Montana State University - Sentinel Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

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HISTORY OF UNIVERSITY ! OF MONTANA 1895-1905 nISTuKY hi any iusttiuiiun lupins with the hrst step toward its upbuilding The first facts arc not often familiar -t+u st rlosely allied with the instttutton. Thus it is Sftth in - frtsto?y of Jjflr own I ' niversity, although it is not very old, ii lias its own history and traditions, to give an insight inu. the siren nous early days as well as the slum- peaceful and prosperous future, is tin- i»bjeci n f this sIt jtl skiuh. It has always been the policy o| the United Slates lo have ihe best of educational facilities. regardless of labor or expense. In order to obtain litis, i origrv , in passed ii law donating M-vrlHy-Hvo see t ions of land in each of the Western territories, for the purpose of providing funds for the establish- ment of Universities in these future slates. At this date the first germ of the University of Montana befits to grow, lor ii is from tins that the major portion of our money conies. Immediately after ilie passage of this bill. Mi. K. II. Howey, of Helena, iva appohucd lo sejecj the university land. hving lo the early date, Mr. Howey was able lo obtain the best of the government lands in ihe Hitter Kr«u. Malhead. lialbuiu and uilier v-illeys. hor many years before the university was organized there had hctii an i- pei:iation, thai when it was established it would be in the city ot Missoula. Tin uy-a rn. Avmeiii to secure the University was made during the hrst Legisla- tive assemble in January of tfyi. A coiuiuiilee wa» appointed in work with the legislature. Through the efforts of this committee a bill was passed by the lower house, hut unfortunately was If. si in tbe -nau by very small tna- jorit v. The citizens of Missoula, realising the urgent need of a Slate l ' niver- sity, and also the good that the city of Missoula woutd derive from such an instiiniir.nl, formed I hew selves in a body and set to work to investigate the possibility oj such an institution, A L ' niversity Club was, therefore, organ- ized. I ' mi. J. M. Hamilton was chosen pr ' sidi-ni and IC. I£. Hershey secre- tary and treasurer. A committee composed of Prof, Hamilton, Judge I . H. WiiimIv and Mr. M. T. Crouch drafted ihe bill for a l T niversity p which went through Without amendment. f y (bis time, tht citizens of Missoula had become so enthused over the prospects that man;. weM To Helena in order that they tnighi put their shoulder to the wheel, to aid ihe passage of this one important bill. The plans were systematically arranged. J, L. Sloan e had 27

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charge of the work in Helena, while H. O, Collins acted frs press representa- tive. With the active work of these members and the influence anil persever- ing energy of the late Hon. K. D. .Malts, member of the senate from Missoula county, the bill finally succeeded in passing both houses. The memory of these men on that committee and Senator Malts will never be forgotten, and too much credit eanmti be given for their zealous work, for without them the University would surely have been put off fur an indefinite period. After the passage of this memorable bill, the Slate Board of Education met in Missoula, May 24, 1893, and selected the present 40-aere campns. The Jliggin ' s estate donated the north twenty, and the South Missouhr Land Company the south twenty. Nothing further was done until the legislature in January, 1895, when a bill was passed recommended by (he State TSoard of Education appropriating the funds accumulated from the Land Act of ISfil, to open the University of hfoittoita in September of that year, Mr 1 TL T. Rvman, Judge Hiram Knowles and CoL T. C. Marshall, all prominent citizens of Missoula, were appointed as a local executive commit- tee to assist the State Hoard trf Education. In order to facilitate the opening -if the University 1 lit- dttieeitS r»f Missoula donated their South Side High School building, and in addition bad raised three thousand dollars. At its meeting in Tune. 1805, the Board of Education elected Oscar J. Craig, A. M, Ph. D,, president of the young t diversity. President Craig r who was at the fcftn Professor of Political Economy and History m Purdue Uni- ver. ' Miy at La Eayette, Indiana, is one of the ablest and best known educators in the West. When Dr. Craig arrived in Missoula, be at once began arrange- ments for the opening of the I diversity in September, Laboratories for work in Chemistry, Physics and P-iology were fitted up with high grade ap- paratus; the lecture rooms and the assembly rooms were furnished, and one thousand books were purchased for the library, course of study was de- cided upon and the faculty selected, which then consisted only of President Craig, Professor of History and Literatim ; Stephen A» Merrilt. Professor of Natural Science, and Cynthia Elizabeth TCeily. Pmbssor of Mathematics. Later in the summer Prof, Aber was elected to the chair of Creek and Latin, while Prof. Srhureh took charge of the Modem Languages and also, temporarily, the department of Mei-li.-inie rd l- ' itgim-ers. On September it, i8Q5 fhc University was opened with impressive cere- monies and its record as a state school was begun. Eifly students were en- rolled The number increased until al the end f the first fiseal year the at- tendance was one hundred and eighteen, and at the close of the first collogi year, June to, tRq i, one hundred and thirty-five students were in attendance. On Arbor Day in t8oo the first improvements on the T T niversily grounds were made. On that day a large body of citizens, societies and school chil- 29