Being the premier center of learning in the province of Tarlac, the beginning of the Tarlac State University (TSU) are synchronous with the beginning of public education in this heartland of Central Luzon and the whole Philippines. The early and dominant image of TSU among the people of Tarlac was its being a trade school, and its origin as such could be traced to as early as 1906, when the director of public instruction mandated the offering of intermediate grades and selected areas in the country to cater to industrial and vocational courses.