Borden Normal School

Infobox_nrhp | name =Borden Institute
nrhp_type =

---

caption = Historical Marker at site of the Institute
location= Borden, Indiana
area =
built =1883
architect=
architecture= Late Victorian
added = July 16, 1986
governing_body = Local
refnum=73000030 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The Borden Institute was located in Borden, Indiana. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. William Borden in 1884 established the school to serve the children of local farmers. The education "was a creative institution of unusual distinction" in the way it prepared its students to teach and to conduct scientific laboratory studies. [ [http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/publications/tiharch-dec95.pdf IHB: 404 ] ] Students told how there were very few regulations.

It also had an impressive library of 1,500 volumes at its opening, gaining an additional 50-100 every year. By 1904 the facility had 3,000 books.

The institute closed in 1906. The building would continue to see educational use until the 1950s. The building was condemned in 1978 and razed, even through preservationists tried for 12 years to save it, due to fears that nearby elementary school children would be hurt if they played on the property.

References

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=bjL2WFxoqgcC&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=%22borden+institute%22+indiana&source=web&ots=XcG1qb6K_9&sig=D3h87tylZ1kZFoZ5pb0AwWxVTwA#PPA24,M1 Municipal and Institutes Libraries of Indiana] pg. 23-24.