The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-07
HOME or VI. N. g. "a. IN THIS CITY
FORMALLY OPENED.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Lieut.. GOV. Norris Delivers Address.
says Patriotism, Education and Mo
,raiity Are Greatest Forces In Max
inn oY : Great Commonwealth.
From Saturdays Daily.

I4OA4 @~H.S s=A EE[lI5Lr
The first Y. M. g. A. building in
the state Of Montana. was formally
opened and dedicated In this city last
night with appropriate exercises,
which were attended by more than
500 people Of Billings. Lieut.. Gov
Norris Of Dillon delivered the princi-
pal address Of the evening, taking for
his subject, Things That Count Most
in the Making Of a Great Common
wealth" The meeting was presided
over BY H. m. Allen.
After invocation, Scripture reading
and prayer by pastors Of the city, s.
e. Dove gave q brief resume OF the
history Of the Y. M. g. "A. In this city
from the time the movement was
started in this city during the State
Christian Endeavor convention in
June, 1904, until the funds for the con
struction OF the building raised
Col. II. w. Rowley. chairman Of the
building committee. read the report
Of the committee and turned the keys
over to the president Of the !associa-
ton, II. m. Allen.
Cost Of Building.
P. B. Moss, chairman Of the finance
committee read the report Of his
committee. which showed that the to-
tai expense of building and equipping
the structure was q trifle over $780,
900. Mr.. Moss stated that more than
$45, 900 had already been collected
from subscriptions and that all hui
about $4,000 Of the amount neces
sary to free the building from~debt
had been subscribed and that q loan
had been negotiated with the Billings
estate for $4,000, in order to COM
plete the building.
In Merorlam.
Mrs. Ella McCray paid a tribute to
the memory Of La Verne Clayton,
whose parents did much toward beau
tifying the plunge, in his memory.
In his address Lieut.. Gov. Norris
said that he was astounded at the
remarkable growth Of this city and
that It seemed like an Aladdin with
his lamp had transformed this valley
from q large tract Of sagebrush land
to a prosperous farming community,
and a struggling village to a modern
city.
He said that the state Of Montana
had laid aside it's swaddling clothes
and was no longer a frontier state,
but instead was forging ahead at q
wonderful rate, and ever seeking for
perfection. He spoke briefly on pa
triotism, education and morality,
which he dubbed the three cardinal
virtues Of state, and said that the
greatest OF these three virtues was
morality.
Patriotism Wins Respect.
He said that 1t was not standing
armies that won respect for nations
but that it was the patriotism that the
people displayed and cited as an ex
ample the difference in the amount Of
respect which other nations show the
little country Of Switzerland and the
amount Turkey commands.
He criticised the present methods
, Of education. saying that there was
too much academic and not enough o.
the practical, but said that he wa
glad to see that the schools of tn
{ present day lean more toward thu
practical, so that in q few years I
hoy can be given a profession or avo
cation the same as he 10 graduated II
the academic at present.
He urged morality on every one
, and said that he thought the z. M. 9
Ia. did more for morality than an.
other association or organization Q
the present day.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Norris I'D
dress all Joined In singing america,
and the Rev. D. q. Dunhn Delivers
the b~enediction. !
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