Irving O. Bragg
Principal, 1903-1907

Irving O. Bragg, the first principal of Aroostook State Normal School, was dedicated to education. Following his own schooling in St. Albans, Maine, Bragg went to the Farmington State Normal School, where he graduated from in 1893. Following his graduation from Farmington State Normal School, Bragg taught and served as principal in Maine for five years, from 1893-1898. After that experience as teacher and principal, Irving Bragg decided to expand on his own education; therefore, Bragg applied to Bates College, where he subsequently graduated from in 1902. With the opportunity to serve as an instructor at Fargo College, in Fargo, North Dakota, Bragg left the state of Maine. For one year Bragg taught in North Dakota, but with the opportunity to serve as principal and instructor for a new Normal School in Aroostook County, Maine, Bragg left Fargo College and returned to Maine.

On September 15, 1903 Irving O. Bragg opened the doors of the new Aroostook State Normal School to 17 students. Bragg served as principal of ASNS, but in addition to that tremendous task of starting up a new school from scratch, Bragg also served as an instructor of numerous courses, such as Moral Philosophy, Civics, and Arithmetic. As if that was not enough, Irving O. Bragg also served as bursar, the individual who bought needed materials and food for the school and its participants. There were only two other people on the staff of ASNS during that first year: Mr. Alonzo Knowlton and Miss Ardelle M. Tozier.

Principal Bragg accepted and excelled at the task of running a new school. During his time as principal, the school underwent some very significant changes. In 1905, the first dormitory, Normal Hall, was built. This allowed students to live on campus, rather than to stay in local homes, as they had to do in the two years prior to the opening of Normal Hall. In addition, the Training School opened under the direction of Miss Florence Hale. The Training School was a very important component of the education of students, as it allowed them to learn about and practice teaching to children in a classroom environment.

Principal Irving O. Bragg resigned in 1907 with the intention to attend Harvard Law School, in order to study to become a lawyer.

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