By Ashley Logan
1909-1919

NSU’s history started a century ago March 6, 1909 as Northeastern State Normal School. According to the State of Oklahoma Session Laws of 1909 NSN was “created” and “established” and that NSN should be controlled and directed the same as the other normal schools. Those schools were Southwestern Normal, Southeastern Normal, and Ada Normal. According to the annual catalogue 1909-1910 Sept. 14 was the first day of class and 108 students were enrolled. By the end of the first year 511 students were enrolled. NSN was a six year institution and students were eligible to enroll at NSN after graduating the eighth grade. The school was supported by tax-payers from the state and tuition was free and book cost was inexpensive.

NSN’s first year was successful. Students and professors were aware of their goals and achievements at NSN. Room and Board in 1909 through 1911 was between $2.00 and $4.00 a month depending on the room being furnished or unfurnished. Students could also live off campus to cut cost said the annual catalogue 1909-1910.

Seminary Hall was the building that classes and dorms were located. It was steam heated, had “pure spring water from its own pumping station” and tobacco free. The building at that time was the “largest single school structure in the state” it appreciated in great value over the years. The building during that time was being remodeled due to number of enrollments said the annual catalogue 1909-1910.

Sports such as football and basketball became popular in 1911 and 1912 more and more students looked forward to being on the teams for both male and female.

Class colors from the class of 1913 were royal colors, purple and gold and their motto was “Work and Play.” Class of 1913 was a strong class, they loved the outdoors. Students in their spare time would take long walks in the woods and read outside on campus. Tsa La Gi yearbook revealed class of 1914s’ colors pink and green. Pink rose bud was their flower. Class of 1914 had productive students who were eager to experiment with science. Class of 1914 was crazy about their history, they mentioned that Tahlequah had been “rightfully called the Athens of the Cherokee Nation” according to the Tsa La Gi NSN 1914 yearbook.

NSN’s class of 1915, were really involved and focused in their organizations. Music, literature, athletics and others have all paved the way for the organizations here at NSU. Organizations at NSN made students more sociable, developing good character that comes from hands on experience. Class of 1915 introduced the first female basketball team. They won five games out of the eight and twelve women made up the basketball team according to Tsa La Gi NSN 1915 yearbook.

Tennis became popular in 1916. The Tsa La Gi 1916 yearbook said that it gave an excellent opportunity for the girls to take part in athletics. They began to expand extracurricular activities by adding sports such as tennis.

“Loyalty” was the class motto for class of 1917 and their colors were green and gold. Class of 1917s’ goal was to meet up and do every special event on the 17 of the month or close to it. Sept. 17 they had a chicken roast to kick off the first week of school and October the 17 there was a ghost party. The class of 1917 decided to adopt the number 17 and make it sacred according to the Tsa La Gi NSN 1915 yearbook.

“To strive! to seek! To find! but not to yield!” was the class of 1918s’ motto according to the Tsa La Gi NSN 1915 yearbook. This is the exact way class of 1918 wrote their motto. Purple and pea green were their colors and their flower was sweet pea according to the Tsa La Gi NSN 1916 yearbook. There were only 21 students in the graduating class of 1918. They loved to keep each other motivated and focused in school. Well dressed and loved to play sports.

A whole decade of being NSN, class of 1919s’ motto was “No victory without labor” and dark red and dark green where their colors according to the Tsa La Gi NSN 1916 yearbook. They were a special group of students because of their decade anniversary.