COMMENTS FROM TOWN MEETING
PARTICIPANTS.
Too often we give lip service to the ideals of grassroots democracy. Today was a great opportunity to participate in such a process.
Principal of Culver City
High School, California.
A miracle happened in Independence last Saturday. People got together and created the future.
Mary Hahn, Independence,
Missouri.
The singing of our song "Hello
Jackson" was the icing on the cake in concluding an exciting day as
we in Jackson County began our move into the third century. Our future
certainly depends upon us. Coordinator, Jackson, Michigan.
It happened !. One hundred and fifty people of all ages and races participated in a meeting unprecedented in the history of Bremerton.
Participant, Bremerton,
Washington.
Town Meeting creates communities.
During the day, cynical residents became concerned citizens. Participant,
North Syracuse, New York.
This has been the greatest
day of my political life. To be perfectly honest, this is probably the
best day I have ever spent in my life. Mayor Harold Easton, Tecumseh,
Michigan.
We pay twenty or thirty thousand
dollars for outside consultants to do just what we did for ourselves today.
First Selectman, Cromwell, Connecticut
Having lived in Midland for fourteen years, and having attended hundreds of meetings, this was my first experience at observing whitecollar, bluecollar, wealthy people and poor people, community leaders and nonleaders all participating together to build a better community.
Lowell G. Thomas, Midland,
Michigan.
I am convinced Eldridge will benefit for many years to come. There is a community spirit showing around, which will cause things to happen, which will make this community a finer place to live and raise a family.
James R. Tank, Eldridge,
/owe.
Town Meeting people who never spoke up before (maybe because they were never asked before) are offering
their ideas to one another. As the swampdwelling cartoon character Pogo once noted "We have found
the enemy and he is us."
Editor, Nevada Appeal, Carson
City, Nevada.
TOWN MEETING: OKLAHOMA
ASSEMBLY
Table of Contents
Table of Content 2
PROCLAMATION: Governor David L. Boren 3
THE COMMUNITIES: Introduction 5
Communities Under 1,000 7
Communities Under 10,000 11
Communities Over 10,000 15
List of Participating Communities
and Senior Citizens' Centers 19
THE SCHOOLS INTRODUCTION 21
The Elementary School Report 23
The Middle School Report 27
The Pilot School Report 31
List of Participating Schools 35
List of Major Contributors 37
List of Donors 39
The Institute of Cultural Affairs 41
The Committee for Oklahoma: 100 42
State of Oklahoma
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
Proclamation
WHEREAS, during this 1976 Bicentennial
year there have been twentysix town meetings held in the State of
Oklahoma which have reawakened the hope of our people for meaningful grassroots
participation in the conduct of their affairs; and
WHEREAS, the Town Meeting 76 program
conducted with the cooperation and aid of the Oklahoma Bicentennia1 Commission
has been a signal success and has given to our citizens a new vision of
the possibilities of influence of the local citizens in the democratic
process through the town meeting format; and
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest
that encouragement and support be given to the continuation of the Town
Meeting program beyond the limited term of the Bicentennial Commission
in the hope that town meetings will become an annual event in the lives
of the citizens of Oklahoma.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DAVID L. BOREN,
GOVERNOR of the State of Oklahoma, do hereby proclaim Saturday, March 26,
1977 as
"TOWN MEETING: OKLAHOMA
100 DAY"
in the State of Oklahoma and do further
request that the Oklahoma Bicentennial Commission assist and support the
Town Meeting: Oklahoma 100 Project and request all employees of the State
and all other Oklahoma citizens interested in taking advantage of this
unique opportunity to attend the town meeting to be held in their area.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma to be affixed.
Done at the Capital in the City of
Oklahoma City, this 19th day of October, in the Year of Our
Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy-six, and of the State of Oklahoma
the sixty-eighty year.
James W. Byrd David L. Boren
Secretary of State Governor
Report
THE COMMUNITIES UNDER
1000
Boley Gracemont Porum
Brooksville Grant School Randlett
Burns Flat Harris School Ratliff City
Calvin Jet Rattan
Canton Kaw City Red Oak
Cardin Kiowa Ringwood
Carney Kinta Ripley
Cement Lahoma Shamrock
Coyle Lamont Shidler
Covington School Deer Creek School Sterling
Davenport Langston Stuart
Depew Meeker Tryon
Dover Meno Verdon
Duston Meridian Wann
Earlsboro Moffet Wapanuko
Elgin Nash Warren
Fletcher Okoche School Wister
Gans Pond Creek School Wynard
Note: Lists of community
under 10,000 and over 10,000 were not scanned for this presentation.
INTRODUCTION
The History of Town Meeting
Town Meeting is a uniquely
American invention. The present Town Meeting program is a recasting of
the original concept of participatory democracy. Its purpose is to recapture
in these times the strength of citizen participation in community decision
making.
Oklahoma Town Meeting
100
During the Bicentennial year,
twenty six Town Meetings were held in Oklahoma. Interested participants
from these first Town Meetings saw the benefits of this program. They founded
a state wide steering committee to continue Town Meeting. The concept of
"Oklahoma 100" was born. Upon request of the Committee, Governor
David Boren declared, March 26, 1977, "Town Meeting" Oklahoma
100 Day." On that weekend, one hundred and two communities in the
state held a Town Meeting. This represents approximately 10% of the communities
in Oklahoma, a fine response to the Governor's proclamation.
The Prevailing Challenges
Each Town Meeting produced
a document with two parts. One part described the challenges faced by the
community, the other contained citizen proposals in response to those challenges.
The documents reflected a surprising similarity in the concerns of communities,
large and small, rural and urban. These challenges fell in the following
major arenas:
1) creating a stable economic
climate to sustain continuing growth.
2) increasing citizen awareness
and participation.
3) focusing human resources
toward building a strong community.
4) providing an environment
that strengthens the quality of community life.
5) making available specific
practical education to release effective participation.
The "Oklahoma 100"
Town Meeting Assembly
The Town Meeting Oklahoma
100 Assembly is an event designed to draw together the most basic insights
of the many proposals from across the state. It is also hoped that it will
further motivate local communities to enable and implement the products
of their deliberations. This document is the written summary of that event.
5
Should our Oklahoma document of April 2, 1977 appear to
suggest that none of the proposed goals are presently being implemented,
it might be well to state that the contrary is true. Oklahoma is doing
much for selfimprovement. Much has been accomplished to date. Now
it is time for another chapter in our history. We could name this chapter
"Town Meeting". Yes, "Town Meeting" is an addition
to our unique history.
The Town Meeting coordinates action by individuals and
organizations already working toward goals that are common to all of us.
Often, however, the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
Communitywise, they may be working to the same end, but without coordination.
Out of syncopation, the human melody is not nearly so
sweet as when in harmony. Town Meeting serves as the choreographer to direct
harmonious action toward community goals.
Hazel Morgan
Red Oak, Oklahoma
6