the Summer 2008 StoryCatcher A publication of the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society Death, Murder, and Mayhem on the Plains Two Chadron State professors pre- society. Abstracts of both papers are and power might be accumulated. sented original research on Mari printed here. She begins immediately to bear the Sandoz at the 34th Interdisciplin- “Haunted Houses, Hurting offspring that then become the bodies ary Great Plains Studies Symposium Bodies & Healing Earth: Sex she bends to her own interests— Death, Murder, and Mayhem: Stories including her thuggish sons who help of Violence and Healing on the Plains and Violence in the Settlement enforce order among the patrons in April. Sponsored by the Center for Narratives of Mari Sandoz.” at Slogum House, and the alluring Great Plains Studies, the University by Matthew Evertson. daughters, who help attract the cus- of Nebraska-Lincoln, and University Mari Sandoz’s 1937 novel Slogum tomers themselves. of Nebraska at Omaha, the sympo- House is a still-shocking portrayal As the narrative progresses, Gulla sium examined the representation of of a boarding house on the edge of Slogum becomes the manipulative, violence on the Plains from multiple, both the law and settlement in the patriarchal figure who obsesses over interdisciplinary perspectives. Nebraska Sandhills in the late 1800s the “lay of the land” and its pos- The organizers encouraged explora- where the ruthless session, ruling from her unsightly tions of “the haunted land of the matriarch, Regulla fortress of Slogum House rising Great Plains” that “has long suggested (Gulla) Slogum, artificially out of the “oxbow flat” stories of conflict and loss, of wrench- manipulates the country of the Niobrara river, with ing change and difficult healing.” lawmen, cattlemen, a crow’s nest for watching external and local officials Dr. Katherine Bahr and Dr. Mat- threats, secret passageways for spying who can’t resist and listening to activities within the thew Evertson, both teachers in the the bodies she department of English and Humani- house, and a whole host of unsavory prostitutes, including and cruel actions brewing inside. ties at Chadron State, addressed these her own daughters. themes in their presentations. Bahr Continued on page 2 and Evertson are also members of the Seeking land, power board of directors of the Mari Sandoz and revenge, Gulla exchanges the Heritage Society. bodies of her family for both legal Mark your calendar claims to homesteads, but also il- Evertson had previously presented legally, by gleaning information from for the 2009 Annual portions of his analysis at the Western and about her customers and then Literature Association Conference and blackmailing or manhandling the Conference more recently at the Osher Lifelong prominent patrons of Slogum House. Learning Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the special Her ultimate goal is to own and March 26-28, course series “Mari Sandoz: Story control all of the land within a 20 Catcher of the High Plains.” mile circle of Slogum House. Her legacy begins by using her own body 2009 Bahr’s study had its genesis in a paper to entrap Ruedy Slogum, becoming at Chadron State she presented at the 2006 Mari Sandoz pregnant in hopes that she will then Heritage Society Conference, which become a part of his prominent fam- College, Chadron, focused on Sandoz’s 1947 novel The ily in Ohio. Tom-Walker and its themes of the aftermath of war and war’s effects on Spurned by the Slogums, she forces Nebraska her new husband West, where land The Story Catcher 1 Summer 2008 The StoryCatcher Death, Murder, and Mayhem cont. The “Story Catcher” is the title of a book by Mari Sandoz and it is the title her state. Sandoz’s biographer, Helen of Helen Winter Stauffer’s autobigra- W. Stauffer, refers to her as a “noted phy of Mari, “Mari Sandoz The Story western historian, novelist, biogra- Catcher of the Plains.” pher, lecturer and teacher.” The StoryCatcher is published four Her histories and biographies, particu- times a year by the Mari Sandoz Heri- larly Crazy Horse and Old Jules, have tage Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit received considerable recognition, but organization. her fiction has been somewhat less The Sandoz Society seeks to build an successful. Nevertheless, whatever the appreciation of Mari Sandoz’s body perceived shortcomings of her liter- of work, to preserve the literary works ary style, Sandoz explores powerful, and legacy of this premier historian, universal themes through her regional and to raise funds to support these settings and characters. efforts. Each year, the Society hosts a conference that celebrates and Matt Evertson She, like a number of her contem- studies the works of the author. poraries, was particularly concerned Meanwhile, her husband builds an about the horrors of war, but unlike Additionally, the Society provides Eden-like retreat nearby in a place he many writers, she focused on the collections on loan to the Mari calls “spring branch canyon,” spend- Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center home front and on the victimization ing most of his hours in a “one room at Chadron State College. These of veterans by opportunists and cor- soddy that seemed to grow out of the materials and financial support from rupt politicians. the Society’s endowments support earth and was a part of it…” While The Tom- the College’s academic, archival, Retreating to his womb of safety, Walker (1947), is a research, and outreach programs. surrounded by high sandstone walls, difficult and pos- Address changes should be mailed Ruedy finds refuge growing flowers sibly tedious read, to 2301 NW 50th Street, Lincoln, NE and plants and nurturing the critters it is remarkable in 68524. that crowd around his porch, with its depiction of Contributions to the Mari Sandoz the gurgle of the spring in the back- the ugly, almost Heritage Society are tax-deductible. ground, a reverse earth mother set in unmentionable, To join the Society, fill out and mail stark contrast to the cruel, domineer- effects of war on the form on the back of this news- ing and masculine Gulla. letter. For more information, e-mail the domestic lives [email protected], Filled with disturbing images of the of returning soldiers. human violence set in contrast to the or www.marisandoz. Schooled by her nation’s immediate healing plains (animals tortured and experience with World War II, San- killed, the castration of a rival love Mari Sandoz doz could just as well have set her interest, deadly car wrecks, bloody The feats, the passions, and the stories after the Gulf War or during shootings, bone-crushing brawls distinctive speech of the West come the current Iraq conflict. Some things, and a whole host of grizzly deaths alive in the writings of Mari Sandoz it seems, never change. Among the played against the political, social and (1896-1966). veterans of her own region, she finds familial maneuverings of a colorful As the author of 23 books, including her universal theme. and conflicted community of settlers) Old Jules, Cheyenne Autumn, and In The Tom-Walker, Sandoz writes Crazy Horse, the Strange Man of the Slogum House is one of Sandoz’s most Oglalas, she was a tireless researcher, daring novels and one of her most about the aftermath of war, about a true storyteller, and an artist pas- complex portrayals of homesteading the traumatized soldier’s return to the sionately dedicated to the land. on the Great Plains. home front following the first wave of parades and patriotic fervor. In her With her vivid stories of the last days of the American frontier she has “Collateral Damage: Veterans episodic accounts of three veterans, achieved a secure place as one and Domestic Violence in Mari stretching from the American Civil of the finest authors in American Sandoz’s The Tom-Walker” War to World War II, she depicts literature and one of Nebraska’s most by Katherine Bahr the collateral damage war inflicts on important writers. families in the form of an intimate, The reputation of Nebraska author personal, domestic violence brought As a historian and as a novelist, San- Mari Sandoz has never reached the doz was inducted into the Nebraska on by what WW II era psychology Hall of Fame in 1976 and posthu- status of her contemporary Willa was just beginning to diagnose as mously received the coveted Wran- Cather, but she is the undisputed post-traumatic stress syndrome. matriarch of literature produced in gler Award from the Hall of Great Continued on page 3 Westerners. and about the northwest region of Book Club Explores Book, Author First Hand Nine members of the First Tuesday Book Group of Omaha visited the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center in June. The women made the trip to explore the origins of Mari Sandoz and her 1942 novel, Crazy Horse. Their selection of Crazy Horse was spurred by its selection for the One Book, One Nebraska initia- tive in 2007. Upon their arrival at the Center, director Sarah Polak led the women on a tour of the Sandoz exhibits and gardens, and later participated in their book discussion. They asked her about Native Americans’ perceptions of Sandoz’s work, and about the factual accuracy of the book. The discussion took interest- ing new turns when Polak asked Nine members of the First Tuesday Book Group who visited the Sandoz High Plains Heritage the group how their understanding Center in Chadron were Paula Ashford, Nancy Behringer, Nancy Gallagher, Eva Jay, Linda of the story might have been af- Johnson, Ruth Keene, Jane Olson, Terrie Ringwalt and Sue Rusie, all of Omaha. fected by current events in Iraq. To complete their visit to the Center, The country was particularly beau- in the past, including Jonis Agee, the women met with archivist Anne tiful due to recent rains, and the Bess Streeter Aldrich, Willa Cather, Greenia. women remarked often on the Tillie Olsen, and Wright Morris. The book group’s trip itinerary was beauty of the terrain and the great According the Sue Rusie, “This was planned by member Nancy Gal- variety of wild flowers, birds and the first time we traveled as a group lagher to include as many activities wildlife. Of the visit to the Sandoz to further explore the roots of a as possible. In just four days, in grave-site, member Eva Jay said she book or its author. We had so much addition to the Sandoz Center, the was especially struck by the huge sky fun we’re planning another trip, but, group visited the Sandhills Country and the sound of the wind. we haven’t selected the book yet.” Club; Sandoz’s home and grave sites; “The sound of the wind blowing Other works on the group’s read- Museum of the Fur Trade; Fort across the open grassland has ing list this year include Let Us Now Robinson State Park (where they been described by many writers, Praise Famous Men, James Agee; were given a guided tour by Fort but it has to be experienced to be Tender is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald; Robinson Museum curator Tom appreciated,” she said. Indian Killer, Sherman Alexie; Tortilla Buecker); Coffee Warbonnet Ranch The First Tuesday Book Group, Curtain, T.C. Boyle, and The Amaz- in Sioux County; and Crazy Horse which celebrated its 25th anniversary ing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Monument in South Dakota. last year., has read Nebraska authors Michael Chabon.  of gas attacks by riot police. Sandoz, The February 2006 issue would have Death, Murder cont. with varying degrees of success, tries touched a nerve with Sandoz. The But a second definition of domestic to connect each veteran’s dysfunc- marriage-to-be-saved involved an violence is at work in the novel. San- tional and abusive family relationships American veteran of the Iraq war. doz also describes America’s collective with a growing national war-induced At the beginning of therapy, his wife hostility towards its veterans once the psychosis of domestic violence. laments, “The fun-loving, upbeat guy war is over, a hostility that develops Bahr first became interested in this I married is now dark, defensive and as the men begin demanding the jobs, topic while reading The Tom-Walker short-tempered. He scolds fast-food medical care and pensions promised and an issue of the Ladies’ Home workers, swears at other drivers and them. Journal around the same time. The picks fights with me. He has started Scapegoated by politicians, the pro- Journal has a regular feature called smoking again, has lost his sex drive testing veterans, along with other dis- “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” in and is constantly telling me he needs placed workers, become the objects of which a marriage counselor shows ‘space.’ I feel like I have lost my best abusive propaganda and the victims troubled couples how to reconcile friend.” their differences. Continued on page 5 The Story Catcher 3 Summer 2008 The Future of Collections is in Digitization Ann Greenia, the archivist for the Greenia feels this is a Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage valid concern because Center, recently had the opportunity digitization captures to attend a conference in June on the what the archive digitization of small museum and community describe library collections and to collaborate as the “essence” of with the nations’ top leaders in an item–its essential the fields of preservation and information content– digitization. rather than necessarily The conference, entitled: creating a totally “Connecting to Collections,” was faithful reproduction sponsored by the Institute of of the analogue Museum and Library Services and original. hosted by the newly remodeled Why Digitize? Denver Art Museum, the Denver The main reasons Public Library and the Denver to digitize are to Historical Museum, in Denver, enhance access and Colo. Partners who participated improve preservation. Ann Greenia is the archivist for the Mari in the forum include the National By digitizing Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center. Endowment for the Humanities, collections, cultural National Endowment for the Arts, heritage institutions The President’s Committee on Greenia urges readers to get out can make information accessible and appreciate ariginal objects in the Arts and Humanities, Bank of that was previously only available America, American Association for collections by revisiting their favorite to a select group of researchers. libraries and museums. State and Local History, Metal Edge, Digital projects allow users to Inc., Archival Storage Materials, and search collections rapidly and “It is a fantastic way to stay cool, the Getty, Henry Luce and Kress comprehensively from anywhere at conserve on gas and have a great Foundations. any time. time finding new adventures,” she One forum, “Collaboration in the said. Digitization can also help preserve ______Digital Age,” is a traveling forum precious materials. Making high that focuses on the preservation of quality digital images available America’s collected heritage. *Sandoz Pifer is Mari Sandoz’ electronically can reduce wear and youngest sister. She kept and What is Digitization? tear on fragile items. assembled Mari Sandoz’ artifacts Cornell University Library defines “After attending the conference for decades before donating many digital images as “electronic in Denver, it is my assertion items to the Center. The collection snapshots taken of a scene or that the center is on target with contains copies of Mari’s many scanned from documents, such as preservation,” said Greenia. “In manuscripts, short stories, essays and photographs, manuscripts, printed the future, after careful planning poetry, research and personal notes, texts and artwork.” Digitization has and goal setting, selected parts of and correspondence. now become the standard approach the collection will be digitized and In addition, the collections includes to “copying” paper or photographic available on the Center’s Web site. furniture from Mari’s New York collections. It is commonly used Greenia became the archivist for the apartment, clothes, Native American for copying audio materials and Caroline Sandoz Pifer Collection* artwork, dishes, books, and photos. is increasingly being adopted for at the Mari Sandoz High Plains  moving image items. The ongoing Heritage Center in October 2007. debate is whether the resultant The Mari Sandoz Heritage Center digital object can ever be a true She has been working diligently substitute for the original item, to complete the cataloging of the is located at Chadron State College, providing the viewer or listener with collection, prepare the shelf guide 1000 Main Street, Chadron, NE the same experience. and find funding for publication and 69337. Phone: 308-432-6401. eventually digitization. Web site: www.csc.edu/sandoz The Story Catcher 4 Summer 2008 Death, Murder cont. She concludes, “I still love my hus- band, but I don’t like him anymore.” These lines remind Bahr of the anger, the defensiveness, and the sexual dys- function so graphically portrayed in the lives of the three protagonists and their wives in The Tom-Walker. And she began to see other parallels. The Journal husband, like the two We are well into the summer season Milton Stones (father and son) in the here at the Center and, unlike many novel, is somewhat self-reflective: places, we are ahead in our tourist “I’m still living in a state of height- visitation. While we may not yet be ened sensitivity—a ‘combat mode’ seeing as many visitors as Mount that probably saved my life in Bagh- Rushmore, our visitation is growing Sarah Polak, Center Director dad but doesn’t work at all on the every year. This increase is due to home front.” many factors. This fall, our Kiewit Gallery will The counselor’s assessment that both First, people are connecting to the feature an exhibition by Nebraska husband and wife are suffering from center online. I am currently in the photographer, Michael Forsberg a kind of post-traumatic stress is a process of working on new content and one from the American Nu- commonplace observation in this day for a Center Web site that is project- mismatic Association’s Money and time. ed to be four times the size of our Museum. Upcoming exhibits will With her keen sense of the psy- current site. The new content and travel here from the Kennedy Cen- chological impact of war, Sandoz organization will make it easier for ter for Visual and Performing Arts uses strategically placed dreams and people to learn about Mari Sandoz and other incredible collections flashbacks to demonstrate a state of and the resources we have here at from across the United States. It is mind-under-siege. More importantly, the Center. unlikely these exhibitions would be she uses those dreams and flashbacks I am also working to secure funding in Western Nebraska without the to connect the vet’s emotional and to display our collections online. We Center’s showcase and the financial physical attacks on his family to his have well over 15,000 objects, books, assistance from the endowments of combat-induced mental disorder. photographs, and documents in our the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society. Further, this dysfunctional behavior is collections. Our gallery space does The third reason our visitation is an individual manifestation of a col- not allow us to display all of the up is that people are learning about lective, national behavioral disorder, collections. By placing at least a por- us. We can have a great website, which Sandoz depicts through many tion of those collections on line, we outstanding exhibitions, and amaz- historical events, such as the Klan’s will be able to create access to these ing collections, but if no one knows violence against racial minorities and wonderful materials. about them, they will only collect police attacks on striking workers.  Second, our exhibits are gaining dust. Thanks to our friends and regional attention. One exhibit in partners such as Backyard Farmer, A young soldier appeared in the the Kiewit Gallery this summer was the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum doorway…she saw that the soldier from The Field Museum in Chicago, and especially the Mari Sandoz was leaning on a crutch and that one Ill. Other exhibitions at the Center Heritage Society, people are mak- britches leg was folded over high above since the Summer of 2006 have ing their way to Western Nebraska the knee. She stopped, let her hands been from: and to the Mari Sandoz High Plains fall, and with a little crying in her Heritage Center. throat she turned and ran back down • Great Plains Art Collection, the path… Lincoln, Neb. I look forward to seeing you here • Native American Quilt Study at the Center soon and I hope that From the train door the young soldier wherever your travels take you, that looked uneasily around his little home Center, Michigan State Univer- sity, East Lansing, Mich. history and literature are a part of station, as deserted as any he had seen the journey.  through all the Rebel country…But • The Smithsonian Institution, the engine was whistling so he reached Washington, D.C.—two exhibi- Sarah Polak, Director a crutch stick down ahead of him like tions Mari Sandoz High Plains a tom-walker and swung off to the cin- • Missoula Art Museum, Missoula, Heritage Center ders, balancing himself awkwardly… Mon. The Tom-Walker by Mari Sandoz

The Story Catcher 5 Summer 2008 2008 Mari Sandoz Mari Sandoz Heritage Society 1208 Laramie Street Non-Profit Org. Alliance, NE 69301. US POSTAGE PAID Society Board Permit No. 1359 [email protected] Members Lincoln, NE 68516 www.marisandoz.org OFFICERS: Lynn Roper, President, Lincoln Brian Rockey, 1st Vice Pres., Lincoln David Sandoz, 2nd Vice Pres., Valentine Diana Hoffman, Secretary, Gordon Wally Seiler, Treasurer, Alliance Ron Hull, President Emeritus, Lincoln

BOARD MEMBERS: Katherine Bahr, Chadron Celia Sandoz Ostrander Barth, Rushville Sybil Berndt, Chadron Jeanne Bishop, Lincoln Holly Boomer, Rapid City, SD Matt Evertson, Chadron T.R. Hughes, Crawford Joel Hyer, Chadron Scott Kleeb, Hastings Dan Kusak, Alliance Mari Sandoz Heritage Society Craig Larson, Scottsbluff Membership Form Kim Lee, Okemos, MI Yes! I would like to support the work of the Mari Sandoz Heritage James Locklear, Lincoln Society. I have enclosed $______. Con Marshall, Chadron Your membership payment/gift is tax deductible according to IRS guidelines. Dan McGlynn, Omaha We will provide a receipt for tax purposes. To join, mail this form with your Nadine McHenry, Lincoln check, payable to the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society, to Treasurer, Mari Sandoz Alfred ‘Bud’ Pagel, Lincoln Heritage Society, 1208 Laramie Avenue, Alliance, NE 69301. Pat Phillips, Omaha Type of Membership:  Renewal  New Paul Read, Lincoln  Gift Membership  Company Matching Gift (form is enclosed) Linda Ross, Sheridan, WY Please list my/our name(s) as: ______Shannon Smith, Gordon ______Phyllis Stone, Lincoln Address City State Zip Code Richard Voorhees, Bayport, MN ______Ron Weedon, Chadron Telephone E-mail John Wunder, Lincoln If Student, Name of Institution attending: ______EX OFFICIO: Organization/Library/Corporation/School contact person: ______Cindy Evert Christ, Newsletter Editor, ______Communication Coordinator, Lincoln Name/Address for person giving gift membership: ______Beth Ann Lee, Mari Sandoz Family Literary ______Executor, Grand Island Date: ______Signature: ______Janie Park, President, Chadron State College, Chadron Please check level of support.  $35 - Family/Library Sarah Polak, Director, Mari Sandoz High  $10 - Student  $100 - Corporations/Schools Plains Heritage Center, Chadron  $25 - Individual  $200-$10,000 - Patron Level