The people's voice., 1959-01-09


yond the High School. The Taxation
. Education Commission, which I ap
pointed, had study made by Pea
body College. 1t deals mostly with
elementary and high school education
: The Governors Committee. on the
other hand, had a study made by
DR.. Homer Durham of the University
of Utah. This dealt with higher edu-
cation. Much effort has gone into the
reports of these two groups.
WESTERN INTERSTATE
COMPACT ON HIGHER
EDUCATION
AS Montana continues to grow, we
will need more and more doctors,
dentists and veterinarians. The best
source is our own youth population.
However, the finest possible profess
sional training is required in these
fields. Building, maintaining and
Stating such professional schools
would cost many millions of dollars.
Montana has access to the finest such
schools in the west under the Western
Interstate Compact on Higher Edu-
cation-at a much lower cost.
Through the Compact, the doors of
these professional schools are open
to our students on the same basis as
students from other western states.
An investment in this Compact is a
true economy.
Already, Montana has received
many benefits from it's participation
in the Compact Commission. Six Mon
tanans have graduated from profess
sional schools and eighteen others are
now in training. Studies of western
educational needs and resources have
been made. Cooperation and co-ordi-
nation are more evident than ever
before among western educators,
under the leadership of the Commits
sion. This is paying off both in dol |
lars and in more intelligent planning
for the future. This program and the |
efforts of Montana's fine Commits
sioners must be supported by this
Legislature.
HIGHWAYS
Montana has just witnessed the best
year of highway construction ever
accomplished in our history. Highway
building has been increased nearly
three-fourths, or IA million dollars,
to record total of 81 and one-quart-
er million dollars. All this has been
done under adverse conditions. 1t has
been done in spite of the loss of the
one-cent gasoline tax, which the last
Legislature failed to continue. In fact.
the construction record would have
gone ten million dollars higher. with
this gas tax money to use for match
ing.
This IA million dollar increase was
made possible through economy. eff
ficiency and sound businesslike iudg-
ment. Administrative and overhead
costs were cut by reorganization of
5he Highway Department. Mainte-
nance costs were cut, but this cannot !,
De repeated due to the necessity of :
'eplacing units now deprecated. All :
lvallable emergency federal funds, 6
'lus letting of interstate projects, :
we're utilized to gain a more advan- :
ageous matching ratio. Reimburse Z
nents normally carried as an operat-
ng fund item were collected and care
ully scrutinized This item will be
ept current now. However, it does V
ot represent any further available n
acklog of funds. II
In view of this excellent record, S
he State Highway Commission and b
Highway Department deserve con- is
nued support in our quest for more Sc
nd better highways.
The Citizens Highway Committee fl
as prepared report containing some m
recommendations along this line. e.
Restoration of the additional one la