George W. Minns

George W. Minns
1st Principal of San José State University
In office 1865–1866
Preceded by	Ahira Holmes
Succeeded by	Henry P. Carlton
In office 1857–1862
Succeeded by	Ahira Holmes
Personal details
Born	(1813-10-06)October 6, 1813 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	January 14, 1895(1895-01-14) (aged 81) Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	Harvard University

George Washington Minns (October 6, 1813 – January 14, 1895) was an American educator. He graduated from Harvard Law School and practiced law in Massachusetts for several years before moving to California. After the collapse of his law practice, Minns became an educator. He helped train teachers for the city's public school system as the principal of Minns Evening Normal School, the predecessor of the California State Normal School, which, in turn, became San José State University, the founding campus of the California State University system.^[1]