OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA November-December '86 George Nigh, Vol. 36, No. 6 COVERS I HEV LADY DANCER. I 'SEND YE ANOTHER 4 K -IIILIIIIIlPllll WOULD YOU SET OF CHAINS' 30 DO THAT AOAIN... 1 Bump along in a '23 Dodge across Traveling artists take their talents all miles of unpaved mads and unbridged over Oklahoma to introduce students- rivers as a retired traveling salesman young, old and in between-to the recounts his experiences in 1920s joys of self-expression. western Oklahoma. PORTFOLIO 40 Photographer Jack Hammett takes you to a Miami pow wow, a balloon race in Tulsa and the Tahlequah town square. 4 Every December, Guthrie OUTHRIE'S residents turn their city into a VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS 20 territorial holiday. Photo by Jim Argo. Inside front A Join Guthrie folks as they step back cardinal weathers an early- nearly a century to celebrate Christmas winter cold snap. Photo by the way territorial Oklahomans did- Bob Jenni. Back. with plum pudding, roast goose and a Downtown Oklahoma City spirit of cooperation. gets dressed up for Christmas. Photo by Jim Argo. FEATURES Seven craftsmen show their work, FORT SILL'S and you'll see how the pursuit of DEPARTMENTS OLD POST QUADRANOLE 8 perfection sets them apart. Today In Oklahoma .................................4 Ghosts quarrel with each other, move Bodcs/Letters ...........................................5 furniture and mingle with Army officers PLEASE PASS THE PEAS 34 Uncommon Common Folk ......................6 and their hilies in Oklahoma's A Woodward writer finally confesses Oklahoma Omnibus: Red Earth ...........18 oldest continuously occupied homes. her 70-year-old secret. Entertainment Calendar.........................45 - - - . -. 7 -- -- . PUBLISHED BY THE OKLAHOMA TOURISM AND RECREATIONDEPARTMENT Okluhomu TODAY (ISSN 0030-1892) is publ~shedbi- Sue Carter, Editor-in-Chief Geri Stevens, Accounting monthly in January, March, May, July. September and Susan Bunney Tomlinson, Managing Editor Melanie Mayberry, Subscription Services November. Subscription prices: $12/yr. in U.S.; $161~1. Pat Shaner Laquer, Art Director Sheila Brock, Events Calendar outside U.S. Copyright 1986 by OkMoma rODAY maga- Camlyn Hollingsworth, Marketing zine. 401 Will Rogem Bldg., P.O. Box 53384, Oklahoma Ciq, OK 73152. (405) 521-2496. Printed at PennWell Printing, Tulsa. Abc L. Hcsser, Eranuivc Dimor Touriem and Recreation Commission Sewndclass postage paid at Oklahoma City, OK and I Tom Crcider, Phnning tY Dm/opmmt additional enuy offices. Postmaster: Send address Eugene Dilbeck, Mad&'ng Snvias Rilla Wilcox, f3ammun Bob Hinton changes to OkMoma TODAY Circuiation. P.O. Box N. Clay McDermeit, Pads Carlos Langston, Vice Gfairnran Jim Pate 53384, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Michael L. Moccia, Adminismtion Lany Lindley, Scmtury Grace Renbarger Tom Rich, Lodp James Durham R. L. Rollins -RpW u- %-*.adtn I - % -. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER '86 view of the world. Should arts become as basic as readin', ritin' and 'rithmetic? After reading Nancy's story, beginning on page 12, you may decide that leam- ing through the arts makes kids smart- er than ever. + As you select your gifts this holi- day season, please remember your friends with subscriptions to Okkzhoma TODAY, a gift they will receive six times a year. And we'll send you a beautiful gift announcement card that he holiday season will soon be Beckman's story about the early days you can mail with your own personal T here, and this issue was planned of Fort Sill begins on page 8. message or hang on the tree. with a touch of nostalgia. To get into b That wonderful southern tradition This is an easy way for you to tell the mood, you'll want to set aside one of serving black-eyed peas on New others about the good life Oklahoma day to soak up the atmosphere of Year's Day to assure good luck offers, its unusual history, our beauti- Christmas in Oklahoma Territory with throughout the year is told with a de- ful scenery and interesting people. It's a visit to Guthrie. There you'll see lightful twist beginning on page 34. It a grand way to show your pride in our Christmas trees with handmade Vic- holds special meaning for writer Lessie state. torian decorations, mingle with carolers M. Daniel who at last confesses to her Okkzhoma TODAYs scenic appoint- singing on street corners and tour dark deeds committed some 70 years ment calendar, which many of you homes built during an earlier period. ago in the pea patch. have bought for gifts in the past, will Bumis Argo describes how Guthrie re- t3v Former traveling salesman Carter not be available this year. Perhaps creates ~hristmasin the state's first Goldsborough returns to Oklahoma af- some of the other Oklahoma products capital city, beginning on page 20. ter 50 years and declares the most dra- described in the magazine's center can Handmade crafts are favored by matic change in the state is the roads. substitute. many for gifts during this season. To You'll chuckle over his trip down The Okidzoma TODAY staff joins me find some of our best artisans, writer memory lane in northwestem Oklaho- in wishing each of you a joyous holiday Mary Ann Luther conducted a diligent ma that begins on page 36. season. -Sue Carter search among galleries and gift shops, b Writer Nancy Condit visits the craft organizations and various experts. schools and finds that one of the most All who Mary Ann interviewed for her popular activities for students is the story, beginning on page 25, are highly Artists-in-Residence Program. Such skilled professionals who are tops in traveling artists as dancers, writers, their field. musicians, storytellers and photogra- Although some of the artists have The WPA Guide to 1930s Oklaho- modernized their techniques, such ma, compikzi by he Wn'tm' Prvgram of crafts as weaving, jewelry, felting, pot- NBXf issue: Author Glenn Shirley he Wod Pmja Adminktnation; Uni- tery, basketmaking and wood carving takes us back a century when outlaw venity of Kansas Pm,hme, Kan- have existed for centuries. One couple gangs roamed the lawless frontier that sas 66045; $12.95. Reading this makes wonderful, authentic Native became Oklahoma and were faced 45-year-old travel book is like pulling American artifacts for tree ornaments, dawn by the steel-willed, justice-mind- one of grandmother's old dresses out of as well as tribal dolls. & Hanging Judge Parker and his hard- a musty trunk and finding it still fits. $a+ Residents of the Old Post Quad- tiding deputy marshals. Then you'll First published in 1941, the Oklahoma rangle at Fort Sill, the state's oldest meet the scientists who are working to edition was the last to appear in the continuously occupied housing area, save the southern bald eagle from ex- American Guide Series, a massive aren't sure whether their homes are tinction. And some of Oklahoma's best New Deal project to employ writers cooks will come out of the kitchen to haunted, but they enjoy the legends and photographers in every state to take a bow when Kathryn Jenson White and the history. Sherman House, the searches the state for the best home- detail the nation's cultural and geo- oficial residence of the commanding made pies. All that and more in the graphic character. general of Fort Sill, continues to be a January-Februarv issue To acquaint readers with the state's center for gracious entertaining more rnDN background, the Oklahoma Guide of- than 100 years after it was built. Jane fers chapters on geography, transporta- 4 Oklahoma TODAY tion, industry, sports, architecture, those who have just dreamed the life Help parochial school in 1929-33. She education, the arts and folkways. An- will probably enjoy spending an after- was the only child of the Isley family, gie Deb, one of Oklahoma's best- noon with a modern group of people who owned and operated a small the- known historians and an editor for the living an almost vanished lifeswle. ater, the Isis, in downtown Oklahoma project, is the author of a chapter on City. The family moved to Tulsa and Oklahoma history. Jennifer attended high school there. The book details the founding and Helen Hughes development of 12 of Oklahoma's Oklahoma City principal cities. (Did you know that Norman was named for a government Sunday afternoon in the '30s meant engineer who pitched camp there in The July-August Okkzhoma TODAY going to Hobart to the picture show 1872? The town was first called Nor- with the article about wheat farming is from our home east of Lone Wolf. Dad man Switch as a railroad marking.) so beautifully done and brought back a was behind the wheel of the family's And then the Guide takes travelers "bushelful" of memories. '29 Buick and later our '35 Chevrolet, on 16 highway tours crisscrossing the My four older sisters did their share savoring his White Owl cigar and shar- state, pointing out landmarks and at- of helping out on our farm in Canadian ing that exotic aroma with us. Mother tractions and giving brief histories of County. With no boys in the family at sat up front with him, and my sister most towns along the way. that time, they had to take their turns Grace and I occupied our separate but Readers may be surprised at the in the fields, doing chores and grading equal territories in the back seat. amount of useful information in this roads. We didn't have a tractor so they Chances were we went to the Okla- still-relevant travel book and will prob- were quite skilled in handling teams of homan Theater in Hobart to see the ably be pleased at how much the state horses.