Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-01-13

80
(From Our Helena Correspondent
Up to and including December "a,
the membership of the Montana Edu-
cation association reached 1900, ac-
cording to the annual report of the
membership committee given before
the delegate assembly. Cascade coun-
ty heads the list witt 1873 members,
followed by Gallatin with 1856, Fergus
with $50, Flathead with 161, Missoula
with 165, and Lewis and Clark with
118.
Silver Bow county. despite the fact
that 1t is the heaviest populated county
In the state, has but three members in.
the association, while the smallest coun-
ties such as Wibaux, Wheatland, Golden
Valley and Treasure, each have more
than rs members.
The number of member by counties
follows:
Fifty-five, Beaverhead; 70, Big Horn;
"a, Blaine: 81, B~roadwater: al, Carbon;
10, Carter; 1913. Cascade; lie. Chouteau;
1875. Custer; 60. Daniels; 60, Dawson; s,
Deer Lodge; "a Fallon; 1870, Fergus; 161,
Flathead; 1885, Gallatin; Is, Garfield; Al,
Glacier; 81, Golden Valley; 25. Granite:
So, Hill; "a, Jefferson; So, Judith Basin;
80, Lake; 118, Lewis and Clark; rs. Lib
erty: Sc, Lincoln; 81, McCone; SIS, Madi-
son; 80, Meagher; 10. Mineral; Isl, Mis-
soula; sc, Musselshell; IL, Park; %, Pc
troleum; so, Phillips; 40, Pondera; 40.
Prairie; So, Ravalli; SO, Richland; SO,
Roosevelt; 80. Rosebud; 76. Sanders; 80.
Sheridan; 3. Silver Bow; 81, Saltwater;
80, Sweet Grass; go, Teton; 48, Toole;
25, Treasure; So. Valley, So, Wheatland:
246. Yellowstone; 80, Wibaux, and 10 out
OF state.
oe+ roap+5 proc tho onIIuet naca,ohar
that Montana has experienced since 1879
when the first weather bureau was estab-
lished at Havre. The mean temperature
for the month was LIS degrees above
zero. The forcer record was 1.6 above
zero, established in 1884.
Total snowfall for 1927 was 1877 inches.
Only once In the last 48 years-in 1897,
had the total snowfall been greater. In
1897, 1915 inches Of snow fell.
Last November vas the coolest Novem-
Der that Montana had experienced since
1897. The mean temperature for that
month was 20.8 degrees above zero. The
lowest temperatures for November were
SO degrees below zero, recorded on the
seventh n ~thirty-frst.
Montana's supreme court handed Town
an opinion that harks back to romantic
days when the west vas in the making.
in holding that Rose Baker, a Cree In
dian, was not the common law wife OF
Samuel Peppin of Havre, hence is not en-
titled to a dover interest in his lands
which extended into four counties.
Peppin died In 1914. He was known
throughout the west as a commercial
captain OF affluence. His activities In
stage coach days, in mercantile enter
prises, cattle and stock industries extend
ed his lands to thousands Of acres.
Several years before Peppin was called
to his reward he adopted a half breed
Cree girl. named Elizabeth, to whom he
willed estate. Elizabeth Peppin was the
daughter of Rose Baker and a French
Canadian named Trottier.
The adopted daughter, in turn, sold
thousands of acres of the Peppin estate
to the Shepherd e. Pierson company of
Havre. Then Rose Baker, mother OF the
adopted daughter OF the western empire
builder, stepped in and declared herself
the common law wife OF Peppin. and, as
such, entitled to a dover right in his
holdings. In this contention she was
upheld by the Hill county district court.
The supreme court, however. holds that
inasmuch as her French Canadian hus-
band by common law marriage was liv-
ing at the time Of death Of Peppin that
she can not claim common law marriage
to two men. The court also finds that
Rose Baker and the French Canadian
COulcIItQ Will ICpPlA lCSdAdAi6 AN
adoption OF their daughter, Offering
further proof to the court Of the exist
ence OF a common law husband.
When claims were made by the Cree
Indian woman, the company brought suit
to quiet title.
Repeal or modification Of the property
classification law, whereby the taxable
value is determined, was suggested as an
alternative to q proposal for an increased
levy for support Of units Of the greater
university when the levy OF 1k mills
expires In 1880, by Chancellor M. A.
Brannon, who led a discussion OF fnanc-
ing Of Montana's schools, before the del
egate assembly OF the Montana Educa-
ton association.
Two commissions, n to survey the
educational needs Of the state and one
to survey the taxation system OF the
state were advocated by Chancellor
Brannon. The educational survey would
be conducted by leaders OF parent-teach-
er associations, the Montana Education
association, the department OF public In
struction, the state board OF education,
education experts from the university,
and educational leaders from out OF the
state. The taxation commission woul
be chosen from the board of equaliza-
ton, the department Of public instruc-
ton, economists at the University OF
Montana, and tax experts, according to
the chancellor's plan.