The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-12-18
+ TO STRIKE DOWN
OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS
Avowed object is to Promote Interests
of the Akin Initiative
Bill.

Oklahoma City, Dec. 1S.-The stand
which Governor Cruce has taken in
/, the interests of economy was COM
!. mended a constitution was adopted
: and temporary organization formed
L by the Taxpayers Educational league
1tOf Oklahoma at the Lee-Huckins hotel
= Saturday afternoon, and another meet
! ing has been called for the first Satur-
5 day in January, when permanent or
& ganization will be formed in support of
the bill iatiated by Representative
Z Oliver H. Akin of Moore, for a reduc-
y aion in the number of state schools,
@12bout twenty persons attended the
meeting.
n ]. s. Moore of Altus, Jackson county,
y was elected president of the league;
4 Oliver H. Akin of Moore was named
secretary-treasurer, and John G.. James
4 of Rolf, former president of the A. &
M. college of Bryan, Texas, is first
vice president Other vice presidents
will be named later, and they will be
4 ex-officio presidents of the county or
ganizations.
The meeting was called by Mr.. Akin,
who declared that it is not the purpose
/ of the organization to put the blame
/ for the deplorable condition of affairs
\ that now exists in the state on the
4 shoulders of any person or organization
/ but that there is a condition of educa-
/ tional chaos with little return and large
expenditures of money, which it is the
purpose to remedy.
He said that while the state has
u spent 81 100000 on state school build
[ ings, this is merely prelude to what
y will be expended later and that now
\ is the best time to check this waste,
which within a few years will have
grown to at least s4,OOO,OOO for build
ings alone.
Local High School.
The normal and other schools main
tanned by the state, he said. are mere
4 ly local high schools, instead of higher
educations of learning, and he referred
] TO the fact that at the School of Mines
81 Wilburton there are but twelve stu
dents who live outside of the town in
which the institution is located
The per capita cost of education at
state institution, he declared, is
from $3.50 to $475 per year. Edmond
has the lowest per capita cost with
* $3.50, while the secondary agricultural
school at Lawton is highest, with $475
Many high schools of the state give
equal advantages at cost of less than
$40 per capita, he said.
He said that the entire system OF
public schools is but scheme for more
prestige on the part of the politicians
z and the best time to stop it is right
Z now.
Following the election of officers, a
\ constitution with the following pre-
II dute Was duOptSu.
I'VE, taxpayers of the state of Okla
homa, in convention assembled, being
fully convinced that there is a great
Nlack of economy, useless duplication
& ,7nd little returns from the investment
Il the so-called higher institutions OF
L ,arning III this state; that there is not
present a proper balance between
4 1e expenditures for this class OF
schools and the expenditures for edu.
hcation in the rural communities mas
much as 50 per cent of the youths OF
I the state never, under present condi
tions in the rural schools, can hope OF
receiving any benefit from this great
4 expense; second, as result of that
capital and population is being driven
| from out commonwealth; therefore We
a associate ourselves together for the
purpose of obtaining immediate relief
by eliminating a number of the so
z called higher institutions of learning.
The following resolution, indorsing
the stand taken by Governor Cruce
also was adopted:
Whereas, Governor Cruce has de