Rocky Mountain College - Yellowstone / Poly Yearbook (Billings, MT)

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-s-s...s-,mLsIH.E. 1399! . - .C as - Upon my return in the fall, I found the campus much changed. ft had been laid out with walks. trees had been set out, and a great variety of farm crops were nearly ready for the harvest. School opened with a good enrollment. The societies and athletic associations re- newed their activities as soon as the classes were arranged, and a fine college spirit was de- veloped. Societies were much more active than during the previous year. Several programs were rendered and there were a number of heated debates by the boys' societies. An interesting feature of the second year was the Senatorial Convention, where the var- ious debating clubs united in electing their United States Senator. There were a number of active candidates and quite a difference in opinion regarding the platform upon which the senator should be elected. After a spirited contest, which lasted the mornings, afternoons, and evenings of three successive Saturdays. a platform was finally adopted and a senator was elected on the thirteenth ballot. The first Anniversary Day of the moving was celebrated in fitting style. All electric lights were turned off. candles were again introduced, and the meals were prepared as they were the year previous, when there were no table-cloths and a student had only a knife. a fork, or a spoon, and ate from tin plates. There were many interesting speeches and a general re- joicing over the development of the school. During the spring. track and baseball again came into prominence. At the May Day celebration the track meet was closed with a tug-of-war across the irrigation ditch. This year a class of thirteen members was graduated from the school. The principal fea- ture of Commencement Day was the Greek play Antigone, which was presented in Greek costume by forty students. The opening of the third year was on September l9th. At this time there were many new students who took the place of those who had graduated or gone out to active life. A marked development of college spirit was noticeable this year. There was more thorough work in athletics and the football team visited a number of neighboring towns and made fine records. During the early winter the gymnasium was erected, which gave the school an op- portunity of developing a strong basketball team. But few outside games were played, but a league of teams was organized within the Polytechnic. The gymnasium also provided for wrestling and tumbling contests. In the wrestling tournament which was held in the Y. M. C. .-X. gymnasium in Billings. the Polytechnic won first place. The societies were very active during this year. All agreed that the Alpha Literarv So- ciety gave the best program of the year at Christmas time, when it produced the drama Pan- dora, in costume. Tn the fall. Hr. lames bl. Hill gave the school 3325.000 to purchase a farm which adjoined the school grounds. This gift made it possible for the school to plan for larger things. and has also added much to the pleasure of the school life, as the farm contains a large bearing orchard which is greatly appreciated by the students. -Xnother important movement which was started near the close of the third year was the student government. Tn March a provisional government was organized with the au- thority in the hands of a council of nine. consisting of six students and three members of the faculty. Such good results were obtained that the directors of the school asked the coun- cil to prepare a constitution for a permanent school State This constitution was presented to the student body and adopted. At the close of the third year, nine young people were graduated. The Commencement play, Damon and Pythiasf' was presented by thirty-five students in a very creditable manner. This year twelve boys remained to do the work on the farm. They worked without any foreman and took charge of the one hundred and sixty acres of splendid crops. As a re- sult of their efforts, the school won the silver cup offered by the Great Northern Railroad for the best farm exhibit in Eastern Montana' Taking it all in all. the first three years of the Polytechnic were years of growth and development, and those who had the privilege of being a part of the institution during these three years, will never regret it. The story of the most important year of the Polytechnic, is recorded in the following pages of this Annual. -C. C. H. , -13-

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The First Three Years of the Polytechnic From the View-Point of the First Student ln the summer of 1000 wor.l went out over Nlontana that a new school was to he openecl at llillings. lt was :mnouncerl that any young' person coulrl enter anrl receive a training' to prepare him for useful citizenship. ln my mountain home at l,ake View, Montana, l hcarrl of this new school, anrl it gave mea vision of what l coulil make of myself. After writing to the clirector of the proposed school for information, it ilirl not take me long' lu rlecicle that this was a great opportunity for me :intl that l woulfl he a stuflent at the Polytechnic. On October 241 1 starte.l out on horse-hack to the railroafl station, one huuilrefl twenty-five miles away, ancl hought my ticket lu llillings. l arrivcrl at llillings two rlays hefore the school was to open, ancl founcl that l was the first stnrlent on the grounrl. The huilflings were far from complete, having' been staiteil late in the summer. The campus consisterl of sixty acres of lanrl three miles North- west ull llillings. The huililings unflcr construction were Science Hall, a two-story hrick huil.ling: :intl four cottage tlormitories, each plannefl to accommoflate ahout thirty stuclents. l'nfler the circumstances, the managers of the school were ohligerl to secure lorlgiug' anil recitation liuilflings for the stuflcnts wherever they coulrl in llillings. ,Nu olrl exhihition hall was fitteil up for a lirrys' ilormitory :intl Nlr. l,. T. liaton took care of the girls in his home. lxinillls in various husiness hlocks anrl the hasement of the pulilic lihrary were securecl for re- citation purposes, while the chapel of the Y. Xl. C. A. was nsecl for a general assembly room. lly the time of the opening' on Uctoher Sth, nearly a hunflrerl young people hacl arrivecl from various parts uf Montana anrl 1Yyoming'. Xlle were all enthusiastic over our school in Bill- ings, hut were looking' ahearl to the time when we were to move to the new buildings out on the Polytechnic farm. lt was not until the 31st Hf'lE1l1l12l1'Y that the school was movefl to the present huilclings. The moving out through the mufl, ancl the jolly times we hafl getting' settlecl in the new huilclings. will never he forgotten hy those who hail the experience. During the first month we were supplieil with canrlles. then lamps. antl finally electric lights. The first year was a year nf organization. During' this time our athletics anrl societies were estahlisheil. llecause uf unsettleil con-litions. the basket-hall team was the only athletic success. This team was rlefeaterl only once-hy the Triple Us. the champions of the North- west. .Xs soon as spring openerl. track anfl liaseliall liecame the learliug features with the hoys. ln the two track meets which were helil, the hoys of the Polytechnic showefl their superiority over their aflversaries. During' this first winter three literary societies were also organizecl. The Pioneer Literary Society for hoys. anil the Alpha Literary Society for girls, were first plannefl, hut on the night of the organization of the Pioneer Society, over half the hoys withrlrew from the proposerl society ancl organizerl a rival society, known as the American lfagles. Each of these societies strive to excell the other in literary work anfl fle- hating. Another active organization of the school that shoulcl he mentiouecl, was the Polytechnic Clliurch. This organization starteil six weeks after the school was movecl to its permanent home, with a memhership of over fifty. ln connection with the Christian Fncleavor Society. it has hail a large influence in the life of every sturleut. The three great holiclays of the first year which have remainerl as the great school holi- rlays ever since, were Moving Day, which is now known as eXnniversary Day: May Day, anfl Commencement Day. Nay Day was given up to the crowning' of the King' ancl Queen of Xlay, anrl the May Pole rlance hy the girls anrl hoys rlresserl in Rohin Hoocl costumes, fol- lowecl hy the contest of strength antl skill in the various lines of athletics. At the close of the first year, tive stuflents, who eutereil the school with atlvancecl stanfl- ing, were gratluatefl. The first school year closeil Nay 27th, all going home for vacation ex- cept the few boys who were to work the school farm cluring' the summer. -1 2-

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Commercial Depa tment l of 14---' 'LEX SECTION OF BUSINESS EXCHANGE The UlllllllL'l't'lIll w11rl1l is 111'11g1'essi11g very 1'11pi1lly. i'HXXCl'illl inilristries 11re being cle- relopc-1l. Xzitnre is c1111ti1111:1lly yiel1ling l11lll:',1llil11'l Il x11st store of XYCZllfl1 to be trans- 1'111'111e1l. 111l.i11ste1l. 1111-l lllZlllZilg'L'fl. The c1111111eti1i1111 in business is l,JCClQIll1lllg' more keen from y1-111' to l'L'Ill'. ,Ns n resnlt wt these things, the fldllillltli 1l'111'11e111'efnl Zllltl thorougli flililllllg for life work, is greater th11n it ll2lS ever been in the liistorv of our country. I The ls'11lyteel111ie Institute has ll well 11rg11nize1l two year Conimercizxl Co111'se to meet the 1le1n11n1ls fH1'CiliClClll'SCl'X'lCUllllJ1l9lllCS91. The most lllllJ4.l1'lZlllt 1111111056 uf our two year course i11 lll,lNll'lC4S, is tw equip the stnilent i11 those things th11t 11re essential to good citizen- ship in whatever line tl1e stucleiit llllly be l'111111fl 11tter lezwing tl1e scliool for the active duties wt llle. Clerical iiroticieiicy, r11pi1l ligriring, speefl 11111l 2LCClll'fLCy in Si101'il12111fl and typewriting, are X'Cl':x' necess11ry to success i11 oHice work, These things are properly ernpliasizecl, but we Zll5Cl inclnile in our course, Zl great lllillll' other subjects not iilllgllf i11 the orclinztrv one year business course. lYe know so fur IIS real life 111111 usefulness is eoncerneil that 21 training in tl1e mere essentials wt routine business practice is not snflicient. Sometliing besides the n1ech11nic:1l nrt of Shoithnnfl 11nfl Typexvritiiig, :incl tl1e f1,111clan1e11tal principles of bookkeep- ing. are necessary to Q'll1ll'Zlll'EC6 snr-cess even in these iinnierliftte lielfls. ln tl1e stren11o11stimes i11 which we live, there is Z1 great neefl of sterling' ch11r11eter to guifle tl1e well trainerl, efficient young' man or young' won111n. So often it is true tllllt the very brightest n1in1ls lack ability to accomplish worth while t11sks or really to get Ellll' pl11ce because they do not have the guicl- ing' power back of their il'2llllCfl minfls 1111fl hzincls. In our Business l2xcl111ng'e. business is L'Z11'1'iCCl on in a real fashion. VVe have a well fVl'g'ZIl'1lZCfl anfl well n111n11g'e1l Rank, 1111 oltiee c11lle1l the Billings lfliliolesale Co., another Gen- eral Agent, :1111l still miothei- Qnlleil the Pnlytecl111ic 'Real Estate :intl i11s111'nnce Office. There 11re, at 1'11rio11s times, lcftllll six to ten or twelve ret11il stores 'El'fll1Sf1Cllllg' business witl1 tl1e above nainefl offices. The 11ceo11nts between tl1e l'CfZlllC1's Illlfl wholesalers 11re co111p11re:l. mirliteil, 11nrl zrrljristecl fri 1111 ti111e to l'llllC. All these olitiees carry on their lill21l1ClZ1l business 11nrl trnnszretioiis tll1'0llQ'ii the Polytechnic First N11tional Bunk. in short, the Polytechnic llillSlllCSF i2KCllZlllQ'C is the one place where you may expect to tinfl business trrrnsncterl IIS in the 11ct1111l business Worlcl. T Y w14--1