The school's establishment was the product of the intense lobbying efforts of the 25,000 Club, a local booster group.[5] The club raised funds for faculty salaries so classes could begin that fall in local churches and public school classrooms.[5] Graduates of the normal school program received lifetime teaching certification statewide.[2] The 1910 Oklahoma Legislature funded faculty salaries and the construction of a building on a 16-acre (65,000 m2) site donated by a Chickasaw allottee.[5] In 1919, the normal schools were authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature to offer four years of teacher education, to offer bachelor's degrees, and were designated teachers' colleges.[4]