The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-11

''''' 'A'o 'N'NN'FN ~ = iiAN away ll'N
fortune. He literally followed the
injunction Of Jesus Chris, when the
latter gave that direction TO the
rich young ruler Sell all that thou
hast, and distribute unto the poor"
W, 7. Whitaker of Pryor. did that
Although onc-cighth Indian. and
notwithstanding the fact that he
spent tho greater part Of his life
among the full-bloods in the Indian
territory, he was SO touched by the
needs of orphan white children dur
ing the 20 years preceding statc-
hood, from 1881 until 1907, that he
gradually put everything that ne
had Into the caro- OF such children
and laid the foundation for the state
orphans home ~ Pryor which now
has many handsome buildings and
provides for over two thousand
tatherless and mothorless children.
In the territorial days the govern
ment provided for the education of
the Indians, and also for the care
Of Indian orphans, but no provision
was made for the education OF the
whites nor for the care OF white
orphans
Il saw this deplorablo condition"
said Mr. Whitaker. and wondered
why the churches did not make
some preparation for the care OF
white children. could not under
stand why the government OF tho
United States would allow white
children 10 grow up i'm ignorance ana
then intermnrry with the Indian.
who were being educated, present
ing the spectacle Of an educated
Indian husband with poor, ignorant
white girl and often an ignorant
orphan white girl for a wife. This
condition was degrading the
Indians. ! could not stand to see
it,"
1t was in 1881 that Mr.. Whitaker
commenced taking the white chill
drcn who were left fatherless and
motherless and placing them in
homes in Pryor Finally the work
increased 70 such an extent that hc
housed the children in rented
building in Pryor, and when he later
built the Whitaker orphans home on
his 4O-acre allotment just east Of the
town he was caring for p children,
both Indian and white. The govern
ment accepted only certain classes
of Indian children, providing only
for those on the rolls, and those who
were real orphans In every case
whore the children were entitled TO
government care Mr.. Whitaker
turned them over to the govern
mert home. but the others he pro-
vided for himself.
As the years went by the work of
taking care OF his rapidly growing
family Ct orphans demanded more
and more Of Mr.. Whitaker's time,
and more and more of his means, so
much so that in 1906 the work would
have suffered great loss had not the
government appropriated $4,000 to
be used during the year 1907. and
another $4,000 TO be used during
1905, In connection with the main
tenance of the home. Mr.. Whita-
ker had long looked for the time of
statehood, intending always upon
that event 10 turn his institution
to the state. He had made his will
with such provision in Il. But he
lived TO see the day come, and in
1907 he gave the home and the 40
acre allotment TO the state Of Okla
, home, together with the 62 children
who were in the home at that time.
How did you manage to carry on
| the work so long," was asked Mr.
Whitaker.
And then the writer drew out the
fact that the earnings Of a lifetime
had been sent on the homeless chill
10000 of cash which he had when
first undertaking. the work fl,
had a general merchandise store I'm
Pryor, another in Salina 10 miles
distant, and still another at Spavi-
now, an Indian trading point be
sides having an income Of S400 a
month from rental properly In
| Pryor. In addition 10 these assets
he owned / 500 acres Of cultivated
land. He used all Of the income
from the stores and the town pro-
perty in providing for the children,
and finally sold his stores and farms
and city property and used all the
money In the same cause. "Iu tho
I latter part Of 1906 | was broke said
/ the old gentleman, TO whom the eX-
I pericnce seemed 20 have meant
nothing at all. II was in that year
I that the government came to the
I rescue OF the Whitaker orphan
home and appropriated $4,000 for
the cause
Il had been I'm Kansas City at the
| Baltimore hotel" said Mr whitaker.
! in telling about the $4,000 APP
preparation, "and met a man there
/ TO whom | spoke about the orphan
1 home, az l did TO most people whom
| ! met. He asked me many questions
! ana seemed Iiutu 4Lt'ItSNfu ] JUG
/ next day I took the train for Wash
/ inEton, d. c., and sat down beside a
/ gentleman who was reading the
/ morning paper. He called my at
/ tention 70 an extensive article about
/ the Whitaker orphan home which
! he was reading, and which must
have been written by the man whom
! met at the Baltimore. 10 was
news 10 me. When I told my COM
panion that I was the man We got
/ into a lengthy conversation about
/ the institution, the children, their
needs and the need OF financial help
/ Just then. ! told my companion
that wanted 20 get an apprOpria-
ton OF $4,000 from the govern
ment Finally I got up and stepped
I in the aisle when a gentleman who
had been sitting just back Of us also
stepped In the aisle. so you are Mr.
Whitaker?' he said. Yes ! re-
piled. Wen, my names FLYNN, con-
gresham from Oklahoma ne said.
I'm going 10 see that you get that
$4,000 appropriation. | just read
that piece IN the paper, and over
heard some OF your conversation
/ That's the greatest thing I eve.
heard Of he said, that an Ind.
should found n home for white
orphans. White men have at
tempted 10 do much for the Indian
but never before has anyone ever
T-at., f.r4rEEv~ 3, r.H1- q.