The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-25
TAUGHT 2l YEARS
IN ENID SCHOOLS
Garfield County Capital
Had Less Than 5000
Back in 1900

Special 10 The world.
ENID, June 24.-way back I'm
1900, when Enid boastcd of almost
5000 people there came to this city,
an ambitious schoolgirl. who
aspired to complete her high school
course the following year After
wards she could think OF nothing
better than TO spend her time I'm
Imoulding the lives of small chill
/ dren. when she saw the shabby
/ little old Enid high school building
| whore Roosevelt school now stands
she was dishcartened. II was moth
/ ing moro than shack, sadly Ia
/ need OF paint. The doors hung
1 loose on broken hinges and most Of
| the window panes were broken. The
! leaky roof had admitted so much
/ water that tho plastCrlng had long
since left the ceiling.
Lucina Rood braced up after her
| parents emphatically told her she
/ could not return to her former homo
/ In Kansas to complete her high
/ school course and became one Of
| 100 students. then enrolled In Enid
! high school and one of 10 students
\ In the senior class OF 1900. After
| finishing high school Miss Rood be
/ came a first grade teacher at Rooec-
I
| during the summer. She has taught
| for 81 years in the same room and
| building, being the oldest teacher
| from point of service In the Enid
| school system.
1t was the rule that prospective
/ teachers should appear in person
before the echool board, which at
that time was made up OF II Enid
men. j. g. clifford was city super
lntendent; Perry Hodgden. sr., J. T..
Marshall, John c. Moore. president.
A. $. Mckay, S. w. Hill, G. s. Ne
Clellan, John Peterson, J.. NJ. Davis.
u. II. Thopas. NJ. NJ. Galloway, X,
G. Dickcrshccts and 4. r. Barr.
She was employed by IA majority
vote and each year since has been
reelected.
Miss Rood has assisted In mould
ing the characters of approximately
one thousand children during the
years OF her service in Enid and
doubtless il known by more of the
rising generation here than any
other woman in Enid.
Children are children the world
over" said Miss Rood" see no
difference in the children OF today
and the children OF Fl years ago.
They are interesting, always, cspc-
cially II one Is seeking to bring out
the best that is In them. remcm-
Der a chubby little tot, coming into
my room the first day OF my first
Year mt teaching. The dhy was hot
ana her curls were pinned high on
her head. She wore little rcd
plaid dress and gave me her name
as Frances Hodgdem now Mre J.. G,
Smith. OF 324 West Elm street"
80 many funny. things happen
in dealing with children" Miss Rood
| continued. Upon one occasion,
when l had finished talking to the
children about being clean and had
told them It didn't make any diff
| ference how old their clothes were
| Just so they were clean. that would
love them Just the same. one little
boy raised his hand and said, Miss
| Rood. I'll bet that skirt you've got
on is SO years old. but l love you
just the same"
Last year Miss Rood taught the
largest number of pupils of any
primary grade in the city, having
40. Some years II has been neces-
sary for to hold halliday sessions In
order to accommodate the large
number OF little folks The largest
number, I believe, was 65. | taught
everything, including penmanshlp
and drawing, except music"
| w hfl i DfEdI l'u0UIUEt inc fstllu
school system was in a very poor
state or organization. but under the
guiding hand OF Superintendent Gif-
ford, who displayed fine ability as
an organizer. the system improved
until at the present time our school
system is attracting attention Of
educational promoters throughout
the land."
mud balls, paper wads or pins from
tho pupils OF Roosevelt school. They
have always been polite and have
the reputation OF showing consld-
Grafton for others. We have always
been at tho top in all school and
athletic activities, If not first. a
close second" Miss Rood continued
And l remember one year, we won
| first in both basketball and football
We have never been at the foot"
City superintendents, who have
served In Enid during the time
have taught are. j. s. Clifford, r.
w. B Everhardt, Thomas A. Butch
er. Mr.. Jacob and f. d. Price"
Though Miss Rood's teaching has
always given her a great amount Of
pleasure, she is faithful to the First
Presbyterian church of which she
Is member and takes pleasure in
all church activities. She values
highly her friendship with school
teachers she had met during her
career. Some OF them have been,
Mrs. w, A. Graves. Mrs. James Nc
GIL, Mrs, w, NJ. Rude and Mrs
John u. Cook, who now lives in
Okmulgee.
...u.u-..,-..u.--.