bmonthly August 2025

VICTOR CASEY

CHARLES ALLCOTT

upfront

Welcome to August, friends! Here we go…Back to School. This summer has flown by for us, and I’m sure for you too! We have always done a Back-to-School issue since becoming the managing editors of bmonthly magazine in 2018. We feel it is important to highlight our schools and their history. Some of the schools are no longer here, but you will learn how they all started. Debbie Neece suggested we get Granger Meador to write the Feature story. He wrote the best Feature story when it comes to the history of Bartlesville Public Schools. He crushed it! Thank you, Granger, for such a complete history of Bartlesville schools from 1900 to 2025.

I don’t know if you remember but during the outbreak of Covid the class of 2020 couldn’t have their graduation. At that time, we decided to highlight every senior in our magazine. We are so proud of that issue because we celebrated those seniors. We also acknowledged the struggles they had and what we all went through during that time.

For Christy and I, we only have one child left in the house, and it’s our baby girl…Grace. This year she is heading back to Ottawa University to complete her dream of playing college basketball. She will be a sophomore this year and will be their starting point guard. I talked about this last year and how summer flies by. The kids are here, and then we are packing them up and saying that goodbye we never wanted to say - at least for this dad!

I want to thank our Superintendent of Schools Chuck McCauley for always writing the “The State of our Schools” article. It’s important that we hear from the top brass on what he expects and what his priorities are for our kids. I truly believe we have the best school system in the state. Are we perfect? No. But look how far we have become since I was a senior in 1987! It’s incredible what this city has done for our kids and the schools we have today!

If you have read my stories or my Upfronts, you know I’m going to say what’s on my heart, and I’m not afraid of what people think or say. I look down at the corner of the screen and it’s July 22nd at 12:11am. I wrote last month about our anniversary on July 23rd…our 20th anniversary! In the first 15 months of our marriage, we combined our family of 6 kids; we were expecting Grace; and I was a drug addict husband. We were driving home yesterday from Tulsa from one of our five grandbabies birthday parties, and I paused the music. I looked at Christy and said on June 20th, 1985 I was driving to Bartlesville for the first time when Highway 75 was two lanes. I didn’t know anyone in this new city. Three months later I met this beautiful blonde girl in the McDonald’s parking lot. That night would forever change my life. These words I’m writing now are for the wives and husbands who are struggling and maybe thinking about ending it all. I have been there. When you know you have the one person who completes you and fills all the cracks in your soul, do you just give up? Do you quit when you know God has brought you together for a purpose, for a reason? YES, it would have been easier for Christy just to throw up her hands and quit. Maybe you are feeling the same way right now, but what if you just held on for one more day, one more week, one more month? What if you fight for your husband or wife? Fight and not give up! What story could you have? What would you miss? What is the power of LOVE?! I would have missed my best friend, our kids and our life together. Our story may be one in a million, but I truly believe when God puts that person in your heart, don’t let go so easily. Just hold on, let go and LET GOD! Sometimes it might seem like it doesn’t make sense and the mountains look too big but just hold on and never let go. Thank you, Christy, for never letting go! God bless, Keith

Volume XVI Issue VIII

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL

PUBLISHING

New office located in the B the Light Mission 219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003

www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com

Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Administration Shelley Greene Stewart

Delivery and Distribution Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd Jay Hastings, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail Jay Webster, Abigail SIngrey, Mike Tupa Lori Just, Miriam Walker, Joe Todd Greg Wheat, Maria Gus, Granger Meador

Contributing Photographers

Becky Burch, Bartlesville Photographer Brett Price, Granger Meador, Dorian Hill Bartlesville Area History Museum

Kids Calendar

Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER

This is our annual Back to School issue, and pictured is the first school bus in the area, which was in Copan.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail

Design by Engel Publishing

Keith and Christy McPhail, Managing Editors, on their first date in 2004.

Coach Carol Green

by Lori Just

If you’ve spent much time in a Bartlesville gymnasium over the last 40 years, chances are you’ve heard the laughter, encouragement and spirited cheering from one unforgettable voice: Coach Carol Green.

Though she’s officially retired, Coach Green’s presence still echoes through the halls of Bartlesville’s schools, the sidelines of local games and in the memories of thousands of students she taught and coached during her nearly four-decade career.

“Everywhere I go, I run into someone I taught,” she said, beaming. “I love it. It’s the best part of staying here after retirement.”

Coach Green didn’t plan on ending up in Bartlesville. In fact, she’d never even been to the town until she was unexpectedly called for a job interview.

“I didn’t apply here,” she recalled. “I think they contacted OSU looking for teaching grads, and my name must’ve come up. Next thing I knew, I came over, interviewed and signed the contract.”

She was fresh out of college, a northwest Oklahoma farm girl from Wakita, where her high school graduating class had just 33 students. (And yes, their claim to fame is that the original Twister movie was filmed there).

“That’s big compared to my grade school. I had five kids in my class in Manchester,” she laughed. “So, when people call Bartlesville a ‘small town,’ I have to bite my tongue. This felt like the big city to me.”

Green’s career began as a teacher and coach at Sooner High School.

“Back then, girls’ P.E. was required,” she said. “And I always say, ‘I survived them, and they survived me.’”

Basketball, though, was always her sport.

“I played all through high school and even in college, back when Title IX was just getting started. No scholarships, no big crowds. But we loved it anyway.”

Green went on to earn her master’s degree before ever setting foot in a classroom. Once in Bartlesville, she never left.

“I just fell in love with the place; the people, the trees, the hills,” she said. “It wasn’t anything like back home.”

She chose teaching because she loved school as a kid.

“I had a teacher in 3rd and 4th grade who really impacted me,” she recalled. “She truly cared. I regret never telling her how

much she meant to me, and she passed away young. Because of that, I try to always let people know when they’ve made a difference in my life.”

She spent 5 years teaching at Sooner, then seven more at Bartlesville High School after the schools merged. Eventually, she transitioned to Kane Elementary, where she spent the final 23 years of her career. That shift from high school seniors to kindergartners was no small leap.

“Oh my gosh, I forgot how little they are,” she laughed. “Loose teeth, untied shoes, couldn’t remember left from right. I had 11 or 12 classes a day, 30 minutes each. One class out, another one in. I was exhausted, but I loved it.”

At Kane, Coach Green became a constant in every child’s education. And some fondly called her “Miss” Coach Green.

“I had every kid in the school, every year. I got to watch them grow up. That’s what made it special.”

Ask her what she emphasized most, and she won’t hesitate: sportsmanship.

“Learning how to handle winning and losing, how to encourage and help each other and not to give up on themselves or each other,” she said. “And trying everything. I wanted kids to love being active, not just good at one thing.”

She brought creativity to the gym, too. From dance units and Olympic games to March Madness-style basketball tournaments, Coach Green made PE unforgettable.

“We even did a yo-yo unit once which was a big mistake,” she admitted. “I spent more time untangling strings than teaching. But we gave it a try!”

Her goals were also to keep kids active and expose them to a variety of activities. She also wanted every student to feel included, no matter their skill level.

She was also part of a Relay for Life team for 20 years— the Mad Dog Dolezals. Their team was named in honor of Ken Dolezal, the longtime public relations coordinator for Bartlesville Public Schools, who sadly lost his battle with cancer in 2001.

“In 2002, a group of school staff and friends came together to form the Mad Dog Dolezals, continuing the fight for a cure in Ken’s memory,” she said. “It was a meaningful way to honor his legacy and support a cause close to all of our hearts.”

By the time she retired in 2012, Coach Green had over 100 troll dolls that had taken up residence in her office.

“One of my first students at Kane, Anita Lenora, gave me a troll doll dressed in a sweatsuit that said ‘#1 Coach,’” she said. “I put it in the window of my office facing the hall and after that I was on the receiving end of trolls until I retired.”

Her teaching career truly came full circle. After college, she originally wanted to teach elementary PE, but her basketball background led me into coaching, which in turn opened the door to a high school teaching position. When she eventually stepped away from coaching, she was transitioned into elementary PE— bringing her back to where she had always hoped to be.

“I treasured my five years at Sooner and seven years at BHS, and I definitely missed my high school students when I moved on,” she added. “I was incredibly blessed to spend 23 wonderful years at Kane, and I truly loved working with those elementary kids. I loved when the Senior Alumni would come back for their elementary walk.”

In fact, during our interview, she was easily able to share names of classmates from this author’s graduation class – what a memory!

Even after retirement, Coach Green’s energy hasn’t slowed down. She served six years on the Bartlesville Sports Commission, stayed active in the community and spent the last few years visiting her mother daily at the nursing home until her recent passing.

“Retirement’s busy,” she said. “I try to do one productive thing a day, but the bar is set low.”

One of her lifelong goals? Visit all 50 states.

“I’ve been to 48,” she shared. “All that’s left is South Carolina and Georgia. I take pictures of myself with every state sign.”

She’s also from a family of teachers and big OSU fans, so she regularly attends OSU football and basketball games as well as eating out at local favorites like Eskimo Joe’s and Hideaway. She got to do something recently that was on her bucket list: she attended the 2025 NBA championship game and watched the Thunder win it all thanks to some college connections.

Green’s deep roots in Bartlesville are more than just

geography—they’re relationships.

“I’ve taught over 4,000 kids,” she estimated. “My doctors, my dentist, my paralegal, my realtor and the nurses who took such good care of my mom are all former students. It’s one of the greatest joys of teaching to see former students successful and happy, in all sorts of careers. That’s why I’ll never move. This is home.”

Another thing she loved most about teaching was having the opportunity to teach the children and sometimes even the grandchildren of former students.

“It was such a special connection,” she shared. “In one family, I taught the mother at Sooner and later had all six of her children at Kane! I’ll never forget the moment I realized I had taught the grandmother of two of my Kane students—that one definitely gave me pause and made me wonder if it was time to retire. Thankfully, I didn’t!”

In 2024, Green was inducted into the Bartlesville Sports Hall of Fame and was a special moment she said still gets her emotional.

“So many former Sooner and BHS players and coaches came,” she said. “It was overwhelming, in the best way, and one of the best days of my life.”

Though she never had children of her own, Coach Green sees herself as having thousands.

“All those kids I taught are my kids,” she said. “That’s my family.”

When asked how she wants to be remembered, she doesn’t pause.

“I want my kids to know that I cared, truly cared, about them,” she said. “Not just when they were in my class, but for the rest of their lives. That I had high expectations, I believed in them, and we had fun together while learning.”

Looking back, she said, “I feel so lucky to have spent my life doing something I loved, surrounded by great people like my colleagues, students and friends. It’s been a very rewarding life.”

From 1900 to 2025 Back to School

by Granger Meador

In 1899, Mayor Frank M. Overlees called an election in Bartlesville, Indian Territory on the organization of a school district. There were 38 votes in favor and none opposed. So began Bartlesville Public Schools, and back-to-school routines have evolved over the past 125 years. In the early days, school years began on the third Monday in September, over four weeks later than the mid-August start in 2025. By the late 1930s, the start date was still as late as September 12, by which time the school year had been extended from about 160 to 174 days.

In 1957, amidst the baby boom, classes began on the Tuesday after Labor Day in an era when the schools still lacked air conditioning. That start date advanced to August 29 by 1960 but remained in late August until the latter half of the 1980s, when the last of the older schools lacking air conditioning were closed. Since then, the start date has varied

from early to mid-August.

In the early days, younger Bartlesville students made their way to school on foot, bicycle, or by being transported by family members. Copan offered the first horse drawn school buses in the state in the 1910s, but while busing would become routine for rural districts and some outlying dependent districts which transported high school students to Bartlesville, Bartlesville Public Schools did not have bus transportation until 1962.

Before that, the district relied on students finding their own way to its network of small neighborhood elementary schools. As for older students, in the 1940s students mostly walked, bicycled, or rode motorcycles and Whizzers, which were motorized bicycles, to Central and College High.

The city’s development made traffic increasingly hazardous. The Highland Park district, in the Tuxedo community northeast of Bartlesville, had been annexed into the Bartlesville Schools back in 1930, with that school located southeast of today’s US 75 and Tuxedo Boulevard. In 1953, when the new Highway 75 route north of a traffic circle at

Frank Phillips Boulevard opened, the Highland Park PTA urged parents to use the “old Tuxedo Road” when taking children to that school, rather than the new highway.

By the early 1960s, Bartlesville had 14 elementary schools, which would grow by three more in 1962 when it annexed the Limestone Dependent District consisting of the Limestone, Ranch Heights, and Wayside elementary schools, which had already absorbed the Middale, Rice Creek, and Fish Creek schools. Bartlesville had its first school bond for buses in February 1962, which helped carry the annexation through that April. It then built a bus barn north of the Shawnee Athletic Field and agreed to begin busing students “who live 1 1/2 miles or more from school by commonly traveled routes” or “who must travel along or cross over busy highways where patrol men or traffic lights are not provided.”

The district now has a fleet of 28 large route buses plus smaller buses for students with special

needs, activity buses, people movers, and SUVs to transport small groups to various activities. Busing also facilitated the district’s consolidation from a peak of 21 active schools in the late 1960s to nine school campuses today, although changing times have also led to long pick-up lines at the schools when family members elect to transport children in private vehicles to various after-school activities.

Consolidation was inevitable after the baby boom ended in the mid-1960s and district enrollment dropped by over one-fourth between 1966 and 1970. Patrons came to expect each school to have air conditioning and a library, cafeteria, kitchen, gymnasium, infirmary, and special education services, which consolidation allowed while also limiting the operational overhead of administrative and support staff. The district’s six elementary schools now serve from 300 to 700 students each across prekindergarten to fifth grade. Amidst state budget cuts after the Great Recession, the district condensed from

four to three secondary schools, with two middle schools serving grades 6-8 and a single high school campus for grades 9-12.

From 1927 to 1950, back to school also included junior college classes, which began with a year offered at Central in 1927 and later expanded to two years of advanced studies, shifting in 1940 to the new Bartlesville Senior High School and Junior College, commonly known as College High. The Junior College closed in 1950 and sophomores were shifted from Central High to join the juniors and seniors at College High. These days, in addition to concurrent enrollment and Advanced Placement classes at Bartlesville High School, college classes are available from Rogers State University in the nine-story Masonic building of 1919, which was once home to Cities Service Oil and later provided offices for REDA Pump. Private college classes are

available from Oklahoma Wesleyan University at H.V. Foster’s former estate, and there are now various online options.

In past years, heading back to school might include toting a packed lunch box and thermos, especially in the decades when the district did not offer any meal service. The first classes ran from 9 a.m. to noon, took an hour lunch break, and resumed from 1 to 4 p.m. Each three-hour session included an intermission of 15 minutes.

In the 1930s, Central High was still closing for an hour at lunch, allowing students time to go home for lunch, eat a lunch they had brought, or venture to places like Ferndell’s Grocery, where they could purchase a sandwich for a dime, chips for a nickel, and a soft drink for another nickel to create their own 25cent meal. Times were hard, and accommodations were made. Bill Jones recalled being allowed to leave Central ten minutes before lunchtime so he could serve tables at the Pioneer Drug Store. He ran to the store in the old city hall, worked for an hour to earn ten cents plus lunch, and had five minutes to grab lunch and then run back to school.

A hot lunch program began in a Central classroom in 1942, costing 25 cents with students taking their lunches to the library to eat. Others would still venture home or over to Ferndell’s or Miller’s grocery, and there were daily showings of old Flash Gordon serials in the auditorium over the lunch hour.

College High opened in 1940 for juniors and seniors with a cafeteria upstairs, which shifted to a finished basement in 1956. A metal auxiliary dining room was added in 1963, but the basement cafeteria and kitchen remained in use until 2015 when a spacious Commons opened as part of the school’s expansion to serve grades 9-12.

Central finally gained a cafeteria building in February 1957 and began offering plate and sandwich lunches, ensuring equity with the new Madison Junior High which opened on the east side of town in 1958. However, before consolidation several of the elementary schools lacked kitchens even into the 1980s, with lunches prepared offsite and transported to them.

Back-to-school also means school supplies for the new year. In 1895, F.M. Overlees’ Star Drug store advertised books, pens, pencils, tablets, chalk, erasers, and ink for pupils headed back to oneroom schoolhouses and subscription schools. Five years later, the district’s first set of rules included: “Pupils shall in every case furnish

the necessary books, stationery and utensils used by the class to which they are assigned, and shall not be allowed to remain in school more than one week without compliance with this rule.”

Thus, some students had to buy their own textbooks, and it wasn’t until 1946 that voters amended the state constitution to provide free textbooks for all public school students. In the past decade, many textbooks have gone electronic, with students using district-supplied Chromebooks to access them. The state’s dedicated textbook funding is not sufficient to meet the needs, so these days voters support bond issues to help pay for textbooks and technology.

The nonprofit Washington County School Supply Drive now supplies well over 2,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for students in the Bartlesville, Dewey, Copan, Caney Valley, Osage Hills, Headstart, and Bowring schools. Such efforts have become increasingly important with demographic changes. Thirty-five years ago, about one-fourth of the students in Bartlesville

Public Schools qualified for free or reduced meals, but that has more than doubled, setting the stage for the shift in 2024 to free breakfast and lunch for all students through a Community Eligibility Provision option from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

Going back to school in 2025 will include weaning some students off their smartphones, as a new state law bans their use throughout the school day. Bartlesville students will be expected to stow them in their lockers, with critical communication still available via a telephone handset in every classroom, a far cry from a few decades ago when the only telephones were in the school offices and staff lounges, with a payphone in one hallway at the high school.

Students will also still have access to district-supplied Chromebooks, with some teachers opting to control what students can access beyond the standard filter protections. Every high school student had a Chromebook by 2018, every middle school student by 2019, and the COVID-19 pandemic led to having a Chromebook cart in

every elementary school classroom. Competing for student’s attention is certainly nothing new. The district’s first rules in 1900 included: “No pupil shall bring into the school room for the purpose of perusal any book, periodical, or paper having no connection with his studies,

under penalty of confiscation.”

Teacher’s instructional tools changed from slate chalkboards to green enamel chalkboards and overhead projectors, only to be replaced in turn by porcelain enamel whiteboards and colorful markers along with ceiling projectors for electronic interactive

smartboards connected to desktop computers. A few years ago, the projection smartboards in the elementary schools were replaced by large touchscreen monitors, and those same upgrades will be made at the middle and high schools in 2026 and 2027 thanks to a bond issue approved in 2023.

Back to school in 2026 will likely be accompanied by another bond issue election. Recent bond issues provided new entrances and offices at the Richard Kane and Wilson elementary schools and significant expansions at Ranch Heights and Wayside while funding continuing curricular, technology, maintenance, and equipment needs at all grade levels and schools, including support for the athletics and arts programs.

Most courses of study in the new school year would be familiar to schoolchildren of decades past, with Bartlesville pupils still receiving instruction in both printed and cursive writing in elementary school alongside the use of Chromebook keyboards and trackpads. Elementary STEM modules and secondary courses in engineering, computer science,

aviation, and broadcasting focus on newer technologies, and Bartlesville has been named a Distinguished District in the Project Lead the Way STEM program for five consecutive years, a feat unmatched across the state.

Tri County Tech opened in 1968 as Oklahoma’s first area vocational-technical school, another first for Bartlesville since Central was the state’s first junior high school in 1917. That led to the closure of wood and metal shops at the secondary schools, since Tri County offered training in a variety of trades for both high schoolers and adults. As trades have become increasingly attractive in recent years, Bartlesville High School re-established its own construction classes in 2024 to augment what was available at Tri County Tech, and a second construction teacher will be employed in 2025-2026.

Agricultural rhythms, along with hot and humid summers, are

some of the historical reasons for summer breaks from school, and agricultural education was long a staple of the area’s rural schools. Over the past century, the Future Farmers of America has grown to over 350 chapters in Oklahoma. Bartlesville finally added agriculture education classes in 2019, with voters approving the construction of a shop and classroom at the high school campus, followed by a large Agricultural Center along Shawnee Avenue that opened in 2024. That program has grown from 77 students and one teacher in 2019 to 232 students and three teachers in 2024-2025, and a fourth teacher will be welcoming even more agriculture students back to school this August.

Bartlesville appreciates the past while continuing to invest in its future. Its schools have come a long way in the past 125 years, enacting a vision of educating and enriching lives.

Bond of Friendship

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

My pastor once said, “When we study history and see something bad, find something good happening at that same time.” We all know about the atrocities that happened during the 1920’s with our neighbors, the Osages. But I want to share a story about an alliance between an Osage Chief and a non-Indian oil auctioneer and how it was connected to the small town of Skedee, Pawnee County, Oklahoma.

Skedee was started during the 1893 Cherokee Strip Land Run. Oil and railroad caused a population boom, increasing population increase to 300, not including the many farmers and ranchers in the area during the 1920’s.

Colonel (yes, that is given name) Ellsworth Walters is the most famous person from Skedee. He was born in 1865. He was named in honor of Colonel Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth, the first Union casualty of the Civil War. He grew up near Chouteau and when he was 19, became a deputy U.S. marshal. When he was 25, he married and eventually moved to Skedee, where they became prominent leaders. He was hired to auction mineral leases in the Osage oil fields, becoming the “the world’s champion auctioneer.”

Walters conducted most of the sales in Pawhuska beneath a large elm tree, which became known as the

Million Dollar Elm because of all the money made there. Marland, Phillips and Skelly were some of the most famous oilmen who bought there. Walters was so well known as a great auctioneer that his name was used to get people to participate in the auctions.

Throughout his business dealings, Walters made sure the Osage were treated fairly and received the right amount of money from the sales. The Osage rewarded him with a diamond-studded badge and a diamond ring.

One of Walter’s best friends was Osage Chief BaconRind, who came to Indian Territory from Kansas during the Osage Removal in the 1870’s. He was eventually elected Principal Chief in 1912. BaconRind was a traditionalist in customs and always wore native clothes and shoes. But he was a progressive politically, in that he favored his tribe having allotments on the Osage land and was able to see the benefits of the oil reserves on their lands. This is where the friendship with Walters developed.

In 1926, Walters built a 25-foot-high monument in the center of the main intersection of Skedee, with plenty of room for the Osage to drive their Pierce Arrow cars around it. The monument reads Bond of Friendship, Welcome to Skedee. At the top of the monument is Chief BaconRind and Colonel Walters shaking hands. This was to show the bond of their friendship and respect.

BaconRind died in 1932 and the Osage tribe regarded his death as a calamity. Walters died in 1946. Unfortunately, the small town of Skedee has almost become a ghost town, from the oil boom bust in 1935 and a flood in 1957 that washed out the railroad. The gas station, grocery store and school are all empty. The monument still stands but is in disrepair. The history of the town makes it an attractive place to visit.

Chief Baconrind and Colonel Ellsworth Walters

AUGUST CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

BHS Bruin Camp for incoming Freshman 1PM; Bartlesville High School

Bruin Volleyball vs Booke T Washington 3PM; Bruin Fieldhouse

OKWU Women’s Soccer vs University of Science and Arts

TBD; OKWU Soccer fields

OKWU Women’s Volleyball vs Mid-America Christian University 4PM; OKWU Gym

1st day of School

Bartlesville Public Schools

Meet the Bruins (football) 5PM; Custer Stadium

OKWU Women’s Soccer vs Rogers State TBD; OKWU Soccer fields

8 12 16 30 19 21 25 25 15 13 14

OKWU Women’s Volleyball vs Cowley County Community College 6PM; OKWU Gym

Bruin Volleyball vs Union 6:30PMl Bruin Fieldhouse

BHS Back to School Night

5:30PM; Bartlesville High School

OKWU Men’s Soccer vs John Brown University 6PM; OKWU Soccer fields

Bruins Football vs Newcastle 7PM; Custer Stadium

OKWU Men’s Soccer vs Baker University 7PM; OKWU Soccer fields

Every Tuesday

2:00pm-3:00pm

Price Tower Exterior and the Center

Every Saturday

2:00pm-3:00pm

Exterior Tours

Price Tower Exterior and the Center

All Month

10:00am-5:00pm Woolaroc Animal Barn Woolaroc and Woolaroc Mountain Man Camp Woolaroc

AUGUST EVENTS CALENDAR

Know

Every Monday

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Monday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

May 1–July 7

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bartlesville Area History Museum Presents “Our Culinary Past” BAHM, 401 S. Johnstone Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Every Tuesday

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Tuesday through Saturday

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Kiddie Park Open for summer season

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class Casa Hispana, 3850 Frank Phillips Blvd., Bartlesville

Every Wednesday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and

Every Thursday

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Thursday

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Every Thursday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Friday

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Tai Chi with Dixie at Unity Square Tower Center at Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Every Saturday

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Area Farmers Market Frank Phillips Park

Every Saturday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Every Saturday

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

History and Haunts at the Dewey Hotel

Contact Dewey Hotel Museum, 801 N Delaware St., Dewey

Every Saturday & Sunday

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing Second Karaoke Dance Party Crossing 2nd, 215 E. 2nd Street

Fri, Aug 1

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Children’s Musical Theatre presents Willy Wonka KIDS Camp

Children’s Musical Theatre, 101 S Wyandotte Ave, Bartlesville

9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wee-Cycle Fall/Winter Sale

Washington County Fairgrounds, 1109 N Delaware Street, Dewey

8:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Crossing 2nd Salsa Night Crossing 2nd, 215 E. 2nd Street,

Sat, Aug 2-8

Check Times

Back to School Consignment

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington Blvd Suite 320, Bartlesville

Sat, Aug 2-28

Bartlesville and Beyond – a Solo

Watercolor Exhibit by Amy Jenkins

The Lyon Art Gallery - Bartlesville Community Center 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sat, Aug 2

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Wee-Cycle Fall/Winter Sale Washington County Fairgrounds

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Children’s Musical Theatre presents Willy Wonka KIDS Camp

Children’s Musical Theatre, 101 S Wyandotte Ave, Bartlesville

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Bartlesville & Beyond Boutique

Marketplace

Tuxedo Lions Club Community Center, 2900 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville

Tues, Aug 5

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Science Magic Show at the Bartlesville Public Library

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S Johnstone Ave., Bartlesville

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Make It So: Speculative Fiction Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room B

Thurs, Aug 7

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Paths to Independence Community Open House

4620 E. Frank Phillips Blvd., Bartlesville

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Cookies on Tap at Cooper & Mill Brewing Co. Cooper and Mill Brewing Company

Sat, Aug 9

All Day

Visit Dewey Second Saturday

Shopping

Downtown Dewey

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Tallgrass Doll Club Monthly Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave.

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Taste of Community - Boricua Bites

Westside Community Center, 501 S Bucy

Tues, Aug 12

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

Fri, Aug 15

9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Sizzlin’ Summer Series Concerts & Movie Nights

Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd

Sat, Aug 16

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Monthly Lego Club at the Library Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

The Bartlesville Mystery Gala: The Case of the Missing Painting The Refinery at The Johnstone-Sare Building, 100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.

Sun, Aug 17

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Summer Music in the Park at Dewey

Don Tyler Park, Durham Road, Dewey

Tues, Aug 19

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library 10

Things to Consider

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

Sat, Aug 23

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

19th Annual Samaritan Sports Spectacular

Hilton Garden Inn, 205 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.

Tues, Aug 26

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Creative Crafting Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

Wed, Aug 27

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Agape Mission Empty Bowls

Bartlesville Community Center

Don’t Blink

by Greg Wheat

This is a Back-to-School Reminder to Slow Down and Soak It All In.

The back-to-school season sneaks up on us every year. One minute we’re splashing in the pool, out at the lake, or just enjoying the summer sun—and the next, we’re standing in the school supply aisle wondering how it all flew by so fast. It always feels like a whirlwind—new shoes, fresh haircuts, paper piles, packed lunches—and somewhere in the middle of it all, it hits us: time is moving, whether we’re ready or not.

We live in such a hurry. We hate waiting—at stop signs, at red lights, even for the microwave to finish. We scroll through social media while half-listening to our kids talk. The TV hums in the background, and we convince ourselves that multitasking means we’re present. But truthfully, we’re not really with them when we’re distracted with other things.

But we’re missing it.

Maybe your child is starting kindergarten, bravely walking into that big classroom with a backpack nearly bigger than they are. Maybe you’ve got a middle schooler, caught in the inbetween, figuring out who they are. Perhaps your house holds a high school senior preparing for their final first day, or maybe a college student packing up to go. No matter the age—you only get so many firsts. And only so much time.

If you blink, you’ll miss it.

You only get 18 birthdays with them under your roof. Eighteen Christmas mornings. Eighteen summers. Eighteen seasons of school projects, vacations, and family dinners— if you’re lucky. It’s not enough. And truthfully, some years feel like a blur. We tell ourselves we’ll be more present “next week,” “next break,” or “when things calm down.”

But life doesn’t slow down unless we choose to make it slow down.

So this school year, let’s be different. Let’s put down the phone. Turn off the TV. Log off social media. Be where your feet are—with your family. Go for a walk together after dinner. Play a board game instead of scrolling in silence. Sit down and eat together, even if it’s just frozen pizza. Ask about their day. Really listen. Listen to the little things—because those little things matter more than we realize. One day, they will be the memories we hold most dear.

Whether your child is learning to write their name, driving themselves to school, or calling from college—they still need you to show up. Maybe not to tie their shoes, but to sit with

them. To laugh with them. To remind them that no matter how fast life moves, their family is still a place to come home to.

You’ll never regret the time you spent being present. But you will regret the moments you missed because you were too distracted or too busy.

So stop what you’re doing and play that silly game. Say yes to the impromptu kitchen dance party. Look them in the eyes when they talk. Celebrate their wins. Comfort their losses. Be there in the quiet, ordinary, everyday moments. Because that’s where the good stuff lives.

This is your reminder: time is passing faster than you think.

Your kindergartener will soon stop reaching for your hand. Your teenager may soon ask for more space than snuggles. Your college student might soon only be visiting for the holidays. So make the most of today. Don’t wait for tomorrow or for life to slow down—because time won’t stop moving. Love them deeply. Show up fully. Hold tightly to the moments that matter most.

And if you’re thinking of time that’s already slipped away— don’t feel guilt. Feel motivation. You still have now. You still have this school year. This evening. This chance to slow down, lean in, and be present.

So take the photo—every single one. Hug them a little longer, a little tighter. Let the dishes sit if it means one more laugh, one more story, one more moment. Tell them, “I’m proud of you.” Say, “I love being your mom,” or “I love being your dad.” And if you’re a grandparent, say it, too: “I love being your grandparent.” Those words matter more than you know.

Be their constant. The one they can count on, no matter how old they get or how far they go. Be the arms they know they can run to when life gets heavy. Be the voice in their head that says, “You’ve got this.” Be the safe place they carry with them—even when they’re grown. Because years from now, they may forget what you bought them—but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. How deeply they were loved. How fully they were seen. How safe they felt with you.

These are the days you’ll look back on.

These are the days you’ll wish you could return to.

So don’t blink.

Be present. Be intentional. Be there. You only get so many “firsts.” And the best moments—the ones that truly matter—are happening right now.

Hillcrest Drive: Memory Lane

History is made and forgotten daily in Bartlesville, and when one building leaves our street scape, the memories eventually fade if we allow it. Do you remember when the Village Shopping Center disappeared from the corner of 18th Street and Hillcrest Drive? Let’s take a tour down memory lane.

Remember Limestone Elementary School, which began as a one-room building, located at the southwest corner of Nowata Road and Washington Blvd./Highway 75? After being renovated several times, and serving the students of Bartlesville for over 68 years, September 2007 the building was purchased as the future building site of Armstrong Bank. In an Examiner Enterprise news article dated September 6, 2008, Bartlesville Public School Superintendent Gary Quinn stated the “funds from the sale of Limestone School would assist in construction projects at the Bartlesville High School.”

As part of the improvements, BPS purchased the property at 1800-1808 Hillcrest Drive from Jack and Lynn Leisure. There were four tenants at the time of the purchase and BPS continued the rental agreements with Rob’s Catering, O’Brien’s Cakes, The Men’s Room and Doug’s Hair Fashion. Then, on April 1, 2011, the business owners were presented with a situation they hoped was an April Fool’s joke. Not so! BPS announced the building needed

by Debbie Neece

to be vacated by the end of May 2011 in order to raze the building on June 1. BPS stated the lot, upon which the Village Shopping Center was built in the early 1950s, was to become additional parking for the high school.

If the walls of the Village Shopping Center could talk, they would paint a picture of businesses that have come and gone over the course of its sixty-plus years of service to the community. While the news was anticipated, the business owners were shocked and shared memories of floods, friends and even a gas explosion in Dr. Hall’s office building.

Rob’s Catering – Dinner by Six, 1800 Hillcrest Drive

Rob Simmons was raised in Bartlesville and graduated from College High School in 1963. He briefly left Bartlesville;

however, returned to open Rob’s Catering and Dinner by Six from 1992 until 2004. During that time, he also managed the Elks Lodge for six years (1996-2002). While catering, he was privileged to cater many special Bartlesville events, including Eldercare’s cocktail party before the Good, the Bad and the Barbeque at the Mullendore Cross Bell Ranch.

Janice O’Brien – O’Brien’s Cake Company, 1802 Hillcrest Drive

Who hasn’t loved the mouth-watering, raspberry-filled, white chocolate cake from O’Brien’s? O’Brien’s Cake Company was

established in 2001 and was more than a cake shop….a place for high school students, and the public, to obtain lunch with madeto-order sandwiches – select your bread, cheese and meat – or just say soup please. Janice O’Brien operated a sandwich shop from 1993-2001 before opening O’Brien’s Cake Company that year at 1802 Hillcrest Drive. Janice’s parents moved to Bartlesville in 1947; they owned and operated the O’Brien Feed Store on Second Street for many years. Janice graduated from Col-High in 1959. Suzie Sprague was Janice’s right arm! Suzie’s grandfather was the butcher at the Q Store at the corner of 4th Street and Keeler Avenue. Janice and Suzie made many friends over their eleven years at the Hillcrest location. That ending was really just a new beginning for O’Briens as they moved to Comanche Center, in the former location of Mr. Limey’s Fish and Chips location.

Hillcrest Barber Shop, 1804 Hillcrest Drive

Do you remember the Hillcrest Barber Shop at 1804 Hillcrest Drive? Jim and Carol (Crossland) French married in 1960 at Monett, MO. They moved to Oklahoma, where Jim attended barber school; then, owned and operated the Hillcrest Barber

Shop for over 30 years. After Jim retired, Lisa Francis opened The Men’s Room in March 2002. Lisa worked at Hair for You for nine years prior to opening The Men’s Room. Not to be daunted by the devastating news of the building being razed, Lisa moved her hair studio just off Madison Blvd.

Doug’s Hair Fashions, 1808 Hillcrest Drive

Directly after high school, Doug Drumb served his country. Upon his discharge, he went back home to McAlester, Oklahoma

where his mother and brother were hair dressers. His brother encouraged him to take a hair dressing course and he “had been doing hair ever since.” Mr. Drumb started dressing hair in 1960, and he moved to Bartlesville in 1963, with his wife, Shirley. Doug was a member of the Oklahoma Thunderbird Hair Fashion Committee. He opened his shop at the Hillcrest location in 1972 – before that time he worked at Personality Beauty Salon for eight years with two employees at his Quapaw Avenue location. The ladies continued employment at the Hillcrest location for an additional ten years before moving away with their families. Since that time, Doug was the sole hair dresser at Doug’s Hair Fashions. He said the “Hillcrest building was the first shopping center in Bartlesville and the home of Lander’s Grocery.” And, he has seen many businesses “come and go” over the course of his 39 years at the Hillcrest location. Doug did not look for a new location, rather elected to retire. If you visited Doug’s Hair Fashions, you will most likely remember Shirley’s entertaining posters that decorated the business.

The Polk City Directories from 1950 through 2011 paint a picture of how valuable the Village Shopping Center was to the area residents, the students of Bartlesville High School and the city of Bartlesville. As the first shopping center in Bartlesville, the Village Shopping Center has provided Bartlesville with many varied services from a grocery store, to dance and ballet lessons, to eateries, to a medical laboratory, to full-service salons and barber shops. And with a gas service station across the street to the west and doctor offices and apartments in the area, the corner of 18th Street and Hillcrest Drive was a self-sufficient community. Through the years, businesses have indeed “come and gone” but even up until June 1, 2011, services continued until the last cake, the last catering event and the last haircut. The Village Shopping Center will be sorely missed as another chapter of history is closed, but memories linger!

Did You Know?

Even though O’Brien’s Cake Company doesn’t have a store front, DeeDee O’Brien will still make you a yummy cake. Contact her on FaceBook or call 918-214-5394 .. Now You Know *

Ignite Adams PARC Announces Partnership with Specialty Providers

At Ignite Adams PARC, our team partners with renowned local providers to provide worldclass therapy treatments and technology to get our patients active and back to their lives as soon as possible. Specialty services and programs include treatment and recovery plans in Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care & Infection Management, Renal Disease and Palliative Care.

We are pleased to introduce the exceptionally trained and highly skilled team of medical professionals who provide a continuum of care for our guests as they transition from the acute hospital setting to Ignite Adams PARC for their post-acute rehabilitation. Our newest partnership with these providers will allow for Ignite Adams PARC to continue to be at the forefront of healthcare as this esteemed team provides daily and weekly support to our clinical and therapy team to guide our guests’ recovery and treatment plans.

Thomas Loafman, APRN-CNP Cardiology Specialist

Tyler Woods, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Georjane Woodburn, APRN, FNP Pain Management Specialist

Samantha Nunn, APRN-CNP NP to Medical Director

Dr. Robyn Lovitt-Fry, MD Medical Director

Rebecca Rhone, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Travis Buchanan, PA-C Pain Management Specialist

Ignite Medical Resorts

Clinical Excellence Meets Resort-Style Recovery

Ignite Medical Resort Adams PARC stands out as a premier, award-winning destination for rehabilitative care—blending high-quality clinical outcomes with the luxury of a resort. Located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, this state-of-the-art facility has redefined the standards of post-acute recovery by combining cutting-edge medical services with a warm, hospitality-driven atmosphere.

Setting the Standard in Quality and Safety Ignite Adams PARC made history as the first skilled nursing facility in Oklahoma to earn accreditation from The Joint Commission, the nation’s most prestigious healthcare accrediting body. This milestone reflects an unwavering commitment to patient safety, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement—all hallmarks of Ignite’s operational philosophy.

Ignite’s signature LuxeRehab™ model seamlessly blends world-class medical care with the comfort and luxury of a five-star resort. Guests and residents enjoy concierge services, chefprepared meals, Starbucks® café offerings and even on-site spa treatments. This thoughtful integration of hospitality and healthcare creates an environment where recovery is not just effective, it is uplifting.

Powered by Innovation and Technology, at the core of Ignite Adams PARC’s clinical excellence is its commitment to innovation. The facility is equipped with advanced rehabilitation technology, including:

• OmniVR® – virtual reality therapy for physical and neurorehabilitation

In addition to this national accreditation, Ignite Adams PARC continues to be recognized on both state and national levels for superior care. It ranks among the top 10% of skilled nursing facilities in Oklahoma, earning a 5-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)—a reflection of its performance across health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.

Most recently, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) awarded Ignite Adams PARC with the 2025 Bronze–Commitment to Quality Award. This recognition—part of a three-tier national program—honors organizations that demonstrate a systematic commitment to performance improvement and residentcentered care.

Beyond its patient care accolades, Ignite Adams PARC is also celebrated for its outstanding workplace culture. In 2025, it was named one of “America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces”, based on key categories including leadership, integrity, career growth, culture, and work-life balance. This recognition reflects Ignite’s comprehensive approach to healthcare—supporting not just patients, but also the dedicated professionals who care for them.

“Our vision has always been to bring resort-level hospitality and best-in- class clinical care together under one roof,” said Revel Castillo-Simon , General Manager/Administrator at Ignite Medical Resorts Adams PARC. “These accolades affirm that our team is delivering on that promise for every guest, every day.”

• Synchrony EMG – biofeedback-driven treatment for swallowing disorders

• Andago – robotic gait training that bridges the gap between treadmill therapy and free walking

• Telehealth monitoring – ensuring real-time health tracking and clinician access

• Advanced wound care software – to streamline and elevate healing outcomes

Whether a patient is recovering from orthopedic surgery, a stroke, cardiac or pulmonary complications, or managing chronic wounds and infections, Ignite’s team of certified physical, occupational, and speech therapists provides comprehensive care up to seven days a week.

Ignite Adams PARC is not just a place to recover—it is a place to reclaim independence. Every program is designed to empower guests to regain autonomy and safely transition back to their homes with confidence. With the help of experienced clinicians, state-of-the-art tools, and a healing environment rooted in compassion, patients experience measurable progress and meaningful outcomes.

Ignite Medical Resorts Adams PARC is more than a skilled nursing facility—it is a groundbreaking model of what post-hospital recovery should be. Offering externally validated excellence (Joint Commission + 5-star CMS ratings), innovative, tech-enabled therapies and resort-style amenities in a clinically advanced environment

For individuals and families seeking a place where healing meets hospitality, Ignite Adams PARC is setting a new gold standard in rehabilitation care.

DOUGLASSAIRE 2025 REUNION

GLEN WINGET MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 7:30 PM THE CENTER

Back in Time! An Electrifying Journey Through the Decades

by Maria Gus

This August, Bartlesville welcomes a high-energy musical production that brings the golden eras of music and dance to life—all without leaving town. “Back in Time: A Journey Through the Decades!” is set to take the stage at The Center on Saturday, August 23 at 7:30 p.m., offering a night of non-stop entertainment that celebrates the best of American pop culture through the decades.

Direct from Branson, Missouri, this dazzling production features several talented performers from the renowned Clay Cooper Theatre, known for its variety shows and musical excellence. At the helm of this nostalgic extravaganza is Jacob Deck, the show’s creator and one of its dynamic cast members.

Jacob Deck, originally from Kennett, Missouri, is no stranger to the stage. From a young age, he discovered his love for singing and dancing, a passion that carried him through high school, college, and eventually into the world of professional theater. His impressive resume includes standout roles such as Pinocchio in Shrek the Musical and Bert in Mary Poppins. He has danced in well-known productions like The Daniel O’Donnell Show and Clay Cooper’s Country Express, and he currently performs in Dean Z – The Ultimate Elvis and Hot Rods and High Heels. His mantra—“The only way to do great work is to love what you do”—shines through in every performance.

“Back in Time” promises an unforgettable evening of rhythm, nostalgia, and sheer talent. With a cast of seven dynamic singer-dancers, the show moves quickly from decade to decade, showcasing the sounds and styles that defined generations—from the birth of rock and roll in the 1950s to the pop and dance hits of the 2000s.

Audiences can expect dazzling choreography, vibrant costumes, and powerful vocal performances that evoke the essence of each era. Whether you’re reliving your youth or discovering these musical milestones for the first time, this show delivers something for everyone—motown grooves, disco fever, ‘80s pop, and beyond.

For Bartlesville, this production is more than just entertainment—it’s a celebration of the arts and community

spirit. Live theater enriches the community, bringing people together to experience the creativity, expression, and energy that only a live performance can deliver. Hosting professional productions like “Back in Time” gives local arts enthusiasts a chance to support the arts, inspire young performers, and strengthen Bartlesville’s cultural fabric.

By attending performances like this one, not only can you enjoy an evening of incredible talent— you’ll invest in the future of the arts in our community. Each ticket purchase is a vote of support for bringing more vibrant, engaging programming to our local venues and encouraging the continued growth of Bartlesville as a hub for arts and entertainment.

So, mark your calendars and gather your friends and family for an exciting night out at The Center. “Back in Time: A Journey Through the Decades!” is a reminder of the joy that music and dance bring to our lives and a chance to celebrate the power of performance right here in Bartlesville.

I think people are going to love Back in Time because there truly is something for everyone, from the music to the energy… and there’s A LOT of energy haha!! As a cast, we genuinely love performing together, and that connection shines on stage. The chemistry, the fun, the passion…it all radiates out to the audience. It’s impossible not to get swept up in the excitement haha!!

- The Back in Time Cast

Tickets are available now, and with a show this exciting, they won’t last long. Let’s fill the seats, applaud the talent, and keep the arts alive in our hometown.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www. bartlesvillecenter.com or call their box office at 918.337.ARTS.

Anita Bryant

A-List, Bucket List and Friend from Barnsdall

by Kelly Hurd

She wasn’t on my A-List, or my bucket list of folks I’d like to meet –but she ended up on my friend list and I wouldn’t have traded getting to know her for the world.

I’m telling on myself here when I say that I am old enough to remember the Florida Sunshine Girl. Heck, I’m old enough to remember when commercials advertised orange juice instead of pharmaceuticals, Coca Cola teaching the world to sing, and those good old Purina Puppy Chow commercials too.

It was the evening of Kevin Stitt’s first Inaugural Ball that we met. Her husband and I were introduced, and he gestured across the room to his wife and asked me if I knew who she was. I glanced her way and said, “No, I don’t believe I do.”

“That’s Anita Bryant,” he said and then introduced us as she approached.

Oh my goodness. I did remember her! My mother had loved her singing and we used to watch old Bob Hope shows on which she had appeared. But to me, I knew her as the Florida Sunshine Girl from Saturday morning TV commercials when I was growing up.

I would have guessed her close to eighty, but well-kept and beaming a beautiful smile. We chatted and she gave me her cell phone number and opened up the door for us to have coffee sometime.

It wasn’t until I relayed the story to my mother that I found out about the humiliation she had gone through for her beliefs and her stand for them. Regardless your stance, you have to admire someone who stood against the wind and tide of the day.

Yes, you might say, looking back – that Anita Bryant was the first famous victim of cancel culture way back before its time.

But here she was, smiling and beaming, decked to the nines, and giving me her number and opening the door to coffee…

I couldn’t help but think I would like to hear her story, draw from her strength of going through a storm, and feel the rubber on the pavement where it definitely met the road back in her day.

You see, I was the Osage County Tourism director at the time and dealt with pressures from the county, the state, the stakeholders, colleagues, random public opinion, and at one point, thirty-two different board members or elected officials. I didn’t just live in a glass house, I drove a glass Mercedes! I thought a little one-on-one from an older lady who had dealt with it all, paid a pricey price, but kept on smiling was someone I from whom I could gain a little wisdom.

And – Anita was willing to impart it. She became my friend, took me behind the scenes of her life, opened up her heart, and encouraged me like a mother. My mother was in Texas. Anita became an Oklahoma mom to me.

It was also a neat thing that she was actually born in Barnsdall – which fit right into little tourism tidbits I liked to collect in a file.

Last year I was driving through Edmond where she lived and gave her a call. I didn’t get an answer, so I left her a voicemail wishing her a Merry Christmas, but she didn’t call back.

I didn’t realize it on that day, but Anita had passed away a week or so before my call…

You just never know who might step into your life from day to day – and so many times you just never know when they may leave it just as suddenly.

I’m glad Anita Bryant stepped into mine. She was enthusiastic about living, passionate, and straightforward –and I appreciated her honesty and transparency.

You know, I asked her if, knowing the price she was to pay, would she do it all again. She, without hesitation, said she would.

In a world of wishy washy, stand. I learned that from the Florida Sunshine Girl.

This is me – encouraging you – to be kind and look for the good in others, because you just might find it!

#CallingToTheGood

Dustin Hancock AAMS™ Financial Advisor

2015 Bruin Football

by Mike Jerry Tupa

Hard to believe it’s been a decade since a gritty group of Bartlesville High School warriors whooshed into team history with a 10-2 record and just one win shy of playing for a state title.

The nucleus of the 2015 powerhouse revolved around a powerful senior class, many of them three-year starters — alltime Bruin stalwarts like quarterback Colton Penrod, all-time leading career rusher Jarrod Hilger, future NFL starter A.J. Parker, hawkish defensive back Nate Hansen, Herculean linemen Isaac Barham and Seth Hinnergardt, defensive end dynamo Tristan Crowder, linebackers Hunter Gritzmaker and Jordan Williams, and many others.

Add to that mix juniors like future college baseball star A.J. Archambo, versatile gladiator Easton Hammonds, lineman Joe Fodor and other up-and-coming stars.

All that kept those Bruins from a 10-0 record was a 17-14 loss at Tulsa Washington — in which the Bruins fumbled the ball away inside the 10-yard line and set up Washington’s last-gasp drive for the winning field goal.

The signature win? A 50-33 upset of Bixby on its homefield. Bixby — the defending state champion — had stormed to a 21-7 lead early in the game and led at halftime, 21-14. Bartlesville stormed to 36 points in the second half — sparked by Hansen’s pick-six, who suffered a season-ending injury on the return.

But since that amazing 2015 season, Bruin football went on a downward slide. The Bruins have experience nine-straight losing seasons while compiling a 29-65 record. On the plus side, they’ve qualified three seasons for the playoffs — but some of that is due to 6A-II changing its rules a few years ago to allow the top six teams — rather than the only the top four teams — to play in the postseason.

Journey back to the 1983 and 1984 seasons, when Bruin football recorded a 15-8 cumulative record with a playoff win just three years after Bartlesville High was formed.

Then in 2009-10, the Bruins recorded a cumulative 16-7 showing, again with an upset postseason victory (14-7 at Owasso, 2009).

One thing that has to be noted are the quick turnarounds — from 2-8 in 1982 to 8-3 in 1984; from 1-9 in 2007 to 9-3 in 2009; and from 3-7 in 2011 to 10-2 in 2015.

What was it that made those teams special?

John McKee played a major role for two of Bartlesville’s greatest teams — as the defensive coordinator in 2009 (9-3) and as the head coach in 2015 (10-2). Both were built on serious youth movements.

“It all boils down to kids,” McKee said. “We just talk about Kirby (Schoenthaler), Devin (Randall), Mitch (Tate) and those other guys on those teams (2009 and 2010) and they stayed together through high school. They did something together. ... It was a credit to

those guys that kept those kids together. We just grew on that and fed upon that. It was a lot of fun.”

The 2009-10 smashing success began in 2007 with the elevation of freshman Schoenthaler to starting quarterback. Other raw talents that would make their debuts the that year or in 2008 included bookend defensive ends Randall and Tate, fullback Jack Wiseman, receivers Mike Thompson, Garrett Powell and Trevor Moll; linebacker Mick Miller, linemen Justin Butterfield and Colby Mitchell, and many, many other players.

All the players coalesced in 2009 into one of the state’s top teams, led by head coach Ron Smith.

One advantage teams had back in that era were keeping most its great talent together through junior high and high school — a challenge in the world of the 2020s due to the OSSAA’s recently-approved liberal transfer rule. According to one source, approximately 900 student-athletes took advantage statewide of that rule to transfer in 2024.

That’s why youth coaches in the past — such as Craig Tate — were invaluable in helping persuade the top talent to stay in town.

“He kept those kids together and they grew that camaraderie. In junior high they were very successful. ... It became ‘We can do this, we’ve beaten these teams before,’” he said about their time together in youth football and junior high,” McKee said.

The 1983 and 1984 teams — coached by Mickey Ripley — were fueled by several future Bruin legends, including Oklahoma Statebound running back Mitch Nash, Oklahoma-bound lineman Mike Wise and other stars such as Rick Page (Wichita State), Darrell Worrell (Arkansas), Jerry Crabtree, John Iglehart and others.

As mentioned, this team was unique — in 1981 some of these players had been rivals in the brutal rivalry between Col-Hi and Sooner.

In 1982, they were teammates at Bartlesville, engaged in a common cause. Athletes from both schools had confidence in common.

“We had a lot of like-minded players,” recalled Mitch Nash, a star ballcarrier on the team who later played for Oklahoma State inbetween NFL Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. “We went into a game knowing we were going to win. ... We were crosstown rivals, but we respected each other. We knew about each other. ... We went into high school with a winning attitude.”

Keeping talent together, development of young players, fostering confidence and winning expectations seem to be common traits with some of the great Bruin teams.

The 2025 crew will look to join that list when it kicks off the season on August 29 against Newcastle. Harry Wright is entering his fourth season as head coach.

Lloyd DeShazer ... And the Role Pearl Harbor Played in His Life

by Joe Todd

Lloyd DeShazer was born 11 November 1920 in Avant, Oklahoma. The family lived on a farm, raised corn and plowed with a team of mules and a walking plow. The Great Depression didn’t affect the family too much. They had no money and if they wanted to buy anything, his mother sold eggs and cream to get the money.

After school, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked at Grand Junction, Colorado and Fresno, California, working on the roads. He returned to Oklahoma and was home when he heard of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He immediately joined the Air Corps and was sent to Shepherd Field, Texas for Basic Training. Basic lasted 10-weeks then he was sent to the Lockheed Aircraft Factory for Aircraft Mechanic School at Santa Monica, California. He was with a group and had classes on aircraft mechanics and watched the production line but had to stay out of the way of the workers. The school lasted 8-weeks, then he went to Fresno, California and worked at a small Air Corps Refueling Station for six-months.

The Queen Mary landed in Scotland and he was sent to Ata Bridge, England, assigned to the 466th Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force. He flew 2½ missions, then his B-24 was shot up and could not keep up with the formation. This was in 1944, but he was unsure of the date.

From Fresno, he went by train to Seattle and went to Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands on an old freighter. He worked at the airfield on Adak on B-24s, P-38s and P-40s. He applied for Gunnery School and returned to the states. The Gunnery School lasted six-months and trained as the Top Turret Gunner on a B-24.

He was sent to Salt Lake City and assigned to a B-24 crew then flew to Clovis, New Mexico for Crew Training. They went to New York City and boarded the HMS Queen Mary, which had 20,000 troops on board. He was assigned to a bunk but could only sleep in it every other night because of the number of troops on board. He said, “Most of the soldiers were seasick and the ship was a mess.

When they reached the target, they were alone and losing fuel. They had been informed if they could not return to England, fly to Switzerland. To keep from being shot down and taken prisoner by the Germans, they landed in Switzerland and the crew was interned in a hotel in the town of Adelboden. The local people treated them nice and there were also German crews that had flown into Switzerland and several became friends. They stayed in the hotel and were allowed to go out but could not venture very far from the town. The crew was in Switzerland tenmonths and the war in Europe was winding down. They were released and flown to Marseille, France then put on a ship for England. From England they were put on a ship and landed in New York City, where he was given his choice of assignments and chose Tulsa. There was a small airfield at the Tulsa Airport where he served until the war ended.

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Antioch School & Church

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

The first Antioch School met in the A.C. Kneisly home before 1907 Statehood, in the Copan area. After Statehood, several citizens constructed a one-room school east of Copan on Wann Rd. The school held grades 1-8. Agricultural education was very important in the curriculum.

The Ladies Aid of Antioch built a 3-room home for the teachers in 1915. By 1918, the community grew, causing the construction of an additional schoolroom. The student population kept growing and in 1923, the community hired a third teacher and many students traveled to school on a horse-drawn bus. In 1924, a motorized bus replaced the horse-drawn bus. In 1941, the school had to be expanded, adding another classroom and a kitchen.

In 1910, the local newspapers started announcing Sunday church services being in the Antioch School. I couldn’t determine why the school was named Antioch, but I did find in the Bible in Acts 11:26, that the first time the disciples were called Christians was in Antioch.

It appears Antioch Church was not part of an established denomination with one pastor. Newspaper accounts indicated many different preachers preached there through the years. In fact, one of them was Reverend J.R. Charlton, who I wrote about several months ago. The school leaders made good use of the building by also allowing community groups to meet in the school year-round. I enjoyed reading newspaper articles about the Antioch Community. In October 1913, an oil well was shot near

the schoolhouse. The students were allowed to go outside and watch, as some had never seen a well shot. Other news that October were about the new stove for the primary room and the new school bell. Because of the drilling of the oil well, the school was blessed with an abundance of gas, which was very appreciated on cold days. Some other news stories included: the school bus turned over and injured 4 of 8 students, the cook at the school reported thieves stole food she was cooking for Friday’s lunch. In 1960 the schoolhouse was remodeled, and the students were equipped with modern adjustable desks and a good library. All textbooks not furnished by the state were provided by the district. The 4-H youth cleaned the school grounds and planted trees and flowers. A recreation program was held at the school monthly for patrons of community, and several fund-raising activities were held.

I had fun visiting with some former students at the Antioch School. Two of these were Paula Giroir and Calveta Lyons, who attended in the early to mid 1950’s. They both talked about box suppers, pie socials, ice cream socials and plays, to help raise money. They remembered the outside bathrooms, being very inconvenient in bad weather. Calveta remembered the class being on their best behavior when the County Superintendent came for a visit. She also talked about how fun Christmas time was, with all the decorations, programs, and gifts.

The enrollment at Antioch School dwindled and in 1965, most of the remaining students annexed to the Copan and Nowata schools. The building burned in 1966, leaving only a monument.

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Armstrong Bank Colonial Storage / George Johnson Appraisal

Dale & Stefani Summerlin

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Jane Phillips Medical Center Legacy Capital Private Wealth Management of Wells Fargo Advisors Moxie on Second / Bartlesville Print Shop

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Mark & Debbie Haskell

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Play for Burk Foundation Prosperity Bank

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Richey Roofing & Construction

Roger & Suzanne Shiflet

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Truity Credit Union

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Sports, Support & a Lot of Fun

Samaritan’s Sports Spectacular Returns August 23

by Abigail Singrey

The Samaritan Sports Spectacular gives community members a way to support Samaritan Counseling’s mission—and have a blast doing it. At the 19th annual event, to be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23 at the Hilton Garden Inn, amongst live music, friendly rivalries and a rousing performance of the Bruin fight song by the cheer and pom squads, guests will have a chance to learn a little more about mental health in sports.

“I love that this is a more casual community event,” board member and fundraising chair Kristin Curd said. “People can come in sports attire, bid on some great items from local people and businesses, and have fun for a great cause.”

This year, a panel of former Bruin athletes, led by moderator and “Voice of the Bruins” Evan Fahrbach, will speak on the mental health challenges those in high school and college sports face. Speakers will include David Castillo, Team USA Basketball and Kansas State basketball; Jared Hicks, University of Arkansas football; Campbell Barta, Northwest Missouri State Track; Morgan Lawrence-Hayes, University of Oklahoma softball; and Clent Stewart, former Bartlesville High School head coach and Kansas State basketball.

home chefs. The highest-bidding table gets the first pick—and the dessert dash begins!

Still, amid the laughter, bidding wars, and celebration, Samaritan Counseling Center hopes attendees stay connected to the core mission of the event: expanding access to affordable, life-changing counseling.

“The sole purpose of the Sports Spectacular is to provide subsidized counseling for those who otherwise cannot afford it,” said Curd. “We want everyone to have access to help when they need it most.”

In 2024, Samaritan Counseling provided more than 3,500 counseling sessions to 515 individuals with a dedicated team of five counselors and four support staff. Services include individual, couples, and family counseling, all tailored to meet the specific needs of each person. Some Samaritan therapists are trained in specialty techniques such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which helps lessen the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, and TraumaFocused Therapy, an approach designed to help individuals process and heal from the impact of past trauma in a safe, supportive environment.

The panel will address the difference between high school and college sports and the different stressors student athletes face, such as the pressure to perform up to expectations and life-changing decisions such as whether or not to enter the transfer portal. Guests will have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A, gaining insight into experiences of a variety of athletes.

Dinner will be provided by Dink’s, known for its delicious barbecue, and the event will feature both live and silent auctions. A few of the auction items include an original painting by local artist Jon Lindblom, game day packages from Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University, and the Denver Broncos, as well as opportunities for private chefhosted dinners and getaways.

New this year is the Dessert Dash, a sweet twist on the evening where each table pools its bids for the chance to claim one of many delectable desserts donated by local bakeries and

These services are especially vital during times of crisis, transition, or emotional strain—and they’re only made possible through the generosity of donors and partners.

Samaritan is proud to be a Bartlesville Regional United Way partner agency and deeply values the ongoing support from organizations and individuals who believe in their mission. That support ensures the counseling center can remain a reliable resource—whether it’s for a student-athlete who feels like one bad game could ruin everything, or someone facing grief, anxiety, or a life-altering decision.

“We all carry heavy things: some visible, some not,” said Executive Director Ben Ames. “What matters is knowing you don’t have to carry them alone. Samaritan is here to remind people that healing is possible, and help is within reach.”

Get tickets or find out more about the event at https://www. supportsamaritan.org/.

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We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity

Experienced, Honest, Local

by Jay Webster

Let’s play a game. I’m hosting a small party at my house in two weeks. I’m inviting you (and your plus one, of course) along with probably ten other people. I’ve messaged you all the details: address, time, location, etc.

Now, what do you do from there?

Do you message a response? If so, within how many days? Do you ask what you should bring? Do you follow up to see what kind of party to expect? Do you arrive early or late to the party?

OK, we’ll come back to the party in a minute. Let’s move on to something else.

You arrive at a meeting. Maybe it’s a work deal. Maybe it’s

a board meeting. Maybe it’s for a volunteer project. When you get there, four other attendees will be there. Each is looking at their phones.

Do you greet the group? Do you simply find a seat, bring out your phone, and wait? Do you introduce yourself? Do you attempt any conversation?

Let’s try one more.

You are at the grocery store. It’s pretty busy. Your cart is mostly full. The person behind you is holding two items.

Do you offer to let the person behind you go ahead? Do you make conversation with others in line? Do you greet the

checkout cashier when it’s your turn?

I’m asking all this because this was an actual conversation I had with my wife, Ann-Janette. We found ourselves in several situations like these and realized that many people “in modern society” have forgotten the basics of how to be human. In truth, we’ve forgotten to consider others.

Maybe it’s the pace of life. Maybe it’s the distraction and/ or addiction to technology. Maybe it’s the fear of awkwardness. But regardless of the cause, we are no longer functioning as normal humans anymore.

For generations, we were taught that you never go to someone’s house or party empty-handed. It was considered a “common courtesy.” My friend Peggy O’Connor still laughs at me today because over twenty years ago, she invited us to a fabulous party at her house. We had just moved into our first home. On the evening of the party, Ann-Janette was out of town, and I was up to my eyeballs in home renovations. Still, I showered, got dressed, and went to the party. On the way out the door, I suddenly panicked - what can I bring to the party? Our new cabinets were mostly empty. I opened every one. Ritz Crackers. I opened the fridge. Cheese. I grabbed both and hopped into a borrowed truck with extremely lazy brakes, then drove across town to the party.

Fortunately for me, Peggy answered the door. She found me standing there with an open box of crackers and a piece of cheese, and she burst out laughing…to my face. “Oh, honey… this is a catered affair…I don’t think we’ll need your crackers.” But I got an “A” for effort, and she’s loved me ever since.

I’m still caught off guard now when we host something, and people don’t reply to the invitation at all, or worse, show up fifteen minutes early, or immediately corner you in a conversation with no awareness that you’re just trying to get the cheese and crackers out onto the table.

Human-ing is about being aware of what the other person needs in that moment. What does the host need? Well, to know if you’re coming, for starters. To arrive at a time that won’t freak them out or add to their stress. And to see if they need any help. Maybe they just need you to make conversation with someone and take them off their hands for a minute so they can focus on getting the party on the table.

What does it look like to be a human at that meeting?

To start, how about making eye contact and simply greeting people? How about being the one who makes others feel more comfortable? How about helping everyone out by asking each person’s name, how they know each other, or how they got involved in a nonprofit for cat manicures? Has this always been your passion? This is the moment to help people look up from their devices, which they are only staring at because they feel awkward and don’t know what else to do with themselves.

Being human is considering others and finding ways to make them feel more comfortable.

Being human means being aware of others, even in a grocery store. “Please, go ahead of me. You only have two items.” “Hey, Mr. Checkout-person. How’s your day been?” “Hi, Barista. I like your hair…colors. What an imaginative place… to pierce.” It’s not that hard to connect with people on something, on anything.

Being human is not ignoring people’s messages just because you don’t have the answer yet. Saying “I’m not sure yet” is a perfectly acceptable response that beats radio silence every time. Making someone feel awkward by forcing them to reach out again because they never heard back from you about meeting up for coffee—which was your idea in the first place—is not how you show genuine humanity.

We are busy.

We are distracted.

We fear being awkward, offending someone accidentally, or getting caught in a conversation with a “long-talker” (my personal nightmare).

Be brave, little fish. Take the risk. The more we become aware of others, putting ourselves in their shoes, the less time we have to fear all the rest. And the more comfortable we make others. And who knows all the untold good that can come from that?

I struggle with all these things much more than I’d like to admit. But over the last couple of years, I have made a deliberate effort (as a recovering undercommunicator) to be brave and aware of others. I believe that’s what it means when someone says they feel “seen.” We are conscious of them and behave in a way that is gracious and hospitable and even respectful. Maybe that’s just class.

At any rate, I know I can be better. Humaning is hard, but it’s better when we do it together.

So, until we see each other again, there is so much good that can be done - let’s go and do it.

Cheers, my friends.

Dropping Dimes & Moving Decimals

by Brent Taylor

One of my favorite scrapbook pictures from childhood shows me dropping a dime into an offering plate at Church. This is a story about an offering that went off the rails.

Jasper Congregational Church was the heartbeat of the community, the place imprinted on the souls of those who sat shoulder to shoulder each Sunday. It was also where money changed hands between the people of God and the Lord’s treasury. Money was folded, coins rattled, and checks solemnly placed into silver trays passed from pew to pew. This might have even impressed the early Christians in Acts 5:5—who, as we know, learned the hard way that God and Peter sometimes audit the books. Carelessly tithing the Lord’s work is not for the faint of heart. Just ask Merle ‘Spud’ Dinkins.

Spud had been with the Jasper Sanitation Department since Roosevelt was in office. He was sturdy, sunburnt, and smelled vaguely of motor oil, even in his Sunday suit. Most Saturday nights, Spud could be found at Harlan’s Tavern, nursing a Schlitz and telling stories. But every Sunday morning, Spud was in the third pew from the front at Jasper Congregational, squinting at the hymnal like it owed him money. On one particular Sunday, after a Saturday night involving a pint of Long John Dew whiskey, Spud fumbled for his checkbook and scribbled out a check. He meant to write ten dollars, as he always did—“ten bucks to stay on God’s good side,” as he put it—but added an extra zero with the flourish of a big spender. By the time Spud realized his error, the deacon had already taken the plate and disappeared behind the locked counting-room door with a deacon sentry posted outside like a vault guard at Fort Knox. Spud leaned toward his wife, Dora, and whispered, “I think I just tithed away our groceries for the week.” Dora, without looking up from the bulletin, said, “What do you mean our?”

On Tuesday morning, Spud Dinkins arrived at the Jasper Congregational Church office wearing work boots and a limplycollared paisley button down shirt. He walked past room 112 where the women’s quilting circle met to discuss doctrine and

needlepoint, though the needlepoint often gave way to needling of another stripe. Behind a desk stacked with bulletins and feltboard cutouts of Bible characters sat Miss Ernestine Pribble, church secretary and unofficial gatekeeper since 1982. Ernestine had a beehive hairdo that defied belief and Oklahoma wind. She did not suffer fools or late submissions to the church newsletter.

Spud removed his cap. “Morning, Miss Ernestine.” She looked up from her typewriter, eyes narrowing slightly. “Spud Dinkins. I assume this isn’t a social call.” “No, ma’am. I come bearing a financial irregularity.” She folded her hands like a judge preparing for sentencing. “Is this regarding the tendollar check you wrote on Sunday?”

“Technically, yes. Though that check came out at a hundred dollars on account of my hand crampin’ up.” Miss Ernestine raised one eyebrow—her left, which was widely known to be her more sarcastic one. “The Lord’s books don’t typically allow for buyer’s remorse, Mr. Dinkins.”

“I ain’t asking for all of it back,” Spud said quickly. “I’m just sayin’ the decimal wandered.” She flipped through a ledger, ran her finger down a list, and tapped the line beside “DINKINS, MERLE (SPUD)”. “Funds have been deposited. Reverend Amos already assigned the surplus to the orphanage in Possum Grape, Arkansas.”

Spud rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, can’t the Lord make do without the ninety?” Ernestine removed her glasses and stared at him, long and hard. “This is not Sears Roebuck. However…” she softened, slightly. “…we can make a notation in your giving record for next quarter.” Spud squinted. “You mean like store credit?” She sighed again. “Yes, just more Divine.” “Well, alright then,” Spud muttered, putting his cap back on.

As he turned to leave, Miss Ernestine called after him. “Oh— and Spud? The Ladies’ Circle wanted to know if you’d consider testifying about the error at the next stewardship luncheon. About how the Spirit moves decimals in mysterious ways?”

Spud didn’t break stride. “Tell ’em I’ll pray about it.”

State of the Schools

Superintendent Chuck McCauley Talks About BPS

The bond issue approved in February 2023 allowed for funds to renovate existing spaces and add additional square footage at our two largest elementary schools. The project at Ranch Heights Elementary is complete and ready for the first day of school.

This year, every student in the district is again eligible for free breakfast and free lunch every day. Parents do not need to submit applications to participate in a free-andreduced meal program. Instead, the district asks all families to complete a simpler online Economically Disadvantaged form to ensure it receives the proper amount of state aid.

Every school in the district will begin the 2024-25 school year with a full time School Resource Officer (SRO), with two at the high school. The safety of Bartlesville Public Schools has long been a priority in the district. The district’s Director of Health and Safety, Kerry Ickleberry, works around the clock to ensure the district and its response teams are prepared and organized for any event. The district’s Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan is updated and reviewed annually by a committee made up of staff, community members, and first responders. Parents are also included on every school’s Safe School Committee.

Bartlesville High School is expanding its new Construction program this year, adding an additional teacher to accommodate the demand of 150 students requesting to enroll. The program, open to 9th through 12th graders, offers an introduction to the construction industry and its associated trades. Students will explore opportunities in the field through a blended learning approach that includes hands-on experiences, field trips, presentations by industry professionals, and classroom work.

The Bartlesville Public School District has again been recognized as a Project Lead The Way Distinguished District for its outstanding STEM program at every district school, providing pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This means that all six of the district’s elementary schools, both of its middle schools, and its high school individually earned Distinguished School status for 2024-25. Bartlesville is one of just 19 districts across the U.S. to receive this honor and the only district with that status in Oklahoma. This will be the fourth year of including Aviation as part of our STEM curriculum alongside Computer Science and Pre-Engineering.

Thanks to a generous contribution

from the Arvest Foundation and a growing partnership with Tri County Tech, BPS began offering an innovative childcare benefit for our teachers in August 2023. With this benefit, BPS certified staff receive reduced rates on childcare at Tri County Tech’s Early Learning Lab, a 5-Star NAEYCaccredited child development center. They also receive priority waitlist placement and a 50% discount on the cost of this childcare.

We continue to provide comprehensive opportunities for students such as our Advanced Placement program, fine arts, and athletics. We are proud to offer choices for parents like full and part-time virtual options for all grade levels. Our elementary virtual program is housed at Richard Kane Elementary along with Central Middle School and Bartlesville High School for secondary students.

It is a great time to be a Bruin!

Broadway in Bartlesville!

Celebrating 23 Thrilling Seasons

Get ready, Bartlesville! The Center is thrilled to announce its twenty third season of Broadway in Bartlesville!, and it’s packed with fun for the whole family! Season tickets are on sale now for four amazing national touring Broadway productions, plus two exciting add-on shows. You’ll get to enjoy every performance from the same great seat and save money by grabbing your season subscription today!

A Season Full of Spectacle and Song! Kicking Off with Holiday Magic!

The season officially opens on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30 PM with the dazzling CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE . Imagine snowmen, penguins, angels, and even Santa himself, all brought to life with incredible acrobatics, gravity-defying stunts, and illusions! This critically acclaimed show is like a Broadway musical and a Christmas spectacular all rolled into one — it’s the ultimate holiday gift for everyone!

Ring in the New Year with Harmony!

Get ready to clap your hands and tap your feet as THE CHOIR OF MAN returns to Bartlesville on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 7:30 PM . These talented blokes from across the pond are back by popular demand after selling out shows worldwide! Known as “the ultimate feel-good show,” The Choir of Man delivers over 90 minutes of powerful vocals, amazing harmonies, and foot-stomping choreography. They’ll perform everything from radio hits and classic rock to pub tunes, folk, and Broadway favorites. Get ready to have a blast!

A Classic Tale for All Ages!

Step back in time with the beloved musical THE MUSIC MAN on Monday, March 23, at 8:00 PM . Follow the charming, fast-talking salesman, Harold Hill, as he convinces the folks of River City, Iowa, to start a boys’ band – even though he doesn’t know a thing about music! His plans get a little complicated when he falls for Marian, the librarian. This six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy has been entertaining audiences since 1957 and is a heartwarming, family-friendly story perfect for every generation.

Celebrate a Music Legend!

The main season wraps up with TINA: The Tina Turner Musical on Tuesday, March 31, at 7:30 PM . Get ready to experience the incredible journey of Tina Turner, from her undeniable voice to her unstoppable fire. This hit musical, which has been wowing audiences in London, features all her iconic songs, including “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Proud

Mary,” and “River Deep – Mountain High.” It’s a powerful and inspiring show you won’t want to miss!

Extra Fun to Add On!

But wait, there’s even more excitement coming your way in 20252026!

A Swiftie Dream Come True!

Don’t miss the BLANK SPACE | TAYLOR SWIFT TRIBUTE show on Tuesday, September 30, at 7:00 PM! Blank Space is Los Angeles’s own fantastic Taylor Swift tribute band, bringing the magic of Taylor’s chart-topping hits and unforgettable melodies to life. Led by the charismatic Olivia Moretti, who perfectly embodies Taylor’s spirit, this show promises a dazzling explosion of music and energy!

Roaring Good Time with Dinosaurs!

Dare to journey into DINOSAUR WORLD on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 7:00 PM! This interactive show for the whole family will take you across uncharted territories to discover a prehistoric world filled with astonishing and remarkably lifelike dinosaurs. You’ll meet impressive creatures like the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, and more! Plus, after the show, brave explorers will get a special chance to meet a new dinosaur friend.

Get Your Tickets Today!

Season subscriptions are on sale now! This is the best way to secure your seats for all four main Broadway shows and get early access to add on tickets for Blank Space and Dinosaur World before single tickets for most shows go on sale on Tuesday, September 2, at 9:00 AM . (Please note: Blank Space single tickets are already available!)

For more information or to purchase your tickets, call The Center box office at 918-337-2787 or visit www. bartlesvillecenter.com.

We’re so grateful for the financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and our wonderful local sponsors. Their generosity helps The Center bring these fantastic shows to our community. If you’re interested in sponsoring Broadway in Bartlesville or placing an advertisement in our program books, please contact Valarie Hulse, Director of Development and Programming, at 918-3372787.

We can’t wait to see your family at The Center for our most thrilling season yet! Which show are you most excited to see?

B the Light Update: Levels to Freedom

by Miriam Walker

Can you believe the summer is almost over? With school supplies lining the store shelves already, it’s hard to imagine classes beginning in just weeks. The summer has really flown by!

Life at B the Light is as busy as ever, and the summer heat has brought in countless homeless neighbors for showers. Showers are typically scheduled between the hours of 10 to 2, and the volunteers are here to make sure our neighbors have everything needed to feel fresh and renewed. I do believe we often take for granted the things that we’ve always had so readily available to us.

For most people showers are as normal as getting up each morning. For the unhoused people of our city showers are not normal, and they’ve come to count on B the Light for a sense of normalcy, during a season that is everything but.

The big news this month is the near completion of Phase 2, located on the 2nd floor of our building. There will be more to come on Phase 2 in the next update, but let’s do a recap of Phase 1.

The first floor is where it all begins for Phase 1. This is the 15 month program when our homeless neighbors can come in just as they are, but they can’t stay that way. During this time period, the addictions that some of our unhoused friends have become accustomed to must be phased out. There is no alcohol or drugs allowed at B the Light. In addition, our guests must be kind to each other and they will eventually need to learn to live within a community. Many have been living in the woods alone and isolated, and being a part of a community is unchartered territory.

During this time they’ll begin to work our program. We’ll see what is needed in the way of paying past fines, secure licenses and ID’s if needed, GED completion if applicable, and we’ll begin to access skill sets to see which jobs will best fit each client.

They stay at no cost, but they do have to work to stay, and we provide the work. Work will come in various forms from inside out. It could be working in the garden, tending to the chickens, or inside learning a skill. Whether it be hands-on or online courses, each job is unique to each individual.

The biggest hurdle that faces our potential guests however, will be their unwavering attachment to drugs and alcohol.

In a flashback moment, the conversation wasn’t unlike countless others I’ve had over the years, but the one on this particular day was initiated by me.

I tried to convince one of our guests staying at the warming shelter to go into transitional housing. This would require him to

“Okay I’ll do it. I’ll go.”

come off the drugs. Slowly but surely, our unhoused neighbor would have to commit to getting clean.

I began, “Aren’t you tired? I mean, you have to be tired of living this way. You know, you can do this. We all believe you can. We believe in you.”

His sad eyes were tired, and I could feel the heaviness of his words as soon as he spoke them.

“I am tired. I’m really tired. I just don’t know if I’m ready.” He let out a defeated sigh. I waited silently. I was not talking, only listening.

The fact of the matter is, many of the homeless people who shower each week, and many who come drink coffee and hang out with us, will not be staying at B the Light because they’re not committed to beginning that journey of addiction recovery. Both Phase 1 and 2 will require our homeless neighbors to start down the path to addiction recovery.

Phase 2 will be a season of continued discovery, as our clients get closer to the life they began building when they decided to end their cycle of homelessness. We’ll cover more about Phase 2 next month.

We will always be here for our unhoused neighbors, despite their choices. Whether they need a shower, resources, food, help calling loved ones, relocating closer to family, or help finding transitional housing, we’ll continue to be their biggest advocate.

In a broader sense, we’d like to help all those experiencing homelessness with a place to stay.

The reality however, brings me back to the ending of my story from above. Our homeless friend from last winter changed his mind and backed out at the last minute. The backpack and clothing we prepared for him went back on the shelves, as the burden of getting clean was too heavy a burden for him to carry. He occasionally stops by for snacks, and I often see him meandering downtown from time to time.

He’s still using drugs. He’s still homeless. And he is still loved.

Maybe one day, his reality will come face to face with Phase 1 of B the Light, but until it does, he will always be loved.

Tours are still going on, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to come see what’s happening here at B the Light!

Seeya next month!

Prairie Oil & Gas Company

by Jay Hastings

The well-known Phillips Petroleum Company was incorporated in Bartlesville 1917; however, they were not the first oil company in town. By the turn of the century, oil was already big business in the local area. Many companies came and went, or were merged into larger companies. At the time, the challenge south of the Kansas border was how to transport the crude oil north and east to refineries and markets. I have always been interested in the two large tank farms built near Copan and Ramona in the early 1900s, and how they played a part. The farms were used from 1904 to 1940, and many of the berms built around the bottom of the tanks can still be seen today.

The Prairie Oil and Gas Company was incorporated in 1900, with offices and a refinery in Neodesha, Kansas. It had been organized as a purchasing and pipeline subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, a company owned by John D. Rockefeller. Prairie Oil served only Kansas oil fields at the time. Osage and Cherokee producers in then-Indian Territory struggled to find buyers for their oil, no matter the price, due to the added costs involved in the logistics of rail shipping.

The Phoenix Oil Company, as well as other local producers, were merged into the Indian Territory Illuminating Company in December 1891. The AT&SF railroad had built into Bartlesville by 1899, and local town boosters persuaded the railroad to erect a loading rack at the Bartlesville depot. The Phoenix Oil Company laid the first pipeline in Oklahoma to collect oil from wells west of Bartlesville in the Osage. The oil was transported through a two-inch line to Bartlesville, where it was loaded into tank cars, furnished by the Neodesha refinery. Another line was built to a loading dock three and a half miles south to a location named Matoka Switch. The first oil train shipped from Bartlesville in May 1900.

In 1903, Prairie Oil and Gas erected a 35,000-barrel oil storage tank near the Bartlesville depot. It was also connected to the local producing oil wells by a small pipeline. Railroad tank cars were taken north to Caney, Kansas, where an unloading station was built. From there, the oil was unloaded and transported by pipeline to Neodesha. In 1904, the company extended a sixinch pipeline from Caney, south into Indian Territory, following an eventual and literal act of congress permitting the laying of pipelines over Indian land. By July 1904, the pipeline extended

to a location 18 miles south of Bartlesville, just west of Ramona.

In 1904, while the pipelines were being built across what would come to be Washington County, Prairie Oil and Gas began construction of what, at the time, were considered the world’s two largest crude oil tank farms. Just north and west of Ramona, there were 222 tanks holding 35,000 barrels each for a total capacity of 7,770,000 barrels. Just east of Copan, a tank farm was built with 144 tanks with a capacity of 3,745,000 barrels of oil. Tax revenue from the oil was a boost for the two small communities.

Oil pumping stations were crucial in transporting crude oil from the fields to refineries and markets. In 1906, Prairie Oil and Gas built the Cherokee pumping station along the west edge of the Ramona tank farm. Two trunk lines in Kansas extended eastward to the Standard Oil lines, leading to the eastern seaboard.

In 1915, Prairie Oil and Gas expressed interest in establishing its corporate office in Caney. They explored the site now known as Wark Memorial Park; but, the City of Caney did not seem very receptive. Consequently, it lost out to the town of Independence, Kansas, which was also the county seat. In 1916, the company built its headquarters in a newly constructed building in downtown Independence. Eventually, Prairie Oil and Gas was taken over by Prairie Pipeline Company, which was absorbed by Sinclair in 1932, in turn later assumed by Atlantic Richfield.

As the size and efficiency of the pipelines increased, there became no need to locally store the oil awaiting transport. The Copan and Ramona tank farms were emptied of crude oil by 1940, before World War II, and stood empty for some time before being dismantled. The roof and timbers were sold locally to build barns, sheds, and cattle pens. The rivets were cut and the curved steel sheets were flattened and loaded into railroad coal cars. The steel was transported to the west coast and loaded onto cargo ships to be sold to Japan.

The Prairie Oil and Gas company’s Cherokee pumping station was closed in 1949 following the war. However, the buildings still stand today, located on private property northwest of Ramona. I was amazed at just how large the Ramona tank farm was and how far west it extended. The Cherokee pumping station west of Ramona appears to be built to a standard design, similar to other Standard Oil pumping stations that were built along the pipelines back east.