Edward Everett Dale
Encyclopedia
Edward Everett Dale was an American historian and longtime faculty member of the University of Oklahoma
. He was a proponent of Frederick Jackson Turner
's "frontier thesis
" and is known as a major influence on the historian Angie Debo
.
in 1879. His father was a farmer from Greer County, Texas
, where Dale lived in his youth. In 1896 the area became part of the Indian Territories (later, Oklahoma
) when the United States Supreme Court resolved a land dispute over the state boundary. Dale became an orphan two years later and worked as a cow rancher for several years. In his twenties he was a schoolmaster
, serving at Cloud Chief
and other small towns in the region, and by 1906 was a school principal in central Oklahoma despite not having a high school diploma. At age 33 he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma, and then a masters from Harvard University
(where Frederick Jackson Turner served as his thesis advisor), before returning to the University of Oklahoma to teach.
and the so-called "Five civilized tribes
" that had been forcibly resettled from the Southeastern United States
, developed a particularly unique unwritten law he called "Cow Custom", that later became embedded in the state's legal code and institutions.
Debo became disillusioned with Dale in 1937 when he ignored her request to be considered as a replacement for historian Morris Wardell, who was leaving the university for a position at the University of Chicago
. The University later hired male faculty members who were less qualified or accomplished than Debo, and refused to publish Debo's seminal first book about Indian relations in Oklahoma, And Still the Waters Run, later published by the Princeton University Press
. Dale was not especially misogynist
for his era, and both his reluctance to hire her as a colleague and the University's decision to reject the book arose not only from the pervasive discrimination against women academics at the time but also her "blunt" confrontational academic approach and the "explosive" nature of her research. Despite remaining cordial, Debo carried a resentment over these incidents until her death in 1989.
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. He was a proponent of Frederick Jackson Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner was an American historian in the early 20th century. He is best known for his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", whose ideas are referred to as the Frontier Thesis. He is also known for his theories of geographical sectionalism...
's "frontier thesis
Frontier Thesis
The Frontier Thesis, also referred to as the Turner Thesis, is the argument advanced by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 that the origin of the distinctive egalitarian, democratic, aggressive, and innovative features of the American character has been the American frontier experience...
" and is known as a major influence on the historian Angie Debo
Angie Debo
Angie Elbertha Debo was an American historian who wrote 13 books and hundreds of articles about Native American and Oklahoma history...
.
Biography
Dale was born in a rural area in Keller, TexasKeller, Texas
Keller is a city located in Tarrant County, Texas, in the United States. In 2011, it was ranked 93rd in Money Magazine's list of best cities to live in the United States. It is a northern suburb of the city of Fort Worth and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex...
in 1879. His father was a farmer from Greer County, Texas
Greer County, Texas
Greer County, was a county created by the Texas legislature on February 8, 1860 , was land claimed by both Texas and the United States.-Origin of the dispute:...
, where Dale lived in his youth. In 1896 the area became part of the Indian Territories (later, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
) when the United States Supreme Court resolved a land dispute over the state boundary. Dale became an orphan two years later and worked as a cow rancher for several years. In his twenties he was a schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
, serving at Cloud Chief
Cloud Chief, Oklahoma
Cloud Chief is a small unincorporated community in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. The townsite was platted in April, 1892, as Tacola. The Cloud Chief post office was established in March and Cloud Chief was designated by the U.S. Congress as the county seat of H County, Oklahoma Territory...
and other small towns in the region, and by 1906 was a school principal in central Oklahoma despite not having a high school diploma. At age 33 he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma, and then a masters from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(where Frederick Jackson Turner served as his thesis advisor), before returning to the University of Oklahoma to teach.
Historical theories
Dale's thesis of Oklahoma history was that the succession of migrants (traders, military, ranchers, then pioneer farmers) moving westward over time had created a new, uniquely American society that had moved away from European influence. Oklahoma, where settlers incorporated the remnants of both the indigenous Native American tribesIndian tribe
In the United States, a Native American tribe is any extant or historical tribe, band, nation, or other group or community of Indigenous peoples in the United States...
and the so-called "Five civilized tribes
Five Civilized Tribes
The Five Civilized Tribes were the five Native American nations—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole—that were considered civilized by Anglo-European settlers during the colonial and early federal period because they adopted many of the colonists' customs and had generally good...
" that had been forcibly resettled from the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, developed a particularly unique unwritten law he called "Cow Custom", that later became embedded in the state's legal code and institutions.
Relationship with Angie Debo
Angie Debo enrolled in a class Dale taught at the University of Oklahoma on American history and government in 1916, and again in January, 1917. Debo described him as having a "cowboy walk" and "soft voice". Dale taught her formal methods of recording and writing about history that she would use throughout her life. He considered her his "outstanding student" and considered himself her "academic godfather".Debo became disillusioned with Dale in 1937 when he ignored her request to be considered as a replacement for historian Morris Wardell, who was leaving the university for a position at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. The University later hired male faculty members who were less qualified or accomplished than Debo, and refused to publish Debo's seminal first book about Indian relations in Oklahoma, And Still the Waters Run, later published by the Princeton University Press
Princeton University Press
-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
. Dale was not especially misogynist
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
for his era, and both his reluctance to hire her as a colleague and the University's decision to reject the book arose not only from the pervasive discrimination against women academics at the time but also her "blunt" confrontational academic approach and the "explosive" nature of her research. Despite remaining cordial, Debo carried a resentment over these incidents until her death in 1989.