Southeastern Oklahoma State University - Savage Yearbook (Durant, OK)

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Undoubtedly the faculty found the open and stimulating atmosphere of Canterbury’s administration a pleasant change from the paternalistic attitude of Murdaugh’s “system, absolute system.” The new president quickly launched a program of beautifying the campus and physical plant of With the appropriated funds for maintenance, he improving the Southeastern. meager gave orders to re-roof the normal, modernize the furnace heating system, install sanitary drinking fountains and repaint walls and ceilings damaged by leaks. During the winter of 1914, three planted - Magnolia, Elm, Cedar and Umbrella China. It should be noted that although some Magnolia trees were planted, it remains a matter of debate over which person in SEN’s past was really responsible for the idea of a Magnolia drive at Southeastern. Tragically, the relaxed atmosphere which President Canterbury hoped to bring during his administration at Southeastern State Normal was almost destroyed before the new executive had a chance to create it. WoTeemin gin! ry Mont rcs 4 a Hp Sah ate eal a ee 2 z 4 ? Tae rater ie a . PRs SA ARM IE A Dae ek i IAL E DS ap SS ANAL D oh LAL, arcs ea BID La oe SS a Pi th a Photos: Opposite page: 1923 of first building (top), first known as Administration and named Morrison Hall. 1928 instructor (center left) of Latin Isabel Work. 1928 professor of Modern Language (center right) E. Martin Haggard. This page: 1923 Forensic Club (top left) includes Rev. Carl McIntire. 1928 instructor of critic (drama) Marion Severence (top right). 1928 professor of health (lower right) P.E. Laird. 11

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Session Successful Because of the success in numbers, the rural school was held in Room 17 of the high school building. The model city school met in two places; grades one through five were conducted in the South Ward School and grades six through eight met in the North Ward School. As Moore and Hinshaw earnestly had hoped, within a few days the visiting teachers were applauding the concept of the model school and were agreeing that its inclusion in the normal was “a striking feature” meeting with the approval of everybody. KK K The anticipation that work would commence in the near future on the actual construction of the Southeastern State Normal building cheered the students and faculty at the summer session. On July 9, 1909, architect W.R. Breedlove, of Ardmore, announced the plans and specifications would be ready to be submitted to contractors for bids in about three weeks; he believed a contract could be let and actual construction could commence by September. The estimated cost of the new structure was $100,000 - the amount of the appropriation was made by the legislature for that purpose. The building was to be a three-story brick structure, trimmed in native granite. It would be 310 feet long and 195 feet wide. Beside housing all the necessary class and recitation rooms, laboratories, cloak and lunchrooms, manual training and kindergarten departments, the building would have a large auditorium with an opera-style stage. The auditorium was to be the height of the third floor and was to have a large dome. On the ground or basement floor would be a gymnasium surrounded by a large running track. KX XK Because of the nature of the institution and the confusion sur- rounding the hasty opening, the total enrollment for the summer is difficult to determine. 10 The first official catalog of the 1909-10 stated, “Southeastern opened its career with a summer term reaching an enrollment of about 800 students”; however, 561 was the number actually listed by name on the official roll. Since almost 170 children were enrolled in the city and rural model schools, perhaps these, too, were included in the larger total. President Canterbury wasted little time in implementing his new attitude toward governing the campus. At the first faculty meeting, it quickly became apparent the days of Dr. Murdaugh had ended. Canterbury announced he would not require lengthy, weekly faculty meetings. Instead the faculty would meet twice monthly for round-table discus- sions never exceeding 30 minutes Examples of the type of topics the president considered worthy included: what constitutes a teacher’s knowledge of his subject educational thought, and similar broad matter; current topics.

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World at War By the time Canterbury formally entered the presidency, teachers in the United States we all school worried about a very dark cloud on the nation’s horizon the Gpenidg of World War I, in 1914. When the term began on September 8, Coach Laird the student body had never been more enthusiastic than they were over the 1914 team’s possibilities. In an interview with the local paper, Coach Laird said, ‘““With nine of the old men in line who last year carried the 12 normal squad to so many victories. . . we are in better position to give a better game than ever.” As predicted, the first contest ended in a win over Austin College. Following the victory, a large crowd of students and citizens gathered at the train station to welcome the team home. The game ended too late, however, for the team to catch the 7:40 p.m. train for Durant so the crowd returned to meet the midnight train. After cheering and shouting school yells, the gathering accompanied the team to the YMCA where arrangements had been made for a midnight meal for the gridiron warriors. In reporting the tremendous welcome¥ the team had received, the Democr remarked, “This rooters club is a enthusiastic bunch and deserve much the credit for the support they are givi the team. Such support makes the boys feel like playing real football.” OK OK ® S The basketball season was re successful. In reviewing the x. accomplishments, the 1915 called the squad a “collection of stars’”’ The team composed of Oscar Palmer, Karl Helbach, Rudolph Helbach, Prentiss Moore, Ben Flinchum and Clarence Crudup won six of the seven games, the only loss being to Atoka High School. Meanwhile the SEN girl’s basketball team played six games and sported Of four games won, one lost and one tied. Mainstays of the coed team were Lottie Fiffle, Carrie May Stephenson, Vera Williams, Roxye Williamson and Con- suela Pirtle. Unexplainably, the large of parties and other social “0 usually held on campus every y declined during 1914-15. At the ffolisson only reported three such occasions: a reception for the student body at the UMCA; an oldetime chicken fry, and the senior class party hosted by their sponsor, Professor Hattie Rainey, on Halloween eve with guests and seniors dressed in costumes appropriate for the occasion. One new addition to the campus social scene in 1914 was the Southeastern Music Club. Composed of senior girls and led by President Leila Hampton aad Vice-President Sue Pettey, the musical endeavors of the club proved tobe a delight for the community aud the campus. for the coming summer school. As previously noted, the president believed a new state education law would bring a record number of students to South-