651
The first free public school in the Badger State opened in 1845, thanks to the ingenuity of cheesehead Michael Frank.
After introducing a trio of bills that failed to acquire enough support to secure passage, the member of Wisconsin’s territorial legislature enticed the community of Southport (now Kenosha) to establish a free public school supported by – drum roll please – property taxes.
This vision ultimately became the model upon which the state public school system, introduced in 1849, was built; later that same year, Frank was equally instrumental in establishing the first free public high school in Wisconsin – also in Southport.
– Hannah Van Sickle, The Wisconsin 100