August 6, 2022 Issue, Page 3 of 8

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News August 6, 2022 Merritt One Hundred Years Ago, August 1922 being burned. If not for his bravery, the child would have perished in the fire! Continued from page 2. August was a month of ing on so tightly to the dash- water in Elk City. They cleared held. The wind blew the fire Granville L. Fair and Mrs. Ellen Shore had a wedding of picnics, revivals and draught. board, that he could hardly be out some fish that had been into the church, which was old-time sweethearts. The changed inhouse suspension Babies died from “summer di- pried lose. Mrs. Boomer anda caught in the spillway, opened forty or fifty feet east of the ar- couple knew each other from to an intervention because arthea.” Harvests were begin- three-month-old babe in arms dead lines, and cleaned out the bor. Evangelist W. E. Ellis’s car childhood in Kansas and Mis- we've put in school interven- ning. were thrown out of the wagon, tanks over at the pump station was between the arbor and the souri, Their families moved As they were coming to town, which passed over her body, that were clogged with mud. church but was quickly moved apart when Granville and Ellen tions for this coming school Willie Cooper's team became but they were uninjured. This resulted in marked im- over to the fence. Alford Man- were in their teens, and they year,” Peffer said. frightened by a car and ran Despite the company’s ef- provement in the city’s water nin’s team of mules tied near knew nothing of each other She also said that the teach- away. Willie, his wife and an- forts to cap the big Barker gas quality. the arbor became frightened for 37 years. Passing through ers have agreed to limit their other passenger were thrown and oil well seven miles north- The protracted drought in and bolted. ‘They entangled Oklahoma City, Fair met Mrs. cell phone use, and the prob- out. Mrs. Cooper was bruised west of Carter, it was still “run- Western Oklahoma caused themselves in the fence; the Shores and the old sparks re- lem relates not only to the kids from being dragged under the ning as wild as ever.” The well considerable worry among fence wire caught around the kindled. buggy, which was demolished. was mudded over when the farmers. Corn was past re- car and the mules pulled both This article was written by but to adults, too. As they were returning home, valve atop the well shut it off. demption, pastures were dry- the car and their wagon into Luanne R. Eisler and taken “We talked about that (cell- the team became frightened ‘That lasted an entire thirteen ing, streams ceased running with the fire destroying both along from items published in The phone use) as a staff. We, our- again and ran away the second minutes when 2,700 feet of and cisterns were empty. There themselves. This all hap- Carter Express, The Elk City selves, have to do a better job time in less than a week, toss- clay shot up into the air show- had been no rain in these parts pened within about ten min- Press and The Elk City News- Democrat; these newspapers ing the buggy and throwing ing that the well just might be since the first week of June! utes! The team also knocked when we go out between class- out all three! bigger than folks thought. Just before revival services down Mr. Wittenberg’s son can be found on microfilm at es. When they are in the hall Inarelated incident, Virgil “The Rita well, ten miles east started at the Nazarene church who was at the meeting and, the Elk City Carnegie Library. monitoring classes that they Boomer was badly hurt when 4,130 of Elk City, drilled to a depth of nine miles southeast of Elk while down, he saw a little Supplementary informa- are not standing there check- feet, completely passing City, a gasoline lantern blazed child of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis in tion was taken from Heritage his team ran away. He was the red-bed formation; the cas- up and set fire to the arbor in the arbor; he got the child and Quest, and www.dollartimes. ing their phone. I think adults caught between the wheel and ing was almost setting on lime which the meeting was to be himself out, narrowly escaping com. are just as bad. When sitting bed of the spring wagon when rock. Drilling was resumed the team bolted. Thinking to with the arrival of the right Heartland Museum Unveils in a room full of adults for not very long, give it five min- save Clyde, his three-year-old sized sand line as the old one son in the wagon, Virgil held was not long enough to reach onto the reins. He was badly the bottom of the hole. Civil Defense Display utes, then everybodys on their phone. They are not talking to hurt. After some distance, Mayor Brown and others each other,” she said. the team was stopped, and were busy trying to find the Headphones and smart the little fellow was hold- source of the foul-smelling The Heartland of America as we approach an important student newspaper carried sto- Museum is reminding the Cold War anniversary this fall,” ries about civil defense mea- watches are also included in the public of a time when west- Brewer said. sures being taken to survive,” policy. It says, “Wireless head- ern Oklahomans prepared for During the Kennedy presi- Brewer said. phones and smartwatches are nuclear war. dency in the early 1960s, the As with the rest of the na- also to be stored away in bags In November 2020, SWOSU federal government began a tion, fallout shelters were iden- or backpacks. Headphones can history professor and museum nationwide program to identi- tified and stocked in western only be used in the classroom board member Landry Brewer fy existing buildings to be used Oklahoma's cities, including acquired some decades-old as fallout shelters and stock eight on the SWOSU campus when connected to school-is- western Oklahoma Cold War them with supplies. in Weatherford. The museum's sued devices if the classroom civil defense items, and he cre- Shortly afterward the federal display includes a 1966 photo- teacher is allowing them for in- ated the display “Preparing to fallout shelter sign was created graph of campus shelter Stew- structional purposes. If there Survive Nuclear Attack: West- to be placed on buildings that art Hall, and a 1970 photo of is a medical reason to use the ern Oklahoma Cold War Civil met the federal government's the Old Science Building, alsoa Defense,” which is the new ro- criteria, and these would be cell phone during the day, that fallout shelter. may be allowed per a 504 or tating exhibit at the Weather- stocked with survival supplies. When the Cold War ended af- ford museum. ‘The Elk City fallout shelter medical plan please contact the The display features items supplies that Brewer used for ter the Soviet Union disbanded office.” that the federal government his display were a result of this in the early 1990s, many civil As Merritt students return provided to Elk City, including program. defense supplies were placed in water barrels, food, sanitation ‘This October is the 60th an- storage and, over time, thrown to the classroom, this is the kits from the 1960s, radioac- niversary of the 1962 Cuban away. major change they will face. tivity monitoring devices, andMissile Crisis, when President “We're pleased to preserve ‘There could be challenges in re- part of a civil defense siren Kennedy learned that the So- some local civil defense arti- membering to put the phones that would have warned locals viet Union was placing missiles facts and share them with the away, but with constant re- of a nuclear attack. in Cuba capable of reaching public and remember a time minders and a few consequenc- “While researching Okla- the United States with nuclear when fear of nuclear war was es throughout the year, it will homa civil defense, I learned bombs. part of daily life for western get easier. Peffer said there of specific steps that west- “This was the closest that the Oklahomans,” Brewer said. ern Oklahoma cities took to United States and the Soviet ‘The Heartland of America have been other districts who survive nuclear war, and the Union came to nuclear war, Museum is located at 1600 S. made the change this year. This Heartland Museum wanted and newspapersin Elk City and Frontage Road, between I-40 change was made for the stu- to share some of this visually Altus and even the SWOSU Exits 82 & 84 in Weatherford. dents’ development and learn- ing environment. = BLOOD DONORSud HERO Check reactions of the pol- * icy at the “Meet the Teacher Night” on Tuesday, August 9th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and meet iy) BLOOD DONOR the new teachers are Amanda Carr, Alexia Newman, Kristin Lydia Charlson, 6, with her 1st place fish of Bibs 602. Walter, and Sarah Pierce. Photo by Shay Charlson. When can you choose retirement? Elk City Community If you're like most people, Clearly, some of these choices ing significant financial stress, your work has been a central will require more resources so it’s possible that we may part of your life. So, wouldn’t than others, so you'll want to see changes to Social Security, Blood Drive follow a financial strategy that it be nice to have the flexibility to decide when you no longer aligns with the retirement life- based on actions Congress Sponsored by Great Plains Regional want to work? style you intend to pursue. could take. In any case, you Am I saving and investing might want to be fairly conser- Many people of retirement enough? As you chart your vative in estimating how much Tuesday, August 16 age have achieved this type course toward your retirement Social Security can contribute of control. In fact, two-thirds journey, you'll want to assess Old VFW Hall e 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. of workers ages 65 and older the sources of income you'll to your retirement income. Contact Yvette Miller in the say they work primarily be- have available. If you think you By addressing the above cause they want to, not be- may be falling short of achiev- questions, you can get a clearer Lab at 580-821-5552. cause they have to, according ing your retirement goals, you sense of when you might reach to a 2021 study by Edward may need to consider saving the point at which work is op- Jones and Age Wave. But that more. First Christian Church e Noon - 6 p.m. tional. But you'll also need to Contact Oklahoma Blood Institute at means that one-third of work- When should I start taking ers in this age group feel finan- Social Security? You can begin consider other factors, too, 877-340-8777 or visit obi.org. cially compelled to work. This collecting Social Security ben- such as how much you enjoy doesn’t necessarily mean they efits as early as 62, but your working or when your spouse dislike the work they do — but monthly payments will be or partner is planning to retire. Free vintage t-shirt if you bring a friend! it’s probably fair to say they much bigger if you wait un- In any case, the sooner you would have liked the option of til your “full” retirement age, Donors receive a Blood Donor Hero t-shirt not working, How can you give which will likely be between start planning for this next and choice of one of the following tickets:* yourself this choice? 66 and 67. Your decision about phase of your life, the better when to take Social Security position you'll be in when it’s You can start by asking will depend on several factors, time to make the transition. yourself these questions: including your other sources of income and your family his- When do I want to retire? tory of longevity. Of course, ‘This article was written by Ed- You'll want to identify the age as you're probably aware, the ward Jones for use by your local at which you wish to retire. Social Security system is fac- Edward Jones Financial Advisor. You may change your mind later and move this date up or back, but it’s a good idea to Edward Jones OMT ADMIT ADM Ty have a target in mind. What sort of retirement life- MAKING SENSE OF INVESTING qwO ONE ONE style do I want? When you re- Edward Jones, Member SIPC tire, do you anticipate staying dose to home and pursuing 2014 W. 3rd | Elk City, OK 73644 your hobbies, or do you hope to travel the world? Would you like to spend your time volun- Robert Stephens (580) 225-3156 tering? Open your own busi- Financial Advisor [email protected] ness or do some consulting?