The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-20
SCHOOL PETITION
MAY CHANGE LAW
New Society Would Com
pei School Attendance
for Five Months
A DEMOCRATIC MOVE
Statute Amendment Would
Reduce the AIistocratic
Tendencies, Claim

Special to Tho world
OKLAHOMA cry, July 19.- po.
.ltlons are now being circulated over
The state requesting a vote upon th'
question Of compulsory attendance
In tho public schools of all children.
not defective, for ~ least five
months I'm encn year up 90 aud In
'luding the eighth grade.
what ThCy Propose.
Tho ballot title as fllcd with the
secretary of state proposes ava
imcnmont osoctlun I, article 10,
" tho state constitution ms follows
"The Legislature shall provide for
compulsory attendance ut Fume pub
lie school. supported wholly by pub
lie taxation and in which instruction
shan bo wholly In tho English IAN.
guaEo. Of nll children in the state
who are OF school age, FOR at least
tive months iu each year, until
they have completed the eighth
grade, provided, that this shall not
Apply 10 children suffering from
bodily or mental inrrmity; and pro
vidpd further, thtt 5u,h ,hiidi 'U
may attend other schoOls during
those parts OF the year when public
schools, supported wholly by public
taxation and In which tho iustruc-
ton is wholly In tho English lam
guage, are not In HesHion, or nftor
having attended such public schools
supported wholly by public taxation
and In which the instruction IS
wholly I'm tho English language, FOR
at least five months In each school
Ycnr.
The Present Law.
The proposed section would nnnul
and Auperse 10 tho existing section 4,
article 10, OF tho constitution which
provides that
"The legislature shall provide for
tho compulsory attendance at soma
public or other school. unless other
means OF education are provided, OF
all the children In the state who are
sound In mind and body between the
ages OF and 1G years, for Mt least
three months In each year"
The amendment proposed is cred
tied to the oklahoma Amoricani2n
tlon society, an organization with
headquarters at McAlester. whore its
address IL given as BOX 77A. It's pres
ldent Ia Frank Craig, n prominent
McAlcster banker.
TO Correct "NriqoCracy."
Preparation OF the petitions and
legal matters relating to the filing
and circulation thereof were at
tended to by s. A. Calhoun, Okla
homt city attorney. G a n q " n
stated that, so far as ne knew the
proposal was due 10 "A desire to bring
about u more democratic influence
In the public schools. by dlscourag-
ing private education OF children
which breeds aristoratic tendencies.
He said he is not advised M TO the
membership OF the oklahoma Amer
icanization society. but Is OF the
opinion that members OF that organ
lzation are circulating tho petitions.
II will he necessary for the petl-
tions to contain a total OF I3,749
names in order that the proposition
be placed on the ballot nt the gen
eral election I'm November. Scptom
ber 20 is the time limit for filing the
signed petitions.
Cal n oun admitted that those
who patronize parochlal or private
schools will be much opposed to tho
amendment; but he suggested that
there would he nothing to prevent
patronlting such schools during Sow
en- months In the year.
y is believed that the proposition
IL aimed a pRrochial schools, particU.
larly and by some II is charged "a
the Ku-kluX Khan propaganda, Ac'
cordlng to the title It is 60 be known
MS state question No. l16. initiative
petition No. rs"