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.


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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

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