-- East Coast Edition –
-- Printed in Loving Memory of Wanda J.
Jackson 1934 - 2011 –
Read old/current issues and send news
or comments online at:
http://www.234enterprises.com/RooseveltNews/newscenter.htm
Editors:
E-mail: mmay@234enterprises.com
Carolyn Niebruegge May Michael L. May 
Vol. 1, Is. 44 May
18, 2012
From the
Editor
Greetings to all of you from
I feel I must comment on how
often things turn out differently than I expect. I was very pleased by the pieces on Mothers’
Day that Carolyn put together for last week’s paper and told her that she would
mostly likely get several comments on them.
Well, apparently I “missed the boat” on this one--so far only one
comment. What surprised me was the
number of comments we received on the “Prisoner of War” camps--which you’ll see
below. You just never know what will
spur the interest of readers. We are
always happy when we write something that sparks good comments.
Back to the Mothers’ Day
issue, I have a little mixed feelings over Mothers’ Day--let me quickly explain
before you get the wrong idea. I totally
support having a day set aside to honor Mothers. However I don’t think this should result in
us waiting for this one day to honor our Mothers. Their job is so crucial in directing the
operation of the family and establishing the framework for raising the little
ones. Mothers are a very special
“lot.” Now I think Dad’s are a little
special too, but Mothers stand alone at the top of “seeing all and knowing
all.” For those of you who have walked
the same road I have--and there are many of you--regardless of how much you
love your daughters, that love gets raised to an all new level once you have
the opportunity to see them take on the role of a Mother. To see the love in their eyes when they
fondly look at their one, two, or many children, I’d bet that a tear comes to
your eye. It most certainly does to
mine. So, that said, let’s truly honor
our Mothers on Mothers’ Day, but also honor them EVERY day of the year.
To you children out there,
take a hard look at your Mom, imagine what it would be like without her, and
ask yourself, have I done my part to let my Mother know what she means to
me. If you haven’t, do it before it’s
too late and you no longer have the opportunity--like many of we older folks. You’ll be glad you did.
mlm
Content
Contributors for the Week
Austilene
(Turner) Borum, Class of 1962
All
those who sent messages to the Email “Bag”
Thank
you all!
Remembering…
More on the
POW Camps
Editor’s
note: We have had much interest in the
POW Camp. I found the following about
the
October
20, 1944
Some
150 German prisoners of war (POW) from the Afrika Korps disembarked from a
train and marched north on Jefferson Street to Hobart’s POW camp at the county
fairgrounds—roughly on the site later occupied by the baseball stadium. “I still remember that feeling of
apprehension at seeing them,” Betty Jo Robson said 40 years later.
After
the May 1943 surrender of the Afrika Korps, the U.S. Army set up temporary POW
camps across
The
prisoners went to work in the cotton fields three days after their arrival and
soon grew accustomed to their routine.
They were awakened with reveille at 5:30 a.m. each day, marched to breakfast
at 6 a.m., then marched back to their quarters at 6:30 a.m. to shave, shower,
and clean and police the area.
The
POW labor provided incalculable assistance, given the shortage of agricultural
workers. “I don’t think we could have
brought in the cotton crop without them,” said one farmer.
At
that time, the
“The
main problem we had in
January
17, 1945
Some
20 civic leaders and agricultural officials ate Army chow as guests of the
May
3, 1945
Mayor
J. J. Hunter said a new fence would be built south of the German prisoner of
war compound at the Hobart fairgrounds, to block the view of the swimming pool
from the compound, and vice versa.
Editor’s note: Glenn May was my grandfather and this is the
first time I heard of him having any involvement with the POW camp. mlm
********
We received
several emails from readers about their remembrances of the POWs. We are including those emails in this section
rather than the Email Bag.
May 10, 2012
Concerning the
article about the German prisoners who worked in the
Kate (Roberts)
********
May
10, 2012
Dear Carolyn and Mike,
Thanks for the research on the prisoner of war camps--I found it
quite interesting and informational. I have read about the
Japanese-Americans who were interred but wasn't aware that Italian and German
immigrants were also interred until reading this.
Linda (Goodin) Orr Hash, Class of 1961
********
May 10, 2012
Mike and Carolyn
I read with great interest
the story by Linda (Goodin) Orr Hash about the POW camps in
I also remember my
grandmother going into the cotton field thinking that she could visit with the
prisoners, but the Guards put a stop to that pretty quickly.
I just thought that by
chance if Linda or her brother Tom would know the name of the immigrant family
that would really be a coincidence if it were my grandparents.
Ken Hebensperger, Class of
1956
********
May
11, 2012
Mike,
There was a German Prison Camp in
The prisoners were happy to get outside and
work....Dad said they worked hard.
The big disappointment was Mom wanted to cook for
them and the county was to provide the food.
The good thing we all gained from the camp being in
Judy (Brown) Conrad, Class of 1961
********
May
13, 2012
Mike and Carolyn,
My Dad, Elmer Block, had a
group of German Prisoners work for him and that must have been in 1944. I think they chopped cotton or could be they
pulled cotton in the fall of 1944. I
cannot remember exactly what they did but I remember guards on horseback in the
fields as the prisoners worked. These
prisoners were stationed at the
Since this was an unordinary
event in my 10 or 11 year old eyes, it did make a lasting impression even tho I
can't remember the details very clearly.
Sincerely,
Betty Block Broadus, Class
of 1951
Editor’s note:
We have not been able to confirm that POW were housed at any location
around Hobart other than at the fairgrounds north of Iris Ave. cnm
Thoughts from the
Squirrel Lair
Three Marbles
I was at the corner grocery
store buying some early potatoes. I
noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily
apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but
was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new
potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn’t
help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the
ragged boy next to me.
“Hello Barry, how are you
today?”
“Hello, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas. They sure look good.”
“They are good Barry. How’s your Ma?”
“Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with?”
“No, sir, Jus’ admirin’ them
peas.”
“Would you like to take some
home?” asked Mr. Miller.
“No, sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.”
“Well, what have you to
trade me for some of those peas?”
“All I got’s my prize marble
here.”
“Is that right? Let me see it,” said Mr. Miller.
“Here ‘tis. She’s a dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I
sort of go for red. Do you have a red
one like this at home?” the store owner asked.
“Not zackly but almost.”
“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next
trip this way let me look at that red marble,” Mr. Miller told the boy.
“Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller, who had been
standing nearby, came over to help me.
With a smile she said,
“There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor
circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain
with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles,
and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them
home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come
on their next trip to the store.”
I left the store smiling to
myself, impressed with this man. A short
time later I moved to
Several years went by, each
more rapid than the previous one. Just
recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that
Ahead of us in line were
three young men. One was in an army
uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts—all
very professional looking. They
approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband’s
casket. Each of the young men hugged
her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the
casket. Her misty light blue eyes
followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own
warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his
eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs.
Miller. I told her who I was and
reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me
about her husband’s bartering for marbles.
With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
“Those three young men who
just left were the boys I told you about.
They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’
them. Now, at last, when Jim could not
change his mind about color or size—they came to pay their debt. We’ve never had a great deal of wealth of
this world,” she confided, “but right now Jim would consider himself the
richest man in
With loving gentleness she
lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely
shined red marbles.
The Moral!!
We will not be remembered by
our words, but by our kind deeds. Life
is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our
breath.
Today I wish you a day of
ordinary miracles—
A fresh pot of coffee you
didn’t make yourself.
An unexpected phone call
from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way
to work.
The fastest line at the
grocery store.
A good sing-along song on
the radio.
Your keys found right where
you left them.
It’s not what you gather,
but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!
Alumni Website
We have renewed the account that Wanda
Jackson had set up at the photo sharing website, picturetrail.com for the
Roosevelt Alumni: http://www.picturetrail.com/rooseveltalumni. She had posted many pictures from past
reunions, class panels, and old schools buildings along with write ups about
them. We thought you might find these
interesting if you haven’t visited this site in the past.
Interesting
Tidbits
Lost Generation
A palindrome reads the same
backwards as forward.
This video reads the exact opposite
backwards as forward.
This is only a 1 minute, 44
second video and it is brilliant.
Make sure you read as well
as listen…forward and backward.
The video was submitted in a
contest by a 20-year old. The contest
was titled “u @ 50” by AARP. When they
showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous
applause. So simple and yet so
brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.
Not only does it read the
opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.
Turn on the sound, run in
full screen (left click the little box at the lower right of the You Tube
screen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA
News
Cold Springs
The
12th Annual Cold Springs Reunion will be May 19. Mark your calendar and make plans to
attend! The
We plan to
attend and hope to see some of you there.
mlm and cnm
********
World War II Honor Flight
I was chosen for a WWII
Honor flight on May 4th. Ninety-three
veterans from
Several groups of school
children from various states came by when we were all lined up for a group
picture and shook our hands and thanked us for saving their country for them. I told some of the teenagers that it was now
their time to take over as we were too old to do it again. Estimates were that from 200 to 500 well
wishers thanked us. We returned to
There was one former nurse
who served in the South Pacific and when I told her I thought she must have
made a darned good nurse she smiled and said she loved it and always woke the
guys up by tickling their toes. She was
such a little sweetheart that I couldn't help giving her a hug every time I saw
her. She was 92 and very spry.
********
Hanna House
Bed and Breakfast
We had the opportunity to visit Jerry
Hayslip at his new place of business and home, the Hanna House Bed and
Breakfast in
We, the editors, are enjoying a week’s
visit to southwest
Editor’s
note: Mike made a brief stop at the
Birthdays and
Anniversaries
We
have compiled all of the birthday and anniversary information we could from
Wanda’s files. We are sure we are
missing some. Please send us the
birthdays and anniversaries for your family and friends so that we can have as
complete as list as possible. We are
going to start with what we have from Wanda’s files so if we miss you, please
send us the information so we have it for the news next year. In addition, should any of the birthdays we
list be wrong, also please let us know.
Happy Birthday
To:
May 18 – Judy Krehbiel
May 18 – Jaxon Green
May 18 – Barbara Hilliard,
Class of 1950
May 19 – Jerry Brittain, Class of 1986
May 20 – Glenda (Sparks) Hyneman, Class of 1969
May 21 – James Barnes
May 21 – Brittany Heskett
May 22 – Tyler Heskett
May 22 – David Joshua Everett
May 23 – Lena Rutledge Harris, Class of 1951
May 23 – Cathy (Carley) Franks
May 24 – Dylan Lapar
May 24 – Don Ellis
May 24 – Cardayah Reed
Happy Anniversary To:
May 19 – Kent &
Nora Welch
May 22 – Jacob & Rebecca Krehbiel
May 22 – Alan & Delinda Gibbons
May 22 – Alfred & Pat Miller
May 24 – Dusty & Sherri
Funkhouser
Humor
Traffic Camera
I was driving when I saw the
flash of a traffic camera. I figured
that my picture had been taken for exceeding the limit even thought I knew that
I was not speeding.
Just to be sure I went
around the block and passed the same spot, driving even more slowly, but again
the camera flashed.
Now I began to think that
this was quite funny, so I drove even slower as I passed the area once more,
but the traffic camera again flashed.
I tried a fourth and fifth
time with the same results and was not laughing as the camera flashed while I
rolled past at a snail’s pace.
Two weeks later, I got five
tickets in the mail for driving without a seat belt.
You can’t fix stupid.
From the Email
“Bag”
May
10, 2012
Hey Larry: You only have to go back to Jimmy Carter to match
the wisdom of Barack. That should do it!
Wayne
Rickerd, Class of 1945
********
May
10, 2012
Good morning, Michael,
I watched a good movie a couple of nights ago called "Believe in Me."
It's about a girl's basketball coach in the early sixties who takes a 6 and 16
team and wins the state tournament in his second year with this team.
What was interesting the coach and team were from Sayre. The coach was
Jim Keith and turns out he coached in
Interesting about the prisoner of war camps. When I lived in
Thanks to you and all contributors for our
Jerry Curtis, Class of 1961
********
May
10, 2012
Mike,
loved the articles you and Carolyn wrote.
She did a wonderful article on Mother’s Day. I hope you both have a safe trip to
Janis
(Hill)
********
May 10,
2012
Dear Mike:
I think it is wonderful of
you and Carolyn to work so hard to continue this newsletter in Wanda's memory. I enjoy reading it and look forward to the
lighthearted articles, gossip and local happenings. It is a chance to get away from the stresses
of everyday life. It would be nice if
more people would take the time to contribute and make your job a little
easier. There is nothing wrong with you
having opinions and political views. I
do feel that the newsletter is not the proper forum for your political banter
and was not the intent of its creation. It
takes away from the other content and darkens the mood. Have you ever considered starting a political
blog and providing a link for those who are interested in your opinions? I eagerly await your next edition.
Respectfully,
Linda Melton
********
Editors note: I would purport that Carla understood that
Larry misused the term “Canola” for the term “Kahunas” and chose to “take a
shot” at the President and Vice President at Larry’s expense. Oh, BTW, I’m pretty sure that both of these
families have roots that go back to Cold Springs--so Carla’s comments could be
presenting a little flavor of “cross town” rivalry. Jus sayin’--mlm
May
11, 2012
Did Mr. Philips really mean he wants to find a President with
intelligence and Canola? Canola oil comes from the seeds of the canola plant.
You want a President with the
intelligence of a Plant? Or intelligence
and a plant? Well it appears you voted
the Intelligent Plant into office, and his VP, I'm sure, brought a plant.
Carla Rickerd
********
May 16, 2012
Mike and Carolyn,
As always I enjoyed your efforts. I especially liked the Reagan vs. Obama You
Tube video. I think that showed anyone
what Socialism is all about. Those of us
that have been somewhat successful did not achieve that because it was given
but because we worked for it. Even when
we observe others, we see people who were left much because of the hard work of
their parents, only to squander the inheritance.
I also enjoyed the video of the blind man. My husband has been legally blind and unable
to drive for about 25 years now and while I keep up a positive front for him,
this video really hit home about the things he misses out on. He can see only shadows and cannot see the
beautiful faces of the grandkids or the things we all take for granted.
Thanks again for all of the work that goes into this online paper.
As a result of reading it today, I
laughed and cried. Isn't the intent of
journalists writing articles for any book or paper trying to get an emotional
response from your readers? You did exactly that!
Bonnie (Smith) Pickett
Political
Fodder
Where 4 Billion of our Tax Dollars are Going
This is very interesting and
disturbing. It is a two part video so be
sure to watch both parts even if it is a little long. The second part “Tax Loophole Part 2” appears
on the right of the screen when the first part finishes. The information is too important to
miss. It may be time to contact our
Congressmen and Senators.
Turn up your sound and click
on the white box in the lower right hand corner to view in full screen.
http://www.wthr.com/story/17798210/tax-loophole-costs-billions
Obituaries
Useful
Links:
Becker
Funeral Home of Snyder, OK
http://www.beckerfuneral.com/?page=snyder
Ray
and Martha’s Funeral Home of Hobart,
http://www.234enterprises.com/Roosevelt%20Cemetery%20Layout.htm
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/listing/user/rooseveltcemetery
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99397&CScn=roosevelt&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99399&CScn=Hobart+Rose&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2246374&CScn=Resurrection&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99042&CScn=Mountain+Park&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=98391&CScn=fairlawn&CScntry=4&CSst=38
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