From it's beginnings in 1899 up until 1974 Eastern Illinois University had on-campus programs for student teachers to gain experience by actually teaching children in the classroom. From 1899-1913 there existed a “Model School” for elementary school age children. In 1914 a new building (later called Blair Hall) was opened to house the children, and it became known as the “Training School.” Four years later the Training School included a grade school (grades 1-6,) a junior high school (grades 7-8) and a senior high school.
When EIU became a teachers college in 1921 (as opposed to just a normal school,) the Training School consisted of a grade school (grades 1-8) and a high school for the higher grades (9-12.) Over the next several decades (until 1955) the high school was called, variously, Teachers College High School and Eastern State High School. Beginning in 1944 the term “Laboratory School” began to be used to refer to the elementary and high school programs. In 1958 the brand new Buzzard Laboratory School building was opened to house the various grade levels. It was not until 1974 that the Laboratory School programs were abolished, by action of the Illinois Board of Governors. After that, student teaching was done off campus at elementary and high schools throughout the state.
This collection consists of a Scrapbook collection by Dale Downs, as well as publications and images submitted by attendees of the 2012 Alumni Reunion of the EIU Laboratory School. Our thanks to the people that allowed digitization of their materials for this collection.
In 2010, students in the Historical Administration major completed an exhibit project about the laboratory school. You can read the Design Brief here.
