University of Wisconsin–Stout

Bowman Hall, the oldest building on campus, opened in 1897.

In 1891, James Huff Stout, a lumber magnate who represented Menominie in the Wisconsin State Senate, founded a manual training school, the first of several educational enterprises he launched in Menomonie. The Manual Training movement was an educational philosophy that influenced modern vocational education. In the United States, this philosophy was established in the 1870s and used to train engineers, later working its way into public education. Manual training promoted a classical liberal education, but emphasizing practical application such as practical judgment, perception and visual accuracy, and manual dexterity over theory. It was not meant to be used to teach specific trades, but rather to enhance the traditional educational model. Students learned drafting, mechanics, woodworking, metal working, in addition to science, mathematics, language, literature, and history. After the American Civil War, leaders of industry and politics were turning to public education to augment existing apprenticeship programs by incorporating Manual Training philosophy into their curricula.[7]

Stout was influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, the philosophies of which influenced his own philosophy of education, specifically that making things by hand, through skill and creativity, would provide more thoughtful and creative consumer goods because of the personal satisfaction of the craftsperson. The American interpretation of the Arts and Crafts movement was not in opposition to modern industry. Rather, it embraced creativity and intellectual development as necessary components of the educational model, leading the school to teach classes in drawing, jewelry making, embroidery, and photography.[8][9]

In addition to the Stout Manual Training School, James Huff Stout established kindergarten classes (1894), a Kindergarten Training School (1899), a School of Physical Culture (1901), training schools for manual training teachers and domestic science teachers (1903), and a Homemaker's School (1907).[4] In 1908, to simplify and clarify administration, Stout merged his various educational enterprises into the Stout Institute, which was sold to the state of Wisconsin after Stout's death in 1911.[4] The school was governed by its own board of trustees until 1955, when it became part of the Wisconsin State Colleges system as Stout State College. The state colleges were all upgraded to university status in 1965, and accordingly Stout State College became Stout State University. In 1971, after the merger of the former University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Universities, the school became part of the University of Wisconsin System under its present name.[4] In March 2007, UW-Stout was designated "Wisconsin's Polytechnic University" by the UW System Board of Regents.

UW–Stout offers 49 undergraduate majors, 22 graduate majors, and 60 minors.[10] The Graduate School provides oversight for graduate education at the university. UW–Stout offers three terminal degree programs; the Master of Fine Arts in Design, the Educational Specialist degree in both School Psychology and Career and Technical Education, and the Doctor of Education in Career and Technical Education.[11]

Jarvis Hall Science Wing houses laboratories and classrooms for the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Management

UW–Stout is made up of two parts, a main campus and north campus. The main campus has most classrooms, five of nine residence halls, and three dining facilities, while the north campus is the remaining four residence halls, along with one dining hall and the student health facilities. The campus is 124 acres (50 ha) with 25 major academic and administrative buildings, 9 residence halls, and 245 laboratories.

The university was designated Wisconsin's polytechnic university by the UW System Board of Regents in the spring of 2007.[15] In 2013, officials from MIT helped open a fab lab on the UW-Stout campus, the only university in Wisconsin with such a facility.[16]

UW–Stout's athletic varsity teams mascot is the Blue Devils and the school colors are navy blue and white. The school competes in the WIAC in NCAA Division III. The women's gymnastics team is affiliated with NCGA (National Collegiate Gymnastics Association).

As a DIII university, student athletes compete without the benefit of athletics aid or scholarships. Men's teams include: football, baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey and track and field. Women's teams include: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

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