The river press., 1914-08-19
THE BILLINGS POLYTECHNIC

when the Polytechnic was organiz-
ed at Billings six years ago no one
VINO knew its purpose doubted its
success but few realized how large
place it was to occupy in educa-
t'onal affairs in the Northwest. At
taat time all there was to the Poly
techllc was all idea IN the heads of
the directors, Lewis =. and Ernest T.
Eaton. This idea. when made known
to some of the leading business and
professional men of Eastern Montana,
won their most active support. The
late John ID. Losekamp, the author
OF the County High School law, was
the largest giver and the most &C.
tive helper. Associated with him in
the promotion of this new school were
l. ID. ODonnell, the supervising farm
er OF all the government irrigation
projects; Senator w. B. George; Hon.
f. Z. Camp; Judge James R. Goss;
Col. H. w. Rowley; Hon. Joseph
Pope; P. B. Moss; Christian Yegen;
w. NJ. Johnston; and A. c. Logan. |
The interest in this educational
idea was not confined to Montana.
Among the first outside the state to
take an active part in its organiza'
tion was James j. Hill who gave
$25,d0C for the purchase of a model
demonstration farm which today is
the most beautiful quarter section of
land in Montana, with it's great va
riety OF growing and ripening crops.
Two thousand people outside of Mon
tana have endorsed the Polytechnic
idea of practical training for life
by giving for it's support and up-build-
ing. Every year has seen an increase
in its accommodations and equip
ment Last year a beautiful cottage
for the accommodation of sixty girls
was constructed from sandstone cut
from the bluffs on the Polytechnic
farm. This cottage contains the COM
plete domestic science department,
music rooms, besides society halls
and the living apartments for the
young ladies.
There is under process of cOnstruc-
ton this summer, dining hall which
is being built from the stone cut
from single boulder from the bluffs.
The late Mr.. Losekamp, in his will,
provided for the construction of a
$4,000 building for the Conservatory
of Music. This building will contain
an auditorium to seat six hundred,
recital halls, studios, and music rooms
and will be the most complete Con-
servatory of Music west of Chicago.
This fall ground will be broken for a
Y. NJ. c. A. building and boys dor
mitory which, in addition to the three
dormitories already built, will provide
accommodations for one hundred and
fifty boys. When the buildings now
in process of construction or planned
are completed, the Polytechnic will
be the most complete school plant in
the state of Montana with property
valued at $25O,OOO. All this has been
accomplished during the past six
years through free-will offerings OF
men and women who are seeking to
give the boys and girls of Montana
and the surrounding states the very
best educational advantages.
The Polytechnic is more than a
school. 1t is training for all-round
citizenship. The student takes an ac-
tive part in the model state which,
through it's legislative, judicial. and
executive departments, makes, inter-
prets, and carries out it's own laws.
1t is safe to say that no state In the
country is better governed than the
little State of Polytechnic.
The Polytechnic is also an indus
trial community. One of its princl-
pies is that the love and capacity for
real work is an essential element in
the training of our boys and girls. The
! boys do all the work on the one hun
! dred and sixty acre irrigated farm;
they care for the dairy, poultry, hogs,
and can the vegetables; they cut the
rock and help build the buildings
they help in the boarding department
! and do all the janitor and repair
work around the school. At the pres
ent time, with the exception of the
cook, there is not hired over.seer or
workman on the place.
This institution may we'll be called
the school with the open door, as
there are no entrance requirements
for young men or women over four
teen years of age. Any young per
son may enter this school and take
Ap the studies he needs. Practical
work is given in Engineering. Agri
culture, Business. Domestic Science
and Normal Training. 1t is rapidly
becoming a peoples university.
Many who have been watching the
Polytechnic, believe that it is to be
come, in the near future, the most
important institution in the state. II
is able to reach the lives of more