Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-28


from the small city to. the great one
Of people hungry for old-fashioned
hospitality, eager for passing cordial
ity In the congregations Of their reli-
gious faith, wishing and wistful for
the environment they knew when they
were younger.
Lost Our Step.
What shall we say of Tulsa In the
light of these four agencies, Of educa-
ton, recreation, health and spiritual
environment? The educational op-
portunities in Tulsa are both large and
small. For here is city which lost
its step for a while educationally.
There were things that concerned us
much more than the education Of our
children. We have suffered in Tulsa
as people have suffered in older cities,
from the beginning of American his
tory through a confusion of objectives.
There was time when we would
rather have good democratic govern
ment in Tulsa than good government.
daughter and applause.) But you
are not alone in that regard; in the
proud Republican state Of Indiana, |
know Of a city not so large or fine as
this, but pretty large and pretty fine,
too, where they would rather have a
good Republican health officer than to
save lives. (Laughter)
We have been long time awaken
ing in Tulsa, in view of the fact that
we did not have the political traditions
to confuse us, but lacking traditions,
we manufactured few. And for the
same of these manufactured political
advantages, we sold out our chance at
education in any large scale for years
upon years. The thing that has been
wrought since the transition from the
wrong point of view to the right point
of view almost justifies the word mir
acle. For such a system of public ed
ucation that you have today has been
practically made new in less than ten
years. What is it as it stands?
1t begins with a school district
whichh is approximate to the metro
politan district of the city, exceeding
in population the population of the
city by from five to ten thousand. 1t
is governed by board of seven mem
bers, elected at large, and indicating
that women in this territory are not
yet people altogether; it is a strange
fact that there is no woman on the
board, though half the students in the
system to be governed by this board,
are women.
The board as it stands is non-parti-
san, presenting an effective contrast
with the board which it succeeded
seven ago.
Adequate Ground Space.
The school year consists Of nine
months, or 36 weeks, and there is a
full course here of eight grades and
four high school years, with two
junior high schools in the course Of
organization. We have some difficulty
with this people who are not people,
so we allot the negroes to a system
which is paid for by the county. We
have % buildings. 90 for the white
and two for the colored, and these %
buildings constitute the only system
Of public education in America,
think, where every school building of
the system is surrounded by an ade-
quate ground space. (Applause.)
They constitute, likewise, the only
school system that have ever studied
in which practically all Of the build
ings offer your child and mine security
against fire. (Applause.) i under
stand there has been some opposition
to one OF the glories of Tulsa. Well,
I am not surprised; | remember that
one was dissatisfied in Heaven. But
do wonder little at the particular
object Of dissatisfaction here. 1t is
the school which is almost distinctive
and characteristic of Tulsa was not
architecturally worthy of the city.
But be patient. Just take that sort of
a thing as little salt in the wound.
| am a student Of cities; this sort of
task is the habit of my life. My
dream is that may be useful in help
ing make them better, so round the
world | go finding out about cities
and telling people of them. Do you
know that there stands before you to-
night, one of the prize advertisers of
Tulsa in all the world. Think when l
was here first, went to see certain
school building. My host and guide
was just a little awkward about it.
He said, 81 do not think, Albert, it is
very imposing, but it is awfully safe"
| looked upon it and my heart leapt,
for there are in this country, buildings
of such pattern, devoted to the educa-
ton of our American flesh and blood,
that one of them burns for every day
in the year. When they burn in the
course of the school, it is q horrible
catastrophe, and when they burn after
school hours or on Saturday or on
Sunday, or in vacation, it is proof of
the intelligence Of the Board of Edu-
cation. But here in Tulsa we have a
board with courage, which says before
you can educate the child, you have to
keep him alive. (Applause) 1t has
given us type of building or con-
tributed and given to the world type
of building which is, in my judgment,
without a peer among all the qualities
and designs of school buildings ! have
ever seen. There are not many; there
are but three Of them in San Diego;
four or five in Oakland, California,
one in Portland, one in Seattle, one in
Spokane, those perfectly wonderful
cities. / think there is one in London,
Ontario, and the existence Of the one
in London, Ontatrio, is direct prod
,,ct of tho co,1ra pe and tho wisdom and