Search billions of records on Ancestry.com
   

The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin

Compiled and Published Under the Direction of

J. D. Beck, Commissioner of Labor and Industrial Statistics

©1907 Democratic Printing Company, State Printer, Madison [WI]

Part V. State Institutions - State Normal Schools

[pp. 748-751]

BOARD OF REGENTS.

EX-OFFICIO.
THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, C. P. CARY
APPOINTED.
JOHN ROEMER .............................................................................................................. Term expires February 1, 1907
DUNCAN McGREGOR .................................................................................................. Term expires February 1, 1907
J. A. PEACOCK .............................................................................................................. Term expires February 1, 1908
THOMAS MORRIS ......................................................................................................... Term expires February 1, 1908
JOHN HARRINGTON ..................................................................................................... Term expires February 1, 1909
F. D. ENSIGN .................................................................................................................. Term expires February 1, 1909
Mrs. THEODORE W. YOUMANS .................................................................................. Term expires February 1, 1910
C. H. CROWNHART ....................................................................................................... Term expires February 1, 1910
PAUL TRATT ................................................................................................................... Term expires February 1, 1911
C. D. McFARLAND ......................................................................................................... Term expires February 1, 1911
J. A. PEACOCK ................................................................................................................................................ President
THOMAS MORRIS .................................................................................................................................. Vice-President
WILLIAM KITTLE ........................................................................................................................................... Secretary
ANDREW H. DAHL ................................................................................................................................. State Treasurer
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Executive -- The President, Regents Morris and McFarland.
Finance -- Regents Ensign, Tratt and Harrington
Courses of Study and Graduating Classes -- Regents McGregor, Youmans, Roemer, Cary, Tratt and Harrington.
Teachers' Institutes -- Regents Cary, McFarland and McGregor.
Inspections and Appropriations -- Regents Crownhart, Ensign, Morris and Peacock.
Teachers -- Regents Harrington, McGregor and Cary.
Libraries -- Regent Youmans, Roemer and Crownhart.
HISTORY OF NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The constitution of the state, adopted in 1848, provides, "That the revenue of the school fund shall be exclusively
applied to the following objects:
"1st: To the support and maintenance of the common schools, in each school district, and the purchase of suitable
libraries and appurtenances therefor."
"2nd: The residue shall be appropriated for the support of academies and normal schools, and suitable libraries and
appurtenances therefor."
No advantage of these provisions for the endowment of normal schools was taken until 1857, when an act was passed
(chapter 82) providing, "That the income of twenty-five percent, of the gross proceeds arising fromt he sale of swamp and overflowed lands" should be apportioned for the support of normal institutes and academies, under the supervision and direction of a board of regents of normal schools, who were to be appointed in pursuance of the provisions of that act. Under this law, the income placed at the disposal of the board was distributed for several years to such colleges, academies and high schools as maintained a normal class, and in proportion to the number of pupils in the class who passed satisfactory examinations conducted by an agent of the board.
In 1865, the legislature (chapter 537) divided the swamp lands and swamp land fund into two equal parts, one to
constitute the normal school fund and the other to be denominated the drainage fund. It was further provided by this act that the normal school fund be permanently invested and the income thereof should be applied to establish and maintain normal schools under the direction and management of the board of regents, with a proviso that one-fourth of such income should be transferred to the common school fund, until the annual income of that fund should reach $200,000. During the same year, proposals were invited for extending aid in the establishment of a normal school, and propositions were received from various places.
In 1866, the board of regents of normal schools was incorporated by the legislature. In February, Platteville was
conditionally selected as a place for a school. The productive fund of about $600,000.00 with a net income of over $20,000.00 was already accumulated, with a prospect of a steady increase by the sales of lands, and the board determined upon the policy of establishing several schools, to be located in different parts of the state.
At a meeting held on the second day of May, 1866, the board designated Whitewater as a place for a school, where a
building was subsequently erected. The academy building at Platteville having been donated for normal purposes, the board permanently located a school at that place, and a school was opened October 9, 1866, under Charles H. Allen, a former agent of the board. President Allen resigned at the close of four years' service, and E. A. Charleton, from Lockport, N.Y., was placed in charge. President Charleton resigned in 1878, after more than eight years' service, and Duncan McGregor, long conected with the school as a professor, was elected to the presidency, and served in that capacity until June, 1894, when he resigned, and Dr. James Chalmers, Ph.D., of Columbus, O., was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. McGregor's resignation. In June, 1897, Dr. Chalmers resigned, and in July following Prof. D. McGregor was again elected to the presidency and served until June, 1904, when he resigned and J. W. Livingston, of the Stevens Point Normal School, was chose president. Prof. Livingston is a graduate of the Platteville school, and for a long time was a high school principal before becomming Institute Conductor at the Stevens Poin School.
The school at Whitewater was opened on the 21st day of April, 1868, under Oliver Arey, A.M., formerly connected
with normal schools at Albany and Brockprot, N.Y., and the building was on the same day dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. On the resignation of President Arey, in 1877, William F. Phelps, A.M., an educator of large experience and of wide reputation, was appointed to take charge of the school. He was succeded at the end of two years by J. W. Stearns, A.M., who had attained distinction in normal and college service, but he resigned in January, 1885, to take the professorship of theory and art of teaching in the University of Wisconsin. Prof. T. B. Pray, of the local faculty, acted as president for the remainder of the school year, and Albert Salisbury was elected and assumed the presidency at the opening of the year 1885-6. President Salisbury formerly taught in the school but for two years had been engaged in supervisory educational work in the South.
A building was completed at Oshkosh during the year 1870, for a third normal school, but owing to lack of funds it was
not opened immediately for the admission of pupils. The dedication of the building and the opening of the school took place September 19, 1871, and the school was under the constant direction of George S. Albee, A.M., previously superintendent and principal of public schools at Kenosha and Racine, till September, 1898, when he died. On the first day of December following, Superintendent R. H. Halsey, of Binghampton, N.Y., was elected to the presidency. Prof. Halsey was for many years principal of the High School and superintendent of schools in Oshkosh before he was called to Binghampton. President Halsey was accidentally killed July 25, 1907.
The fourth school was opened in September, 1875, at River Falls, under the charge of Warren D. Parker, A.M.,
formerly superintendent and principal of public schools at Janesville. On the resignation of Mr. Parker, in June, 1889, J. Q. Emery, A.M., principal of the schools at Fort Atkinson, was elected president, and served until June, 1893. John Hull, ex-president of Southern Illinois Normal University, served as president during the year closing June, 1894. Warren D. Parker, A.M., was re-elected president and entered service September, 1894. In August, 1898, President Parker again resigned, and Prof. W. J. Brier, for many years institute conductor of the school, was elected to the presidency and began service early in September following.
September 14, 1885, the fifth normal school was opened in the city of Milwaukee, pursuant to chapter 364 of the laws
of 1885, and J. J. Mapel, formerl principal of the local high school, was elected president; he was succeeded by L. D. Harvey, A.M., for many years conductor of teachers' institutes from Oshkosh Normal School. Upon the completion of the building, and the conveyance of the same to the state, the legislature made an appropriation of $10,000.00 to aid in the maintenance of the school. In November, 1898, President Harvey was elected to the state superintendency of schools, and the school was put in charge of Acting President W. H. Cheever. On December 20, 1899, Charles McKenney, then president of the State normal school at Mt. Clemons, Mich., was elected president and assumed the duties of his office in April, 1900.
September 17, 1894, the sixth normal school was opened in the city of Stevens Point, pursuant to chapter 185, laws of
1893, and Theron B. Pray, A.M., formerly professor and institute conductor in the Whitewater Normal School, was elected president. In 1906, he was succeeded by John F. Sims, who for several years had been institute conductor in the River Falls Normal School. The school building at Stevens Point, although commodius and well fitted for normal school purposes, became overcrowded and a considerable addition has been made to the building. The original building, together with heating and ventilating apparatus, cost, in round numbers, $75,000, and one addition cost about $50,000.
September 8th, 1896, the seventh normal school was opened in the city of Superior, pursuant to chapter 185, laws of
1893, with I. M. McNeill, formerly assistant superintendent of schools, Kansas City, Mo., as president. Upon his resignation, Prof. V. E. McCaskill, institute conductor of the school was elected president, March 27, 1907. The building is one of the best of its class in the west, and its equipment, when completed, will be all that the highest standards require. The cost of the building, and the heating and ventilating plant was $74,790.00; the estimated value of the grounds (dontated) was $30,000, and the portion of the appropriation made by the law cited above, available for equipment, was $20,640.93. Besides the land, the city donated $65,000.00 cash.
The law under which the normal schools are organized provides that "The exclusive purpose and objects of each normal
school shall be the instruction and training of persons both male and female, in the theory and art of teaching, and in all the various branches that pertain to common school education, and in all subjects needful to qualify for teaching in the public schools; also to give instruction in the fundamental laws of the United States and of this state, in what regards the rights and duties of citizens."
In extension of the work of the normal schools, the Board is authorized to expend a sum not exceeding $14,000
annually, to support teachers' institutes, and may employ agents for that purpose. At present one professor from each normal school is employed at different season in conduction institutes.
The permanent Normal School Fund, August 31, 1906, was $1,955,108.86. The fund for the support of normal Normal Schools is increased annually by the amount received for tuition in the training and preparatory schools attached to the Normal Schools, and for book rents, and from an annual tax of $230,000.
The toal number of pupils in attendance during the past two school years at all the State Normal Schools was as follows:
 
TOTAL ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS.
Schools Normal Preparatory Grammar Intermediate Primary & kindergarten Special Totals
1904-05
Milwaukee 406 * 42 44 134 ----- 626
Oshkosh 552 ----- 118 67 118 ----- 855
Platteville 308 9 36 50 32 ----- 435
River Falls 300 4 41 49 405 ----- 499
Stevens Point 296 11 95 59 83 6 550
Superior 622 § 6 52 47 81 ¥ 11 513
Whitewater 269 3 35 52 101 ----- 460
Totals... 2,453 63 419 368 654 17 3,938
1905-06
Milwaukee 408 * 46 55 438 ----- 647
Oshkosh 620 ----- 117 67 134 ----- 938
Platteville 280 5 56 43 47 2 433
River Falls 305 3 57 35 81 ----- 481
Stevens Point 308 6 98 55 67 3 537
Superior 329 § 30 42 51 79 ¥ 5 506
Whitewater 281 5 26 42 98 1 453
Totals... 2,531 49 442 348 644 11 3,995
* No preparatory class. Has no elementary course and admits no pupils with preparation less than a four years' high school course.
§ Did preparatory work for a term or more. No one remained in the preparatory a full year. Not counted in the total because they are counted in Normal.
¥ Students not carrying full programs are classified as "Special."
NUMBER OF GRADUATES IN TWO YEARS.
YEAR 1904-05 1905-06 TOTALS
Course....... Elementary Advanced Elementary Advanced Elementary Advanced Both Courses
Milwaukee * 172 * 131 * 303 303
Oshkosh 43 60 59 112 102 172 274
Platteville 12 56 13 41 25 97 122
River Falls 21 39 21 35 42 74 116
Stevens Point 43 37 43 45 86 82 168
Superior 16 33 16 48 32 81 113
Whitewater 25 47 28 55 53 102 155
Total... 160 144 180 467 340 911 1,251
*School has no elementary course.
TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES. (None counted twice.)
SCHOOLS When Opened COURSE Both
Elementary Advanced
Milwaukee 1885 * 1,861 1,861
Oshkosh 1871 734 924 1,658
Platteville 1866 193 920 1,113
River Falls 1875 378 365 683
Stevens Point 1894 407 335 742
Superior 1896 110 265 375
Whitewater 1868 648 716 1,364
Total... ----- 2,470 5,436 7,796
*School has no elementary course.
Return to Chapter 5.
Return to the 1907 WI Blue Book main page.
 
©2002 WIGenWeb-Rock County, Lori Niemuth, county coordinator