OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 63 
FATHER OF THE FARMERS’ SHORT COURSE 
19. Few of the earliest statesmen of American history have 
recognized the constructive possibilities of agricultural education 
and the dissemination of agricultural information. Fewer still 
have there been whose keenness of vision and clarity of foresight 
have made it possible to crystallize the need of the industry into 
constructive and beneficent laws. Of this pioneer coterie was 
SENATOR WILLIAM FREEMAN VILAS. 
Born in Chelsea, Vermont, July, 1840, he gained the instinct of 
public service from his father, the Hon. Levi B. Vinas. In June, 
1851, the family settled at Madison, Wis., and at eighteen years of 
age, the future statesman was graduated from the University of 
Wisconsin. Two years later he finished at the Albany (New 
York) Law School, and established himself in practice at Madi- 
son. The Civil War interrupted his efforts as a barrister and in 
July, 1862, he recruited Company A of the 23rd Wisconsin Volun- 
teers, proceeding into the season’s campaign as its Captain. Pro- 
moted to Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded his regiment during 
the siege of Vicksburg, after which he resigned from the army 
and returned to his practice. He was a Regent and Law Professor 
of the University of Wisconsin, and in this position instituted the 
first winter course in agriculture for farmer’s sons held in the 
United States, contributing his idea to DEAN Henry (20), and 
was later a member of a commission to revise the Wisconsin 
Statutes, during which time he gained his first insight into the 
need of constructive agricultural legislation for the state. 
In 1878, his political career proper began. For eight years 
he was a member of the Democratic National Committee, being 
made permanent chairman at the National Democratic Convention 
in 1884. In 1885 he was elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, and 
after PRESIDENT CLEVELAND’s inauguration was made successively 
Postmaster General and Secretary of the Interior. In the latter 
capacity he introduced some reforms in the occupancy of Govern- 
