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The 1938 Education Building at UNTThe College of Education can be traced to 1890, when Joshua Crittenden Chilton arrived in Denton, Texas searching for a location to establish a private normal college. His efforts resulted in the Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute, which was formally designated as an institution of education in 1891. Normal colleges were comprised of teachers and prospective teachers. In 1893, the Texas State Legislature authorized the normal college to issue state teaching certificates under the name of North Texas Normal College.

Denton community leaders had a vested interest in a state-supported college in Denton. In 1901, the North Texas State Normal School was created with the mission of “special training of teachers.” In 1913, North Texas State Normal was authorized to develop a training (demonstration) school, which would allow students the opportunity to experience and practice teaching under expert guidance and direction. Historical Photo of Matthews Hall

In 1916, the Normal School Board of Regents passed a resolution to convert state normal schools to bachelor degree-granting institutions resulting in an eventual name change in 1923 to North Texas State Teachers College at Denton often referred to as the Denton Teachers College. In 1935, North Texas State Teachers College began offering graduate degrees and, in 1937, broadened its scope of instruction to disciplines other than teaching, which led to another name change to North Texas State College in 1949. 

In order to respond to diversity in students, expansion of programs, and the introduction of research to its mission, the college has partnered with government, business, community, agencies, and great city schools and benefits from membership in American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, and great city schools. Today, the University of North Texas and its College of Education are striving to develop the human capacity based on this rich history. The College of Education is proud of its past and excited about its future. 

— Rogers, J. L. (1965). The Story of North Texas. Denton, TX: North Texas State University.