The School of Schoolmasters

The story of the College of Education & Human Development began long before the college itself was established. In 1848, Mizzou President John Hiram Lathrop expressed support for preparing educators within the university, envisioning Mizzou as a “school of schoolmasters” dedicated to increasing and spreading knowledge throughout society.

That vision became reality in 1867 when the University established the Department of Normal Instruction, making Mizzou one of the first public universities in the nation to prepare teachers at the collegiate level. The term normal was widely used during the 19th century to describe teacher preparation institutions because they established the standards, or “norms,” of effective teaching practice.

Over the next 150+ years, the Department of Normal Instruction evolved into the College of Education, and later the College of Education & Human Development, growing into a nationally recognized leader in educator preparation, research, outreach and community engagement. Along the way, the college helped pioneer innovations in distance education, literacy, school counseling, educational technology, information science, special education, prevention science and human development.

Today, the College of Education & Human Development continues its mission of preparing and supporting professionals who improve lives and strengthen communities across Missouri, the nation and the world.

Note: Historical names of the college, departments and programs are used throughout this timeline as they existed at the time.

1867 | Department of Normal Instruction Established
The University of Missouri established the Department of Normal Instruction, making Mizzou one of the first public universities in the nation to prepare teachers at the collegiate level. The department included three components: a Normal School for teacher preparation, a Preparatory School for students seeking admission to the University and a Model School where future educators could observe and practice effective teaching methods.

1867 | First Model School Opens
Located near the present-day Missouri State Teachers Association site, the first Model School served as Columbia’s only high school. The school enrolled approximately 150 students and operated until 1870.

1867 | First Women Enroll at Mizzou
The Department of Normal Instruction welcomed the first women to the University of Missouri. These pioneering students helped pave the way for the admission of women throughout the University in 1872.

1868 | First Education Professor Appointed
E.L. Ripley of Michigan became the University’s first professor of education.

1870 | First Female Graduate
Mary Louise “Lulie” Gillett became the first woman to graduate from Mizzou. Gillett Residence Hall is named in her honor.

1878 | First Female Dean Appointed
Grace C. Bibb became dean of the College of Normal Instruction. A writer, educator and early advocate for women’s advancement in education, Bibb served from 1878 to 1883 and helped strengthen the professional preparation of teachers.

1881 | School Administrator Preparation Begins
Mizzou began preparing educational administrators, expanding beyond classroom teacher preparation to include leadership roles in schools.

1903 | College of Education Established
The College of Education became an independent degree-granting division of the University.

1903 | President Jesse’s Vision for the College
University President Richard Henry Jesse articulated an ambitious vision for the College of Education, declaring his goal to make it one of the finest teachers colleges in the nation.

1904 | University Lab School Re-established
The University Laboratory School reopened, providing Education students opportunities to demonstrate, experiment with and practice innovative teaching methods in grades K-12.

1906 | Vision for a Dedicated Education Building
President Jesse identified a dedicated home for the College of Education as one of the institution’s greatest needs, laying the groundwork for future facilities.

1910 | Pi Lambda Theta Founded at Mizzou
Pi Lambda Theta was founded at Mizzou to advance education as a profession. It later expanded into a national honorary organization.

1911 | Phi Delta Kappa Established
Phi Delta Kappa was formed through the merger of three educational honorary organizations, including Mizzou’s chapter. Today it remains an influential professional organization for educators.

1913 | Pioneering Distance Education
Through MU Extension, Mizzou became one of the nation’s earliest providers of K-12 distance learning by offering correspondence courses to students in rural Missouri and beyond.

1915 | National Recognition for the Lab School
Educational leaders John and Evelyn Dewey devoted an entire chapter of Schools of Tomorrow to Mizzou’s Elementary Laboratory School, highlighting it as one of the leading progressive schools in the country.

1930 | Early Information Science Innovation
Ralph H. Parker authored one of the first papers in the world to discuss the use of computers in libraries. He later became the inaugural dean of the School of Library and Information Science.

1932 | Statewide Testing Services Founded
The University established statewide testing services to support Missouri students and schools. This office later evolved into today’s Assessment Resource Center.

1936 | Townsend Hall Constructed
The University Laboratory School building, now Townsend Hall, was constructed and later named for Dean Loran G. Townsend.

1945 | A. Sterl Artley Joins Faculty
Reading pioneer A. Sterl Artley joined the faculty and later helped develop the famous Dick and Jane reading series, which introduced millions of children to reading.

1952 | Hill Hall Opens
Hill Hall was completed and named in honor of A. Ross Hill, who served both as dean of the College of Education and president of the University.

1953 | Counseling Psychology Earns APA Accreditation
The Counseling Psychology program became one of the first counseling psychology programs in the United States to earn accreditation from the American Psychological Association. It has maintained continuous accreditation since that time.

1955 | Innovation in Mathematics Education
Lois Knowles and colleagues helped transform mathematics instruction through the publication of Seeing Through Arithmetic, which emphasized conceptual understanding over memorization.

1961 | Study Abroad Program Established
The College launched one of the nation’s few study abroad programs devoted to comparative education through a partnership with the University of Reading in England.

1968 | Special Education Program Created
Under Dean Bob Woods, Mizzou established one of the first Special Education programs in the nation.

1971 | School Counseling Pioneer
Norm Gysbers received federal funding to develop comprehensive school guidance programs and became widely known as the “father of school guidance programs.”

1973 | University High School Closes
Student teaching experiences increasingly shifted to Columbia Public Schools, prompting the closure of the University High School portion of the Laboratory School.

1978 | University Elementary School Closes
Following national trends in educator preparation, teacher candidates increasingly completed their field experiences in public schools rather than university-operated laboratory schools.

1978 | School Psychology Program Established
School Psychology became available as an area of study within the college.

1979 | Thailand Partnership Established
Under Dean Bob Woods, the College established a long-standing partnership with Prince of Songkla University in Thailand.

1980 | Education Ambassadors Founded
Dr. Jo Behymer founded the Education Ambassador Leadership Team, which continues to support student leadership, recruitment and service.

1996 | SISLT Joins the College
The School of Library and Information Science merged with the College of Education and became the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies (SISLT).

1997 | Mizzou’s First Online Course
Associate Professor Tom Kochtanek taught Mizzou’s first online course, helping launch the University’s future in online education.

1997 | Adventure Club Joins the College
Adventure Club transitioned from MU Extension to the College of Education.

1998 | Counseling Psychology Moves to the College
The Counseling Psychology program moved from the College of Arts and Science to the College of Education.

1998 | Townsend Hall Renovation Begins
Major renovations transformed Townsend Hall into a modern facility designed around collaborative learning and flexible instructional spaces.

1999 | MU High School Founded
Building on decades of distance education experience, MU High School launched as an accredited diploma-granting program.

2000 | The Reflector Opens
The Reflector opened as a collaborative computer lab, library, training facility and gathering space for students, faculty and staff.

2006 | First Endowed Deanship Established
Through the generosity of Harold and Joanne Hook, the Joanne H. Hook Dean’s Chair in Educational Renewal and the Hook Center for Educational Leadership & District Renewal were established.

2007 | Missouri Prevention Center Founded
The Missouri Prevention Center, now the Missouri Prevention Science Institute, was established to help schools and families support social and academic success.

2008 | First Endowed Faculty Chair Established
A gift from Richard Miller created the Richard G. Miller Chair in Mathematics Education, the first endowed faculty chair in the college.

2009 | ParentLink Joins the College
ParentLink, which provides parenting information and support to families throughout Missouri, moved from MU Extension to the college.

2011 | MU High School Joins the College
MU High School transitioned from Mizzou Online to the College of Education.

2012 | Mizzou K-12 Online Launches
Mizzou K-12 Online, now known as Mizzou Academy, launched as a global online learning community serving students from across the United States and around the world.

2013 | Teach Abroad Established
The College launched Teach Abroad, providing students with immersive international teaching experiences and opportunities to develop global perspectives.

2014 | eMINTS Joins the College
The nationally recognized eMINTS program became part of the College of Education.

2015 | The Bridge Opens
The Bridge opened in Townsend Hall as a dedicated space for dialogue, learning and engagement through events, discussions and educational programming.

2018 | 150th Anniversary Celebrated
The College celebrated 150 years of preparing educators, conducting research and serving communities.

2021 | College Renamed
The College of Education became the College of Education & Human Development following the addition of the Department of Human Development & Family Science, reflecting the growing breadth of its programs, research and impact.

Deans of the College of Education & Human Development
1867–1878: Erastus L. Ripley
1878–1883: Grace C. Bibb
1883–1885: David Rice McAnally Jr. (Interim Dean)
1885–1891: Edward A. Allen (Interim Dean)
1891–1898: J.P. Blanton
1898–1903: J.M. White
1903–1907: Albert Ross Hill
1907–1908: Junius Meriam(Interim Dean)
1908–1909: Isador Loeb (Interim Dean)
1909–1917: W.W. Charters
1917–1923: Jesse H. Coursault
1923–1930: M.G. Neale
1930–1945: Theophil W.H. Irion
1945–1963: Loran G. Townsend
1963–1966: Herbert W. Schooling
1966–1986: Bob G. Woods
1986–1991: Wilbur R. Miller
1991–1993: Robert Dollar (Interim Dean)
1993–2005: Richard L. Andrews
2005–2008: Carolyn Herrington
2008–2010: Rosemary T. Porter (Interim Dean)
2010–2016: Daniel L. Clay
2016–2020: Kathryn Chval
2020-2021: Erica Lembke (Interim Dean)
2021-2024: Chris Riley-Tillman
2024-2025: Sarah Diem
2025-present: Kui Xie