Northwest Normal School (1895)

Castle On the Hill

NW Normal School, 1901, Jan.

(printed date on front in white), Castle On the Hill) Alva, Woods Co., Oklahoma Territory, Photo taken January 22, 1901. Alva, O. T. (Oklahoma Territory. On the back there is pencil notations of "BFS Elkton O.T. 2221 50 Guinn Warrick". My Grandmother, Constance E. Warwick, would have been around 18 years going on 19, may be in the student body assembled in the foreground.

Burned shell of Castle on the Hill
Click Here to see a shell of the "Castle" after the 1 March 1935 Fire. The Shell of Castle shows backside looking down Sixth St. or College Ave. ]

What I Know So Far...

Northwestern Normal School was at one time scorned by thousands as "Prairie Prince's Plight." A Bill was introduced in 1895 to establish the Normal School in Alva, M County, O.T. It was the second Normal School and Central State in Edmond was the first. The building was started in the Fall of 1897. By March 10, 1898 a contract was given to John Volk and Co. to build it. On April1, 1898 they began actually work. By July 1, 1898 they laid the cornerstone. The Alva Congregational Church was used as the school until the NormalSchool was finished. On March 9, 1900 it was dedicated by President James Ament.

. . . The Campus . . .

A Silent message thru the ages
Is delivered to the races passing by,
And the wisdom of the sages
Flashes futily from the sturdy eye,
Watching Life's laughter, song and tears
Thru the eager march of onward years;
With quiet, unperturbed, mobile face
Inspires us to live with equal grace.
[taken from The Ranger 1926 yearbook]

  • NSN Ranger 1917 Yearbook
  • NSTC Ranger 1926 Yearbook
  • NSTC Ranger 1937 Yearbook
  • Old NW Oklahoma Yearbooks
  • Northwestern Normal School History Castle on the Hill, 1895
  • Northwestern Normal School Report - 1903
  • More Normal History from The Alva Pioneer Souvenir Edition 1904
  • Normal School Photos from 1916-1917 yearbook
  • Winning Basketball Ladies of 1919 Northwestern Normal School
  • Burning of the Castle on the Hill March 1, 1935
  • Shell of the Castle on the Hill March, 1935, looking north at backside of Castle towards town down College Ave. (6th Street). Notice Administration building on the left side.
  • Science Hall
  • Fine Arts Building
  • Carter Hall
  • Jesse Dunn Building Photo August 30, 1999
  • McGill Boys at Normal School Gene & Bob McGill, Jan 1919 & May 1920
  • Reading by Mary Drucille Abrams Northwestern State Normal School, Alva, Okla., 31 January 1907.
  • Alva Mural (May 2000) Depicting the burning of the Castle on the Hill, March 1, 1935
    Brunsteter bldg., SE corner of 5th & Barnes: PIC #2 | PIC#3 | PIC#4
  • Poem by Pilgrim Bard (Scott Cummins) - The Western Normal College

OkieLegacy NSN Pages

Castle on the Hill
NW Normal School
History of Normal School
NSN Burningof Castle on the Hill
Northwestern State Normal
NW Normal Basketball Ladies
NWOSU Web Sites - NWOSU