Bagley School reunion set for Oct. 13

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Alumni of the Bagley School at Northeastern State University are invited to attend the annual school reunion at Bagley Hall on Oct. 13.

Registration opens at 11:30 a.m. and lunch is at noon. Those wishing to pre-register can call Anita Thompson, development and grants officer for the College of Education, at 918-444-3751. Attendance is free.

Thompson said the history of the Bagley School on the Northeastern campus has created a special relationship between its former students and the College of Education, which is housed in Bagley Hall.

"Many of the Bagley alumni have a strong attachment to this building and naturally so do we, so we are happy to host this event each year and celebrate its history," she said.

This year's reunion will include tours of the newly opened Capitola "Cappi" Wadley Reading and Technology Center, a facility where children can overcome reading deficiencies through tutoring.

The center is housed on Bagley Hall's new third floor. The original third floor was removed almost 40 years ago, but was rebuilt when the building underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2007-08.

"The Bagley alumni remember the original third floor and we are excited to show them the new facility and talk about the wonderful programs we are offering through it," Thompson said.

Dozens of alumni come to the annual reunion.

"Many people come from out of state each year to attend," she said. "Furthermore, graduation from Bagley isn't a qualification to take part. We would like to invite anyone who graduated or attended Bagley School for any length of time."

Completed in 1928 and dedicated May 6, 1929, Bagley Hall housed the Bagley Training School where Northeastern's student teachers taught pupils of the Tahlequah Public Schools system.

Grades 1-12 were taught at Bagley, but the practice of assigning student teachers to public school classrooms led to the elimination of laboratory schools. NSU turned control of Bagley over to Tahlequah Public Schools for use as a junior high and additional elementary school for the district.

Increasing enrollment led Northeastern to insist that TPS return use of the building fully to the university, which was concluded in 1964, allowing the College of Education to move in. The Bagley name was subsequently dropped in favor of the Education building until it was rededicated as Bagley Hall on Oct. 10, 2009.