Our History
The College of Education
The education curriculum for the preparation of teachers was developed in 1903 at Mississippi State University with the establishment of the Department of Industrial Education. The School of Industrial Pedagogy was organized in 1909. This name was changed to the School of Education in 1935 and to the College of Education in 1963.
The unit is comprised of six academic departments, including Counseling and Educational Psychology; Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education; Music; Instructional Systems and Workforce Development; Leadership and Foundations; and Kinesiology; in addition are two teacher candidate preparation programs offered jointly with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences -Agricultural and Extension Education and Family and Consumer Sciences.
These academic departments are augmented by one primary research unit, the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, and four service units, the Center for Educational Partnerships, the Learning Center, The Early Childhood Institute, and the Office of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction, Licensure, and Outreach, which are coordinated through the Office of the Dean.
Included in the Center for Educational Partnerships are the following service units: the Educational Design Institute, America Reads-Mississippi, The Program for Research and Evaluation in Public Schools, the World Class Teaching Project (which prepares teachers for National Board certification), the Writing/Thinking Institute (part of the National Writing Project), and the Migrant Education Service Center.
Deans of the College of Education
| 1935 — 1940 | Sam P. Hathorne |
| 1940 — 1956 | Burrow P. Brooks |
| 1956 — 1959 | Theodore K. Martin |
| 1959 — 1961 | Homer S. Coskrey |
| 1961 — 1970 | Francis A. Rhodes |
| 1970 — 1979 | Merrill M. Hawkins |
| 1979 — 1980 | Max O. Heim |
| 1980 — 1994 | Arnold J. Moore |
| 1994 — 2001 | William H. Graves |
| 2001 — 2004 | Roy H. Ruby |
| 2005 — present | Richard Blackbourn |
College Timeline
The Department of Industrial Education founded.
1903
1909
The Department of Industrial Education becomes the School of Industrial Pedagogy.
The name of the School of Industrial Pedagogy is changed to the School of Education, with V.G. Martin as Acting Dean; The School of Education taught Agricultural Education, Math & Science Education, Physical Education, and Trade & Industrial Education. Dean Sam P. Hathorne later named as 1st Dean.
1935
1940
Under Dean Burrow P. Brooks, the School of Education is first divided into distinct departments. Founded at this time are the Departments of General Education (which became CISE), Industrial Education (which became ISWD), and Physical Education (which became Kinesiology).
The School of Education is first accredited by the Mississippi High School Accrediting Commission.
1947
1950
The Department of Guidance Education (which has become CEP) was founded.
At this time, the School of Education is housed in the Business and Education building, which is now Bowen Hall.
1952
1954
Dean Theodore K. Martin is named. The College’s T.K. Martin Center on Technology and Education is named for him.
1956
1958
Under Dean T.K. Martin, the Department of Music Education (now the Department of Music) was founded.
Dean Homer S. Coskrey is named.
1959
1961
Dean Francis A. Rhodes is named. Under Dean Rhodes, the School of Education achieves its first NCATE Accreditation. At this time, the School of Education was located in Hilbun Hall
The name of the School of Education is changed to the College of Education
1963
1968
Merrill M. Hawkins (who would later become Associate Dean, then Dean) is named the school’s first Assistant Dean.
Dean Merrill M. Hawkins is named. At this time, the Department of School Administration, Supervision, and Adult Education (which is now our Department of Leadership and Foundations) was established.
1970
1973
The Bureau of Educational Research, the College’s first research center, is established, with Herbert M. Handley as Director.
The College of Education is moved to Allen Hall, where it now resides.
1974
Dean Max O. Heim is named.
1979
1980
Dean Arnold J. Moore is named.
The Research, Rehabilitation, and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, now the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, is established.
1981
Dean William H. Graves is named.
1994
