University of Wisconsin River Falls - Meletean Yearbook (River Falls, WI)

Page 26 text:

Dean Charles G. Stratton ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1892 the growth was more rapid. Not only did the enrollment increase, but there was a large growth in the number enrolled in advanced courses. In 1897 the original building burned down, and the following year the present South Hall was erected in its place. This new building housed all departments of the school. With advanced demands for teachers the courses of study have been modified accordingly. In 1910 the policy of specializing courses was introduced. During the same year a department for training rural teachers was started. A special department for training agriculture teachers was established in 1912. A new building known as North Hall was built in 1914 to contain the executive offices, auditorium, gymnasium and the science department. 1924 marked a change in many phases of the school. The courses of study were reorganized on a professional basis, the school year was divided into three terms of twelve weeks each with a summer session of six weeks, and high school graduation was fixed as the entrance requirement for all departments. Two years later the standard program was reduced from eighteen term hours to sixteen term hours. I 20]

Page 25 text:

President J. H. Ames ADMINISTRATION Till- call for a school of higher education came in western Wisconsin as a result of the early settlements along the rivers of this section. By I860 there was a considerable settlement in the vicinity of River Falls. As a result of this settlement a teachers college was located here prior to those in the central and northern parts of the state. In 1874 the River Falls State Normal School was founded and opened its first session in September. 1875. It was the fourth normal school to be established in the state. One building on the South Campus contained the entire school. During the first twenty-seven years of its existence the course of study was confined largely to a course for elementary teachers. In 1892 the Board of Regents made a revision of the curriculum of the normal schools. At that time four-year courses were made available in English. Latin, and German. The professional course was concerned more with the teaching process than with the academic subjects. During this time the growth of the school was very gradual. The enrollment at the first session was two hundred fifty-nine, while in 1890 it was two hundred sixty-seven. I 19 1

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Dean Irma Hathorn ADMINISTRATION IN 1927 the title of the school was changed from a State Normal School to a State Teachers College as a result of the action of the state legislature of 1925 conferring upon the Board of Regents the authority to grant the degree of Bachelor of Education to all students completing a recognized four-year course. In accordance with this authority four-year courses were offered in agriculture, science, mathematics, history. English and education. An addition to North Hall was built in 1928 to be used by the training school and the junior high school departments. Additional room was secured for the science laboratories, and a modern swimming pool with new locker and shower rooms was built in the basement. At the beginning of the present year the new Mechanic Arts building was opened. This modern building gives better facilities for the instruction of mechanics and manual arts. The three-year high school course has been discontinued. A four-year course leading to a degree is now offered to students preparing for elementary teaching. It is evident from the trend of advancement that in the near future all graduates of the teachers colleges will be degree students. [21 1