The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-01-20
SCHOOLS
OF STATE
PROGRESS
Report of supt. Wilson Goes In
to Detail on Advancement
and Gives Some Plans for
Future Development.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan 20.-The
report Of Supt. r. II. Wilson to the
state legislature goes into detail as
to the progress of schools in the
state and points out plans for the
future. A continuation of the report
states:
"One noticeable Improvement
made in rural schools during the
past ten years is shown in the in
creased number of grade graduates
from year to year, and in the num-
Der of consolidated districts or
ganized During 1911, there were
only 3,725 eighth grade graduates
turned out by the rural schools
Last summer 9,202 secured diplo-
mas During the past two years, 4S
consolidated and union graded dis
tricts were organized; 81 of them
being organized last year in spite
Of the war conditions. Now that
peace has come, it is confidently
expected that the number organized
during the next two years will be
materially increased Therefore, it
is recommended that the Legislature
make a liberal appropriation to aid
such schools, but that the manner
Of distributing this state aid be
changed, SO as to make it available
at once and save the children
at once and save the districts from
paying interest on more bonds than
necessary.
There are 1906 one-teacher
schools in the state, 1,O7S two
teacher schools, 225 employing three
teachers an d12S and 2S7 employing
four or more, respectively. There
are more centralized schools of the
consolidated and union graded type
in the southern counties than in the
northern part fthe state. Upon the
whole, there. are more schools EN-
plOying two or more teachers in the
southern part of the state than in
the northern part. In Greer coun.
ty only 8 per cent of the children
live in districts that maintain only
oneteacher schools, while in Alfalfa
county 56 per cent of the children
live in one-teacher districts. Grady
and Garfield counties have Is per
cent and 43 per cent, respectively,
living in one-teacher districts These
proportions hold, according to Su-
perintendent Wilson, when the
southern and northern counties are
compared as two distinct groups.
"On November 7, 1916, there were
l3l fully accredited four-year high
schools, 21 threeyear high schools.
II two-year high school and Ia one
year high schools in the state. On
November 18, 1918, there were 222
fouryear, 80 three-year, SO two
year and 8 one-year high schools in
the state. OF the Sc consolidated
schools that furnish transportation
to pupils, "a are now maintaining
standard four-year high school de-
partments One hundred and ninety
seven Of those disrtitcc are inde-
pendent.
in discussing teachers salaries
Superintendent Wilson says:
More and more we realize that a
competent teacher is worthy of his
hire and those who have spent
years and money for special train
ing are gratified to see that the
wage is slowly increasing. A COM
parison of teachers wages with the
wages paid skilled laborers shows
that teachers are and have been
underpaid. 1t will be interesting to
compare salaries for 1888 with
previous salaries to note the influ-
ence of the war. The increased de-
mand has compelled school boards
to increase salaries. if they would
retain competent teachers and. in
deed, men teachers for special sub
jects are not available"