Normal College catalog, 1918-1919.

The Gymnast.

Photo of Normal College students in the Athenaeum gymnasium.

THE NORMAL COLLEGE

In 1907 the city of Indianapolis was chosen as the new home of the Normal College of the American Gymnastic Union, the collegiate training school of the North American Turnerbund. Some friction had arisen in Milwaukee, where the school had been located. [The school had been temporarily located in Indianapolis from 1887-1889 while a new building in Milwaukee was being erected.] When it was decided to move the school [permanently], six cities competed for the honor. Indianapolis was chosen from among the cities, and an agreement was reached between the Normal College and the Socialer Turnverein to house the college in the east wing of The German House. Since the building had a handsome gymnasium and office space, the agreement simply had to specify the amount of rent to be paid and the hours when each group would have use of the facilities. [The Normal College of the American Gymnastic Union went on to become the Indiana University School of Physical Education, the oldest continuously operating school of physical education in the country.]