Madison city directory, a city and business directory for 1866, Part 3

Author: Suckow, B. W., comp; Smith, John Y
Publication date: 1866
Publisher: Madison, Wis.
Number of Pages: 412

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > Madison > Madison city directory, a city and business directory for 1866 > Part 3

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" Provision shall be made by law for the establishment " of a State University at or near the seat of State gov- "ernment, 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."

In pursuance of this requirement the first State Legis- lature, held in the summer of 1848, vested the govern-

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HISTORY OF MADISON.

ment of the University in a Board of Regents, to consist of a president and twelve members, to be elected by the Legislature and hold office for the term of six years. This legislature also located the University in Dane Coun- ty, and appointed a commission for the sale of the Uni. versity lands and the investment of the proceeds.

The first meeting of the Board of Regents was held October 7, 1848, at which time it was decided to open a Preparatory Department for the reception of pupils, in February, 1849. J. W. STERLING was elected Professor of Mathematics and appointed to take charge of the Pre- paratory Department at the time designated, at a salary of $500 per annum. The present site was selected, and a committee appointed to negotiate the purchase, which was consummated the following year. The tract, which was bought of Mr. ANSON VANDERPOOL, was the N. W. 1.4 of Sec. 23, T. 7, R. 9, excepting Block 9, of the village of Madison. The price stipulated was $5 per acre and the taxes of the year 1849.

At the meeting above mentioned Hon. E. Roor was appointed agent of the Board, to procure information touching the organization of the University, and to report drafts of plans for buildings. In furtherance of these ob- jeets he was authorized to visit the University of Michi- gan. At the same time JOHN H. LATHROP, L. L. D., was elected Chancellor, and his salary fixed at $2,000.

At a special meeting of the Board, held Nov. 21, 1849, the several chairs of instruction were established and de- fined, action was taken with a view to securing a cabinet of Natural Science, and a Normal. Department was insti- tuted, in which instruction was required to be given to teachers' classes during five months in each year.

Jan. 15, 1850, a plan for University buildings, drafted

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by J. F. RAGUE, architeet, was submitted to the Board. . A central edifice and four dormitories were embraced within the scope of this plan. The central building was to be 150 by 60 feet on the ground, and to contain thir- teen publie rooms and two dwellings for officers. Of the dormitories, two were to be on each side of an avenue, two hundred and forty feet broad, leading from the front of the main structure in the direction of the Capitol. Each dorinitory was to be 110 by 40 feet on the ground, four stories high, and to contain thirty-two studies, cach 14 by 15 feet, and each study to have attached two bed- rooms and a .wood-room. It was estimated that these buildings, together with sundry improvements to the grounds, would cost about $90,000. The actual cost of two dormitories and the University Hall is shown by the books to have been $101,631.57. The plan was so far approved that the erection of one dormitory in accordance with it was authorized.

Jan. 16, 1850, JOHN IT. LATHROP, L. L. D., was inau- gurated into the office of Chancellor. The day following Gen. RUFUS KING was authorized to prepare and issue a circular for the purpose of obtaining donations of books for the Library.

At the time designated by the Board, Prof. J. W. STER- LING opened the preparatory school in the building owned by the Madison Academy, opposite the Presbyterian Church, on Wisconsin Avenue. The lower story of this building was occupied from February to August, 1850, and here the first collegiate class completed their preparation. In the fall of 1550 the first dormitory build- ing was completed, and the third session of the prepara- tory school was held there. The first class then entered

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upon the college curriculum and Chancellor LATHROP be- gan the discharge of his duties as instructor.

In July, 1850, the Board directed that a part of the Vanderpool purchase, not needed for a site, be laid out in- to village lots and put in market. Enough was realized from this operation to replace the original cost of the tract and yield a profit of $7,682.70 besides.

During the same year a valuable donation to the Libra- ry was made by Hon. HENRY DODGE, then U. S. Senator from this State, and Chancellor LATHROP made a condi- tional donation of his private library to the institution.

Aug. 5, 1852, O. M. CONOVER was elected to the Chair of Ancient Languages. Mr. CONOVER had been connect- ed with the University, in the capacity of tutor, since the fall of 1850. At the time of the election of Mr. Coxo- VER the instructional force was increased by the employ- ment of S. H. CARPENTER as tutor.

In September, 1853, Prof. E. S. CARR was employed to deliver a course of lectures on Chemistry and its applica- tion to the Arts. 1

In February, 1854, S. PEARL LATHROP was elected Professor of Chemistry and Natural History. At the same time an appropriation of $500 was made to purchase Chemical apparatus, $400 to purchase Philosophical appa- ratus, and $200 for the increase of the Library.

September 7, 1854, DANIEL READ was elected Professor of Mental Philosophy, Logie, Rhetoric and English Lit- erature, though he did not enter upon the discharge of his duties until August, 1855.

July 24, 1855, Prof. F. S. CARE was elected to the Chair of Chemistry and Natural History to supply the vacaney created by the death of Prof. LATHROP. Professors CARR

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and READ delivered inaugural addresses on the same oc- casion before the legislature in the winter of 1855-6.

In February, 1855, the Department of Medicine was ordained by the Board and Dr. ALFRED L. CASTLEMAN Was elected Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine. The July following Dr. D. COOPER AYRES was elected Professor of Obstetrics, &c., and Dr. GEO. D. WILBUR, Professor of Materia Medica. In January, 1856, Dr. L. W. THAYER, Jr., was elected Professor of Anatomy, and in July of the same year the following additions were made to the Medical Faculty : Dr. JOSEPH HOBBINS, Professor of Surgery ; Dr. ALEXANDER SCHUE, Professor of Institutes of Medicine ; Dr. J. MERCER MCCABE, Dem- onstrator of Anatomy. Dr. CASTLEMAN, at the same time, resigned the Chair of Theory and Practice of Medicine, but was re-elected in January, 1857. Dr. McCABE seems to have declined the honor conferred in electing him Dem- onstrator of Anatomy, and at the time of Dr. CASTLE- MAN'S re-election the void was filled by the election of Dr. JAMES H. LEWIS.

The Medical Department would appear to have perished for want of nutriment. It was thrown almost entirely upon its own resources from birth. At one time an ap- propriation of $2,000 was voted for its benefit, but after $600 of this amount had been drawn the appropriation was rescinded, and from that time the Board seems to have done little else in regard to the Department of Medicine than to institute semi-annual inquiries as to the use made of the $600 above referred to, and request the parties who drew the same to return it to the treasury. Aside from a course of lectures delivered by Dr. CASTLEMAN no in- struction was given under the ordinance establishing this department. Something akin to this was revived in 1859,

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when the Chair of Physiology and Hygiene was establish- ed, not as a separate department, but simply as an acces- sory to the common course. DAVID B. REID was elected to fill this Chair, with a salary of $1,500. This gentle- man remained something more than a year when the spe- cialty became fully ventilated and the Chair was soon af- ter vacated.

The Department of Law enjoyed a still more epheme- ral existence. It was established by ordinance of the Board, in January, 1857, and Hons. E. G. RYAN and Try- OTHY O. HOWE were elected to fill two of the Chairs. It is not of record whether these gentlemen accepted the ap- pointments or not. We find a minute to the effect that at the time of their election the sum of $500 was appropri- ated to the department. And there the matter ended.

In 1854, the second dormitory was erected, and was ready for use during the fall term of that year.

July 1855, Dr. J. P. FUCHS was elected Professor of Modern Languages. He occupied this Chair one year, when, on the 25th of September, 1856, his resignation was accepted. January 29, 1857, Dr. AUGUST KURSTIENER was elected to fill the vacancy. In November, 1857, DANIEL READ was elected Professor of Normal Instruc- tion. No further changes in the instructional force were made until June, 1858, when a general reorganization was instituted, and in July all the Chairs were declared vacant Chancellor LATHROP'S resignation was accepted, and the following Faculty was elected :

HENRY BARNARD, L. L. D., Chancellor.

J. H. LATHROP, L. L. D., Professor of Ethical and Political Sciences.

DANIEL READ, Professor of Mental Philosophy, &c.

J. W. STERLING, Professor of Mathematics, &c.

J. D. BUTLER, Professor of Ancient Languages, &c.

E. S. CAna, Professor of Chemistry, &c.

J. C. PICKARD, Professor of Modern Languages.

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By this action Professors CONOVER and KURSTEINER were thrown out and Professors BUTLER and PICKARD chosen in their stead. The Chair of Modern Languages again changed hands in July, 1860, when Professor J. P. FUCHS was elected to fill that professorship.

On the 27th of July, 1859, Chancellor BARNARD was inaugurated. In June, 1860, he placed his resignation in the hands of the Board. The Board, however did not ac- cept until January, 1861. In the mean time the Chancel- " lor was occupied in closing up his affairs at the east, or detained there by sickness, so that he was not at any time actually engaged in giving instruction in the University, nor did he for any considerable period engage at all in the performance of the duties of his office.

The University was without a Chancellor from the time of Dr. BARNARD's resignation until June, 1865, when Hon. J. L. PICKARD was elected Chancellor. He howev. er did not accept, and the office is still vacant. During all this period the internal administration has been confided to Prof. J. W. STERLING, who was made Dean of the Faculty, in June, 1860, and continued in that capacity till June, 1865, when he was elected Vice Chancellor. This last honor, however, seems to have been a barren one, since it carried with it no extension of powers. In- decd, from the first the Deanship has been a post of hon- or, responsibility and onerous duties, with no correspond- ing or adequate reward.

In March, 1863, a Normal Department, for the benefit of both sexes was opened for the reception of students, under the charge of C. II. ALLEN, who, in the January preceding had been elected Professor of the Theory and Practice of Elementary Instruction. In June, 1865, Prof.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

ALLEN tendered his resignation, to take effect at the close of the academic year then current. His resignation was ae- cepted, and the department passed into the hands of Prof. J. C. PICKARD. This branch of the University flourish- ed under the administration of Prof. ALLEN, so far at least as numbers are concerned, and it continues to give promise of abundant success.

The policy of admitting young ladies to the University at first met with no little opposition on the part of the alumni of the institution and those pursuing the collegiate course, who supposed it would detract from the dignity of the University. This hostility, however, speedily abated as it became apparent that the new policy was conferring in the respectability of numbers benefits more than coun- terpoising the offense it gave to scholastic exclusiveness.

It has been stated that efforts were made at an early day to secure donations to the Library. These efforts were to some extent successful, but the supposed wealth of the in- stitution doubtless had the effect to restrain public liber- ality, and the donations of Senator DODGE and the condi -. tional gift of his private library by Chancellor LATHROP; were the only important results of the attempt to secure a library by donations. Owing to the condition of the Uni- versity finances, appropriations for library purposes have been quite limited. So far as they appear upon the min- utes of the Board they are as follows :

February, 1854 $ 200 00

January, 1857. 1,250 00 1,450 00

July, 1550, (annual). 300 00

Annual appropriation up to July, 1895, would amount to

1,800 00

Total to date

$3,250 00

It is stated that for two or three years past the annual appropriation has not been drawn, so that from six to C

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. nine hundred dollars should be deducted from the above amount, leaving the actual amount expended for library purposes only $2,350 to $2,650. It should be stated that the Board has felt at liberty to make sparing appropria- tions for this purpose because the State and Historical Li- braries have been so readily accessible to both students and professors.

The cabinet of Natural History, &c., has received more attention than the Library. There were no other collec- tions in the place to which students could have recourse, and this created a necessity for more attention and liber- ality than even bestowed upon the library. Through the active enterprise of Hon. H. A. TENNEY and the liberal spirit of the Board a considerable collection had been made prior to 1856, at which time an appropriation of $600 a year for two years was made by the Board. In 1857 Hon. L. J. FARWELL presented the somewhat valua- ble collection, known as the Madison Museum, to the Uni- versity. In 1859 the total amount that had been expend- ed in this direction was $5,293.61. Of this amount a con- siderable portion was used in the purchase of chemical and philosophical apparatus, so that the entire outlay for cabinet proper did not probably exceed $3,500. Since that time it does not appear that any considerable appro. priations have been made for cabinet purposes, and the entire expense of the collections to the present time has probably not been greatly in excess of the sum of $5,000.

The collection comprises enough specimens in mineral- ogy, geology and natural history, to render the cabinet of great value to the student. It is doubtless the best pub- lie collection in the State, though it is of course still de- ficient in many respects. ,

The University has a fine assortment of chemical and

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philosophical apparatus sufficiently extensive to illustrate most subjects with which the student has to deal. The importance of a labratory large enough to afford students an opportunity to become expert manipulators has long - been appreciated, and such facilities will undoubtedly be afforded so soon as the finances shall warrant.

In 1857 a contract was entered into with JAMES CAMP- BELL to erect the central edifice, for the sum of $36,500. The building was, in its principal features, in accordance with the original plan submitted in 1850 and drafted by Mr. RAGUE. It was completed in 1858. It contains the lecture and recitation rooms, with their apparatus, the li- brary, cabinet, chapel, and the halls of the literary so- cieties.

The structure would doubtless prove too small in case the University should flourish at all in proportion to the expectations of its friends or to the larger and more pros- perous institutions of the country. It is, however, a rather imposing structure, and adequate to the present wants of the institution. It occupies the highest ground in the vi- cinity of Madison and its summit commands an extensive and lovely prospect.

The original endowment, as before stated, was made by the General Government, and consisted of seventy-two sections of land. At a subsequent time Congress made a new grant of the same amount of land, which would raise the endowment to one hundred and forty five sections, or 92,160 acres. At the close of the year 1859, 74,617 aeres had been sold at an average price of about $3.00 per acre, yielding a fund of $224,536.51. To this is to be added the amount realized from the sale of grounds adjoining the site, or $7,682.70, making the gross proceeds of sales up to that date $232,219.21.

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The total indebtedness in June, 1860, was $95,146.81

It appears from the report of the Secretary of State for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1864, the entire debt had been cleared off before the end of that year, but the showing in other respects is not so favorable. It appears that about 17,000 acres of land still remained unsold, while some 23,000 acres previously sold had been forfieted for non-payment of interest. The productive fund was thus reduced to $157,170.25. Should the 40,000 acres now on hand be disposed of as advantageously as was the balance of the original estate the productive fund would be swelled to about. $280,000, which, at seven per cent. would yield a yearly revenue of $19,600. As it is the revenue amounts to only about $11,000, and this is to be reduced by deducting $1,000 paid the State for adminis- tering the fund, leaving only $10,000 available for Uni- versity purposes. It may be safe to add to this income $2,000 derived from tuition fees, &c., making a total reve- nue of $12,000. After paying the salaries of six profes- sors and two or three assistants, purchasing fuel for three large buildings at the high prices now prevailing, and making outlays for necessary repairs, it is impossible that there should remain any considerable surplus to expend in enlarging the library and cabinet and procuring the needed apparatus and accessories of the lecture room.

Were the fund yielding $20,000-the extreme limit- and were there five hundred students, paying $6,000 an- nually, the revenue would still be so small that the insti- tution would fail to meet the extravagant expectations of those who greatly wonder why the State University does not compare in advantages with the great colleges of the land. It is to be hoped therefore that neither the State nor private citizens will long excuse themselves from the

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exercise of a large generosity on the ground of the sup- posed wealth of the institution.

It may be interesting to note the intentions of the fra- mers of our constitution respecting the University. They hoped and meant that it should eventually become a Uni- versity proper, devoted to professional instruction and to the advancement of such as desired to push their scientific studies beyond the limit established in colleges. They further intended to make all colleges in the State tributa- ry and in a manner under the supervision of the Universi. ty. This is readily gathered from the clause before quoted which declares that "Provision shall be made by law for the establishment of a State University, * * and for connecting therewith, from time to time, such colleges in different parts of the State as the interests of education may require." It is part of the private history of the convention that this matter was carefully canvassed, in committee, and a plan was formed which was designed to give the University a kind of authority over other insti- tutions of learning in the State, and to render its endorse- ment an object of ambition to all who might be pursuing a liberal course in any college within the State; and this plan was embodied so far as it could be with propriety, in the clause of the constitution above quoted.

For some reason the legislature seems to have lost sight of this design, and merely provided that the Board of Re- gents might receive colleges into connection with the Uni- versity upon application of their boards of trustees.

It has probably not been at any time practicable to car- ry out the design of the convention to the exclusion of the college studies, as there have been no adequate sources from which it could draw students, for the professional and advanced scientific course. It is equally true that the

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finances have never warranted an attempt to sustain the double character of a college and a University, so that it has been hitherto as it is likely to remain for some time to come more strictly a college than a University.

Should the institution prosper financially and should the legislature take such action as would place it at the head of the educational interests of the State in point of authority, the hopes and purposes of its founders may yet be realized. As a college it well deserves the cordial sup- port and fostering care of the people, and these it must receive if it is ever to reach the eminence it ought to oc- cupy as a seat of learning.

GENERAL EDUCATION.

The School House is one of the first objects of concern in every " Yankee" community, though in its structure there is rarely that care bestowed upon its arrangements which the health and comfort of the pupils demand. The first school house in Madison was a small wood build- ing on the corner of Pinckney and Dayton streets, below the present Stute Journal office, built in 1839. It was oc. cupied for a time as a school room and then as a dwelling, and has disappeared. The second school house was the brick one still standing and occupied, built on Butler street, near Washington Avenue, N. E. of the Capitol Park. It was built in 1845, and was a large and commo- dious one for the time when it was crected. While little was done to provide public schools previous to the organ- ization of the State government, the wants of common school education were well supplied by the enterprise of individuals in establishing private and select schools which were generally patronized in preference to the public school.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

In 1S46-7 the brick Academy was built on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Johnson streets, and for several years was occupied as a Female Academy, under the care of Miss MATILDA HOWELL.

In 1855, the legislature enacted a law establishing a Board of Education for the village of Madison, and on the 20th of February, of the same year, the first board was elected, consisting of SIMEON MILLS, W. B. JARVIS, L. J. FARWELL, J. Y. SMITH, D. H. WRIGHT and W. A. WHITE. The Board established three grades of schools : the High School, the Intermediate and the Primary, un- der the immediate supervision of a Superintendent and the general supervision of the Board, and the system has continued, without material change, to the present time. The Board was authorized by the act of incorporation to borrow $10,000 on the credit of the Village, and the Board of Trustees of the Village was authorized to issue bonds for the amount, for the purpose of erecting Union school houses. But the Board of Education were unable to in- duee the Board of Trustees to issue the bonds, the latter being of the opinion that $10,000 was a larger debt than the village ought to incur at one time, and nothing was done in the way of building that year.

In 1856, the village having become a city, the Common Council appropriated $24,000 for the erection of school houses in the four wards of the city. In 1857 large two story school houses were built in the first and third wards, containing the usual appartments of what have been call. ed Union School houses. The total cost of these build- ings, (built of stone) was $9,500. The city finances soon became so involved that further building was suspended and the second and fourth wards are still without these facilities. The brick Academy before mentioned, has,

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however, been purchased by the Board of Education and used for the accommodation of the High School.

It appears from the report of the Board, for the year ending Dec., 1863, that the total valuation of school prop- erty in the city, including buildings, furniture and grounds, was then $26,791.62. The number of seats in all the pub- lic school buildings was 709, while the number of pupils enrolled for the fall term of 1863, was 826. It is intend- ed by the Board to erect a new school house in the Fourth Ward, during the summer of 1866, which shall be supe- rior to either of the others, and which will increase the total number of seats to about 1000. For the names of the present Board and other school officers, see Directory.

Among the private educational enterprises, that of Mrs. TAPPAN is worthy of note. Though other studies have: much of the time formed a part of the course of instruc- tion, the study of music, vocal and instrumental, has been the prominent feature of her school and has usually em- braced a large number of pupils. Her superior qualifi- cations both as a pianist and vocalist have rendered her school deservedly popular and highly useful.

Miss GRISWOLD, for a time connected with Mrs. TAP- PAN, still conducts a private school, with good success, in the large brick house on the corner of Washington Av- enue and Butler street, two blocks N. E. from the Park.

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