Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-04-12
SCHOOLSOF
LEWISTOWN
Splendid Progress Has Been Made
During the Past Year in All
Of the Grades.
COMMENCEMENT DAY PROGRAM
Operetta to be Presented at CuIver's
Opera House-The Fire Drill
Increase in Attendance.

AS Iuc llIuc dpTpOdCucS LOT LQo city
schools to close, interest of teachers
and pupils alike increases in the great
event of the school year, and both
will have cause for congratulation on
the progress made.
Commencement day will occur this
year on May 10, and there will be
twenty graduates from the eighth
grade into the high school, as COM
pare with 12 last year. The event is
to be celebrated by the students by
the presentation of an operetta at
Culver's opera house on the evening
of May 10.
J. R. Bevis, the efficient superin-
tendent, has about completed his sta
tistical report for the past year, and
while there will be some additions
to it later, it shows accurately the
present condition of the schools and
the progress made during the year.
The total number of pupils enrolled
during the year was 5S5, as compared
with sos last year, an increase of II.
The average daily attendance has
been 95 per cent, which is considered
an excellent showing. The cases OF
hardness have been reduced to a
minimum during the past year, and
truancy and corporal punishment are
practically things Of the past.
The teachings corps at the city
schools is one of the very finest in
the whole state.
Including superintendent Bevis,
there are thirteen teachers, and their
standing may be understood when 1t
is said that nine of them have state
certificates or diplomas or both, While
ten are normal graduates, and all have
received special training for their
work.
The teaching staff is composed OF
Jennie A. Fulton, Agnes frost, Geor-
gle Metcalf, l.. May Ruthruff, Allca
O'Hara, Mrs. Minnie c. Holman. 10
Remington, Orpha Noble, Mercy Jack
son. Lena Newell, Jessie Kingsbury,
Margaret Hughey.
Recently the fire drill has been in
troduced in the central building, and
great proficiency has beer attained in
this. The 231 pupils now attending
there are, under this system, taken
out of the building in about minute
and a quarter. This will be gradually
reduced to one minute, which is about
the least time possible there. The
children take a great interest in the
drill, and it is a sight worth seeing
when they form in their rooms, and
march out like a body of soldiers on
narade. The records made by the pu-
nils has been exceptionally good this
wear. due largely to the interest with
which the instructors have inspired
them in their work. Superintendent
Beyis has worked out a system of his
own for keeping the records OF the
pupils. who show signs of falling too
| far behind in any particular study,
and those who fall below Is per cent
received special attention with view
to bringing up their standing and this
rarely fails.
There has been just printed at the
| Argus Job office, a book On the Lew
istown schools, which is one of the
most complete and valuable publica-
tions of the kind ever put out in Mon
tana. The matter was all prepared
|
the excellence of the school system
of this city. While intended primarily
as an aid to the teachers and pupils
in their work, it will be valuable
exhibit as to the educational facilities
offered in this city. This Is one of the
things that receives careful attention
at the hands of those who may be
thinking of locating in new place
and fills an actual want.
It gives complete information as to
the course of study, the rules under
which teachers and pupils work, with
much other valuable data. In pass
ing. a word of praise is due for per
feet conditions prevailing at the school
houses. At the central building, ev
erything is as neat and orderly as in
a parlor, and the department OF the
pupils is most excellent. They show
an interest in their work and that Is
a source of inspiration to the teach
ers.
In order to further beautify the cen
tral school, the teachers have just or
dered a number of classical and his
torical statuary, which will be use6
to ornament the assembly hall, in
which 1O9 pupils are now accommo
| L.
be placed before the schools close.
At the High School.
The past year has been one OF excep
tional progress at the county hlgf
school, and under the able direction
of P. NJ. Silloway, who is serving his
last term with that institution. it ha:
developed in all directions, and Pror
Silloway can turn the work over u
his successor with feeling OF pride
in what ne has accomplished.
There will be two graduates at thu
school this year, Leo Beebe and JohI
Phillips, and the students. numberin'
nearly 100, are looking forward tt
the annual commencement.
Prof. Silloway has completed the ar
rangement of the wonderful collec
tion of Montana birds made by him
, In the museum there are hundreds o
fine specimens, all skillfully mounted
and ranging from the golden eagle t.
the tiny humming bird. Then Their
is a correspondingly large and valu
able collection of birds eggs.
Prof. silloway has also secured
collection of Montana woods. thes