The Groundbreaking

In 1908, a small group led by former Governor Thomas J. Jarvis gathered on a vacant field in Greenville to break ground for the East Carolina Teachers Training School. They stood on the site of what would become Jarvis Dormitory. Just over a year later, the school opened its doors to students, fulfilling a vision of bringing teacher training to the underserved eastern region of North Carolina. (ECU Centennial Exhibit, 2025) 

Photograph of the Groundbreaking of East Carolina Teachers Training School

“The Founding of East Carolina Teachers Training School.” Founding - ECU centennial exhibit. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/exhibits/ecucent/founding2.html.