Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1916-10-20
{. J. N. Nelson
at Hettinger

c. j. N. Nelson is spending the
week at Hettinger, where he has
charge Of "a Teachers Institute
Below we print brief resume of
the progress made by the Beach
Schools in the last eight years dur.
ing which time Mr.. Nelson was Sup
erintendent.
The Beach High School was Or
ganized September l4th, 1908 with
two pupils the first week, Glenn Wall
lace and Caleb Heath. Alvin How
erson, Theodore Hoverson and Elsie
Jordan enrolled u few days after.
Alvin having freshmen credits from
Glendlve started the Sophomore
year. Dorothy Heath and Harry
Heath of Mandan joined the Sopho-
more class later in the fall.
The board of education consisted
Of b. Z. Dickinson, president; T.. E.
Near and P. c. Erickson, directors.
In June 1909 Mr.. o. NJ. Olson was
elected in the place Of Mr.. Erickson
who retired and in 1911 Mr.. Ed
Hoverson succeeded Mr.. Near. This
board consisting Of Mr.. Dickinson,
MIR. Hoverson and Mr.. Olson was
maintained intact until 1915.
In November 1908 maroon and
white were adopted by the school as
the school color.s
On December 10, 1908 the first re-
ception was held at the State Line
Hotel which was the prelude to the
annual Junior Senior reception. The
seven pupils enrolled together with
the board of education and the fac
ulty and few others were present
The High School Athletic Asso-
citation was organized in Novembe,
1908.
On January is, 1910, Prof. Rich
ard Hayward, State High School
inspector inspected the school fol
the first time and recommended the
school for 3rd class classification
which we received. On April II,
1911 the school was recommended
for End class classification and ap-
proved. On June 2, 1911 was held
the first High School Commencement
and Alvin Hoverson was the first
graduate. lie chose for the EN-
blems Of the school the Trowel and
level which he presented to the pres.
ident of the Junior class with the
hopes that they would continue to
hnild constructively the future OF
the institution.
On March S, 1912, Mr.. Hoversor
and Supt. Nelson went to Fargo to
present to the State High School
Board the appeal from this section
of the state to have the Beach High
School named as one Of the State
Agricultural High Schools with
special state aid to teach agricul-
ture consisting of $2,5OO.OO annu-
ally. To comply with the applica-
tion blank for such school the
board met all requirements for a
first class High School including
departments in manual training and
domestic science and also enlarged
the faculty, in proportion. AS a
result Of the efforts Of Mr.. Hover
son and Supt. Nelson the Beach
High School received the coveted
classification and opened wide
field for the school for future use-
fulness.
In March 1914 the North Central
Association of Colleges approved Of
the school as a first class school
and gave us a national standing and
the severe conditions imposed on
the High Schools belonging to this
association have been complied with
fully to the present time.
The school is only eight years old
but has full science equipment fo,
physics and agriculture, fair
equipment for chemistry, physical
geography. Physiology, botany
zoology, horticulture. Courses are
offered in domestic science, manual
training, commercial, special as
well as courses strictly for college
entrance. The school has Junior
High and offers music and drawing
in all grades.
Prof. Nelson is recognized as one
of the leading educators Of the state
having been elected president Of the
City Superintendent Association
He stands for practical education
believing that it is Of vastly more
Importance for the young people to
learn practical things than to study