Page 47 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 34

Undoubted, his greatest contribution to Montana education was
the promotion of compulsory annual Teachers Institutes in every
Montana county.105 Dean James M. Hamilton, another prominent
early Montana educator, says “Hedges more than any other person
deserves the title of founder of the Montana territorial public school
system.”106

The promotion of Montana as a place for settlement of families
was an ideal to which Hedges subscribed. Many of his journal
entries show that he was active in such endeavors during the 1870’s
and early 1880’s. On April 1, 1872, he noted he had attended an
emigration promotional meeting in the afternoon, and in the
evening, he attended a Railroad meeting. On April 3, he recorded in
his journal that he had telegraphed Delegate Clagett for a Railroad
charter. It was quite likely the later action was done in the capacity
as a secretary of a Railroad promotional group. Again on November
5, 1872, he wrote a Railroad petition to send to Governor Benjamin
F. Potts.107

Cornerstone laying ceremonies for a new Masonic Temple in
Helena at the corner of Edwards and Main, on June 24, 1872, by
the Grand Lodge of Montana Masons.108 During that day, Hedges
received an interim appointment as Acting Grand Secretary from
Grand Master J. R. Weston.109 Such a move was necessitated by the
removal of Grand Secretary Hezekiah L. Hosmer. Judge Hosmer
had been Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court, as Brother
Hosmer had relocated to California. 110

On October 8, 1872, during the 8th Annual Grand Lodge
Communication, he was duly elected R. W. Grand Secretary.111 He
held the position until his death on April 29, 1907.

Twenty-five years later in 1897, on the occasion of his Silver
Anniversary as Grand Secretary, he was presented a cut-glass
inkstand on a suitably inscribed silver tray by Grand Master Edward
C. Day on behalf of the Grand Lodge. In reporting such action as
part of his Grand Master’s Address, he added:
“His modest nature did not permit him to do more than formally
acknowledge the gift, but the following day I received from him
a letter so characteristic of him, that I read it to you for the reason
that in no other manner can I convey to you his expressions of
thank­fulness for your kind remembrance.”112