The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-05-07

To the accompaniment of cfashins
music and cheering thr)pgs Lee
Cruce, governor of Okahcma. ycst,r
day afternoon cast the first shoN e
of earth that marks the first stel
taken toward building what will be
before many months. the finest build
ing for educational purposes in t',i;
great state.
The program was carried out as
previously published in The Ardmore
ite and went through from start tc
finish without a hitch.
Promptly at two o'clock the first
of the procession of school children
following the Lowenstein band and
the autos that contained the govern
or, the mayor of Ardmore, the super
intendent of city schools, the presi
dent of the school board, the differ
ent members of the board and a mum
Der of distinguished guests of the oc
casion, arrived upon the site of the
new building. For almost an hour
marching in perfect order, the little
fellows came in a continuous stream
until over 2,340 were upon the ground
Each We're marched in batallions un
der the command of the teachers OF
the respective rooms, while a number
of the boys from the different de
partments, bedecked in sashesof red
and mounted upon prancing horses
acted as marshals along the line OF
march. Following in the wake OF
their leaders, the line came on with
out faltering. from the athletes OF
the high school, who nave won vic
tories from other schools all over
the state, until now they are as was
Alexander in days of old, without 9th
er lands to conquer, on down to the
tot of six in the kindergarten depart.
ments, they marched beneath their
class colors and their country's flag
with elastic steps and shoulders
squared to the strains of patriotic
music that floated down the line from
the head of the column.
When the last of the long line of
march had arrived upon the ground
and were "at rest the president of
the board of education, r. A. Hefner,
on behalf of the school board of the
city addressed the audience and in
troduced the speakers of the occa-
sion. Mr.. Hefner said in part that
This day marked new era in the
education of the section of Oklahoma
of which Ardmore was the hub. that
the people of Ardmore felt pride in
the fact that they were soon to have
the best school building in the best
state in this great union of states;
that the work of the school board of
the city of Ardmore this magnificent
place of learning that would, upon its
completion be presided over by
man who was noted far and wide as
being not only one of the best edu-
Gators in the state of Oklahoma, but
who had no peer as such In any state
in the union. His reputation was
known all over the country as man
who was making the higher education
of the youth of today life study.
With him the education of the young
men and women who would live amid
these scenes when we of the mature
generation of today We're wander
ing in the groves of the life beyond
the grave, was indeed profession.
And that he was in iove with his
profession was proof positive that he
was making an unparalleled success in
following it. 1t was but meet and
proper that the people Of Ardmore
have to address upon this momentous
occasion the man who had done so
much in years that are passed TO
make Ardmore the gem of Oklahoma
as he was working today to make Ok
Iahoma the gem and pride of the un'
ion. Reference was made to no less
person than the Honorable Lee
Cruce, governor of the great com
monwealth of Oklahoma, which, as
Columbia was the gem of the ocean
was the gem of Columbia. Recogniz
ing the great and good work that
Lee Cruce had done in the years
gone by for the education of the
young people Of Ardmore, as well as
the work that he was doing today fol
the upbuilding of this young state
il had seemed but a proper mark oil