July 21, 2021 Issue, Page 2 of 8

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2 July 21, 2021 News Dust Bowl Still Remembered, by Richard Stephe game, we played Okarche. They perfect on the side of the bag. ously, they have done raffles to Heroes CrushersWords: Round had a really good arm on the Then the catcher had a wild 1000 (without counting “Foraisemore mound, and we shut us out informa money. Interested pitch and missed it. Khourie spon- Continued from page 1. the first three innings. In the was able to steal home on that, sors are encouraged to contact Town Continued from page 1. fourth, we got really timely The Great Depression. Dust storms and drought. TwoPrice through to put on that event and we re- On Thursday, the boys started catastrophes Facebook. o hits by Kaleb Wills. He scored and we won 7-6.” The final game for the state ally enjoyed it. I know we had in two runs. Easton Briscoe championship didn’t go their “We will also have an open try- several of our guys there. We their rally back. Each day until July 24 also had a great game,” he said. way, though. got kind of busy during that Wednesday, they would play at out in the next couple of weeks Sizzlin’ Summer Side- event so we had to pull away the 1930s on the Great Plains. People lost their jobs and least two games. their farms. On Saturday, the tournament redrew in the loser’s bracket. as we prepare to move up to “We played Sallisaw at Sallisaw. Frankly, our little guys were but man, we really appreciate “Start off against Stigler, and walk Sale - Retail District everything they did and it’s “We were ready to go out and out of gas. We had done our just great being in a commu- they jump up three runs on us. 12u. This isn’t a handpicked beat Kingfisher. Khourie Mc- best to keep them rested, but August 6 lesson. For most, it is. Not for farmers and ranchers in nity that has people that will do that.” We came back, though. Tanner Ruiz came in clutch with a hit the areaearnsaffec Clure, Easton Price and Cason team. Everyone their they were excited. They love Organizers and sponsors of Embrey also had rear RBIs. We being around their buddies. to put us up 5-3. Khourie Mc- spot. For that reason, we want Block party Elk City - the Hometown Heroes Meet & saw some great base running We lost that game 7-0. Sallisaw Clure was also essential.” out of Jett Sloan. Taliaferro is a great team. We learned a Downtown Elk City parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Newto Mexico Greet say that they do plan to hold the event again. On Friday, the Crushers bested welcome other kids to get from a pitched very well. We earned lot in that game and our oth- The Elk City News wishes to the Ada Wood Ducks. involved. That is why we have up with one of those plays that ers. The big takeaway is these thank our First Responders “Boone Barker pitched very makes you hold your breath. kids have a great future.” the fundraisers, too. We don’t Oklahoma No Tax and Healthcare workers for Weekend, Clothing and their service. See more photos from the pass down family stories and changed how they care for well. We ended up in extra in- nings. Marcum came back in thelittle land. So Khourie McClure went to steal want any guy to miss third and won out on a close The team is considering host- ing a wooden bat tournament event on page 8. and held them out. In our night play at third. His slide was in the fall in Elk City. Previ- out.” footwear under $100.00 - Retail District through it. They were children then. But they remember. How can o “Movies in the Park” Dust Bowl Still Remembered sponsored by One Church, Ackley Park August 7 Oklahoma No Tax Weekend, Clothing and footwear under $100.00 - Retail District August 8 Oklahoma No Tax Weekend, Clothing and footwear under $100.00 - Retail District August 11 Western Oklahoma Cox family about 1940 in Wheeler, Texas. Back row (L to R) LaVerne, Grace and Claude https://meganandolivia.weebly.com/ Cox. Her sisters and brother are in front. Courtesy of Nelda Tucker. Photo by Richard Ste- Christian School back in phens, Jr. session. By Richard Stephens, Jr. lived five and a half miles east water, Oklahoma. “I’ve lived day, just like this. So, I was in help was on the way. of Wheeler, Texas, on highway in the same house 77 years.” The Great Depression. 52,” LaVerne Tucker said. They had three children: https://meganandolivia.weebly.c the Bowl. I remember.” Mr. Sam’s family moved Federal programs such as the Agricultural Adjustment August 12 Dust storms and drought. She was seated in Sayre’s City Tommy, Danny and Earlene to Oklahoma City in the late Two catastrophes occurred at Administration (AAA) and Park after riding on a parade Tucker. All are farmers – 1930s, possibly due to the Elk City School back in the same time in the 1930s float holding five generations Civilian Conservation Corps, farming is a glue that bonds drought and low prices of on the Great Plains. People of the Tucker family in the both “New Deal” programs the Tucker family together. crops. His father got a job session. lost their jobs and their farms. Seems like a history book LaVerne Tucker, 98 years old, sees it vividly still. Big, billow Dust Bowl Days Farm and Ranch Festival. Her father Each generation of farmers with Dolese, a cement maker. instituted by President Franklin Roosevelt, assisted lesson. For most, it is. Not faces different challenges. The Mr. Sam served in WWII, then and mother, Claude and Grace farmers. The AAA paid cotton Merritt School back in for farmers and ranchers in Cox, owned 160 acres. They Dust Bowl affected people worked for Dolese like his the area affected by the Dust many in Oklahoma too. and wheat farmers to reduce session. blotted out the sun for hours – even days: red if the dirt came from K Bowl (large parts of Colorado, grew cotton, broomcorn, and wheat and raised cattle. “You “Mr. Sam” Gillaspy lived father. Later, he bought his “Rock of Ages Farm” in Luther their farming acreage, which Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and couldn’t grow because of the on his family farm east of and still grows crops on it. raised prices for their crops New Mexico from about 1932 dust…[for] a couple of years. Oklahoma City. Although he Farming families often and allowed natural vegeta- Canute School back in to 1940): they pass down fam- is 94 years old, he recounted tion to regrow. “Producers of session. ily stories and changed how it came from Colorado. The cruel winds dumped tons of dust and silt We didn’t grow much.” But the Cox stayed and tried their his story about the Dust Bowl pass down stories of hard times. The grandfather of Con- some other crops also received they care for the land. Some, without hesitation. in their 90s now, lived through best. gressman Frank Lucas, OK-03, federal benefits, and programs “I was about five years old. it. They were children then. As the oldest sibling of six farmed near the town of Craw- were implemented to assist I was at home … Mother was August 16 But they remember. How can one forget? topsoil for years. Dust blanketed everything in one’s home. In peopl (five daughters, one son), it was Tucker’s duty to farm the starting to put rags all the way ford (north of Sayre), during the Dust Bowl period. He used hog and cattle raisers” accord- ing to Oklahoma’s Historical Teacher Appreciation around the old doors and win- LaVerne Tucker, 98 years land as a young teenager dur- to tell the family about the first Society. “Federal programs old, sees it vividly still. Big, dows. I said, ‘Mother, what in Dinner 6 p.m. Elk City, ing the mid-1930s. She rode a big dust storm, in 1935. It oc- also included better farm billowing, dark dust clouds the world are you doing?’ She Merritt, Canute, Hammon, that blotted out the sun for and all over the body. Crops usually failed and animals died or half-s “Go-Devil” which “…was used in the depression days to help said, ‘I’m going to keep the curred after a community base- ball game on a Sunday after- credit facilities and payment hours – even days: red if the dirt and the sand out.’ I said, for certain soil conservation keep moisture in the soil and ‘What dirt and what sand?’ noon. Frank Lucas remembers practices.” Contour farming WOCS and Burns Flat/ dirt came from Kansas or Oklahoma; black if it came allow the kernels to be planted She led me outside and she his grandfather’s story. “They (terracing) helped keep the Dill City. First Baptist from Colorado. The cruel winds dumped tons of dust or water. deeper” reports the Daviess County Historical Society & pointed northwest and there had just concluded a week-long hellfire and brimstone revival, little amount of rain that came Church Activity Center. was the biggest, blackest cloud from washing away. Trees in and silt on farms and blew Museum in Indiana. Tucker I had ever seen in my life.” and this giant dust storm was shelter belts, which Tucker away topsoil for years. Dust said, “It was like a sled.” Two His voice rose with excite- rolling in and it looked like a planted, grew roots that held blanketed everything in one’s horses would pull a seated ment. ‘Mother, it’s going to giant log. Somebody in the soil and reduced the amount August 21 Fit & Fun Bicycle Ride home. In people’s hair, nos- trils, and mouth and all over “We lived on a farm. We lived five and a half miles east of W rider along rows of crops and move the dirt to the plants. rain!’ She said, ‘No, son, that’s dirt, sand, and it’s going to be crowd … announced, ‘Oh my goodness. We didn't listen blowing away from fields. Farming methods vastly im- the body. Crops usually failed “We went to the field. We to the preacher. We weren't here in about an hour.” He proved in the last eighty years, and Disk Golf Tourna- and animals died or half- all went to the field.’ During spoke faster. “This was in the repenting enough. It's the end making dust storms a thing of starved without enough food ment, Elk Lake. or water. harvest and other times, “You middle of the afternoon … and of the world.’ And the crowd the past. “We lived on a farm. We helped your neighbors and it started getting dark. And got spooked and scattered and The dust storms may be your neighbors helped you.” pretty soon, I could not see my went in all directions.” Many gone, but LaVerne Tucker and LaVerne married Earl C. hands because it was so dark. believed they were being pun- Mr. Sam Gillaspy remember Tucker after WWII and moved And about an hour later, it ished until learning why top- those hard times. How can to his family’s farm in Sweet- passed over and it was a clear soil was blowing away. Luckily, one forget? (USPS # 173-020) 580-225-3000 Is published twice weekly by Beckham County Media, LLC 109 W. Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644-4736 Periodicals Postage Paid at Elk City, OK 73644 Send obituaries to POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 109 W. 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