Fredonia Normal School
 |
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| Motto | Where Success is a Tradition |
|---|---|
| Type | Public coeducational |
| Established | 1826 |
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Parent institution
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State University of New York |
| Endowment | $30.96 million (2013) |
| President | Virginia Schaefer Horvath, Ph.D. |
| Undergraduates | 4941 (as of Fall 2014) |
| Postgraduates | 273 (as of Fall 2014) |
| Location |
Fredonia, New York, USA 42°27′12″N 79°20′13″W / 42.45344°N 79.33697°WCoordinates: 42°27′12″N 79°20′13″W / 42.45344°N 79.33697°W |
| Campus | Small Town, 249 acre campus |
| Colors | Blue and white |
| Athletics |
NCAA Division III, SUNYAC 17 varsity teams |
| Nickname | Blue Devils |
| Website | www |
The State University of New York at Fredonia (also known as SUNY Fredonia and Fredonia State College) is a four-year liberal arts college located in Fredonia, New York, United States. It is a constituent college of the State University of New York.
Fredonia was one of the state teachers' colleges traditionally specializing in music education, but now offers a large number of programs in many areas, including a growing graduate division. The most popular areas of study include science, communication, music, education, and the social sciences. There are 82 majors and 41 minors.
The Fredonia campus, located in Chautauqua County (southwest of Buffalo) was designed by prominent architects I.M. Pei and Henry N. Cobb in 1968.
Opened in 1826 as Fredonia Academy under its first principal Austin Smith, the academy enrolled eight students. The first classes began on October 4, 1826. Within one year the Academy had 136 students, 81 boys and 55 girls. In 1827 it was a state normal school.
The Academy reached peak enrollment in 1856 with 217 students. The school was plagued by financial shortages and was forced to close its doors in 1867.
In 1867, the college re-emerged for its second phase of existence, as a New York State Normal School. On December 2, 1867, the Normal (as it became commonly known) began classes with 147 students, 62 boys and 85 girls. For students preparing to be teachers, no tuition was charged, books were supplied, and travel costs were reimbursed; in return, students had to promise to teach after graduation. Those students not studying for the teaching profession paid tuition and provided their own textbooks.
During its 82 years, Fredonia Normal had a tumultuous existence. With a fluctuating student enrollment and threats of state funding reductions, the school seemed to be in constant jeopardy of closing. Nonetheless, gradually the school was upgraded. In 1930, 58 acres (230,000 m2) of land west of Central Avenue in the Village of Fredonia were bought to house a future campus. In 1938, music building (Mason Hall) was the first to be constructed on the Central Avenue site. New York State Governor Herbert Lehman signed the Feinberg Law in 1942 that changed the Normal Schools into Teacher Colleges, statewide.
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