Page 118 - Cornelius Hedges Story

105 The Cornelius Hedges Story

Hedges visited schools at Hills, Jefferson Island, Whitehall,
Argenta, Bannack, Sheridan, and Virginia City, and returned home
on Christmas Day. Since his family was visiting in New England
that winter, there was little disappointment at his late return.330

From January 6 to 20, 1873, Hedges visited rural schools in
the Gallatin Valley, and schools in Bozeman, Willow Creek, and
Radersburg.331 Thus in three months, he had visited schools in most
of the settled sections of Montana, and those schools in turn had
the opportunity to make use of Hedges’ competent knowledge and
ability. Hedges visited the Bozeman and Radersburg schools again
in November, 1873.332

In addition to school visitations to impart knowledge, and
strengthen and unify the individual schools into a territorial system
of schools, Hedges carried on numerous other jobs as part of his
official duties. In April, 1872, he noted that he had worked on school
law, called for bids to print copies of school law, and had taken some
action in an attempt to locate school lands in the territory.333 In that
month, he also examined applicants who aspired to become cadets
at West Point.334

In April, 1873, he was in Virginia City, sponsoring amendments
to the school law for the territory at the session of the Legislature.335
And often, at the opening of a term, he was called upon to help
examine new teachers.336 Yet another time, he taught a half-day of
school in a classroom of one of the Helena Schools.337

There were also necessary reports to be completed and filed. In
this endeavor, Hedges was no less conscientious than at any other of
his jobs. As an example, he noted finishing and sending the “School
Report” for 1873 on December 16 of that year. And on February 9,
1875, he wrote in his journal, “Laboring all day on school returns,
abstracting them -Sent off abstract to Bureau of Education.”338

Patience was a virtue which Hedges possessed, and there were
times in his job as Superintendent of Public Instruction that he
needed all of it that he could muster. For example, on February 12,
1875, he noted, “Miss Sims occupied me in the evening with her
school troubles.” A little more than a week later, Hedges went to his
office on a Sunday afternoon to do some writing. “‘Didn’t get to
writing much before Miss Sims came in,” he wrote, “and related her
gripes.”339