New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-03
EDUCATION IN THE WEST.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.

SEAT OF THE UNIyERsITY-AN ATTRACTIVE CITY
THE COLLEGE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Sue
CEssFULLY TRIED-wIscONsINs COMMON SCHOOL
sYsTEM-PIcTUREsQUE SURROUNDINGS OF TIKI
UNIVERSITY.
,rRox THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE !
MADISON, Wis. Sept. 12.-On the summit OF
n beautiful emnence overlooking Madison the charm
ing lakes by which surrounded and broad stretch
Of country remarkable for its beauty and fertility stands
the University OF Wisconsin, State institution founded
IN 1s4s reorganzed in 1885, and endowed by the United
States with share Of the public lands for the support
both OF the College OF Arts and OF the Agricultural De-
partment beautiful site for an institution OF
learning could not have been selected Madison itself
IL one of the attractive cities Of the West No rich
gem ever had beautiful setting than the fertile
peninsula on which 1t built The bright clear waters
of Lakes Monona and Mendoza. fDeiy wooded on their
further shores pleasing to the eye as their ms
cal Indian names are to the ear and whether their
banks abruptly from the waters edge or slope away
with gradual ascent they require little artificial
adornment-a graceful terrace here and bit OF smooth
lawn thereto hghten and perfect the natural beauty
of the landscape and give an air OF elegance to the
attractive residences OF which they form the back
ground.
THE CITY OF MADISON.
The business portion Of tho city is well built OF yellow
brick and limestone around slightly park covering
about squares ground and in the center OF which
stands the State House, monstrosty in the style OF It's
architecture partially redeemed by the beauty OF the
dome that surmounts 1t. Madison is rapidly becoming
deserves to he. favorite place OF Summer resort
especially for citizens Of St. Louis who have this year
not only filed the best hotel in the city to OVERCOMING
but have themselves poured into the less pretentious
houses which have been built among the groves across
the lake. Between these last and the city, tiny little
steamers ply every half hour during the day and even
Ing for the accommodation of those who do not or can
not avail themselves of the longer but no less delightful
drive around the lake shore. The prevailing amuse
ments here rowing In which many OF the visiting
ladies very proficient, sailing and fishing To those
who enjoy sport Lake Mendoza offers rare OPP
portunies The fish that most plentiful are several
varieties of bass pike, and pickere. saw one OF the
last caught last week weighing 1914 pounds There has
also been ken from Lake Mendoza this Summer stur
geon weighing l3) pounds.
Madison has added TO its other attractions this year
an ariesian well OF mineral water Some years ago
boring made in the State House Park at the ex-
pense Of the State under the impression that aresan
well might be made which would raise water to the sur
face and supply the public offices without the aid OF
pumps. After reaching depth OF more than LOO feet
the water only within feet OF the surface aud as
che appropriation expended the work was aban-
doned. During the Winter OF 1928 the Legislature
made another appropriation for supplying the State
House with water, and Gov Washburn, before making
arrangements for pumping the water from the lake,
directed examination OF the almost forgotten artesian
well The supply from 1t was found to be ample. and
the necessary pumps at once constructed Samples
OF the water after submitted to skfu chem
lists analysis and then discovered that 1t was
rich mineral natter-n short that it very similar
10 the wellknown Bethesda water obtained at Wanke
sha In this State 1t is clear and sparkling and has no
mineral taste, but number OF persons who have been
using several months for special diseases suppose
themselves to have been greatly benefited by it,
SUCCESSFUL CO-EDUCATIoN EXPERIMENT.
nrfv @ mile from he State Ii "A
erly direction, through beautiful avenue the visitor
reaches the foot OF College HILL and turning into the
grounds, which are finely laid out the carriageway
winds gracefully past the Female College building.
very credtabe structure, completed in 1871 This build
ing is arranged with all the modern improvements
which conduce TO the comfort Of students cOst about
e5oOO for the accommodation Of about so
ladies Formerly the womans college was in most
respects separate institution from the college proper
out in 1872 by resolution Of the Board Of Regents OF the
university ladies in the Female College permitted
10 elect any of instruction that had been esta
Rsbed all departments OF the University and
wear later they allowed to enter the classes in COM
mon with other students and on graduation to receive
ahe same college degrees for the same work Several
ladies have already joined the regular classes In the
Classical Department. and all OF them prefer TO recite
with gentlemen of the several University classes
rather than receive separate instruction, as the rules
of the University permit. Pne Faculty Of the Univer
ry well pleased with the success OF the experiment
OF coeducaon. thus far. One very marked result has
been department and closer attention in the class
rooms and the repression OF rowdyish propensties
among the male students. the tendency OF almost all
Western colleges is to open their doors TO ladies' giving
Them exactly the opportunities In all departments
that gentlemen now enjoy: and since this has been
done at Ann Arbor the model of State universities in
the West il be long before the example there set
will be universally followed in all the Western States
The college buildings proper are three in number
University Hall and North aud South Colleges-the
first containing the recitation and lecture rooms, the
library, laboratory &C.. &c, and the other two being
used as dormores. Like all young institutions In the
West the University OF Wisconsin has found 1t neces
sary to maintain sub-freshman and preparatory de-
partmept the influence OF which has been 10 bring
down the standard of the college proper. While the
bate was new the absence OF high schools and acad-
emes upon which stern colleges depend for their stu
dents left young who had been graduated at the
common schools with opportunities to h for college,
except such as provided within the walls OF the
uiyerstv ITSELF THIS want of preparatory sooOls has
now been in a supplied. Twenty cities OF the
State have established graded schools in which pupils
may prepared for college, aud as an inducement Tor
them remain in these schools until fitted to enter upon
the regular college courses examinations for admission
40 the university allowed to take place I'm wrtine) al
the high and students who ut In any
of these schools not charged for tuition during their
stay IN college. IL Is the desire OF those most III
terested in education III tDis stare 10 aosh as eoon as
possible the preparatory department and the subfresh
man class and TO establish each county Of the State
public high school, which shall be intermediate between
she common schools and the university and bind them
together impact system. In the meantime the
standard the college proper has been raised year by
year until now 1t compares favoraby with that OF any
similar institution In the West.
WHAT THE UNIVERSITY Is DOING.
1t is unnecessary for 10 go into any detailed de-
Tho ITofva nv of usin
doing but cannot refrain from mentioning the TACT
shat the Regents have recently established depart
1nent OF Mining and Metallurgy, and provided 1t with
an equipment for practical instruction in Analytical