McFadden Alexander Newell (1824–1894) commissioned and was the first principal of Maryland State Normal School (now

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its founding, the university h ...

). Newell was an Irish immigrant who graduated from

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

. He also taught school in England before settling in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

in 1848. He was a professor of natural science at the

Baltimore City College Baltimore City College, known colloquially as City, City College, and B.C.C., is a college preparatory school with a liberal arts focus and selective admissions criteria located in Baltimore, Maryland. Opened in October 1839, B.C.C. is the thir ...

, from 1850 to 1854. In 1865, Newell was asked to establish a state normal school and served as its principal from 1866 to 1890. During this time, he also served as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. As Principal at MSNS, he improved both teacher education and public school instruction, set admissions standards for the Normal School and refined the school's curriculum.

References

Presidential Biographies - Towson Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newell, Mcfadden Presidents of Towson University Baltimore City College faculty 1824 births 1894 deaths 19th-century American educators