Local History Website of the SMSU Department of History

William T. Carrington

William T. Carrington went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. It was made of logs. Then he went to a Normal School. It was in Kirksville, Missouri.  A Normal School is like a college.  After college, he became a teacher. He taught at a one-room schoolhouse. It was the same school he went to when he was a kid.  He was a good teacher. He wanted to help schools in Missouri. He became a leader. He ran all of the schools in Missouri in 1899. He was the state Superintendent of Education. 

In 1905, a Normal School began in Springfield. William Carrington was the first president. The school became Southwest Missouri State College. The first building was named after him. It was called Carrington Hall.

    Back of the building when it was first built

The college later became Southwest Missouri State University or SMSU. Carrington Hall became the administration building.

                  Front of the building today

The front of Carrington Hall became a symbol of SMSU.

William Carrington worked with Missouri schools all of his life.  He thought that Missouri had the best schools in America.  He was very important for education in Springfield, Missouri. 

Author: Lacey Childress
Source: Carrington, W. T.: History of Education in Missouri:  Autobiographical
Images, portrait of Carrington and historical photo of Carrington Hall, Courtesy of The History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
(For use in conjunction with the SMSU Campus Compact/WorldCom grant project. You must request permission from the History Museum for Springfield-Greene County to print, copy, or download this image for any other use.)