Volume 17 , Issue 43

1910 - Students Win In College Quarrel, Northwestern State Normal

This find in The Daily Ardmoreite, dated 16 May 1910, Monday, page 1, was reprinted from Alva, Oklahoma newspaper May 15, 1910: "Students Win In College Quarrel." It seems five hundred were on strike at the Northwestern State Normal at Alva back then. WOW! It is interesting to find that our Northwestern Oklahoma students of 1910 were finding things to stand up for and strike about what is important to them.

Found on Newspapers.com

Alva, Okla., May 15 (1910) -- The fight which had been waged within the Northwestern State Normal school since the first of the month was settled peaceably today (15 May 1910). Matters reached such a high state yesterday that 500 students marched out and refused to attend school. Only twenty-five students remained in school on that day.

The cause of this action was the dismissal of three students by President Ross Wednesday.

The three students, John Dail, Floyd Miller and Carl Ray, put an article in the Alva Pioneer denouncing President Ross as a "Peanut politician," and questioning his ability to preside at the helm of the school. Other derogatory statements were made to all of which the president took exception and after a hearing dismiss the there boys from school. The student league, an organization within the school, of which the three boys were the press committee, clamored for their re-instatement and in a mass meeting Thursday at noon made that request to Mr. Ross. He promptly refused, announcing that he was at the head of the school. This enraged the students and resolutions to stand by the three boys were made.

In an attempt to reason with the student body and offer conciliatory measures Harry A. Vetter was hissed down, but he finished his remarks. Finally the students in a body voted to depart from the school and remain away until President Ross changed his attitude. A mass meeting was called for this afternoon at the court house at which the dissatisfied students and a few citizens of Alva attended. John L. Mitchell, secretary of the state board and Assistant State Superintendent Wilkinson were in attendance. Thomas Dyer, chairman of the student league, presided over the meeting.

After many remarks had been made both factions were brought to concessions and the three boys were re-instated.
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