This report presents the historical background of New York State's normal school system, the system that predated the centralized organization of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. New York's first state normal school was established in Albany in 1844. Nineteen years later the state began to provide support for the normal school at Oswego. In the next 8 years, six more state normal schools were established; four more would be established later. Several of the normal schools formerly academies had already been under minimal control by the Regents. As normal schools they were subject to the control of the Superintendent of Schools, although their trustees retained considerable power. Central control was increased and became almost complete during the administration of Andrew S. Draper as Superintendent and Commissioner. Under progressive state governors and during the Depression, control of the normal schools by the State Department of Education increased further. (In the 1930s and early 1940s it was only slightly relaxed.) When the normals became the first components of SUNY, the State Assistant Commissioner for Teacher Education became Executive Dean in SUNY, bringing with him the precedents of centralization. Contains 53 reference notes. (Author/GLR)