THE TERRITORIAL NORMAL SCHOOL.

The normal school for Oklahoma" was located and established at Edmond by legislative enactment in 1890 upon the conditions, which were promptly met, that Oklahoma County donate $5,000 in bonds and the town of Edmond donate 40 acres of land for a school site. Two thousand dollars additional in bonds was donated by the town. Edmond is a thriving town of 2,000 inhabitants and is situated about midway between Guthrie and Oklahoma City, on the highest point on the Santa Fe Railway, and is preeminently distinguished for its healthfulness and for the beauty of its surroundings. It is distinctively a college town, its citizens having established homes here largely because the town is free from many of the vices commonly prevalent in county

seat towns.

The main building of the normal school, built of brick, was completed in 1893; the wings, built of stone, were erected in 1894 and 1895. The entire building contains 15 class rooms and an assembly hall of 500 seating capacity.

On account of the large increase in the number of students during the past year, three buildings adjacent to the main building have been occupied for school purposes. One of these is occupied by the department of music, one by the department of biology, and one by the training school. The last building mentioned is not sufficiently large for the accommodation of the training department, and hence a fifth building will be utilized for this purpose for the year 1902 and 1903. It is hoped that the legislature will make ample provision at its next session to meet the demands made by the rapid growth of the institution.

The institution is provided with an excellent library, consisting of a large number of reference books as well as general library and literary books. The library is conducted on the latest improved methods, affording the student the opportunity of the laboratory method of study and investigation. It is well equipped with books that supplement the work of the several departments.

In connection with the library is a commodious reading room, well equipped with the leading periodicals of the day, including daily papers, weeklies, and a large and well-selected list of magazines. Both the library and reading room are open to all students every day except Sunday.

The three laboratories-chemical, physical, and biological--are well equipped with modern appliances for scientific experimentation and investigation. A new telescope has recently been added to aid in the work of astronomy.

The model or training school, established last fall, has been successful beyond expectation. Hereafter a limited number of pupils will be received in all the grades from the first to the eighth, inclusive. Families who wish to educate their children can send them to the normal school at 6 years of age and continue them through the grades and the preparatory course into the normal diploma course, thus giving them a common school and college education under the most favorable conditions and circumstances and all this free.

The normal school is maintained through a Territorial tax levy of one-half mill and a fifth part of the rentals obtained from sections

numbered 13 in the so-called Cherokee Outlet and in the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and Wichita lands opened to settlement on August 6, 1901.

The special function of the normal school is to prepare young men and young women for the work of teaching. This result is accomplished, first, through thorough and liberal academic work; second, through the study of the child; third, through studying the philosophy of teaching, and fourth, through practice and training in the model school.

The diploma given to the student upon graduation is a five-year Territorial certificate, and is renewable by the Territorial superintendent of public instruction upon evidence of satisfactory work done in teaching.

Seventy-seven students have within the past seven years completed the normal school course of study, and hundreds of others are now teaching in the Territory who have received a partial training in this school.

The aggregate enrollment of the school for the eleven years of its history is a little more than 2,500, making an average attendance of 227 a year. The entire enrollment for the first year was 76; the enrollment for the year closing June 14, 1901, was 337; for the year closing June 12, 1902, 483. There is a fair prospect that the attendance for the ensuing year will be greater than in any former year.

A large number of students attending this institution earn the money necessary to pay their way through school by teaching a part of the year; they then attend school the remaining part. Tuition is free in all departments.

The faculty consists of 20 members, all of whom are men and women of special training, education, and teaching ability, who take a sympathetic interest in the welfare of the student.

THE NORTHWESTERN NORMAL SCHOOL.

The Northwestern Territorial Normal School was founded by legislative act of 1897. The school opened in the Congregational Church at Alva on September 20, 1897, with an enrollment of 55 pupils. The school has steadily grown until the enrollment reached 593 for the school year of 1901-2. In 1900 the present magnificent building was built and equipped at a cost of about $125,000.

The Northwestern Normal School is located at Alva, a city with a population of about 3,500, the county seat of Woods County. Alva is a true college town. Its people are refined, cultured, and liberal. It is delightful and healthful. The climate is especially good-sickness almost unknown. It is reached by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and Choctaw railways.

The citizens of Alva have taken a great pride in the growth and development of the school. They have observed it progress from an institution of 50 students and a faculty of 3 members to a great normal school of almost 600 students and a faculty of 23 members, and this in spite of contending elements. The school has been reorganized, the faculty enlarged, the course of study strengthened, and new equipment added. All this promises much for the coming year. The heating apparatus is being remodeled. The library is receiving many new and valuable books. The latest and most commodious steel racks are being

purchased for this department. The departments of music, of oratory and expression, of English, of science, and of pedagogy are being reorganized, with strong and experienced instructors. A practice school has been added, as well as a business department. The Northwestern meets both of these demands. The practice school greatly increases the efficiency of the normal training; the increased course of study will strengthen the scholarship of those who intend to follow business pursuits.

The institution is supported by a general Territorial tax of one-half mill. This brings in about $30,000. The institution also gets onefifth of the moneys received from the leasing of sections numbered 33 of the school lands, which amounts to about $10,000. The total income is thus about $40,000 per year.

Students holding the diploma of graduation from the common schools are admitted without examination. Graduates of recognized high schools and higher institutions of learning are given accredited standing. Students may be admitted at any time, also, upon exam· ination.

There are three courses of study: English, Latin, and modern languages. Graduates of the institution are given a diploma, which is a teacher's Territorial certificate, valid for five years and renewable by the Territorial superintendent of public instruction.

Athletic and literary organizations are fostered. The students are encouraged to develop a sound mind in a sound body.

With its magnificent building and equipment, with its able faculty, with its lengthened courses of study, with its intelligent and progressive body of students, with an enthusiastic patronage, with its delightful and healthful location, in the center of a rich and beautiful country, the Territory has every reason to be proud of this great institution of learning and to expect that it will be a powerful force in educating and enlightening the coming generation of Oklahoma.

THE COLORED AGRICULTURAL AND NORMAL UNIVERSITY.

The Agricultural and Normal University at Langston was established by the legislature of 1897, in order that the colored people might have educational privileges similar to those enjoyed by the white people at the normal schools, the agricultural and mechanical college, and the Territorial university.

With this end in view, the following departments have been established and are in actual operation: The agricultural, the mechanical, the department of domestic economy, the collegiate, the college preparatory, the normal, and the elementary.

The university owns 160 acres of land and seven buildings, as follows: The main building, the mechanical building, the young women's dormitory, the young men's dormitory, the president's residence, and two small buildings occupied by the farmer and the janitor.

The university in its various departments has more than $12,500 worth of books, apparatus, machinery, tools, farming implements, and stock, and at least $2,000 worth of furniture in the main building and the dormitories.

The management of the school is under the control of a board of regents consisting of five members, two of whom are colored men. The superintendent of public instruction and the Territorial treasurer

OTHER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

Besides the institutions of learning above mentioned there are several sectarian and private schools in the Territory, several of which are mentioned below with their location:

UNITED STATES INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AT CHILOCCO.

By Executive order of July 12, 1884, there were set aside 131⁄2 sections of land, 8,640 acres, constituting the Chilocco School Reserve. This tract of most excellent land adjoins the State of Kansas and is 53 miles south of Arkansas City. The creek, from which the school takes its name, flows diagonally through the reserve and furnishes water for stock during the greater part of the year, and three springs on the bank of the creek supply the school.

The first building of the school was erected in 1883, school having been opened January 15, 1884. Since that time a number of buildings have been added, until there are now three large dormitories, a commodious school building, a school kitchen and dining room, a hospital, a shop building, a warehouse, and a superintendent's cottage. A fine office is now being built. All of these buildings are of stone taken from an excellent quarry belonging to the farm. Besides these there are barns and sheds for the accommodation of the horses and cattle kept on the farm.

All the main buildings are heated by steam, and the steam plant will be rendered more efficient by the addition of two new boilers, for the purchase of which appropriation has been made. An electric plant, consisting of two dynamos of 40 and 20 kilowatts capacity, furnishes light for the institution, about 1,000 lamps being in use. plant, capable of turning out a ton of ice a day, also refrigerates three cold-storage rooms.

An ice

The school has labored under the disadvantage of numerous changes in management. Few of the superintendents remained in charge long enough to leave the impress of their individuality upon the school, and such continuous change, no matter how efficient those in charge, can not fail to hinder the securing of the best results. Superintendents Taylor and Goodman, whose terms aggregated about seven years, remained the greatest length of time, the latter having been transferred in January, 1902, the present superintendent, S. M. McCowan, taking his place. Mr. McCowan was sent here by the Indian Office to develop Chilocco into an agricultural school such as the richness of the soil. the excellence of the location, and the size of the reservation would warrant. He has begun by adding to the tilled land until now there are under cultivation about 1,500 acres. Of this, 1,000 will be put in wheat this fall, and enough will be broken next spring so that a year from now that wheat acreage will be doubled. Large fields of alfalfa have been sown, and these will be added to, that crop having proved a very profitable one. Corn, oats, kaffir corn, cane, and all fodder crops

will be grown in abundance. A large garden will be maintained, nearly 100 acres having been devoted to that purpose this year. This area includes the potato fields, these having produced for early shipment nearly 2.500 bushels, besides furnishing the school all that could be used. An orchard of 40 acres is bearing, 150 bushels of cherries having been harvested this year, while early peaches and apricots have been abundant. In the nursery are propagated a large variety of fruit and shade trees, and these are distributed free of charge among other Indian schools or among those Indians who desire to have them.

In the matter of live stock it is intended to raise the best of standard breeds. Shorthorn, Holstein, and Jersey cattle; draft horses and roadsters; the best breeds of hogs; all will be bred as soon as is possible to prepare suitable accommodations for such work. In the poultry yards all the standard fowls will have their places, and besides those sold as breeders, large numbers will find their way to the tables of the school children.

The dairy will receive its full share of attention. A creamery building is now being erected, and in this butter and cheese will be made. The most modern methods will be followed, and the latest improved machinery and apparatus are ready to be put into the building as soon as it is finished. Chilocco will have one of the completest practical and experimental plants for the manufacture of dairy products to be found in Oklahoma.

Besides doing all kinds of farm work, a boy can learn to be a blacksmith, a tailor, a wagon maker, a carpenter, a baker, an engineer, or a stone mason. Girls are taught sewing, cooking, butter making, and general housekeeping. In literary work pupils are given the regular common-school branches, the intention being to make everything practical.

But besides all this productive work, which has, on the farm, the idea of not only teaching the Indians' to do things, but also of making money, of making the school as far as possible self-supporting, there will be carried on experiments in all kinds of practical agriculture; soils will be analyzed, methods of fertilizing will be shown, different species of grain will be studied, all sorts of crops will be raised in small quantity to ascertain their fitness for the climate. In short, Chilocco will be an experiment station that will have for its object not only the teaching of the Indian, but also the finding out what he can do most profitably in the line of agriculture. In this way the school will be a benefit to the surrounding country as well as to the Indian.

OTHER INDIAN SCHOOLS.

Below is given a tabulated statement showing the attendance at the other Indian schools in the Territory which are maintained by the Government: