Goldbug Fight Song…
On A . . H . . S! On A . . H . . S!
To the tune of “ON Wisconsin", Courtesy of Univ. of Wisconsin
On A . . H . . S!, On A . . H . . S,
Fight on for your fame.
Make a score in every quarter
And we’ll win this game.
Rah . . Rah . . Rah
On A . . H . . S, On A . . H . . S,
Fight on for your fame.
Fight, Goldbugs, Fight
And we will win this game.
In the 1920s there was a song composed by Earl Shelley during the ’20s and was used to open all their school assemblies. Complete lyrics to the song are:
Once again we as schoolmates assemble,
we far would lift our hearts in song,
to our high shcool our dear Alma mater,
let gladness the moments prolong.
We are proud of our lads and our lasses,
of honors won in days gone by,
so here’s a cheer for Alva High School,
for Alva High School, for Alva High.
Here’s to our classes,
here’s to our lasses,
here’s to the lads they adore.
Here’s to the seniors so mighty,
juniors so flighty,
freshies and sophomores.
Let mirth and gladness banish all sadness,
and as the days go by,
you’ll find us ready and steady,
boosting for Alva, High.
Soon for us will our school days be ended,
and joys of youth that fade so fast.
But we know that our hearts often ponder,
on mem’ries that are past.
There are joys that will long be remembered,
and friendships too that ne’er shall die.
So here’s a cheer for Alva High School,
for Alva High School, for Alva High.
-- Read more about Alva High Goldbug History.
Early Day Lodge Brothers - McKinney, TexasWho are these “Lodge” brothers of McKinney, Texas?
A lady in St. Louis, Missouri sent us a copy of this old photograph showing a group portrait of Lodge brothers of some kind. We suspect IOOF, because looking at the tent with the crossing shafts behind them you can make out the letters: F, H and C (Faith, Hope and Charity).
This picture was left to Rosemary Benson (Email: rosemarybenson@sbcglobal.net) in an estate/trust from Jimmy Ray McCluskey from McKinney, Texas. He was a Cherokee Indian and his mother’s maiden name was REED. We have Rosemary’s snail-mail address and phone, if needed. If you have or need any more information concerning the old IOOF photo, then email Rosemary Benson at the rosemarybenson@sbcglobal.net. Thanks
We did some searching on the internet for IOOF lodges in McKinney, Texas and found where their three-story IOOF lodge tumbled down around 1913.
If anyone out there has any more clues to the identity of this group lodge brothers, please send an email to Linda - EMAIL: mcwagner.lk@gmail.com(Also found in The OkieLegacy Ezine, Vol. 6, Iss. 50 See also, this PDF file of the : 1938 Ranger yearbook, scroll to pg. 17 of the PDF file for the lyrics of the poem).
We would like to share a few lines from a poem entitled - The Castle On the Hill - written by Thelma Meyers for the 1938 Ranger Album (pg. 2, of Ranger yearbook) .
The Castle On the Hill
“You have written your name in history.
Oh! Northwestern!
You’ve engraved it deep upon the scrolls of fame.
We have linked our lives with yours –
Oh! Norhtwestern!
Our achievements add a luster to your name.
We’ll write your name upon the archives of distinction.
Ambition and achievement e’er will be our aim.
We will write your name with reverence,
Oh! Northwestern!
Our achievements will but glorify the same.
So – then stand ye sons and daughters of Old Northwestern!
Take off your hats to the men upon the field!
They will fight tonight for Old Northwestern
And for the honor of the Castle on the Hill!
So – then stand all ye sons of Old Northwestern!
Paying tribute to the men who never yield.
They will win tonight for Old Northwestern.
And for the glory of the Castle on the Hill!”
— Thelma Meyers —
I remember a “McGill Drugs” in Capron, Oklahoma run by Gene McGill’s Uncle Charles McGill, but I have never heard that there was also a “McGill Drugs” in Burlington, Oklahoma. This is very interesting item that I read in the Alva Review Courier, dated 2 August 2006.
Alva Review/Courier – “…..Burlington had several drug stores when it first began. One of those was the McGill Drug Store, according to historical information. The Burlington Confectionary operated many years although no one is certain when it opened. Pete Schupbach built that structure that is now owned by Marcel Gosselin for storage of his plumbing supplies. Some of the owners listed in the history books are: Harley Crowl, Harmon Campbell, Dr. Charles Shapiro, Mac Mullinox, John Alder, Ralph Kisling, Don Andrews, Frank Schupbach, George Michel, Marcine Diel, Herman “Breezy” Jones and Bob and Helen Hofer (1967-1981)…..”
Old Opera House Mystery - Black Hand Letters of Death (Morals, Miller, Mabel & Murder)By – LK McGill Wagner, the OkieLegacy
What does 1910, Old Opera House, Law Enforcement League, Black Hand Letters, Alva , Oklahoma , Mabel Oakes and Justice of Peace Nelson L. Miller have in common?
This was a time when female purity was regarded as a virtue to be protected. Social standards & dress were according to what was expected and morally correct in society. Women still wore the tight fitting, laced corsets, but there was a change, debate in the air as to if it was a healthy, safe garment for women to wear, confining, restricting their upper torsos. The skirts were to the ground; the coats were below the knees; and the blouses necklines were up around the neck. The “Law Enforcement League” was established, funded for the purpose of enforcing local moral standards, whether they dealt with booze, kissing in motion pictures, separation of races, or investigating backgrounds of newcomers to be sure they were morally acceptable to ruling town fathers.
9 November 1910, considerable excitement was buzzing through government square of Alva , Woods County , Oklahoma . Those favorable to the democratic cause were keeping their eyes, ears glued to the election postings at “Jesse Jackson’s Cigar store,” on the west side of the square, College Avenue, North of Monforts Drugs. On the North side of the square, those favorable to the republican cause were doing the same, upstairs in the two-story building of the “ Woods County Citizens Union Bank,” northeast corner of 5 th Street & Flynn Avenue.
Old Opera House Mystery (The Rest of the Story – Part I)
By – L. K. McGill Wagner, OkieLegacy
The last we left you hanging in suspense when Justice of the Peace Nelson L. Miller found Mabel Oakes body in the Old Opera House around 3:00 p.m., November 9, 1910, in Alva, Oklahoma. Sheriff Martin and Justice Lawhon were gathering people off the street for a late afternoon coroner’s inquest on that same day for an inquiry into the death of our young, 23 year old, single woman, whom was allegedly strangled in the dusty, back room of the Old Opera House. This was to be known as the blackest day in history for this western Oklahoma community.
Later that afternoon, George Oakes filed a Warrant dated 9 November 1910, executed on the 11 November and an Information filing dated 10 November 1910, both of which were signed under oath by George Oakes showing reasonable grounds for the authorities to investigate the mysterious death of his daughter, stating that Justice Nelson Miller, allegedly “willfully, purposely, without authority of law, feloniously, with malice aforethought, and with the premeditated design to effect the death of another human being (Mabel Oakes) by means of a scarf wound around her neck, strangled to death.”
This quote from Howard K. Berry’s book, The Life of Moman Pruiett - He Made It Safe to Murder , page 346-352, will give you an insight of how politically aligned some of the authorities were and states, “The scene was so crudely laid that it failed to fool anyone but the prosecuting authorities who were politically allied with the prominent Miller, and who wanted to be deceived.”
It makes you wonder what would have come of this case if George Oakes had not filed a warrant, information into the mysterious death of his daughter. Mr. Oakes also hired an out of town attorney as leading prosecutor, J. N. Tincher, Medicine Lodge, Kansas to assist the county attorney, Claud McCrory. The “Law Enforcement League” hired and engaged Moman Pruiett as special prosecutor, to assist in the prosecution of Miller. Was Claud McCrory one of those authorities “politically allied” with Miller?
This is an old photo of our Great-Grandpa, John R. Warwick and his brother(s) Pete and another brother or friend. John R. Warwick is seated on the right with brother, Pete, on the left. Another brother or friend is standing behind. (photo ca. January, 1903.).
Are there any Waynoka IOOF Odd Fellows out there... or families of Waynoka IOOF Odd Fellows? We have a group we are also trying to identify. If you look closely in the upper left corner of the photograph you will see a unique buggy. Perhaps it should help us date and maybe identify some of these Odd Fellows. Thanks for any help in advance.
WWI 1917 & 1918 Photos... One of our readers sent a couple of WWI photos taken around September, 1917 & 1918. We are in search of some names and identifications of those in the these photos. If you can help identify some of these WWI veterans, we would love to hear from you. CLICK the small images on the right and left to view the larger pictures. 
These photos were taken by Chick Studios of Alva. We are also searching for the records of Chick Studio and do they still exist and, if so, could the date of the portait be determined? Did Chick Studios offer some sort of a 'deal' for departing soldiers to have portraits made with loved ones before they left? If you know of someone that can help us out, please let us hear from you. Thanks! "