Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-03-16
Finishing Touches Being Put on the
Structure This Week-The
Pride of the City.
THE INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT
Rooms for Work and for Play-Sehool
Well Equipped With Appara-
tus of All Sorts.

day putting the nnlShlng tOuches On
the first floor and within a few days
they will move u and the structure
will be turned over to the school
board. On Monday afternoon the Ar
gus news gatherer was kindly shown
through the building by Superintend-
ent Silloway, whose explanations OF
the purposes to which the different
rooms will be devoted and the scope
of the work now being done by the
high school added materially to the
interest of the visit.
In outward appearances the build
ing will compare most favorably with
any public school building in the
state of Montana. Situated as 1t is,
on the highest point, or nearly so,
within the corporate limits of the
city. il not only looms up magnif-
Gently from all parts of the town, but
from its second story As a vantage
point, one can get a most excellent
bird's-eye view of l.ewistown. Con-
structed on modern architectural
lines, it will be a pleasing introduc-
ton to the city as ii first comes into
view from the train on rounding the
bend beyond the cemetery. There
yet remains walks 10 be built, a
grassy lawn to be started and trees
to he planted before the exterior view
shall be the most pleasing. Such ad.
ditions depend upon the more leisure
~ construction of nature and cannot
be produced at once, but within two
seasons the grass ought To be get.
ting a good start.
The excellent impression made by
the exterior view is maintained by
a visit through the interior of the
building. Everywhere there are EVIL
dences of first-class workmanship.
Solidity and permanenCe mark every
detail. In the basement Is one OF the
best heating plants eyer put in a
building. IL has already been test
ed this winter and found absolutely
adequate for any sort OF weather. On
this floor. also. are located the toilet
rooms and two play rooms. one for
the boys and n for the girls. Each
play room Is of sufficient size for
hand ball courts and tne boys have
ample room to practice battery work
in base ball or go through signal prac.
tice in the foot ball season. In time
these gymnasiums viii be equipped
with the usual agym apparati and ak.
cellent and healthful exercise thus
provided TO the pupils.
On the first floor proper are seven
rooms. two of which will be used as
Office rooms. four as recitation rooms
and the remaining room for a mu.
scum. The museum will be one of
the most interesting rooms of the
school as soon as all of the shelves
and tables are placed and the speci-
mems arranged. Owing to the inter
est which Professor Silloway has TAX
en- in the collection OF birds, skins.
eggs. woods. butterflies and other
specimens for the museum. the Fer
gus County High School stands sec
ond to the State University in the
matter of museum. There will be
exhibited about 300 bird skins, rep
resenting a variety of not less than
100 species. All of the principal va
rieties OF butterflies and about two
dozen varieties of Montana trees.
mostly from the Flathead lake reg.
ion. will be included in the collection.
On the first floor, directly in front
nf tho p,ain entrance l., a arua u.al1
lighted recitation room capable of ac.
commodating rs pupils.
Like the first floor. the second moor
contains seven rooms. Up here are
located the biological laboratories.
The physical laboratory is especially
well equipped for a school OF this
size, the electrical apparati being
particularly complete. The supplies
have been ordered for the chemical
laboratory and will be in as soon as
a shipment of freight arrives owe the
railroad. On this floor is the dark
room. which will he used in develop
ing pictures which will be taken by
the pupils. The library is a large.
well lighted room with tables and
chairs for all who may have occa.
sion to work there at the same time.
Although there are but 300 volumns in
the library, they are unusually we'll
selected and consist OF reference and
supplementary works. There is no
fiction in the library as the city H.
brary supplies the requirements in
that direction. Among other things
which are now needed In the library
is a SEA of modern encyclopedias. The
library Is being added TO as strict
occasion necessitateS and, with the
are with which the books are select
ed, IL will be a matter of but a short
while before the library will be above
the standard of the average school.
The high school generally is in a
most prosperous condition at the
present time. The epidemic of meas,
les, which has been prevalent in The
city Tor the past two months. has IN.
terlered somewhat with the work but
about nj of the students are once
more IN their classes and the few va
cant places arc being rapidly filed
The .d,ult" Is unusually harmonious
but aiJther teacher is badly needed
as all of the teachers are crowded
for I C. This need will be remedict
witt in another year and even bette
work an be looked for and better he
suits secured. This year there arr
but LSe members Of the graduating
elias They all graduated from tn,
three err course last spring but re
turned 10 take advantage of the ado
Gu r. As now arranged. the u 81
a~rticulates with all of the principa
colleges and universities and arrange
ment will be perfected by which Lh,
gIadu les from the Fergus county in
stitut on can pass into any OF tn
higher institutions Of learning with
out being required to take n pre-
liminnry examinations.