1941: Oklahoma

Area and Population.

The 'Sooner State' got its nickname from the famous land rush of April 22, 1889. Its formal name is a Choctaw word meaning 'home of the red people.' It ranks 17th in size among the states, with an area of 69,919 sq. mi., including 636 sq. mi. of inland water surface, according to remeasurements of the United States undertaken for the 16th census in 1940. In population it ranks 22nd, numbering 2,336,434 according to the 1940 census. The largest cities are Oklahoma City, the capital, 204,424; Tulsa, 142,157; Muskogee, 32,332; Enid, 28,081; and Shawnee, 22,053.

Oklahoma claims the oldest petrified tree known to man, and the most complete collection of dinosaurs in the country. The state is proud of its Indian history and Indian relics, and of the largest Indian hospital in the nation; of boom towns (the present capital became a city of 10,000 in a single day in 1889); and of unlimited oil and natural gas — one small town, Seminole, produced in 1927 a fifth of the world's crude oil. Oklahoma has 35,000 A. of state parks; Fort Sill has the largest artillery school in the country; Guthrie boasts the largest Masonic Scottish Rite Temple in the world. The famous tri-state Ozark region occupies the northeastern corner of the state, where Grand Lake has been formed by the longest multiple-arch dam in the world, the Pensacola Dam.

Education.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction reported as of June 30, 1941, 700,000 persons of school age (6 to 21). Of these, 611,818 attended schools in 4,750 districts: 466,597 in elementary grades, taught by 15,424 teachers; 138,725 in secondary grades, taught by 5,154 white and 330 Negro teachers. In the last three years elementary enrollment has decreased 20 per cent, while secondary enrollment has increased 4 per cent, and teaching personnel 2 per cent. State expenditures on education during the past school year, 1940-41, were $31,507,590, an increase of about 16 per cent in three years.

Agriculture.

In spite of the spectacular development of its mineral resources, Oklahoma remains primarily an agricultural state. Cotton and wheat are in the lead, with corn a close third; hay, oats, and grain sorghums follow in production value. Livestock and poultry are major agricultural interests; the climate is favorable to turkey-raising, which is extensively carried on.

Lumber.

Soft pine is cut in large quantities in the hilly eastern section; also hard pine, oak, red gum, and elm.

Mineral Products.

Of the state's total mineral wealth, for which it ranked fifth in 1939, at $236,176,614, petroleum easily furnishes more than half. In 1940 the amount produced was 155,952,000 bbl., the state retaining third place for that item, in spite of a decrease from the 159,913,000 bbl. produced in 1939, with a value of $166,300,000. Of natural gasoline, for which Oklahoma also ranks third, the amount in 1940 was 379,200,000 gal. Natural gas continues to be one of the major resources of the state, although exact figures are not available for 1940. Zinc, in which Oklahoma ranks first, increased in 1940 to 162,935 tons, compared with 140,379 in 1939, valued at $14,599,416.

Tulsa is commonly known as 'the oil capital of the world'; it has the largest refinery in the world operated exclusively on high gravity 100 per cent paraffine-base oils; more than 300 manufacturers and dealers in oil-field supplies and equipment are located there; and the University has the world's largest oil-field sample display, with more than 15,000 items.

Finance.

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941, total state collections amounted to $55,209,737; Federal funds received were $19,197,022; making total receipts $77,103,754. Expenditures included assistance grants, $20,959,458; education, $16,081,209; highways, $14,649,410; total expenditures were $85,664,481. The deficit for the fiscal year was therefore $7,658,432. The major collection items were the gasoline tax, $15,538,639; sales tax, $11,191,361; gross production tax, $7,885,394; income tax, $6,261,839, 11 per cent of the whole (down 1 per cent); and motor vehicle licenses, $5,586,187.

Banking.

As of December 31, 1941, 246 banks reported deposits of $489,204,000 (almost 17 per cent increase over 1940); and loans of $170,523,000 (18 per cent increase).

Events of the Year.

The Legislature adopted a permanent salary schedule for teachers, which would assure them a certain minimum. The present annual average for all teachers is $1,007. The Legislature also set up a super-board of control over all educational institutions of college grade.

Events connected with preparedness and national defense during 1941 included the enlargement of Fort Sill to accommodate 40,000 officers and men; the establishment of a bomber plant at Tulsa, of an air depot and an air base at Oklahoma City, of a powder plant at Choteau, and of air schools at Enid, Chickasha, Ponca City, and Oklahoma City.

State Officers.

Governor, Leon C. Phillips; Lieutenant Governor, James E. Berry; Secretary of State, C. C. Childers; Treasurer, Carl B. Sebring; Auditor, Frank C. Carter; Attorney General, Mac Q. Williamson; Superintendent of Public Instruction, A. L. Crable.

United States Senators:

J. Elmer Thomas, Josh Lee.