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Historical Group
Purpose Explained
By BEVERLY GRAFFHAM
The first general meeting of
the Chickasaw Historical Soci-
ety of Southern Oklahoma, an
area-wide organization, was
held last night in the south
wing of Hardy Murphy Coli-
seum. The room was crowded
with enthusiastic people, some
coming from other towns in
the area including Wilson,
Marietta, and Overbrook, to
mention just a few.
“Mac” McGalliard, the soci-
ety’s president, presided with
additional short discussions held
by the vice president, Ewing
Houston, and Ardmore librar-
ian, Bill Morse. Everyone was
encouraged to ask questions
and also, to list any ideas in
a suggestion box before leav-
ing.
McGalliard first discussed the
formation of the society, some
of its goals, and the various
phases of history under con-
sideration, which members of
the society might be interested
in helping to collect and pre-
serve. This was followed by
an introduction of board mem-
bers and committee chairmen.
An account was given of the
different types of memberships
available: Individual, $3; Insti-
tutional, $15. Other counties or
towns in the area can form
local chapters and join this
organization in one of two
ways: the individuals them-
selves can join individually, or
the chapter can join as an in-
stitutional member, subject tb
the articles of the constitution
and its tax exemption require-
ments.
Attending were Mayor Wood-
row Hulme and city manager
Jack Smith. The city commis-
sioners have now given the so-
ciety official recognition as a
legal entity in Ardmore.
Of interest to everyone was
a showing of old Ardmoreite
newspapers which have been
recorded on micro-film. These
were displayed on a large
screen for everyone to see, and
the crowd chuckled over the old
fashioned dresses pictured in
some of them. One in particular
caught everyone’s eye: a pic-
ture of some lovely young
ladies in the bathing suits of
the era, certainly a startling
contrast to the bikini of today.
The organization vzill have
a tax exempt status, and contri-
butions will be deductible. The
society has already had one
major gift from the Goddard
Foundation which enclosed a
check for $200 for on institu-
tional membership and gift to-
ward the operation of the or-
ganization.
Geographic boundaries to be
covered by the society are the
Red River on the south, the
Canadian River on the north,
Atoka and Coal Counties on the
east, and the 98th Meridian up
to Grady County on the West. A
See HISTORICAL, Page 2
Historical
(ConWWI:          lj.
r listing of the definite boundar-
1 ies is necessary to complete the
i society's tax exemption status
However, McGalliard pointed
out that in the .actual course of
gathering the history of this
region, these boundaries are
apt to overlap with neighbor-
ing counties, and even extend
oyer into the northern counties
of Texas.
Many of the people who set-
tled this region, for instance,
came into the Territory from
Cooke County, Tex., and Mon-
tague County, Tex. Prior to
actual settlement, some indi-
viduals played “leap frog” over
the Red River by sneaking
across, planting little plots of
corn, were caught and driven J
back south by troops, but re- '
turned again as soon as the (
coast was clear.” Of course,
many cattlemen ran their herds
here m the early days, too. The
temptation of seeing all the
lovely green grass on the other
side of the river was just too
much. Their attitude was: What
a shame to waste it all! So they
took matters into their own
hands and drove the herds
across.
McGalliard stressed the im-
portance of written literature
about areas by illustrating the
example of how Zane Gray pop-
ularized the desert and moun-
um ar®as of the West- He said'
We have as much history',
here and perhaps even more.”)
But to make this history worka
for us, we must gather it, pre-1
serve it, and publicize it. Wei
need a good band wagon and!
banner to carry. We can do it!I
this is a heritage too great to!
lose.                                 I
Rev. Dr. Karl Moore led the!
group in prayer before the!
meeting was adjourned. ]