Sapulpa Showcase (December 2018)

Artifact(s) of the month...

Photographs and a newspaper clipping of a school protest by Sapulpa High School students. The school board had made a decision concerning the Christmas break and how long of a break it should be. The decision was made to change the break from two-weeks to one-week. However, some students had jobs outside of the classroom, and were upset by the decision - cutting their hours at work. The students circled around town during school hours - this picture was taken in front of Sapulpa Herald.

*Sapulpa Herald, December 17, 1946* (check out the bonus)
The article reads...
"All Except About 10 Striking Students Are Back In Classes"
All but about 10 students, who walked out of classes yesterday in their strike for a two weeks Christmas holiday were back in their classes today, according to James L. Prince, city school superintendent.
He stated that school practically was back to normal this afternoon.
Announcement of disciplinary action to be taken will be made either tomorrow or Thursday, Prince said. Students will be dealt with individually, with some general disciplinary moves under consideration.
According to school authorities, a committee of students called on G. C. Corneliscn, high school principal, in an effort to negotiate return of students and escape any punishment. They received a flat "no," to their proposal, it was stated.
"That strike is a washout and the walkout has turned into a lockout relative to the trouble makers in so far as I am concerned. Some of the trouble makers are not wanted back in school," Prince declared.
Prince paid tribute a sudden and determined action by parents in seeing that their sons and daughters return to classes. "We couldn't have done anything if the business men and parents hadn't back up the school authorities. It is definitely a tribute to the good citizenship to be found in Sapulpa. Teachers today report better class work and order and the most pleasant day they had in a long time," Prince added.
Yet to be decided was whether the annual football banquet scheduled for Friday night would be held in view of the ill-advised student strike.
Students, claiming over 400 walked out, while school authorities estimated only about one-half of the 585 high school students left classes, will get only a one-week holiday starting Friday afternoon. William Griess, school board president, reiterated again today that there would be no change in the holiday period.
The main reason given by students for the walkout was that they wanted to work during the Christmas holiday and make some extra money. School authorities stated that students with jobs had only to make application and present a letter from the employer and an excuse would have been granted.
There were only 49 said they had jobs, according to the school superintendent. About 25 of those students have been excused to work.
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*bonus: The Sapulpa Historical Society now has our local newspapers digitized! Our earliest digitized newspaper is from the Sapulpa Signal, July 14, 1904.

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