[1] In 1885, a normal school was started in Thiruvananthapuram by the government of Travancore for training male teachers.

It was situated in the compound where St.Joseph's Higher Secondary school is at present.

The magnificent main building of the school, an example of European architecture, was built in 1910[2] during the reign of Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal Ramavarma.

He lived on the school campus; the house where he stayed remains as Clarke's Bungalow.

One of the earliest headmasters of the training college was Shri.