The spirit, vision and leadership of Horace Mann, America’s father of public education and its strongest advocate, lives on more than 177 years after Bridgewater State University first opened its doors for the purpose of training teachers. His belief, not only in the importance of public education, but also in standardizing – or normalizing – the training of teachers, led to the establishment of normal schools. In 1840, Bridgewater became the third such school in the commonwealth and, along with its sister institutions, developed a comprehensive approach to teacher training that became a model emulated throughout the country and across the globe.