Archived Story

Contrary to rumors, Hellgate to stay
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

Mark Twain, Steve Jobs and Hellgate High School share a common concern: Rumors of their untimely demise are greatly exaggerated.

As the historic school building on South Higgins Avenue celebrates its centennial this fall, city education leaders pledge to keep Hellgate open and operating. Despite occasional letters to the editor and testimony at school board meetings to the contrary, Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Alex Apostle said the school is here to stay.

“Hellgate High School is a cultural and historical monument to this community,” Apostle said Friday. “I have no intentions of ever closing Hellgate High School down.”

That does not mean change is off the table, however. Missoula's student population continues a decadelong decline, and Hellgate is no exception. It dropped roughly 45 students this fall compared to last, and the citywide high school enrollment fell by 184 students.

To better understand that trend, Apostle has called for a demographic study of the city's changing population. The study should clarify both the number of students moving through the school district and the economic forces that affect their movements.

However, finding a demographer who is capable of such work at a price MCPS can afford is a challenge. Apostle said he wants an answer soon, but is still looking for the right contractor.

A more pressing high school question looms in Seeley Lake. Seeley-Swan High School declined by 27 students this fall, leaving it with 105 freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. While there's been some growth in the elementary school districts that serve Seeley-Swan, MCPS trustees are wondering where the balance point is between maintaining a shrinking program there and busing students into Missoula.

“That will require a lot of discussion with the school board and community,” Apostle said. “We value their program and the staff that work there. So we have to be very careful of our analysis. It's been in the system many years and been successful.”

Those discussions will be part of a K-12 research effort starting this fall. Apostle is combining some existing study groups, including the High School Futures Committee and a team working on a unified high school class schedule, into a larger forum for the entire school system. Membership of that committee is still being worked out. But its mission will be to raise student achievement at all grades, Apostle said.

In the meantime, Missoula's four public high schools will continue into their second century of activity. At a recent school board session, trustee Jim Sadler noted the irony of the rumors surrounding Hellgate's fate. The high school was originally home of the Spartans, before the city built Sentinel High School in 1957. That soon wasn't big enough, and the district reopened the old Missoula County High School as Hellgate in 1965. It's operated under the scarlet-and-gold Knights banner for 43 years.

“Just because we start talking about where new schools are going to go doesn't mean we're closing Hellgate (High School),” Sadler told his fellow trustees this summer. “We've been (accused of) closing Hellgate for 55 years that I know.”

Reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at 523-5382 or at rchaney@missoulian.com.
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Connie wrote on Sep 30, 2008 12:12 PM:

" It was the goal of Jim Clark to close Hellgate and he stated that several time in public meetings. It was not a rumor. He was even specific in his time allotment. He stated to me directly, at a meeting at Rattlesnake right before Prescott & Mt. Jumbo closed, that He had a 4-year plan to close Hellgate. "

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