Laurel outlook., 1948-07-21
THE NEEDS OF THE UNIVERSITY

Citizens of this state will, at the time of the general ehc
ton, determine to what degree the state of Montana Will sup
port its Greater University system. Although many leglti
mate criticisms of the system may be made; the fact remains
however. that the Greater University is indispensable to the
general welfare of the state and its citizens. Were it neces-
sary to go out of the state to receive a university educatlon
a great many of the people, perhaps a majority OF them, now
attending the various branches of the university would not
be able to receive such training. To the state of Montana this
represents a profit in the form of an increased body OF we'll
educated citizens who are better able to participate in govern
ing of the state and protecting it from the snares of unscrup-
ulous persons. Also the state profits by having available a
body of trained technicanS able to serve its needs, and the
needs of its citizens.
1t is generally conceded that one of the greatest bulwarks
of democracy in its battle against totaitarianiSm, is a large
body of educated people. Unless we support fundamentally
our educational systems, we endanger the state of Montana and
the nation of which it is a member. 1t is therefore necessary
for the safety of the present and future generations that the
educational systems of the country, in this case the Greater
University of Montana, receive the full support of the people.
Montana, however. has been slow to support its university
system. For the first time in twenty-five years the state is
putting up a new building on the campus at MisSoula; all the
building done in intervening years having been PAID Tor oy
student fees. The situation is so bad that the school in Mis-
soula might better be named The Students University" rather
than Montana State University. The desperate need of build
ings by the school is shown by the fact that it has less than
one-half the space per student that was set as the minimum by
the Presidents Commission on Education.
The presidents commission is not the only body concerned
over the lack of proper buildings. The music department at
MSsoula has been informed that unless it gets a building de-
voted solely to that department., and adequate to house the
entire department. it will be erased from the roll of accredited
NUS ScnOOlS.
Library facilities at Montana State University are so de-
ficient rs to impair the operations of every department of the
university. The present library is not adequate to serve an
enrolment one-haf the size of the present enrolment. Anyone
acquainted with the manner in which a university functions
will probably admit that nothing is more important than a
good library.
In order to overcome this unhealthy condition it will be
necessary for the citizens of this state to vote in favor of a
bond issue for the purpose of creating additional buildings
wherever they are needed in the university system. Of course
this will increase taxes slightly; however, the cost of failing:
to so support the university will be greater than the bond
issue.
Buildings alone will not meet the needs of our Greater.
University. We must have an increased staff of competent in
structorS. and the salary scale must be raised to meet the in
creased cost of living. Increases in the cost of maintenance
must be covered. At present the system is attempting to
operate on funds insufficient even in the pre-war period. To
meet these needs. it will be necessary for the university 20
receive 4 greater mill levy. which will increase the tax rate
but will be far below the cost of failing to meet the need.
Though the nation is taxed some twenty cents on the dol
lar already. it is essential that we of Montana vote in favor
of this slight increase in taxes in order to preserve what
already has been built up rs 4 university system. and to in
crease it so rs to meet our needs. 1t is true that many of the
people attending the various schools this state maintains are
veterans: however. the number of veterans enrolled is de-
creaSing as the total enrolment continues to increase. With
this decrease in veteran enrolment, the university system is
losing support it received from the federal government by
means of the &c. |. Bill" Not only is the total enrolment in
our schools increasing. but educators say that it will continue
to increase for some time. and will never decrease to its pre-
war Level. 1t is therefore obvious. or should be. that We must.
if we are to perform our obligations to ourselves and our
children. vote to support the referendum that will make pos
sibe new buildings and the meeting of increased operational
cost. C. c. c.