Montana Tech of the University of Montana

Montana Tech is a university located in Butte, Montana. It was founded in 1893 as a mining school. In 1994 it joined the Montana University System and is now Montana Tech of the University of Montana.

Montana Tech specializes in engineering and technology education with additional programs in chemistry, Health Care Informatics, safety and occupational health, professional and technical communication, nursing, and general university humanities courses. The 2005-06 enrollment is 2232 students; 2142 undergraduate and 90 graduate students, 87% from Montana.

History

On February 22, 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed the Enabling Act by which Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington were admitted to the Union. This act was part of a series of federal acts that established and funded land grant colleges, and an expansion of the original Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862. As a result, 100,000 acres (400 km²) of public land were appropriated to Montana to establish and maintain a state school of mines. In 1893, the Montana Legislature appropriated $15,000 for construction of the school but it was not until 1900 that the Montana State School of Mines opened.

Charles Horace Clapp (1883-1935) was president of the school from 1918 to 1921. Clapp was initially hired as head of the geology department in 1916. As president he successfully lobbied to create the state bureau of mines and was named director of the new bureau. While in Butte, Clapp earned a strong regional reputation for promoting professional and economic development. He left the School of Mines to become president of the State University of Montana at Missoula--a position he held until his death. Because of chronic underfunding of the state university system (a condition that still prevails today), Clapp faced enormous administrative problems.

In 1943, the Montana School of Mines was designated a Naval College and a V-12 Navy program was started, which took over the campus. The V-12 program guaranteed an officer replacement pool for the Navy and Marines and gave many young men the opportunity to attend college. The program was disbanded at the end of World War II, having trained 478 students.

Montana Tech is a university located in Butte, Montana. It was founded in 1893 as a mining school. In 1994 it joined the Montana University System and is now Montana Tech of the University of Montana.

Montana Tech specializes in engineering and technology education with additional programs in chemistry, Health Care Informatics, safety and occupational health, professional and technical communication, nursing, and general university humanities courses. The 2005-06 enrollment is 2232 students; 2142 undergraduate and 90 graduate students, 87% from Montana.