The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-11-02

and schemers. but the facts and fig
ures on file In the state offices elo-
quently evidence the vastneS OF OPP
portunity here provided for the hon
est seekers after wealth. And those
who know most about such things
are united In their belief that only
the surface has been scratched. II
la reasonable to assume that within
another decade the production OF oil
In Oklahoma may almost equal the
total present production for the en-
tire nation.
In the excitement attendant upon
this widespread discovery the fertile
top soil of the state Is being some
what neglected and It's numerous
coal deposits are not worked as they
should and eventually will be. But
this Ia to be expected under the cir}
cumstances. and the eyes Of those
who lead and guide are not blind to
the need. They do not intend that
this new Eldorado shall fail TO bene-
TT by the experience Of the past.
They are farseeing and progressive.
and as one travels through their state
he Is impressed first OF all by their
insistence upon proper facilities for
the education OF their children.
"Of higher meaning to the welfare
OF oklahoma and the west and the
nation than its oil wells, coal mines
and fields OF Grain and cotton are
these model school buildings. which
fairly crowd cities and thickly dot
| it's rural sections. In the most out
of-the-way places, where towns con-
sist OF shacks, one finds public
schools so large. so modern In con-
struction and NO admirably equipped
that IL Is hard to think this part Of
the landscape IL not a mirage.
"out In the western part Of the
state Ia a detected group OF houses
and stores named novelandA-that is.
the tourist so thinks until he sees
nearby a beautiful and comm odious
brick schoolhouse surrounded by a
IN odel playground. toward which In
the early morning big hacks laden
with children from miles around are
moving. Such schools are found
here and then in the eastern states.
In oklahoma they abound every
where, adorning even the scru b bbiest
sections, and telling OF time when
the greatness of that state will be
based on something better than ma
terial wealth.
"Of course. oil IL one OF the prime
In far more than a figurstive sense It
IL the chief lubricant OF civilization
On Its continued and increased pro-
duction depends so much of future
welfare and advance that every man
who drills a wellNis really a human
benefactor. hut greater than any
product of the soil, more important
TO mankind than any addition to ma
terial wealth is the brand OF human
beings which will issue from such
schoolhouses.
The men and women OF Okla
homa know this and are not salts
fled even with their present school
equipment They have horse sense
enough to appreciate that the re-
sponsibility created by such a sudden
flood of riches cannot he shouldered
BY ignorance They are determined
that the future OF their state and Of
the nation shall not be endangered
by half baked educational develop
ment That's why they are paying
their teachers high enough wages TO
attract the best Kind OF guides from
older states. which cannot yet see
that when they lose their best teach
ers they lost their best hold on the
one asset .whlch outrnnks all others
/ in value.
/ That's why n state Ike Okla homa
is.a veritable fortress for national
| optinism.
We sit In our offices hemmed in
/ nv precedent or go along quietly I'm
our self satisfied towns and little
cities. and because We are not willing
/ TO look out beyond our own narrow
environment we become victims Of
short-range pessimism. Each tenn
porarv handicap or obstacle assumes
abnormal proportions In our sight