Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-06-25
SHOWS GREAT GROWTH
First Five Years of President Van
Hise's Administration Marked
by Big Increase in Attend
ance at the University
of Wisconsin.


June II marked the completion OF
the first five years OF the presidency
of DR.. Charles r. Van Hise at the
University of Wisconsin. A review
of this period shows a most remark
able growth and development OF
the institution. Attendance has in
creased nearly 40 per cent. The legis-
lative appropriation has been larger
than before; and seven new buildings
have been added. In the college OF
letters and science, courses in chem
istry, home economics, and journal
ism, and training of teachers have
been added. In the college of en-
cheering, courses in chemical and
mining engineering have been intro
duced, and special five and six year
courses have been arranged In the
college of agriculture a middle two
year course has been provided. A
medical college has been organized,
with two years of work.
Five years ago the attendance was
2,870. This year it is 4,0l3, an in
crease of 1,143, or DO per cent. The
output of the university as represen-
ted by the number of students granted
degrees has grown from 373 to 555
this year. The number of bachelor
degrees has increased from 344 to 467;
the number of masters degrees from
25 to II; and the number of doctors
degrees from to II. In five years
the graduate students have nearly
dou bled their number, having in
creased from 119 to 232, and in the
summer session from 102 to 167. This
year SO advanced degrees have been
granted, nearly four times as many
as five years ago. In addition to
these regularly in attendance, over
1000 students have registered for
correspondence courses thus far this
year. The director of university ex-
tension, DR.. Reber, estimates that
during the year at least 1900 people
in the state have been reached in one
way or another by the extension di-
vision. This estimate does not take
into account the extension work of
the professors of the college of agri-
culture, through which thousands of
people have been instructed, nor the
farmers Institutes which during the
year have been attended by more than
so 900 people.
This growth has been rendered pos
sible through the iberality of the
state, as President Van Hise has
pointed out the legislature of which
in 1905 substituted for the Inadequate
specific appropriations for support d
two-sevenths of mill tax, and pro-
vided a permanent Improvement fund
o. 5000 900 year for three years.
This legislation was further suppl
mented in 1907 by a special approp-
Ration for university extension by
an additional permanent Improvement
fund for student buildings of 800 900
year for period of years, and by
the extension for two years Of 5000, 900
fund.
During the past five years practi-
cally eight new buildings have been
provided; the new north wing of
University Hall, which nearly
doubles the capacity of that building;
chemical labratory; the hydraulic
laboratory; the agronomy building;
farm engineering building; the ad-
ministration building; and the partly
completed central heating plant.
IF the increase of students at the
university continues for the next
thirty years as for the past twenty
five years, there will be here at the
end of that time more than 10000
students, predicted President Van
Hise, reviewing the recent growth.
THAT this basis of computation is
reasonable is shown by the fact that
the large increase for the past five
years has exceeded that OF the pre-
vious five years, great as was this
earlier growth. In 1878, ten years
ago, the number of students in the
university was exactly 1900, Thus,
during decade, the attendance has
more than doubled, for this year
there were 4,013. Surely, in planning
for the future CONSTITUTIONAL develop
ment OF the university on the basis of
1O. 600 students. the regents and educa-