Colorado To NW Oklahoma

[The photo on the left shows "The Pug & Sidekick" (Presidential Posse)! Front step: Duchess (The Pug) & Sadie (Sidekick) on back step, positioning for campaigning.] -- We got up early Friday morning, October 24, 2008, and packed "The Pug" and her sidekick, Sadie, into the Tundra pickup to make the journey East to NW Oklahoma along highway 160 East from SW Colorado.

Leaving around 7:00 a.m., Friday morn and pulling a trailer loaded with a '67 VW Bug and bales of hay for our Oklahoma horses, we made our long journey to Fairvalley, Oklahoma, loosing an hour in time travel. We arrived in Alva, Oklahoma around 10:00 p.m.

Traveling along hwy 160 East through eastern Colorado and into Kansas we spotted some interesting gas prices that seemed to decrease as we ventured East. We also spotted an interesting wooden creature towards the westend of one small town as it (the creature) appeared to be standing tall.

Strange creatures were not the only things we collected along our path. We just happened to snap a few photos of Kansas' famous skyscrapers of the prairies in western Kansas.

The horses along with the cattle at Fairvalley, Oklahoma were glad to see us pull up with their horse hay for the Winter approaching. The cows were mooing along with weaned calves bawling as the two groups were fenced from each other. It was that time of year!

This is a rather short newsletter this week because of our long journey East to help celebrate NWOSU's 2008 Homecoming Reunion. You can view some of those strange sitings over at our OkieLegacy - YouTube Site. See you next weekend with photo's and movies of NWOSU's parade & celebration.

Happy Birthday to Michael E. Wagner!
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NWOSU's Ranger Heroes & Legends of History

Do not forget... Thursday and Friday of this week NWOSU will crown their 2008 Cinderella at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

AND... Do not forget about the grand reunion of alumni gathering for the NWOSU's parade Saturday, November 1st, 2008, in downtown Alva, Oklahoma.

Watch the Rangers football Saturday afternoon at NWOSU's stadium. Will you be there? The Pug and Sadie will be there! Perhaps you will get lucky and see yourself on YouTube-OkieLegacy next weekend!
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NWOSU's 2008 Homecomig

NWOSU's Ranger Heroes, Legends of Northwestern - Homecoming 2008 ... Please join Northwest Oklahoma and NWOSU Alumni October 30 thru Nov. 1, 2008 as Norhtwestern Oklahoma State University welcomes and celebrates it's Ranger Heroes & Legends of Norhtwestern this week. The 2nd Greatest Generation Reunion & Parade begins Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 in downtown Alva, OK.

The 2nd Greatest Generation Reunion & Parade begins Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 in downtown Alva, OK. Stop by the Alumni tent and Ranger Run around 8 a.m. -- stick around for the parade -- greatest generation reunion at 10:00 a.m.

After the parade Saturday, Nov. 1st, 2008, 11:30 a.m., school bands marching in the parade will give mini concerts while the NWOSU Alumni serve lunch on the downtown park square at noon.

Don't forget about the football game between the Rangers vs. Southern Nazarene at 4 p.m. at Ranger field.

Other happenings, in Alva, OK, begins October 30, 2008 with the Miss Cinderella Talent show and the Cinderella Pageant to follow October 31, 2008.

Have you purchased NWOSU homecoming buttons? Visit NWOSU's website at NWOSU for more information. The third commemorative series limited edition Homecoming Coins are on sale at $15 along with Homecoming Buttons for just $10. Contact NWOSU Alumni Association at (580) 327-8593 or email NWOSU Alumni at nwalumni@nwosu.edu.
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1948 - Old School Bell & DeGeer's

1948 - Old School Bell & DeGeer's The Oklahoman, dated May 2, 1948, page 16, mentioned this headline, Old Bell Rings Out Memories.

The Oklahoman, 1948 -- "Some 46 years ago (1902) Mrs. Samuel G. Welles, then Miss Mab DeGeer, rang the bell at Mirable school, Woods county, for what she thought was the last time.

"The young teacher turned her back on the school to marry a young Episcopal minister, who had been sent into the cherokee strip as a missionary.

"A few days ago on Mrs. Welles 70th birthday she and Mrs. Frank L. Humphrey, 1925 NW 40, 'had fun' ringing the old school bell. This time it was mounted on a special tower at Buttonwood farm. Mrs. Welles present home 11 miles out of Trenton, N.J.

"Mrs. humphrey met Welles when he was on the staff of a church in Cincnnati. Mrs. Humphrey's parents came to Oklahoma in 1911 and a year later Welles and his new wife came back. They had been married in Wichita a few years earlier.

"Mrs. Welles taught school at Mirable several years before her marriage. The school was on the homestead of her aunt, Miss Hessie Renfrew, who staked claim there in the strip opening of 1893.

"Welles advanced through the Episcopal clergy until at the time of his death about 10 years ago (1938) he was canon of the cathedral at Trenton.

"When the old school near Alva was torn down recently Mrs. Welles children joined in presenting the 300-pound iron bell to her.

"The tower was designed by her daughter, Mrs. Charles Owen, Storrs, Conn., college art instructor. The bell was purchased and delivered by a son, Samuel G. Jr., associate editor of Time magazine.

"A cousin, Renfrew I. DeGeer, Alva, handled the acquisition at the Oklahoma end.

Other Welles children are Edward, dean of the Episcopal cathedral, Buffalo, N. Y.: Mary Pauline, freelance writer, and muriel, wife of Ted Hall, editor of the Milburn, N. J., newspaper.

"Mrs. Humphrey went to New Jersey to be with Mrs. Welles on her birthday and spent the day at the palatial home ringing the old bell and talking over old times. She stopped in Cincinnati to visit friends and relatives before coming back to Oklahoma City."
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Rural Schools - “N” or Old Woodward Cty, O. T.

"It may come as somewhat of a surprise to learn there were 264 school districts established in Woodward County before Statehood. It’s not quite so surprising, though, once one remembers that Territorial Woodward County consisted of the western end of the Cherokee Outlet (or Strip, as some prefer), an area roughly sixty miles north-south and fifty miles east-west. All of present Harper and Woodward counties, the northern part of Ellis and the western end of Woods counties were contained within the borders of county “N”, Oklahoma Territory, when it was opened for settlement September 16, 1893.

A little over a year later, November 6, 1894, the name of the county seat, Woodward, was given to the county and it remained so until November 16, 1907.....

* The Oklahoma Territorial Legislature had set a term of school as not less than three months, to be held between October1 and June 1, in each year.....

* Examination questions were prepared by The Territorial Board of Education, printed under the authority of the Territorial Superintendent of Public Instruction and sent to County Superintendents throughout the Territory, to be given on the last Friday and Saturday of January, April, or October.....

* Questions were designed to thoroughly test the teachers’ knowledge with the following examples: "An arithmetic question on the October 1898 test was: “A farmer has 110 acres of land; he plows 3 acres for 7 cows, and pastures 4 acres for 9 cows; how many cows did he keep, and many sheep, if 2/3 of the number of cows equals 2/5 the number of sheep?” Geography included, “Name in order the bodies of water on which you would sail from Omaha to St. Petersburg.....

In order to prepare for these exams, prospective teachers attended Normal Institutes. These were two to four weeks in length and were held in Woodward from 1894 through 1913 for twenty-two terms. (Three were held in 1894.) Attendance records show eight persons for the April 1894 session with a steady increase until a peak of 154 was reached in 1911.51 Some attended Normal School at Alva.” -- County N - Woodward county Early Day Rural Schools
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R. I DeGeer Grocery Store - Alva, OK

"R. I. DeGeer and wife Josie had 6 girls and 1 boy when they moved to Alva from Farry. Howard Walker, standing left in the picture was married to Stella James, a sister to Josie. Howard later became Woods County Treasurer in the early 30s. Howard was my Grandfather and R.I. DeGeer was my great Uncle. The Degeer children were all born between 1901 and 1911." -- Gilvin Walker, Harper, Kansas

Okielegacy Comment
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Melkus 1000 RS Sports Car

The guy test driving the Melkus 1000 RS is Tim Schrick, he is the nephew of Jorg Schrick of Bonn, Germany. I have been emailing Jorg for 4 to 5 years. Sometimes it seems like a small world. DDR Porsche # Melkus RS 1000 - YouTube.com video

There is a picture of Heinz Melkus in this video. He is now deceased, he was born April 20th 1928, and was married to Johanna Melkus. They had at least two sons Ullrich (Ulli) Melkus he died I think in 1999 in a bad car crash, do not know if it was in a race or not.

He was married to Maria Melkus, they had at least one son Ronny Melkus the famous car racer. I think Ronny was married to Peggy Melkus. Heinz and Johanna also had a son Peter Melkus he speaks German in this Video.

Ulli and Peter resemble one another quite a bit. Peter Melkus is married to Birgit Melkus and I think they have at least two sons, Robert and Sepp Melkus.

We did not get to meet Peter Melkus, when we were in Dresden, Germany, however I got my picture taken with Birgit Melkus and also with Sepp Melkus. Sepp Melkus gave us a tour in of the plant where they make the Melkus 1000 RS Sportcar.

If you want to see more videos of the Melkus car, after you view this video, go to the top of the You Tube website and type in Melkus and several videos will come up. Enjoy the video." -- Francis View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Capt. Wm. R. Heck - WWII

WWII - Captain William R. Heck, Feb. 12, 1944, Mill Creek Crash, Pilot

Another relative came through with a picture of one of the, Feb. 12, 1944, Mill Creek, mid-air victims. The picture was taken when he was a cadet. A later pic may turn up but I am grateful to have this one. His sister is still alive and her son made contact after finding the website (Our Little Memorial Blog) several months ago.

I provided the family with the details of his death of which they had little knowledge. Also put them in email and telephone contact with the only survivor, the tail gunner. They have become close email acquaintances. A description of the crash for the blog follows:

"Captain William (Bill) R. Heck, 25, Middletown, Ohio, was pilot of B-17G, (42-30481), the aircraft that was cut-in-two in a mid-air collision near Mill Creek, Oklahoma, February 12, 1944. Ten crew members died as a result as the aircraft plummeted to earth; One member, Cpl. Joseph (Jack) W. McClanahan, the tail gunner, survived without injury, after parachuting from the severed tail section. The 12 planes, in tight formation, were turning and descending from 14,500 feet when the collision occurred under turbulent air conditions. They had been in the air for four-plus hours and were returning to Ardmore Army Air Field. The other B-17G, though severely damaged, landed safely at Ardmore. None of its crew was injured. Several weeks after the accident, the crew was shipped to England, serving with the 8th Air Force. A few days after arriving, the pilot of the surviving aircraft, Lt. Verne H. Lewis, flying as co-pilot with another crew for experience, was shot down, June 14, 1944, and became a prisoner of war."
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Rain, Gas & McGill's in Perry, OK

"Yesterday morning (Oct. 23) Perry had a rain amount of 3/4-inch even though the weather report from the ABC outlet, channel 5 KOCO said parts of Oklahoma had a little more than a half inch.

Our gas prices are a little lower than the ones that Butch Bridges reported for Ardmore. The highest price for regular was $2.299 at the Sinclair station while Conoco and others had dropped to $2.249! Now the price at the pumps in Perry (at the Conoco station) is $2.18.9

The name I wanted to check on for you was Arlene Lavaun McGill, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. H. S. McGill. She was born at Verden, Oklahoma on November 2, 1923 and graduated from Perry High School in 1941 at age 17. She was a member of the Order of the Rainbow, and was also a member of the Presbyterian Church. I have no idea whether she's a relative of yours but ran across the name and thought I'd mention her." -- Roy
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1946 - Home Money Finances New Plants In Alva (OK)

The Oklahoman, dated March 31, 1946, page 57, headlines: "Home Money Finances New Plants In Alva (OK)."

Alva, March 30, 1946 -- "Alva is proud of its new industries and new jobs for returning veterans and prouder of the fact that they have all been created by use of Woods County money alone.

"The Alva Public Elevator Company has recently completed a million and a half bushel terminal elevator at a cost of $500,000 with all financing done in Woods County.

"Five Alva men bought an old ice plant and remodeled it to get a major meat packing firm to locate a poultry and cream plant in Woods County. As a result several veterans have jobs and Woods County farmers have increased their poultry and cream production.

Hatchery Hires Veterans
"The group of men retained the ice making machinery in the plant and have hired a group of veterans to operate the ice business.

"One of the pioneer hatchereies in the northwest part of the state has constructed a new $15,000 building and put more veterans to work.

"A group of Alva contractors have opened a new addition and have plans to build and finance 30 new homes for veterans as soon as materials can be obtained. Their plans also include jobs for veterans in the construction of the homes.

"The city of Alva recently voted a $100,000 more to go with the bond issue.

Water System
Alva has operated a municipal hospital for several years and only recently added $25,000 in new equipment. Two groups of doctors have just completed clinics." -- March 31, 1946, The Oklahoman, pg. 57
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1949 - Alvan's Treasure Collection Strengthens His Belief

The Oklahoman, dated February 13, 1949, page 59, headlines: "Alvan's Treaure' Collection Strengthens His Belief in God," by Madelaine Wilson, Daily OkLalhoman staff writer.

"Alva, OK, Feb. 12, 1949 -- Misers have their gold, women of wealth have their flashing, costly jewels. But a man in Alva has a collection of treasures that are oddly different.

"Rare treasures like elephant bones that are between 50,000 and 1,000,000 years old.

"And to Dr. T. C. Carter, curator of the museum at Northwestern State College, his collection holds all the drama and romance of life itself.

"In his college museum is proof that strange and mammoth animals walked the good Oklahoma earth long before the existence of man.

"There's the 15-foot tusk of an elephant found 25 miles east of Alva. That was the cold winter day about 12 years ago (1937) when workmen were excavating the spillway for the Salt Plains dam on Salt Fork river.

"They were down about 20 feet when the weather turned cold. The water froze so fast they couldn't mix their cement. That day the bulldozers had unearthed strange and huge fragments of partly petrified bones.

"Immediately somebody thought of Dr. Carter. His collections are that widely known. And somebody notified him.

"All right," the foreman told him, "It's too cold for us to mix cement. We'll give you one day to pull out all these bones you want."

"One day i which to retrieve priceless relics of another age!

Hurriedly he summoned workers. Working quickly and yet with hands as gentle as a mother's lifting her baby from its cradle, the men dug out the precious bones.

"Both tusks of the elephant; a knee bone chest-high to the average man; Fragments of the pelvic bone and shoulder blade. And then the important day ended. Other antiquities lie buried under the cement poured by men in a hurry to rush civilized progress.

"Another time workmen were digging in a sand pit along SH 64, about 3/4 mile from Alva, when bones of another -- larger -- elephant were found. These also are in Dr. Carter's museum.

"It's impossible to think of it as the college's museum. To Alva people, Dr. Carter is an 'institution'."

He was graduated from the school in 1908 when it was Northwestern Normal school. He turned right around and became a member of the faculty. A job he has held ever since. During leaves of absence he took his masters degree at Columbia University. New York. and his PhD degree from University of Wisconsin, Madison.

"He doesn't mention it, but towns people do: He has had many offers to go to other universities." -- 1949 - The Oklahoman, dated Feb. 13, 1949, pg 9
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