Coleg Normal, a teacher training college, was founded in 1858 and built on a site overlooking the Menai Straits in Upper Bangor, north Wales. Its first principal was John Phillips, a Calvinistic Methodist preacher, who held the position from 1863 to 1867. In its early years, it attracted students from the north Wales area mainly, on one, two and three year courses. Although English was the language of instruction and trainees were required to take exams in that language, the college filled a need for a supply of qualified Welsh speaking teachers to teach in schools where that was the children's first language. Expansion and consolidation of the college was helped by the Education Act of 1870, and the decision to establish maintained board schools with greater remuneration for schoolteachers, made the teaching profession more attractive and resulted in greater numbers of entrants to Coleg Normal.
In November 1890, an episode, known as the "Students' strike" occurred as students protested about the poor quality of food in the college dining room. They were all expelled but readmitted after three days on condition that each individual apologise and apply for acceptance. This "strike", which featured prominently in the press, resulted in an official enquiry by the Inspector for Training Colleges, during which students and management were questioned. The enquiry decided that food at the college was acceptable and blamed the incident on poor discipline.
David Robert Harris, whose appointment marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the college, was Principal from 1905 to 1933. He had a distinguished academic record and wide experience in education, having held a lectureship in the Day Training Departments at Bangor and Aberystwyth before being appointed Master of Method in the London Day Training College. Harris was active in securing better residential conditions, improved teaching premises and a much larger intake of students which helped meet the increasing needs of the north Wales schools. He believed that teacher training would benefit from closer association with university education and was active in promoting greater co-operation with the nearby University College of North Wales, founded in 1884, and a constituent institution of the University of Wales from 1893. In Harris' time there was support at Coleg Normal for some association with the university but not full integration which eventually took place in 1996, as Coleg Normal became the Faculty of Education of the University of Wales, Bangor.
From the guide to the Papers of Coleg Normal, Bangor, 1862-1906, (Bangor University)
