University of Wisconsin Stout - Tower Yearbook (Menomonie, WI)

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Undu5ttial Education Building Tragi 1 jgR

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U Will Place upon tke School (fiou.nd.5. With these words, James H. Stout became, in 1890, the founder of a unique educational enterprise: The Stout Institute. In October of that year, Mr. Stout presented to the Board of Education of Menomonie, Wisconsin, the following proposition: I will place upon the school grounds ... a building . . . furnished with all the equipment necessary for the instruction of classes of boys and girls in the subjects included in the first year of a course in manual training. The unanimous acceptance by the Board of Education of this proposition was to be of untold significance not only to the community of Menomonie but to the entire country. January 5, 1891, saw the beginnings of The Stout Institute: a two-story wooden building, built and fully equipped at an expense of $2400, to be used by the high school students for work in manual arts, domestic arts, and drawing. In 1893, the nation ' s growing demands for instructors in manual training warranted the erection of a new building. However, on February 2, 1897, dis- aster struck: the accumulations of years of effort were wiped out by fire. Im- mediately, the construction of new buildings was under way. Thereafter, gradually, the modest school of the early years, pictured in drawings through- out this book, grew into a million dollar state college dedicated to the prepar- ation of teachers of Home Economics and Industrial Education. We wish this yearbook to picture for its readers, — somewhat sketchily, we know, — the changes which have come during the fifty years since James H. Stout gave Menomonie a. manual training school. Our college, making its contributions even beyond national boundaries, has become the ever length- ening shadow of a great man.

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Sutton £. A ellon President 4 d miniltlation One of the great contributing factors to the growth of The Stout Institute was the appointment, in 1903, of Lorenzo Dow Harvey as superintendent of the Menomonie schools. A few years later Dr. Harvey relinquished his work as superintendent of the city schools to devote his time to the demands of the Stout Training Schools, later to be The Stout Institute. Following the death of President Harvey in June, 1922, Burton E. Nelson, Superintend- ent of Schools of Racine, Wisconsin, was appointed to the presidency of Stout. Mr. Nelson took active charge in April, 1923. During his administration, the two and three year courses have given way to the four year course; graduate work is offered in the summer sessions; two dormitories, an athletic field, a site for a field house, a new home management house have been added to the property of the college. The little school of 1891, the gift of James H. Stout to Menomonie, is a college which serves the nation. A generous, farseeing man and an efficient administrator began the work; it is being carried on by a kindly, great educator, Burton E. Nelson.