choosing the location of the Normal School in the 5th District after announcing
that Normal 
Schools for the 3rd and 1st Districts would be at Platteville and Whitewater,
respectively. 
As described in the March 29, 1866, edition of the Grant County Witness,
'Platteville and 
Prairie Du Chien were the only claimants in the 3rd District, and the offers
of Baraboo and 
Platteville were equal from a pecuniary view*. 
After screening of candidates for the Principalship of the newly authorized
Normal 
School at Platteville, the Board of Regents announced in August, 1866, that
Charles H. 
Allen would serve as the first Principal (President) of the Platteville Normal
School. Allen 
served in this capacity until his resignation in 1870. 
The two-year Platteville Normal School Catalog of 1866-67 and 1867-68 contained
the 
following oath, which was adopted by the Board of Regents in July, 1866:

In consideration of advantages furnished me by the State of Wisconsin, I
make the following 
declaration: I         do hereby declare that my design in entering this
school is to fit 
myself for the business of teaching, and it is my intention to engage in
teaching in this State 
after leaving the Normal School. I will report to the Principal of the Normal
School at 
Platteville as often as twice every year for at least two years, and once
each year thereafter, as 
long as I remain a teacher. When I leave the work of teaching, I will notify
the Principal of 
the School aforesaid with my reason there for. 
The subsequent years of the Platteville Normal School were characterized
by 
substantial increases in enrollment and more comprehensive curricula offerings.
In spite of 
the construction of three additional wings, which more than quadrupled the
original 7,800 
square feet in the Platteville Academy building constructed in 1853, the
increases in 
enrollment at the Platteville Normal School could not be accommodated. As
a result, on 
August 26, 1907, the Normal School campus moved a few blocks West and occupied
a new 
structure which subsequently became known as 'Old Main". 
Students from the Platteville Academy at the Normal School 
The 1866-67 Platteville Normal School Catalog indicated that 41 students
were 
categorized as, Preparatory and Academic, and the 1867-68 Catalog listed
64 students in this 
category. The 1867-68 Catalog stated that, those "academic" students
and other students, 
who were not willing to sign the oath of declaration to become teachers,
could be 
accommodated, as follows: 
As long as there is room in the school, a limited number of Academic pupils
will be received, 
but no special classes will be formed for such. Academic pupils and those
not willing to make 
and cary ou the above declaration, will be charged a tuition fee. 
Since the majority of Academy students were enrolled in courses with objectives

other than teacher education, most of the Academy students transferring to
the Platteville 
Normal School should have been categorized as, TPreparatory and Academic".
The 
enrollment of such students was accommodated by the above provision.