Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-01-19

STATE UNIVERSITY. ISL
You are referred to the report Of the Board of
Regents for statement Of the condition and
wants Of the State University. I cannot
doubt that that institution is performing ac-
ceptably it's important part iii the educational
system OF the state. The completion of Sci
ence Hall will greatly enlarge the facilities
for instruction in a department. possessing
great interest aud value to Students. The
death OF the lamented Dr. Lapham has caused
his large and valuable collection of specimens
to be offered for sale, al ! it is submitted to
your consideration whetha it ought not to be
secured by the state, and added to the cabinet
Of the University.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
It would be waste of your time and q re-
Fiction upon your intelligence If I were to
urge any considerations upon you in support
of the proposit,n that our common school
syetem should be sacredly preserved and
steadily developed, to the end that it may
which 1t was established. Your deliberations
can be dedicated tn no higher purpose than
the devis.ng OF means that will visit the advan.
tages OF our public schools upon q greater
number Of the youth of the state.
CompulslOn, except to prevent and punish
CilLu0, Is IIOG Al dCCOrOAl1C6 With the SDlT1t or
our institutions, and liz obnoxious to the Amer
lean people. But rejecting how essential it is
to our political and social welfare that our ini,ab
itants should be educated men and women, it
is submitted to your candid consideration
whether some penalty should not be imposed
upon parents who deny their children that
without which they inevitably become a danger
and disgrace to society. There is one object
which we may certainly promote that will at
once guard our educational system and extend
its benefits. Excessive cost is, Perhaps the
only thing that could impair its foundation in
the hearts OF the people, and that part Of the
cost which falls Immediately upon the parents in
the form Of text books q undoubtedly an OBJ
stacle that prevents many people from gaining
the rudiments o; an education. Hence there
is great reason that economy should be prac-
tised in the erection of school Buildings, and
that the need Of the many rather than the ad
vantage Of the few should be considered in
the selection OF branches to be taught.
Your attention is also invited to the question
able to establish uniformity of text books
throughout the etate, and thus effect con-
siderable reduction in the expense to which
parents are subjected on this accornt.
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
There have been added to tie library of the
State Historical Society, during the past year,
books, pamphlets and documents te the num-
Der of 4, 316, making the present strength of
the collection ia, 701. 1t is everywhere re-
cognized as the most valuable and useful
library in the Northwest, and ranks among
the best In the Union in the department OF
history, sIatistics, science, genealogy and
American and English literature The Perkins
Collection of Wisconsin antiquities, Of the
stone-copp n age has been received, and it is
hoped that the society may be able to retain it
THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
There has been expended during the past
hscsl year, for geological survey, v13, 500, and
/ am advised that the work he's been prose-
| cuted with due expedition. The expenditures
that have been made on this account canno
afford any return to the people of the etass
until the survey is completed and the results
published. l therefore recommend that al
adequate appropriation for that purpose bt
made during the present session.
| efs CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
The reports Of the trustees of the severs
charitable institutions of the state will plac,
you in possession Of such information as yo1
may desire concerning their condition ant
needs The two Hospitals for the Insan,
were mmOdating at the close of the tisca
year an aggregate of 651 patients 1t is repre-
scented that there is need of more capaciou
| accommodations, and invite your attention
! to the recommendations of the board Of trus
tees of the State Hospital tor the Insane q
Madison, that two wings be added to the
building, in accordance with the original plan
/ There were in attendance at the Institution
for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, OF
the 3Oth of September, 1875, 147 pupils. Ar
appropriation of Sc. 500 is asked for the erec
ton of kitchen and laundry outside of the
present building.
The number of pupils in attendance at the
institution for the education of the blind a
| the close of the year was sixty-six. The trus
tees ask for an appropriation sutfi Gent for the
erection of the main building, to replace the
one destroyed by fire, as the west wing ALREADY
constructed liz entirely inadequate to accom-
plish the purposes of the institute
I recommend that you appropriate to tn,
state charitable institutions such sums as ma,
be necessary for the maintenance and for thu
care and education OF the afflicted wards of til.
state that are intrusted to their keeping.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The number OF the inmates OF the Industrial
School for boys on the 3Uth of Septembe
was 800, and the expenses of the institution
for the year ending On that day were $45. 1856
10. I recommend that appropriation o
$3,OOO be made IN accordance with the reques
of the Board of Managers, te make up tn,
deficiency Ia the building fund, and to com
plete the building. cannot unite IN tn
recommendation of the Board that law +,
passed providing that boys may be received OF
application OF parents and guardians, for incor
! TlSlDle or VICIOUS conduct or vagrancy. Sucl
q course would, it seems to me, be a seriou
departure from the purposes of that institu
ton, and one that would require larg,
addition to the accommodations, and cor
responding increase of the expenses.
STATE PRISON,
The report Of the warden Of the State Pris
on shows that $50 convicts were confined i,
that institutions on the LIST of October. 1874
and that 127 were received and 1O9 discharge,
during the fiscal year. On the 3Oth of Sen
TENDER, 1876, 248 convicts were confined /,
the prison, Of whom 236 were males, and i
were females. From the report of the direct
ors OF the prison. it appears that it's liabilities
and assets are as follows:
| LIABILITIES
Total value Of property, machinery
and materials, Oct. l. 1874 8 Sc, 755 g.
Appropriations received from the
| state during the year .. 1854 s.
Unpaid bills and accounts, Sept 80, =
1875; ......... ............... Is, TIA 9
Miscellaneous items. 284 Y
Total. ..... .......-.....,. $3.50, 1856 g.
ASSETS.
Manufactured goods for sale, Sept.
| 80, 1875 q 10 oqo ~