Archives West Finding Aid

On December 31, 1903, University of Montana President Oscar J. Craig proposed the idea of yearly all-state high school athletic, declamation and debate competition to the Montana Teachers Convention in Anaconda. The idea was well-received, so Craig appointed geology professor Dr. J. P. Rowe and University football and basketball coach Hiram Conibear to organize the event.

In the spring of 1904, the University of Montana hosted the first annual Interscholastic Meet for high school students in Montana, which consisted of athletic and academic competition. The top three finishers received medals, the school that won the most athletic contests received the Spaulding Cup, and the school that won the most events overall received the Missoula Mercantile Cup. In 1917, the meet was cancelled due to World War I.

The meet quickly became a social function for young people all over Montana. In 1925, women were allowed to participate in the athletic portion of the meeting for the first time. By the 1940s, the meet had grown to include hundreds of participants from across the state. The academic portion of the meet was expanded to include competitions for newspaper writing. In 1944 and 1945, the meet was cancelled due to World War II. By the 1950s, the academic competition was expanded again to include competitions for theater productions as well as arts and crafts projects. In 1966, the Interscholastic Meet was held for the final time. After that, schools began attending individual sports championships across the state.