a history of technology education at Central Connecticut State University	this page is under construction. please inform foster [fosterp @ ccsu . edu] of inaccuracies, omissions, etc.
more:   recent graduates  •  current and archived news   •  spring conferences of the CTEA under construction! Chronology 1849: the New Britain Normal School opens 1884: Charles A. Kunou introduces a manual training curriculum for elementary-education majors at NBNS 1933: New Britain Normal School becomes Teachers College of Connecticut. Men first admitted 1935: the Spring Conference of the Connecticut Industrial Arts Association is held on May 24-25 at TCC. William E. Warner is the keynote speaker. Teachers College of Connecticut would host the conference continuously until 1968, when the old Memorial Hall was scheduled to be razed. The conference was transferred temporarily to Meriden, but soon returned to campus.   Beginnings: 1933-1946 In 1936, Teachers College of Connecticut became the first (and remains the only) institution in the state to offer teaching degrees in industrial arts. The first seven graduates received their degrees in 1939. 1939-46: An average of just over 7 students graduate per year.   Postwar Expansion: 1947 to 1968 During the 26-year chairmanship of Paul Wenger, the department achieves several milestones, including the establishment of permanent facilities in Barnard Hall and the institution of a graduate program in industrial arts. 1947 to 1968: average of about 26 graduates per year   Department becomes a School: 1969 to 1982 The department undergoes significant change as the School of Technology is formed. Eighty-seven students graduate from the program in 1975. 1969 to 1982: average of about 60 graduates per year   Merge with Vocational Education: 1983 to 1992 As enrollments return to pre-WWII levels, the department gains national prominence through high-profile administrative faculty searches and the establishment of the highly successful Teacher Enhancement Center. 1983-1992: average of just under 8 newly-certified teachers per year (includes baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate students)   A Systems Approach: 1993 to 2006 The newly-christened Technology Education Department both guides and reflects changes in the field as students experience a state-of-the-art, systems-based curriculum. Enrollment increases significantly, especially among  post-baccalaureate students. 1993-present: average of over 15 newly-certified teachers per year   A New Curriculum: 2007 Our new program - Technology and Engineering Education K-12  -  was approved by Connecticut's Board of Governors for Higher Education on September 20, 2006.     Departmental name changes 1936 - 19??: Department of Industrial Arts Education 19?? - 1984: Industrial Education Department 1984 - 1988: Industrial Arts & Vocational-Technical Education Department 1988 - 1992: Technology and Vocational-Technical Education Department (program name changed to "Technology Education") 1992 - 2007: Technology Education Department (approved by President Shumaker, 10/26/92) 2007 - present: Department of Technology and Engineering Education (per President Miller, effective August 30, 2007). Program name changed to "Technology and Engineering Education K-12" for the Fall 2006 semester.   Department chairs 1936 - 1945: Mr. Raymond W. Phipps [9 years] 1945 - 1972: Dr. Paul N. Wenger  [27 years] 1972 - 1980: Dr. Robert H. Thompson [8 years] 1980 - 1993, 1998 - 2002: Dr. Michael J. Williams [17 ½ years] 1994 - 1998: Dr. W. Tad Foster [3 ½ years] 2002 - 2003: Mr. Peter A. Rodrigues [1 year] 2003 - present: Dr. James A. DeLaura   Facilities 1936: One room on the second floor of the Administration Building (now Davidson Hall) 1937: A second  I.A. room is added across the hall 1939: Facilities expand to include a temporary building for power mechanics and electricity 1947: All facilities moved to East Hall (a temporary building near the site of the present Copernicus Hall) 1953: I.A. facilities relocated to Henry Barnard Hall. 1961: Industrial Arts Library is opened on the first floor of Barnard. Smoking is permitted. 197?: Copernicus Hall opens.