The History of Western Technical College

La Crosse Continuation and Adult Schools - 1912-1916
La Crosse, Wis. July 2, 1912
The first meeting of the Board of Industrial Education of the City of La Crosse was held in the office
of the Board of Education at 7:30 p.m.
Purpose of the Meeting: To perfect organization and to confer with Mr. Warren Hicks, Assistant
State Superintendent, in charge of Industrial Education.
Present: Messrs. L. F. Easton, J. B. Funke, John Rusche, A. A. Schroeder, and L. P. Benezet,
constituting the full board.
Organization was completed by the election of Mr. Funke as president and Mr. Benezet as secretary.
Mr. Hicks addressed the board explaining the scope and nature of the work as intended by the
framers of the law, the conditions upon which financial aid would be given by the state, etc.
Many questions were asked and the discussion was full and free.
Mr. Hicks advised the engagement of two teachers, one man and one woman, with the idea of
opening school in the early fall.
When it was explained to him that no funds would be available from the City Treasury until January
1 st , he showed that the school must be in operation for eight months prior to July 1 st , 1913 in order
to earn the state aid, and advised that the Board borrow the funds necessary to keep the school in
operation for the first few months.
Adjourned
L. P. Benezet, Secretary
The La Crosse Continuation and Adult Schools started in 1912 in two rooms - the kitchen and a shop - in the old
Longfellow (First Ward) school building, then located at Sixth and Vine Streets, the present site of the school.
The rooms were available when not being used for public school classes.
At the August 5, 1912 meeting, the Board set committees to draft bylaws and rules for the Board. Permanent
committees were established for Finance, Instruction, and Buildings and Equipment. The Board also heard from
a Mr. D. C. Faber of the University Extension about a course for apprentices. It was moved that the secretary
was to notify the La Crosse City Council and Comptroller that the new law would make a levy of $6,000 for the
coming school year. The hiring of instructors was deferred to the Instruction Committee, and a motion was
made so that the Chairman of the Buildings Committee could arrange for a suitable place for instruction. Mr. D.
C. Faber of the local University Extension Department explained the courses in drafting and shop mathematics
for apprentices and the permit working boys
At a special Board meeting on August 30, 1912, the Committee on Instruction was authorized to employ a man
as Director of the Industrial School at a salary not to exceed $1,500 and also to employ a woman at the salary
not to exceed $1,000. On October 17, 1912, the Committee on Instruction employed the first two instructors:
Thomas G. Sutherland (at $1,600) and Miss Gertrude L. Brandt (at $600), with Mr. Sutherland also serving as
the first Director of the school. A total of $425 was allocated for equipment: $250 for the boys' department
and $175 for the girls' department. Class sizes were at the discretion of the Director and the Chairman of the
Instruction Committee. It was also voted that when the Director reported a sufficient number of students to
justify a class that the Committee on Instruction would have the power to employ the needed instructors. The
rental of needed facilities was discussed and it was voted to rent the frame building, used as a manual training
shop by the La Crosse High School, located at 16 th and Cass Streets, paying $75 a year rent.