bmonthly March 2021 by bmonthly Magazine

MARCH 2021

If the Best Advice Your Financial Advisor Gives is, “Do Nothing,” We Need to Talk! KEEP MORE. SAVE MORE. PROTECT MORE. • Federal & State Taxes • Accounting

• Preparing For The Unexpected • Estate and Retirement Planning

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WHAT’S INSIDE

what’s inside...

34 49

51 57

Upfront

Profile: Janice P. Dreiling Liberty, Justice, and Equal Rights for All

Best of the Pets Contest Don’t Miss Next Month’s Cover Contest

Feature: The Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Lense of Frank Griggs

Spotlight: Sid and the Boys Playing Ball in the Face of Race & Big Business

Feature Sponsor Story: Ambassador of Good Will Martha Jane Starr’s Generosity Was Beyond Measure

On the Osage: Changing the Atmosphere Museum Boasts Attitude of Gratitude

Out & About: Photos from Around Town

Community: The Arctic Storm of 2021

Once Upon a Time: The Birdman of South Keeler

Kids’ Calendar

Meet Your Photographer: Chance Franks Showing People the Way He Sees Things

Chick-fil-A Events Calendar

Healthcare Innovations: Med Club

Funny You Should Ask: Family Ties

A Good Word: Choose Joy We Can Always Choose Joy Through Challenges

Annual Events: Shamrock the Ville Event Pushed to April in Hopes of In-Person

From the Heart: Love... A Life Necessity Many Homeless are Looking For

A Fresh Perspective: Life Lessons From Coach

Looking Back: Against All Odds A Look at Women’s Rights Pioneer Belva Lockwood

Knowing Nowata: Hidden Treasures

Business Spotlight: K&S Beauty Boutique

Now You Know: Eating Crow Hulah Dam Project Faced Many Early Obstacles

Tribute: Bernie Meadows

Let Freedom Ring: The Star-Spangled Banner

MARCH 2021 4

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UPFRONT

upfront Welcome to March friends. Christy and I are so glad the month of February is over. Wow! What a crazy month that was. We broke all kinds of weather records and spent almost half the month below freezing — many days not getting above 10 degrees. We are so ready for warmer temperatures and for spring to start coming alive. For the last four years of putting hundreds of stories together and working with Debbie Neece at the Bartlesville Area History Museum, literally looking at thousands and thousands of pictures, one thing has become very clear to me ... of all the best pictures and the famous people who were photographed, most, if not all, were taken by one man ... a legend in our city ... Frank Griggs. Some of you will look at the picture I used for the cover and ask “who is that man?” This man photographed many of the most important events in this area. He also took pictures of presidents, actors, and some of the most famous people in his era. Not only did he photograph Frank Phillips, Boots Admas, Don Tyler, Native American Chiefs, Will Rogers, and many more, but my favorite photographs are the ones of our great city when it was booming in the early 1900s. Even though this is the March issue, I want to take you back to February and talk about the events that occurred during the “Arctic Storm of 2021.” I had not planned on writing a story this month, but after what had occurred to Christy and I and this great city, I wrote a two-page story on the timeline. I described how the community came together and saved lives. We put a big spotlight on the issue we have with a growing homeless population. We have some incredible organizations in this city like United Way, Mary Martha Outreach, Agape Mission, Boys and Girls Club, Westside Community Center, Lighthouse Outreach Center, Grand Lake Mental Health Center, and many more, and many businesses that work with these groups. What was the difference in this emergency crisis? It was ordinary individuals who came in and made the difference. There was no leader, no votes, no chain of

command. It was people reaching out to give help and hope. Because of the hundreds of selfless sacrifices made, we saved lives and helped make a difference to our homeless population and the poverty that families face everyday. We have been working with Agape Missions for the last two years and have helped them on many occasions. We have become friends with many of our homeless and some families with children. They tell us their stories and what happened to get them where they are now. I want to hear their stories. I want to look in their eyes, because then you can see their pain, their shame, their sadness, their helplessness, and the overwhelming sense of being lost. They feel that no one cares. I write about my past struggles with addiction, so I personally know what a lot of these good folks are facing. It's not just addiction; it’s a mental health crisis. It’s circumstances that happened, like having no family support during COVID-19, which crushed many individuals and families that were barely hanging on in the first place. It just starts to spiral down. You look back sixmonths to a year earlier when your life was okay. Now you’re looking at how to feed yourself or your kids and nowhere to live. We have Veterans who suffer with PTSD and get lost. Now they wander around with no hope. WE ALL CAN DO MORE! The road that many of our citizens travel every day just to try to find their next meal is a long one. These folks battle the weather conditions just to find a place to lay their head and try to rest before someone sees them and runs them off. We, as a city, have to step up and do more. Christy and I know we can't help everyone, some even don't want help. However, there are many who just need to be loved, to find a friend, to be listened to, to laugh, to cry, and to let them know that help is on the way. I pray, right now, for a wall of protection and grace for the lost ... for the homeless ... for the ones about to give up ... for the forgotten, the hurt, the scared, the desperate, and the hopeless. We believe in you and help is here!

bmonthly managing editors Keith & Christy McPhail.

God Bless, Keith and Christy.

Volume XII Issue III Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL PUBLISHING

Offices located in Downtown Bartlesville in the historic Price Tower 510 Dewey Ave, Suite 400, Bartlesville, OK 74003 P.O. Box 603, Bartlesville, OK 74005

www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly Publisher

Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com Art Direction

Copper Cup Images design@coppercupimages.com Director of Sales & Marketing

Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com Community Liaison

Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com Project Manager

Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com Administration

Shelley Greene Stewart Delivery and Distribution

Julie Drake Calendar/Social Media

calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com Contributing Writers Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Jay Webster, Tim Hudson, Lori Kroh, Brent Taylor, Kelly Bland, Rita Thurman Barnes, Keith McPhail, Jay Hastings, Sara Leslie Gagan, Aaron Kirkpatrick, Carl McCullough, AJ Webster, Carroll Craun Contributing Photographers Becky Burch, Shipman Photography, Bartlesville Area History Museum Kids Calendar

Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER Cover photo taken of Bartlesville’s legendary photographer, Frank Griggs. Creative Concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Copper Cup Images

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PROFILE

Judge Janice P. Dreiling, center, at her 1983 swearing in. Also pictured are Judge Arthur Boose, Judge John G. Lanning, Ottawa County Judge Larry Oaks, and Special Judge Chloe Passley.

Janice P. Dreiling Liberty, Justice, and Equal Rights for All by Sarah Leslie Gagan We are one human race, each cast in the same mold, in the image of our creator. And deep within the heart of every living soul is the driving desire to be treated fairly, justly, and equally. We seek justice when wronged, fairness and mercy when we’ve done wrong. The Bartlesville community is fortunate to have had the honorable Judge Janice P. Dreiling serve on the bench for two and a half decades, paying thoughtful attention to impartiality, fairness, and justice. Janice arrived in Bartlesville as a newlywed in her early 20s. She was from Overland Park, Kansas, and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from Kansas State 8

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University. As a mother of two young children, in 1977, Janice entered the University of Tulsa College of Law and received her juris doctorate in 1980. She began her law career as a practicing attorney from 1980 to 1983. After a successful campaign, Jan became the first woman to be elected as Associate District Judge of Washington County. She would continue to be seated on the bench in that capacity from 1983 to 2003. In 2003 she began her elected position as District Judge of the 11th Judicial District of Oklahoma, which includes Washington and Nowata Counties. During her four years on the bench of the 11th Judicial District, she had the honor of appointing two special judges. In 2008, Jan once again entered private law practice, which she would continue until retirement in 2020. In the early 1970s, Jan became involved in the effort to ratify the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. She had the opportunity to travel and debate the merits of the proposed amendment to groups and organizations throughout

PROFILE Oklahoma. Locally, she helped establish the Bartlesville ERA Ratification Council. In 1975, she was named Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women. The ERA is very dear to Jan’s heart, and while she regrets the amendment was never ratified, she hopes to live to see the day it is part of the U.S. Constitution. Throughout her career, Jan remained true to her belief that women should have all the opportunities men have. In addition to advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment, Judge Dreiling has a passion for keeping the history of Woman Suffrage alive. Her favorite activity in Bartlesville has been the celebration of the anniversary of Woman Suffrage (the 19th Amendment), presented and coordinated by the Women’s Network and the League of Women Voters. They held events in 1995, 2005, and 2010. It was an all-day event that began at the Community Center with a “rally” of suffrage supporters who told the story of the 72year campaign to win the vote for women, followed by a parade to the Courthouse and a re-enactment of the famous trial of “United States vs. Susan B. Anthony,” when Anthony was tried for illegally voting in 1873. Many community leaders were involved in the rally and the re-enactment. Jan remembers it being a glorious event every time, and she truly loved playing the role of Susan B. Anthony. In 2020, the nation celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Unfortunately, the play written by Joan Dreisker and Jan that was to be produced the end of March at the Community Center had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Being so well-versed in the topic of Woman Suffrage, Jan became known as somewhat of an expert on the subject. As a result, in 2012 and beyond, she was invited to teach eight OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) classes on Woman Suffrage in Tulsa and in Bartlesville. She was thrilled to have many interested attendees. She considers this a big part of her contribution to the community, promoting public education about the suffrage movement and helping others to understand how difficult it was for women to win the rights they currently have. She also believes that there is still a long road ahead for equality of the sexes.

Jan Dreiling with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in 2000.

Jan Dreiling and the cast of the 2010 suffrage celebration.

In February of 2020, Jan taught an OLLI class on the U.S. Constitution. While she does not consider herself an expert, she did enjoy leading her students through the Constitution and helping them gain greater understanding of the supreme law of our nation. Bartlesville has been good to Jan. She loves the people and the sense of community here, and the “we’re all in this together” attitude. In addition to her seat on the bench, she has remained active with various community organizations. She has served as President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference and as President of the Board of Directors of Elder Care, United Way, and the Bluestem Girl Scout Council. She has served on the Boards of ARC and Green Country Village. She remains an active pillar of the community today, even in retirement. When asked how she would someday like to be remembered by the community, she thoughtfully said, “I would like to be remembered for whatever I have done to advance the equality of women. And on a very personal level, I hope to be remembered as a loyal and trusted friend.” Janice P. Dreiling has indeed been a friend to Bartlesville through her leadership, her wisdom, and especially through her teaching of history and the struggle for equality. In many ways, she has opened doors for women and blazed the trail for future generations. That will never be forgotten.

Jan Dreiling playing the role of Susan B. Anthony. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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The Greatest Story Ever Told . . . . . Through the Lense of Frank Griggs by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

George Eastman was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film, and had ties to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He was born in 1854 in Waterville, New York and the family relocated to Rochester where his father established the Eastman’s Commercial College. After the death of his father, George left school, at the age of 14, in search of work to help his mother support their family of four. He found employment at an insurance company and then as a junior clerk at the local bank. By the age of 23, his interest in photography had blossomed and

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his mother’s kitchen became a laboratory for gelatin emulsion development. By 1880, he had invented and patented a dryplate coating machine, which lead to the establishment of the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company in 1884, later renamed the Eastman Kodak Company. It was in the early years of Eastman’s work that he met a lad selling brooms on a street corner. The young boy was Frank Nichols Griggs who was New York born in 1888. Frank’s father was a prospector and often traveled for work so Frank went to the broom factory, bought brooms for two-cents each and sold

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them on the streets for five-cents, giving his mother the threecent profit to support the household. One man drew Frank’s attention as he purchased many brooms and Frank thought to himself, “What is this man doing with all of these brooms?” That man was George Eastman who invited Frank to work at his photo factory. At 16 years of age, Griggs quit high school in his junior year to serve as Eastman’s apprentice. After Griggs was trained, Eastman encouraged him to “go west” to California in hopes of pushing camera equipment sales along the west coast.

For a few summers, Griggs worked for a surveyor because he liked outdoor work but the opportunity of travel grew enticing. His Jamestown neighbor was George Priestly who boasted Bartlesville as a quickly developing “land of opportunity.” Priestly became a local oilman and one of the founding officers of the First National Bank of Dewey. The romanticized visions of Indian Territory were fresh in his head when two friends invited Griggs to join their travels to Denver. Griggs agreed to make the trek with the stipulation they visit Bartlesville along the way. The three men launched a

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE GEORGE EASTMAN

canoe on the Allegheny River, arriving at the confluence with the Monongahela River, where they waited two hours for the “locks” to be free so they could transition to the Ohio River. Later that afternoon, Griggs said their canoe was given a solo journey though the lock system, which seldom happened. The trio canoed the Ohio River to St. Louis, took the Katy Flyer train to Parsons, KS and switched trains bound for Bartlesville. Arriving in 1908, his first sight was the smoke from the smelter operations to the southwest of Bartlesville, which was not much of a town but the people were friendly. His friends spent their first night at the Keystone Hotel while Griggs introduced himself at the Drum Photography Studio in search of work. Mr. Drum was photographing in Alaska and Otis Baker had purchased the studio. No jobs were available but he was invited to sleep in the studio that night. Baker later closed his studio and moved to Canada. Griggs found short-term employment as a City surveyor before joining a U.S. Geological Survey team working from the 96th Meridian (Osage and Washington County line) west to the Arkansas River. The survey was completed in the spring of 1909 and Drum returned to Bartlesville shortly thereafter. Drum planned a northern 14

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photography expedition and realized the panorama camera experience Griggs had gained under the training wing of Eastman would be beneficial on the trip. He asked Griggs to join the expedition and Griggs accepted. To gather traveling cash, Griggs and Drum operated a photography tent studio in Dewey until June and then left for Wyoming and Idaho, all through the northwestern states, national parks, mining towns, etc. The photographing team made postcard and panorama photos, which were sold to locals to make enough money to engage in trout fishing…an exercise both men greatly enjoyed.

Loran Tyford, Frank Griggs & Oscar Drum.

Drum returned to Bartlesville in the fall of 1909 and re-established the Drum Studio; however, Griggs went to Missoula, Montana, where he found a survey job with the Pacific Railroad on Lolo Pass. He returned to Bartlesville in the spring of 1910, became a partner with Drum and they opened the Drum and Griggs Studio at 208½ East Third Street (now Frank Phillips Blvd.).

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In 1913, Griggs sold his share of the studio to Oscar Drum. Then, Drum and his new partner, Loren Tyford, opened a studio in the old Masonic Building at Fourth Street and Dewey Avenue (currently Rogers State University). Griggs remained at the 208½ address until 1918 when he moved the studio to the Foster-Simmons Building at 110½ East Third Street. He stayed at that location for 33 years before relocating in 1951 to 409 S. Johnstone Avenue where he finished his seven-decade career. It was during the last move that the most devastating event of Griggs’ career happened. He was nearing the end of the move and told the new renter he would return to pick-up the last box of photographs within the next few days. When Griggs returned, the renter had burned the box containing Mr. Griggs’ earliest photos, negatives and Native American collection. Griggs was distraught for years and told of the loss into his final years of life.

WILL ROGERS

Throughout Griggs’ career, he peered through the camera lens and witnessed the massive history unravel that formed the fabric of Washington County and the surrounding area. He photographed community happenings, graduating classes, sporting events and changing street scenes. He climbed oil wells, dodged bucking broncs and carried heavy camera equipment everywhere he traveled. His friends were preachers, bankers, judges, lawyers, bootleggers, outlaws, doctors, Indian Chiefs, Will Rogers, Wiley Post, Art Goebel, Presidents, Governors, company

executives and area residents. He was a household name in Washington County and was invited to some of the most prestigious parties and events. He captured the Dewey Roundup from 1908-1949 in print, negative and panorama images. He recorded WWI and WWII soldiers on their way to war and the foundation and progress of the oil industry throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. He recorded the Winnie Mae being loaded into railcars on its final journey to the Smithsonian Museum after Wiley Post’s death. And, while he photographed “everyday” life experiences, he created a photographic scrapbook that wove a timeline of Washington County history while savoring the memories and telling the stories along the way. • He took photos of movie stars like Tom Mix and Olive Stokes. The director of Selig Polyscope Movie Company asked Griggs to be Mix’s traveling photographer but Griggs had invested in his business here so he stayed in Bartlesville. • Ruby Darby was the “Queen of the Oil Fields” and a scandalous vaudeville performer. During one of her Bartlesville shows (1916-1921), she asked Griggs to take her photo for a Broadway display. Griggs agreed and asked for a down payment. Ruby seductively inched her skirt up, peeled off $50 and handed it to Griggs. Now that was most likely embarrassing for Mr. Griggs. RUBY DARBY MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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DEWEY ROUNDUP

• The Secretary of Interior hired Griggs to photograph Osage Chief Lookout and wife Julia at their Osage County farm. Griggs described Pawhuska as a very colorful town due to the regalia of the Osage Tribe. He traveled with Francis Revard who was an interpreter, served on the Osage Council and gave Griggs an Indian name “Picture Man.” • Griggs said, “I got up at 2:30 a.m. to be at the first cast of the Southwestern Wolf and Fox Hunters Association in the Osage and marveled at how they could keep 150 dogs on leash without snarling. I can't describe the sense of ecstasy I felt that foggy morning on the Mullendore Ranch when the pasture gate loomed out of the mist. The sun came out and back lighted the cattle, and I saw eighty coyote hides tacked on the barn that the government trapper caught there.” • “Wink” and Martha Jane Phillips Starr, daughter of L.E. Phillips, co-founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, lived at 1424 S. Delaware Avenue for three years before selling the home to Russell and Jessie Riggins about 1933. The Spanish staircase in this home was Griggs’ favorite location to photograph glowing brides in flowing gowns. The tradition continued throughout the Kirberger family ownership.

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WAYSIDE SCHOOL

• In 1921, the Washington County Superintendent of Public Schools requested Frank Griggs and Elmer Sark, both local photographers, to perform a photographic survey of Washington County’s thirty-two rural school buildings including pupils and teachers.

• The Chamber of Commerce once hired Griggs to take aerial images of Bartlesville. The plane took off on a test run and crashed, smashing the propeller and plane. After two weeks of repair, the pilot invited Griggs to try again. Griggs said, “Let’s see the test run first.” The plane took off, crashed into telegraph lines near the Santa Fe depot, and the pilot fell out and broke his leg. Griggs did not fulfill the contract. • In 1928, famed oilman Frank Phillips invited outlaws, lawmen, Indians and friends to his Woolaroc Ranch for a shindig like no other called the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion. And…Frank Griggs was there to capture everything including the Kangaroo Court and panorama photos of the atten-

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BARTLESVILLE’S LAST PASSENGER TRAIN

dees. Area resident, Dick Kane was a young boy when his mother announced he had to “get dressed up” for the Woolaroc party. Although Dick fussed, his mother insisted. When he arrived at the party, no one was dressed up and he felt quite out of place. When Griggs took the panorama photo, Dick stood away from the group but within camera shot. From that image, a bronze statue has been placed at Woolaroc’s Clyde Lake of young shy Dick Kane. • Griggs was a wonderful secret keeper – Henry Wells, attending the Cow Thieves and Outlaws event at Woolaroc, once slipped away to Frank Phillips’ bedroom and helped himself to a 50-cent cigar, then told Griggs to keep the secret. Griggs did.

Bell and Howell camera to record 150ft of film of Goebel’s exciting skywriting event. Some years later, an English firm brought a million dollar lawsuit against Phillips Petroleum Company for infringement of smoke writer patent rights. Griggs was summoned to the Chicago U.S. District Court with his dated recording which proved Goebel’s “66” artwork, etched upon the canvas sky, was before the English firm began skywriting, thus saving Phillips in the suit. Uncle Frank was appreciative. • Griggs photographed President Taft on the steps of the Carnegie Library when he visited H.V. Foster, Eisenhower at the airport when he arrived for Boots Adams’ birthday party and Nixon during Denzil Garrison’s campaign for Oklahoma State Representative.

• Art Goebel’s claim to fame was established when he won the 1927 Oakland-Honolulu Dole Air Race in the Woolaroc monoplane sponsored by Phillips Petroleum Company. He was also a wellknown stunt pilot and skywriting aviator. In 1940, Griggs used his MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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• Griggs was well ahead of his time and highly creative. Long before computerized photo editing, Griggs created photos of Frank and L.E. Phillips with exaggerated vegetables. He was also able to insert or delete people from photos. • Griggs grew up fishing on the Chautauqua Lake in NY and formed a quick bond with H.V. Foster who also loved to fish. One day Foster caught two 5lb bass and called Griggs to join him for lunch. The two enjoyed lunch and then went to the lake to fish. Foster wanted Griggs to photograph his catch so Griggs took a photo of each cast. However, try as he might, Foster did not get a bite. Griggs saw another fisherman catching large bass so he borrowed and photographed the largest fish. Then, he combined the images of Foster and the borrowed fish to appear as if Foster was indeed catching fish. Foster was amazed at the magic. • Bill Beasley, owner of Curtis Sporting Goods, was also a great friend of Frank Griggs. Beasley was known to tell a few “fish tales” himself and became the official sponsor of the “Liar’s Club” presenting “Licenses for Fishermen” that permitted the 18

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embellishment of all fishing tales. Frank was a member of the “Liars Club” and his photo often graced the walls of Curtis Sporting Goods. In as much as George Eastman nurtured the talent of Frank Griggs, so Mr. Griggs kindled the photographic spirit within Ray Tingler, Bob Heil and others who became well-known photographers of their time. As a boy, Ray Tingler mowed Griggs’ yard and enjoyed afternoons of ginger ale, photographs and stories with Mr. Griggs who eventually hired Ray at the Studio and inspired him to begin a career in photography. In the 7th grade, Ray worked to sort negatives for Mr. Griggs and, in the 8th grade, he became a custom framer and then did dark room film processing and printing. Griggs taught Tingler the technical skills of photography, then encouraged him to attend the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA, which brought him the “art of photography.” Ray’s photography business continues in Tulsa.

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Frank Griggs photographed the Art Magirl vs. Wildcat Ferns boxing fight in Dewey on July 4, 1912.

Frank Griggs photographing one of the graduating classes from College High School.

Bob Heil worked at the Griggs Studio during his College High School years and after graduation in 1968, he attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1972. Bob then returned to Bartlesville and worked at the Griggs Studio until 1982 when he established the Heil Photography Studio, which he operated until his retirement in 2012.

pers, magazines, television and movies to bring visual elements to stories of the past. From a church mouse childhood, he created a comfortable life for his family and created a seven-decade photographic career. For Frank Griggs, building riches was not his life’s goal; it was the building friendships and enjoying the adventures.

Mr. Frank Nichols Griggs married Miss Helen Corinne Phillips on June 1, 1914 at Bartlesville and they were blessed with two daughters (Martha and Patty). Mr. Griggs was awarded a life member of the Professional Photographers of America (1964), won a Blue Ribbon award from the Oklahoma Professional Photographers Association in the Annual Photographic Exhibit, featured in newspapers and Channel 8 TV in Tulsa (1971), recognized as the Historian of the Year by Washington County Historical Society (1973) and more. After Frank fell and broke his hip in 1980, he recovered at Heritage Villa Nursing Home for a period of time. Although his memory never failed and his candle for life never dimmed, at the age of 93 young years, Frank N. Griggs died in Bartlesville on April 7, 1982 and was laid to rest in Memorial Park Cemetery. From struggles to adventures, Frank Griggs began as a broom salesman and created a photographic legacy sought by newspa-

Frank Griggs and his wife, Helen. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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When Griggs was asked which of his pictures he enjoyed taking the most or was the most memorable, he answered: “I've enjoyed them all.”

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FEATURE SPONSOR STORY

The Ambassador of Good Will Martha Jane Starr’s Generosity Was Beyond Measure by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Martha Jane Phillips was the third child of Lee Eldas “L.E.” and Lenora “Nodie” Carr Phillips. Born in Bartlesville, I.T. in 1906, she grew up in a stately home on Cherokee Avenue, just south of her Uncle Frank Phillips’ mansion. She attended Bartlesville schools where she studied music and was editor of the school newspaper. She graduated with honors in 1925 before entering Erskine School in Boston.

In 1965, recognizing Martha Jane’s demonstration of leadership and interest in her fellow man, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, W.W. Keeler appointed Martha Jane the “Ambassador of Good Will” and gave her the Cherokee name of Nah-Tsah-Nee Kah-Lah-Gah which means “Rising Star.” An honor well deserved because she was born in the Cherokee Nation and had been a “rising star” throughout her life.

Martha Jane married John Wilbur “Twink” Starr, a Geologist working with her father, co-founder of Phillips Petroleum Company. The couple lived in Bartlesville when WWII called John overseas and Martha Jane volunteered as the Chairman of Nurse’s Aides during the war. Upon John’s return, the couple moved to Kansas City in 1933 and added two children to their family: John Phillips Starr and James Lee Starr.

A rising star indeed. Her wide-ranged generosity was beyond measure. It was never Martha Jane’s goal to be a newsmaker or a history maker but each step of her path delivered prestigious recognition. At the University of Missouri-Kansas City, she founded the UMKC Women’s Council and the Starr Symposium, a forum for women’s and family issues. She was a champion in marriage and parenting education, served as President of Planned Parenthood and offered scholarships for women in women’s studies. She also founded the UMKC Women’s Council and served as president from 1967-1968, an effort that brought her recognition as the first woman to receive the UMKC Chancellor’s Medal for Career Contributions.

Martha Jane was an exceptional philanthropist and visionary … obstacles were never a challenge or roadblock. Her life’s work began with volunteerism in Kansas City and blossomed into a multi-award winning career. However, awards were never her goal, from the depth of her heart and soul she was an exceptionally generous person.

In 2000, Martha Jane Starr was heavily involved in the establishment of the Bartlesville Area History Museum through monetary support and exhibit offerings; her legacy continues to serve the Museum through granting opportunities.

Starr died at her home in Kansas City on November 14, 2011, In 1963, Martha Jane became the first woman elected trustee just shy of her 105th birthday. In 2015, Martha Jane was posthuat the University of Missourimously inducted into the “Martha Jane Starr was quietly private and unassuming – yet Kansas City, a position which Starr’s Women’s Hall of Fame passionately determined and resilient; one who has conallowed her to create opportuat the UMKC. A life well lived tributed most powerfully to shape the educational, civic and nities for women, first and well shared by the Ambascultural landscape of Kansas City.” establishing the Family Study sador of Good Will. — Mary Kay McPhee, 45-year friend of Martha Jane Starr Center Endowment. 22

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MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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COMMUNITY

The Arctic Storm of 2021 Community Pulled Together to Ride Out Bitter Storm by Keith McPhail “Alone, we can do little; together, we can do so much.” Words written by Helen Keller, who overcame so much in her life. On Monday, February 8, Christy and I were having coffee in our living room and I looked at the forecast for the next week. It was not good. The way it was playing out, we had the perfect storm coming with life threatening-temperatures, ice, and ending with over six inches of snow and continued bitter coldness. Here is the timeline for the people, organizations, and businesses that came together to help us and our growing homeless population ride out the “Arctic Storm of 2021” … and help to start bringing about much-needed change. I called Sherri Smith, Director of Agape Missions, Monday, February 8 and asked her what she was in need of. Dangerous temperatures and the storm was starting to have freezing drizzle that lasted three straight days and made Bartlesville a gigantic ice skating rink. I'm writing this on February 18, and we have not been over 32 degrees since February 8, and most days we didn’t get over 10 degrees. We had ice, over nine inches of snow, and temperatures reaching -17°. Sherri said

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

she couldn't feed at Agape because her volunteers, who are mostly senior citizens, could not come in. She was not going to be able to open and feed the whole week. I hung up and we took action. We were going to feed that Wednesday. So with no committees, no policies, and no votes, Christy and I went into action. I reached out to Tony Winters, at Stride Bank, and Trevor Dorsey, at Regent Bank, to see if they wanted to help us feed our homeless and less fortunate population. With no hesitation, they gave to the cause and we were set to feed on Wednesday. We called Chef Nook and asked if he would be willing to cook some homemade chicken noodle soup and he was all in. I called Chase Allcott, owner of Chick-fil-A, to see if he would donate chips to go with the 125 sandwiches we were going to make to go with the soup. The dining room at Agape was not open, and Christy said “I don't want them to get their hot soup and have to eat outside.” That Wednesday that we served it was 8°. I called Lorront Carney, at the Westside Community Center — which is literally across the street from Agape — just to let him know that we were feeding, if he knew of anyone who might need a meal. I told him that they could not eat at Agape and he said “Well, you know

COMMUNITY what, they can all come here and eat and get warm.” We called on our close friends and our neighborhood moms at Covington Park to fix cookies to serve with the lunch. We had over 120 cookies the next day. We also wanted to have some warm clothing to pass out with the lunches like gloves, hats, and socks. I called my good friend Gary Gibson, who always wants to help out, and we went down to Ollies — where he purchased 65 stocking hats and 45 pairs of wool socks to pass out with the lunches. We made a phone call to Lori Kroh, friend and one of our writers, and she put it out on her Colonial Facebook page. With donations from her neighborhood she was able to get over 50 pairs of gloves and other donated items. I made a phone call to City Manager Mike Bailey and asked if he could salt and sand the parking lot at Agape so nobody would fall, and the parking lot was cleared for lunch. Christy organized the best places to get the food, so we could do more with the money that was donated. That night, we went to Wal-Mart to buy all the supplies ... just like half the city did that had heard the forecast for that week. The next day, we all met at Agape. Chef Nook prepared the soup a day early and Christy and I made 125 sandwiches. After Lorront posted on Facebook about opening up for lunch, Brian Schexnayder, the Chaplain for the Bartlesville Police Department and Washington County Sheriff's Department, saw the post about the lunch and was already looking for a place to house people. He called Lorront to see if Westside Community Center would be interested in being a 24-hour warming center. He agreed! The next day we fed over 130 lunches. Through all this, we became concerned about our senior citizens from a conversation that Christy had with Christie Roberts, at Moxie. I called Cheryl Clinkenbeard, who oversees many apartments for seniors, and she said that Meals on Wheels was down and the Dewey Nutrition Center, who feeds many of our seniors, had been closed. We took remaining lunches to the Madison Apartments and Christy and Cheryl figured a plan out to help feed the other tenants throughout her network. The next day, on Thursday, people started to trickle in at the WCC. With a few FB posts from Lorront and Christy and I, it blew up into an unbelievable witness of God's goodness and a city coming together to give hope, food, shelter, and love. We put out a list of items needed and within hours our living room was completely full. As the weather worsened, more and more people began to come in. Every time you turned around, people were bringing in food, water, clothes, blankets, dinners, and lunches. There were individuals throughout the community who would come in and volunteer their time just to sit and talk, and sometimes stay the whole night. Christy and I knew some of the individuals who

were coming in were from other venues, and we helped feed and clothe them. Get Real Ministries took their bus to different spots around the city and picked people up. Terry, who is homeless, came to me and said he was worried about an older man, a Veteran who sleeps in his car. We located his car and tried to get him out. We called BPD, who sent out four officers and EMS, and finally got him out of the car. Temperature that morning was 2°. He had been in his car for more than two days. On Friday, Christy and I talked to Sherri at Agape, and she said she would be closed again this week, with the oncoming snow storm. Using the monetary donations given to us by complete strangers, we served lunch again that following Tuesday. I had Lance Wyatt come out and clear the parking lot of all the snow and ice. With all the donated goods, our daughter, Grace, and her friend Campbell Barta filled over 125 bags with snacks and non-perishable items to pass out during the lunch, so people would have things to eat after Tuesday. On a normal day, Agape feeds 300 to 500 meals that many families depend on — not just the homeless. As I take a deep breath and step back and look at the last 10 days, one thing stands out the most to me. Our community came together as one to help the many in need. There was no one in charge, no meeting to discuss who does what, we all just took action with hope, compassion, and love to make a difference in someone else's life. There are good changes coming on the horizon. There are a lot of people we want to thank that were not mentioned in this story: Dora Patzkowski, Pastor Daryl Wooten, Pastor Joe and Dawn Marie Colaw, Brian Engle, Lance and Sarabeth Wyatt, Rick and Lisa Johnson, Judge Linda Thomas, Mama Joyce for feeding everyone at WCC, Chief Tracy Roles, Sheriff Scott Owen, Rando and Shiloh at Get Real Ministries, and the countless volunteers who served. We love this city and her people and the many new friends we have met while going through the Artic Storm of 2021. Thank you Bartlesville, and God Bless! MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

MARCH CALENDAR SPONSORED BY 1

BHS Soccer vs. Rogers 4 PM; Custer Stadium G) 6 PM; Custer Stadium (B)

BHS Baseball vs Enid 4:30 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

OKWU Baseball vs Friend’s University

BHS JV Soccer vs Bishop Kelley

5 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium (V) 7 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium (JV)

1 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

WCS presents Annie the Musical

OKWU Baseball vs Kansas Wesleyan 12&3 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

WCS presents Annie the Musical 3 PM; Wesleyan Christian School Gym

OKWU Women’s Soccer vs Tabor

12&3 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

5 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields

2&4 PM; OKWU Softball Fields

OKWU Baseball vs College of the Ozarks 2 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

OKWU Women’s Soccer vs Friend’s University

BHS Soccer vs Sand Springs

OKWU Softball vs Bethany

4:30 PM; Custer Stadium Axillary Fields (JV/G) 4:30 PM; Custer Stadium (JV/B) 6 PM; Custer Stadium (V/G) 8 PM; Custer Stadium (V/B) 8:00PM

2&4 PM; OKWU Softball Fields

No School Teacher In Service All Day; District-Wide

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

OKWU Baseball vs Bacone OKWU Softball vs Concordia (NE)

12&2 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

7 PM; Wesleyan Christian School Gym

4&6 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

Bruins JV Baseball vs Union

5 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields

5 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

Bruins JV Baseball vs Collinsville

Bruins JV Baseball vs Broken Arrow

Bruins JV Soccer vs Tulsa Union 5:30 PM; Custer Stadium (G) 7 PM; Custer Stadium (B)

OKWU Baseball vs OK City

3 PM; OKWU Fields

8 AM; Custer Stadium

BHS Baseball vs Talequah

2 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

OKWU Mens Soccer vs John Brown University

Bruins Home Track Meet

OKWU Baseball vs Kansas Wesleyan

4:30 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

2&4 PM; OKWU Softball Fields

5:30 PM; Custer Stadium (G) 7 PM; Custer Stadium (B)

OKWU Softball vs Briar Cliff

1 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

Bruins Baseball vs Broken Arrow

OKWU Softball vs Evangel 2&4 PM; OKWU Softball Fields

OKWU Mens Soccer vs Central Methodist 1 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields

OKWU Softball vs Lyon

Bruins JV Baseball vs Sand Springs

2&4 PM; OKWU Softball Fields

5&7 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

BHS Varsity Soccer Vs Tulsa East Central Senior Night 6 PM; Custer Stadium (G) 8 PM; Custer Stadium (B)

OKWU Baseball vs McPherson 2 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

OKWU Baseball vs McPherson 1&4 PM; OKWU Baseball Field

OKWU Mens Soccer vs Baker

29 30

Mar 4-6

Wee-Cycle Children’s Consignment Sale Times Vary; Washington County Fairgrounds Wee-Cycle spring & summer children’s consignment sale will be March 4 & 5 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and March 6 from 9 am to 1 p.m. Vendors and sweet treats on-site. Cash and Visa/Mastercard Credit/Debit Cards accepted. No Discover or American Express accepted. Oklahoma sales tax apply. Toys, books and furniture for all ages will be available.

Mar 16-19

OKWU Spring Break Soccer Camp

5 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields

9 AM; OKWU Fields For Boys and Girls ages 5-13.

Bruin Baseball vs Putnam City

Mar 15-19

4:30 PM; Doenges Memorial Stadium

All Day; District-Wide

BPS Spring Break

Mar 25-27

Bruins JV Baseball vs Owasso 5 PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

Bruin Baseball Classic TBA; Doenges Memorial Stadium

Mar 10-30

Search the 'Ville Scavenger Hunt & Challenge presented by BAHM The Bartlesville Area History Museum is proud to present a new series of history-based scavenger hunts and challenges. The inaugural event, “Search the ‘Ville: Spring Break” is open to both children and adults, and will be a socially distanced scavenger hunt around Bartlesville. Participants will be given a series of photo clues to match with locations around the city. Participation in the events will be based on the History Museum’s Facebook page. Clues will be listed and a link provided for participants to submit answers. This event will begin at 9 a.m. All clues will be posted at that time. All participants who submit correct answers by March 30th at 3:00 PM will be entered into a drawing for a $50 prize. Prizes will be award in two age categories: Ages 17 and younger and Age 18 and older. Find more on the Bartlesville Area History Museum Facebook’s event page.

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MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

MARCH EVENTS CALENDAR

Know of an upcoming event you would like to see on our calendar? Visit us at www.bartlesvillemonthly.com to submit a free listing!

Wed, Mar 3

Thu, Mar 4

Fri, Mar 5

9 AM

Wee-Cycle Children’s Consignment Sale

Washington County Fairgrounds 1119 N Delaware, Dewey See March 4 event for information.

Washington County Fairgrounds 1119 N Delaware, Dewey

6:30 PM

Man Up City Church 4222 Rice Creek Rd. The next Man Up event is Wednesday, March 3rd at 6:30 pm. You’ll get some time with the guys plus free food! Also, there will be a shuttle running from the Pawhuska campus to Bartlesville before and after the event.

Wee-Cycle spring & summer children’s consignment sale will be Thur. & Fri. March 4 & 5 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sat. March 6 from 9 am to 1 pm at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Dewey. Free admission. Vendors and sweet treats onsite. Cash and Visa/Mastercard Credit/Debit Cards accepted. No Discover or American Express accepted. Sales tax apply. All sales final! Toys, books and furniture for all ages will be available. There is a whole section dedicated to everything a mom-to-be will need, from bottles to blankets to nursing accessories and baby slings. A wide variety of baby furniture such as cribs, high chairs, pack and plays and much more will also be available. Maternity clothes are a big hit at the spring and summer sale. Discount sale will be Sat. March 6, many items left will be marked half off.

9 AM

Wee-Cycle Children’s Consignment Sale

Sat, Mar 6

6 PM

Imagine Patsy Crossing 2nd 215 E 2nd St. Patricia Brady returns with her popular tribute to Patsy Cline, Imagine Patsy. Join Patricia from 6-8 p.m. as she performs many of Patsy's songs, interspersed with stories of the iconic singer's life. Reservations strongly encouraged by calling 918-337-2219.

9 AM

Wee-Cycle Children’s Consignment Sale Washington County Fairgrounds 1119 N Delaware, Dewey See March 4 event for information.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

events calendar

We Love Bartlesville www.coppercupimages.com 9183372781 8 PM

Live Music with Biscuits & Gravy Platinum Cigar Company 314 S Johnstone Ave.

Wed, Mar 17

Thu, Mar 18

10 AM

12 PM

1840’s Mountain Man Camp Opens

Nourishing Knowledge by Jen — Virtual Cooking Class

Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve 1920 Woolaroc Ranch Rd.

Fri, Mar 12

Authentic 1840's trader camp set up at our Mountain Man Camp. The public is welcome to visit the Mountain Man Camp at no additional charge to view the customs and lifestyles of the early day traders. Woolaroc's Mountain Man Camp, led by brothers Wes and Roger Butcher, is a living history event that recreates the life of a fur trader in the 1830's. The camp started out as an unpaid test run some 25 years ago and has since evolved into one of the signature pieces of Woolaroc. The Mountain Man Camp runs through Tuesday, September 7. For the safety of guests and employees, masks are required inside all buildings at Woolaroc for all guests (and employees) age 6 and up.

5 PM

Fri, Mar 26

Online on the Bartlesville Public Library Facebook Page Nourishing Knowledge by Jen is a healthy cooking series of eight live cooking classes. Jen Cannady is a trained pastry chef. Jen will be demonstrating how to prepare nourishing healthy meals, touching on trendy food items that you always wanted to know how to make. She will be working with assorted types of flour, including almond, oatmeal, and glutenfree choices. She will also be incorporating couscous, kombucha, Napolitana sauce, and veggie noodles in her presentations.

Sat, Mar 20 12 PM

Live at 5 with Wade the Piano Man

March Madness Enduro

Crossing 2nd

Caney Valley Speedway

215 E 2nd St.

County Rd 1300, Caney, Kansas

Relax to the eclectic sounds of Wade on the piano, playing a variety of tunes from jazz to pop to classical.

Sat, Mar 13 6:30 PM

Inter-State Farm & Home Show Nellis Hall Coffeyville Community College KGGF 690 AM and KRIG 104.9 FM are proud to host the 5th Annual Inter-State Farm and Home Show presented by Bartlett Co-op Association on Friday, March 26th from 1 pm to 7 pm and Saturday, March 27th from 8:30 am to 4 pm, at Nellis Hall on the Coffeyville Community College Campus. This free show will feature vendors from Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas. From the latest agricultural products and equipment, landscaping and general remodeling, home décor, lifestyle services, or tasty treats this is a must-visit show. Many vendors will have cash and carry items that can be purchased during the show. KGGF and KRIG will be giving away a $500 cash prize each day, along with tickets to Branson shows, St. Louis Cardinals, Broadway in Bartlesville, and more. There will also be a variety of door prizes and giveaways from vendor booths.

B’Ville Sip & Smoke

Sat, Mar 27

Platinum Cigar Company

10 AM

314 S Johnstone Ave.

Animal Barn Opens

Daybreak Rotary is hosting a social and fundraiser. Cigars, drinks, food, silent auction, music, and raffle for just $30. The public is welcome to find out how fun Daybreak Rotary can be.

Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve

7:30 PM

1920 Woolaroc Ranch Rd.

Pictures of Excellence presented by Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra

One of the most popular places at Woolaroc is our Animal Barn — originally the Dairy Barn for our founder, Frank Phillips. Over the years, the barn has been home to many different animals, including rabbits, chickens, goats, and calves. The Animal Barn is open through Tuesday, September 7. For the safety of guests and employees, masks are required inside all buildings at Woolaroc for all guests (and employees) age 6 and up.

Bartlesville Community Center 300 SE Adams Blvd. A celebration of our great orchestra and the community it serves, highlighting the players of the orchestra and the symphony’s outreach. The winner of the BSO’s Young Artist Competition will also be featured. The concert highlight will be Mussorgsky/Ravel’s famous and dazzling Pictures at an Exhibition.

9:30 AM

Roadshow Longarm Experience Red Barn Quilting 99 County Rd 2285, Barnsdall This is your chance to learn about our longarm quilting machines and discover the model that is right for you. You can register by calling at 800-426-7233. 9 PM

Live Music with Jug Hill Annie Cherokee Casino Ramona 31501 US 75, Ramona

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

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FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

by Jay Webster

Hi. My name is Jay Webster and I’m an addict. Well, I think I am. I’m not sure. Let me just tell you how I got here and you can help me decide. Last month, like all of you, we found ourselves in the grips of that big winter storm. Side note: I’m often surprised at how little it takes to throw us off our routine and abandon our constitution. We like to consider ourselves an evolved first-world people, but the moment we lose power we revert to our Neanderthal roots and make a short list of who we’ll eat first if this thing drags on past an hour. My experience is dogs usually make the short list, but that can change if a neighbor happens to wander too close to the fence line. 34

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

I think it’s important in these moments to set small goals for a sense of accomplishment. During the quarantine, we set doable objectives like exercising daily, waiting until five(-ish) to open a bottle of wine, and choosing one day to wear clothing without elastic waistbands. It helps deceive the mind into a sense of normalcy. So anyway, we were caught in the winter storm, and for the second time in a year most of the country was in lockdown. Unlike last time though, it wasn’t spring. Instead, we were under several inches of snow with colder temps than four generations of Oklahomans had ever seen. Like a lot of Dads, I switched into crisis mode. I went to the store to get side dishes to go with roasted Dave (my northern neighbor who I decided was well-

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK marbled and unlikely to be missed). I put in an emergency order for firewood. I buried some money in the backyard. And of course I spent a considerable amount of time fretting about how we’d entertain ourselves during the Snow’pocalypse of 2021. If you’re not careful on this last point, you’ll be forced into a marathon of board games or comfort cooking or (God help you) reading and conversation. I wasn’t going to let my family succumb to that fate. In the precious moments I had before the arctic attack, I researched my entertainment options. That’s when I discovered an app for my smart television called Pluto. I had seen the funny looking logo before, but recently the media startup was purchased by CBS/Viacom. Now it was turning up everywhere. The appeal of the app to me is that it offers “retro” TV shows from my childhood: Happy Days, Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, the Carol Burnett show, even 30 years of Late Night with Johnny Carson. It’s fantastic. But none of these were enough to get me hooked. Sure, I got a buzz watching Happy Days and seeing the Fonz validate me with a thumbs up and his iconic “Ayyy.” Yes, it was intoxicating watching Jack Ritter again on Three’s Company (with the befuddled Don Knotts fresh off his journey from Mayberry). But these were just gateway series. What really hooked me, my entire family actually, and had us jonesing for just one more episode (so that even the insipid theme song plagued our sleep) was Family Ties. Yes, that 80s sitcom about the irrepressible Keatons and the breakout role for Michael J. Fox. I know. I’m embarrassed. I can’t even really tell what it was about Mallory and Jennifer and Alex that enslaved us for hours on end. I will say that the writing (and acting) was far better than I could appreciate as a kid. Maybe it was just the fact that whole show seemed so warm (despite being based in Cleveland, Ohio). Maybe it was how they dealt with complex social, political, and relationship issues — with a resolution — in under 24 minutes. If the Keatons had been in charge of the Pandemic, we would already be diagnosed, vaccinated, and sharing a group hug with a freeze frame by now. We were admittedly off our usual schedule during Snowa-palooza. Often our daughter would wander into our room early, while my wife and I

were still huddled around our hot coffees, trying to muster the energy to set some goal for the day, and she would ask … “Dad, can we just watch one episode of Family Ties in bed?” Two hours later, I was still in bed wondering if Krispy Kreme delivers. “I promised myself yesterday was the last time … look at me … I’m no Father …” But this is how they get you. See, unlike nearly all other binge watching opportunities these days, there’s no pausing, skipping, or controlling Pluto. It just runs. In other words, not only were we watching 80s shows, we were watching them in 80s style. The show starts on the hour and half hour whether you’re ready or not. Talk over a line of dialog? That’s too bad, the moment has passed. Take too long in the bathroom, there’s no take backs. The show is like live TV with no DVR. And so you’re stuck. In most cases you only have 60 seconds to violently throw yourself out of bed and plug your ears before the theme song draws you back in against your notably weak will for another episode. So you promise yourself you won’t do it again, but in your heart you know you’ll be back. Maybe it’s just a small hit before dinner … you know, just to unwind … but then you’re doing it alone after everyone’s gone to bed. Just you and Steven and Elyse and sometimes the Keaton’s neighbor, Skippy. Oh, the shame. I have tried to dilute it. I’ve turned over to Peacock and started watching Cheers, but my family could tell the difference. They knew I was cutting Family Ties with another show. It just wasn’t the same. So anyway, there you have it. I’m not proud of it, but at least I can admit I have a problem. I’m hoping to get off the sitcoms all together. I’m using aversion therapy. I’m rewatching two weeks of impeachment coverage on FOX and CNN, and so far it’s working. I’m not sure I ever want to watch TV again. I guess what I’m saying here is, I hope my experience — my mistakes and pain — can help someone else. Because … “What would we do baby, without us? What would we do baby, without us? And there ain't no nothing we can't love each other through. (Ooo-hoo!) What would we do baby, without us? Shala-la-la.” I think you hear me. Cheers my friends. See you next month.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

A GOOD WORD

Choose Joy We Can Still Choose Joy Through All These Challenges by Aaron Kirkpatrick “Why does it sound like rain?” It was a strange question to focus on, but then again, the brain latches onto weird things during an emergency. The thing is, it SHOULDN’T have sounded like rain. It was a hundred-degree Sunday in the middle of August, and there wasn’t any rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future. Just moments before, my wife and I had been standing in the shade outside, talking to a neighbor, when our 4-year-old daughter burst through the front door screaming, “MOMDADCOMEQUICKIT’SANEMERGENCY!” She yelled it like it was all one word - like there wasn’t enough time to even leave a space between syllables. As soon as that last word left her lips, time snapped into slow motion. You know the feeling. SNAP Emergency. Run. Through the garage. It’s faster. Why does it sound like rain downstairs?

months, but it isn’t. Sickness, unrest, disaster, pain, and a thousand other difficult things are all a part of the universal human experience. This acknowledgement of suffering is at the heart of every major religion and worldview, and they provide roadmaps for times like these. Christianity, however, sums it up in the way I find most helpful when it describes Jesus, who, “for the joy set before him, endured the cross.” This idea of purposeful suffering leading to joy can be found throughout the stories of the Bible. Instead of being overwhelmed by hardship, you can learn to embrace it with a sense of purpose. To the extent you learn to endure suffering with purpose, you also learn to exert more influence on the way hard times shape you. To use Christian language, for the person who endures suffering with purpose, on the other side of suffering is joy, on the other side of the cross is a crown, and on the other side of death is resurrection. That is a perspective I need right now. I can’t control the myriad of things that threaten to overwhelm me, but I can choose my response. I choose to see an opportunity in these difficult times. I choose to move purposefully in the world. And over all, I choose joy. I hope you will too.

Oldest son is screaming upstairs. GO FASTER. Take the stairs. Two at a time. The twins are ... laughing? Why are my feet wet? Oh. My. Gosh. SNAP My 5-year-old son was perched on the back of the couch in horror, and he was shouting orders at his twin 2-year-old brothers who were gleefully ignoring him. Instead, they were cackling with joy like toddlers do when they are proud of themselves. They were standing just inside the open back door wielding a garden hose like two little firemen quenching a house fire. But our house was not on fire. Quite the opposite. I was standing in two inches of water, and it was raining in the basement. We turned off the hose and surveyed the disaster. I stalled out trying to settle on the right emotion. Panic? Anger? Relief that no one was hurt? And then I started laughing. My wife looked at me like I was crazy. How was this funny? Honestly, it wasn’t. But it was done. I could get overwhelmed by something that couldn’t change, or I could embrace this unique moment in all its absurdity. I couldn’t change the situation, but I could choose my response. I chose joy. It’s been a challenging year. We use words like “unprecedented” to describe what we have been through over the past 12

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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T R I C O U N T Y T E C H . E D U | 61 0 1 N O W ATA R O A D , B A R T L E S V I L L E , O K | 9 1 8 . 3 3 1 . 3 3 3 3 There will be no discrimination in the technology center because of race, color, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender expression or identity, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, or genetic information in its programs, services, activities and employment. The following individual is designated to handle inquiries regarding the technology center’s nondiscrimination policies, including Title IX: Tara Stevens, Director of HR & Compliance O cer | 6101 Nowata Road, Bartlesville, OK 74006 | 918-331-3248 | Tara.Stevens@TriCountyTech.edu. According to the State of Oklahoma Sex O昀enders Registration Act, registered sex o昀enders must self-disclose their status before admissions. View our privacy policy: TriCountyTech.edu/PrivacyPolicy. View our full non-discrimination policy: Bit.ly/NonDiscrimination-Policy. Title IX Training provided by: OSSBA Workshop Resources: Bit.ly/TitleIX-Policy.

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Life Lessons From Coach Ken Bruno Helped Shape the Lives of Many Students by Brent Taylor Ken Bruno was my high school golf and basketball coach, and the best athlete who ever coached me. We called him Coach although we often referred to him as KB when he was out of earshot. Playing into a stiff wind he could hit a driver off the fairway, and he could grab the rim with a vertical leap higher than most of his basketball players Coach Bruno knew me better than I wanted to admit, knowing when to challenge, when to encourage, and when to give me space. Once during basketball practice, Coach challenged me to exorcise my demons by throwing roundhouses at a teammate. Mark Steiner, the starting point guard for the College High Wildcats, and I got a little too physical during a scrimmage, words were exchanged, and Coach had seen enough. The boxing gloves were brought out and we threw haymakers at each other, sans the poetry of Sugar Ray. Our anger while flailing at one another was tempered by a pair of comically-oversized boxing gloves. It was the last time I threw a punch at anyone. Coach Bruno taught his golf teams to play with tenacity by staging qualifying rounds in wind, rain, and snow. And there was the near-fight at the 1975 Oklahoma High School Golf Championship in Norman when we were hitting practice balls. A young man was loitering near our dispersion of practice balls and appeared to be reaching down to steal a few. Coach enjoined our team to the challenge by yelling at the kid. “You better be ready to run if you take any of those balls!” We stood silently gaping at this kid, astounded that Coach had enlisted us in a rumble. I felt like snapping my fingers to the brooding back beat of Westside Story, sharks and jets, switchblades and golf balls. We awaited our fate as the kid decided to move on without stealing our golf balls. Coach believed his guys were tough enough to take on anyone, despite the fact that we played the genteel game of golf. Sometimes, though, I wasn’t the fighter that I should have been. I still remember letting down my Wildcat teammates. I’m not particularly emotionally demonstrative, but when I’m down in the dumps, my body language betrays me. My shoulders droop and I walk lead-footed with eyes connected to a spot on the ground where my next step will be. These walks of self-loathing at the intersection of perfection and failure bring me to a fork in the road. Two memorable walks happened while playing golf for Coach Bruno.

The first walk happened my sophomore year, on the 17th hole of the University Course in Norman. You could call what I shot piano keys or double snowmen, take your pick, but I played the worst round of my life, shooting an 88. As I trudged down the 17th fairway, I heard the Beach Boys blasting from an adjacent apartment building where a student had left a window open. “Help me run to help me get her out of my heart,” was what I heard, a misconstrued version of what I later knew as the iconic, Help Me Rhonda. It was tough to live down that failure and my teammates needled me about shooting piano keys, but Coach never said a word to me about that round, knowing how dejected I felt in letting down my team. Every time I hear Help Me Rhonda, I remember in vivid detail that moment of failure, my teammates incredulity, and my coach and his gentle restraint. The second walk was my senior year, on the 2nd fairway of Adams Golf Course after playing the first round of the Russel Lipe Tournament. My morning score was a pedestrian 79 and I was six shots off the lead. I was hot, angry, and looking at the ground again. Coach Bruno was playing on an adjacent fairway with other golf coaches and he yelled at me, telling me to keep my dauber up which I believe meant that I shouldn’t give up. I birdied that hole and went on to shoot 67 in the afternoon round, winning the tournament. I still remember when he shook my hand as I came off the 18th green of the afternoon round. It was as animated as he ever got. He lit up and told me how proud he was of me. That is what great coaches do. They teach. They motivate. They care. But I also remember the mundane moments when I think of Coach, the difficult tasks he set before us, and the gospel he extolled while we rolled our eyes, like, “Practice hard, eat your vegetables, do your studies, and be faithful to God.” He told us to count our clubs to make sure we weren’t exceeding the 14 club limit and to check our tees, balls, rain gear, and shoes. One day we were playing at Muskogee Country Club and I forgot my golf shoes. When I told Coach, he rolled his eyes and handed me his shoes. I played that round in Coach’s kilted wingtip Etonic spikes that were a size too large for me. It was embarrassing, but it seems appropriate now. His footsteps were always difficult to completely fill. Ken Bruno passed away three years ago. He spent his life teaching, motivating, and encouraging awkward kids like me. I remember those days and the sound of kilted spikes along a cart path, the crunching noise of steel between my sole and any hard thing. Steel spikes are now passe’ but I miss the cool clacking sound they made on walkways. I still walk fairways, although quietly now, more assured. My head is high, my eyes on the horizon with ears attuned, listening to the echo of Coach’s spikes blazing a path up ahead. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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LOOKING BACK

Against All Odds

“We can’t abolish prejudice through laws, but we can set up guidelines for our actions by legislation.” — Belva Lockwood

A Look Back at Women’s Rights Pioneer Belva Lockwood by Kay Little, Little History Adventures Offended by the legal and economic discrimination against women in the United States, Belva Lockwood became one of the most effective advocates of women’s right during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Most of us have never heard of her, but Bartlesville citizens in 1909 knew who she was — they went to the Almeda Hotel to hear her speak. Belva Ann Bennet McNall Lockwood was born in New York in 1830. She began teaching in rural schools when she was only 15. She could only teach in the summer, and only to girls and younger children. Men taught the winter terms, when the boys could attend.

On March 3, 1879, she became the first woman to be sworn in to the U.S. Supreme Court bar. Belva’s most famous case in court was the U.S. vs. Cherokee Nation. In an 1835 treaty, the tribe ceded land for $1,000,000 in Georgia to the U.S. government. It had never been paid in full and because of her, the Cherokee Nation was awarded $5,000,000 — which included interest. In one case, Belva was the defense attorney for a woman who shot a police officer. The woman admitted she did it, but Belva was able to get the jury to pronounce the woman not guilty by arguing that the woman was only doing what the law said she should do, which was obeying her husband, who told told her to shoot the policeman. The husband was tried for the murder and found guilty. Belva used a sexist law to her advantage.

Belva wanted to attend college, but her father In 1884, Belva Lockwood was the first woman said no, and that she should get married, which Belva Lockwood lecturing at the to be formally nominated for U.S. President, repshe did at age 18. Within a year the couple had a Almeda Hotel in Bartlesville in 1909. resenting the Equal Rights Party. She received daughter, Lura. Belva’s husband died when she almost 5,000 votes. Those were all men, since was just 22, and she felt that the best way to prowomen were not yet allowed to vote. Shortly vide for her daughter and herself was to receive after the election, she petitioned the U.S. Congress to count the more education. She was able to attend a secondary school with votes again, because she had evidence of voter fraud. a college-preparatory curriculum. Her friends and family scorned her, but she prevailed. After her two failed runs for President, Belva lectured across the country about world peace as a part of the Universal Peace Belva went on to attend the co-ed Genesee Wesleyan SemiUnion. This lecture tour brought her to Bartlesville in 1909. The nary in 1854. This was basically a high school, and after one term, Bartlesville area papers seemed enamored by her, as they she applied to the college. Once again, she met resistance. After reported news of her court cases, her runs for President, a story she passed the exam, she was admitted and studied hard. She about the sculpturess who completed a bust of Belva, her advice became interested in law while at the college. about marriage roles, marriage proposals by women, her illness, In June 1857, Belva graduated with honors, earning a bachelor and her death. She was still lecturing three weeks before her of science. She became a principal at several local schools for death at age 86, in 1917. young women. While involved in the education system, she realBelva’s legacy also includes an honorary doctorate in law ized just how much the system discriminated against females. She also felt the discrimination with her pay, because even male from Syracuse University in 1908. Several communities were teachers under her supervision made more than she. named in her honor. Many women named their daughters Belva to honor her. In 1986, the USPS honored her with a stamp. In While teaching girls, Belva expanded the curriculum to 1983, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame include public speaking, botany, and gymnastics — a subject that in New York. But by the time of her death in 1917, Belva was not shocked many people. so popular. Her grandson sold her house to pay debts and had her papers shredded. Belva met Susan B. Anthony and agreed with many of her ideas about restrictions on women. She decided to pursue her love of law, so she and her daughter moved to D.C. to be close to the legal powers-that-be. She was finally admitted to the District of Columbia bar, but most of the men thought she would fail. Of course, this made her that much more determined to succeed. She built a practice and won some cases, becoming known as an advocate for women’s issues.

Even though she made many changes, her favorite goals were implemented after her death. She still could not vote. The U.S. had just voted to go to war, and the prohibition amendment had not yet passed. But, without Belva Lockwood, it might have been many more years for some of these to happen.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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Hulah Dam Project Faced Many Early Obstacles

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Flooding along the Caney River has always been a great concern. In the 1870s, members of the Osage tribe reported Caney River flooding so bad that Butler and Sand Creeks expanded to become one flowing creek. In 1878, the Cobb family lived along Butler Creek, near the later location of Sunset Golf Course, and flood waters forced the family to seek higher ground on the side of “The Mound,” west of Bartlesville. In 1885, during the dark of the night, the “greatest flood in the history of the county” occurred when spring rains brought a cloud burst along the headwaters of the Caney River which sent a twenty-five foot wall of water towards totally unaware sleeping residents. Water was knee deep in the Johnstone-Keeler Store at the North Delaware Settlement, south of the Caney River bend, while residents on the north side of the river at Jacob Bartles’s Settlement found safety in the second story of the Bartles’ Store

and it was reported no less than twelve people drown. Pioneers said dry land was found three miles away. An 1899 flood occurred after the railroad grade was laid. During the flood, pioneer resident Henry Armstrong’s 80 head of grazing cattle were forced to higher ground…on the railroad grade. An arriving train forced Armstrong to parade the cattle down the railroad tracks to wheat fields west of Bartlesville. Flooding of one depth or another happened many times a year; however, in 1916, ice was the greater danger requiring Washington County Sheriff Grif Graham to dynamite the ice-jam that threatened the Caney River Bridge. Humorous pioneers said, “The ice was very thick and since then, the nation has been on thin ice.” Another flood October 1926 recorded the Caney River at 25’ and, at that time, was recorded as the biggest flood on record. Washington County residents had had enough. The Great Depression gripped the United Stated in 1933 … approximately 15 million Americans were unemployed and our nation’s banking system was in failure. As part of FDR’s New Deal, an “alphabet soup” of federal agencies like the Public Works Administration (PWA) were established to set in action FDR’s

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

NOW YOU KNOW “Three R’s” … Relief for the unemployed, Recovery of the economy and Reform of capitalism though social welfare programs. The focus of the PWA was large scale public-works like dams and this was the perfect time to push the administration for the Hulah Dam project. The ever diligent Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce with Phillips Petroleum executives and Don Tyler, the chairman of the Chamber’s Flood Control Committee, began speaking to U.S. Congressman Wesley Disney in 1933, first with correspondence and then in-person visits. The letters detailed the unemployment situation in ten counties surrounding the projected Hulah Dam project, stating twenty-five thousand families were affected. An Emergency Relief Act application was sent to Congress and although the Hulah Dam project was endorsed and included in a bill before Congress in 1934, politics happened … the PWA funds were expended to other projects and the Hulah Dam was on hold. The project was then approved under the Flood Control Act of June 1936 but again no money was allocated. During a 1937 hearing, additional hurdles arose when Congress required the state of Oklahoma to pay one-million-dollars towards right of ways and damages that would be incurred during construction of the dam … an expense which would be returned in-part though the Gross Production Tax. Correspondence and meetings continued through July 1938 when the federal government finally agreed to pay the cost of the entire Hulah Dam project … however, there was no progress. In May 1943, the Assistant Adjutant General of the Territory of Hawaii was traveling to visit his son at the American Military Academy in Claremore via the Santa Fe Railroad. Unfortunately, the Caney River flooded to 40 feet trapping three trains with passengers in Dewey. When Mr. D.M. DeMerritt returned to Hawaii, he wrote a glowing letter to the Mayor of Dewey and the Governor of Oklahoma hailing the generous actions of the church ladies who fed the weary stranded passengers. The Governor took notice … but still no progress. Noble Desmond “N.D.” Welty was the editor of the Bartlesville Morning Examiner and shared earlier war time with Secretary of

Interior Harold Ickles who was in charge of implementing much of FDR’s relief programs. Welty tapped his friendship with Ickles to push the Hulah Dam project along and, although the project looked promising, WWII interrupted the progress yet again. Torrid editorial comments about project delays were nothing new coming from the Welty’s but as N.D. grew increasingly frustrated, he placed an October 31, 1945 newspaper article announcement saying, “When and if Senator Elmer Thomas and Governor Robert Kerr get the Hulah Dam started, we'll eat crow.” Construction of the eleven-million-dollar earth-filled dam began April 1946 and Kerr and Thomas graciously accepted the dinner invitation. Crows were captured and placed in a cage for all to “poke fun.” Then, on May 3, 1946, the Crow Eater’s Dinner was set before N.D. and his sons Budge and Don Welty at the Civic Center in Bartlesville. Luckily, at the last minute, Kerr and Thomas relented and the Welty’s enjoyed baked guinea hens, substituted for the crow, with crow feathers decorating their table. Toastmaster Al Potter roast the Welty’s in fine style and laughs were enjoyed by all 400 guests who had a scrumptious fried chicken dinner. The eleven-million-dollar Hulah Dam project was inspected and released to the Army Corps of Engineers in February 1951. Although the Hulah Lake consumed farm and grass lands, relocated two cemeteries and misplaced some residents, the project offers much more than flood control with a complete recreational package of boating, fishing, camping and picnicking. In addition, in times of drought, the Hulah Dam has been a critical water supply for downstream residents and cities. Engineers pointed out that of the 50 floods that occurred on the Caney River at Bartlesville between 1922 and 1947, 26 could have been effectively controlled and the remainder would have been greatly reduced by the Hulah Dam. The Copan Dam added to the flood control in 1982.

Did You Know? As early as 1952, the Oklahoma Boat Racing Association and the Bartlesville Exchange Club presented runabout and hydroplane boat races at Hulah Lake. Bartlesville’s “Blackie” Bell dazzled the crowds with his hydro-glider 100 feet above the water. Now You Know*

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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The

incredible, untold story

of the Col-Hi Wildcats’ 1966-67 Championship Season written by Bartlesville’s own Carl McCullough

Coming March 2021

“Debut author Carl McCullough has captured not only a great sports story, but provides food for thought on current issues. His treatment of racism is sensitive and timely.” -Former Sooners and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer 48

bmonthly | MARCH 2021

SPOTLIGHT

Sid and the Boys Playing Ball in the Face of Race and Big Business by Mike Wilt Writing a book may have been on Carl McCullough’s retirement to-do list, but writing about Bartlesville’s first high school state basketball championship was not. That changed in October 2019 when the former Navy pilot and White House staffer saw a Facebook post. It featured a photo of Coach Sid Burton surrounded by some of his College High School players following Burton’s induction into the Bartlesville Sports Hall of Fame. “I knew right then I had a wonderful story,” McCullough said from his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. A Bartlesville native who graduated Col-Hi in 1962, McCullough is the author of Sid and the Boys: Playing Ball in the Face of Race and Big Business, a book that chronicles the Wildcats’ incredible journey to win the 1966-67 boys state basketball title. “They conquered an overwhelming schedule and won a championship against all odds,” McCullough said. “It’s one of greatest upsets in Oklahoma high school history.” Those familiar with the 1986 movie Hoosiers will readily identify with the Wildcats as they take on a tall, talented, and undefeated Oklahoma City Douglass team before 6,000 fans at the Tulsa Assembly Center. And, just like the movie, the story focuses on a coach and his players. “Sid is a Bartlesville institution.” Sid Burton grew up in Bartlesville and graduated Col-Hi in 1949. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he returned to coach and teach history. Known simply as “Sid” to adults and students alike, Burton was a very popular teacher and an adored coach. “His players loved him,” McCullough said. “He never yelled at them. He never cussed at them. He was just a fine man. Still is.” Now 89, Burton currently lives in Norman, OK. Ernest Guery, a tremendous shooter who was the tallest of the starting five at just over six feet, passed away in 2004. Now in their 70s, the four surviving starters include David “Petey” Peterson, Pat “Boody” Sears, Ernie Jackson, and Scott Martin, the only junior of the five. All four were only five feet, eleven inches tall and all were multi-sport athletes. However, they were much different in other ways. “Scott’s dad was an executive at Phillips Petroleum Company while Ernie came from one of the poorest families in town. Ernie’s house didn’t have running water until he was in the third grade.” However, those differences didn’t matter on the court. United in a common goal, the team ended the regular season with an impressive 19-2 record. Still, nobody expected the Wildcats to

make it to the title game. Once they did, nobody expected them to even be competitive let alone win. McCullough’s book provides riveting details of the Wildcats’ state tournament run along with an interesting history of basketball in Oklahoma. Many are the connections to OU, OSU, KU, the Phillips 66ers, Harlem Globetrotters, and even the NBA. However, as the title suggests, the book also recounts life off the court. “I cannot guarantee everyone will enjoy it.” While McCullough originally set out to write a basketball story, that story led him to how the coach and team were forced to battle “corporate interference.” He also paints a picture of Bartlesville life in the late 1960s. “I just tried to tell the story as it happened. And I just tried to tell how different people viewed things so differently.” The book has received several impressive endorsements from ESPN’s Jay Bilas, OU men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger, former OU and Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer, and hall of fame sports columnist Dick Weiss. “This story deserves to be told beyond Bartlesville, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City,” McCullough said. “It’s more complex, more compelling, and it’s all true.” The book is scheduled to be available via Amazon on March 4, the 54th anniversary of the Wildcats’ remarkable victory. McCullough is hopeful the book’s success will spur additional interest. “This deserves to be a movie.” Whether or not that happens, McCullough is pleased that Sid and his boys will be around to see that their story is told. “This book is a tribute to Sid, the team, and their legacy.” So, don’t wait for the movie. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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ON THE OSAGE

Changing the Atmosphere The Outsiders House Museum Boasts an Attitude of Gratitude by Kelly Bland Follow me – I know where we’re going on this one… 😉 It was a neighborhood you didn’t want to break down in — or have to ask for directions. Churches had boards on their windows; graffiti marked the trail like breadcrumbs. This was the turf of the “Greasers” S.E. Hinton wrote about in her 1967 novel, The Outsiders. This was north Tulsa, just a few miles south of Osage County. It must have seemed fitting to film this movie in the place of which it was written, but upon my first venture there a year or two ago, it didn’t seem fitting at all — it seemed dangerous. I was looking for the house where the Curtis brothers lived in the movie. I’d heard someone was turning it into a museum. Personally, I loved The Outsiders movie and was excited about the treasure hunt I was on from within locked car doors and cautious proceeding. Hey — I’m just being real with ya here. Fast forward. Last Saturday my phone went “ding,” and I had a Facebook message from Danny O’Connor, inviting me to come tour The Outsiders House Museum. Danny was the new owner of the home, now museum; a former California rapper; and to my pleasant surprise, a breath of fresh perspective and personality. As I entered the neighborhood for the second time that afternoon, things were different from when I first searched it out. Cars from visitors at the museum were parked around the block. Out back of the house was a gift shop. In the yard was a large tour bus wrapped in the pictures of the cast from the movie. Inside, I found the house restored to look just as it did in the movie, with pictures and encased displays of outfits worn by Diane Lane and more. You could even sit in the living room floor with a two-layer cake on your lap and an empty beer bottle in your hand to recreate the scene where Two Bit (Emilio Estevez) was watching TV after Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) returns home following the church fire. But, it was what I encountered outside that impressed me the most … I met a giant of a man in more than just stature when I met Danny O’Connor face to face. He was in the yard, smiling with his eyes, his face mask in place, as folks came to enjoy all the hard work and vision he had poured into this piece of pop culture. Taking time to visit with each person and take photos with or for them, you never would have pictured him as a former gang member and hard-core, spiritually bankrupt (his words) rapper. I was daring enough to ask him to sit down with me the following

week to record an episode of the Osagin’ It podcast, and he graciously agreed. What I thought would take about 30 minutes, ended up being a visit that lasted over an hour, as Danny opened up his life and shared his heart on where he’s been and where he is. I’ll be honest, before that interview I pulled up some of Danny’s previous life on YouTube and listened to some of his music. He was quick to correct me when we began our visit that he is a former rapper. While he hasn’t lost one bit of his gift for words, Danny’s life is a song of a different tune today. If you want to be inspired, if you want to be encouraged, and if you’re a Kelly Bland & Danny O’Connor. fan of The Outsiders, you’ll want to download the latest episode of Osagin’ It, where Danny O’Connor shares a love for Oklahoma, an attitude of gratitude, an appreciation for life, and a story worth tuning in for! Check out Osagin’ It on iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Spotify, Google Play, Apple Pods, and most podcast platforms and click on “The Outsiders Museum with Danny O’Connor.” PS – Did you know The Outsiders also had filming locations in downtown Sperry and on the outskirts of Skiatook? You can even stop and take a selfie at the DX Station in Sperry, where Soda Pop Curtis (Rob Lowe) worked in the movie! How neat is that?? Like I love to say, “There’s always something gooood going on in the Osage!” Y’all come see us where #TheSmilesAreAlwaysFree! 😊 You can check us out at VisitTheOsage.com.

The Outsiders House Museum bus, at the museum in North Tulsa. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

OUT & ABOUT

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OUT & ABOUT

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ONCE UPON A TIME

The Birdman of South Keeler by Rita Thurman Barnes As you enter the Bartlesville Area History Museum, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the life-like figure that welcomes you; his name is Frank Griggs. When we sold our starter home in 1973, we moved to a house in the 1400 block of South Keeler and we soon met our neighbor next door – one of the kindest, most genuine gentlemen we’d ever know. As fate would have it, his side-patio doors opened outward toward where we sat on our new front porch swing. Our boys loved that swing and soon became fond of the grandfatherly man next door as well. When we first met Mr. Griggs, he was confined to a wheelchair, but it didn’t stop him from flinging open those patio doors, bird food in hand, where he fed his beloved birds. And it was as if they knew like clockwork that he was coming. Much like a flying circus, birds from everywhere literally descended upon him out of nowhere for their daily feast and our boys were simply fascinated. Little did I realize at the time how much this kindly gentleman would teach me and how little I had known about his connections to the preservation of the founding days of Bartlesville. I recall one warm afternoon (we eventually joined Mr. Griggs to feed his birds) when he said to me, “Rita, do you know that when I first moved to this house that my house and the one you live in were the only houses standing between this

very spot and downtown on this whole street”. I was amazed as he told me about taking a buggy ride to town before he owned a car and about how beautiful the view was along the way – trees surrounding him on all sides and coming upon another person only occasionally. He added that he enjoyed living “in the country” but had adjusted to the town growing up around him. His daughter, Martha, who shared the family home, frequently invited my boys and me in for something to drink and a cookie for the kids. It was thus that I gained entry into the inner sanctum of Frank Griggs’s world. He loved to show off his photos and we loved to look at them as he was a deep well of Bartlesville history. We actually have a wide-angle photo about three feet in width taken at Caney, KS at a meeting of the 1923 Bartlesville/Caney DeMolay conference. My husband’s father was 18 years old in the photo and he was looking into the face of Frank Griggs; the best photographer Bartlesville ever had. The photo will be a cherished inheritance for our sons and a fond addition to their collective memories of Frank Griggs. We eventually bought a house straight across the street on Keeler and continued to be neighbors with Mr. Griggs. I only wish when I lived by him in my 20’s that I’d realized the history maker with whom the birds, my boys and I became friends. Hats off to the memory of Bartlesville’s own beloved birdman and photographer Frank Griggs.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

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MEET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

Chance Franks

Showing People the Way He See Things by Tim Hudson You probably already know Chance Franks — or at least his work — through his pictures on these pages or on t-shirts, hats, and jewelry available online or your favorite local outfitter. Chance is a photographer extraordinaire, and we are happy to feature him this week. “There's been so much variety, and we’ve worked together on a lot of covers and a lot of feature shoots. They’ve all been great in their own rite. There hasn’t been any that I didn’t enjoy completely,” Franks said. “For me personally, from an art side of things, I’ve gotten the opportunity to really bring my spin to whatever it is we are working on.” He said that it’s difficult to pick out a favorite shoot or picture. “They've all been so different. Honestly, I don't know that I could pick one particular shoot as a favorite, just because I have a lot of creative reign in what we do,” he said. "Working with Keith and Christy, we are usually able to visualize it and bring everything together pretty easily.” Chance’s photography skills are a family affair. His mother was also a photographer, doing concert photos in the 70s in San Fransisco. “I shot with some of her old film equipment and I would use point-and-shoot cameras, cell phones, and stuff,” he said, adding that his sister, who was also a photographer, helped him along the way. “My sister actually gifted me my first real camera, and this would have been five years ago. From there it was just planning and just enjoying doing it with a camera that was capable of producing what I wanted to see.”

He said he did some concert photography of his own in Caney, where he was a venue photographer for about a year. “That was actually one of the first paying photography jobs that I had. I’ve shot quite a few concerts over the years, and it's probably one of my favorite things. I get to be involved in everything I love all at the same time, so that really helped fuel me,” he said adding that he’s also taken photos at the world-famous Cains Ballroom. “Oh that was pretty much the creme de la creme for me, you know having all-access and being able to shoot … that was a really really cool experience. Pretty much any time I can take a camera to a show I take it, whether I was asked to or not.” He said that he also likes still life and landscape photography. “I like being able to frame up my shots, and show people the things that I see. It is the best way to be able to represent that and express it,” he said. “That’s what I enjoy probably the most — being able to share what I see, whether it be abstract or something that most people will overlook and walk past. I like being able to draw the beauty or the uniqueness out of it and represent it. I take a lot of joy in that.” MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS

Med Club

Model Offers More Efficient Medical Practice Method Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical clinics were forced to temporarily close their doors. Med Club and Dr. Kerri Williams made quick and minimal adjustments and “did not miss a beat.” FINALLY, our nation’s healthcare industry was pushed to adopt a more efficient practice method similar to Med Club and the Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice model — with an emphasis on healthcare technologies for online doctor’s appointments with telehealth, secure text messaging, and emails while still allowing the important in-person patient visits. Prior to the pandemic, virtual healthcare visits were limited to patients with special circumstances. Traditional healthcare providers had difficulties receiving payment for virtual visits and non-face-to-face communications. About 15% of physician practices were using virtual and technological-based visits for pre-pandemic patient care. Since opening in 2017, Med Club has always had the freedom to practice innovative medicine which incorporates technology that complements high-quality primary care medicine. By not accepting healthcare insurance, Med Club is not required to follow insurance companies’ and large corporations’ burdensome reimbursement rules. Med Club has reasonably-priced monthly membership fees which afford members excellent primary care by providing unlimited office visits for acute and chronic condition ambulatory care, annual wellness exams, sports and school physicals, standard family medicine office procedures, virtual visits, and much more. Dr. Williams accepts 750 patients into her practice. Also, Med Club members are offered deeply-discounted medication and laboratory prices. A Med Club membership is not an insurance plan; patients are encouraged to investigate healthcare insurance in case they have a major health problem. Several local businesses are currently using Med Club as an affordable and accessible way to provide primary care services to their employees. With over 20 years of medical experience, Dr. Williams provides healthcare to patients of all ages. She holds board certification in Family Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine, and has participated in an Emergency Medicine Fellowship program. The American Academy of Family Practice has recognized her with the distinguished honor of the “Degree of Fellow.” In 2016, she received a Master of Health Care Administration from Oklahoma State University. Strong medical experience and spe-

cialized business knowledge have provided her the confidence to leave the “system” and traditional medicine practice norms to become an innovator and medical economic leader. Med Club of Bartlesville is located at 2301 SE Washington Blvd. (across Highway 75 from Washington Park Mall). Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with same-day and next-day appointments generally available. Members are given access to emergency afterhours care via a members-only telephone number. For more information, call 918214-8200 or check out their website, www.medclub.clinic. Med Club has strict COVID-19 protocols for cleaning, safety, and social distancing to provide patients peace of mind while in the clinic. It is imperative that patients maintain contact and have continued care with their doctor. The pandemic has pressed our nation’s healthcare system to change faster and further than ever before. Med Club will continue to adjust and carry on to provide innovative, patient-focused medical care.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

12th ANNUAL

SHAMROCK APRIL 24, 2021 5K & FUN RUN IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR GREEN ON, BARTLESVILLE! RUNNERS, WALKERS & STROLLERS, THIS EVENT IS OPEN FOR EVERYONE.

ANNUAL EVENTS

Shamrock the Ville Downtown Event Pushed to April in Hopes of In-Person by Ann-Janette Webster With the luck of the Irish on their side, Shamrock the Ville just might take place in person this spring. The popular St. Patrick’s Day celebration and 5k road race held in downtown Bartlesville is a much-anticipated annual event known for festivities, prizes, and lively costumes. Usually happening the week of St. Patty’s Day, Shamrock the Ville’s race date has been moved back to April 24 this year — in hopes of keeping the 12th annual race in-person, instead of virtual. Mary Martha Outreach Director Misty Wishall said plans — so far — are in place to host the normal outdoor event, and pushing the starting line to later this spring will help that effort. “We moved the race to April hoping that more people will be vaccinated by then and things could possibly be getting back to normal,” said Wishall. “We will make a hard decision by April 1 as to whether we have to go virtual. It will depend on how things look in our community, as safety for our participants is of utmost importance. We really want to have it in person! This is the first year the run takes place at the new Tower Center at Unity Square and it’s such a good day of fun!” Shamrock the Ville serves as a major fundraiser for non-profit organization Mary Martha Outreach, which provides necessary items to those in need. Last year, MMO gave away over 7.5 million

pounds of food, providing necessities to 7,000 local families. MMO also gives food to support 60+ outside agencies who help additional families in need across our region. “Food insecurities are very real here in Bartlesville and our surrounding communities. This year even more-so, with the pandemic. The funds raised from this event help to meet those needs,” said Wishall. “This year, due to COVID-19, we’ve had to adapt to a contact-free, drive-through food distribution. And our community’s need for food has increased well over 75% this year. Sponsorships and race fees from Shamrock the Ville are an important part of the organization’s budget, directly impacting area communities. Race registration for both the 5k Race and 1mile Fun Run is $25, and includes the ever-popular Shamrock the Ville T-shirt. For those wanting to support the cause ... without having to run ... there is a “Cheer from the Couch” option at the same cost. “Shamrock the Ville is such a fun time, even if you’re not a runner. It’s a carefree, family-oriented event with a great crowd, a live DJ, hilarious costumes ... and bagpipes. We can’t forget the bagpipes!” said Wishall. “I get to be the event’s emcee again this year, and I love being right in the middle of everything that day. It makes my heart swell to see all of the runners, event sponsors, volunteers, and families come together for CCMMO. Nothing makes me happier!” Shamrock the Ville’s race committee will publish a final decision on April 1 as to whether the event will be held in person. In the event the run must be held virtually, paid registrations will be recognized as a donation. Race packets will be distributed via drive-through pick-up at MMO, April 22nd, from 5-7 p.m. A map of the race route, registration details, and more information on Mary Martha Outreach’s operations can be found at ShamRocktheVille.com. MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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FROM THE HEART

Love . . . .

It’s the One Life Necessity Many Homeless are Looking For by Lori Kroh I sat next to her and looked down at her hands. They were folded up together as if to pray, and her knuckles were offset as if they had been broken. Her fingers were gnarled, rough, and calloused. I stared down and hid my manicured nails just freshly polished. I turned my rings around and noted my hands had a softness to them. I quickly moved them into my lap so as to not seem privileged. I compared our lives. In a moment I saw her worn clothes, weathered face, and tilted posture of one who has endured pain. We talked and she told me her story. She had led a life of extreme poverty, deep sorrows, and tremendous despair. She had been beaten by men who didn’t love her. She had been abused by those who said they did. She had lost a child due to a horrific accident and she was forgotten — remembered only when men needed drugs from her — or worse. We sat there drinking our coffee. Everything within me wanted to give her all my advice from growing up, the church, my loved ones, and Oprah. I wanted to remedy her situation with words, and yet, I sensed I just needed to listen. “What can people do for you? What do the homeless need more than anything? Please tell me.” She stared at me and her eyes filled with tears. She said, “No one has ever asked me that before. They usually just hand us stuff and leave.” I leaned in ... I was ready to hear what was needed. I had extra money and extra food and extra clothing to share. I was ready to give whatever was needed. She whispered to me and then I was the one who stared. Suddenly, I felt this overwhelming urge to go cry and be alone. I wanted to hide my emotions and my throat swelled up. I never knew how much anguish existed within someone and also within me. I had said I was ready to give whatever was needed. The truth was I had been giving, yet not truly giving. She spoke and deep down I knew. I didn’t have the remedy. I had the rules. I had the reasons. I had a lot of righteous ways. Yet what was needed in her life was still missing. She whispered to me, “Just treat us like a human being. Look me in the eyes and talk to me. I’m a real person who wants to be loved. I just want to be loved.” As tears filled my eyes and streamed down my face, it became apparent. Then I asked her, “But don’t you need warm food? Don’t you need clothes and a good coat?” She answered me and

said, “I can get food. I can get a coat. What I never seem to get is love. No one cares about me and no one loves me.” It wasn’t enough for me to gather coats, gloves, and necessities and place them with charities while I walk away feeling warm inside. I had not stayed. I dropped off my love in sacks of plastic. Now, I faced my own truth — was I truly giving? I’m sure we could argue both sides and that anything counts. Good Works works good, yet I know she speaks the truth. She was looking for love. She wanted to know that she mattered. Does she need lotion shoved in a baggie or my hands holding hers saying a prayer? Does she need a wool coat or for me to hug her and show her warmth? I’m sure the lists of needs can be met through Amazon, Venmo, and charitable organizations. We have so many people here who want to help, serve, and give. I’m spurred by her words, and what I have to say is that for our community, I know we have more love to give. One thing I know is it just takes a little to do a lot. It’s all of us coming together. She’s been looking for love in all the wrong places. She can stop looking now, because our LOVE is going to find her.

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KNOWING NOWATA

Hidden Treasurers

First Presbyterian Church Boasts State’s Oldest Stained Glass by Carroll Craun

Newcomers to the area, or anyone just passing through Nowata, may not know the secret known to many county residents. Hundreds of years before Oklahoma became a state, craftsmen in other parts of the world — Spain, Germany, and France — were creating works of art using glass and precious woods. Amazingly, some of these ended up in the local Presbyterian Church. Many changes have occurred in the Presbyterian Church over its 124-year history in town. At one time the church was the home to a joint congregation between Methodists and Presbyterians, a testament to the ability of people of different religions working together for the greater good. As funds became available, the congregations split to build their own houses of worship and embellished them with works of art. Today, the Presbyterian Church building is the home of some of the finest stained glass windows in the American Southwest. The windows cover a span of more than 500 years. The sanctuary features a number of very large stained glass windows. One, titled "The Garden of Gethsemane," sits behind an Austin pipe organ. It depicts Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane with the words "Not my will but Thy will be done" above the picture of Christ praying. This window was commissioned as a memorial to the Methodist- Presbyterian Federated Church, 1902-1909. There is a smaller replica of it in the First United Methodist Church in Nowata. “The Good Shepherd” window was dedicated in 1937 to honor Rev. W. E. Locks, Pastor/Builder who served the congregation from 1902-1912. The words "The Lord is my shepherd" are above the picture in stained glass of Christ as the Good Shepherd. One of the most visible to passersby is the 12-foot-wide “Rose” Window that can be seen in the front gable of the church on Delaware Street. This window was commissioned by Mrs. Herbert Campbell of Coffeyville, Kansas, in memory of her husband Herbert Lockhart Campbell, the grandson of Delaware Chief Charles Journeycake. Campbell was an early-day pioneer and

businessman in Nowata. The window was designed and constructed by Beatrice Stebbins in 1966. She was the wife of Pastor Franklin Stebbins of the church and a local school art teacher. The window theme was based upon the words of Christ from John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches". In the center is the Chi Rho symbol for Christ, along with the Greek symbols Alpha and Omega — indicating that Christ is the beginning and the end. The surrounding 12 panels have vines and red grapes topped with the 12 apostles. These carry the shields for each of the apostles, the first branches of the vine. Each shield has an emblem that is associated with the individual apostles, either about their work or manner of death, sometimes with both. Utilizing her skills as an art teacher, Mrs. Stebbins taught the Sunday School children how to make stained glass windows from Milk of Magnesia bottles, brown beer bottles, and green soft drink bottles. Pieces of red glass accented the panes. In the end, a series of 10 windows were installed in the basement and are still enjoyed today. The most famous window is found in the Glass Prayer Chapel, built to honor J. Wood Glass. Mrs. Glass purchased the stained glass "Crucified Christ" from the art collection of William Randolph Hearst in 1941. It was created in France in the early 1540-1570s for the Dukes of Choiseul to be placed in their private chapel. When Hearst acquired it is not known, but Mrs. Glass had it shipped to Nowata and installed in the Glass Prayer Chapel in memory of Mary Cornelia Payne, her mother. The window is one of the oldest authentic original stained glass works of art in the United States and is 90% original glass. Visitors, or those in deep prayer, can sit on an intricatelycarved high-backed wooden bench built in Spain prior to 1560. You never know what is out of sight in buildings as you pass by them on a daily basis, or as you travel through a community.

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

Green Country Pet Cremation Service offers private pet cremation with timely return of ashes in your choice of a decorative wooden urn with an engraved nameplate. If no return of ashes is requested, the ashes will be gently scattered on a beautiful pastoral/garden property. We are located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and gratefully serve pet owners from a wide area surrounding Bartlesville, Dewey, and Northeast Oklahoma. For our fee schedule, please feel free to call us at any time.

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Like us on

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

K & S Beauty Boutique Boutique Offers a Variety of Services to Help People by Maria Gus When Kristi Doss found something that made a difference in her life, she wanted to help others feel the same way. Doss has fibromyalgia and advanced arthritis, and the pain was often draining. Doss had tried many ways to reduce her pain, but it wasn’t until she tried a relatively new therapy, the Sculpt Pod, that she finally found lasting relief.

& S recommends 10 sessions, and another three to six sessions for a “mommy makeover”. Doss said she’s had a few clients who have lost 30 pounds, and others who have found pain relief after surgery. With the plasma pen laser tightening, clients can have a surgery-free facelift. The procedure gives a collagen boost to your face, releasing wrinkles and fading dark spots. Clients can see great results from 30minute sessions three times a week, providing a skin boost and brightened appearance.

Doss told her husband she wanted to bring this therapy treatment to Bartlesville. “It was important to me to share it,” said Doss. She felt that the therapy seemed like something the community could benefit from, and he didn’t hesitate to support her. Doss soon purchased the upgraded Sculpt Pod Pro and hoped to introduce others to something that could help them, too. Doss and her sister, Stacey Goodwin, opened K & S Beauty Boutique in August of 2020, and have been providing tremendous relief to those suffering from chronic pain. Not only do they offer treatment with the Sculpt Pod Pro, they also offer plasma pen laser tightening. The sisters provide two services that help clients look and feel great. “One side effect of the Sculpt Pod Pro is weight loss,” said Doss. “This treatment is a holistic approach to detoxing your body.” Doss said that Sculpt Pod Pro clients have not only seen weight loss, but also a decrease in cellulite, a tightening of loose skin, and best of all — wellness. “When I tried a Sculpt Pod, after six sessions my pain level was so decreased I was floored,” said Doss. “I’ve improved 75 - 80%.”

Sculpt Pod Pro sessions are 30 minutes and must be booked by appointment. For more information or to book an appointment, simply call 918-876-6086, leave a message, and Dodd or Goodwin will get right back to you. Appointments can be booked seven days a week. Most customers purchase multi-session packages. For details and pricing visit kandsbeauty.com or find them on facebook. The boutique is located in The Quarters at 4100 SE Adams Blvd. and their phone number is 918-876-6086. “I like the fact that I can experience pain reduction and help others,” said Doss. “We’re helping provide an extended-life benefit.”

Doss said she has not had one client yet that did not lose inches. If clients have a goal of weight loss, K MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | MARCH 2021

TRIBUTE

Bernie Meadows Beloved Local Actor Remembered

“I’ve never met a single person that didn’t like Bernie Meadows. We need more Bernies. The world needs more Bernies.” — Bo Wilson

by Maria Gus On Broadway, when they lose one of their own, they dim the lights in remembrance. If there was one location open that recognized the arts and humanities in Bartlesville, the lights would have been reverently lowered for one of their most beautiful souls with the loss of Bernie Meadows. Bernie’s obituary was a fitting tribute to this true citizen of the community. Bernie gave his all in everything he did, which ranged from volunteering to fundraisers to his love of running and his talent on the stage. Here, we hear from a small sample of the lives he touched and the enormous loss so many are feeling. Kelly Hilburn, friend of Bernie had this to say, “The thing about Bernie, he made everyone feel special, just because he saw you. He believed (the world) should be big and bright and rich for everyone. He was willing to step up to help those who needed light cast their way. He ran for causes, marched in heels, served Christmas breakfasts, the list goes on. Bartlesville benefited over and over because he simply embraced his hometown.”

“When I think of Bernie, those words immediately come to mind. The Bartlesville community lost a great man on February 8th. A loss that is deeply felt all around us.” She went on to talk Bernie spent many a night at Theater Bartlesville, rehearsing about his work with the Pride and supporting the arts. Board “Bernie Meadows was, I think, one of the brightest and Network and Oklahomans for president Angela Cummings kindest souls I have ever had the distinct pleasure of knowEquality-Bartlesville events. She shared, “He always had me woring. He loved his friends. He loved his son, Noah, and his also mentioned his love and ried about his lines days before cat, Sebastian. Bernie loved his city and the people in it.” pride in his son, Noah. “Bernie a big show. I was so nervous for — Kevin Mnich was one of the kindest, gentlesthim, thinking he wouldn’t be souled men I have ever had the ready, then just like magic, on honor of knowing. He made the opening night he would breeze through them. He was the first to world a much brighter, friendlier place.” extend a helping hand, anything you needed, or didn't need, he was there. Any show he wasn't in, you could count on him to be Shelby Brammer met Bernie at the auditions for Our Town at in the audience cheering them on. He was so generous and Theater Bartlesville. She said, “Bernie loved theater, loved to colencouraging. I'm not sure if I will ever meet a more genuinely laborate, and did so with joy and discipline. If I could bring him decent human being.” back now, it would be like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. His town would joyfully embrace him once again, and Bernie Bernie helped many organizations throughout his life. Sheena Meadows would see and feel how very rich he was in friends and Hayes shared wonderful memories of volunteering with Bernie, love and deep admiration.” who she called Mr. Nice Guy and Mr. Dependable. Finally, here are words from Bernie himself. In one of his final messages on social media, Bernie took the time to think of others before himself. A life well lived indeed. “Very thankful for positive vibes as I focus solely on speedy and healthy recovery. Grateful for our frontline Healthcare workforce already unnecessarily overburdened in their part. Grateful they step up anyway. Best well wishes I could receive is knowing our community members are finding out everything they can do to support our medical community. 2021 is a good time to resolve to increase our protection of ourselves and others. Thank you. Compassion, peace and love."

MARCH 2021 | bmonthly

LET FREEDOM RING

The Star-Spangled Banner Lyrics of National Anthem Were Inspired by Fort McHenry Flag by Jay Hastings In the summer of 2008, I had opportunity to attend the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia. In the months there, I studied with law enforcement officers from across the United States and around the globe. While during the week our time was focused on coursework and professional development, on the weekends a few of us would plan trips to several of the region’s historical, cultural, landscape, and sporting treasures. One particular weekend, we traveled to Baltimore and took a tourist boat ride in the Baltimore Harbor. Included in the stops was Fort McHenry. I must admit at the time I was not aware of its significance. I was soon to have a lesson in history. During that excursion, we learned Fort McHenry is still standing, where battle re-enactments are completed and a United States flag with only 15 stars and 15 stripes flies. Like me, you may be asking, what is the significance? The lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner came from a poem written on September 14, 1814, by Francis Scott Key. Key was inspired by a large flag of the then-United States, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, flying triumphantly above Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore. Key had witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy, after which the flag still stood. It was still there. Key’s poem was later set to music “borrowed” from a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith. The Anacreontic Song was already a popular tune in the US, familiar to many. The song, using Key’s words, gained popularity during the 19th century and was played during public events such as those surrounding Independence Day. It soon became known as the Star-Spangled Banner and quickly gained popularity as a patriotic song. In 1889, the United States Navy formally adopted the StarSpangled Banner and recognized the song for official use. By 1916, President Woodrow Wilson was requesting the song be played at military events and other formal governmental occasions. Two years later, the song was played during the seventh-inning stretch of Game One of the 1918 World Series. The tradition of performing the Star-Spangled Banner before every baseball game began during World War II. In 1918, John Charles Linthicum, U.S. Congressman from Maryland, introduced a bill to officially recognize the Star-Spangled Banner as the National Anthem; however, the bill did not pass. More than a decade later, on March 3, 1931, a Congressional Resolution signed by President Herbert Hoover formalized the Star-Spangled Banner as the National Anthem. When the National Anthem was first recognized by law in 1931, there was no prescription as to behavior during its playing. Years later, on June 22, 1942, the law was revised indicating those in 74

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uniform should salute during its playing, while others should simply stand at attention, additionally, with men removing their hats. A short while later, on December 23, 1942, the law was again revised, instructing men and women to stand at attention and face in the direction of the music when being played. That revision also directed men and women to place their hands over their hearts only if the flag was displayed. Those in uniform were still required to salute. Nearly 25 years later, on July 7, 1976, the law was simplified. Men and women were instructed to stand with their hands over their hearts, with men removing their hats, whether or not the flag was displayed, and still with those in uniform saluting. Another 20-plus years later, on August 12, 1998, the law was again rewritten, that time with special revision from the previously referenced "those in uniform" to the broader "members of the Armed Forces and veterans." With that shift, both active-duty military personnel and veterans were instructed to salute during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner, whether or not the flag was displayed. The Anthem and response to it is not without conflict, and even confusion. Due to all of the changes in related law over the years, there has been lack of clarity as to expected posturing, and even additional confusion between directed response to the National Anthem versus the Pledge of Allegiance. Moreover, performance of the song may be described as both revered and feared, often presenting challenges even to professional vocalists. The Star-Spangled Banner, our National Anthem, has stood the test of time for more than 200 years. We as a country, in all of our differences, can choose to unite in the spirit of our National Anthem. Through both triumph and defeat, it is now 2021 and our flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, is still there.

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