The Helena independent., 1894-12-10
JAMES REID. President.
Prnnnrnton pepartment,

Bozeman. Nov. 24.-To the President:
The material that comes 90 us In the
preparatory department Is decidedly
mlNcd-not so much In quality this Is
generally good. as In previous train
ing coming as the students do from
so many schools and from no schools
nt all, the variety 90 training they
bring with them both as 10 amount and
kind. Is quite perplcXing, Entrance OK
aminations can be made only par
tial test Tor admission. since In many
cases we have applicants deficient in
some particulars, yet OF more advanced
years, and capable of harder work thnn
the regular preparatory course requires,
Exceptions made for such students,
while they have brought some confus-
ion at tirst. have proved profitable by
the end OF the year. The regular prepa-
ratory studies are arithmetic, grammar.
United states history. descriptive geOg-
raphy. spelling and penmanship For
reports on arithmetic and penmanship,
respectively. see Prof Fosters and
Prof. Phelps reports.
Grammar. The text used In English
grammar Is Harvey's. In addition to
the technical grammar work the class
has once a week, or oftener. readings
from the easier writings of some Amer
lean author. in this exercise. drill is
given IN the use ard meaning OF words,
and the student Is taught how to use
the dictionary, encyclopedia. etc. From
this reading exercise one fact Is es-
tablished incontestably: our stu
dents need regular drill In
reading or elocution, that they may be
able to stand up freely and read at
sight any ordinary piece Of English.
This cannot be done. however, without
additional assistance in the prepara-
tory department. IL may be pertinent
to mention here that II was necessary.
for reasons above given TO divide the
grammar class into two divisions In the
earlier part Of the year.
u. S. History. The text used Is John
ston's. Excellent collateral readings
are provided In the library, these being
used as much as is profitable with the
younger students. Readings from the
United States constitution by the class,
and explanatory talks by the instruc-
tor is another feature OF the work.
Geography. For the fall term. gen
eral review of Barnes Complete Geog-
raphy, Montana edition, with two les
sons per week In map drawing, and
physical geography through the winter
and spring terms
English and History. College Courses.
Prof. Foster has charge OF the fresh
man classes, and reference Is made to
his report. In the sophomore year
there are two recitations per week in
American literature. Hawthorne and
Lennon is the text used. Collateral
readings for the term are taken from
Franklin's autobiography and selec-
tions from Bryant and Whittier.
General History There are three
lessons per week. As Introductory TO
this course. a short lecture Is offered
on the Unity and Purport OF History,
giving the students some clue to the
methods of such men as Freeman,
Froude and Fiske. The text used is
Myers two volume edition. The work
for the first term is principally on
Greece Constant use OF our library
Ia made I'm this class.
Junior Year. There are two lessons
per week in literature. McLaughlin's
Literary Criticism is the text used be-
ing a compilation Of the best literary
extracts from the best critical writ.
ings English and American, from the
time Of Sir Philip Sidney to Lowell.
Constitutional History. Hosmer's
Anglo Saxon Freedom ls the text book
used, with readings from Green, Stubhs,
Freeman. Frnude, Fiske and Bancroft
II Will be seen readily that with the
junior year we begin to emphasize In
dIvidual rather than class work.
/ Latin. This study Is at present only
offered az an optional No new class
being started we have but two classes
this year. made up Of special sopho-
more and Junior students. The point
most emphasized Is the relat ton NJ the
language 10 English. in tracing roots
and derivatives. The mental training
Of this special language work. most
particularly Latin, cannot be supplied
by any other study. To the scientific
student especially, is this short Latin
training helpful, if not essential. thnt
they may understand easily the long
complicated tcrmnnlngi's Of botany.
geology, chemistry, physiology, vctcr-
lnary science, etc, r. spcctfully sub
mitted,