Part V. State Institutions
- University of Wisconsin
History and Location [pp.
760-763]
The University of Wisconsin was founded in the days of the
pioneers of the State. In the first year of the existence of
the
territory (1836), an act was passed for the establishment
of "Wisconsin University" at Belmont; but, except for
the naming of trustees, the project was never carried out. In
1837, another act to establish the "Wisconsin University
at Green Bay" eventuated in the formation of a temporary
local college called Hobart University. It was in 1838 that the
University of the Territory of Wisconsin was provided for by
law, and endowed by the act of congress, in the same year with
the customary grant of two townships of land. Its governing body,
a Board of Visitors, alone evidenced the existence of this University
for ten years. Section 6 of the constitution of the new state,
in 1848, declared that "Provision shall be made by law for
the establishment of a state university, at or near the seat
of the state government, and for connecting with the same from
time to time such colleges in different parts of the state as
the interests of education may require." The land grants
of the United States for the support of the University were made
a perpetual fund for its support, and it was provided that no
sectarian instruction should be allowed in the institution. The
University was incorporated by the act of July 26, 1848, and
a board of regents, to be chosen by the legislature, was made
its governing body. At the first meeting of the board, October
7, 1848, a preparatory department was established, to open in
February, 1849, under the charge of John W. Sterling, a graduate
of the University of New Jersey (Princeton). The site for the
University, on "College Hill," was selected, and John
H. Lathrop, a graduate, and afterwards tutor, of Yale college,
was called from the presidency of the University of Missouri
to become Chancellor. He was formally inaugurated January 16,
1850. North Hall, the first building, was constructed in the
same year, and opened September 17, 1851. The first class graduated
on July 26, 1854, consisting of Levi Booth and Charles T. Wakely.
At this time the faculty consisted of Chancellor Lathrop, occupying
the chair of ethics, civil polity, and political economy; Professor
Sterling, who taught mathematics, natural philosophy, and astronomy;
O. M. Conover, professor of ancient languages and literature,
and S. H. Carpenter, tutor. The attendance was forty-one, exclusive
of fifteen students in the preparatory course. Under Chancellor
Lathrop, the group of buildings was increased by South Hall,
completed in 1855, and University Hall, completed in 1859. Congress
granted Wisconsin in 1854 a second two townships of land for
the University, but this, as well as the first grant, was sacrificed
at low rates to attract immigration. Thus the income from the
University fund was very small. Moreover, the State required
the regents to construct their buildings by loans drawn from
the same land fund instead of providing them by state bounty.
Until 1870, the University struggled along on the meager income
furnished by the lands donated by the federal government. The
State made its higher education subordinate to the demand of
its citizens for cheap lands.
The University in these years was criticized because of its
preparatory department, and because of the alleged narrow-
ness of the curriculum; it was demanded that "a more
distinct bias should be given to its instructions in the direction
of the several arts and avocations as they exist among men."
In 1858, as the outcome of these demands, the preparatory department
was restricted in its scope, and the University was re-organized
into a department of science, literature and the arts, consisting
of six schools: philosophy, philology, natural science, civil
and mechanical engineering, agriculture, and polity.
Chancellor Lathrop was succeeded in 1859 by Henry Barnard,
a graduate of Yale, prominent in the reorganization of
the schools of Connecticut and Rhode Island, founder of the
American Journal of Education, and (1867) first national
Commissioner of Education. His policy centered in elevating the
public school system of the state as a basis for university growth,
but ill health caused his resignation in 1860.
Under the ad interim direction of Professor Sterling,
the University remained without a chancellor until 1867. The
Civil
War took a large proportion of the students into the field,
and no commencement was held in 1864, all but one of the senior
class having joined the army.
The close of the war brought a new inspiration and growth
to the University. The returning soldiers took up their studies,
and by 1870 the University had nearly 500 students. A reorganization
was affected in 1866, and Dr. Paul A. Chadbourne, a graduate
of Williams College, was called to the presidency. Among the
important developments of this period was the founding of the
College of Law, the maturing of plans providing for co-education,
and the institution of the agricultural department as an integral
part of the University. The rapid growth of the University of
Wisconsin and its hold upon the people have been in a considerable
measure due to the fact that it contains within its organization
the colleges which appeal to the farmer and artisan, as well
as to the business and professional classes of the state.
It was through the efforts of President Chadbourne that an
appropriation of $50,000 was secured from the legislature in
1870 for the erection of a separate building for the women
students of the University. This building, now known as Chadbourne
Hall, was constructed during the following year, when Professor
Sterling, as vice-president administered the University, and
was occupied in the fall of 1871.
President Twombly came to the University at the beginning
of the academic year, 1871-72. He was a graduate of
Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, one of the
overseers of Harvard College, and a founder of Boston University.
The reorganization of 1866 had provided for co-education,
but during these years the work of the women was kept
separate from that of the men. It was significant, however,
of an increasing recognition of the importance of the education
of women, that the first appropriation which the legislature
ever made to the University was for the women's building, and
only a few years elapsed when complete co-education was adopted.
Perhaps the most important development of the period of Dr. Twombly's
presidency was the provision made by the legislature for a state
tax of $10,000 a year to form a part of the University income.
In thus adopting the policy of a special annual tax for the support
of the University, the legislature made the formal explanation
in the preamble to the law, that the policy of disposing of land
grants by congress at a low price, in order to attract actual
settlers, had prevented the increase of the productive funds,
and that it was the duty of the State to see to it that the University
should not suffer. A system of free tuition to the graduates
of the high schools of the State who passed the University entrance
requirements, was also adopted at this time. This step was the
beginning of the elimination of the preparatory department of
the University. By resting its growth upon the high schools of
the State, and receiving an annual income from the taxpayers,
the University merged itself completely with the educational
life of the State, and, in the long run, felt the benefits of
the change.
With the coming of President Bascom from Williams College,
in 1874, the University entered upon a new life. The
finances of the institution were put on a better basis by
the grant of the legislature of a tenth of a mill tax, which
afforded increasing revenue as the wealth of the state increased.
Large specific grants for new buildings, including Assembly Hall,
Science Hall, the Chemical Building, and the Machine Shop, were
made in the same period. The farmers' institutes and the short
course in agriculture brought the University into closer touch
with the farmers of the State. Under Dr. Bascom's presidency
the preparatory department was abolished, and the University
found all the students it could care for among the graduates
of the high schools. At the beginning of his presidency the attendance,
excluding the preparatory department, was about 300. At its close,
thirteen years later, it was but 500; but the University had
thoroughly gained the respect of the State.
President Bascom was succeeded by President Chamberlin of
the United State Geology Servey [Survey], a graduate
of Beloit College. He gave the University a strong impulse
toward graduate study by the emphasis which he laid on research.
Courses of study were increased, the standards of admission raised,
and fellowships provided for graduate study. When he resigned,
after five years of service, in 1892, the University had doubled
its numbers, rising from five hundred to one thousand. During
his presidency, a new science building had been finished, and
buildings erected for the dairy school and the College of Law.
In addition, a University boat house had been built, and the
contracts had been let for the Armory and Gymnasium that are
now such a prominent feature of the Lower Campus.
President Adams came to Wisconsin from Cornell, whose presidency
he had just resigned. Under his administration the
University rose from one thousand students in 1892 to two
thousand six hundred in 1901. The beautiful building for the
library of the State Historical Society and the University, costing
nearly three-quarters of a million of dollars, and housing treasures
of inestimable value, is the most impressive monument of his
presidency. The University developed into a larger life in all
directions during these ten years. Particularly the great increase
in the number of graduate students and the emphasis upon graduate
teaching should be noted. At the close of his presidency there
were over one hundred graduate students, while ten years before
there were only twenty-two. Athletics had reached their largest
development in the same period, and Camp Randall, an athletic
field of forty-two acres, was purchased for the University. The
University began its summer sessions in 1899, a development which
has been very important in increasing the influence of the University.
During the absence of Dr. Adams, caused by illness, and after
his resignation, President Birge, Dean of the College of
Letters and Science, served as Acting President during the
three academic years, 1900-03.
Professor Charles R. Van Hise, the first alumnus of the University
to hold the presidency, was elected in the spring of
1903, and assumed the active duties of the position at the
beginning of the succeeding academic year.