Although the school was founded by private charity, and is under the control of a set-perpetuating board of managers, it is incorporated and employed by the state for the custody, guardianship, discipline and instruction of the aforenamed children. In default of responsible and efficient guardianship they ar. treated as minors and wards of the state, and by it they are committed to the guard anship of this board of ladies during minority.

The present statute provides that for each girl so committed the county from which such commitment is made shall pay not more than two dollars and fifty cents per week.

It is designed to be in no sense a penal institution, but it is a reformatory for the older, a temporary place of detention and instruction for the younger. Its objects are detention and reformation.

The school was organized under the act of 1875, and has received from the legislature, in 1878, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1901 1903 and 1995, sums amounting to $162,137 for buildings, improvements, stocks and furnishings. The city of Milwaukee has also given for its use a tract of over eight acres of land, the state holding the title to this property.

The buildings, as completed by the successive appropriations, and affording the requis tes for distinct family life, are designated as the Main Building Merrill Model Home, Russell Cottage, Lynde Cottage, Co'tage Annex, Assembly Hall, Steward's Home and Steam Heating Plant.

The main building consists of the administrat'on part and a family building for girls from 10 to 20 years of age, who are simply wayward or needing the protect on of the school. The Merrill Model is for those who have reached "honor grade" and enter this home for more special training preparatory to being paroled and enjoy more privileges and advantages than in the other famil es.

The cottages are additional and entirely separate buildings for proper re stant and influence over unchaste girls.

On leaving the school children are either returned to their former homes or relatives, or given by adoption or indenture to the care of well-recommended families.

The constitution of the state, adopted in 1848, provides, "That the revenue of the school fund shall be exclusively applied to the following objects:

1st. To the support and maintenance of common schools, in each school district, and the purchase of suitable libraries and appurtenances therefor." "2d. The residue shall be appropriated for the support of academies and normal schools, and suitable libraries and appurtenances therefor."

No advantage of these provisions for the endowment of normal schools was taken until 1857. when an act was passed (chapter 82) providing, "That the income of twenty-five per cent. of the gross proceeds arising from the sale of swamp and overflowed lands" should be apportioned for the support of normal institutes and academics, under the supervision and direction of a board of regents of normal schools, who were to be appointed in pursuance of the provisions of that a t. Under this law, the income placed at the disposal of the board was distributed for several years to such colleges, academies and high schools as maintained a normal class, and in proportion to the number of pupils in the class who passed satisfactory examinations conducted by an agent of the board.

In 1865, the legislature (chapter 537) divided the swamp lands and swamp land fund into two equal parts, one to constitute the normal school fund and the other to be denominated the drainage fund. It was further provided by this act that the normal school fund be permanently invested and the income thereof

should be applied to establish and maintain normal schools under the direction and management of the board of regents, with a proviso that one-fourth of such income should be transferred to the common school fund, until the annual income of that fun should reach $200,000. During the same year, proposals were invited for extending aid in the establishment of a normal school, and propositions were received from various places.

In 1866, the board of regents of normal schools was incorporated by the legislature. In February, Platteville was conditionally selected as a place for a school. The productive fund of about $600,000.00 with a net income of over $30,000.00 was already accumulated, with a prospect of a steady increase by the sales of lands, and the board determined upon the policy of establishing several schools, to be located in different parts of the state.

At a meeting held on the second day of May, 1866, the board designated Whitewater as a place for a school, where a building was subsequently erected. The academy building at Platteville having been donated for normal purposes, the board permanently located a school at that place, and a school was opened October 9, 1866, under Charles H. Allen, a former agent of the board. President Allen resigned at the close of four years' service, and E. A. Charleton, from Lockport, N. Y., was placed in charge. President Charleton resigned in 1878, after more than eight years' service, and Duncan McGregor, long connected with the school as a professor, was elected to the presidency, and served in that capacity until June, 1894, when he resigned, and Dr. James Cha'mers, Ph. D., cf Columbus, O., was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. McGregor's resignation. In June, 1897, Dr. Chalmers resigned, and in July following Prof. D. McGregor was again elected to the presidency and served until June, 1904. when he resigned and J. W. Livingston, of the Stevens Point Normal School. was chosen president. Prof. Livingston is a graduate of the Platteville school, and for a long time was a high school principal before becoming Institute Conductor at the Stevens Point school.

The school at Whitewater was opened on the 21st of April, 1868 under Oliver Arey, A. M., formerly connected with normal schools at Albany and Brockport, N. Y., and the building was on the same day dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. On the resignation of President Arey, in 1877. William F. Phelps, A. M., an educator of large experience and of wide reputation was appointed to take charge of the school. He was succeeded at the end of two years by J. W. Stearns, A. M., who had attained distinction in normal and college service, but he resigned in January, 1885, to take the professorship of theory and art of teaching in the University of Wisconsin. Prof. T. B. Pray, of the local faculty, acted as president for the remainder of the school year and Albert Salisbury was elected and assumed the presidency at the opening of the year 1885-6. President Salisbury formerly taught in the school but for two years had been engaged in supervisory educational work in the South.

A building was completed at Oshkosh during the year 1870, for a third normal school, but owing to lack of funds it was not opened immediately for the admission of pupils. The dedication of the building and the opening of the school took place September 19, 1871, and the school was under the constant direction of George S. Albee, A. M., previously superintendent and principal of public schools at Kenosha and Racine till September, 1898, when he died. On the first day of December following, Superintendent R. H. Halsey, of Binghampton, N. Y., was elected to the presidency. Prof. Halsey was for many years principal of the High School and superintendent of schools in Oshkosh before he was called to Binghampton. President Halsey was accidentally killed July 25, 1907.

The fourth school was opened in September, 1875, at River Falls, under the charge of Warren D. Parker, A. M., formerly superintendent and principal of public schools at Janesville. On the resignation of Mr. Parker, in June, 1889. J. Q. Emery, A. M., principal of the schools at Fort Atkinson, was elected president, and served until June. 1893 John Hull, ex-president of Southern Illinois Normal University, served as president during the year closing June, 1894. Warren D. Parker, A. M.. was re-elected presi'ent and entered service September 1891. In August, 1898, President Parker again resigned, and Prof. W. J.