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

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?hotos, courtesy of Three Valley Museum, include: Jpposite page: A spoof of the Russell School |) Director (top) appeared in the 1911 yearbook. Spe tomers 78 ok ERNEST STURCH Debating Club ‘Acs j Basket Ball °’18, Vo! Unteerea Army ‘18. x c composed of Company 5 ey ¥ the newly constructed courthouse Si NARI SME AAS SEA OS OEM OST AE ITO LE 6 eh ANS EI SMELT RR aN “Children Should Be Seen” (lower left) was also in 1911 as was the drawing (lower right) of the 1911 dorm room. This page: The 1911 Girls’ Basketball guests arrived in the city for the celebration aboard “The Durant Normal pan chartered passenger train arranged’ with the Katy Railroad by the Chamber of Commerce welcoming committee. From the railroad station, the visitors were escorted up Main Street led by the Citizen’s Concert Band and a flag corps H, Durant National Guard. The parade ended at “where there was a glad handshaking.” gllowing the welcoming The night of celebrating concluded with a formal dance with music furnished by the Sherman, Texas, city orchestra. De, RAN ash RAGA team wore the latest uniform. Ernest Sturch (bottom) - relative of Dr. Sturch - appeared in the 1918 yearbook. In reporting on the occasion, the County Democrat said, “The visitors were loud in their praise of the energy displayed in going after the normal and for our merry way of entertaining the city’s guests. The event reflects great credit to the city, especially to the members of the Chamber of Commerce who headed the movement in both securing the normal and in entertaining the legislative body. “Tt was an event last Saturday evening that will be long remembered and will no doubt result in a still greater good to the welfare of greater Durant.” On March 23, 1909, the final act of obtaining the normal was concluded. Gov. Haskell signed the bill and Southeastern Normal School became a reality.

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= As a salute to the Diamond An- niversary of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, the 1985 Savage Yearbook is taking a look at our “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” KOK OX The history of Southeastern Ok- lahoma State University, “The School of the Rising Sun” and “The Campus of a Thousand Magnolias”, is intricately connected with the birth and development of the great State of Oklahoma. In this regard, November 16, 1907, is the most important date. . . Oklahoma joined the Union. During the next two years a number of educational, charit- able and penal institutions were established by the new commonwealth. After a long and bitter struggle with area towns for a state normal school, Durant won the right to construct the school. One of their chief opponents was the rival town of Ada. That rivalry still exists between the two towns through the schools of Durant and Southeastern against Ada and East Central, but that (rival is more friendly. fo celebrate the great victory, Yhe Durant Chamber of Commerce an er interested patrons of Southeastern State Normal planned the biggest €veh ever to be held in Durant - a banquet and other festive activities in honor of those who helped obtain the school for the city. Invitations were sent to over 250 representatives, senators, interested citizens and Governor Haskell. The historic event was scheduled for March 13, 1909, at which time, according to the press, “Durant did herself proud last Saturday evening.” Although Gov. Haskell had been unable to come, many of the more important legislative and civic leaders of Oklahoma were in attendance with their wives. Many of the No head gee | i DIRECTOR oF ™ é TRAINING

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History Was Made Another joyous development for the backers of Southeastern happened on the same day the governor signed the bill. The initial appropriate was only $25,0 however an act approved on March 27, 1909, added another $75,000 with the stipulation that the city of Durant must provide 20 acres of land for a building. The proponents of the normal immediately asked the State Normal Board of Regents to permit the school to open by summer. The first state governing board for Oklahoma’s normal schools was established in 1908 and followed the pattern set in 1890 by the government of Oklahoma Territory when it established the Central Normal School at Edmond. The time for the opening of South- eastern and the selection of the campus site was to be made by this Board. On May 10, 1909. . . a committee from the Normal School Board of Regents, came to Durant to make a final decision concerning the location of the school. Upon their arrival E.D. Cameron and the other members were shown five available parcels of property: the Durant nursery property; several acres just west of the Durant City Park; Dr. J.L. Schuler’s peach orchard to the north of the city limits; the acreage of A.C. Risner to the southwest of the city; and the Thompson-Rains property southwest of the town. When the regents arrived at the orchard, they found promoters had erected a tall wooden tower topped by a reviewing stand situated near the present Russell Building. From the high platform the men were apparently awed by the “magnificent and impressive scene of the city and area surrounding the countryside.” At noon the school commissioners, accompanied by several interested parties, boarded the northbound Katy passenger train for their return to Oklahoma City. Shortly after leaving Durant, they went into’ executive session. Before reaching Atoka, the committee announced to the rival Durant land parties that they had reached a decision: Southeastern State Normal would be built on the 20-acre peach orchard. R. Schuler conveyed his title to the Regents by warranty deed, dated May 15, 1909. Due to unforeseen delays, it was pS Ra yay IN ore