The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-06-27
A Plea for the High School
To whom it may concern.

with whom l labored during tn,
past school year, and also by re
quest OF some Of the parents o.
such IN your town, / pen these few
lines, hoping to antagonize none
but to gently cause some to see the
situation from the school side oi
the Library Contest.
Tho i am not interested in the
school now, more than any other
citizen who claims Chickasha for
his home, yet from past relations
am better qualified to make the
following statement than any one
here now, excepting Supt. Cook,
since the other High School teach
ers Of last year are not here. With
out saying one word against a
public library, for they are a fine
thing for any city. yet, once and
for all, the public school is by far
lhe more needy. The city has
school buildings second to none in
the territories, it has an enrolment
of bright energetic youths any
city OF our size can be proud Of.
The work last year was very salts
factory III all The grades, and was
especially commended by the terri
tory supt. Benedict and other
visiting educators. But one thing
IS needed. Something to work
with. You need inside material
as well as outside. In the High
School is this especially needed in
teaching science, such as apparatus
for physics and chemistry. The
board knows this and with good
board as is your fortune to have,
we are sure they will furnish such
as fast as possible. but here is one
other need In all your history
classes. you call attention TO ccs-
tain events or certain authors or
works and tell them to look them
mp ard where will they find it3
Not one single reference book
there, and nowhere to look. Out
side Of the library that Mr.. Cook |
allowed them to use and the use Of
my private library aud cycleopedia |
they had very little chance Of salts
flying their needs. Most rural
schools have some kind Of library |
OF reference books for those who
care TO look into the mysteries Of
unfolding science etc, and also
some books Of fiction and travel,
for those who care TO take a few
minutes pleasure at home evenings
after lessons are prepared, instead
of tramping the street. If there IS
one place where il is Of special ben
eft TO throw youth in contact with
good literature, offer him reference
works that he may help educate
it is by all means in the
High School. You can little guess
the good il does till you have been
among them as have and realized
the great need of a good reference
library. We are financially unable
at present TO give the High School
what they should have by all
means, but here in the contest is a
good chance to start the library
that will sometime reach goodly
and be help TO the
hundreds Of thankful students.
The library spoken OF is just such
IS is needed there, and one that
,utside of a few volumes will be
little used in public library,
except as shelf show. Its place IS
by all means in the public school.
What we need in our public library
s classics, travel, fiction, etc, and
4 the city can get the building
.hev want, the rest will be quite
.asy to obtain.
It is quite evident now that the
ibrary must either go to the city
library or the High School SO l
recommend that all who have
.hrown their support in the past to
,ther institutions. now apply their
ickets to one of the two leading
,nes. If you preferto see thelub