The Sidney herald., 1958-05-08
Diamond Jubilee
At Rocky Mt.
College Nav 30

Inc DIAMOND jubilee Oh 11A&l'
er Education in Montana will b.
celebration at Rocky Mountain
College in Billings, Montana
May 80 to June 2, 1858, accord
ing to an announcement by Lynn
T. Jones, chairman of the Alum
nj Planning Committee.
The occasion will mark thu
18th anniversary of the founding
of the first institution of higher
education in the state, the Col
lege Of Montana at Deer Lodge
Montana, in 1888, by the Pres
byterians, of which Rocky Noun
tain College is a direct descend
ant
The present Rocky Mountain
College in Billings represents the
consolidation of four schools, the
College of Montana, Montana
Wesleyan, Intermountain Union
College and Billings Polytechnic
Institute. Rocky Mountain Col
lege is a four-year accredited
Christian liberal arts college,
with an enrolment of BIT and
a faculty of "a. It is the only
Protestant Christian College with
in a radius of 600 miles Of Bill
lings. Sponsoring denominations
of Rocky Mountain College are
the Congregational, Methodist
and Presbyterian churches.
The administration and alumni
of Rocky and its four predeces-
sors have planned a fitting four
day celebration to pay tribute to
three quarters of a century of
higher education and service to
the people of Montana, and the
northwest. Among the activities
to be observed are the unwilling
of the Eaton Memorial Plaque, an
Alumni Historical Exhibit and
Art Display; presentation OF
Harvest Time" an original his
torical play depicting the history
of the schools, an Alumni picnic
and banquet Alumni Chapel at
which time alumni r~ecognitions
for outstanding service in the
community will be presented. con-
secrahon of the new library
building on the campus, and OPP
ening Of the Time Capsule
which was buried by the Class
of 1919 to be opened on the 18th
anniversary. The Glass of 1858
will deposit a new Time Cap
sule" to be opened ON the Tooth
observance of Rocky Mountain
College in 1888. The celebration
will be concluded by Baccalaur-
cate Exercises and Graduation
of the Glass Of 1858. The Rev.
VIM. Koehler of Los Angeles is
guest speaker for Baccalaureate
and Gov. j. Hugo Aronson will
speak at the Graduation Exer-
cises.
TIVE years ago Rocky Noun
tain College entered upon a long
time Development Program,
looking forward to raising one
and one-half million dollars for
the erection of needed buildings,
sue has library, science hall,
physical education plant, and
as well as certain
campus improvements. The De-
velopmeEt Campaign has now
resulted in $257,701.10, and the
Board of Trustees has proceeded
with the building of the library,
it hopes will be complet-
ed sometime within the next six
months.
Rocky's history is replete with
service, sacrifice and even trag-
.dy for it was the earthquakes
in Helena in 1885 which neces-
STATED Intermountain Union Col
lege to leave the capitol city
and eventually join with the Bill
lings Polytechnic Institute. Names
of endearment to alumni include
DR.. Paul NJ. Adams, now retired
and living in Great Falls, Of the
branch
of the college family; and L. T.
Eaton and E. T. Eaton, co-found-
ers Of the Billings Polytechnic
institute.
Another early promoter of
Rocky was Willis Lougee. The
Glass of 1855 has erected a huge
cross atop the rimrocks behind
the college at the approximate
spot where Willis Lougee, look
ing out over the campus, had a
vision and which he reported as
follows: 81 saw the Billings Poly
technic Institute a great Chris
tan center with its influence
permeating every city, village
and neighborhood in the West,
and I heard a voice which told
me l was to have a large part
in making this vision real and
that this was to crown my LIES
work. I dropped on my knees by
the great boulder and prayed, oh
God, this vision must become
true. / dedicated myself to the
Then, as now, Rocky Mountain
College is dedicated as a Chris
tan witness of higher education
and service to the people of the
northwest.