The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-11-27
ube Daily Hromorette.
Ardmore and Public Schools.

Gln, written Dy our tOWnSm0n
Hon. S. B. Bradford, is certainly
worthy of reproduction in the
columns of the ARDMoREITE, treat
ing as it does on the all-important
subject of schools:
One of the first things that
should attract the attention of O
state or municipality is education
for the young Ignorance and
vice are brothers, and inseparable.
The object of municipal organiza
ton is better government. Better
government cannot come and be
permanent without education. The
many schools in Ardmore are to
her credit. They are attracting
from the surrounding country
class of people that we want, and
that will make the town a better
place to live in or do business in.
am informed that all the schools
are prosperous and doing good
work. They are patronized by the
good people that know the benefits
of a good education. Many are
very poor, it is true, but possibly
they have seen better days; and
again, the wealthy are not always
the best educated; the greatest
statesman of this century came
from that great middle class, Of
which Ardmore is almost wholly
composed. We have some very
poor, but very, very few rich.
The greatest need of the Indian
Territory to-day is education for
the young. SO long as the pres
ent conditions exist crime will in
crease instead Of diminish. Bows
and girls from IA to 81 hear of
little else in the country but the
eScapades of bandits and criminals.
Most Of the towns are of that size
where everybody knows everybody
else's business, and gossip holds
high carnival. That class of BOYS
and girls most susceptible to bad
influences are on the streets and
relish gossip, and the more har-
rowing the better the relish. Il
venture the assertion now that
there are hundreds who have al
ready passed beyond the pale of
rescue, and will find lodging in
some prison before or as soon as
maturity arrives. The parents of
those children have themselves
been better raised, and would like
to do better by their children, but
how can they? Tuition and books
they cannot buy, and live besides.
They must live, and living, run
the gauntlet of a turbulent life. 1t
is the duty of the municipality to
protect the community from the
incursions of the criminal, not
only now but in the future. For
immediate emergency we build
jails, for the future we should
build school houses. I am not as
sumiHg that all would become edu-
Gated, even with the best of facili
ties, or that crime will ever cease,
Or that the educated never commit
crime. But we do know that
crime decreases in proportion to
the ratio Of intelligence. Public
schools cannot be maintained ex-
.ept by taxation, which to many
s a sufficient argument against
he public school. Some may ar-
rue that the free or public school
will bring among us many poor
antilles who will come for the sole
purpose of education. If one poor
amily comes for that reason. three j
f that great middle class will {
ONE for the same reason, and
oon community known for it's r
utilization, wisdom, and patriot
SIN will grow and prosper. The 9
trong should help the weak; help q
hem to love virtue. liberty, right '
BUSINESS and the flag of their :
Ountry. Z
Let Ardmore set the pace and .
rovido a fyoa cobool m,,cto,,, o. @