The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07
2,o52 STUDENTS ENROLLED

City System includes Five
Grade Schools, High School,
Athletic Field
Bismarck, even In its infancy. VA
mindful Of the Injunction to put first
things first. Thus in September Of
1873, the first public school was estab.
liShed In the new Congregational
church building, ct the southeast
corner Of the courthouse block, on
Thayer Avenue and Sixth st., where
II was continued through 1874, 1875
and 1876. In the summer Of 1877 Il
was temporarily housed In the dwell
ing now occupied by Mrs. J. p. Dunn
ct 208 Third st.
During the territorial legislative
session Of 1877, Edmund Hackett, Bur-
leigh countys house member, put
through q bill authorizing school dis
trict No. Of Burleigh county to Is
sue bonds to provide . site and the
erection Of . brick school building.
It further provided for . bond issue
Of $4,000, and that the building should
be at the center Of Bismarck town
site, and be controlled by officers Of
District No. l. This two-room brick
building was erected on the present
site Of the win school, corner Of Fifth
st. and Rosser Avenue.
After the completion Of the North
Ward school In 1884, this building was
used for county offices, and In 1905
torn down to make way for the pres
ent VIII school.
The territorial legislature enacted .
law in 1881 giving the city Of Bis
marck six-member board Of educa-
ton. In 1852 the board Of education
secured for q school site the block now
occupied by the william Moore school.
In 1883, among other important acts
passed by the territorial legislature
such as the capital removal bill, and
penitentiary location bill-was passed
an act authorizing the city Of Bis.
marck. Dakota Territory, to issue
bonds for the purpose Of building and
furnishing school house.
The city Of Bismarck was empow-
cred to bond itself for $4,000 for
building and furnishings. The build
ing was to be completed on or be-
fore September, 1884. The architects
were With Brothers Of st. Paul,
Mimi. The building was designed after
. modern school house In Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Named for Principal
This building housed both grade
and high school-witnessing . sue
cesSion Of principals and teachers-
until the building Of the VIII school
in 1905 and the high school In 1912.
when It was converted into q grade
school, and on April 16, 1918. its name
was officially changed to the william
Moore school, in honor Of the man
who was It's principal from 1906 to
1905.
BY 1908 the growth Of the school
population demanded further expan-
sion Of its housing facilities, and the
Will school was built. named after
Oscar H. viii, founder Of the Oscar
H. Will and Co., and for many years
member Of the school board
In the minds Of many, the grade
school problem had been settled for
many years to come: but after the
erection Of the present high school
In 1912. several Of its rooms were
requisitioned for the grades. Even
50. by 1918. It was imperative that
further provision b made, and the
Wachter school was built, being named
for another member Of tho school
board. Charles q. Wachter. History
repeated itself by 1870, and the Rich
holt school was erected. This school
was named for +. H. Richholt, who
died 1t camp during the World war.
He was . son Of Henry Richholt, long
. member Of the board Of education.
In 1923 tho Roosevelt school Was built
to serve the west side o the north,
south and east sides already were
served. BY 1880 the Wachter school
was overcrowded and IN. addition Of
three rooms and gymnasium WAS
made. The year lo27-lo2e saw .
three-room addition made to tho WIN
school.
Turning back to 1917 to the erection
Of the present high school, those who
had the responsibility Tor it, plane
ming were xgnally lacking In faith
and imagination. Although In 1915
two rooms could b spared for the
overflow Of the grades, BY 1870 o.
1871 . process Of increasing rooms
for the high school WAS begun. and
the assembly which was intended 70
provide for 800 students had 70 b
re-seated repeatedly % that SO stu.
dents could b accommodated. The
halls. always narrow, were made more
20 By rows Of lockers. Office rooms
and students retiring rooms gave way
to class rooms. BY tho summer q
1925, no further extension miracle
could b wrought. and three-room
wooden annex Wls built and still q
In use.
Dsun8sa Athlstio llel1
In 1875 there was . valuable addi-
tiou made to the educational equip
ment, not n the form o1 . building,
but none-the-leGs important. On
June . Of that year !. A. Hughes
decided to the board q education. for
the use Of the physical education de-
rartment Of the public schools. audi
tor lots II, n. = and a.. On Oct.
10. lo2o, he made N additional eiftl
OF auditors lots Is and n. III IN tho
northwestern section q thu city.
The board o. education he's devel-
oped theso lots into . 1lne athleticl
1leld with ample pc0vi1lons Tor foot
bah, track and tennis. e q enclosed
~ = hin1n fAnk fnnnn And hlnn0lAnHR