the first university in Maine to install a midsize wind turbine on campus, which is helping the institution to achieve carbon neutrality and provide educational opportunities for its students and community. President Zillman also led efforts to initiate a writer-in-residency program, which allowed best-selling author Cathie Pelletier to offer classes to campus and community members. Under his leadership, UMPI also completed a $1.7 million renovation project at Folsom Hall that significantly improved its energy efficiency.
For the University and Presque Isle, it has been a most exciting 106 years. The dream a small group of dedicated community members fought for — establishing a school in their town that would offer educational opportunities to the people of northern Maine — has been realized and, to be sure, the results far exceeded what anyone in the 1890s might have expected. With its many years of experience and enduring community support, the University of Maine at Presque Isle is ready and waiting for what the 21st century has to offer.
Sources: The History of the U of M at Presque Isle: A Narrative, created by Lynda C. Stawasz; and materials from the University’s Centennial celebration in 2003.
Photo courtesy UMPI
MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY of the Aroostook State Normal School (ASNS), circa 1910, included, front row, from left: William D. Hall, principal of Castine Normal School; San Lorenzo Merriman, principal of ASNS; Florence M. Hale, editor of “Grade Teacher;” and Gertrude Morrell Stevens, formerly manual training and art teacher, ASNS. Back row: Nellie W. Jordan, dean of women, Gorham Normal School; Mary A. Kelley, matron at ASNS; Ardelle M. Tozier, teacher of English, ASNS; Ida M. Folsom, teacher of expression and geography, ASNS; and Elizabeth Jenkins, now in training school, North Adams (Mass.) Normal School.
Photo courtesy PIACC
A SURGE OF RUNNERS took off from the ‘start’ line during UMPI’s Homecoming Fun Run, as pictured in this photo captioned “At the Start” which was dated Oct. 6, 1982.
Photo courtesy PIACC
A WELL-GROOMED lawn provided a perfect place for these young ladies to gather for a break between classes at Aroostook State Normal School. The group is pictured beneath a sign that was presented to the campus by the Class of 1939.
Photo courtesy UMPI
SIGN PRESENTATION — Dr. Clifford Wieden and Class President Albert Smith pose next to a sign donated by the Class of 1962.
Photo courtesy UMPI
PROFESSOR OF MUSIC Jan Kok performs for the 1979 commencement ceremony at UMPI. Kok has continued to be a contributing member of the community, serving as the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club’s guiding force for over 50 years, working with local youth taking part in the annual Talent Revue.
Photo courtesy UMPI
DR. CLIFFORD WIEDEN and Connie Carlson share a lighthearted moment during the dedication of Wieden Annex during a ceremony in 1985.
Photo courtesy UMPI
THE CAMPUS CENTER was completed in 1992 and serves as a conference and meeting center for the campus and community.
Photo courtesy UMPI/PIACC
RANDY KEEP is pictured speaking to a group of people on Business Day, April 5, 1989.
