University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - Quiver Yearbook (Oshkosh, WI)

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While the addition was gained with difficulty, the Hoard willingly conceded that the work in physical training at Oshkosh was of high value and the gymnasium feature was readily incorporated, and the Regents assumed the responsibility of supporting our teacher, the first in the system, although seven years after it had become an accomplished fact. In the same year, the authorities conceded that the work of drawing in this school had become of real educational value and fitted up the attic floor, planned in 76 for the Art Room; again the first one of the system. OMAN cots IN COCK SR OR STUDY. Slender purses of candidates and feeble convictions regarding the necessity of any professional training for teaching, rife with the great majority, led to the organization of a course of study only three years in length, in which all academic and professional work was to be done. Apparently this was much better than our prototypes of the Hast with their course of but two years: but. in reality, not so good. With those, some reasonable degree of culture was assumed from the prevalence of strong academics throughout the North Atlantic states. Hut with us the normal work rested close down upon the rudimentary work of the rural schools, lvvidentlv. the original founders were imbued with the value of varied information in the teacher, for it was difficult to find any branch aside from foreign tongues that was not represented for some notice in the fateful three- years. Even Latin was sometimes attempted, we learn. Early in the third year of the history of the Oshkosh Normal, an interview was held between the Senior class and the president regarding their disregarding the privilege granted by the Board and remaining for a full four years' course before applying for graduation. They, to their lasting credit, voted unanimously to add that much culture to the bare requirement previously accorded. With one exception, all those students carried slender purses: but their ideals were high. In 75 that class was graduated with high honor; within the next year the Hoard made such an extension for all the schools, as recommended in the report from the Oshkosh school. The further recommendation that a narrower course of two years, to be known as the “partial course, was transformed into the Elementary Course, which was by change of title unduly exalted into a finality for altogether too many students. The addition of one-third in time without any increase in number of branches, proved a boon to ideals of sound scholarship in the State: a function which the Normal school ought never to fail in fulfilling. In ''M the report from this school raised the question whether the time had not come to introduce a larger election in branches during the last two years of the course, in the interest of more extended culture in a few fields. Within a year, after much consideration, such a course was adopted. Other most needful gains have been proposed from time to time, but are either minor or. if adopted, were so modifier! that no just claim of priority can be made. The duty of seeking relief from deterioration by appeal to legislative aid. was made in report after report of the Oshkosh school dating from about 86. While a strong old guard of great strength was to Ik- found in several schools, the rising tide of educational estimate was cutting us off from 15

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place. In '75 the first “supervisor of practice was sandwiched between other duties in conjunction with the president, the first regular officer of the kind in the system, and we dared not label him. In '7 we sent a second petition for a chemical laboratory, stating that as both the president and science teacher had some mechanical skill, we thought $150 would suffice for hoards, bottles, and a small outfit of re-agents. It was granted rather because of our importunity rather than from profound conviction of need, and the first primitive laboratory of a system which boasts of nearly a score to-day was set up for the other schools to reap the benefits of later, free from galling refusals. In 77 the second enlargement by erection of the great west wing was built, and filled to overflowing at once. Provision was somewhat surreptitiously made for the art room by the arrangements of skylights, but no promise of any special teacher for such fanciful work as drawing was conceded. Fortunately we had gained an able teacher of music in Prof. Graham at the very organization of the school, but every hour taken from hi' other work for music was deemed burning incense to folly by wiseacres throughout the state: but two thousand students will l car witness that he kept the fires burning, both for them and for posterity. So drawing languished for a decade, because there were no adequate ideals and no teachers who saw its educational values. The first distinctive teacher of this stamp was finally secured by Oshkosh in the early '$o . subject, however, that Miss Magee must do something else, and not waste all the time of one teacher on a line not recognized by statute as necessary to the common schools. Gymnastics of the Dio Lewis pattern hud been attempted in the three schools almost from their foundation, and managed by chance leaders either drawn from the faculty rank' as a by-pro luct of s .me enterprising professor, or from among the students, led by a vigorous youth who liked the fnn and eclat of the display. But of any systematic training there was not a vestige. Something was urged about the matter being made more formal and disciplinary as early as 7H when Oshkosh lost a man of good musical ability, in whose hands the slender work had rested for three years. Hut there was neither money nor conviction to support anything out of the common, and we all drifted. But about $2 an appeal was made to the public spirit of the students, which ha' been an unfailing resource in time of special need, beyond most schools. It was decided to employ a well-trained teacher, and a teacher of the German Turners was regularly engaged for thorough work of the entire department, men and women. For five years his entire salary was paid by the students and faculty. Other schools became uneasy and helped the cause by battering the ideals of the Board for help, but the Oshkosh school alone carried on the work to full demonstration of value. In S7 the Board tried the futile experiment of employing one man to itinerate from school to school, then five in number, four months of darkness and one of light. The Oshkosh students knew what regular training meant, declined the program with thank', presented their one-fifth share to the others, and kept on paying their teacher and reaping the benefits. In 88 the next addition was made to the building after three year of iterated demonstration of needs, and in that the first gymnasium of the system wa built, a commodious and convenient room. 14

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recruiting strong teachers, leaders in skill and scholarship, into our ranks. For one. the writer saw the writing on the wall of doom, if means were not obtained. In 89 he ventured to say that 55,000 increase of annual salary account was imperatively needed. The reply bv one of the best leaders was. You mean 55,000 for the system? (then of live schools.) No, 55,000 for each. It was politely passed as a dream too visionary for practical men to consider. In '95 the same dreamer went into statistics to prove that the system of seven prospective schools would need 5250.000 a year if justice was to be done to the thousands of youth flocking to these schools, and strong business men declared it sound in estimate. The remarkable change wrought since then cannot be even told, still less estimated in regard to enlarged usefulness. Hut this is the present and for the future and not history.