June 7, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Teen deserves thanks By John Martin It’s easy to lump today’s teenagers into one cell-phone crazy, foul-mouthed, selfish, rude and poorly attired group. After all, that’s the image that is projected to those of us with fond memories of when children (of all ages) did what they were told. Period! But thankfully, there are exceptions and I have encoun- tered a few of them lately and I want to use what little space Soon after, she developed Thave here to set the record straight. dust pneumonia. She was laid Perhaps the most surprising came recently during the up for two months, and her Class 4A Regional baseball tournament at Harrah. Elk City, illness was one more rock on a heap of problems the Tuttle and Byng were the three teams in the tournament family faced. But like many along with the host Harrah Panthers. Glynda Lomax is a Chris- across the panhandle, coating other Oklahoma families who tian author and podcaster everything in their path and stayed through the Dust Bowl The fourth and final game on Day 1 was between No. 1 who resides in the Ozark choking the life out of farms Days, they kept on going, they Harrah and No. 4 Elk City and it was nearing 10 p.m. and the Mountains of Northern Arkan- and ranches. sas with her two very bossy All around them in North- kept plowing ahead. guys from Elk City were dealing with (1) a 12-2 thumping by dogs. She wrote her first About west Oklahoma people were Sometimes during the the Panthers, (2) the LONG drive home, and (3) the process Life... column in 2003 for a abandoning their homesteads. dry seasons of our lives the newspaper in Dallas.She is Cattle were dying. Crops problems seem to come one of getting ready for school on Friday. after another after another. Ihave been the public address announcer for Harrah planning her next book. were withering in the fields. ‘The problems keep coming Glynda Lomax The eyes of their friends until you can no longer find baseball since before this current crop of Panthers was even “In times like these it is were filled with despair. your way in the blizzard of was born, sometimes even born, so I had finished my duties and was trudging to the good to remember that there Every time they took one step obstacles that has become delivering them when there parking lot with my computer, notebook and items used to have always been times like forward, it seemed they were your life. was no doctor present. As my these.” — Paul Harvey blown three steps back. Day Problems blow in bringing friend Evelyn said, “You just record and write the story for the newspaper in a backpack after day the dust blew in. winds of change you never did the best you could.” slung over my shoulder while pulling my latest broadcasting It happened during the It was late October that wanted, coating everything ‘They refused to give up toy, a portable sound system/music playing machine that is Dust Bowl Days of the Great year and the woman’s small in your life with darkness. In ona brighter tomorrow. In heavy but is on wheels. Depression. The year was son was riding a piece of the barrenness and desolation spite of the dark oppressive 1933 and everything around wood pretending it was a stick that follow, there seems to be circumstances, they got down The sidewalk to the parking lot for those of you not famil- them seemed to be one horse. Suddenly he cried out no life, no joy. Days, months, to the gritty business of daily iar with the terrain is long, narrow and winding, all of which tragedy after another. The in pain. She quickly ran to years go by slowly where survival, the dirty work of contributed to my struggles. year after the stock market him and discovered he had even the smallest comforts surviving one day at a time. crashed, the Texas and Okla- a splinter and was bleed- seem to have left your world. Even though they couldn’t see At the same time, the Elk City players were lugging their homa Panhandles had been ing. Afraid the large splinter Those who walked the dry the end to the dust storms, own gear and making their way to their bus that was await- hailed the most prosperous would cause an infection grounds of tragedy and disas- they knew it was out there ing them in the parking lot. regions in the country. The they had no money to treat, ter in the Dirty Thirties, the somewhere. They refused to price of wheat had soared in the woman quickly left the Great Depression, and other leave their homes, their fami- As I struggled to keep the backpack from sliding off my 1931 and consequently more house to walk three-quarters tough economic times, were lies. They refused not to hope. shoulder and keeping the wheels to the portable sound sys- farmers had plowed more of amile to the field to get the people of incredible courage When the feed ran out for tem on the sidewalk, I saw one of the players from Elk City ground than ever before. child’s father to remove it. and determination who held the livestock, they cut down break away from the bus loading area and quickly make his ‘The resulting oversupply of His older sister decided on in the face of indescrib- thistles. When the thistles ran wheat had caused the price she could do the job and with able hardship. They linked out, they dug up soap weed. way back into the stadium. to drop to less than half of the aquick yank, she had it out, arms and hearts with the But no matter what obstacle “Probably forgot something,” I mused to myself when all previous years. Cattle prices then she and her sister set out others who stayed in a bond of they faced, they refused to ofa sudden, a huge, nice-looking young man in a sweaty, plummeted as well. Turbulent to call their mother back from common purpose and kept on give up. weather patterns and record the field. Rounding the corner believing. At last one day the winds dirty No. 22 Elk City uniform approached me and said, “Do breaking storms added to the of the house, they found her In silent agreement, they of change began to blow the you need some help, sir?” already disastrous conditions. lying on the ground. She had all began to pull together. If other way. At first just a slight Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed the backpack ‘Then the winds came. And fainted from seeing blood, but one got sick, another would shift in the breeze, then finally they blew. And blew. And worse, she had breathed in go sit through the night with ..... Yefreshing rains came. and easily swung it up on his shoulder, snatched the por- blew. an ominous amount of dust, them. If someone passed And with the rain, came table sound system from my hand, turned to me and politely Picking up topsoil already which could prove far more away, others would sit with the rainbows they had all asked, “Where is your car, sir? dry from drought, the winds dangerous than any splinter the family until after the believed in. carried away the very es- or any faint in those days. funeral. If one of the farmers Fighting back tears ofjoy, I indicated the location and he sence of the plains, destroy- ‘They rolled her over on was injured, others would “Anytime you suffer a promptly laid his own backpack down and took off for the ing muchofthe already un- her back and wiped the dust go and help with planting or setback or disappointment, parking lot. Upon arrival at my vehicle, he opened the trunk, dervalued wheat crop. Huge from her face, moved her harvesting. Older women put your head down and plow black clouds of dust rolled inside and sent for the doctor. showed up when a new baby ahead.” - Les Brown placed the items inside, handed me the keys and said, “Will there be someone to help you unload when you get home?” EIk City had a fine season and made the playoffs, but they (at least one of them) will always have a place in my heart and it will have nothing to do with the success on the athletic OICA Taking Nominations for 2019 field. Thank you, Karsen Dixon. John Martin, 83, writes for a newspaper group located “People’s Choice” Award Winners near Oklahoma City and the above excerpt came from a recent column in the Choctaw Times. By Joe Dorman at: http://oica.org/awards/ First Lady Sarah Stitt. sorships can be purchased at anne-roberts-peoples-choice- The Heroes Ball is a semi- OICA.org. Winners Will Be An- award/ formal event, but attend- OICA Chief Executive nounced at July 26 Heroes Last year’s Anne Rob- ees can also dress as their Officer Joe Dorman said the Have a letter to Ball erts People’s Choice Award winners were Cody Inman, favorite superhero in honor of child advocates who have event will raise awareness for OKLAHOMA CITY ~The Assistant to the Director at reached “hero status” for children’s issues and honor the editor? Email Oklahoma Institute for Child the Oklahoma Department of the work they do on behalf of those who have gone above and beyond on behalf of Okla- Advocacy (OICA) is asking Human Services, for his work children. for nominations from the and advocacy on behalf of Heroes Ball attendees will homa children. it to editor@ public for its 2019 “Anne foster children; and Peppers participate in live and silent Everyone knows a person Roberts People’s Choice Ranch, for the services and auctions, a raffle, games on or an organization in their Awards.” The awards honor treatment it offers to children and wine pull. Guests must community that is changing ecdailynews.com an outstanding organization who are abused or neglected. be over 21, but parents and the lives of children for the and individual working to The awards are named after guardians can drop children better,” said Dorman. “The improve children’s lives. The OICA’s longest-serving ex- ages 6-12 off at the “Sidekicks or stop by 206 W. winners will be announced at ecutive director. Ball.” The Sidekicks Ball will People’s Choice Awards represent an opportunity to the third annual OICA Heroes Other individuals and have kid friendly activities, Ball on the evening of Friday, organizations, selected by the music, food, and a superhero make sure they receive the Broadway, Elk City. July 26th at the Skirvin Hilton OICA board of directors, will school with special appear- recognition they deserve and in Oklahoma City. Nomina- be recognized at the Heroes ances from superheroes in to inspire others to follow in tions can be submitted online Ball with a welcome from costume. Tickets and spon- their footsteps.”