Do you recall the story of Francis Scott Key and how he came to write The Star Spangled Banner? British ships bombarded Ft. McHenry all night and when morning came, Mr. Key anxiously scanned the sky to see whether the American flag still waved at the fort. The morning light finally revealed that magnificent banner, […]
May 20, 2024
Culture and Traditions
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One by one, we abandon traditions, leaving the past behind. It’s sad, because, although we shouldn’t live in the past, we need a sense of continuity. There is something comforting about following patterns, about observing practices that have been carried down through generations. It gives me a connection to my ancestors. Decoration Day, always the […]
May 3, 2024
Help and Courage
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This is the second and final installment of my May 5, 1985 Daily Press article about the tornado which destroyed Peggs, Oklahoma on May 2, 1920. This was 104 years ago but it’s a part of history that shouldn’t be forgotten. In 1920, Walter Neel lived with his parents, brothers and sisters on the Gid […]
May 2, 2024
Remembering an Oklahoma Tornado
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Each year I re-print the story of the Peggs tornado that I wrote for The Tahlequah Daily Press in 1985. This story is important because it is a part of our history. It is a sad story, but it is also full of human compassion and courage. We should not forget the many whose lives […]
Apr 23, 2024
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare
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For goodness sake, it is not a foregone conclusion that all is doom and gloom. I refuse to budge an inch from my belief that all will be well. All the phrases in italics are attributed to William Shakespeare, that great master of words, who was born on this day in 1564 and died on this day in […]
