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Provincial Normal School, Vancouver, B.C.
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Records with regard to teacher training and certification

  • GR-1471
  • Series
  • 1884-1949

The series consists of records pertaining to teacher training and certification. It includes minute books of the Board of Examiners (1884-1949), teachers certificate registers (1892-1947), student registers at provincial Normal schools (1901-1938), high school examination results (1924-1927), and minutes of the Dept. of Education Appointments Board (1937-1945).

Prior to 1901, teachers in British Columbia were drawn either from outside the province or (after 1876) from graduates of provincial high schools. All teachers required teaching certificates, which were awarded by the Superintendent of Education. Teachers from outside the province were required to sit an examination set by the Provincial Board of Examiners. Candidates were awarded different grades or classes of certificates, depending on the results of their exam. High school graduates qualified for certificates in a similar manner, depending on their scores on terminal examinations. Standards of certification changed frequently over the years, as did the questions which appeared on the "Public School Teachers' Examinations." Basically, though, several classes of certificates were available: Academic and First Class (awarded to university graduates and/or to candidates scoring over 70% on the exam); Second class (awarded to candidates scoring over 50% on examinations); and Third class (awarded to candidates scoring 30% and above on a series of exam questions). First class certificates were permanent, 2nd class were valid for 3 years, while 3rd class certificates were generally good for one year, with the possibility of renewal. "Temporary certificates," valid until the annual examinations were held in July, were also issued under certain circumstances.

In 1901, the province's first Normal School for teacher training was opened in Vancouver. (A second school, in Victoria, was opened in 1915.) Thereafter, graduation from the Normal School replaced the "Public School Teachers' Examinations" for those seeking Academic, First, and Second class certificates. Only Third class certificates valid for a limited period of time were still awarded on the basis of candidates' high school examinations.

British Columbia. Dept. of Education

Sessional registers of students at Provincial Normal School (Victoria and Vancouver)

  • GR-1752
  • Series
  • 1927-1956

This series consists of Provincial Normal School sessional registers of students at Victoria 1927-1956 and Vancouver 1938-1956.

Records are arranged by school (i.e., Victoria or Vancouver), then academic year, and then alphabetically by student last name. Registers include only the following fields of data for each student: name; city/town of residence; age on Sept. 1st in years and months; academic standing; intelligence rating; grades for professional and special methods courses, teaching practice, personality, and attitude; standing awarded (yes or no); diploma issued (yes or no); and remarks (e.g., passed or withdrew).

British Columbia. Dept. of Education

Correspondence and other material

"Homecoming of graduates", Vancouver Normal School, June 9, 1956. The homecoming was for graduates of the classes of 1901-1956, and was held to mark the amalgamation of the Normal School with the College of Education, University of British Columbia. This volume contains correspondence, speeches, including an address by former principal, A.R. Lord, programmes and clippings relating to the homecoming.