Zidnak, Pete, 1917-2000

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

Dr. Pete Zidnak (1917-2000) received his M.S. (1950) and Ph.D. (1955) in Philosophy from the University of Southern California. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army and was awarded the Purple Heart. Dr. Zidnak began his career at SJSU in 1957 as a Professor of Business, retired in 1982, and was awarded Emeritus status in 1983. Following retirement, he began compiling a history of intercollegiate athletics at SJSU. From 1991-1996, Dr. Zidnak gathered data and facts about campus sports by utilizing past school newspapers and other archival materials. Dr. Zidnak chronicled the development of the school's intercollegiate competition dating back to the 1890s, when San José State University was known as the San José State Normal School.

From the guide to the Pete Zidnak Collection of San Jose State University Sports History, 1890-1995, (San José State University. Library.)