This is the fourth 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.

Getting the territorial legislature to enact a law establishing a normal school in Alva was a very difficult job. In addition, getting Territorial Governor W. C. Renfrow to sign the bill was also hard. Alva was ably represented in the lower house of the territorial legislature by George Vicker...