Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee

Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee was the predecessor institution of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Founded in 1885 as Wisconsin State Normal School, it became Wisconsin State Teacher’s College in 1927, and Wisconsin State College–Milwaukee in 1951. Originally at a downtown site, the Normal School subsequently moved to the Lakeside campus. In 1956, it became part of the then University of Wisconsin, and subsequently the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's primary (Eastside) campus.

History

Wisconsin State Normal School opened for classes in 1885 in a specially constructed building on the corner of 18th and Wells streets, with six teachers and 46 students. At the beginning, Wisconsin State Normal School was a teacher preparation school for Milwaukee's soaring population at that time. After the turn of the century, the school introduced several new areas of study including liberal arts and music education. In 1909, the school moved to the new Kenwood campus, on which had been erected a single building which would later be named Mitchell Hall. The north wing opened three years later. After moving to the new site, the school also began to offer even wider curriculum including agriculture, home economics, commerce, journalism, pre-medical and pre-law. The broadened curriculum proved to be popular and accounted for over one-third of the enrollment. Wisconsin State Normal School continued to grow after absorbing the Milwaukee School of Art and, in 1913, the school of music.

The broadened curriculum, however, was attacked by the Carnegie Endowment for the Advancement of Teachers, arguing that normal schools should not stray from their role as trainers of teachers. In 1922, the State Normal School Regents voted to discontinue college courses in an effort to refocus on the instruction of teachers. The Wisconsin State Normal School then began to offer education-related four year degrees. In 1927, the Wisconsin State Normal School changed its name to the Wisconsin State Teacher’s College. Known for its innovative and experimental programs in teacher education, the Wisconsin State Teacher’s College was a national prominence at that time and was considered one of the top teacher training colleges in the nation by the 1940s.

In 1951, when the Legislature empowered all state colleges to offer liberal arts programs, the Wisconsin State Teacher's College changed its name to Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee, which became part of then University of Wisconsin five years later.

Notable alumni

Warren Giese, former South Carolina state legislator and college football coach

• Ruth Asawa, Japanese American sculptor
• John C. Becher, American actor
• Dorothy Fuldheim, American journalist and anchor, "First Lady of Television News"
• Warren Giese, former South Carolina state legislator and college football coach.
• Herschel Burke Gilbert, composer of film and television theme songs
• Frederick Hemke, Professor of Saxophone at Northwestern University
• Marguerite Henry, American writer
• Clara Stanton Jones, the first African American president of American Library Association
• Frank Tenney Johnson, American painter
• Ken Kranz, NFL football player
• Ross A. Lewis ('23), Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist [1][2]
• Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel
• Paul Meyers, professional football player.

Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel

• Clem Neacy, NFL football player
• Virginia Satir ('36 BA Education) noted author and psychotherapist
• George H. Sutton, professional billiard player, the "handless billiard player"
• Whitey Wolter, NFL football player.

Notable faculty

• Herbert Eugene Bolton, American historian
• Lorenzo D. Harvey, President 1892-1898.
• J. Martin Klotsche, President 1946-1956.
• Guy Penwell, long time men's basketball coach from 1930-1942 and 1946-1952.
• Russ Rebholz, head basketball coach 1952-1956.
• W Otto Miessner, American composer and music educator

See also

• History of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

References

• "A Brief History of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee", by George M. Richard, 1960
• "UWM Buildings: Some Pertinent Facts", prepared by Donald A. Woods, 1968

External links

• UWM: A historical perspective.