The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-09-22

I The contract for the first
school building, a two and a
half story frame building 4O x
IS, was let in the spring and
completed in September. Ihls
was later enlarged, and Was a
fine type of colonial building. 1t
was torn down a few years ago
The UrSuline nuns who VOL
unteered for the work among
the Crows were delayed and dld
not reach the mission until Oc-
toher l. The following day. the
new school building vas blessed
and called St. Francis Xavier
school. Mother Amadeus, a real
pioneer in educational work in
the West, was Superior, and
came with the three nuns to be
stationed here. Their names
were Sister Mary Magdalen, Sis
ter Joseph and Sister Rose.
They taught, cared for and
fed the many pupils who crowd
ed to enter the school.
BY the end of the year there
were $50 pupils and two new
buildings, one "a X 100 feet for
dormitory, school and work. The
other, SO x IS feet was used as
a church. This is the church
that is still being used.
The first pupil enrolled was
John Keough and the second
Joe Horse Whip of Mountain
Pocket. Both are still living at
st. Xavier.
Father Prando was the first
postmaster at the st. Xavier
mission. The mail came by way
of Fort Custer and Crow Ag-
ency.
The opening of the north
western part of the reservation
about 1903 or 1864 brought
many settlers to that part, and
when Hardin was established
and a bridge built over the Big
Horn, many came to lease and
buy land in the upper valley.
There we're cattle men. The
Dana and Heinrich'S outfits
were the largest already estab-
lished on the reservation.
Frank Heinrich established
his headquarters near St. Xav-
Ter, and soon fences enclosed
what had been open prairie.
The first roads were along the
river and over the hills to Grow
Agency. The stage brought the
NAL from there and visitors
who came by train were forced
to ride on the stage, usually a
large lumber wagon, or hire a
livery team at Grow Agency.
Then came the boom with the
discovery of Oil on soap creek.
The lure of the black gold drew
lease hunters from many places.
The old town was deserted for
the new town site, and soon
there were several kinds of bus
mess places established, even a
bank and a drug store. The old
trading store was no longer the
only meeting place for cattle
men and cowboys, rancherS and
others. There were many rivals
in the field. The boom collapsed
and the oil business for some
reason was at a stand = still.
Many of the drifters decided
to drift elsewhere, but a number
who could realize the grand
possibilities of the valley re-
manned to make permanent
homes.
The first public school Was
a log cabin back of the old
store, and the first teacher was
Miss Margaret Burke of Boulder,
Colo. The next year a one
room building was erected north
of the Lobdell home. This later
was moved to the present site.
The Baptist mission was es-
tablished near Soap creek abouc
1914. There were two women in
charge. They conducted a school
for several years and then gave
up the work. The church build
ing is now used for a public
school.
The first Woman's club was
the Red Cross chapter, which
met weekly during the war
period and served for the SOL
diers. The group met in the
government building at present
occupied by Charles Blum.
About ten women belonged. Mrs.
Keough was president and Mrs.
I. D. Nelson, secretary.