Kutztown University (KU) traces its origins to the Fairview Seminary. In 1860, Henry R. Nicks opened Fairview Seminary as a select school where more advanced subjects than those offered in the area were taught. In 1864, Nicks opened a new Maxatawny Seminary on the site where KU's Old Main stands today. With growth, efforts were made to convert the seminary into a public state normal school. On September 15, 1866, Maxatawny Seminary officially became Keystone State Normal School (KSNS). KSNS was dedicated to preparing students for the teaching profession. With emphasis placed on student life and the school's Pennsylvania German heritage, this book tells the story of KU from its modest beginnings as a teacher training school to its current mission of providing high-quality education.
Emma E. Billig is attending KU and pursuing a degree in communication studies with a minor in professional writing. Kayla L. Fusselman is working toward a degree in art education with a concentration in painting. Both students grew up in the area, graduated from Kutztown High School in 2013, and will graduate from KU in the spring of 2017. This book serves as the authors' capstone project in the KU Honors Program.