The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-29
Gov. FERGUSON
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO NJ CURE
Struggled for Education With
Next Delegate TO Congress.
THEY PATCHED TOGETHER
Something About the Boy Life
of 0kIahoma's Rising Star.

Guthrie. o. T. June 2S.-Sirce the nomi-
ration Of Bird S. Mcclure az the Enid
congressional convention the story OF his
early DAYS in Kansas are being told BY
the men who knew him when boy on
his fathers fam. IS IS the corcensUs OF
opinion that one OF the chief things in Mr.
AfcGuire's make up is determination .
His success in life is chiefly due 10 this
one element. and it is his determination 70
be elected delegate to Congress
Governor Ferguson. who comes from
southern Kansas. probably knows Mr.
/ Mcclure better than any other man in
public life in Oklahoma. Governor Fergu-
son and the nominee for delegate 70 Conc
gress roomed together at the Emporia
| Normal school in Kansas and It was in
the school days OF the two that the strong
friendship which exists now began. Speak
| ing Of Mr. Mcclure today, the governor
said: In 1881 1 was in the Hickory Creek
/ district. in southern Kansas, nesr the IN
dian Territory line. McGuire's father
owned a farm there. and Bird was one OF
the boys who had helped In the work at
| home. as thousands Of American boys are
doing row. I was preaching when l first
met MCGUIRE and made my headquarters
when in the Hickory Creek district at the
Mcclure home. VIII Mcclure and 1 were
| chums. Bird was one OF the younger boys
and. although ! saw a great deal of him.
yet l was more with VIII than Bird. One
time was.asized BY the young people OF
the district to deliver an address 10 young
people about success in life. I prepared
an address dealing chiefly with the ele-
ments Of success and advocating the idea
that success was not beyond the reach OF
any young men or young women. I also
stated that in this day and age the ques-
ton of birth was not seriously considered,
but that If the young man or woman had
the determination and energy success was
possible. Bird Mcclure was in the audi
ence that night. but I did not pay any
special attention to him. After it was over
he came to me and asked me i I believed
what I said as it applied to him.
/ told him that there was no need for
any one TO hesitate on that score and that
it was possible for him TO make a success
in life. Bird was raised on the farm. He
had had no educational advantages. He
was an ungainly, awkward boy. and It
seemed at that time. before he had devei-
oped physically. he was ali feet and head.
His hands were large and there was no
one who could butcher the queens Eng
lish more than he could. He had worked
hard on the farm, yet there were indica-
tons that he had a desire for better
things and a determination. even al that
time. to make a success in life. advised
him TO so to school; 70 get an education.
and to start Immediately 81 that direc-
ton. Mcclure told me that he would
start to school. and 1 think that he cid
attend the district school shortly after
ward. When ] returned 70 the Normal
school the next year / found Mcclure at
Emporia. I did not know that he was
there. bat he was working hard to catch
up with the other students. After I ar
rived there arrangements were made for
n number Of the boys 20 ness together.
Mcclure and I occupied the same bed. u
was decided that each boy should cook
one week and then turn Il over 70 an
other fellow. I had experience on tn~
range and found it easy work. Mcclure
cooked just one week. and before the
week was over we decided to graduate hiE1
with fuu honors as cook. We let him
finish his week. but the boys never con-
other fellows found out that Il worked
with Mcclure they began 10 lay the same
plan, and st finally resulted in my doing
The cooking. This club was kept % FOR
several months. and then the boys Of the
club bought tickets at a restaurant. with
the exception Of Mcclure. lie was out Of
money and made arrangements 20 be night
clerk al one Of the hotels. lie went On AZ
% O'Clock every night AID got away az
o'clock IN the morning. He usually slept
a while IN the morning before ciaas time.
IN the afternoon he studied for awhile
and then went 70 sleep. TIE kept this Up
AMI Il was remarkable what progress he
made So the Normal lie was always
bright. and st id not take him long 70
absorb the things which would De q ben
eft 10 him. re was observing every day
OF his school ilfe. ard 4 there were quail
ties IN his Instructors ard fellow students
that be admired nc appropriated them.
IN the Normal We had the Alpha lit
erary society DO rot think 7 ever saw
an rEauization composed q young men
who were rs well 70 or parliamentary law
aa we're the young men who composed
that organization The man who came
there received some hard 5oIfs when he
made a mistake. 1fcGuire wac called down /
mighty hard so-ue times t1if one thing
vas certain be ne~er repeated The mistake /
ln that society. Before his term ~ the I
Normal vas finished he beraa 10 acquire .
much polish ana was r reasonably good I
speaker ard 6ebater Ha had TIRE facsisv +
a. drawing ere boss % hf-n. ard the stu /
dsrts liked his sfrs ig,fforwsrd nance.
A
Normal Mcclure went q chsufaoua cor-- 4
q and taught schooi Tor several terms /
He was success az that. hut r. ua-.es +
n sfadv faw he went % the urfee-sif7 f
az Iarvrerca and ucrkes hard 81 a.
rhossn IRE Afterwards ~ refurue5 - 4
-5uthsru kansas ard shrs. raorths asts-
n vas admitted o. To har. ~. sr1s as /
rp-1ng 80 cznsssafs Pr c1anfr aftne-
nsv. IRE roslftrlsns "a -st paT rn7-h
attention - tsrt hsiieTi1x fhat ~ wocls
get crrnrls-- sTta-T F1tc frc1 ~ teNu-
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