The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-07-10
OPINION BY COUNTY
ATTORNEY HEPBURNE
Says enforcement Would ClO-
Every Separate School in
Logan County

felt that 20 appear in public print
I'm a political discussion Is an unf
pleasant task imposed upon me as a
representative school man by the
publication in certain republican
newspaper in Oklahoma and also in
some magazines OF questionable
standing Of articles announcing that
we have politics IN Oklahoma schools
and leading people TO believe that
this state of affairs is the result OF
democratic rule and that now the
schools have lost their usefulness.
An attack OF this kind, which iniures
our schools, should be repulsed AT
any cost, and, therefore, | have en-.
tered this discussion 10 turn on the
light so that the public may under
stand the cause OF this commotion.
Those who are raising this cry
know fun well the conditions, cir they
really care to knOwD for there are
thousands Of citizens in old oklahoma
who do know who would be willing
TO furnish the information contain
in this article, but the republican
press and these biased magazines be.
fore mentioned seem blind and deaf
therefore ! propose TO lei the peo-
| Ple snow.'
Let II be known to all men that we
have politics in oklahoma schools.
am sorry TO have, but this Is the con
ldltion OF affairs in Oklahoma. More
over, we have politics in Oklahoma
schools all the time. 1t is not Just
starting, just commencing" as these
criers would have you believe, but II
came here from Kansas at the open
| ing and was matured by the repubi.
can party until statehood came whom
some OF the hangers on fell off the
pie counter and cried; their friends
the republican editors and few hire
| ling magazines, are now aware "foI
| the first time" thai we have politics
in Oklahoma schools.
Who ever expected to see demo
crat placed al the head OF a state
school during a republican admins
tgation in Oklahoma? ! may state
we do not as a rule find politics IN
the elementary or common schools
There are scores of cities that may
be named where the popular vote IS
democrauc and the superintendent on
principal Is republican There are al
so scores OF cities where the vote IL
republican and the superintendent 2
democrat True there are many
directors who insist upon employing
democratic superintendents and prin
cipals and many republican director.
who likewise insist upon employing
republican school officials, but these
are The exceptions not the rule.
Conditions nave not Deen so nearly
ideal in the state schools. and no
because of democratic rule either for
with the exception of one administra
ton, Oklahoma government has 81
ways been in the hands OF the re
publican party. During the one demo
cratic administration (Renfrow's tern
of onicel The best school position Il
Z Oklahoma, the presidency OF the an
Yersity, was neld by a republican
Now be Il known that Tor thea
many subsequent years OF republican
rule. no democrat has been found VIII
{ was qualified hl the eyes Of the ao
J ministration 70 fill the position .
{ president I'm any state educational ~
) lsitutipis and no republican was full
7 qualified TO I'LL any OF ihese position
) or to serve as territorial 5uperinienc
r ont unless he was a republican an
came from Kansas
OF course, it Is not my main cor
tention that good men cannot com
from Kansas, but do wish 70 sui
gest that good men might come frol
other states az least occasionally
There might be good men who wQul
come from other states north, s0utl
east and west However, The republ
can rulers fla Oklahoma corld not Sc
much merit IN educators from an
other sfate than Kansas. During IN
long period OF their several cOnsecl
tive administrations The 'Ope
sesame" TO school positions IN Okli
homa was II am a republican frOi
Kansas" coterie OF Kansas me
controlled the schools in Oklahoma.
Il has been charged that we hag
. politics especially In the norm,
? schools. Let us investigate. Her
Z are the facts In the closing year
! lfepublical administration, there We,
/ three active known democrats ia HI
. faculty Ia the Northwestern Normi
! School al Alya. none In the SOu:l
western Normal School at Weatbe
ford, aud Two in the Central Norm
School al Edmond, grand total
five cut Of a Combined faculty OF a
. proximately sixty In the years pfil
; 10 this there were not 80 many der
E ocsats employed. But al the end
, republican rule We find the preaiden
Z OF all the normals and about 90 ID
cent OF the combined faculty OF II
ncrmals were republicans. Was IN
accidental, or did We have p0litil
. IN Oklahoma sehools2 Did the !