Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 23, 1932, a critical early leader of the University of Northern Iowa, Homer Horatio Seerley, passed away. Known as the “Grand old man of Iowa education,” Seerley went from a rural Iowa teacher to one of the most important early administrators of Iowa’s higher education system.
Born in Indiana in 1848, Seerley’s family moved to a farm near South English, Iowa, in 1854. Although Seerley’s initial college plans failed due to a lack of funds, he took to teaching after spending a short time enrolled. He eventually returned to his coursework and focused on education. He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy in 1873, a Bachelor of Didactics in 1875, and a Master of Arts in 1876. In addition, he was awarded two honorary Doctor of Law degrees: the first in 1898 from Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and the second in 1901 from the State University of Iowa.
In 1873, he became Assistant Principal at Oskaloosa High School. He was elected Principal in 1874 and became the Superintendent of Schools in 1875, a position he held until coming to the Normal School in Cedar Falls in 1886. While President Seerley served at UNI, the campus grew from two main buildings, South Hall (later Gilchrist) and North Hall (later Central), to include most of the red-brick and limestone buildings on the east side of campus. During his administration, the school's name was changed from the Iowa State Normal School to the Iowa State Teachers College.
In 1890, a home (now unused on the northeastern corner of campus) was built for the president and his family. In 1908, Seerley's family moved to the current President's House. Seerley Hall, which opened as the school library in 1911, was named after the key early UNI president. #Iowa #OTD #History #Education #HigherEd See less
— at University of Northern Iowa.
