By Alan Sorensen
Some fans may do double takes when they attend the Havre Blue Ponies and MSU-Northern Lights next home football games.
Havre School Board trustees gave unanimous approval Tuesday night for the creation of a whitewashed N on the same hillside as the H that already overlooks Blue Pony Stadium.
The N will be constructed on the hillside beneath the MSU-Northern chancellors house, east of the H, by the MSU-Northern Alumni Association. The alumnis intention is to build the N in time for the Lights homecoming football game Oct. 23.
Alumni President Gerry Veis assured trustees that Northern is not trying to take over Blue Pony Stadium and that the N will be the same size or smaller than the H.
Board Chairman Judy Bricker asked Havre High Student Body President Jana McPherson what students have said about the proposed N. McPherson said she approached the Student Congress, students in the halls, and some student organizations. The response, she said, was split.
The two extremes were expressed by those who were dead set against allowing the N on the hillside and others who thought anything to improve the stadium and solidify relations between the high school, community and college was good.
The majority, McPherson said, were students who were hesitant and reluctantly gave the go-ahead despite fears that the college might be trying to transform Blue Pony Stadium into MSU-Northern Stadium.
Trustees Brian Morse and Kathie Newell expressed the same concerns and asked that the alumni get district administrators approval about the location and size of the N.
Veis assured trustees that materials and labor for the N will be donated by alumni and that alumni will maintain the N in the future. Should interest flag and volunteers fall by the wayside, Veis vowed to take care of the N himself until hes no longer able.
