Our state

Our state

 

Wisconsin's state seal shows a farmer and a miner.  We do have lots of farming and are a leading state for dairy.  t.ly/yHI5K

I have been in education and teacher training just about all of my working years.  The state does have good schools at all levels and a proud history of education.  To highlight Wisconsin's notable education firsts, consider the following achievements:

• First state to establish a public university system in 1848.

• Home to the first kindergarten in the U.S., founded in 1856.

• Introduced the first statewide high school graduation requirements in 1901.

• Pioneered the first public library system in the nation in 1876.

• Launched the first vocational education program in 1917.

• Established the first university-based extension service to support rural education in 1912.

Where we live, in central Wisconsin, we have sandy soil and such soil quickly drains water away.  You see extensive agriculture-level sprinkling systems in many crop fields.  

We have Lake Michigan along the east side of the state and Lake Superior across the northern side.  I have heard that in some parts of the world, our "Great Lakes" are referred to as "inland oceans".   I think that is apt terminology since the lakes are indeed massive.