Central Normal College, located at Great Bend, was first opened in 1888, with D. E. Sanders as president and William Stryker as principal. Hazelrigg's History of Kansas, published in 1895, says the school then enrolled 400 students. In 1898 the Central Normal College company was organized and purchased the property, which originally cost something like $40,000, engaged a competent faculty, reorganized the institution with Porter Young as president, and broadened the scope of the college. Under the new management eight courses of study were introduced, viz.: Preparatory, common school teachers', special science, scientific, classical, pedagogical, oratorical and commercial. There is also a special course in shorthand and typewriting.