The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1949-08-19


but l become bit concerned when a
dozen counties essay to become an
empire in themselves, therefore en-
titled by right to a college presum-
ably the equal of any college pos
sessed by any other empire. | might
with equal justice proclaim that CEN
trail Montana is an empire in itself,
has no state institution of higher
learning, and is therefore even more
abused than Havre's bailiwick.
A Third Major Institution?
According to this bulletin from
Havre, even with the expenditure of
the sum now allocated by the Ex-
aminers, the College will still have
"only the minimum facilities which
already exist on all other campuses
in Montana" This would indicate
to me that lurking in the hearts of
these Havre folk is the determine
ton that Northern Montana College
some day shall have all the facilities
any other school in Montana enjoys.
In other words, University or a
full-scale College such as that at
Bozeman.
If this were possible, now or in
the foreseeable future, | would be
most sympathetic; but it simply is
not possible. Montana has only |
about half million people and a
very limited revenue base. 1t can
barely support the State University
and State College as it is, let alone
establish a third unit of equal scope.
There is only so much money, and
what Havre gets must come-as it
las come in this instance-out of the
'unds originally allocated to the :
,ther schools.
What will happen? Well, instead $
If two good institutions serving '
road function, and four smaller in |
titutions serving in more limited J
pecial fields, we will have six medi- I
ere schools, none of them good 2
nough to attract and hold Montana s
-outh. 7
The Havre brochure claims that 2
efore Northern Montana College I
vas established, "The young people 7
# this vast area were deprived of $
he advantages provided near at
and for the fortunate boys and n
iris of southwestern Montana. \
here we have, again, the effort to h
nrust Bozeman across the Contin o
ntal Divide; but we have an even P
lore misleading concept: that the s.
tate educational institutions benefit r.
My or even chiefly, their own sec c
ons. a
Students Receive Refunds 1
On Fares H
I do not believe the young people 81
f northern Montana were deprived a
f the advantages possessed by those h
f southwestern Montana. Much is n
Iade of this advantage of proximity
, a school. l think there is some n
lestion about it: often it is advis- 81
Die for young person to get a l
lange of scene. And economic II
are not as vital as we
re prone to believe. Many do not q
now that students attending any IL
ontana institution of higher learn tt
e are entitled to refund of most to
their bus or train fare from and tn
their homes. They can travel SC
ON any part of Montana to any W
hool at very little cost. ia
Employment opportunities have to ne
considered, too: they usually are Isl
tier in larger schools and larger br
WINS. About IS per cent of the ev
ldents at the State University earn of
or part of their living. About tn
If of the State College students w
We jobs. These figures do not in On
1de the wives of G. rs, rs per ra
mt of whom at both schools are
,rking to help their husbands ne
rough. wi
The statement in the Havre book We
that young people of northern tic
,ntana were deprived of education dis
til school was built there just SCI
nnot be supported. Look first at fai
, State University. Since it was wa
ablished in the late COS it has or
we'd about $4,000 students and
graduated about 10000 of them.
the $4,000, large portion have
ne from Northern Montana. Just s+a
ing the last ten years-which in !,