While fulfilling the Wisconsin Constitution's principle of free education, Portage County hasn't neglected higher education. Stevens Point became the home of Stevens Point Normal School, the predecessor of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, which opened here in 1894.
Initially, the school was a training ground for teachers to staff the numerous elementary schools scattered across the countryside. In 1923 the school was authorized to offer a bachelor of education degree, action that led to a name change in 1927 to Central State Teacher's College.
The college's offerings were enlarged during the next several years, with bachelors degrees of science and arts added. In 1951, the college was renamed Wisconsin State College at Stevens Point and the next several decades witnessed two more name changes and a vastly expanded campus. The school was also known as Wisconsin State University at Stevens Point in the 1960s before the merger with the UW system.
By the end of its first 65 years, the campus consisted of Old Main (about three times as large as the present down sized building, the library (now the Park Student Services Building), Campus School (now Communication Arts Center), the home management house (now the Suzuki House), Nelson Hall for women residents and Delzell Hall for men.
Today, there are 32 major buildings as the enrollment has grown to approximately 8,500 students.
The university hasn't been the only facility for higher education in the county. In the 1890s, the Stevens Point Business College, offering short courses for professional people, opened but was discontinued shortly before the outbreak of World War I.
Before the Wisconsin Legislature created the system of Public Industrial, Commercial, Continuing and Evening Schools, the Stevens Point city vocational program began in 1911 to fill a need for “industrial” education.
Those classes were held in second floor quarters of a downtown building until the 1930's when the Stevens Point programs were moved to the old Stevens Point High School (next to the present Emerson School) after P.J. Jacobs Junior High School was constructed. In 1962, the vocational program moved to its present quarters on Michigan Avenue after a new building was completed.
Following legislative action in 1965, Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield vocational technical and adult education formed VTAE District 14 in 1967 for central Wisconsin.
In 1970, the organization of District 14 was completed to include all of Wood County, all of Portage County except the Rosholt School District and portions of Adams, Juneau, Marathon, Clark, Waushara and Jackson counties. Rosholt became a member of the North Central Technical District in Wausau.
The Stevens Point City Vocational School became part of the district at that time along with the Tomorrow River (Amherst), Almond-Bancroft, and Tri-County (Plainfield) school districts.
The program offerings have also increased, moving from part time programs to the first full time program, electronic servicing, in 1962.
After District 14 was formed, associate degree program evaluations were successfully completed, qualifying the school for “technical institute” status in 1969.
In 1972, campuses in the district became Mid-State Technical Institute. In the late 1980s, that name was changed to Mid-State Technical College, reflecting the accreditation status from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.