History of Teacher Certification Requirements The first training establishment for teachers dates back to 1785. Many others emerged between 1785 and the early 1800s. It was not until the mid-1830s that these training schools teachers were subsidized by the state. In 1839, the first state normal school was established, with two more following the following year. Additionally, during the 1830s and 1840s there was a movement to replace tuition schools with common schools. This created two different types of schools: rural, one-room schools and urban (Angus) schools. Teacher certification became a requirement in the second half of the 19th century. The process of teacher certification began in a primitive manner. Prospective teachers had to pass oral exams organized by local officials, usually the principal. The purpose of these examinations was primarily to ensure that the prospective teacher was more educated than the oldest student attending the school. Due to the shortage of teachers, the invigilator of these exams ensured that almost everyone qualified. Urban school boards had the freedom to dictate the difficulty of entrance exams based on current demand for teachers (Angus). An account from Martha Russell's 1868 diary of these examinations says: "I feel miserable this evening and very relieved because the teacher's examinations were held today and I came out alive, as you see." I did better than I expected… there were six in the class” (Macneal). This shows that not all exams were as easy where teachers were less in demand. In 1897, the teacher's certificate was granted to those who graduated from college without taking further examinations in twenty-eight of the states. Since it was not necessary to have an education degree to teach, only about a dozen of the 400 colleges and universities offered teaching degrees. During this period, 114 colleges and universities offered only teacher-specific courses. In the late 19th century, the state supported teachers' colleges or, as they were more commonly called, normal schools became a popular way for teachers to become certified..