The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-20
OUR OBLIGATION TO THE CHILDREN.

DRlOR to statehood. Indian Territory had public
school system since there was no method of taxation
Oklahoma Territory well equipped with school re-
sources taxes available and much public land was
donated by the government for the OF the schools
When the two territories joined the state OF
Oklahoma congress dropped nice appropriation into
state treasury that schools could be bull, in Indian
Territory
With abundant resources with taxes to be levied the
new state sped along and schools sprang up all over the
Indian Territory part of the No such of school
construction witnessed in the history OF the world
and Oklahoma boys ard girls faced bright educational
outlook.
Then dark days The public building fund was
borrowed and proposed rural schools were not built,
account of the absence of funds state rich in school
contained school districts which felt the pinch OF
poverty
While the public building fund had reached substantial
figures, S500O il memory correctly the money
countered rough road and diverted" for the public
welfare we will assume.
This large lost to the state but il was lost
TO the rural graded schools commonly known as the
soldatcd schools Some day this money may find its way
back into the consolidated school fund but advocate Of
country schools hopes for any such good luck
In the meantime this public building fund tapped TO aid
other projects, goes growing At present amounts to
nearly $OO although not all of that available for
schools there being fixed charges against the fund which
will admit of probably good deal more than 100000 being
placed Immediately at the disposal of country school dis
trcts II the legislature acquiesces.
SO Representative Woodard OF Snyder has introduced
calling for not the money that diverted but
for action that will put portion of the public building fund
at the command OF school boards in sections OF the
where aid is needed
A large number of school districts of Oklahoma have
ateb
would be paid for in part from the public building fund AT
this time reasurers of those school districts watching
the mails but the checks don't come and will unless
the legislature responds to the Woodard resolution
In addition to directing that the big fund now on hand
he apportoned that the rural schools shall have help
the Woodland resolution provides that on the fifth day OF
each January the rural schools shall be allotted their
share OF the public building fund
Here is an appeal which must be needed Rich school
districts are not greatly concerned about cash to supply
educational advantages but the poorer school districts need
assistance With fat purse, foreign our edi
caonal policy to withhold this money from the schools
which are equipped TO give the riches of education the
young folk II the legislature will extend helping hapd
Now then, why should there be opposition to this Wood
ard resoution Can anyone submit reasonable argument
against sending this money from the public building func
to the outskirts where little boys and girls are being de-
pved of school advantages When we think of the de
porable school conditions which existed in old Indar
Territory for lack of school money there should be no
nifioent asset-THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. There
should be stampede start this money on its rip tc
maintain more and better country schools.