Frederic Lister Burk (1862–1924), founding president of San Francisco State Normal School, served from 1899 to 1924. A graduate of the University of California, Burk worked as a journalist to support his early studies before earning an M.A. from Stanford University in 1892. He later served as Superintendent of Schools in Santa Rosa, California. In 1896, Burk moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, to pursue doctoral studies under psychologist G. Stanley Hall. In 1899, following the creation of San Francisco State Normal School by an act of the California State Legislature (March 22, 1899), Burk was appointed its first president. During his 25-year tenure, Burk developed and promoted innovative approaches to individualized instruction, helping establish the institution’s national and international reputation in teacher education.
