The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-01-20
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PEOPLES
FORUM
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State Superintendent Replies.


State Superintendent Replies.
The following, defending his posi-
tion, which was attacked by Harriss,
has been received from Superintend-
cnt Wilson:
Mr. w. l.. Harriss,
Lone Grove, Oklahoma.
Dear Sir:
have just read a clipping sent TO
me, signed by yourself, in which you
oppose articles 9 and 10 of my rec
concentrations to the legislature. Now
| do not object to your opposing
these recommendations, because l
know that all people will not agree
with me on everything that ! do. or
any other official, but believe that
if you understood the situation as
do you would write a much stronger
article in favor of these two sections
than you have written against them.
For instance, it is my purpose as
! state superintendent to follow a pol
icy which will render the most good
to the greatest number of people.
In recommending that the school
money be appropriated to schools on
, their actual, average daily attendance
did so because l believed it to be
for the best interest of the school
children of this state. The state
school money is appropriated for the
purpose of encouraging children to
attend the public schools and to
assist the taxpayer in bearing the
burden of government. We do not
appropriate money for all children
We appropriate money only for those
between the ages of six and twenty
one, because they are admitted TO
the public schools. Now, do not
believe that the child who does not
20 to school is entitled to any con-
sideration in the apportionment OF
money. For instance, in Oklahoma
City there are possibly 1900 boys
and girls who never enter the public
schools. A large number of them
attend private schools. Others are
working. and never go to school This
will apply to all cities. do not
understand why the city should have
an advantage over some other place,
where larger per cent of children
80 to school. Again, the purpose of
this money is to educate the children
and if a child does not go TO school,
then in my judgment he is not en-
titled to draw his pro rata share. 1t
will only make greater apportion-
ment for those who do go to school
and as suggested in your letter this
will do more to enforce the compul-
sorry attendance law than anything
that can be done, and ! believe that
the one greatest weakness of our
school system is the failure to en-
force the compulsory attendance law
by those in authority. Under this
plan, every man, woman and child,
in the community, including the
teacher, would be yitally interested in
enforcing the compulsory attendance
law, and would be receiving "a reward
for this attendance. There is as
much reason for aprortioning money
to children four and five years of
age, and younger, so far as that is
concerned as there is to apportionine
money to those who do not go to
school at all.
In the second instance, with refer
ence to the endorsement of county
teachers certificates, any teacher in
the county has an opportunity to
take the examination four times a
year and every county superintend-
ent should take pride in building up
his schools with the very best teach
ers; but ] can give you instances in
this state-and in my Judgment they
occur more frequently than we hear
of them-where certificates issued
have not been for the best interest
of the public schools.
Five years ago last August, man