The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-12-26
PUBLlC SCHOOLS.


The closing exercises Of the High
school, preceding the holidays. took
place on Friday of last week. The
order of the afternoon consisted of
declarations, readings, vocal music
and dialogues. The friends and visitors
filled every space in the room. showing
an undiminished interest in the cause
of education. The exercises were in
teresting and seemed to give satisfac-
tion to all. The TELEGRAPH h;tS in for
mer years referred TO the history of our
Kenosha public schools, and we deem
it important to keep this educational
interest before the people of the city !.
1t has several times been stated that
the earliest movement In Wisconsin
for free schools was M lde in this place,
tnen called Southport, in 1845. Prior
that time the cause of private
;hool education was not neglecte, |
here. Mr.. Whitford, formerly State
superintendent Of schnols, in his histo-
were eight private schools in Wiscon-
sin, with the attendance Of seventy
five scholars; this gave an average of
a little over nine scholars to EACH
school. The population of Wisconsin
| then Was about 5000; the schools at
that period were all private, there be-
ing no district organizations. The
first private school opened in this
vicinity was in the winter of 1885 and
1886 by Miss Laura Maltby, on the
| North side of the river, within the
corporate limits of the now city of
Kenosha. A little later Rev. J. Lath-
| rOp opened school in Pleasant Prairie.
in a neighborhood then known as
I'Spring Brook. Rev. j. Lathrop de-
serves more than passing mention.
He wrote Bible commentaries and re-.
ligious works, intended for publica-
ton, but which never went to press,
and are now probably lost. He exer.
cised his talent in painting, poetry and
various mechanical trades; besides, he
was esteemed learned preacher. The
first school house built in this county
was in 1881; it was constructed of
logs hewn on the inside, and in size
twenty-five feet square, 1t was located
on Main street, a little orth of the
cor ner where McDermott's liquor store
now stands.
The first schools established were
supported by private subscriptions,
but in the winter of 1886 81, the Terri
torial legislature adopted the school
code of Michigan, after which, school
districts organized, and the schools
were sustained by rate bill-that is,
each family was required to pay in
proportion to the number of children
sent to school. The first free school
IN Wisconsin was established in Keno
sha (then SOUTHPORT, in 1S45. This is
believed to have been the first, not only
in Wisconsin, but in what was known as
the Northwest Territory. now compris.
ing four states. In February, 1916, a
law was passed by the Territorial leg
islature allowing the legal voters in
the corporate limits of Southport to |
establish schools to be supported OH |
the taxable property of the town. By
a proviso of the law it was required to
be submitted to a vote of the people, to
render it effective. The law encounter
ed strenuous opposition. Meetings
were held to discuss the expediency of
free schools. The first meeting called
to vote on the question broke up in
great confusion; at the second voting
trial the law was adopted by small i
majority. Steps were at once taken to
carry free schools info effect, and, al !
'hough school-house accommodations :
we're then defective, this pioneer en- q
erprise proved success. '