The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-21
MILLIONS
FOR NEW
SCHOOLS


Millions 81 dollars are now neing oy'
pended or viii Be expended during ihe
nsxi few in.nlhs la the construction oi
school buildings IN Oklahoma The
greater part Of this sum will be spent
ia the eastern parts Of the state, iol.
merly embraced IN Indian Terrltort,
where up 20 The present time lnele
have been practically no free con'
mon schools During the ODD Terri
lorial days practically toe My free
public schools we're those maintained
by the government for the benefit Il
ihe Indians, With the exception II D
iew localities the white residents had
no publlc schools and excepting u the
cities where private school w Anain.
sained by the citizens, tie wll,tH resl.
dents we're practically deprlftk ~ oil
gch oI advantages,
with the formation Of tlfe Il state
came the task OF psnyiline N easialn
half ~ the state withsA Sklen1al plsAf
llc schools 4 o. ealiHs.4d " 2pt
school districts IN tth efsAerl flalg n
tue state are nuW Nuaelln9 affuuf
buildings. where they Aave 3 ALREADY
completed them llnll of these build
ings VIII probable coat on eilNferate
$1,000 while uie fenlalndef Wllr aver
age $500. This hlpno represents aa
expenditure Of ti.5O0000 IN adaitins
10 this an Immense amounts ol monfy
IA being spent III the erection q Now
seh0ll buildings III the cities This Isl
true III the western as We'll a. tne
baslefn part os tar state, iof white
the country districts IN tue Old rursr
tory oi Oklahoma we're we'll punlpred
With bnldlngs before statehood ,ht
rapid growth Of the cites IN thai seq
finn ~ the state has necessltaicd the
enlargement the school facilities
Oklahoma City VIII spend $500 geo tn
new higb school Building the money
uelng secured by O bond issue which
Was authorized IN tho November rlce-
ton. BartlesyllIe Il preparing 70 erect
new s75. 600 high school building and
dozen other cllies are preparing TO
a0 lhe same An school districts as
we'll rs cities are auth fsea Ia issue
bonds. the sr'iool districts being re-
unired 10 limit their bonded indoltc
ness 10 8 per cent Of their assessed val.
uatlOn. In addition % this the school
dlatflets IRE permitted to levy tax
81 mills and TO Increase this asn0u t
nut IL exceed 10 mills. II this lnerpae
Is approved By q majority Of lle Fole.s
A Rivalry seems 10 have sprnng tn
hmonR The cities Of the state and these
Is 4 general tendency q spend aa
much money as Is allowed auder thn
Law for the construction OF acho1
buildings and the Improvement cl
school facilities
II ia said that one firm OF hfokefs
has purchased IA fe than M5u.01o
@nfih ol Oklahoma school honds dng
las the last few mouths. and It s
claimed thai al Of these bonds have
been sold ai par
IL this connection considerable ~
leFesi althcaps 10 the enorm ua ptf
manehl school iund which Oklahoma
has acquired through various acts q
tie United States congress d la
estimated that the total value 0i lhe
school fund, including lands set apart
Cor lhe benefit 81 the esmmou
SCHOOLS and state institutions. is ap.
nf0ximalely s60000s000 rae common
school fund alone reaches d total Of
about sa3. 100000 Il this we're invest.
ed ao as M yield i net return Of E
per cent Z would glyc an aanall las
come Of {i.6500eu loi the et ma
schools. a per capital OF more laan
$50 for every child 81 school axe At
iAis time
AS result ( lhe possession af this
fund Oklahoma does not levy ans
state tax I0f the benefit Of lhs schools
Aae revenue derived from lhe pelmas
uent fund taking the place Of the
money that would be obtained from
gneh taF The revenue derived from
lhe fund Is apporti-nea among she
HsFloua counties Of the state ana then
distributed among The several school
districts IN each county
This immene2 school fund has been
accumulated iarough grants made st
various times by The United States
government Ia the first place the
government set apart Seels. le and st
Ii every lownahip IN the I'D Terrmfg
81 Oklahoma for the benefit oi the
common schools Later Secs. 80 and
50 ln each township we're set aslds
Is create & fund 10 be used Tor puh-
lsc Institutions Of education Where
these sections were tEgen up congress
provided for iae seleciiea oI other
Aands IN lieu oi t4s original SECTIONS.
Aes Of connrean.
Wheu congress passed en- nel pro.
YIdiag FOR the foi1nalion 0l the new
state Il added raleflally 10 The sphool
fund, 20 eonulcfbalanee The lands
which had bHen granted ID Oklahoma
Territory, Congress appropriated S..
100 1000 In cash as the { nlfluafi0n q
indian Territory q ihe EGatc iH4i I'll
lhe same ucl Congress allhdrew from
Eae nuplIc domain and set APART Tor
Ire state educational institutions more
Hian & million acres 81 land of ghls
land ss0,uuU acres was fosefFed for
Ae s. University la00oo aefes fof
ha University Preparatory scho zbQ
MlV acres Ia she Agricultural end Me
alnnlnal college and Normal univer
slty and aoan00 Herps for the Normal
schools nOW established or hereafter
= be- established,
The Flesl legislature Pissed law
setting aslde Aae ~ ii every ivwn.
ship WsIch had been granted 10 the
state b lhe United states government
~ ihe beneIll ~ the state educational
Institutions aud leaving Soc 81 fl
aaqh township TO eanwllage Ae pahHs
he|d|as fund