770 



WISCONSIN. 



the State, as equalized by the Board of Equali- 

 zation, is $211,479,319, being an increase since 

 1865 of $57,212,699. 



Persistent efforts have been made to secure 

 a tinal settlement of the claim of the State 

 against the General Government on account of 

 expenses incurred in connection with the war, 

 but up to this time such settlement has not 

 been effected. In addition to the sums hereto- 

 fore paid, $131,437.24 have been allowed the 

 State during the past year, leaving unadjusted 

 accounts to the amount of about $248,000. 



The Legislature of 1865 provided for an equal 

 division of the swamp-lands then unsold, and 

 the proceeds of such lands previously sold, be- 

 tween the normal school fund and the towns 

 in which they were located ; the lands set apart 

 to the towns to be sold by the State, and the 

 proceeds to be paid to the towns each year. 

 During the last fiscal year there was paid to 

 county treasurers for towns, on account of 

 sales, the sum of $68,268.38. 



There were sold by the State, during the past 

 year, 67,945 acres school land, 3,300 acres uni- 

 versity land, 21,901 acres normal school land, 

 and 9,686 acres agricultural college land. 



The subject of common-school education has 

 always been deemed an important one in this 

 State, and the most liberal provisions have been 

 made for its furtherance. The following ex- 

 tract from the Governor's message indicates 

 the general feeling of the people : 



"The promptness and cheerfulness with 

 which the people respond to every demand 

 made by the educational interests of the State 

 upon both purse and sympathy is a source of 

 gratification to all who have at heart the per- 

 manent well-being of our Commonwealth. The 

 almost universal appreciation of the value of 

 enlightened public opinion, and the thorough 

 belief that such can only be obtained by means 

 of popular education, augur well for the ulti- 

 mate success of both State and nation. The 

 untiring energy of our educational men, with 

 the hearty cooperation of the people, has laid 

 the foundations broad and deep, and Wisconsin 

 will soon be a leader, instead of a follower, in 

 all matters pertaining to schools and colleges." 



The number of children in the State be- 

 tween 4 and 20 years is 371,803 



The number who have attended public 



school during the past year 239,945 



Number of teachers required 5,059 



Total value of school-houses and sites $2,522,726 



Total amount paid for school purposes 1,803,378 



The increase in expenditure for school pur- 

 poses is nearly $500,000 in excess of any past 

 year. 



The total productive school fund is 2,096,307 60 



Eeceipts of the school fund income last 



fiscal year 165,097 97 



Apportioned by the superintendent of 



public instruction 166,619 70 



Four hundred and thirteen thousand eight 

 hundred and ninety-seven acres of school land 

 remain unsold. 



The normal school at Platteville is in a pros- 



perous condition, and enlarged accommodations 

 are in progress to meet the wants of the pupils. 

 Another will soon be opened at Whitewater, 

 and a third at Oshkosh. 



Total productive normal school fund $602,791 92 



Keceipts of the income fund last fiscal 



year 38,935 39 



Amount of income fund in the State treas- 

 ury, at the disposal of the regents, Jan- 

 uary 1, 1868 29,227 25 



Four hundred and eighty thousand five hun- 

 dred and twenty acres of normal school lands 

 remain unsold. 



The Wisconsin State University is now in a 

 highly prosperous condition, and affords hope- 

 ful promise of becoming one of the leading 

 educational institutions of the country. By the 

 Act of the Legislature it has been reorganized, 

 and embraces the following departments of in- 

 struction : 



1. A College of Letters, embracing a four 

 years' course in mathematics, ancient and mod- 

 ern languages, literature, and science. 



2. A College of Arts, embracing a three 

 years' course in mathematics, modern lan- 

 guages and literature, and the natural sciences 

 in their application to agriculture and the arts. 



3. A Preparatory Department, in "which 

 young men may be fitted for entering the uni- 

 versity. 



4. A Female Department, embracing a three 

 years' course in language, literature, and sci- 

 ence. Instruction in this department will be 

 given by the different professors as heretofore, 

 but the recitations will be distinct from the 

 college classes. 



5. After the present year a post-graduate 

 course will be provided for, in which graduates, 

 and others who are prepared to do so, may de- 

 vote one year to engineering, or natural sci- 

 ence, under the direction of the president and 

 professors of the university. 



There are now in attendance upon the uni- 

 versity classes some one hundred and forty 

 young men. Besides these, there are in the 

 normal department over ninety young ladies, 

 who are taking the regular normal course. 

 Tuition is free to one pupil from each Assembly 

 district in the State, such pupil to be nomi- 

 nated by the member of Assembly for that dis- 

 trict. Of the university lands, 14,991 acres, 

 and of the agricultural lands 223,869 acres, re- 

 main unsold. The total productive fund be- 

 longing to the university is $215,298.83. The 

 receipts of the income fund for the last fiscal 

 year amounted to $11,338.24. The benevolent 

 institutions of the State are all in admirable 

 condition, reflecting great credit upon the gen- 

 tlemen who have been intrusted with their 

 management, and well calculated to inspire the 

 people with pride and satisfaction. Two wings 

 have been added to the State Hospital for the 

 Insane, rendering that institution adequate to 

 the care of 350 patients. There are now 178 

 inmates, and no more can be received until the 

 Legislature provides the means for fitting up 



