The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-18
Ten YEARS. HARD WORK
Professor Hamilton Has Been
Good and Faithful Servant.
GROWTH OF THE SCHOOLS
When He Took Charge of Them in 1889
the Enrolment Was 175-Now 1t
Is e24-Great Efficiency Has
Been Attained.

Missoula June 1.-THE school year
that has just closed completed the 10th
year of consecutive service of ]. M
Hamilton as principal and superintend-
ent of the public schools of the Missoula
district. During that time there have
been many important changes in the
city and in it's schools and a substantial
growth, both in the number of pupils in
the schools and in the facilities provid-
ed for their misunderstanding in
mind Judge Woody's decision that a
teacher is a facility-and the showing
is altogether to the credit of Mr.. Ham
ilton. For three years preceding 1889,
when Mr.. Hamilton became principal
of the city schools, there had been a
change each year in the principalship
In 1887 S. G. Murray retired from the
principalship to practice law Principal
Barnes followed but was retired after
serving during the year 1SSS-S9. In Sep
TENDER, 1889, Mr.. Hamilton took charge
of the schools and he has remained ever
since. At the request of the Standard,
Mr.. Hamilton has prepared some fig
ures relating to the growth of the
schools during the 10 years that he has
been at their head and these statistics
columns. Mr. Hamilton says:
II took charge of the schools in Sep
TENDER, 1889. The year before l came
the teachers We're, in addition to Prin-
cipal Barnes, Mrs. Murray, Mrs Trib-
by and Miss Heath. AT that time the
Murray, W. NJ. Bickford and ]. F. Case.
Joe Case was clerk. The enrolment
that year GSS9) was 175. The enroll
ment in 1899, 10 years later, is 924. This
is a substantial increase of 52S per cent.
In 1889 the number of teachers was
four, with monthly salaries of $345. In
1899 the number of teachers is 10. with
monthly salaries of 81 ,430. In 1889 there
was one school house, with five rooms.
There are now four buildings, contain
ing % rooms. These school houses are
all brick and are of modern construction
and well equipped. The number of vol
umes in the school library 10 years ago
was go We have now 1850 books in ac
tual use.
When I took charge of the schools
here there was no printed course of
study and no regulations or rules. The
work of syStematiZing the schools was
begun by the issuing of printed courses
of study, with the rules and regulations
adopted by the board. At that time
there was neither record of grades nor
of classes. We now have a complete
lSNolb VI CNtlS pupil Niio has ottVhNVA
school. of his grades and his studies
and of his attendance, but 1889 is az
far back as this record goes.
During these 10 years the following
persons have served as trustees: S. 6
Murray. w. M. Bickford, J. F. Case, c.
F. Davis. Mrs. Sue Reinhard Mrs. John
Rankin. J. S. Booth. A. ]. Urlin, A. P
S. Bellew, J. J. Buckley, r. M. Cobban
D. A. Sheldon, e. Z. Hershey, Mrs
Jessie Thompson, E. A. Winstanley, ]
H. Puliiam and j. NJ. Evans. During
the same period the following clerks
have held the office: Joe Case. E. E
Hershey, c. H. ,Musgrave and j. w. Blu
ford. The two school buildings known
as the South Side and North Side build
ings were erected in 1891. The East Sid.
building was completed in 1898.
Next fall our high school will bt
moved to the quarters which were oc
cupied by the state university for tire!
years and a half in the South Side
building, and We will have one of the
best equipped high schools in the state
For next year q teachers have been en-
gagged and we expect a considerable in
| crease in the enrolment"
The board of trustees has wisely de
| cided to relieve Mr.. Hamilton of al
| duties as teacher and he will now b.
| able to devote all of his time to tn,
| u TIC WIN VI liz
schools. The growth of the schools anC
| the scattered locations of the building:
| has made this absolutely necessary anC
| the slight added expense of maintainin:
| this arrangement will be more thai
| compensated for by the greater eff
| cheney that will be attained. There ar
| few western cities that can boast of {
| superintendent whose term of office ha
| been so long. In this country wher
| there is so much constant change it i
| pleasant to note this exception to TIL
| general rule. Mr.. Hamilton has beer
member of the state board of educa
| ton since it was first organized and nj
services in connection with the estab
| liShment of the state university an
| its subsequent history have been Yer
| beneficial to that institution. With tn
| removal of the restrictions which Wer
placed upon his work by the fact tina
| he was required to do a certain amour
of teaching, his work will be even NOR
| efficient than 1t has been and the i'm
| provement in the condition of tn
| schools should be marked.