Wisconsin Industrial School for Girls

[1] The school's purpose was the prevention of crime and pauperism of unfortunate girls; and the restoration of those who had fallen into bad habits, or inherited vicious tendencies.

The Legislature of 1878 authorised $15,000 for the erection of a school building and the city supplied an 8 acres (3.2 ha) site worth $16,000 at 465 Lake Drive overlooking the Bay of Milwaukee.

[1] The necessity of establishing an industrial school, which should have for its aim and object the reformation of vagrant children, and children who were permitted to wander in the streets as beggars, and those whose condition would naturally lead to vice and crime, had been a matter of much thought to the ladies of the city of Milwaukee for many months, and various plans had been proposed and discussed for the accomplishment of that object when the winter of 1874 set in.

The unusual severity of that winter and the depression of business whereby so many men and women were thrown out of employment, had the effect to increase largely the number of vagrant children in the streets of Milwaukee, and proved to be the occasion for adopting active and decisive measures.

[3] In February, 1875, a meeting of the women of Milwaukee was called to discuss the feasibility of establishing an industrial school similar to others in operation in the U.S. and other countries.

To meet this need, a bill was introduced into the legislature of the state of Wisconsin, entitled "An act authorizing Industrial Schools," which passed both houses, was duly approved by the governor, and became a law on April 5, 1875.

A building and lot were rented at once, in a central part of the city, and preparations were made to enable the corporation to carry out the purpose of the law.

Thereupon an application was made by the corporation for a writ of mandamus against the board of supervisors, to compel the payment of the bill as rendered.

The counsel of the corporation think there is no doubt of the validity of the law, and that the board of supervisors will be ordered by the court to pay the bill.

[3] There was a steady increase in the number of resident inmates of the Milwaukee Industrial School, and the demand for accommodation already began to tax the capabilities of the building.

After considering various sites, the Board of Control bought a 405 acre farm near Oregon, ten miles south of Madison.

This was felt a good site because of nearby medical and educational facilities in Madison and because the farm would provide wholesome activities for the girls and allow them to produce some of their own food, reducing operating costs.

In 1976 all juveniles were transferred to other facilities, and the school at Oregon was converted to Oakhill Correctional Institute - a minimum-security prison for men.

The facilities enabled the managers to provide the inmates with an education, full knowledge of housekeeping, and industrial training in order to earn a living.