The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-27
Munyon's NitCh-HazeI Soap
SoFTENS AND WHITENS
ROUGH AND RED HANDS

and ready to urge the claims for state
hood in a logical. close ftting manne
that proclaimed them thinkers as well 81
= workers Their handiwork told its OWL
story to the congressman.
Had the visitors been of the most scep
tea iturn on entering the territories they
could not fan TO be convinced of their fit
ness to enter the Union after this tour
They were Of one voice on the subject to-
day as the train sped onward over the
level lands of Oklahoma.
The congressman were especially inter.
ested in the educational aspect OF the ter.
ritory. The very first act of the territor-
| ial legislature was to pass a law estab-
fishing public school system.
The system Is efrective and largely sup.
ported by the revenue arising from tbs
leasing of land set aside for school pur-
poses at the time of opening the territory
for settlement And of higher institu-
tions of learning, the territory supports
four in addition to which are several
schools and colleges supported by private
enterprise.
Those who expect to engage in farming
in Oklahoma will be especially interested
in the work of the Agricultural and Me-
chanicaI college, located at Saltwater.
This Institution is well equipped for in
struction in agriculture, mechanical arts
and the applied sciences. L he college farm
is stocked with puue-bred horses, cattle,
hogs, sheep and poultry, several breeds
being represented in most cases.
During the months of January and Feb
ruary in each year special short courses
are bearing directly upon agricultural
practice in Oklahoma. This is made use of
/ by many farmers who have but recently
come into the territory and wish TO ac-
quaint themselves with the methods pur
sued in this Climate. -
Situated in mildly temperate latitude,
with an unusually wide range of crops
successfully grown and matured, with a
climate of such a nature that farm opera
| tions may be carried on during every day
in the year, with schols a5'd colleges for
the education of the youth, Oklahoma
has many inducements to offer to the
man who wishes to build his home where,
by his own efforts, he may secure a living
and provide a competence for himself and
his family.
The act of congress opening Oklahoma
TO settlement reserved two sections in
each township for the use and benefit of
the common schools. When the Strip
country was opened it was decreed by
congress that two sections in each town
ship should be held. one for the benefit
of. higher educational institutions, the
other for public buildings. Later when
Greer county was opened to homestead
entry, two sections in each township
were reserved for common school pur-
poses and two for such purposes as the
future state of Oklahoma may prescribe"
Unlike other territories, Oklahoma has
not let its school lands lie idle and unpro-
ductiye, or used without authority. until
IT became a state. With business sa-
gacity the lands were leased under regu-
lations prescribed by the secretary of
the interior, with the result that the
educational system of Oklahoma is equal
to that of the best in the country At
this time there are S904 quarter sections
of school lands in the twenty three coun-
ties of Oklahoma. Only 163 quarter sec
tions of school lands were vacant in 1900
The revenue from leasing school lands is
distributed semi-annually among the va
rious school districts (of which there are
2,00S), universities, normal schools, Agri-
cultural and Mechanical University. the
latter being for colored people
The five institutions last mentioned are
for the higher education of the student
residents of the territory. Free to every
one in Oklahoma and Indian Territory,
they provide the means for the greatest
development of the rising generation
At Norman is situated the University of
Oklahoma The main building, of stone
and pressed brick, contains twenty-six
recitation and reception rooms and a !
large chapel. 1t is splendidly located on
nigh ground sloping to the Canadian |
river. The surroundings are healthfuI. |
The present legislature d90D has appro- |
priated ss2. .OaO for the erection of addition |
al buildings and an extension of the Uni /
versitys work.
On the outskirts of the thriving city of |
saltwater are the impressive buildings /
of the Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege. The work of this institution covers
a wide field, although its aim is to deal
more particularly with subjects of vital
interest to the agriculturist. this term in
eluding the farmer. the cattleman. the
horticulturist. etc. and whose investiga-
tons into the manifold questions that
arise tend TO the more profitable cultiva-
ton of the land.
The Normal school is located at Ed
mond,- amid attractive surroundings
Brick and red sandstone were used in its
construction. The special field of the
Normal school is TO train and equip teach
ers. 1t was oyened in 1891 with twenty
three students. and last year had S32. and
the majority OF these came from the
farm. showing the demand for higher
education
The largest institution of learning I'm |
oklahoma is the Northwestern Territorial
Normal school al Alva, an ideal college
town In point of beauty, of architecture
and facility of arrangement. the school
building is considered to be among the
best Of its kind in America
One OF the Institutions supported by the
Territory in Langston university. for the
higher and industrial education OF the col
ored people of Oklahoma
Among the private or sectarian schools
and colleges are the Congressional college
at Kingfsher and the Sacred Heart Mis-