The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-10-25
n s's-E7FEF y ~ ---- -
an asset to Oklahoma. not a liability

states and territories of the United
States IN the spring Of 1920, places
Oklahoma S6th In the list compared
with uur sister states. This survey IS
based primarily on the amount OF
money spent in each state per pupll
and per teacher per year, considering
enrolment and attendance. Here Is
purely impartial and striking evidence
that Oklahoma is not doing enough
financially for her common schools
Every citizen who has a pride in OK
Iahoma's good name has now an op.
portunity TO make Oklahoma lead the
Union. Certainly we don't care to re-
main the seth state in the Union edu-
cationally,
ca Why not let the whole state
help the Common Schools? The state
now supports the higher educational
institutions. Who goes to these col
leegs and universities? An inspection
of their enrollments shows that the
students are five to one from cities,
wealthy school districts, and counties
now fighting this amendment Ger
tainly state aid to common schools
win reach more people and do the
state more good than the funds go
ing to higher Institutions whose stu
dents are primarily, and in great ma
iority, from wealthy centers.
The state is now spending from $100
to 5000 per year per capita to educate
5000 people al higher institutions. Yet
there are three-quarters of million
boys and girls in our common schools
asking for one-tenth as much, large
part of which may come from the oil
and corporate wealth of Oklahoma.
(S) The insane asylums, eleemosy-
nary Institutions prisons and reforma-
tories are filled with inmates from
where? By actual count the cities and
counties now fighting this amendment
furnish two-thirds (2-3) Of the inmates.
Yet the whole state is taxing Aself
to support these necessary institu
tions. 1t would be absurd to ask each
local district, city, or wealthy county
to support its own criminals and in
sane Yet those same centers are not
willing to aid the poorer school 6is-
tricts to support decent schools.
(9) This amendment does not mean
an increase in tax for those districts
which do not need additional funds
for schools The local levy may be
cut down in any proportion deemed
advisable by the voters in each school
district. 1t simply makes certain
definite aid available from the state
each year so that school boards may
not be embarrassed in their attempts
to give the district a respectable
school term under proper standards,
10) Examples of what some Of our
sister states are doing for elementary
schools on an annual per capita basis
are: Delaware $25, Washington $40,
and California $50, with many other
states doing likewise.
Q1) Who were the first opponents
of this proposition? The railroads, the
corporations, the oil interests, and
those cities and wealthy school dis
tricts who saw that they must pro
vide the money for better commc@l
schools under this amendment. When
this bill was filed in April, they be-
came at once busy. Offices were
opened, statisticians employed, maps
made, speakers employed for pay
agents sent out over certain sections
graphic. figures the loss to them.
Others have since been misled into
this law. But it is destined
to put our common school system on
its firm footing since statehood, and
for all time to come.
(12)s Already having all the funds
they need and more, with which to
operate their schools, some of our
wealthy districts have taken ON very
selfish attitude whereby they oppose
this amendment which is calculated
to assist their weaker colleagues.
Yet this amendment does not rob
these same wealthy districts of one
cent of the money they now get, and
in addition gives each also 500 per
pupil, the same as it gives the weaker
districts who now wish to go tronger
for their schools but can not on ac.
count of constitutional limitation.
Surely the dogs in the manger' will
not fight better common schools for
the whole state, they already enjoying
these benefits themselves.
(13) Mis!ed opponents of tn $
amendment have tried TO intimate that
it will operate to draw the children
away from the farm. Nothing could
be further from the truth. On the
contrary, the very purpose of this
bill is to keep our children in the ru-
raj, consolidated union-graded and
small community schools by giving
them the same advantages as obtain
in city schools. Then they win not be
compelled to move to the cities.
Q4) Thousands of our rural chill.
dren now transfer each year from
their home districts in order to OBJ
tain better school advantages. Many
more thousands are not able even to
transfer and consequently are never
In reach of high school Out of the
67S,106 school children i'm the state,
25O,O01 are in reach of high schools.
The remaining 423. 105, or nearly two
thirds, are not in reach of any high
school
(15) Big eenters of wealth and pop
ulation should not oppose this amend
ment. Such cities are founded on The
patronage of the surrounding country.
Even where such city loses few dol
lars on the education Of the children
o. the remainder of the couAty OF
state, it is building an asset for itself
in good will and better citizenship.
16) Some of these same districts
now draw eight ten and more dollars
nor vaar fot. aach punil from the oil