Distinguished:

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Presidents •
 

Professor Charles S. Richardson

President (1883-87)

President Richardson was the first President of Normal School. He was a native of Waterville, Maine and graduated from Maine's Colby College in 1883.

"After leaving Madison he took a post - graduate Course at Harvard, was Professor of higher Mathematics in Olivet College in Michigan. 1889 went to Salt Lake City, Utah. There he became interested in mining & was Sr. member of mining firm, the Richardson & Adams. He was taken ill while on business in Omaha. Six weeks later he passed away on 6/24/1904.

'The early history of the State Normal School at Madison, dates back a quarter of a century to the history of then Territory of Dakota, and when the village of Madison was only six months old. People coming to this state the past few years, finding it a well developed, rich commonwealth, can only vaguely realize the great contrast between conditions existing now and conditions existing during our early history. Then, from a financial standpoint, we were poor as a territory and exceedingly poor as individuals, but rich in vim, energy, pluck and perseverance, hope and optimistic expectations, and the difficult problem to be solved was how to transform this class of riches into such a form as would be accepted in payment for buildings, equipment, and support for the higher educational institutions which would soon be a pressing need and without which the intelligent class of people settling this territory would not live.'

'Probably the early history of no other state institution so well as the Madison State Normal School illustrates the character of our pioneers and their determination, regardless of the most disheartening disasters, to build up an educational system second to none.

In 1970 Richardson Hall, the largest dorm on the University campus, was named after President Charles Richardson.

Source:

Lowry, V. A. Forty Years at General Beadle (1922-1962). Madison, SD: Dakota State University, 1984. pg 1, 3..

Olson, Bonnie. Historical Calendar of Dakota State University (1881-2007). Madison, SD: Dakota State University.

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Completed by Spring 2004 Class of English 401
Last updated Spring 2004