The State Normal Training School is a historic training school building at 27 Washington Street in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was constructed in 1899 to provide a teaching facility for teachers-in-training who were students at the Westfield State Normal School (now Westfield State University), the second-oldest such school the nation. It was operated jointly by the normal school and the city of Westfield from 1900 until 1956, at which point it was converted into a regular elementary school. The city formally acquired the property in 1977.[2] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[1] The building now houses apartments, and is known in the community as Courthouse Square.
The former State Normal Training School building is located one block west of Westfield's downtown Main Street area, on a parcel bounded by Washington, Church, and School Streets. It is a 3+1⁄2-story masonry structure, built out of red brick with brownstone trim and resting on a cut granite foundation. It is in the general form of an H, with slightly projecting wings on either side of a central section, each covered by hip roof. Ground floor windows are generally set in rectangular openings, while those on the second story are set in segmented-arch openings. The entrances are recessed in wide segmented-arch openings, flanked on either side by similar openings with windows. The interior is framed in steel and finished in plaster with pine wainscoting; the basic layout and finishes have been preserved.[3]
The Westfield Normal School (now Westfield State University) was the second normal school to be established in Massachusetts, in 1839. By the 1870s, its buildings were deteriorating and in need of replacement. A new building (now the Westfield Municipal Building was built for the school in 1889, but a need was also recognized for a state-run elementary school that could be used for teacher training. This building was built in 1899 to a design by Gardner, Pyne & Gardner of Springfield, one of the region's leading architectural firms. Its doors opened in 1900, and it was operated under a state-city partnership until 1956. It continued to serve the city as a school until the late 1970s.[3] In 2012, the building was completely renovated, while carefully preserving its historic attributes. The property currently serves as a residential apartment building known as Courthouse Square.
^"MACRIS inventory record for State Normal Training School". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
^ ab"NRHP nomination for State Normal Training School". National Archive. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
October 19, 2023
state, normal, training, school, historic, training, school, building, washington, street, westfield, massachusetts, constructed, 1899, provide, teaching, facility, teachers, training, were, students, westfield, state, normal, school, westfield, state, univers. The State Normal Training School is a historic training school building at 27 Washington Street in Westfield Massachusetts It was constructed in 1899 to provide a teaching facility for teachers in training who were students at the Westfield State Normal School now Westfield State University the second oldest such school the nation It was operated jointly by the normal school and the city of Westfield from 1900 until 1956 at which point it was converted into a regular elementary school The city formally acquired the property in 1977 2 It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 1 The building now houses apartments and is known in the community as Courthouse Square State Normal Training SchoolU S National Register of Historic PlacesState Normal Training SchoolShow map of MassachusettsShow map of the United StatesLocation27 Washington St Westfield MassachusettsCoordinates42 07 19 N 72 45 06 W 42 122 N 72 7517 W 42 122 72 7517Built1899ArchitectGardner Pyne amp GardnerArchitectural styleLate VictorianNRHP reference No 83000769 1 Added to NRHPJuly 7 1983Description and history EditThe former State Normal Training School building is located one block west of Westfield s downtown Main Street area on a parcel bounded by Washington Church and School Streets It is a 3 1 2 story masonry structure built out of red brick with brownstone trim and resting on a cut granite foundation It is in the general form of an H with slightly projecting wings on either side of a central section each covered by hip roof Ground floor windows are generally set in rectangular openings while those on the second story are set in segmented arch openings The entrances are recessed in wide segmented arch openings flanked on either side by similar openings with windows The interior is framed in steel and finished in plaster with pine wainscoting the basic layout and finishes have been preserved 3 The Westfield Normal School now Westfield State University was the second normal school to be established in Massachusetts in 1839 By the 1870s its buildings were deteriorating and in need of replacement A new building now the Westfield Municipal Building was built for the school in 1889 but a need was also recognized for a state run elementary school that could be used for teacher training This building was built in 1899 to a design by Gardner Pyne amp Gardner of Springfield one of the region s leading architectural firms Its doors opened in 1900 and it was operated under a state city partnership until 1956 It continued to serve the city as a school until the late 1970s 3 In 2012 the building was completely renovated while carefully preserving its historic attributes The property currently serves as a residential apartment building known as Courthouse Square See also EditWestfield Municipal Building which housed the normal school at the time National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampden County MassachusettsReferences Edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 MACRIS inventory record for State Normal Training School Commonwealth of Massachusetts Retrieved 2013 12 08 a b NRHP nomination for State Normal Training School National Archive Retrieved 2018 03 24 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title State Normal Training School amp oldid 1102793721, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
