Literary and Social Critique Publications

13 boxes, 2 cartons, 2 oversized boxes (12.5 linear feet)

This collection contains the literary and social critique publications of the college, with the exception of The Signal newspapers and fraternal and sororal organizations' newsletters. The collection is divided into 12 Series:
Series 1, So to Speak, 1938
Series 2, Sigma Phi Alpha Poetry Contest, 1938-1939
Series 3, Sophomore English Majors Publications, 1950-1956
Series 4, The Chimes/Chimes, 1957-1980, T.S.C. Poetry Review: Chimes, 1980-1983, Lion's Eye/The Lion's Eye, 1984-present
Series 5, The Trenton Review, 1966, The Trenton State College Review 1990-1996, The College of New Jersey Review, 1997-2005
Series 6, Utimme Umana: La Voz Oculta, 1972-1990
Series 7, Fire II, 1973-1987
Series 8, Gumption, 1980-1983
Series 9, Emanon Enizagam, 1986
Series 10, Siren, 1995-2007

The collection is organized chronologically by series.

This collection is open for research.

The items in this collection may be used by patrons who abide by the Archives and Special Collections Use Policy of the R. Barbara Gitenstein Library at TCNJ.

Portions of the collection have been digitized and are available for viewing in the library on a provided computer, or on this web site.

Copyright restrictions apply. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the College Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Archives and Special Collections, R. Barbara Gitenstein Library, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718, Ewing, NJ 08628-0718, email: Ask a Librarian via the library’s website https://library.tcnj.edu/.

• English

The materials in this collection were received as internal transfers and direct distribution to the Library.

Annual accruals are expected for The Lion’s Eye.

Organizational history:

The College of New Jersey’s academic tradition reaches back to 1855 when it was established by the state legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School. It was the first state-established teacher training school in the state and the ninth in the nation. Governor Rodman Price promoted the idea of a training institute for New Jersey’s teachers and mobilized support among influential state leaders. Located on Clinton Avenue in Trenton from 1855 until the early 1930s, the Normal School flourished in the latter 1800s, expanding both its academic offerings and physical facilities.

The Model School was founded within the Normal School shortly after opening to serve as a teacher training laboratory for primary, secondary, grammar, and high school students. Additional affiliated teacher training and specialty schools operated outside of Trenton such as The Farnum Preparatory School of New Jersey (1856-1912) and Rural School Observation Centers at Hart’s Corner, Harbourton, and Plainsboro (1917-1930). A variety of partnerships were established with schools around the state for teacher training. The Model School closed in 1917 and was replaced by the Training School, which served grades 1-6 and was tuition-free. Once the Normal School planned to move to the Hillwood Lakes campus, the Training School closed. In 1931, the Normal School entered into an agreement with Ewing Township to use the Lanning School for teacher training. This arrangement lasted until the late 1950s.

In 1925, the first four-year baccalaureate degree program was established. This change marked the beginning of TCNJ’s transition from a normal school to a teachers’ college and was accompanied by a change in physical surroundings. In 1928, a 210-acre tract of land in Ewing Township, then known as Hillwood Lakes, was purchased as a new site for the College.

Graduate study was instituted at the College in 1947, and accreditation from various national associations was forthcoming in the 1950s. The enactment of the Higher Education Act of 1966 paved the way for then Trenton State College to become a multipurpose institution by expanding its degree programs into a variety of fields other than education. By 1972, 70% of entering students selected non-teaching majors.

The College of New Jersey emphasizes the undergraduate experience. A strong liberal arts core forms the foundation for a wealth of degree programs offered through TCNJ’s seven schools — Arts and Communication; Business; Humanities & Social Sciences; Education; Science; Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science; and Engineering.

In addition, the college experienced five name changes over its history:
• 1855 New Jersey State Normal School
• 1908 New Jersey State Normal School at Trenton
• 1929 New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton
• 1937 New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton
• 1958 Trenton State College
• 1996 The College of New Jersey

DACS, LCSH

Debra Schiff, 2025