Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-24
THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF
/ MONTANA at Missoula has en-

/ MONTANA at Missoula has. en-
tered q new era of advancement.
The forestry building and the gym-
'pasium, two of the six new buildings
under construction. will be occupied
January /. and the other four. the
mems and women's d~ormitories, library
building and the heating plant will be
completed within u few weeks. With
the completion of all six of the build
ings and their occupancy next fall. the
Montana institution will be the equal
of any universityof it's size in the
country. in facilities and appliances
necessary to the advancement of high
er education.
In 1885 the university was formally
opened in one of the public school
buildings in Missoula. Through. the
generosity of two Missou!a citizens,
f. l.. Bonner and f. G. Higgins, who
donated the ground on which the in
stitution now stands, Il home for the
university was provided. This campus
site. 10 acres in extent. lies near the
southeastern limit of the city of Mis-
soula. at the base of the hills which
inclose the eastern end of the valley.
To the north lies the Missoula river,
and westward stretches a broad plain.
whose western and southern bound
aries are the Bitter Root mountains.
In 1897 the legislature authorized a
bond issue of 100000 for the con-
struction of two buildings, and the
University hall and Science hall, the
first structure of the university proper
were erected and are still being used.
Of these two buildings, the former
contained, besides class rooms. the
administrative offices. the library and
the museum. The latter was devoted
to the work in science and engineering
ing plant. The University hall viii
always remain, but the old Science
building is doomed. The erection of
the new Science hall in 1913 usurped
most of the need for class rooms and
the completion of the new heating
plant viii insure its removal.
Other Buildings Added
In 1901 the legislature authorized an
additional bond issue of $4,000 for
the erection of a women's dorlnitory
and gymnasium. and rs Il result Craig
hall was erected on the southwest cor
ner of the campus proper, just inside
the main entrance gate, and the gym
nasium was tucked away behind the
fir trees to the right and back from
the University or Main hall.
In 1907 the legislature appropriated
$4,000 for a library building. The
building was completed in 1908. and
besides housing the library, it accom-
modatcs the law school. a few class
room and offices. -Four years later
$4,000 for an engineering building.
and $4,000 for the enlargement of the
campus, were appropriated. but the
funds for these improvements were
never released by the state board of
e.Aminers. The anne legislature.
however. allowed 5000 for the con
ssruc,ion of a biological station on
Flathead lake. and with this fund a
commodious brick building was erect
ed.
The old Forestry building was erect
ed in 1913. A two-story frame struc-
ture costing less than $2.7G0, it rapid
~ became overcrowded and inadequate.
II is a ramsIackle old affair in com
parison TO the new building. but it
will be retained and made to serve
some purpose.
The Journalism school was founded
in 1911. The lack of room and the
temporary inability to secure funds
necessary for the erection Of a build
ing. forced the professor and his stu
dents to seek shelter in tents, and
the Journalism school persevered
through the fall. In the meantime a
s:Htil appropriation had been made,
and at the beginning Of the winter
quarter in January it occupied a small
frame structure. tucked away in the
southeastern corner of the campus.
The total cost of the building was I'M
der $1,000, but the one-story structure
measuring 80 by 40 feet was Il de-
cfdcl improvement over the canvas
shelters.
J%curnaIism's Present Quarters
S~impkins hall, Marcus Cook hail.
named after students killed in the
world war. were erected in 1918. The
establishment of the reserve officers
training corps at the university. made
the barracks a necessity. and the
government and the state shared in
the expense. With the signing of the
armistice the r. o. T. G.. disbanded.
and the o~vercrowded journalism school
moved into Marcus Coop hall, where
it is located at the present time. The
Students training corps is a required
part of Che curriculum at the univer-
sity, and they share the building with
the journalists. The downstairs is
devoted to offices and a rifle range,
the upper story containing the journal
ism library and class rooms.
The upper story of Simpkins hall is
i!sed as a boys dormitory, and the
lower floor is divided in half, one part
serving as Il cafeteria. the other sec
ton being utilized as class rooms. The
rear of the building is equipped with
shower baths. The completion of the