by John Barton, Associate Professor of Speech Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, NWOSU
This is the second of a series of articles designed to recognize the work of many individuals who were responsible for getting Northwestern Territorial Normal School located in Alva, Oklahoma Territory in 1897 and for providing leadership to ensure quality education for the critical years that followed. Much of the information in this article can be found in the book Northwestern Oklahoma State University, A Centennial History (copyright 1996) written by Wayne Lane.
Around two years ago I was asked to speak to the students in an upper division course at Northwestern about the work of the Historical Preservation Taskforce. I began the discussion by asking the question, “Who is the father of Northwestern?” Most students stared at me in silence. One ventured the guess of James Ament, which was not a bad guess since Ament was the first president of Northwestern. Ament arrived in Alva in August 1897, and classes started in September of that same year. He did amazing work to get the school functioning in a short amount of time. When I told the class that I would answer that question with the name S. L. Johnson, Alva’s first postmaster, I was again met with stunned silence.
I do not think this is an unusual response. It would probably be the same reaction of most current citizens of Alva as well as the staff and faculty at Northwestern since most have never heard of Mr. Johnson. I, however, believe that not recognizing his contributions is the most grievous oversight when it comes to honoring individuals of Northwestern’s past. Without his work, it is doubtful that Northwestern would be in Alva.
S.L. Johnson was selected to be the chairman of the committee (I call them the magnificent seven) that was charged with the responsibility of getting a normal school (for teacher education) in Alva. The first meeting was in January 1895 not quite two years after the run of ‘93. Although history does not record who had the first idea for a normal school, it is not unusual for the individual who has the good idea to be selected as chairman of the committee that puts the idea into action.
We do know that the committee worked very hard and was ably led by Mr. Johnson. In 1896, he spent two months in Guthrie, the territorial capitol, working with both houses of the legislature in an effort to get approval for a normal school in Alva. Unforeseen opposition caused these efforts to fail that year. Mr. Johnson, however, redoubled his effort and provided the leadership that was necessary to overcome much opposition leading to success in 1897.
Mr. Johnson devoted significant time to this effort spending two months in 1896 and two months in 1897 during the legislature sessions in Guthrie. Due to the travel difficulties at that time, he did this without returning to Alva at any point during each two-month session.
The hard-working, dedicated members of this committee, the magnificent seven, were H. L. Ross, W. F. Hatfield, James Kelley, C. C. Hudson, A. H. Andrews, Jesse J. Todd, and S. L. Johnson. Many of committee members spent time in the territorial capitol during these sessions. Most, however, did not spend the entire two months there as Mr. Johnson did.
S. L. Johnson is a prime example of Northwestern’s heroes who have been overlooked. We must do something to recognize the great contributions made by this man and the other magnificent seven.