Minot State University - Beaver Yearbook (Minot, ND)

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Page Seven HI TORY OF TATE TEACHERS COLLEGE 1' This year, the State Teachers College at Minot, will complete twenty- five years of service to the people of North Dakota. The College owes its inception to the vision of early citizens of North-- western North Dakota, who, as early as 1898, began to advocate the estab- lishing of a state educational institution in this part of the state. The struggle which preceded the necessary amendment to the con- stitution began shortly after the turn of the century, but the project did not take definite form till 1907 when C. A. Johnson introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to establish a normal school at Minot. This bill, passed by the Tenth Assembly, was, according to law introduced again in the Eleventh Assembly. This time it was sponsored by Repre- sentative Mark M. Chatfield of Minot. fMr. Chatfield still lives at his home adjoining the campus. Two daughters and two sons are graduates of this collegej Upon being passed by the legislature, the bill was submitted to the people of the state in the November elections of 1911 and was overwhelm- ingly ratified by them. ' Senator Wallin introduced into the Twelfth Legislative Assembly a bill which provided a 3252000 appropriation, which was to make possible

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Greeting to Students: 'Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, As the swift seasons roll, ' The editor of the Beaver offers space for a brief greeting to our stu- dents. It is my pleasure to respond with ia statement of thanks for the splendid cooperation that has made 1937-38 a delightful year. The swift seasons do roll on with amazing rapidity and now the twenty- fifth year of M. S. T. C. is coming to its close. Commencement marks the end. It also suggests the beginning of a new life. It is a time for reflection and anticipation. Have we realized success in the year now closing? And since this is the twenty-fifth of the swift seasons, has the development of the college justi- fied the faith of the fathers in founding it? Now comes our anniversary com- mittee to turn our minds to the future in the theme: WIDENING HORIZONS. What of the next twenty-five years for each student and for the college? Truly a time of anticipation. Individual and institution success depends upon and is conditioned by the past. Every ambitious student is spur- red by the thought of success. Too many of us think of success as lying off some- where in the future. The poet reminds us that success is not a destination but a journey. It is found along the way, not at the end of the road. Neither success or happiness are off in some divine event, but rather here and now in daily achievement. Today condi- tions the success for tomorrow, this year for next. Thus with our horizons widening before us will come larger and larger success and greater hap- piness. This process makes life a splendid adventure. This minute, this hour, this day and every day through life a success and happiness in suc- cess. For each student and for the college, life looks bright in past and in future. We wish for each student a realization oif all laudable ambitions. The college will rejoice in the success of each individual student, and since the college will continue for a thousand years, each student will enjoy a phase of immortality in the success of its work and development. As our horizons widen, may our mansions become more stately, is the wish of your president. GEORGE A. MCFARLAND. Page Sia-

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construction of a main building, a girls' dormitory, and a power house. After being pared down to 3200,000 the bill passed both houses. One provision of the bill was that 60 acres of land were to be donated locally for the site of the school. This precipitated such a rush of offers that the matter was put to popular vote in August, 1911. The North Side site, donated by Erik Ramstad, pioneer Minot resident, was the choice. Cln 1933 Mr. Ramstad had been in Minot 50 years. The college took this opportunity to pay tribute to him as donor of the college site and his portrait now hangs in the College Hall of Fame.J Construction work began during the fall of 1912 and the corner stone of the Main Building was laid July 25, 1913. Owing to contractor's de- lays, the buildings were not finished in time for the opening of the school year September 30, 1913. The Minot Armory was utilized by the college as temporary quarters. A Take up thy chair and walk was the order students received when going from assembly to the classes that first year of school, when classes were held in the Armory. A shortage of chairs made it necessary for the students to carry them with them to the assembly and back to the classrooms. Fifty-five students enrolled the first day-September 30, 1913. The number later swelled to ninety-nine. There were eleven on the teaching staff. CThree of this original staff are at present affiliated with the in- stitution. They are Miss Hazel McCulloch, Miss Julia McDonough and Miss Elsie J. Cook.J The first years of the school were years of strenuous organization and expansion. After class work in the Armory the students walked to the Harrison school, adjoining the college campus, in northwest Minot for practice teaching. The daily jaunts continued until February, when a bus was put into operation to carry them back and forth between the two buildings, a distance of considerably more than a mile. Page Ezght