The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-13

of the special school tax had not been
paid, and that a majority of the lead
ing business houses had not deemed it
expedient to send checks until they as
certained what other taxpayers were
doing in the matter. The smaller tax
payers had come to the rescue in a
very creditable way, but many were
waiting to see what the larger ones had
in their minds. 1t was case of wait
ing to see the other fellows hand, and
very nearly proved disastrous to both.
Chairman II. A. Pease and Superin-
tendent Harmon, however, drew up a
little document Saturday morning
which stated substantially that the un-
dersigned would pay the delinquent
special school tax, and before noon
Chairman Pease had secured II sigma
lures which, with few others, will
raise the percentage to about 50 per
cent. Both the Northern Pacific Rail
way company and Nelson Story prom
Used that as soon as the treasurer
would certify that two-thirds of this il
legal tax had been paid they would
contribute their assessment. This will
now be done, and therefore the school
board is happy.
But this is not all, Bozeman has been
called the school town of the state. 1t
has boosted that its public schools are
graded higher than any others in Mon
tana and that it proposed to keep
ahead in educational matters. It would
have been a sad blow to the prestige
of the town had the majority of the
leading merchants and heavy taxpay-
ers refused to come forward in the time
of need and the 1000 school children
attending it's public schools turned
loose for nine months and deprived Of
the benefits of instruction in the three
"R's' at an age when the young idea
is most compatible. When it is re-
membered that Bozeman has had more
,toI wit IiY, TO
porate limits the past year than any
other town along the route OF The
Northern Pacific; that it is very ditfi-
cult matter to rent a house OF any
kind, and that this is caused mainly
by outside families moving in to send
their children to the college, hlgh
school and public schools, there was
ample reason for the school board to be
unhappy and the dila tory taxpayers to
come to the rescue in the eleventh
hour. Had the schools closed on the LIST
of January the town would have lost
its reputation, the merchants tneir
trade, the school teachers their salar-
les, and last. but not least, the 1000
children would have been turned loose
for many months without the restrain
ing influence of school. Chairman
Pease of the city school board says
he feels about II feet tall: While super.
intendent Harmon is contented with Ia
that ends Well"
The six members of the state board
of education who visited the State A2-
ricultural college on Wednesday were
very much interested with everything
they saw. The first thing they took
part in was the assembly meeting. at
which both Governor Smith and Attor-
ney General Nolan addressed the stu
dents. The remainder of the day was
devoted to a thorough inspection of the
various departments, in all of which
the students We're working hard. In
the workshop the visitors were very
much interested in the various expert
ments, such as testing bars of iron
with the testing machine. The chemi-
cal laboratories were also enjoyed and
many of the students displayed their
knowledge of chemicals and amused
the distinguished guests with simple
and harmless practical demonstrations.
At noon the young ladies of the domes-
tic science department touched the soft
spot where men are all vulnerable and
showed the governor of Montana and
the other members of the state board
of education what can be done in the
way of a luncheon for tic. Taking the
whole day together the board were not
only surprised but delighted with the
college work. &