In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

The San José State University Faculty Wives Club organized in the late 1940s as a means of fostering friendship among the wives of SJSU faculty members. The Faculty Wives Club began by hosting monthly events and activities for its members, such as fashion shows, cooking, and handcrafting. In addition, club members also participated in fundraising efforts for student scholarships. Today, the Faculty Wives Club continues to award three student scholarships of $2,000 each annually.