150 Years of Geography at SSC

The Early Years: 1854-1907

Geography was an important part of the teacher training curriculum from the first years of Salem Normal School.

1854 - Physical Geography, Mathematical Geography and Projections of the Sphere were courses of study included in the first curriculum used to train teachers.

1856 - Arnold Guyot was hired by the Massachusetts Board of Education to lecture at Salem Normal School on physical geography and methods of teaching geography. The Swiss-born geographer had been appointed Professor of Geography at Princeton in 1854, and his book, The Earth and Man” was gaining national attention at the time.

1896 - The new building for Salem Normal School was opened in South Salem with a specialized geography classroom on the third floor. It was equipped with maps, globes, and cartographic tools. During subsequent years, a collection of natural specimens and economic products from around the world were exhibited in a small museum area near the geography classroom.

1898 - William Charles Moore was the first full time teacher who was listed with a specialty in geography.

	150 Years of Geography at Salem State College
	1854 -1907 \| 1907 - 1920 \| 1920's - 1950 \| 1950 - 1971 \| 1971 - Present Home \| Readings \| Faculty
The Early Years: 1854-1907 Geography was an important part of the teacher training curriculum from the first years of Salem Normal School. 1854 - Physical Geography, Mathematical Geography and Projections of the Sphere were courses of study included in the first curriculum used to train teachers. 1856 - Arnold Guyot was hired by the Massachusetts Board of Education to lecture at Salem Normal School on physical geography and methods of teaching geography. The Swiss-born geographer had been appointed Professor of Geography at Princeton in 1854, and his book, The Earth and Man” was gaining national attention at the time. 1896 - The new building for Salem Normal School was opened in South Salem with a specialized geography classroom on the third floor. It was equipped with maps, globes, and cartographic tools. During subsequent years, a collection of natural specimens and economic products from around the world were exhibited in a small museum area near the geography classroom. 1898 - William Charles Moore was the first full time teacher who was listed with a specialty in geography.
Department of Geography \| Salem State College \| 150 Years...