NEIU’s roots can be traced back to The Cook County Normal School, which was established in 1867. Cook County Normal School was the first teacher-training institution in the state of Illinois. In 1896, The Chicago Board of Education accepted The School as a gift from the county commissioners. It quickly became the principal institution for the professional preparation of Chicago’s teachers.

By 1938, the face of Cook County Normal School was changing rapidly. It was that year that the school redirected their curriculum from a six month teachers training program, to a full-fledged 4 year undergraduate and graduate college.

But it was the beginning of the Baby Boom that would advance the growth of the school most significantly. Overcrowding on the 68th and Stewart campus on Chicago’s South side and a growing demand for more accessible teacher training facilities led the Board of Education to establish locations on the north side of the city as early as 1949.  To learn more about the evolution of Northeastern on the The Chicago Teachers College Page.  

One of the first true geniuses of The Cook County Normal School was Francis Wayland Parker.  
More information about him on the Francis Parker page.

This site was created by James McDunn.  Information within this site was taken from the writings of Jerome Sachs, Ph. D,
Melvin George, Ph. D. and Duke Fredericks, Ph.D.  Photos compliments of The NEIU Archives.    © 2000  James McDunn