The Legislature granted a charter for the "Beloit Seminary" — the first school charter.

The evidence

• “foundcil on religion find intelligence, and, consequently, one of the first things attempted to be done Avas to secure from the Territorial Legislature an act incorporating a seminary. With this object in view, as early as the fall of 1837, Maj. Charles Johnson and Cyrus Ames were selected to visit the seat of government and procure such legislation as might be necessary in the premises. The Legislature then held its sessions at Burlington, now in the State of Iowa, and these delegates accordingly made their Avny down Rock River in a "dug-out" to Rock Island, and then took steamer down the Mississippi to the then capital of the Territory. Such an appli^'ation from such an infant coraniunify may have excited some surprise, but in December, 1837, the Legislature granted a charter fOr the "Beloit Seminary," and the two delegates returned home 'hii:lily elated at their success.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/12-rock-county-ch06-politics-war-record.md, PDF p. 469 / book p. 473

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources