Belt Valley times., 1926-04-01

At tinms wAem sA@sa b ~ 1888
: that Is unfair ana nslsxue belaa 80
died IN eonnsctaon VITA tha danEiaszl
OF Dominic spoeen Zoe sehSol sxuaaas
IL might BE- well to consider sens d
tbs facts IN tie cass.
Mr. Snogen has bsen tFnstae d
} this school district for = good maass
years and has been chairman Of eA'
Board since the dsath Of JEAN Cast
ner. IE may be also said that thaas
has never been program Of con
struction or advancement In the Bel
schools since his membership on TIA
Board that Mr. spoeen has not beea
found with his shoulder to the wheal
pushing and boosting 70 the best Of
his considerable ability.
He has never favored teacher be
cause Of her religion and has nevsa
opposed q teaeher because Of her re
IigiDn
In one Of the periods Of industrial
inactivity in Belt when the calamity
howlers were predicting certain doom
for this city, the high school build
ing was proposed and the bonds, ni1
thousand dollars. were voted. Fos
this favorable action Dominic Spogen
was largely responsible because his
interest in and enthusiasm for the
cause inspired the people Of Belt with
his optimism.
After the building was completed Il
was found that in order to become
an accredited high school It was ne-
cessary that science room should be
equipped according TO standards laid
down by the state department. There
was no money but the Board were
not disheartened. SpOgen secured q
gift Of three hundred dollars from
the a C. M. Co. and with another
eiss6er Of the board obtained a total
on s77syO0 from popular subscription
With this sum the present equipment
was secured.
At this time there was no hall for
eonmunity meetines in the city.
There was no gymnasium. Therss was
no high school assembly room The
Auditorium was projected and Mr..
speeen was again one Of the chief
supporters Of the movement which
secured for Belt a building which has
repaid the district in value received
q hundred times over. Bonds to tho
amount Of $4,000 were issued, the rest
of the cost Of the building being paid
from the general fund.
Up to this time there was no county
wide high school tax and the school
board Of Belt realized the inadequacy
II the funds at their disposal for
nigh school purposes. Their revenue
.ane only from the four mill county
general school levy and from special
axes.
Realizing the insufficiency Of this
income for high school and grade
leeds, Mr.. Spogen and the city sup
Irintendent drafted = bill and with '
he approval Of the board took this !
i'll to the legislature IN Helena '
where after six weeks Of al.
ornate hope and dispair they Sc Y
ured It's passage, This law pro ?
ides for a county wide tex Of three b
nils for high school purposes alone Il
nd has proved boon to hundred e
ther districts IN The state. This is d
he law that this year and next year b
ill provide the funds for your child i
en- to receive fhsir high school train q
lg at home because no district tax Il
-Ould ever have provided funds SUIT e
cient since i9i7 a
No matter what any one may tell
ou the fact remains that the create,
art Of the credit Of providing ade-
aate funds for District No. 20 be-
ngs to Dominic Spogen Just as the :.
edit for careful management o :
lose funds belongs to the rest o. :,
e school board.
Each one Of us has smaD Sphere
here he is particularly asefui. ii
iroughOut the state among the Ode.
hoOI men SpOeen is weli-knowp an IN
gratefully remembered because Of
5 service to many school districts in
lom he assisted while working by
" for Belt. w
At the present time when there are
fficient funds to run the schools in ia
mfOrts few can realize the intense
'fS0my necessary, during those da
ars. in school finance or the siren. tn
'as fight made BY Mr. Sposen with jus
, other members OF the board to str
prove conditsOns. SET
rhey worked hard They schsmed ,ia
" planned. they bujIt fhe Belt A.