Teach100 Centennial Celebration

Almost from its very beginning in 1901 graduates of TWU (then known as the College of Industrial Arts, or CIA) were being employed as teachers. In 1906 the State Democratic Party in Texas called for the establishment of a kindergarten teaching certificate and that is usually considered the birth of teacher education at TWU. Acting on the resolution passed by the State Democratic Party the first special teacher certificate law was passed by the State Legislature 1908-09 and made applicable to TWU only. As a result of this law, the Department of Education was created at TWU and Texas Woman’s University became the first institution in Texas to begin the formal preparation of kindergarten teachers.

From that small beginning the teacher preparation program at Texas Woman’s University was launched. In the century since, TWU has been a leader in producing outstanding educators for our nation’s schools. Today TWU sends over 500 educators each year into classrooms and schools throughout Texas and many other states. These educators consist of elementary, middle and high school teachers, preschool and reading teachers, special educators, principals, superintendents, counselors, and educational diagnosticians. The graduates of our teacher education program are changing the world in their schools and in their communities.