The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-12-11
Grandma" Becomes moonlight
Student 10 College Mound; Plans
to Write Christmas Letter to
Daughter in Texas
GRADY co. LEADS IN
new MOVEMENT
Total Of SIS are Enrolled in rs
Districts, with 81 Teachers
at Work; Many Pupils
Past Middle Years

Through the tireless efforts of
many Of the teachers of Grady county
who have Joined hands with County
Superintendent Shepard in his cam
paign for a better education, Grady
row stands as the banner county of
the entire state of Oklahoma in the
matter of moonlight schools.
Two months ago the moonlight
school in Grady county was a mere
theory, theory which many thought
would be exploded by the prick of
pin. Today there are in the county
total OF twenty-five moonlight
schools with an enrolment amounting
TO grand total of 575, while 81 teach
ers are instructing those who never
had the opportunity afforded them Of
attending regular schools and learning
the simplest rudiments OF that educa-
tion which the exigencies of the pres
ent time render necessary to success
in life
OF the total of 475 pupils enrolled in
Grady county's moonlight schools 466
are men and women of mature years
The total number Of 575 is divided as
to sex OF pupils as follows: Males,
3lS; females, 257.
The struggle for an education by
those who seemingly missed the
golden opportunity, but who are now
responding to the knocking on the por-
tails Of life OF that opportunity, is not
confined to the white citizenship OF
the county. One hundred and sixteen
negroes are attending the night
schools now being conducted in three
out OF the total of five negro schools
in Grady county. A fourth one, Of the
negro schools. expects to start up a
moonlight school with the beginning
of the second semester
In the list OF moonlight schools in
the county is included the North
school in Chickasha. This school has
one Of the livest of all the live wire
moonlight classes which is under the
direct supervision of Principal F. Fl.
Black who conducts his regular
classes with tireless energy through
out the day and teaches the "spe-
cials" at night.
Out Of the 466 adult pupils in the
moonlight schools of Grady county
the majority of those attending are
between the ages Of 80 and As years
Some are barely 2l. while a goodly
number are between 25 and 80. Eigh'
are past fifty years. Three are sixty
years OF age and one is grandmother
OF 76 years. This lady. whose name
the teacher failed to disclose is
pupil in the moonlight school at Col
lege Mound, near Rush Springs AM
taught by e. Brightwell.
Mr.. Brightwell writes Superin
tendent Shepard a newsy and an In
teresting letter about the progress
made in his school Of adults and il
speaking of the lady above referred t
states that three weeks ago she coul
neither read onr write, but can no'
read simple sentences in both tn
Roman letters and in script, and
learning to write with commendabl
rapidity. This lady has Marie
daughter residing in western Texa
and she intends sending this daughte
as a Christmas gift, a letter write
by herself.
In referring to the efforts OF tn
adult negroes to gain the rudimen'
of an education under the opportu
tiles OF the moonlight school provi
ions, Mr.. Shepard stated this NOR
ing that practically the entire atten
ance Of that race was composed
men and women of middle age al
said that one OF the three pupils who
age is sixty years is negro ana
attendant at one of the negro schoo
While Grady couney undouhted
stands at the head of the column
moonlight schools in Oklahoma, I
movement is younger in this than
almost any other county in the sta
The first moonlight school to be