Mary Jane Sergeant was born August 24, 1837, to Gershom Craven Sergeant and Charity Ann Howell Sergeant in Raritan Township, near Flemington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. She was in the first class of the New Jersey State Normal School, beginning October 1855, when classes were held in Trenton City Hall before the new school building opened in the next term in 1856. Her first teaching experience was in Lambertville School in 1857-1858, before graduating from the Normal School in February 1859. Afterward, she taught in Copper Hill School in Raritan Township. On March 26, 1863, she married Dr. Cornelius Wilson Larison, also an educator, as well as a physician and proponent of phonetic spelling. He founded the Seminary at Ringoes and the Academy of Science and Arts at Ringoes where Mary taught mathematics and other subjects from the 1870s to early 1900s. They had two children: Mary “Polly” L. (Blackwell), and Benjamin. Mary Jane died on April 17, 1917. Her daughter, Mary Blackwell, donated her diary to then Trenton State College during the Centennial celebrations of 1955, where it was transcribed and portions were published in The Signal newspaper.
Founded in 1855 as the New Jersey State Normal School, The College of New Jersey is the oldest teacher training college in the state and the ninth oldest in the nation. Originally located in downtown Trenton, the college expanded academically and physically, and later moved to suburban Ewing Township in the 1930s.
Over the years, the name of the college has changed to reflect its expanding mission.
New New Jersey State Normal School, 1855-1908New Jersey Normal School in Trenton, 1908-1929
New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton, 1929-1937
New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton, 1937-1958
Trenton State College, 1958-1996
The College of New Jersey, 1996-present
Jessie R. Turk (1920-2009) graduated from Montclair State Teachers College in 1942, then obtained a master's degree from Oberlin College and doctorate from Columbia. She was a Professor of Geography at Trenton State from 1947 to 1982. An oral history interview with her in 1991 is available to view at https://www.njvid.net/show.php?pid=njcore:17492
Conrad J. Johnson (1912-2009) entered New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton in 1931 as a music major, but changed to industrial arts, graduating in 1936. His first teaching position was in Toms River where he taught until the early 1940s. In 1942, he joined the faculty at his alma mater where he was an instructor in the Industrial Arts Department for 40 years at Trenton State College until his retirement in 1982.
Head of the Department of Biology at New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton.
Michael A. Travers (1902-1970) received a law degree from New York University, then obtained Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate of Education degrees from Rutgers University. In 1928, he became the first Dean of Men at New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton. He also taught Business Education (as well as served as chairman of that department) for 40 years, retiring in 1968. In addition, he served as Hopewell Township Municipal Judge and taught courses at Rutgers and Temple Universities.
Head of Department of Pedagogy at New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton.
Head of the Department of Physical Science at New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton.
Victor Galassi (1917-2004) attended New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton from 1935-1938 where he was the Varsity Sports Manager and participated in other school activities. He attended Rutgers in 1939, then entered the military. After WWII, he joined the New Jersey State Police where he retired with the rank of major.