Page 119 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 106

Yet another of his duties, or perhaps an action dictated by his
devotion to duty, was electioneering for a school tax on May 5,
1875, and his efforts were rewarded, the tax issue passed 290 to
59.340 In the fall of 1875, he “wrote a series of newspaper articles
for publication all over the territory some of the specific titles
were “Mental Arithmetic,” “Written Arithmetic,” “Reading,” and
“Writing.”341

In the latter part of January, 1874, Cornelius made a trip to
Virginia City with Sol Star, where Hedges visited school and worked
on the codified school law for the territory.342 And during the last
four days of that year, he attended the Helena Teachers Association
meeting.343

In 1875, Cornelius Hedges organized the first Teachers’ Institute
in Montana. He laid the groundwork for it in an organizational
meeting in Virginia City on January 30, and the Institute was held
there on April 15 and 16.

The Madisonian noted the new venture on the 17th: The meeting
of the Teachers’ Institute for Madison County has been in session
for several days past. A full attendance of Teachers and others
interested in education has been on hand daily, and the order of
exercises has been highly interesting and instructive in character. The
Institute adjourned yesterday, Friday. We will publish a synopsis of
the proceedings in our next. It has been a very pleasant meeting and
those engaged have enjoyed themselves in a profitable manner.344

And as promised, the resume appeared in the April 24 issue.
Although this is but one institute, its form was followed for others
held later. The resume was as follows:

The Madison County Teachers’ Institute met, pursuant to
announcement, at Templars’ Hall, in this city, on Thursday, April
15, 1875.

FIRST DAY
The Institute was opened with prayer by Rev. W. W. Van Orsdel.
Address by Amos Purdum, on the “Objects and the Aims of Teachers’
Institutes.” Address by W. I. Marshall, on “Spenserian Penmanship.”
At the afternoon session addresses, on the subject of grammar, were
delivered by Messrs. D. B. Sturges, W. I. Marshall, A. J. Bennett,
C. Hedges, and R.N. Blake. The address of Mr. Sturges upon this
subject is highly spoken of by those who heard it.