Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/726

 WISCONSIN

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WISCONSIN

several state commissions, with very extensive powers, have been created. Officials have been for- bidden to receive railway passes, the system of taxing railways has been changed from a Ucence to an ad valorem system, the primary election law, inheritance tax law, Workxuen's Compensation law, and Income Tax law have been passed, the law of Apprenticeship has been thoroughly revised and modernized, a Civil Service Act has been passed, a railway commission created with power to regulate rates, a State Board of Forestry organized, cities have been authorized to estabhsh a commission form of government, child labour and the labour of women have been regulated, and factory inspection pro\-ided for. At present (1912) the state is much divided between those who wish to carry this class of legisla- tion still farther and those who think that it has already been carried too far for the prosperity of the community.

EoncATioN. — -The state educational system con- sists of a state university, normal schools, high schools, and common schools. The university, situated at Madison, the capital of the state, was provided for by Act of territorial Legislature in 1836, but nothing further was done until after Wisconsin was admitted to statehood in 1848, when, in accordance with the new Constitution, the Legislature provided for the establishment of a university to be governed by a board of regents. Meantime, Congress had authorized the secretary of the treasury to set aside two townships within the territory of Wisconsin for the use and sujiport of a university and the title to these lands vested in the state upon its admission to the Union. The state Constitution provided for the sale of these lands from time to time for the establishment of a university fund. In 1854 Congress made a further gi-ant of lands to be sold for the benefit of the university. The income of the fund proving, however, insufficient, the capital was drawn upon, and ultimately the state began to make direct appropriations. The university is now sup- ported partly by the income of such Federal grants,' partly by taxation, partly by fees of students, and to a small extent by private gifts. It includes a college of letters and science, a college of engineering, a law school, a college of agriculture, a medical school, a college of music, an observatory, and a university extension division. The grand total of students, given in the bulletin for May, 1911, is 5538, in charge of several hundred professors and assistants. The state appropriations for the bienniimi ending 30 June, 1910, were $2,371,593, while other sources of income, including over $700,000 from stu- dents' fees, etc., brought the grand total of university receipts for that biennium up to $3,293,445.73. The total expenditure bv the state for educational pur- poses for 1910 was $13,126,359.06, of which upwards of $10,600,000 was expended for common schools, high schools, and graded schools. School attendance for children between seven and fourteen years of age who live within two miles of school by the nearest travelled public highway is compulsory. There are twenty-two day schools for the deaf, and in 1909, out of 285 high schools, twenty-eight were township high schools. The state normal schools are supported to some extent by the interest of an endowment created by th(^ sale of swamp and overflowed lands, and as to the balance by an annual state tax. A state library commission maintains circulating free public libraries comprising more than 40,0(X) volumes. The total enrollment in public schools for 1909-10 exceeded 460,000, accommodated in 7769 school houses and taught by 14,729 teachers. Educational institutions of collegiate rank are: Beloit College (1846); Carroll College (1846), Waukesha; Lawrence Collegi' (1847), Appleton; Concordia College (1S81); Marquette University (1864) and Milwaukee- Downer

College (1895) for women; Milton College (1867), Milton; North-western University (1865), Water- town; Ripon College (1851), Ripon; Wayland L^ni- versity (1855), Beaver Dam; and the following CathoUc schools: St. Clara Academy (1847), ,Sin,siniwa; St. Francis Seminary, St. Francis; and St. LawTcnce College, Mt. Calvary. There are also man}' private academies and trade or technical schools and six industrial schools for Indians. ReUgious statistics show that in 1906 the Catholic Church had 505,264 members, the various Lutheran bodies 284,286, the Methodist bodies 57,473, the Congregationalists 26,163, and the Baptists 21,716.

The Catholic Church maintains a large number of parochial schools and some high schools and acade- mies. Marquette University in Milwaukee (the metropolis of the state), under the control of the Jesuits, has affihated to itself various educational institutions in that city and has in all its departments about 2000 students. It is estimated that there are over 65,0(Kt children in the Cathohc parochial schools of the state. There is a numerous attendance at Lutheran parochial schools. At St. Francis, near Milwaukee, is situated the provincial seminary for the education of priests, with upwards of 1.50 students in philosophy and theology. Catholic charities are numerous and generously supported. The Kberal laws of the state permit the organization by private individuals of industrial schools and home-finding associations. Thus the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Milwaukee control two corporations, one of which is organized under the industrial school statutes and receives on commitment by the courts numerous incorrigible girls. The home-finding societies receive dependent cliildren on commitment by the courts, and thereupon become the guardians of such children and may consent to their adoption. The Catholic infant asj'lums house about 500 infants and the orphan asylums nearly 1000 children. The new Saint Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, conducted by the Sisters of Charity, is one of the largest and finest hospitals in the Northwest, and its work is, to a great e.xtent, purely charit.able work.

Legislation. — Wisconsin is a code state. The laws have been several times revised, the latest complete revision being in 1898; since which time there has been much legislation of a so-called pro- gressive nature. Certain public service corpora- tions and the life-insurance companies pay taxes or Ucence fees directly to the state in heu of other taxes. All public ser\'ice corporations are under the control of a state commission, and since the amendments of 1911 their bonds must be approved by that com- mission. A Workmen's Compensation Law, com- pulsory as to the dealing of state and municipalities with their employees, voluntary as to the deahngs of private employers with their employees, wa-s passed in 1911, and has been held constitutional, except as to some minor details left for future de- termination. There are stringent laws concerning factory inspection, apprenticeship, and the labour of women and children, administered by a state commission. A graduated Income Tax Law, ex- empting moneys and credits from direct taxation, passed in 1911, has been held constitutional per se, though many provisions contained in it have been left for future determination. State, county, and municipal officers are nominated at primary elections, iind the Corrupt Practices Act of 1911 rigidly limits the exix'iiditurcs by candidates and on their behalf, forbids tlie emi)loyment of workers at the election booths on election day, and requires tluit all jiolitical advertisements inserted in ne\vsii:ii)ers sliall emlxidy a statement as to authorshi]) and jnic-e jniid. Below the Supreme Court, whose meniliers are elect eil for terms of ten years, are the circuit courts, whose judges are elected for terms of six years, tlie circuit