Education

The commissioner of education heads the public school system. He is appointed by the state board of education, whose members are elected by the people. School attendance is compulsory for children from age 7 to age 16.

Colorado's first school was established in the Cherry Creek area (now Denver) in 1859. It was a crude log cabin operated as a private school by O. J. Goldrick, whose first pupils were children of gold miners. The first permanent public school was put up at Boulder in 1859.

The University of Colorado was established in 1861 by the territorial legislature and opened, at Boulder, in 1877 after Colorado became a state. In addition to the main campus at Boulder, there are branches at Colorado Springs and Denver. Also in Denver is the university's Health Sciences Center.The Colorado School of Mines, at Golden, is the country's foremost school of earth sciences. The United States Air Force Academy, noted for its ultramodern campus, is near Colorado Springs.