From the Exponent Archives: Explosions shake the M

Dear readers,

It’s Throwback Thursday, as the kids say, which is the perfect excuse to indulge ourselves and rummage through the Exponent archives. On one such perusal of this immense tome, we discovered an astonishing bit of news about an attack on a favorite local landmark — the M. Without further ado, we bring to you this fascinating recap of the day an explosion shook Mt. Baldy’s giant letter. This story and the accompanying editorial were originally published in the Exponent on November 3, 1949. —G.B.

*Clarifying note: The University of Montana was named Montana State University from 1935 to 1965, before its name was changed to the University of Montana in 1965. This story was published in 1949, so it refers to UM as MSU.

Unknown vandals blast holes Saturday in traditional letter monument; Law, administration is baffled.

Montana State College’s “whodunit” was still unresolved at press time.

No official or unofficial source has discovered the person or persons who early Saturday morning set three charges of explosive on the block-letter M on Mt. Baldy and blasted three holes in the traditional MSC symbol.

Early rumors that the deed was the work of students at Montana State University had not been in the least substantiated by press time. Officials of the Montana Kaimin said yesterday the occurrence was barely known in Missoula and that the rumors usual in a college rivalry event of the type were absent.

“Nobody’s talking about it. Few people even know about it,” one MSU student told an Exponent editor by telephone.

The possibility the blasting was done by local people was also the subject of an Exponent probe. An early rumor that it was the work of drunks or high school students was all but eliminated.

Still another possibility, even more remote, was that it might have been done by students of Northern Montana College of Education at Havre. This was not investigated.

MSC President R.R. Renne called a meeting Monday of Dean of Students Val Glynn, Vice President P.C. Gaines and Commissioner of Demonstrations Bill Sanders to consider the matter.

Local law officers said this week they had no clues about the identity of the culprits. As no complaint has been filed, the sheriff’s office has made no investigation of the matter.

The Exponent investigation has revealed the following about the case:

1. The land upon which the M is laid is either federal land (public domain) or forest service land, or both. 
2. Criminal charges will be entertained against the person or persons responsible for the explosion.

County Attorney Don Nash told the Exponent this week “criminal charges will be preferred against those persons responsible for the dynamiting of the M.” He pointed out the act could be classed as either a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the amount of damage to the realty.

If the amount of damage were set over $50, the crime would be a felony and carry a penitentiary sentence. A misdemeanor would call for a county jail sentence.

He said the act was certainly more serious than a college stunt and could conceivably have caused damage to the house at the foot of the mountain.

Because the land is within Gallatin County, the complaint does not have to originate from the forest service, Nash said.

3. The meeting in the president’s office revealed much the same things. Dr. Renne said it was decided an improvement program would be undertaken as well as the repair of the monogram. He had no leads as to the culprits. 
4. There is a strong possibility a repair program will be undertaken before snow. It will probably be an all-school affair, similar to M-day. 

It has been pointed out erosion in the spring would probably cause much damage to the M because of the gaping holes left by the blast.

Editorial (published alongside news story)

With the blasting of the M, most student minds immediately jump to the conclusion that the direct cause lies in the backyard of Montana State university. True it is that the most logical contenders for the nomination of perpetrators of the dastardly deed do reside in Missoula. There does seem to be no reasonable basis for anyone else to go to that much work and trouble.

The whole business smacks of a planned assault on the traditional symbol of State but no concrete evidence can be used to point the accusing finger across the Divide.

However, no matter who the culprits may be, the stunt was indeed a foolhardy business that might have, had the blasters done a little more proficient job in laying their charges deeper, resulting in a dangerous landslide with serious damage to human and inanimate property. Broad practical jokes can be tolerated with only a certain degree of irritation and a desire for revenge. But this little joke was just a shade too broad!

Any retaliatory measures conceived in the minds of students should be discouraged at this time. This is far more than a squabble raised in the spirit of rivalry that exists between State and University. Criminal prosecution, if the chief offenders can be traced out and caught, is the answer to last Saturday morning’s escapade on Mt. Baldy. —B.H.