USA > Wyoming > History of Wyoming, Volume I > Part 48
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In the early days of the territory there was little uniformity in the matter of text-books; but in 1873 the third Territorial Assembly placed the selection of
436
HISTORY OF WYOMING
text-books in the hands of the Territorial Teachers' Institute, "provided that the series of books so adopted shall not be changed oftener than once in three years." However, the institutes could not be given authority to insist on the uniform adoption of the texts they had selected. The assembly of 1888 ordered the territorial superintendent of public instruction to call a meeting of the county and city superintendents to adopt text-books for five years. Before the expiration of that time, however, a state constitution had been drawn up and adopted, which specifically declared that "neither the Legislature nor the superintendent of public instruction shall have power to prescribe text-books to be used in the public schools."
This led to considerable confusion, until a ruling was finally made that the territorial enactment of 1888 was valid. As early as 1892 the state superintendent recommended free text-books, but it was not until 1901 that legislative action was taken on this point. In 1896, in one district of Laramie County, the school board tried the device of purchasing a supply of books and selling them to the pupils at cost, an arrangement which worked excellently. The adoption of free books in 1901 met with general approval. The Territorial Assembly of 1885 pro- vided that physiology and hygiene, especially the effects of alcohol and narcotics. be taught in all schools above the second primary grade and in all educational in- stitutions supported wholly or in part by the territory. To this in 1910 was added the humane treatment of animals.
CERTIFICATION
In the Educational Act of 1873 the county superintendent of schools was anthor- ized "to examine persons, and if in his opinion such persons were qualified to teach in the public schools, to give a certificate, authorizing him or her to teach a public school in his county for one year. Whenever practicable, the examination of teachers shall be competitive, and the certificate shall be graded according to the qualifications of the applicant."
A law of 1876 empowered the territorial superintendent of public instruction to grant honorary certificates of qualification to teachers of proper learning and ability and to regulate the grade of county certificates. These "honorary certi- ficates" were granted primarily on the basis of continuous years of service. Forty were given between 1883 and 1887. At the same time the county superintendents were empowered to grant certificates for two-year periods. During the next ten years little change was made in the matter of certification. In 1897-98 the state superintendent of public instruction recommended that graduates of the univer- sity, especially those having taken normal training, receive certificates without further examination. This change was made soon after.
In 1899 the state board of examiners was created. Their duty was to prepare uniform examination questions and to serve as a court of appeal from the de- cisions of the county superintendents. During the first year, under the presi- dency of Prof. C. B. Ridgaway, of the university, sixteen sets of questions were prepared for the use of the county superintendents. The board also examined thirty-three applicants for certificates, recommended sixteen, and declined to recommend seventeen. In 1899 provision was made for issuing three grades of certificates and a professional or state certificate, the latter to be granted by the
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HIGH SCHOOL, KEMMERER
From the Herbert Cuffeen Collection
HIGH SCHOOL, SHERIDAN
438
HISTORY OF WYOMING
board of examiners. Examinations for the other three grades were still con- ducted by the county superintendents in subjects prescribed by law. In 1907 the board was empowered to examine all candidates for certificates in the state. Ex- aminations were conducted at stated intervals and the recipients of certificates were allowed to teach in any county of the state. In 1909 subjects for examina- tion in the three classes were more specifically fixed by law.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTES
The Educational Act of 1873 required the territorial superintendent of public instruction to conduct annually a teachers' institute, lasting not less than four nor more than ten days. Its chief duty was the selection of text-books. In 1883 an appropriation of $1,500 was made to pay the traveling expenses of teachers attending institutes. Four years later attendance was required by law. Provision was further made for the payment by the counties of expenses inci- dental to the holding of institutes, including the compensation of lecturers. The Legislature of 1913 authorized the holding of joint institutes by two or more counties. The outcome of this was the act of 1915, providing for state insti- tutes. These were to be maintained in part by nominal fees required of all teachers in the state. At these meetings the specific needs and problems of the teachers and schools are discussed, generally in connection with a series of lectures.
HIGH SCHOOLS
Section 23 of Chapter 7, Title IV, of the Laws of Wyoming, passed at the first session of the Territorial Assembly, made provision as follows :
"The county superintendent and district board of directors may determine whether a school of a higher grade shall be established in the district, the num- ber of teachers to be employed, and the course of instruction to be pursued therein, and the board may erect for the purpose one or more permanent school- houses, and shall cause such classification of the pupils as they may deem neces- sary, but in selecting the site for such school house, or school houses, the perma- nent interest and future welfare of the people of the entire district shall be consulted."
An enactment of the State Legislature of 1905 provided for the creation, on vote of the county, of special high school districts and the location at the county seat of county high school buildings in the same. In 1915 the counties were em- powered to lay a tax not exceeding two mills on the dollar for the payment of teachers' salaries and contingent expenses in such high schools and a total tax not exceeding ten mills on the dollar in case of the construction of a building, provided such high schools maintained a four year course qualifying for admis- sion to the university.
The first high school established was at Cheyenne in 1875. This was fol- lowed by one at Buffalo in 1881 ; Newcastle, 1889; Rawlins soon after ; Lander, 1890; and Sheridan in 1893. There are now fifty-one high schools, with four year courses of study.
HIGH SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE
HIGH SCHOOL, EVANSTON
440
HISTORY OF WYOMING
THE STEEVER CADET SYSTEM
In the year 1911 Lieut. E. Z. Steever, U. S. A., introduced into the Cheyenne High School a system of training known as the cadet system and which was created by him as a means of furthering military education and training in the public schools. Lieutenant Steever remained a year in Cheyenne, superintending the work and perfecting the system, which has now been adopted in many high schools, colleges and universities throughout the country. In 1913 Lieutenant Steever established the cadet system in other Wyoming towns.
The value of the Steever idea, as introduced into the public schools, cannot be overestimated. That it is popular, is shown by the fact that since its intro- duction in the Cheyenne High School 60 per cent of the male students have enlisted for the course, which is non-compulsory. The state itself has become sufficiently interested to make an appropriation to assist in the purchase of uniforms, allow- ing about $6 for each cadet. The Steever system has attracted the attention of military authorities in the country and it is estimated that, with the adoption of the "Wyoming idea" in the schools of the nation, 320,000 young men would re- ceive the necessary military knowledge each year to fit them for active military work in the service of their country. Also, not only has the system benefited the individual student physically, but has materially increased the average scholar- ship. About twice each year public tournaments are held at Cheyenne and other places, at which time the cadets exhibit the features of the training.
Lieutenant Steever has recently been promoted to the rank of lieutenant- colonel and is stationed at Camp Dix, Dallas, Texas, where he has been in com- mand of the aviation camp.
KINDERGARTENS
The beginnings of kindergarten instruction in Wyoming were of private nature. In 1886 Mrs. F. D. M. Bratten established the Magic City Kinder- garten in Cheyenne, charging a tuition fee of $4 a month. At the end of the year she had ten pupils. Subsequently other private kindergartens were opened in various communities of the state. It was not until 1895, however, that pro- vision was made for public kindergartens. In that year the Legislature empow- ered the trustees of any school district to establish free kindergartens for chil- dren between the ages of four and six.
PRIVATE AND SECULAR SCHOOLS
At first private schools exceeded in importance the public schools. The census of 1870 enumerated four public schools with four teachers, while it listed five day and boarding schools with eleven teachers. The public schools were attended by 175 pupils, however, the private schools by 130.
With improvement in the standard of public education, the private schools became, for a period, of less significance. One of the few to survive for a time was the Wyoming Institute, a Baptist school at Laramie, mentioned before. This school was abandoned in 1873. During its last year it had twenty-one boys and eighteen girls as students, but was unable to survive.
441
HISTORY OF WYOMING
At Laramie was another educational institution, which was started about 1870. This was the St. Mary's School, a Roman Catholic institution, which failed to make much progress until 1880. In 1881 it had four teachers and seventy-three pupils. The next year its enrollment had jumped to 110 pupils, fifty of whom were boys. The figures for 1883-84 give for St. Mary's School thirty-five boys and fifty girls. The next year St. Mary's gave place to a larger and better equipped Roman Catholic school established at Cheyenne by the So- ciety of the Holy Child Jesus. During the first year the Convent, or Academy, of the Holy Child Jesus occupied the old church building at the corner of Twenty-first and O'Neill streets, but in 1886 the present building was begun. The school was moved to the new quarters in the month of January, 1887. This original building has been improved and enlarged at various times since 1886 and now affords commodious quarters to twenty-one nurses and 250 pupils. From ninety to one hundred pupils were enrolled during the first year of the academy's existence. The academy is in charge of Mother Mary Stanislaus, the mother superior, and Mother Mary Gonzaga.
Another private institution was the Wyoming Collegiate Institute at Big Horn, a Congregational school started in 1894-95 with two men and one woman teachers and an enrollment of thirty-four boys and twenty-two girls. The pre- vious year, though, 1893, the Sheridan High School had been started and forth- with the Wyoming Collegiate Institute declined and was finally abandoned.
In 1905 was opened the Cheyenne Business College and in the same year the Big Horn College in Basin. The latter enterprise was financed by a number of prominent Big Horn citizens and the school included courses in commercial, aca- demic and musical subjects.
In 1909 was founded Jireh College at Jireh, Niobrara County, under the auspices of the Christian Church. This institution offers courses in secondary subjects and some elementary instruction of college grade. Since 1903 the en- rollment of the private schools of Wyoming has increased from 260 in that year, to 427 in 1916.
OTHER SCHOOLS
The problem of Indian education was met soon after the organization of the territory and some attempt made to provide the elements of vocational educa- tion for the red man. In 1870 the Protestant Episcopal Church maintained an Indian school among the Shoshonis with ten pupils. A few years later the school had dwindled to six, and in 1874 no Indian school was maintained. In 1878 a day school was established and a boarding school contemplated. In 1880 the agent among the Shoshonis and Bannocks submitted the following report :
Tribe Population No. of Schools Pupils Months of School No. Il'ho Can Read
M F.
Shoshoni .. 1,150. I. 33 .. 4.
31/2 .20
Arapaho .. 913. .I. 33. ... 6. 212 .. 41
More recently the task of educating the Indian has been undertaken more seri- ously both by the churches and the Federal Government.
442
HISTORY OF WYOMING
One of the purposes of the Wyoming University Extension Association, es- tablished in 1891, was the organization of a State Teachers' Association. A step in this direction was taken by the publication for a time of the "Wyoming School Journal," edited by Prof. Henry Merz of the university. Meetings of the State Teachers' Association were held in Laramie, 1891; Cheyenne, 1892; Rawlins, 1893; Rock Springs, 1894; Evanston, 1895; and Laramie, 1897. The associa- tion, however, was already upon the decline and within five years succumbed. The state superintendent of public instruction in 1902 reported Wyoming as the only state without a teachers' association. Two years later, 1904, a new State Teachers' Association was organized at a meeting of state educators in Casper. The association was formed in September and in December appeared the first number of the new "Wyoming School Journal," which has been issued every month except July and August during the years since 1904. The Wyoming State Teachers' Association has met annually since its reorganization.
THE PRESENT SYSTEM
At the session of the Wyoming Legislature in 1917 an "Act to establish a State Department of Education' was passed which completely revolutionized the system of educational administration then existing.
Under the terms of this act "the general supervision of public schools shall be entrusted to a State Department of Education, at the head of which shall be a State Board of Education. * * * The commissioner of education shall be the executive officer of the board, with powers and duties to be defined by law."
One of the salient features of the act is that it practically eliminates the executive power of the superintendent of public instruction, leaving this official with none of his former duties to perform. Under the new law all county educa- tional affairs are under the control of the county superintendent of schools, and the district schools are under the care of the district board of school trustees.
The state board of education is composed of seven members. It is required that at least three of the board members be persons actively engaged in educa- tional work. The state superintendent of public instruction is known as an ex officio member, but without the right to vote. The members are appointed by the governor of the state for terms of six years, an appointment being made every two years. No salary is paid the board members, but each is allowed neces- sary expenses while engaged in official work. Meetings are held semi-annually on the second Monday in May and November.
The commissioner of education, who must be an experienced educator, is appointed by the board and is the executive officer, although he has no vote. A salary of $3,000 per annum is paid to the commissioner and his duties consist in issuing certificates, construing laws, etc. Another position, that of chief of the certification division, pays a salary of $2,000 a year.
Among the many duties of the state board of education are the following : to prescribe policies of educational administration throughout the state; to regu- late courses of study and standardization ; to prescribe rules for certification ; to provide for an annual school census ; to make a complete biennial report to the governor and Legislature; to oversee elementary, high, vocational and special
443
HISTORY OF WYOMING
schools; to conduct all investigations; to advise with the university regarding normal study and to assume the duies of the state board of examiners.
The relation between the board and the university is explained by the fol- lowing words from the act: "Nothing in this Act or any chapter thereof shall be construed to limit or contravene the functions and powers of the Board of Trus- tees of the University of Wyoming as hitherto established by law in conformity with the Constitution of the State of Wyoming and the laws of the United States."
CENSUS AND APPORTIONMENT BY COUNTIES
The following table, compiled by Edith K. O. Clark, superintendent of public instruction, in her report of 1915-16, shows the school census and apportion- ments by counties :
County
School Census
Apportionment
Albany
2,049
$17,192.29
Bighorn
2,401
20,145.78
Campbell
576
4,832.97
Carbon
2,093
17,561.48
Converse
945
7,929.10
Crook
2,206
18,509.62
Fremont
1,839
15,430.27
Goshen
1,336
11,209.81
Hot Springs
675
5,663.64
Johnson
I,OIO
8,482.87
Laramie
4,147
34-795-74
Lincoln
4.321
36,255.69
Natrona
1,197
10,043.52
Niobrara
1,045
8,768.15
Park
1,477
12,392.88
Platte
1,581
13,265.50
Sheridan
4,10I
34,409.76
Sweetwater
2,867
24,055.79
Uinta
1,866
15,656.82
Washaki
523
4.388.27
Weston
1,328
11, 142.69
SCHOOL STATISTICS BY COUNTIES IN 1916
County
Enrollment
School Houses
Private School Attendance
Teachers
Albany
1.423
53
219
123
Bighorn
1,857
45
15
80
Campbell
527
30
17
41
Carbon
1,557
47
6
87
Converse
833
33
12
53
Crook
1,524
95
9
IOI
Fremont
1,746
63
18
93
444
HISTORY OF WYOMING
County
Enrollment School Houses
Private School Teachers
Attendance
Goshen
1,127
55
2
89
Hot Springs
622
18
31
Johnson
728
30
2
42
Laramie
3,108
122
3
I86
Lincoln
3,679
59
13
152
Natrona
1,160
18
55
Niobrara
78
44
6
57
Park
1,248
31
19
57
Platte
1,562
70
81
I35
Sweetwater
2,586
27
3
69
Uinta
1,475
30
62
Washakie
499
19
27
Weston
1,099
40
2
59
Total
32,630
1,006
427
1,735
There were 32,433 white pupils and 197 negro pupils recorded in 1916. There were 30,684 native born pupils and 1,148 who were foreign born. Average cost per pupil per month-$8.50. Average wage for male teachers-$85.81 per month; for female teachers, $61.91.
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
The State University of Wyoming is located at the City of Laramie. One of the first steps taken toward the establishment of such an institution may be said to have been the act of Congress, approved February 18, 1862, entitled "An Act to grant lands to Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming for uni- versity purposes." This act gave to Wyoming, then a territory, seventy-two sec- tions, or 46,080 acres of land, to be selected from the government tracts then within the territory.
In his report to the secretary of the interior, 1878, the governor of Wyoming mentioned that a need would soon be felt for a college in the territory. By legislative enactment in 1886, the governor was authorized to appoint a com- mission of one to make the selection of university land under the Congressional act. Finally, 45,291 acres were chosen and largely leased to ranchmen and stock- men for grazing purposes. The territory never sold any of these lands, owing to the fact that a constitutional provision placed a minimum price of $10 per acre upon it before it could be sold.
Higher education did not receive any special legislation until the ninth Terri- torial Legislature passed a bill, approved March 4, 1886, which authorized formal action toward the organization of the university. This act provided for an in- come for current expenses by an annual tax of one-quarter mill on all taxable property in the territory. The bill provided for the establishment of an insti- tution under the name and style of "The University of Wyoming, to be located at or near Laramie," the same to "impart to young men and women, on equal
136
Sheridan
3,483
77
FIF
STATE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, LARAMIE
WOMEN'S HALL, STATE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, LARAMIE
446
HISTORY OF WYOMING
terms, a liberal education and thorough knowledge of the different branches of literature, the arts and sciences, with their varied applications." The government of this institution was vested in a board of seven trustees, "three of whom shall at all times be residents of the City of Laramie." This number was increased to nine in 1891.
Hon. Stephen W. Downey was the father of the bill creating the university.
Francis E. Warren, governor of the territory, appointed a building commis- sion to have charge of the general construction work. A tract of land was se- cured, consisting of twenty acres, procured jointly from the City of Laramie and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. By the summer of 1887 a portion of the building was completed, but the entire structure was not finished until 1800, costing over $85,000. This edifice was known as the Liberal Arts Building.
On September 6, 1887, however, the territorial university was opened. The university proper opened with a faculty of seven, including the president, ex- Governor Hoyt. The first department organized was the College of Liberal Arts, the acknowledged nucleus of all university departments. A preparatory department was immediately added, owing to the unavoidable ill-preparation on the part of matriculants from most areas of Wyoming, and preparations, further- more, were made even at this early date for all the schools essential to a state university. The two departments organized immediately thereafter were: A School of Mines and a School of Agriculture, although the catalog of 1890-91 announced, in addition to the above, a department of Law and a School of Com- merce. The School of Agriculture was reorganized in 1891 and the division of Mining the next year. The following significant words were used in the report of the commission to visit the university, December, 1887: "We regard it also as fortunate that the different departments of a great University as proposed, should be in one place, under one management and faculty, not broken up into parts and separated by long distances and perhaps diverse sentiment. In unity there is at once economy and strength. The 'Colorado Plan' illustrates the re- verse."
At the time of seeking admission as a state, the constitutional convention had made provision for the university. The first State Legislature which convened in Cheyenne, November 12, 1890, also passed an act providing for the Wyoming Agricultural College, its location to be fixed by vote of the people; and also created and named a board of five trustees to control the institution. In the same session, however, the Legislature authorized the university to accept the Federal appropriations for the support of agricultural colleges until such time as the Agricultural College of Wyoming should be located and established. Thus an agricultural college was created at Laramie. In 1892 the question of the lo- cation of the Agricultural College of Wyoming was submitted to the people and by a plurality, Lander as selected. No legislative enactment in conformity with this vote ensued, however, and the college remained at Laramie. Finally, in 1905, the Legislature definitely fixed it at that place, repealing the act of 1891 and ignoring the popular vote of 1892. Thereupon the trustees of the Agricul- tural College of Wyoming brought suit against the state treasurer to prevent the execution of the act. The case was ultimately appealed to the Federal Supreme Court, which decided, May 13, 1907, that the popular vote of 1892 was purely
447
HISTORY OF WYOMING
advisory and that the agricultural college should remain at Laramie in confor- mity with the legislative act of 1905.
In 1891 the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station was established at Laramie and sub-stations were located at Lander, Saratoga, Sheridan, Sundance and Wheatland. The sub-stations were abolished, however, in 1897 in accord- ance with a ruling of the Federal Department of Agriculture.
The catalog of the university for 1891-92 announced provision for university extension whereby the whole state might share in the benefits of the institution and not alone those who were so fortunate as to attend it in residence. Steps in this direction had already been taken by President Hoyt, who organized the Wyoming Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Letters. "Meetings, literary and his- torical, were of frequent occurrence, participated in by members of the faculty and by many of the citizens of Wyoming * and papers of more than passing interest were presented by persons from different parts of the state." Local extension "centers" were organized at Cheyenne with sixty-five members and at Laramie with forty-five members and the Wyoming University Extension Association formed. The following year another center was added at Rock Springs with fourteen members. The same year, also, a beginning of instruc- tion by correspondence was made.
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