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Millennium Edition - http://OkieLegacy.org

11 August 2001, Vol. III, Iss. 32

'44 Memories in NW Oklahoma...

Once in awhile we get a glimpse of the past laid in our lap. That happened to me this week a few days ago.

I hope this story jogs some 1940s memory cells out there. Tom McCarrick would love to hear from somebody who was around the Alva area back in 1943 and 1944. Especially, if you have any information concerning Mary Louise Holten, Northwestern's Air Corp College Training Detachment, the Cadet Club, and Bill Guntrum. You can Email Tom or Email Oakie. I would love to share those memories here in our weekly eZine.

Tom begins '44 memories...
Tom McCarrick, 1944 Northwestern, Alva"I was in Alva for a few months back in 1944 attending Northwesten State on what was known as an 'Air Corp College Training Detachment.' This was one of the earliest phases of Air Cadet Training. We even flew our first 10 hours while still at Alva.
Tom, Mary & Lincoln Bust, Alva, Okla. 1944      I met Mary Louise Holten at Northwestern, where she was a coed at the time. We had many great times together. I still have a picture of the two of us by a statue of Lincoln, which I think was in town.
      I sent home for my trumpet while at Alva and eventually led the dance band that played at the 'Cadet Club' in town on weekends. The Cadet Dance Band was known as the "Sad Sacks," playing for a St. Particks Day Dance at the Cadet Club. I don't specifically recall where the Cadet Club was located, but I feel like it was in a building in town. On the last weekend we were in town, we played our final dance in a hall somewhere and I sang, "Long Ago & Far Away."
      We were sorry to be leaving Alva. The folks living there were very warm and friendly. Many of us were treated to great home cooked meals on weekends. The school cafeteria was OK too... much better than the mess halls we encountered before and after.
      I continued on with training going to Frederick, Oklahoma, then to 'San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center', then to the valley in Texas to 'Moore Field' in McAllen, a single engine fighter base.
      I was discharged in November '45 and returned to my hometown, Rochester, New York. Fellow cadet Bill Guntrum met and married an Alva girl and I believe he is still living there.
      I went on to the University of Pennsylvania and corresponded with Mary Holten. I think she was at Oklahoma University at the time. We lost touch. I remember she lived at 101 Flynn St. and had a sister.
     This is a long shot, but would you know of her and where she would be now?
      I'm in San Jose, California now, managing a large Century 21 office. My email address is ttmc21@aol.com. Hope to hear from you with any news you might have for me." -- Tom McCarrick

Oakie's NW Corner...

I'm running a little late tonight. It's been a long week which began with NO phone or DSL service until late Tuesday evening, because my backyard neighbor (R&R Systems, Ritters) across the alley keeps knocking out my phone line with their trucks and trailers. This is the 6th or 7th time they have gotten careless. If they take it out again, they will have to take out the telephone pole because the phone company restrung the new phoneline up a little higher, Tuesday evening.

As to the Summer Heat... We still have it hanging around here somewhere. We got a bit of a reprieve from the summer heat Thursday evening, August 9, when the cool front came through... dropping the temps to the mid-70 degrees and bringing in just enough rain to make it humid. Friday morning was a great day to wakeup to, though. The temps were in the low 70s and overcast. We got some rain, but not that much as it made it's way east and south across the state..

Also, Thursday night... Waynoka, Oklahoma had it's opening night of their 65th annual Cimarron Stampede Rodeo in their new Rodeo arena. Saturday is the last day of parades and entertainment in downtown Waynoka, culminating with the rodeo in the evening. If Rodeos are your bag, Check it out!

Speaking of Rodeos, don't forget about the Freedom, Oklahoma's Biggest Open Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion next week, August 16, 17 and 18. That Rodeo is my favorite rodeo of all. You see... we own some land around the area that we inherited from my Grandmother, Constance Estella Warwick McGill. Have you ever heard of Fairvalley, Oklahoma? That's the place! You can read about Fairvalley on my website. Grandmother is deceased now, but just let me say, "Thanks Grandma for the land and our ties to it!"

101 Flyn St., August 9, 2001Back to Tom's email... concerning Mary Holten and 101 Flynn St... After getting Tom's email I had to go check out this house located at 101 Flynn Street, in Alva and get a photo to send back to him.
     This was his response, "Hi Linda... What a surprise! Thanks for the pictures. 101 Flynn looks great. Somebody is taking good care of the place. Lord knows how long ago the Holtens moved out of there."
     You're very welcome, Tom! I love finding stories like this waiting in my mailbox. Ain't this media GREAT! If anyone out there has any info on the Holten's, send me an Email.
Lincoln statue & Herod Hall, Alva Campus     I also went up by Northwestern and got this evening shot of the Lincoln statue and Herod Hall. Tom had this to say concerning the campus, "I can't believe that it's been 57 years since we cadets were there. That sure is the statue that Mary and I posed at and it looks just the same. The tree growth around the campus appears to be more lush than in our days. We all were mostly from New York state and New York City.....Brooklyn, etc. Alva impressed us as to how flat it was. You could see for miles."

Got to run for now, but will see you all next week. Maybe some of you will see me at the Freedom Rodeo if you are lucky. ((hugs))

-- Linda - "Oakie"

Mailbag & Links....

Air cadets in formation, northwestern athletic field, Alva, Okla."I started out on Classmates.com, Class of '43... my high school graduation year... and gradually worked way up to your year at Alva High, where I came across your great website. It looked like the site to get caught up on Alva after all these years and I was right. We (aviation cadets) were all 18 or 19 for those few terrific months in Alva and you were born in '48, so you missed all those air cadets marching through your town. I have a picture of the whole group in parade formation behind the college on the athletic field. I'll scan that to you as well as the picture of Mary Louise Holten and I posing at the bust statue of Lincoln. It would be great if you run something about my memories of that era and somebody who was around then would respond... for old times sake. Thanks for your response. I'm looking forward to your newsletter." -- Tom McCarrick

College Ave. view looking north towards town, AlvaThis is an evening shot that I took August 9, 2001 while I was stopped at the exit of NWOSU's semi-circle drive. The photo is looking north down College Avenue towards the downtown square with the grain elevators in the background. It was taken at dusk, Thursday night.

Board of Directors, NW OklahomaI have a horse friend has been wanting me to take a picture of his horses from the backside to show who the real "Board of Directors (BOD)" are around the NW parts of Oklahoma. Do you have any BOD's like this in your area? :-)
Another Hurt Family Story... "Linda, Here is a story passed down from my grandfather Louthan to my dad... As a young girl, Emma Hurt carried water to the Dalton and Yeager Gangs who were hiding out in Cossell Canyon. According to what my dad can remember, this canyon is located 6 miles east and 3-4 miles north of Chester. Joseph Hurt's place was located right next to this land. The outlaws were staying in a cave. That cave was collapsed the last time my dad and my grandfather visited that location. They were going to show it to my brother, but the land had been sold to a game warden who would not let anyone on his land. I don't know how many years ago this was. Have you ever heard of Cossell Canyon?" -- Kathy
"Realization - The College Class of 2004... Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this will certainly change things. Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to try to give the Faculty a sense of the mindset of this year's incoming freshman.
      Here is this year's list: The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1982. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan Era and probably did not know he had ever been shot. They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged. Black Monday, 1987 is as significant to them as the Great Depression. There has been only one Pope. They were 11 when t remember the Cold War. They have never feared a nuclear war. They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up. Tianamen Square means nothing to them. Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums. The statement "You sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. They have never owned a record player. They have likely never played PAC Man and have never heard of Pong. They may have never heard of an 8 track. The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old. As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 33 cents. They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV. They have always had cable. There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what BETA was. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is, or know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up" commercial.
      Feeling old Yet? There's more: They were born the year that Walkman was introduced by Sony. Roller skating has always meant inline for them. Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. They have never seen Larry Bird play. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI, WWII and the Civil War. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. They never heard: "Where's the beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "De plane, de plane!". They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. was. The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew. Michael Jackson has always been white. Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not rock bands. McDonalds never came in Styrofoam containers. There has always been MTV. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. Do you feel old yet?"
"Thanks Linda, You are indeed a wonderful, caring person & have opened the doors of reality and compassion to many of those you have had contact with. Bless you and may God continue to shower you with his love."
"Thanks for printing my story about the Centennial and especially thanks for putting the court house with it as it really sets it off. Thanks again and keep those newsletters coming."
"Well, its hot in Houston - and humid as usual. Our evenings on the island though (Galveston) are very nice. We went to San Antonio this week and it was REALLY hot!! But we loved the little break anyway."
NOSLER... "I was wandering through Google's search (for Bob Nosler) and came across your site. Interesting. Beautifully put together history site. Thank you!" -- Bob Nosler, Rancho Cordova CA
WAYNOKA - Three days of bronc busting, bullfighting and family fun begin thursday night with the opening of the 65th annual Cimarron Stampede Rodeo in Waynoka. Thursday was the same night that a cool front came through NW Oklahoma and dropped the temps 30 degrees... Back into the mid-70F temps. The Rodeo continues through Saturday, August 11, 2001.
Steller JayStellar Jay... "Remember one time when we discussed a picture that you took of a bird in Colorado? I think the bird may have been a Stellers Jay. Today I found an excellent picture of a Stellers Jay and I want to share it with you"


Nonrated Officer Training at Lackland... "An informal Officer's Training School operated at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center between 2 July 1942 and 25 April 1944. In all, it conducted five three-week classes and trained 675 officers. Another small-scale but vital officer training function at SAACC in the late stages of the war was performed by Army Air Forces Nurse Training Detachment 9."
Aviation Days... by John Christian Aviation Cadet Training, history and photos of WWII memories.
You Can View Webshots... At Oakie's Webshots. I have added another Album for the Alva Reunion 2000 & Alva's Homecoming 2000. Don't forget to sign my Webshot Guestbook.
Oakie's Messageboard - Stop by and give us your summer weather report from your area -- Whatever is happening where you live -- Your inquiry of family history -- Your family findings -- Your favorite vacation -- etc.... HELP US START SOMETHING! THANKS!

Linda K McGill Wagner
c/o WWW Publishing Co
PO Box 619, Bayfield, CO 81122

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