The general management of the public schools is vested in a state superintendent, 64 county superintendents, 27 city superintendents, and a school-board in each district. In each independent city there is a board of education, and the larger cities have each a superintendent. The school-fund, created by the constitution in 1848, comprises the income from the proceeds of lands granted by the United States to the state for educa tional purposes, all moneys accruing from forfeiture or escheat, all fines collected in the several counties for breach of the penal laws, all moneys paid for exemption from mili tary duty, and five per cent on the sale of government lands. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1875, the income of the school-fund amounted to $186,409, and the disburse ments, $185,961. The total number of children in the state, over 4 and under 20 years of age, in 1875 was 461,829, of whom 279,854 received instruction in the public schools, 10,733 in private schools, 2.150 in colleges and academies, and 1150 in benevolent insti tutions. There were 5,489 school districts and 5,197 school-houses; 9,455 teachers; and the total amount expended for schools was $2,065,370, including $1,350,784 for teachers' wages. In the larger towns are high and graded schools, and state normal schools are maintained at Whitewater, Platteville, River Falls, and Oshkosh. The colleges and universities of the state are Beloit college (Congregational and Presbyterian), at Beloit; Galesville university (Methodist Episcopal), at Galesville; Lawrence university (Method ist Episcopal), at Appleton; Milton college (Seventh-day Baptist), at Milton; North western university (Lutheran), at Watertown; Pio Nono college and normal school (Roman Catholic), at St. Francis station; Racine college (Episcopal), at Racine; Ripon college (Congregational), at Ripon; St. John's college (Roman Catholic), at Prairie du Chien; and the university of Wisconsin (state), at Madison. The principal academies and seminaries are Carroll college, at Waukesha; Elroy seminary, at Elroy; Rochester seminary, at Rochester; and St. Clair academy, at Sinsinawa Mound. The libraries in the state in 1870 numbered 2,883, and had 905,811 volumes. There were 4 state libraries, with 61,400 volumes; 9 town and city, with 4.838 volumes; 8 court and law, with 1010 volumes; 194 school and college libraries, having 50,492 volumes; and 39 circulating libraries, with 38,867 volumes. The number of newspapers and.periodicals published
is about 255, of which 21 are dailies, 200 weeklies, and 20 monthlies. The number of church organizations in 1875 was 2,388; of church edifices, 1855; and the total value of church property was estimated to be $6,905,350. Of the different denominations repre sented, 272 were Baptist. 18 Christian Connection and Disciples, 211 Congregational, 7S Protestant Episcopal, 107 Evangelical associations, 3 FrieLds, 5 Jews, 222Lutberans, 618 Methodists. 15 3loravians, 5 Swedenborgian, 128 Presbyterian, 20 Dutch Reformed church, tl5 German Reformed church, 455 Catholic, 9 Second Advent, 8 Unitarians, 69 United Brethren in Christ, 18 Universalist, and 1 Union.
The constitution of the state grants the right of suffrage, with the usual exceptions, to every male citizen 21 years of age, and also to all persons who have declared their intention to become citizens. and who have resided, in the state one year. The executive power is vested in a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of the state, attorney-gen, eral, etc., who are elected by the people every two years. The legislature consists of a senate, with 33 members, chosen every two years, and an assembly, of 100 members. elected annually. The judicial authority is vested id a supreme court, circuit courts, courts of probate, and justices of the peace. The supreme court consists of one chief justice and two associate justices, and has appellate jurisdiction only, and general power of review of all action of the inferior courts, and in no case that conies before it is a jury called. There are 12 judicial districts, in each of which a circuit judge is chosen by the electors of the district for six years. These have general original jurisdiction in civil t and criminal cases, and appellate jurisdiction over all inferior courts. They are held 'twice a year in each county. United States courts are held at Milwaukee and Madison semi-annually, and at Oshkosh and La Crosse annually. The state is entitled, under the apportionment of 1872, to 8 members of congress, and 10 votes in the electoral college. The electoral votes, since the state's admission to the union, have been cast as follows: 1848, Cass and Butler, 4; 1852, Pierce and King, 5; 1856, Fremont and Dayton, 5; 1860, Lincoln and Hamlin, 5; 1864, Lincoln and Johnson, 8; 1868, Grant and Colfax, 8; 1872, Grant and Wilson, 10; 1876, Hayes and Wheeler, 10; 1880, Garfield and Arthur, 10.