The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-01-18
Institution Graft in Okla
homa.

From The Kansas Mail and Breeze.
The following interesting letter
throws considerable light on the man
ner in which ed0eatiOnal institutions
have been located in the new state Of
OklAkoma. Having known OF similar
deals that have been attempted 10 Kan.
sss think can realize the situation
in our neE and neighbOring state.
No state in the Uuion started out 50
richly endowed with funds for educa-
tional purposes as Oklahoma / believe
with the writer that 70 say the very
least it was q most serious mistake TO
allow that magnificent endowment to
b used TO further toSnsite schemes.
IL Mr. Randolph has the situation sired
up correctly, it was more than . mis-
take. Il vas a crime.
Editor Mail and BreeIe-In the last
issue Of you- valuable paper there sp-
peAred n extract from an article from
the pen Of Charles A. Campbell. OF
Wilfort, Okla Following the same is
. fair and honorable discussion Of the
matter By the editor Of Passing CON-
ment"
deem il my duty to enlighien read
ers Ct Mail and Breeze upon the eduea-
tional system Of Oklahoma. the crea-
ton OF which is crime against her
enlightened citizenship. No sooner
had Oklahoma's star been placed upon
our flag and legislature elected than
town bousters initiated their nefarious
schemes for getting various and divers
educational and other institutions To-
Gated in the various and divers towns
scattered all oyer Oklahoma, 10 be
built and supported at the states e1-
pense
In four years Of statehood our public
building fund has been reduced from
5 million dollars to approximately
million dollars. This fund would have
been depleted to the tune Of million
dollars more by the last legislature
had not our governor land he is good
oneJ vetoed appropriation to tina,
amount, approximately.
These talks Of bill being prepared
to be presented to the next legislature
for the purpose Of diseontinuing Il ed
ucaiionsl institutions are intended for
the purpose Of side-tracking for the
same purpose.
1 Friends Of our present system, most
Of whom live within the charmed circle
Of these threatened state" institu-
tions, well know that no legislature
will ever vote to annihilste these high
schools (ior that Is all they sre). These
u schools each control at least three
state Representatives, making at least
A representatives who will vote solidly
sgsinst such bill Then the remain
ing state institutions will eject repre-
sentztives pledged to enntinue the bur.
den on the people, and these together
with unconcerned and disinterested
members will forever hold the balance
Of power.
The money Necessary to meet the
yearly demands Of these IA educational
in titutions together with the uneI-
pended balance OF the public building
fund would be entirely adequate to
build one half OF a fine, two-siory,
four room consolidated school building
in every township in Oklahoma Here
our cons and daughters conld get a 10Th
grade education on the farm.
As conditions are at present we are
taIed TO the full extent Of the law and
then some for ths purpose Of educating
less than ? per cent of the youth o. o:-
state, whose parents most Of them are
amply able TO give them the extra fin-
ishing touches.
With the rank and file OF US. when
our children have received few Of the
signs and symptoms OF primary edu-
cation in the country schools, then we
must pack up. move to town, rent our
farms. or let our children grow up in
ignorance. As Oklahoma is essentially
agricultural. this condition is resulting z
in dilapidated system sof tenantry