Using Fort Assinniboine materials to build Pershing Hall

It was the summer of 1929, and the “Assinniboine” or “Montana” School opened its doors as a two-year college with classes held in the old junior high’s three-story wing of the old high school, and a 5,000-volume library in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church, located one block east of the school. Some classes took place in the church. The school had an enrollment of 94 students, not including those taking extension or correspondence courses.

The struggle to establish the school began after the closure of Fort Assinniboine in 1911, when local legislators, attorney Flarian Carnal and physician D.S. McKenzie introduced bills in 1913 authorizing the purchase of land and buildings for the establishment of the “Northern Montana Agricultural and Manual Training School.”

Between 1913 and 1929, the people of greater Havre/northern Montana and such legislators as I.J. Troy, G.J. Bonine and William Cowan fought for its permanent establishment, first at the former fort location and later in Havre. Such locals as E.C. Carruth, Earl Bronson, Frank Bussout, O.C. Hauge, Percy Doles and James Holland led the organizational efforts. Finally in 1927, the “Northern Montana School” opened its doors as a summer school. Two years later, it was an official two year school with a president — G.H. Vande Bogart from Hibbings, Minn. — and a necessary support staff of an executive secretary and a secretary to the president.

Next came a 60-acre campus, thanks to the city fathers — led by Mayor W.C. McKelvy — and the gift of the former pumping station on the property that Havre architect, Frank Bussout, turned into the first building to be called East Hall. During the next 20 years, Havre legislators, the Chamber of Commerce and other clubs and organizations fought for funding for the school, while state officials and other legislators tried to close it.

This second building was to be called Pershing Hall after General John J. Pershing who had been a first lieutenant there in the 1890s with the Black 10th Cavalry. The proposed plan for the science building was conceived in 1933 at the time a bill was being circulated in the state Legislature to abolish the college, but the people of Havre and northern Montana again rallied, and defeated the effort.

The school was growing in students, 379 by 1932-33, up from the 1929-30 number of 94, and more space was needed.

The new building was to be located in the campus center, at the base of a natural coulee. A History of Northern Montana College, 1929-1979. a book written by Louis W. and Antoinette Hagener called it “sturdy and unassuming, it imports a sense of history along with that of quiet strength and durability.”

The times were not helpful as it was the height of the Great Depression, although with most of the materials salvaged from the fort, and hauled by truck to Havre by volunteers, the project was considered doable.

The building materials source was solved, but how to pay the skilled workmen was not. With that in mind, President Vande Bogart and Secretary Earl Bronson of the Chamber of Commerce brought a plan before the whole Chamber to financially back scrip, or credit, money to pay the bricklayers, plumbers, carpenters and electricians their $3 a day, and to procure relief funds for the general workers. The latter was solved by using unemployed workers who were on the county welfare rolls.

The Chamber members subsequently authorized and backed the issuance of $1,500 in scrip money, starting in April 1933, that the workers could redeem at participating local stores. Each time the scrip changed hands, a three cent stamp was affixed until the limit of twenty-five had been reached or 35 weeks duration, then retired. Each scrip certificate was worth one dollar.

The innovative Buttrey’s Department Store had been using such customer money for years. Currently the Chamber uses a similar system at Christmas.

The only construction fund received from the state was $1,000, for the purchase of lime and cement, but it was a sum the college didn’t possess. The continuing issuance of script money wasn’t easy to raise, and the welfare funds infrequent, so construction delays occurred. In September 1933, it appeared the building project was doomed, but the students rallied, putting on a parade and programs, followed by a fund drive. Amazingly, the students raised $1,300. In November it shut down again until more relief funds became available in mid-November. The faculty also supported the new building for donating one day’s pay per month and also, volunteers helped with the work. The project was completed in January 1934.

The 100-by-80 feet main building featured a curved façade on the east and west, with two 20 foot rectangular wings. The east side had two chimneys that were placed at the intersections where they joined. The back, west side second floor, featured an open section for an outdoor theatre. The first event on the new campus was held there with the audiences on the ascending grassy hill. Activities included plays, musical events and of course graduation, but inclement weather was a limiting factor. Eventually this closed for locating the biology laboratories.

From the fort were gathered 50,000 bricks and 3,600 feet of lumber. The initial excavation led to the footings, concrete foundations and then the building, itself.

The central two-story middle section was to house the chemistry and physics laboratories, besides restrooms, faculty offices, student offices and newspaper, plus a clubroom. The west side wings provided entrances with the three story education and psychology classrooms, etc., on the sides. Vande Bogart initially taught science courses, until his work load as president was overwhelming.

The Havre Daily News called the science building “another step forward in the progress of NMC.” It is not clear whether the entire design was utilitarian to fit them in the bottom of the coulee, and/or represented an ancient castle, as the Havre Daily News described it. Actually the design is very similar to Fort Snelling in St. Paul, which was built beginning in 1830 and became the headquarters for Fort Assinniboine as the Department of Dakota.

The interior of Pershing used Fort Assinniboine heating and plumbing components, maple flooring, reddish-brown sandstone at the base of the portals and even roof slate for counter tops. The timber provided joists and other studding, along with windows and doors, although with providing under penning bar the outdoor theatre and concrete floors.

Without the fort materials, there would have been no second building. However, shortly after the completion of Pershing Hall, Vande Bogart went after funding from FDR’s Public Works Administration. In a letter to Harold T. Ickes, secretary of the interior, the president stressed that the college served the entire north country of Montana, which was 25 percent larger than the state of Ohio, and needed a women’s residence because of the distance students had to travel. He spoke of its rapid growth and the support of free labor, money and materials they had received from local and regional sources. The president asked for $200,000 in a grant/loan.

He concluded the letter with that the new building was needed, so that important education work would continue, and more people employed. The loan/grant was approved in 1935 for $198,000.

The “spirit of northern Montana,” as Vande Bogart called it, for working toward the goal of adequate educational advantages for the people of northern Montana.

Next time: Part 3, the girls’ residence hall, later named Donaldson, 1949.

(Gary A. Wilson is with the Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Association.)