The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-19


girls who live upon the farm. many OF
whom have taken Advantage of the
opportunity wiich 1t affords. It has
often been called the school Of the
people"
The Agricultural and Mechanical
College.
Oklahoma is an agricultural country.
The fact has been clearly demonstrat-
ed. Her wealth is in the fertility OF
the soil and the energy Of her people
The almost unbounded possibilities Of
our splendid young commonwealth are
being realized more and more every
year by the people who have laid the
foundation for ler future greatness.
The sentiment among all progressive
\ people is to promote education along
/ all lines and this especiallyeholds good
in Oklahoma. The day has passed
into history when it was believed that
those who titled the soil and those VIII
directly represented our great indus
trial Developments did not need the
| advantages Of education and special
training along chosen lines Of enter
prise.
The Agricultural and Mechanical col
legs Of Oklahoma, while not neglecting
/ the culture features Of education,
makes a special effort to qualify stu
dents to do things In life and empha-
sizes the demands Of the day for an in
dustrial education.
An education which does not contem-
plate the practical things is incom-
plete.
The student should not only be taught
to think. but should be taught to do.
| More prominently than ever before,
the requirements Of existing conditions
/ point to this idea as a distinctive fea-
ture in our education work.
Our territory is just at the begin
/ ming of career full Of hope. prophecy
/ promise and possibility. We should
keep in the vanguard in the march Of
/ progress and not forget that ours is an
4 Industrial commonwealth ana that no
/ possible efforts should be spared TO
/ promote practical Industrial education.
The agricultural college is taking ad-
/ tanced positions along this line and
accomplishing good results.
Experiment Station.
This station IL one Of the very useful
| factors in promoting the agricultural
/ interests Of the territory.
Az those interests increase. the real
worth Of the station becomes more ap-
parent. 1t keeps the public in touch
with the best up-to-date methods and
1 developments through bulletins, cor
lrespondence. work in farmers Institutes
and various other means employed to
utilize the best discoveries and expert
ments along agricultural lines.
Normal Schools.
| The normal schools OF the territory
are doing efficient work The reports
Of the presidents of these Institutions
Indicate a healthy growth and develop
ment in this branch Of our educational
system.
The policy Of the commonwealth
should be to develop as rapidly as con-
ditlons will permit the special feature
Of professional work in the normal
schools. The desired goal can not be
reached at once, however. On account
Of conditions that naturally prevail in
all young territoriA3 more academic
work is required tnan is desirable in
schools of this character. But as our
graded and high schools advance in in
fluence and utility. the normal schools
win be relieved OF much Of the work
which is now being done by them. and
will be given an opportunity TO oevoIe
more Of their energy to professional
work-the real purpose of normal
school
Central
The last assembly made an appropri-
alton for a new normal school building
at Edmond. The building has been
erected and is now occupied. It is a
splendid structure and has supplied
pressing demand on the part Of the
institution In my judgment the terri
| tory has never made a better invest
ment in a public building than In this
Instance While the building is neat,
il is especially attractive on account
Of the amount Of room furnished at a
comparatively small outlay. The legis-
lative appropriation was $4,000 and the
building was erected within the appro-
priation.
The total enrolment for 1903 1904. In
cluding normal ard training depart
msnt. was S52.
At the beginning of the present term.
steps were taken to establish a manual
training department. but insufficient
equipments have prevented satisfac-
tory development of this line Of work.
Northwestern.
This institution has extended its
course by adding another year. The
presidents report states that this has
been done to improve the school from
professional as well as scholastic
standpoint, and that the purpose has
not merely been to build numerically
but TO secure as extensively as pos
sible teachers who have completed a
sufficient amount Of academic work to
qualify them to devote some time to
professional training and thus fuup
themselves for teaching. A depart
ment In manual training has been es-
tabllshed and is very S-tisfactory in
results.
From November SO 1903 20 November
30. 1904. the records show taat six hum
dred and sixty pupils had been en-
rolled.
The president states in his report that
gymnasium and bathing facilities are
lacking. and urges that some provision
be made to meet the demand.
vt Southwestern.
Since the adjournment Of the Seventh