A History of the Campus School at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from 1909 to 1973

Abstract

The Campus School. Why would I choose to write my seminar paper on this subject? When I first attended classes in Morris Hall, I felt that the building was different in some way, yet I couldn't put my finger on it. Then a teacher told me that it once was a laboratory school for teacher education. The odd feeling about the building came back to me. I began to realize what was different about Morris Hall. It was the ankle--high bubblers, the small chairs in the library, and yes, even the urinals that didn't seem to be at the proper height. Now, images of small children racing through the hallways filled my mind. The visions of the children and my interest in education and history lead me to choose the Campus School as my subject. I could learn more about the building, the faculty, and an outdated mode of teacher education. The building that I attended classes in was about to come to life as I pursued my research. I included several means of research for this paper. I interviewed a former teacher from the Campus School, a former director of the Campus School, and a Chancellor of the university to gain insight and information on my subject. I read various newspaper articles, books, and a Masters thesis about the Campus School. Lastly, I searched through four boxes of Campus School material. Throughout my research, I continued to visualize the children attending classes. My research was interesting, however I did not find any startling information. What I did find was an excellent school and a proud faculty.