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

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X-, rgjg f L X m l 'AM' ' ' Flff, , 52: New f 'i a c'5'yQ,Qg,3Q , J F3 fN ' 55 f J is aig f' by i+fgajBsg3 I KJ L-' .I 1 -.1 , ,Astra . . . - - .: , ,N, . ,n, w The Polytechnicu What It Is Every institution must have an excuse for its existence. In this day and age when everything is measured by the practical, any object must be ready to state definitely the reason for its being and the purposes it serves in the world. This the Polytechnic is ever ready to do. The institution was born out of a great necessity eight years ago. Eastern Montana, Northern XVyoming, and the NVestern Dakotas at that time composed the largest territory in the United States without a school of higher learning, while a much larger region had no institution where a boy or girl could go and receive a practical training for life. The Billings Polytechnic Institute was established for the purpose of giving to every young person of the Northwest the opportunity of a useful education. As agriculture is at the very basis of the industrial life of this section of the country the Institute was planted on a 160 acre farm just outside the city limits of Billings, the industrial, commercial, and agricultural center of this neglected area. The courses of instruction cover a wide range and new ones are developed as demands are made for different lines of training. There is no limit to the development of a polytechnical institution. It permits the establishment of any course of instruction that is really needed. At the present time the following courses are offered. Practical Agriculture, Elementary Engineering, Business, Shorthand, Typewriting, Academic, Junior College, Teachers' College, Teachers Training, Indus- trial Arts, Domestic Science, and Music. Besides the regular courses there are offered many short courses and special subjects for those who can spend only a few months at the Institute. For instance a boy who wishes to spend only three months in school can take a review of the common branches: or put his entire time in the shop learning the use of carpen- ter's tools, or study automobiling or do a dozen other things of special value to himself. The Polytechnic is really a great practical university of the people standing with open doors to receive any person deserving a better pre- paration for life's duties. It is more than a school, it is a busy community with activities, industries, and life. Boys and girls learn here to do by doing. The regular school work of the class room is a very small part of the development offered at the Polytechnic. The students have their own government organized like a political stateg they do all the work about the schoolg they have their literary societies, debating clubs and musical organizations, they all take an active part in athletics and physical training. They live and work and play in this community strengthening both mind and body, and learning a great variety of things not ordinarily taught in school but of great value when they go out to be the active citizens of this Republic. The Polytechnic is no longer an experiment. It isa strong virile institution with a mighty purpose and a wonderful future before it. Al- ready it is attracting the attention of the modern educational world, some day it will be the very leader of the newer idea of training-education through industries and activities. -9..