Page 23 - June July MFM 2024

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) &ORWKHV GD\´ RU ³+DUG 7LPHV GD\ ´ KHOG DW WKH KLJK VFKRRO LQ
recounting the parade’s beginnings in 1924, for the high WKH PRUQLQJ IROORZHG E\ D ³EDUQ GDQFH´ DW WKH J\P LQ WKH
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, DQG SDWFKHV )LQDOO\ WKHUH ZDV ³&RVWXPH GD\ ´ ,I , UHPHPEHU
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 FDOOHG WKH ³9LJLODQWH SDUDGH ´ 0DQ\ RWKHU QHZ DQG QRYHO LGHDV
most important, and probably the worst of these was the so- suggesting a pageant, pedagogic cure-alls of one kind and
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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
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the 1st and 15th of May, and soon after the names of the any plan by which it was proposed to eliminate these old
JUDGXDWLQJ FODVV KDG EHHQ RႈFLDOO\ DQQRXQFHG WKH VWXGHQWV traditional activities. Even the principal himself, who was not
on arriving at school in the bright and early spring morning, D EDG VSRUW VHHPHG LQFOLQHG WR UHJDUG WKH ³IXQ´ ZLWK WROHUDQW
would behold in great surprise and astonishment the senior KHVLWDWLRQ :DV QRW WKLV WKH ³ZLOG DQG ZRROO\ ZHVW´" :DV LW QRW
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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
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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
WKH GXVW 7KH ¿JKW ZDV RQ DQG LW ZDV VDQJXLQDU\ VWUXJJOH 7KH other readjustments of the entire activity program of the
EDWWOH DURXQG WKH ÀDJ SROH EHFDPH ¿HUFHU DQG PRUH GDQJHURXV 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
7KH ¿JKW ZDV WKHQ WUDQVIHUUHG WR WKH WRS RI WKH KLJK VFKRRO life and colorful customs of the Montana Pioneer, especially
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removed because of earthquake damage, were used to display and achievement of this program, the Senior and Junior
WKH YLFWRULRXV EDQQHU RI WKH WULXPSKDQW FODVV %XW WKH ¿JKW KHUH 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 7KH ¿UVW 9LJLODQWH 3DUDGH ZDV KHOG LQ 0D\ ,W ZDV D JUHDW
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
VFKRRO WKH ¿JKW ZDV FDUULHG WR WKH VWUHHWV DQG DOOH\V HYHQ WR 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
DQG EHVW FODVV HYHU JUDGXDWHG IURP WKH +HOHQD KLJK VFKRRO ´ 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.
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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
³6QHDN 'D\´ 7KH ¿UVW RI WKHVH ZDV ³6QHDN GD\ ´ 6RPH which he was involved. Searching for Albert J. Roberts in the
SOHDVDQW PRUQLQJ VKRUWO\ DIWHU WKH ¿JKW ZDV VHWWOHG ¿YH RU VL[ 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
RWKHUZLVH GUHVVHG XS IRU D GD\ Rႇ 7KHVH ER\V ZLWK PDQ\ 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.
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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.