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The following history of the Vigilante parade was written Another irregular activity, but not very objectionable was “Old
by Mayor A. J. Roberts, who was HHS Principal (1907-1935) Clothes day” or “Hard Times day,” held at the high school in
recounting the parade’s beginnings in 1924, for the high the morning, followed by a “barn dance” at the gym in the
school yearbook, The Vigilante. This letter was printed in afternoon. It was not held annually but once every three or
the Helena Independent Record, 28 May 1939. four years, or when conditions appeared favorable. It was
characterized mainly by wearing ragged clothes with hay
MY ADMINISTRATION of the high school began in September, and straw and alfalfa sticking out of the protruding seams
1907. Like every new principal, I inherited from my predecessor, and patches. Finally there was “Costume day.” If I remember
or predecessors many school traditions and activities. Some of correctly, this was attempted only once. But it was a good
these were excellent in character and purpose. Others were stunt and in my opinion furnished fortunately the basic ideas
subversive to discipline, often lawless in character, and in the in feature and display, for the great pageant, which was later
main hostile to the good work and reputation of the school. The called the “Vigilante parade.” Many other new and novel ideas
most important, and probably the worst of these was the so- suggesting a pageant, pedagogic cure-alls of one kind and
called “senior-junior fight.” another came traipsing into the principal’s office. During the
months of February and March, 1924, several conferences of
This annual event, which injured persons, destroyed property representative boys and girls from the senior and junior classes
and interrupted the work of the school three or four days each were called to consider these and many other suggestions.
year, had its beginning,we were told, somewhere in the “Gay
Nineties” or back in the days of “real sport.” Each year between There was at first much opposition among the students to
the 1st and 15th of May, and soon after the names of the any plan by which it was proposed to eliminate these old
graduating class had been officially announced, the students traditional activities. Even the principal himself, who was not
on arriving at school in the bright and early spring morning, a bad sport, seemed inclined to regard the “fun” with tolerant
would behold in great surprise and astonishment the senior hesitation. Was not this the “wild and woolly west”? Was it not
banner proudly floating from the topmost tip of the old flag pole, the “promised land” of the Indian, the road agent, the vigilante,
which stood at the time between the high school and Central the pioneer, the cowboy and the miner,;was it not the day of
school buildings. This banner bore the class colors, the class the pack-train, the stage coach, the sluice box, the saloon and
numeral and the strange device “Senior.” gambling house, the old church and the old-time school? All
of these early-day features would be incorporated in the big
Very few minutes were wasted. The eager, peppy and belligerent parade it was promised.
juniors called up their cohorts at once, and prepared with
warlike gestures to take the senior banner down and trail it in Finally alter much serious discussion of the situation, and
the dust. The fight was on and it was sanguinary struggle. The other readjustments of the entire activity program of the
battle around the flag pole became fiercer and more dangerous upper-classes, it was decided to put on a big historical
each succeeding year, until eventually by recommendation of pageant, in which every boy and girl in High School would
the principal, the school board ordered it taken down. have an essential part. The pageant, later called The Vigilante
Parade, was intended to present in the main the adventurous
The fight was then transferred to the top of the high school life and colorful customs of the Montana Pioneer, especially
building, where the flag pole, and the two spires recently the Pioneer of “Last Chance Gulch”. To the promotion, work
removed because of earthquake damage, were used to display and achievement of this program, the Senior and Junior
the victorious banner of the triumphant class. But the fight here classes gave their wholehearted support, a pledge, which to
became, apparently, more bitter and much more dangerous. the present time has been faithfully and diligently observed.
It almost took away ones breath to see a half-dozen boys
creeping unsteadily along the coping of the roof, or clinging to The first Vigilante Parade was held in May, 1924. It was a great
the highest point of those slender spires, liable to fall to death success from the start, and has grown bigger and better with
at any moment. each succeeding year. This parade, so little thought of at the
time, and then only as a splendid substitute for several lawless
Driven by order from the building and grounds of the high activities, has more than any other institution, distinguished
school, the fight was carried to the streets and alleys, even to the city of Helena and its High School. From it also thousands
the outskirts of the city. Instigated, promoted and prolonged of our citizens have obtained a knowledge of the life and
by the old graduates of the high school, and the boys from the customs, of the thrilling story of the early days in the Treasure
college, it entered its last most desperate and warlike period. State. Every year not only the people of Helena and of Lewis
Not many, of course, but a few boys each year came out of the and Clark County, but people from all over the State, and from
fray with black eyes, bloody noses, teeth knocked out, faces other states in the Union, eagerly attend the Vigilante Parade
scratched and bodies bruised, all for the honor of the “biggest with greater enthusiasm and greater praise for its wonderful
and best class ever graduated from the Helena high school.” organization. This year we shall have with us European Royalty,
Crown Prince Olaf and Crown Princess Martha of Norway. I
Many less harmful and better organized contests were am sure their visit to the city will be an added incentive for the
proposed and tried as substitutes for these lawless activities. students of the High School to make the parade this year the
One year a tug-0f-war, another a baseball game, a third a biggest and best in all its romantic history.
football game, and finally a wrestling match, which was more
desperate and bloody even than the fight itself. But the classes
were not satisfied with these regular sports. They were too
tame and too religious for their pompous and belligerent spirits.
A number of other unsatisfactory activities were inherited by Special recognition: Helena Independent Record Newspaper.
the new principal. During the 45 years that A J Roberts lived in Helena, the Helena
Independent Record documented almost every event with
“Sneak Day”- The first of these was “Sneak day.” Some which he was involved. Searching for Albert J. Roberts in the
pleasant morning, shortly after the fight was settled, five or six Helena Independent Record newspapers online will reveal the
boys would appear very early at school wearing low derbys extensive coverage given to Roberts and, more importantly, the
with mustaches and side whiskers painted on their faces, and community of Helena. Throughout the years, the Independent
otherwise dressed up for a day off. These boys with many Record has garnered a great deal of support and loyal readership
others recruited before the opening of school, tried by every from Helena’s citizens.
means possible to persuade all other students “to sneak” for
that day alleging for their excuse that they needed a day of rest
alter months of hard work in the study hall and class room.