The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-05-30


. selves through the channels OF The
, public schools In the best way posss
Bile for any service thai they may bs
called upon TO render IN the Interest
OF themselves or their government
! would add here that pm a sirona
believer in the teaching of agriculture
and farm industries through club WORN
TO the children In the rural schoo's
and still favor liberal support from
tho state In bringing these advantages
10 the children on The farm. lf
n have In mind the picture OF .
country home, I see the family. the
children and the patient. loving moth
er. as she teaches from day 10 day the
lessons Of manhood aud womanhood,
instiIlIng Into her children the prin'
eiples OF citizenship and love OF coui'.
try. but realizing that financially sh-
Ia not able TO give her children the
educational advantages which she
would like them TO have. she brushes
away tear and brayely encourages
them on TO the tasks before them. a
few years later. the country Is In dan.
ger. the alarm has boon sounded, the
Nag is unfurled and the call Tor men
bas boen made, ] see this same mother
with heavy heart urging her boys on
20 duty. They must take their places
IN the rank with men who have had
every opportunity that could be pro
vided. ]. therefore repeat tbat every
boy and girl should have ,eQnal oppor-
tunities TO prepare themselves for thu
duties Of life.
Our public schools are the mos,
democrauc part of our government.
From tho smallest one-room country
school house to the largest metropolis
II Ia. by the law. left entirely to tho
wishes Of the majority OF the people
in the school district 10 say by their
vote whom they viii have as their
board OF directors. the length OF the
school term, tho amount OF money to
be spent. and the rato of taxes to bs
levied. II is also provided that II
number OF school districts desire 10
Join TO form better educational facili'
ties they have the power to do 30. bu,
II can only be done by q popular vote.
and no authority In granted by law to
anyone to interfere with the wishes OF
the people as expressed by their votes.
The schools are for all the people and
they must be kept In the hands OF the
people. and will never favor any law
that will give to any man or set of
men arbitrary power over the school
system OF this great state.
No state In the Union has made tho
educational growth that Oklahoma has
made In the last fifteen years In 1907
less than 200 children graduated from
high school In all Oklahoma This
year about 6,50o are graduating from
high school. In 1911 there were less
than 5000 teachers employed In the
public schools. At this time. there
are approximately 1900 employed by
the people In their schools. The
State University has grown from all
enrolment, of approximately 500. to
almost 5000 The A. and NJ. College
and the State Normal Schools. and
all other institutions Of learning have
had similar growth Tho greatest need
of the public schools in the past has
been trained teachers, because no
school can ever be greater or better
than its teacher. State schools have
been provided for the training Of these
teachers. Not only has the state built
up Its Normal Schools. its University
and its A. and NJ. College. but the
church schools have been encouraged
and given state recognition.
AS business proposition and saw.
Ing to the state. feel that our state
educational institutions should be
placed on miilage. recommended
this plan to the Fifth Legislature,
1918. A resolution providing for the
necessary constitutional amendment
passed the House by almost unani-
nous vote but was defeated in the |
Senate. 1t would not have cost the
state any more, If as much, to have
maintained these institutions, and it
would have relieved the Legislature or
the necessity Of giving 30 much time
to the making Of appropriations there
by enabling 1t to give more time to
constructive legislation, and would
have placed the institutions where
they could work out continuous plan
OF development and growth. adding az
the same time feeling Of permanent
cy. confidence. and security.
It has been stated that Oklahoma is
ranked 36th in education. This is not
true, This statement no doubt. was
based upon q survey published by the
Russell Sage Foundation. of New York
City, which was published In 1918. ana
based largely upon the Federal stats.
tics OF 1910. AS have stated before.
in 1910 Oklahoma had a small Univer-
eity, small Normal Schools. less than
one-haif the present number OF teach
ers. about one-half as many pupils as
now. and was spending about one.
fourth as much money for education
as needed at the present time. In
1911. SIPS pupils finished the comno on
schools. while this year approximately
0R 400 fislrhod tho cnmrnnn schnnlA