Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-01-17

revised statutes be amended, so as to give a
wider field for the investment of the trust
funds. This subject likewise demands serious
attention.
EDUCATION.
The report of the state superintendent
affords great cause for satisfaction as to the
educational interests of the state, and for a
full discussion of the special subjects that may
require your attention | would refer you to his
report. There seems to be no want of har-
mouy IN the various parts of our school sys-
tenn, and with the general development and
progress we have every reason to be pleased.
The attendance at schools of pupils between
the ages of seven, and fifteen years. the time
when all children ought to attend schools is
eighty-seven per cent. of the whole number in
the state between those ages This percentage
proves Wisconsin to be fairly equal to the older
eastern states in, appreciation of school privi-
leges. The total valuation of school property
including buildings, sites, libraries, ETC., is
IS, GA, 938. The total amount expended for
public ana private schools during the school
year was 50, 577, 402 | need not impress upon
you the Importance of fostering our common
school system and promoting in every way the
cause of popular education. &.
UNIVERSITY. .....s. a'ta
The board of regents of the university re-
port satisfactory progress in all departments;
that the appropriation of last year has been jul
diciouslv expended, but that there are yet
some repairs greatly needed in making the
older buildings what they should be. The am
bltion of the young for a higher and advanced
education can not be too literally encouraged,
nd | commend all the needs of this institu-
tlon to your liberality.
The departments of agriculture and prac-
teal mechanics would seem to demand partic-
ular notice. The experiments of the professor
of agriculture, made by virtue of special ap-
preparations OF the legislature, upon amber
cane and the ensilage of folders. have been in
large measure completed, and Prof. Henry re-
ports that beyond a doubt sugar and syrup
can be proftaby made from amber cane in this
state, and that the soil of the state is particu-
larry well adapted TO the growing of amber
cane The professor likewise reports that his
experiments with ensilage of folders demons
trate the fact that the food product for stock
can be greatly increased at very little cost to
the farmers. He also reports that there is
still needed an appropriation of 5000 to pay the
professor of chemistry for six months service,
and | hope this will receive your early atten-
ton. The interests represented by the farmer
and the mechanic are second Ill importance to
none other, and any legislation which will
stimulate the efforts of either, or which will
open the door to more comprehensive and
intelligent effort, will be profitable in the long
run to the commonwealth. To this end /
recommend that there be appropriated annually
the sum of SIX thousand dollars for the estab.
llshment and maintenance of an experimental
station on the University farm, and / also
recommend that provision be made for the
publication and distribution Of reports of the
experiments heretofore made, and of such as
shall be hereafter made.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
There have been 949 students in attendance
at the various normal schools during the year.
There have been 81 graduated and 81 licensed,
and there are now employed in the public
schools of the state $50 graduates of the nor
NAL schools, aud 1,053 undergraduates. Sixty
Institutes bave been held IN 81 counties with a
total attendance of $685. and at an expense of
Sc, 4S3. The regents report the schools in a
prosperous condition, and earnestly endeavor-
ing to perform the work assigned to them.
STATE PRISON.
AT the close of the fiscal year there were
confined in the state prison at Waupun 348
persons. The total cost of maintaining the
prison for the past year has been S47, 751 49, of
which the prisoners earnings have furnished
81, 1880; receipts from visitors were S193.-
so, making the net cost to the state of sup
porting the institution SO, 42S 50. The broad
distinction between the confirmed criminal and
the man who has committed his first offense
andswhO by JudlclOus training may be restored
to self-sustaming and self-respecting citizen
ship, leads me to the belief that the legislature
might, with much propriety, devise some
method by which the courts should determine
whether the offense was the first or not and
that the sentences should be sdch that the
public would be protected from the depreda-
lions of the habitual criminal The board of
control, IN their report, have recommended a
system of lndetermlnate sentences. While the
matter should receive your earnest conSidera-
ton, am not prepared to say whether the
criminal who makes crime profession should
be sentenced to police supervision when his
term of Imprisonment has expired, or the SEN
tence of Imprisonment should be indetermi-
nate.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The number of boys in attendance at the
State Industrial School at Waukesha on Sep
TENDER 30th, last, was 299; average attendance
during the year, 321. There have been adj
mItted during the year 80 boys; discharged
100. The gathering together of the hayward
and mcornglble boys from every community,
compelling them to attend school. teaching
them habits of industry and obedience to Just
authority, and endeavOring to impress their
minds with just CONCEPTIONS of the true dignity
of manhood, Is one of the most humane and
profitable duties of the state. But the work
requires most studiOus and painstaklng
watchfulnesS to avoid the liability CT making
the inmate more incorrigible or narrow and
contracted IN his usefulness by too long re-
lance upon the institution for advice and sup
port. The boy is sentenced before the age of
fourteen and may be kept there until he is
eighteen; and l have serious doubts as to
whether the term of attendance is not too
long; as to whether the institution should not
be rather more school and somewhat less
penal institution. There is some force in the
view that if boy cannot be reformed in two
or three years so that he can properly conduct
himself IN the community, longer attendance
in such an institution is not only useless to
him, but is fraught with danger to his COM
panions, and may. and probably always does,
exert very injurious influence upon the
newer and younger inmates of the institution.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
The whole number of patients who have re-
ceiVed treatment at the state hospital for the
insane at Mendoza during the past fiscal year
was 656. The number discharged recovered
was 40; improved, SO; unimproved, SIS. The
total cost of this hospital for the year was
S95, 81, being a weekly cost per capita of
1892. AT the commencement of the past year
the Northern Hospital for the insane had IN
der treatment 512 patients; admitted during
the year, 225 total, 1877. OF these there were
discharged recovered 81; improved, 26; I'M
improved, 30. The number present at the
close of the year was 564; average for the year,
529. The cost of maintaining the hospital
was $98, 1902, which is equal to weekly cost
per capita of 1857.
l am constrained, by the great Importance
thereof TO again call vOur attention +o tba