The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-08-25
THE MONTANA COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE
The Building, Grounds and Apparatus Trans
ferred to the Presbytery of Montana


During the early part of this year Mr.. Ed
Fl. Irvine agreed with the stockholders and
tru.tees of the Montana Collegiate Institute
upon terms for Il ten years lease or convey
ance of the Institute Buildings, etc, for
school purposes, but certain legal obstacles
to the conveyance being raised the project
was not contaminated and the building ha~
stood idle.
At the recent session Of the presbytery of
Montana, Rev. d. J. Mcmillan, Superintend-
ent of Missions in the District of Montana,
Utah and Southern Idaho, Rev. J. r. Rus
sell, of Butte and Rev. z. J. Groeneveld, of
Deer Lodge, were appointed a committee to
negotiate for the property with the view to
establishing school here under the auspices
Of the Presbyterian Board of Education. On
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week the
matter was negotiated and consummated, a
majority of the stock voting-to authorize the
action taken by the Trustees.
The conditions are that the Presbytery Of
Montana agree to establish and maintain in
said buildings for ten years a school of the
character contemplated in the incorporation
Of the Association-a grade next to College
supplying such teachers and erecting such
buildings as are necessary and adequate for
the purpose to keep the building insured /;
to cultivate and adorn the grounds, and to
take up the Indebtedness of $500 now out
standing against the property. In the event
of so doing for ten years the property is con-
veyed to the said Presbytery, or its represen-
tatives, for school purposes, or in the failure
so to do in any one year the property is to re-
vert to the Trustees on reimbursing the Pres
bytery for the amount of debt now assumed,
and on payment of the appraised value of the
improvements board of arbitration to de-
termine as to compliance with the contract
being selected mutually. The plan and de-
tails having been agreed upon. the transfer
was made on Wednesday evening.
The gentlemen representing the Presbytery
desire If possible to start the school this Fall,
but If they do not succeed in getting now
such corps Of teachers as they desire they
have until 1888 to begin the school.
In thus deviating from the original intent
of establishing and maintaining a strictly
| non-sectarian school, the Trustees have done
what was deemed the best that could be done
in carrying out the wishes and intent of the
stockholders in the Institute, viz, to secure
the establishment and maintenance Of an In.
stitute of Learning under direction of an or
ganization having the will and the means to
successfully conduct it. 1t has so far not full
filled the expectation of those who contrib.
| uted to its construction, and an increasing
debt has hung over it, threatening its sale for
other than educational purposes. While 1t
| will now be nominally under sectarian aus
pices, 1t is proper to say that no denomina-
| tional theories or doctrines are to be taught,
that scholars will have fullest liberty to
| attend whatever churches they may prefer,
and that as a matter of fact the denomina-
tional control of the Institution will be only
in the name. The Board is amply able to
| furnish whatever means are required in es-
tablishing and maintaining the school, and
we have no doubt will make it successful.
We believe that with competent corps OF
teachers the capacity of the building viii be
taxed from the first year, and that it will be-
come a very popular Institution from the
outset. The Board are not yet prepared to
give any definite statement as to the time OF
commencing school, but expect to be able to
| do so in a short time.