Danney Goble: Chautauqua Man

From the cozy confines of Monnet Hall, a genial historian delights in bringing alive the colorful history of Oklahoma.

by Anne Barajas

Qhould you ever be told that Oklahoma's history is less than fascinating, just send the doubters o Danney Goble's office tucked away in a corner of the old law barn . There, in the unassuming drawl ofthe very best Southern storytellers, he will quietly inform them that they are dead wrong. Goble is the historian for OU's renowned Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center, devoted to nonpartisan teaching and research related to the U.S . Congress . Goble also is a former Pulitzer Prize nominee, a sometimes-actor with several films to his credit, a national expert on political and Southern history and a true believer in the value of studying Oklahoma's colorful past . continued

1995 SPRING 27

"I became a historian entirely by wrenching transition from agricultural else had Tinker Field. accident," confesses Goble, who is kept frontier to something approaching a "What you see," he says with more company inhiscorner office by framed modern industrial state." than a touch of pride, "is that black-and-white images ofAngie Debo, Goble acknowledges that some Oklahoma's national and regional his- the late grand dame ofOklahoma his- Oklahomans are uncomfortable with tory, if not writ large, is at least writ tory, and students from the OU Class darker chapters in the state's history dramatic ." of 1906, frozen in time beside their'06 and would rather focus on the positive Part of that drama is the inherit- Rock. aspects of the past . ance of a former territory settled in "Basically, what happened is that I "I think Oklahoma history is inter- the east by Native Americans and had an exceptionally good high school esting and terribly important, but that whites from the post-Reconstruction teacher, Miss Lelia Hall. There are doesn't mean it's al- South andin the west five Ph.Ds in American history from ways boosterism," he by pioneers and Na- the classes that graduated before and concedes . tive Americans from after me, and we all are indebted to However, Goble the Plains and north- the same high school teacher . I some- insists that Okla- "What you see," ern states . Remnants times say she ruined a lot of lives." homa cannot declare he says of those early Okla- or Goble, that ruination mani- turmoil as its own, with more than homa cultures are fested itself in history degrees personal territory. a touch of pride, evident even today fromFthe University of Central Okla- "I wouldn't claim and are responsible homa and theUniversity ofOklahoma . that Oklahoma is "is that Oklahoma's for the friction some- But strangely enough, Goble had to necessarily unique . national times felt between examine his state from afar to learn There are a lot of and regional the state's two dis- just how interesting its history truly things that hap- tinct regions . is . pened, especially in history, "I would argue "I think Oklahomans tend to have modern Oklahoma, if not writ large, that the former In- an inferiority complex - you see this that occurred nation- is at least writ dian Territory is as even today," he explains . ally. What makes Southern today as "It wasn't until I was a doctoral Oklahoma interest- dramatic." Arkansas or Louisi- student at the University of Missouri ing is that they tend ana and that the at Columbia that I discovered, really, to be exaggerated . former Oklahoma for the first time in my life, that Okla- Everybody had a De Territory is Western. homa history was `real history,"' Goble pression, but nobody else had an Okie I think Oklahoma is, in effect, schizo- says dryly. "I always thought it was Dust Bowl. Everybody else had prob- phrenic," says Goble, pointing out one something the coach did, just after lems with racial adjustment after unusual, but convincing, teaching aid: civics and before basketball ." World War I, but nobody else had a a color-coded national map revealing The Edmond native does not mince Tulsa race riot . Everybody had recov- the location of Elvis Presley fan club words when discussing the manner in ery during World War II, but nobody members . Club members tend to have which our state's past sometimes has been presented . He feels that whole, vital chunks of Oklahoma's record have not received as much attention and appreciation as they deserve in textbooks. Especially distressing to Goble is the perception that the state's history ends shortly after April 22, 1889 . "Literally, when I took Oklahoma history at the college level, they dis- cussed the Land Run of 1889 the day before the final exam . So, it lent the impression that nothing significant happened after the land run. But a bunch happened," he contends . "To me, the most interesting period is between the two world wars . Among other things, you have, in terms of events, a major race riot in Tulsa and the devastation of the Dust Bowl; in terms ofpersonalities, you have people like Jack Walton and Alfalfa Bill Murray; and in terms ofprocesses, the

28 SOONER MAGAZINE Southern roots, and Goble's map shows choices. For instance, the other day I month and had rent and a car pay- Elvis fans heavily present in the coun- was in the grocery store, and a guy ment of $169; that left me with $40 ties that comprised old Indian Terri- working there asked me if I wanted cash for the entire month," he recalls . tory, dropping off sharply in the coun- the items in a bag. I said, `You're not "So I boldly decided, `I'm not going to ties of former Oklahoma Territory . from Oklahoma, are you?' He said no, say here and starve . I'm going to go Butregardless ofwhere an Oklaho- he was from Kansas. In Oklahoma, get a job in Oklahoma ."' man hails from (or whether they love most people use the word `sack.' " e found a job at the newly Elvis), Goble finds certain traits both Goble's studies on Oklahoma cul- opened Tulsa Junior Col- east and west have in common . tures and history have produced sev- lege,Hwhich was hiring an entire fac- "I don't know that I could intellec- eral books, articles and book chap- ulty . Between teaching classes, tually define an Oklahoma culture as ters. Among his best-known works Goble devoted his energies to writ- separate and distinct, but at the same are his OU Press books, Oklahoma ing a doctoral dissertation to com- time, ifyou put me infront of10 people Politics : A History; The Oklahoma plete his Missouri degree . The going and eight ofthem are from Oklahoma Story, a unique history text co-writ- was slow, especially since the new and two ofthem aren't, I can immedi- ten with W. David Baird that is being TJC had no research library. So ately tell you which two aren't Okla- adopted in high schools as the new, Goble selected a topic he knew well: homans," he says . fuller standard for Oklahoma history ; Oklahoma history . He focused on "It has to do with everything from and Little Giant: The Life and Times the state's colorful political life and accents to common values and word of Speaker Carl Albert, co-authored set to work with a co-author, histo- with Albert . rian James R. Scales . Seven years In the same week in March that later, they had written the text The Oklahoma Story was named the known as Oklahoma Politics . 1994 Book of the Year by the Okla- The OU Press sent a review copy homa Historical Society, Goble won to the state's highest-profile politi- Opposite : Danney Goble, right, and the McCasland Award for Excellence cian, Speaker Albert, hoping for a his wife, Sharon Vaughan Goble, join in Teaching ofOklahoma History from kind word or two for the dust jacket . OU President David L. Boren, left, the Oklahoma Heritage Association . Instead, the Press received a glow- and Carl Albert in the centerpiece of he book on Speaker Albert ing recommendation . "Nothing I the Carl Albert Center, a replica of the earned Goble the Oklahoma have read in a long time has fasci- Speaker's office in Washington, D.C. Book Award for Outstanding Work of nated me so much," Albert wrote. Non-Fiction and his 1990 Pulitzer "This is something that has been nomination. Goble is happy to show needed for years. . . . To all Oklaho- Below: Chautauqua actor Danney visitors the only tangible proof of the mans who love our state this book Goble assumes his HueyLongpersona . latter literary distinction-a simple should be extremely interesting. It Ironically, the controversial Louisiana form letter he keeps in a desk drawer. is certainly extremely important ." governor spent his freshman year at Pulitzer nominees do not receive even Goble was shocked and thrilled. the University of Oklahoma . so much as a plaque or a certificate, "I certainly had never met him . A only a letter with nomi- couple of years later, he called me up nations attached . In his and said that he was interested in case, Goble's name was doing his own memoirs, he had read forwarded both by the OU my book and would I help him out?" Press and by an entire Goble remembers . "Boy, I jumped class of Oklahoma State all over that ." University students who Writing Albert's memoirs not only read Little Giant as part gained Goble literary kudos but also of their study of political gifted him with an insight and a figures who had an im- personal relationship he treasures . pact on education . "The one word I would use to de- Goble was teaching scribe Carl Albert would be 'humil- history at Tulsa Junior ity,' " Goble reflects . "It's a striking College when a "set of ac- thing. Even with all of the awards cidents" brought him to that have come his way, I can hon- Speaker Albert's door estly say he is one of the most mod- and, eventually, back to est people I've ever met . He's Carl OU. Albert from Bugtussle . Inthe 1970s, Goble was "I asked him one time, `Of all the a graduate student atMis- achievements and honors you've re- souri, supporting a wife ceived, what are you most proud or' and children on his teach- He had to pause a long time, and ing assistant's salary. then he finally said, `Winning a high "I was making $209 a school speech contest in 1927 .' "

1995 SPRING 29

Today Goble is balancing his work for the damned" Clarence at the Carl Albert Center with co- Darrow, the defense during writing the memoirs oftwo other trea- the famed "Scopes Monkey sures of Oklahoma history-former Trial." Governor Henry Be]lmon andAda Lois "The tricky part is, you Sipuel Fisher, the elegant and poised also take questions from the woman whose Supreme Court civil audience for about 20 min- rights struggle integrated OU. utes," Goble says . "In "Ada Fisher is one of the most in- theory, anything anyone teresting people I've ever worked would ask Huey Long-were with," Goble says . "Mrs. Fisher is, he in fact there-you answer among other things, charming, coura- as Huey Long, ideally, with geous, funny and very insightful . I'm his words. To get to that especially fond of her ." point, youbasically immerse Goble had an unusual opportunity yourself into the character . to experience the turbulence of 1948's You read everything writ- Fisher v. the University of Oklahoma ten about or by the person ." firsthand when he was selected to Goble began reading play the state's attorney general in about Darrow as a 14-year- the highly acclaimed drama, "Halls of old when he purchased the Ivory," which was written by Goble's book, Clarence Darrow for former student James Vance and per- the Defense . He employs all Danney Goble, left, is a familiar figure to formed by the OU School of Drama. of his knowledge during participants in Civil War reenactments as owever, "Halls ofIvory"isjust Chautauquas, particularly Confederate General James Longstreet . Here H one of Goble's acting credits. when he steps out of charac- Goble prepares to go onstage in Ada, escorted He also worked as an extra in every ter to comment on informa- by a Confederate reenactor. S.E. Hinton movie, all of which were tion he has gained from re- filmed while he was teaching at TJC . searching and playing the "You showed up, put in your time individual . In Darrow's and got this interesting line for your case, audiences may be sur- vitae," Goble says, adding that the prised at what they hear. ever had," Goble says . "Granted, it's closest he ever came to a moment of "I basically step out of character teaching at an entirely different fame happened during the filming of to argue that the fundamentalists level, an entirely different audience, "Rumblefish ." Director Francis Ford whom Darrow had poked such fun at an entirely different form. I like to Coppola spent 12 hours setting up a had been receiving an unfair press think that audience knew a lot more shot centering around Dennis Hopper for several years. And the views about Clarence Darrow than if they in a Tulsa cemetery. Goble positioned that Darrow was defending, prop- bad read about him-but also had himself slightly behind Hopper, confi- erly understood, were not nearly as been shaken in some of its convic- dent that he finally would appear on enlightened as they would seem . tions. Chautauquas are such a pow- film . Instead, Coppola moved Goble "There was a lot of buffoonery on erful educational tool because they twice, and in the end, he was not both sides of the case - in fact, a lot are entertaining . They allow the anywhere near Dennis Hopper. ofdanger on both sides," Goble says, audience to think of things in an "I ended up behind a tombstone," adding that he shocked one audience entirely different way ." Goble says with a smile. "And the with excerpts from the actual text- Helping the public think about whole scene ended up on the cutting- book John Scopes used in his Day- our past in a different way is one of room floor. But it was an education." ton, Tennessee, classroom . the greatest bequests that Goble, as Education also is the key compo- "I read a section that talked about a historian, would like to leave be- nent of his current foray into acting. the hierarchy of races, that white hind . Goble is active in Chautauquas, which Europeans were supposedly supe- "I would like for my students and bring historical figures to life during rior to the Orientals, who were supe- other people to understand that his- performances across Oklahoma . rior to the Native Americans, who tory is less a series of events than an Scholars portray the late and famous, were all superior to blacks . I read intertwined process and that it's bringing a special perspective to their the section that advocates euthana- more important to grasp, not performances, which last nearly an sia, the killing of `defectives,' and history's facts, but its relationships . hour and feature period costumes, ac- also read the section that spoke hope- That's the essence of history ." cents and mannerisms of the histori- fully of new experiments of racial Pulitzer nominations and other cal subject . Goble plays three very purification being conducted in Eu- national recognition aside, Goble also different men who made their mark rope . That's what they were teach- has a deeply personal wish for his on Southern history : Louisiana Gov- ing in Dayton, Tennessee. work's legacy . "I hope that my fam- ernor Huey Long; Confederate Gen- "I think that was probably the ily would be proud to be Oklahomans eral James Longstreet ; and "attorney best teaching experience that I've and proud to be my family ."

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