Wisconsin, with an area of 56,000 square miles of forest
and prairie land, became an organized territory in 1836, with
a
population of 11,000. It was admitted as a state May 29,
1848, with a population approximating 250,000. Her growth since
her admission into the Union, has been steady and rapid. The
lead and zinc mines in the southwest part of the state, attracted
a considerable population of miners while Wisconsin was a territory.
The surface mines were quite generally worked out in 1863 or
'64. Until recently mining in that section has been carried on
by but few individuals, and in no regular way. Recently, however,
several very valuable mines have been uncovered and large deposits
of zinc ore, as well as galena, are now being mined. The development
of iron mining in the northern part of the state has brought
a large amount of additional wealth. The pine forests have generally
disappeared, but in their place are today found large sections
of valuable agricultural land, and perhaps no state in the Union
at the present time offers greater inducements to settlers than
does northern and central Wisconsin.
In the matter of state institutions for the improvement of
the condition of those physically and mentally unfortunate, and
for reformatory purposes, Wisconsin stands second to no state
in the Union, population and resources considered. These institutions
are under the general direction of a state board of control,
comprised of able men who have within the last few years, succeeded
in bringing about a system in the general management and conduct
of these institutions that has attracted the attention of nearly
every other state in the Union. In the matter of strictly educational
institutions, the state has made wonderful advancement. There
are today 7,900 public school buildings, 265 free high schools,
and 14 independent high schools; 168 of these are on the accredited
list of the state university,--that is, pupils who graduated
from these schools are admitted to the university upon the reputation
of the school, and without any further examination,--seven state
normal schools, a score or more of colleges, seminaries, and
academies, a state university among the foremost in the entire
country in domination of education in the higher branches, and
an agricultural college giving an exceptionally attractive and
valuable four year course in the science of agriculture. For
several years past short courses in agriculture, dairying, horticulture,
and domestic science, have been a regular part of the university
work. The students in these schools are almost without exception
boys directly from the farm, and vitally interested in gaining
agricultural knowledge. The course extends through two years
of fourteen weeks each year.