High Schools and College

Gallatin County High School

The Gallatin County High School was organized in 1898, absorbing the Bozeman High School, and including pupils from all parts of the county. It was held first in what was known as the old Academy building on ground where the Holy Rosary Catholic Church stands. The first Gallatin County High School building of ten rooms was erected in 1901 and 1902, and an addition with a remodeling of the old building was erected in 1914. G. B. Swan was the first principal of the county high school.

The Bozeman Academy

The Bozeman Academy was opened in October 1872, by the Rev. L. B. Crittenden and his daughter Mary Gertrude, in the Good Templars’ Hall, where the Episcopal Church now stands. Later, the Academy occupied a building on West Main Street, continuing only a few years.

Gallatin Female Seminary

Miss Gertrude Crittenden started the Gallatin Valley Female Seminary in Bozeman in 1873, at a private residence. Later, it was transferred to Hamilton where it was conducted for a few years.

Holy Rosary School

The Holy Rosary School, under the supervision of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church of Bozeman, was started in 1919, and has pupils in all grades and high school, as well as a musical course. The school has a group of specially prepared Sisters as teachers.

Schools in County

There are district high schools, as well as grade schools in Belgrade, Manhattan, Three Forks and Willow Creek in 1932, pupils from some of the rural districts near these cities attending, especially for the high school course, being transported by busses. Manhattan has a separate high school building, and there are substantial school buildings in all four of these cities. There are now 69 active school districts in Gallatin County, with a number of fine school buildings, including several two-room schools, some with basements finished to provide for serving hot lunches.

Montana State College

Montana State College, one of the units of the Greater University of Montana, was established at Bozeman in 1893, through act of the third legislature of the state, the bill introduced by C. W. Hoffman of Bozeman being signed by Governor J. E. Rickards, February 16.

The State Board of Education, including Governor Rickards, Attorney General Haskell, E. A. Steere, superintendent of public instruction, members ex-officio, with Nelson Story of Bozeman, Alfred Myers of Billings, T. E. Collins of Great Falls, R. G. Young of Helena, James Reid of Deer Lodge, J. F. Forbis of Butte, J. E. Morse of Dillon and J. M. Hamilton of Missoula, met in Bozeman, March 21, 1893, and selected the present site of the college, accepting a campus site of 40 acres donated by Nelson Story and a farm of 160 acres given by citizens of Bozeman.

Luther Foster was temporary president when college opened in the Bozeman high school building, April 17, 1893, and with Prof. A. M. Ryon, the first president, college opened in September in the old Academy building on Main Street, with 45 students in the college course and 15 in preparatory. Dr. James Reid, second president of the college, served from 1894 to 1904, when James M. Hamilton became president and served 15 years. He then resigned and became dean of men, being followed as president by Alfred Atkinson.

The cornerstone of the main building on the campus, now called Montana Hall, was laid October 21, 1896. The first local executive board appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the State Board, included Walter Cooper, Peter Koch, Nelson Story and Gen. L. S. Willson of Bozeman; E. H. Talcott of Livingston and George Kinkel of Manhattan.