Opening of the northwest corner of the Old Castle on the Hill campus. In other words... only the rubble remains of the women's dorm (Oklahoma Hall) on the norhtwest corner of NWOSU's campus, in Alva, Oklahoma. What a sight! This photograph was taken last week by R.L. Wagner. Thanks, Robb!

As to our progress of inputting back issues of "The OkieLegacy Ezine" into our database, we are up (or back) to Vol. 6, Iss. 33 so far. We still have some mailbag features for those issues to fill in yet. We thank you for your patience and understanding while we slowly tredge along.

Seems to this writer that we jogged a few memories again last week. You can review last week's comments through the links in our Mailbag corner - "The Rest of the Story."

We learned of one of the professors (John Cameron) that taught the air cadet pilots at NSTC, in 1944. AND... several have stated that, "Yes!" Shirley Temple's husband was stationed as a training pilot at Northwestern in Alva, Oklahoma around that time.

AND... The 92nd College Training Detachment was the last group to be trained at NSTC in 1944. It was July, 1944 that they were shipped out to Fredrick, Oklahoma before going to San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. This information came from Tom McCarrick of California. McCarrick also mentioned that he played trumpet and led the dance band at the "Cadet Club" for the St. Patricks Dance, March 14, 1944.

That bit of information reminded me of my Uncle Bob McGill that played the trumpet in a dance band back around the time of 1938 when he was going to school at Kemper Military, in Booneville, Missouri. AND... a group of that same band played on a voyage to Europe aboard the ship Europa, during the Summer of '38.

Enough of memories for now! As February passes to March this last week -- Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday were ushered in like a lamb around the valley area of SW Colorado. What have you given up for Lent for the next 40-some days?

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1944 - Air Cadet Cleaning Crew at NSTC...

Tom McCarrick reminds us in last week's comments, "I remember Bill well but never met Doris, while in Alva. In fact Bill and I are from Rochester, NY.

Tom continued, "There were about 6 of us from Rochester and I have a picture that I will be sending in to the Okie Newsletter of the Rochester group taken at the college. I'm also sending in a large photo by Ellis Photos, Alva, of the entire 92nd College Training Detachment with their names and hometowns on the back. I'm also sending 2 pictures of our dance band playing at the "Cadet Club" in town on St. Patrick's Day March 17, 1944. Maybe you were there. I believe you are correct in that the 92nd was the last group to be training at the college. We were shipped out to Frederick, Oklahoma in July '44 for a short stay before going to San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. By the way, I was and am a trumpet player and was assigned to blowing Reville every morning to awake our cadets in the dormitory. It was OK because I got to be first in the bathroom. I also led the dance band while we were there and we played at a big dance in town the day before we left Alva for good. We had some great times in Alva and were extremely well treated by the people that lived there and in my case it was Mary Holten and her family. I wonder where she is now! My best regards to Doris & Bill."

James Bradley left us with this bit of information about one of the professor of Northwestern (NSTC) that taught the pilots during the 1940's. It was in a class under Prof. John Cameron in 1954, in the fall of 1954, that James Bradley began his sojourn at NSTC. One Physics class that James took was taught by Prof. John Cameron -- it was during that class that Bradley found that Cameron had taught Pilots in classes at Northwestern State Teachers College, in Alva, Oklahoma. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Homer Jones & Rialto, Ranger, Ritz & Liberty...

We were looking back at some information on our "OkieLegacy" website, because we knew there was another theatre that Homer Jones owned for awhile until it burned in 1933. In the 1920's Homer C. Jones (Jones Amusement Co.) owned the New Opera House (located at 612 Flynn St., NE corner of 7th & Flynn, Alva, Oklahoma). It was originally constructed around 1907 and went by the name of "Grand Opera House" and played road shows of the legitimate stage and musicals. It was later known as the "Liberty Theatre" when Jones Amusement Company acquired it. The Grand / Liberty Theatre burned, except for the brick shell of the building, in 1933 and was never rebuilt.

This is a postcard showing the NEW Opera House on Flynn Ave., that became the "Grand & Liberty Theatre" that Jones owned in the 1920s & 1930s. The Liberty theatre was before my time, though. It must have been a Grand place of the early 1930's.

Besides the Liberty theatre, Jones owned three other theatres back in the late 1920s and 1930s that were known as the "three R's of entertainment" - (Rialto, Ranger & Ritz).

Did you know that Jones Amusement company brought the "first partial talkie" to Alva and equipped the Liberty theatre with "Vitaphone sound discs" on June 7, 1929? The Vitaphone sound discs were a bit before my time, so I never experienced them. How about some of you out there? Ever experience the Vitaphone discs?

Jones also owned the Rialto theatre at the time and left the Liberty to devote full time to the Rialto.

In 1933, there was built the Ritz Theatre on the south side of the square (527 Barnes, later known as Otasco Store).

In 1939, the Ranger Theatre (416 Flynn Ave.) was one of the finest 400 seat houses in the southwest.

Those three theatres were known as the "three R's of entertainment" - Rialto, Ritz and Ranger - were all operated by Jones Amusement until the 1950's when television started to make an impact on the movie business. That is about the time that Jones closed the Ranger and Ritz theatres. The Rialto still remains today in the middle of the 500 block of Flynn Street on the north side of the downtown square.

It always amazes this writer! HOW we are all connected in some way or another -- no matter where we live or where we are at the time.

Roy in Perry remembers, "As far as I know, Homer Jones was the first theatre owner to use a new plastic based paint to seal his theatre's cement floor before installing new seating in Alva. The paint was designed for very easy cleanup (spilled drinks and popcorn oils couldn't be absorbed by the concrete). I was the concession's sales person at the OKC branch of National Theatre Supply at the time -- we sold the paint at discount to Homer so we could find out just how good it really was. I was also operating a theatre at Minco, Oklahoma and was the first to use an epoxy paint on restroom walls to prevent lipstick and other means of writing to adhere. It worked! No more naughty sayings!"

Steve Nicholson reminds us, "I was the projectionist at both the Rialto and the Drive-In back about '56 & '57. Seems like Johnny was just a little boy then. Nice place to work as I remember. Does anyone remember "WaHoo" on Wednesday nites?"
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Castle On the Hill of the Prairies...

Northwestern State Normal School was also known as the famous "Castle on the Hill" by many. It was also scorned as the "Prairie Prince's Plight."

This photo was taken January 22, 1901. This additional information along with the date, was printed on the front in white, faded ink: Alva, O. T. (Oklahoma Territory). On the back there are pencil notations of "BFS Elkton O.T. 2221 50 Guinn Warrick." My Grandmother, Constance E. Warwick, would have been around 18 years going on 19 and may be in the student body assembled in the foreground.

This photo was taken sometime after the March 1, 1935 fire. The Shell of Castle is shown from the southside (backside) looking North down Sixth St. (College Ave.)

What we know so far is that Northwestern State Normal School was at one time scorned by thousands as Prairie Prince's Plight. A Bill was introduced in 1895 to establish the Normal School in Alva, M County, O.T. It was the second Normal School -- Central State in Edmond was the first.

The building was started in the Fall of 1897. By March 10, 1898 a contract was given to John Volk and Co. to build it. On April 1, 1898 they began actually work. By July 1, 1898 they laid the cornerstone. The Alva Congregational Church was used as the school until the Normal School was finished. On March 9, 1900 it was dedicated by President James Ament.

A Silent message thru the ages
Is delivered to the races passing by,
And the wisdom of the sages
Flashes futily from the sturdy eye,
Watching Life's laughter, song and tears
Thru the eager march of onward years;
With quiet, unperturbed, mobile face
Inspires us to live with equal grace.

The Rest of the Story...

These are the "back issue" comments for those of you who missed them during the week. They range from comments about Alva's Pix theatre to Northwestern training aircadets and much more. Such as:

Balmer Fund Request...

"Uncovering our rich heritage is like a row of dominoes -- one things leads to another to another to another! Isn't it fun!

Request: Does anyone know a more-or-less professional researcher who can provide documented information on the old Kiowa Trail that is possibly the same as Highway 44 from Caldwell to Anthony to Kiowa? Didn't Kiowa connect with Ft. Supply? If we can get highway 44 listed on the historic register, the towns it connects stand to get some good funding." -- Rosalea Hostetler, The Balmer Fund - Email: wepreserve@balmerfund.org View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Castle on the Hill...

I have to tell you that The Castle On The Hill is fascinating. That was quite an accomplishment. So distinctive and a grand building. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old Castle on the Hill...

We are native Kansans and still have family there so last year on a trip through there we drove over to the Alva Public Library. Joyce A. Beagley is the one who correlated the family book and told me on the phone that I could make copies of it. It has 128 pages, including the index. It looks like she did that back in the 1980's. There was a picture (not clear with the Xerox) of the Castle and it said Old Castle on the Hill, Northwestern Oklahoma State College back in the 1930's and 1940's, Alva, Oklahoma. It was such an interesting structure that it got my curiosity and found your web pages. You have done an excellent job of answering the questions that come to mind: What it looked like, what caused the fire, the students trapped in room, brought to safety and what happened after the fire. Oh, yes, the original cost and the 1935 price. Really different from today. By the way, I was 2 months old when the castle burnt. I am trying to get in contact with Joyce Beagley about her history book. Can anyone help me? Naturally we have more information of their descendants, the ship they came on from England, etc. (My mother-in-law was a Beagley and we lived in Hutchinson, Kansas). Now that I have given you much more than you wanted to know I will close. Thanks again for compilation you have brought together on the okielegacy website. This will be of interest to the members of our family. Lois Wilson Murphy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Everyday Gas Station Prices...

We do not know how accurate this website is, but if you enter a zip code in the web site link below, it will give you a close proximity of which gas stations have the cheapest prices (and the highest) on gas in that zip code area. It says it is updated every evening. I tried typing in 81122 (Bayfield, CO), but it did NOT give me the lowest gas price (at the Conoco, $2.32). -- Autos Everyday Gas Stations View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

WWII - Alva Camp Lonely Chimney...

POW chimney/smokestack... Little remains except for a lonely chimney that some proclaim to be a bakery chimney and others say was the smokestack of the POW hospital. BUT... I've found in other articles that the POW Hospital was west of the main street, Washington Avenue, that ran to the POW camp. Whatever the case, it stands amongst the VFW Post and the old concrete water tower that remain as reminders that Alva, Oklahoma was home of a German POW camp during WWII from the Summer of '42 when it was authorized to November of '45 when it shut down after the WWII. This picture was taken October, 1999 and shows the Woods County Fairground buildings in the background. The Concrete Water Tower sets across another road to the south and east while the VFW Post sets just east (or to the right) of this picture. The road you see running by the westside of the alleged smokestack was the main street called Washington Avenue that ran south from the Section Line Road to the POW camp. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

WWII - Alva Camp Water Tower & Chimney...

Here is a better view of the smokestack and water tower. The water tower used to hold a large wooden tank on the top and the four POW compounds for the prisoners set back south of the water tower. The camp was authorized on June 30, 1942. September 15, 1942 it was under construction by civilians. November 15, 1942 the Army took over from the civilian contractors and the American troops started to arrive. Alva POW camp water tower View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

POW Camps Dot Oklahoma in WWII...

This is a newspaper article showing a picture and a map of WWII POW camps that were in Oklahoma. Also... The following linked photo shows us looking down Washington Avenue that ran through/to the Alva Camp towards the POW tower & VFW Post. In the photo we are looking south down Washington Ave. at Alva's WWII Prisoner of War Camp South of Alva (Photo taken October, 1999). It was operational from 1942-1945 - South of Alva, Oklahoma, Woods County. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Perry, OK Gas Prices & Spring Gardens...

Last week in Perry, Oklahoma gas prices jumped up another 5-cents overnight to $2.19.9 and we still think it's because of the attempted bombing of the large oil processing plant in the middle east. I could better understand if the bombing had been successful but am not sympathetic with our oil companies reporting such high profits already. I suspect that you're right about Spring arriving soon. I've already been contemplating a garden (to provide some fruit & vegetables without the higher supermarket prices) in order to enjoy "vine-ripened" tomatoes and perhaps some lettuce, grapes, and strawberries. I can almost taste the salads now." -- Roy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Jones' Three "R's" in Alva, OK...

"What were the names of the three theaters owned by Homer Jones? I remember them as the Rialto, Ritz and Ranger, but my brother Lynn doesn't agree with the Ranger. Also, what was Frank Deaton's daughter's name? Lynn thinks Judy, but I know that isn't correct? -- Stan View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Ingersol, OK Bar-B-Cue...

" My wife (Nancy Burndige) was raised in Alva and was previously married to Stan Lisman. We were in Alva (2/26/06) for his step-mothers funeral (Avis Lisman). We went to eat at the bar-b-cue place over in Ingersoll this afternoon with her brother (Roger Burndige, worked at the co-op for 40-yrs)and his wife. Absolutely Great bar-b-q!!!!" -- Roger W. Gartman - Email: roger@rgartman.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1906 Woods County Atlas...

In August or September of 2005, you published in your newsletter the request for an old Woods County Atlas for us. We would still be glad to pay the total cost for the book if we could find one available. Did you ever have any luck with locating one?" -- Teresa Hamilton - Email: dth43@msn.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Pioneer Washing Days...

"The above ground cistern is what we used to call a Rain Barrel and many houses still had them in the 1930's, even in town where the had running water. Women liked to wash there hair in the rainwater because the thought it made the hair softer and shinery. What I remember about them in the summer time the water was usually full of wigglers (fly and misquito larva, I think). They would strain them out by pouring the water through cheescloth before using. Also... if you didn't keep the ice broken up in the winter, the ice would burst the barrel. I found this article in a soft cover booklet titled Rare Recipes and Budget Savers published by the Wichita Eagle in the 1960's. It is a compilation of letters received by Frank Good who was editor of a daily column HOME TOWN NEWS. I thought it interesting and amusing. (notice the reference to rainwater which probably came from a cistern)." -- Earl Fugit View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Neihart & Brown Family - Beaver County, OK...

"My grandmother Laura "Ted" Neihart was born and raised in Beaver county, Oklahoma before moving to Missouri. My great-grandfather was Wallace "Emory" Neihart. I am very interested in my family history, and the history of Beaver county, Oklahoma. If anyone has any information on the NEIHART or BROWN families I would greatly appreciate it. Grandma is gone now as are all of her siblings and my father. I always loved as a child visiting Oklahoma and her old home place, which I believe is now owned by the bar-b ranch. The stories I heard about places such as Slapout and Ivanhoe are precious memories to me, and I would love to know more. I do have one volume of the history of beaver county but I do not have both. Are there any other books available? Please Help if you can." -- Carolyn Barker Loane, ElDorado Springs, Mo - Email: cloane@dunbrooke.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe