Chamber Chatter - Schools in the Territory

As a new school year quickly unfolds it seems appropriate to reflect on the importance a strong school system had in influencing our community’s formation in “the Territory.”

Before we look back in time through the August 16, 1894 issue of the Marlow Magnet, we’ll set the stage with part of an interview of E. V. Mabry, which took place July 11, 1937. It is a part of the Federal Works Project, Indian-Pioneer Papers, completed in 1938.

“I was born, 1885, in Texas. I came to the Indian Territory with my father and mother in 1894. We settled about three miles south of Marlow Grove. It is now called Marlow; then, they called it Marlow Grove and there were three stores there; a corn mill, and a blacksmith shop. My father got a lease on some land from the man he had worked for before he brought me and mother to the Territory. I remember we lived in our wagon and mother had her small cook stove put under a big tree, and I would have to carry water from Wild Horse Creek, about a quarter of a mile from where we were camped. Mother would make me take father’s gun with me every time I went for water.”

“There were lots of wild animals in Wild Horse bottom at that time. A few days after we were camped there, while my father was cutting oak logs to build a house for us he killed a panther that measured nine feet from the end of its tail to the end of its nose. It took father about a month to build our house, it was a two-room log house with a hall between the rooms and it had a dirt floor. There were not many people living around there then. Most of the people who did live there, lived in half dug-outs covered with logs and dirt; that was what our house was covered with.”

Now that we have the timeline and conditions of the day in perspective, the August 16, 1894, Marlow Magnet article reads: “SCHOOL MEETING. Quite a respectable crowd assembled at the school meeting Saturday evening. Mr. H. P. Duncan was elected chairman and S. N. Barton secretary. After an appropriate address by Prof. Whittaker [sic], Rev. E. F. McClannahan mooted the subject of building the new schoolhouse in an able speech. He said there was deposited in the bank over $100.00 for that purpose. He favored building a frame 36 x 60 or 70 feet.”

“A dozen or so families living fourteen or fifteen miles were ready to contribute to a good school building to the amount of $10.00 each. J. D. Bateman moved that all in favor of going ahead, stand up. H. P. Duncan thought it was too late in the season to complete a good building in time for the opening of school, but suggested that a temporary building could be put up near Mrs. Garner’s building on a separate lot and school taught in that and Mrs. Garner’s building until the town school building has been completed.”

“Capt. W. C. Thompson favored the building of a house that would be a credit to Marlow. Mr. Duncan explained that he was not opposing the building of a good house, but made his suggestion as a temporary expedient and that the temporary building could be used for a dwelling when abandoned for school purposes.”

“That $250.00 that parties in the country are now willing to put into a good house in Marlow. [sic] T. J. O’Quinn thought a good school building would do more to harmonize the people that anything that could be done. A vote recurring on the motion to proceed with the building was carried unanimously. Messrs. Wm. Graham, J. D. Bateman, and A. G. Davis were elected a building committee and it was determined to proceed with the building Monday. Mr. Bateman to act as superintendent of the work.”

And, in case you’re wondering – today’s Harbour Whitaker is a descendant of the “Prof. Whittaker” mentioned in the 1894 article. He was Harbour’s GRANDFATHER. Yes, grandfather – not great-grandfather!