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The Making of Our Wisconsin Schools
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Milestones in Education
1848 -Wisconsin constitution accepted by Congress, May 29, 1848. Article X devoted to Education. University of Wisconsin chartered.
1849 - School code adopted by legislature. First free tax supported, graded school with high school department at Kenosha; School for Blind opened at Janesville.
1850 - Preparatory department of University opened.
1851 - College department of University opened.
1852 - School for Deaf at Delavan. Teachers’ Institutes organized.
1853 - Wisconsin Teachers Assn. organized at Madison - July 12.
1855 - Wisconsin Teachers Assn.. incorporated. Wisconsin Journal of Education founded.
1856 - First high school law (never operative - repealed 1875).
1857 - Industrial School for boys opened at Waukesha. Bd. of Normal School Regents authorized. First Wisconsin high school graduating class - Racine.
1858 - Union high school district law passed.
1859 - Township library fund for schools authorized.
1861 - Office of county superintendent of schools created.
1862 - First law establishing teachers certificates.
1863 - School laws codified. Cities allowed to exempt themselves from county superindenencies. Price of school and university lands reduced.
1866 - University of Wisconsin reorganized and enlarged. Normal School Board of Regents incorporated. First Normal School opened at Platteville.
1867 - Normal School regents authorized to provide teachers’ institutes.
1868 - State Board of Examiners created and state teacher’s certificates authorized.
1869 - District boards empowered to provide foreign language instruction. Township system of schools authorized - amended in 1870.
1870 - Reorganization of University Board of Regents - amended 1866 law.
1871 - Law requiring the constitutions of the U.S. and of Wisconsin to be taught in common schools.
1872 - Legislature appropriated funds to University.
1873 - First truancy law passed.
1875 - Women made eligible for school offices - but not to vote. First effective high school law - Industrial School for Girls set up at Milwaukee.
1878 - Granting of state certificates to teach to graduates of University.
1879 - Compulsory education law.
1882 - First Common School Manual.
1883 - High School law modified - State Superintendent ordered to prepare courses of study, supervise instruction, and examine teachers.
1889 - Bennett law. Edgerton Bible case. State inspector of high schools authorized. Governor authorized to designate “Arbor Day.” - First appropriation for summer school for teachers at University.
1891 - Bennett Law repealed. School attendance law passed.
1892 - University Extension organized.
1893 - First High School Manual issued. Stout Institute organized.
1895 - Minimum qualifications for county superintendents set by the legislature. Manual training aids for high schools. 1897 - First transportation law.
1899 - City superintendents authorized to issue teachers’ certificates. Official school year increased to seven months. County rural normal school created.
1901 - Teaching of agriculture in rural schools began. High school tuition to be paid by township. County schools of Agriculture and Domestic Science author- ized. Boards of education given power to provide free evening lectures in public schools. (Germ of adult education.)
1902 - State superintendent term increased to four years - spring election. Constitutional amendment.
1903 - Attendance law revised.
1905 - State inspector for rural schools.
1907 - Attendance law made workable. County Board of Education to select uniform textbooks. State aid for rural schools. Mining School established. Cities empowered to establish trade schools.
1909 - Six weeks of professional instruction required for all teachers.
1911 - First teachers’ retirement law (revised 1921). Vocational and continuation schools established. Board of Industrial Education created. Stout Institute became a state school.
1913 - High school teacher training departments authorized. Minimum salary law for teachers ($40 per month).
1915 - Position of County Supervising Teacher created. State Board of Education established (repealed 1923).
1921 - Teachers’ Retirement Law modernized (revised 1947).
1922 - Wisconsin Teachers Assn. reorganized on delegate basis.
1927 - Equalization law (revised 1947).
1937 - Tenure Law (amended 1939 and repealed 1941).
1940 - State Superintendent given sole authority to issue teachers’ certificates. Consolidation law.
1943 - Continuing contract for teachers.
1947 - County Boards of Education.
1948 - Centennial of Wisconsin.
Posted March 6, 1998
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