University of Montana Western - Chinook Yearbook (Dillon, MT)

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Historical The act of Congress under which the state of Montana was admitted to the Union set aside one hundred thousand acres of the public domain for the establishment and support of a state normal school. In pursuance of the same plan the Legislative Assembly of Montana has passed acts establishing the State Normal School, locating it at Dillon, providing for the erection of buildings, and appropriating money to defray its expenses. The first building was completed and the school opened in 1897. By an act of the eighth Legislative Assembly which became a law February 25, 1903, the name was changed to the Montana State Normal College. By an act of the thirteenth Legislative Assembly, which was approved March 14, 1913, the State University at Missoula, the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Artsat Bozeman, the Schoolof Mines at Butte,and the State Normal College at Dillon, constitute the University of Montana. All the institutions are governed by the State Board of Education and the local affairs of each are administered by a local executive board. This law went into effect July 1, 1913. In October, 1915, the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of the law, appointed a chancellor as the chief executive officer of the University of Montana and the duties of the office were taken up February 1, 1916. Pagt o