Wapanucka Academy was a school for girls. Opened in 1852 by the Presbyterian Church. The name was derived from Wapanachki, a Delaware Indian word meaning “eastern land people.” During it’s first years, it was known locally as Allen’s Academy after Captain J. S. Allen who headed the school’s construction in 1851-1852. The school was established under contract between William Medill, Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the Chickasaws and Walter Lowrie in behalf of the Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church.
J. S. Allen served as interim superintendent until 1852, when the Reverend Hamilton Ballentine, his wife, and two teachers took over operation of the school, with forty girls soon in attendance.
There was conflict at the outset concerning the financing of the intuition and who would pay the cost of boarding the girls.
On July 6, 1860, following the close of the school term, the Board decided to cease operations because of insufficient funds to operate. All furniture, horses, wagons, cattle and other goods and provisions were sold, and the academy was closed for eight years.
The school was the only school in the territory mentioned in a treaty. In the second article of the Treaty of Separation between the Choctaws and Chickasaws in 1855, it was stipulated that should the new tribal boundary line not place Wapanucka Academy inside Chickasaw territory, an offset would be made to correct the situation. A survey subsequent to the treaty’s ratification placed the school two miles within the Chickasaw Nation.
The method of operation at Wapanucka closely resembled that of the others schools with its long forty week term and meager salaries of the teachers. The method of instruction in home economics at Wapanucka was unique. The girls were divided into “families” with all ages and sizes and were under the care of an adult supervisor. It was believed this more closely approximated the conditions of home life, making for a more meaningful learning experience.
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=WA019
The link below is a 10 minute video TV interview of Chest Gould and his battle helping against juvenile delinquency.
https://www.dicktracymuseum.com/new-page-2
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1225/chester-gould
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
I loved riding the dinky from Durant to Madil to see my cousin. I really loved going over Lake Texoma though it was kind of scary for a young kid! -Joe Helms
Butch: You mentioned “Elmer” as an amateur radio slang for someone who helps guide others in amateur radio needing help. In my youth as a young lad, I spent many summers in Yosemite National Park where “Elmer” was a park legend. At night, usually during the “fire fall”, folks would call out the name ELMER. Elmer was a little boy, long ago, who became lost. The shout outs for Elmer can still be heard all over Yosemite at night in the hopes to guide him home.
-Steve Miller (like the band)
Butch, I will miss your weekly escapades into the history of southern Oklahoma. Your kindness in helping me multiple times is much appreciated. I will look forward to your newsletters in the future. -Mike
Dear Butch: As to pursuant to Kari Kenana Smart’s request for the location of Marie (Marsh) Robinson & Aaron “Russell” Robinson. I was able to locate what I assume is Aaron “Russell” Robinson’s grave on Findagrave.
A. Russell Robinson, Veteran
Birth: 2 May 1924
Death: 6 May 1985 (aged 61)|
Burial: Loco Cemetery, Loco, Stephens County, Oklahoma, USA
Find-a-Grave Memorial ID # 22515802
I was unable to find anything on Marie (Marsh) Robinson. But perhaps she may be found with further research on the free web site Familysearch.org -Larry Paul
There is something I was thinking about today, it may be kind of an odd question but I thought I would ask you to see what you think. Do you know anybody that has pictures of Lone Grove elementary school back in like the ’80s and ’90s? Like inside the school and the old elementary playground? It would be really neat to see that. Obviously that’s where I went to school haha -Roy
HAM Radio Talk By Butch Bridges KC5JVT
Allstar node # 58735 – Echolink # 101960 – HamsOverIP # 103010
The daily (at noon) Boredom Breaker Net has been having really good participation this week. Around 80 checkins from all over the U.S. and even overseas, including yesterday. If you are a HAM I encourage you to check it out, lots of fun and comradery!
Below is from my newsletter archives
Nov 2001 – My friend Ernest Martin sent me a couple of pics he took of Prices Falls in the heart of the Arbuckle Mountains, south of Davis, Oklahoma. Boy, that water sure looks pretty flowing over those falls, makes me want to drive up there, take off my shoes, and stick my feet in the water! And that Ernest may be a senior citizen, but he can handle a digital camera with the best of them! Here is the text of Ernest Martin’s email this week, “A drive by view, near entrance …….today, of the Falls Creek Baptist Summer Encampment Grounds located in the Arbuckle Mountains portion of Murray County.”
“I am a retired police officer from Washington, DC. My father’s family is from Oklahoma. I was told that there was another LAWMAN in my family; perhaps 2. I have subscribed to every magazine that a publisher in Stillwater published, reading what I could hoping to stumble on a WILSON LAWMAN. It’s been years, but I remember that the publisher was in Stillwater. I am a single parent so my daughter considers my roots the critical. I was told that JOHN THOMAS WILSON, was a DEPUTY US MARSHALL, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY in the 1800’s. Possibly Cheyenne Territory.. He went by the name of TOM WILSON. His son EZEKIEL PROCTOR WILSON WAS ALSO A LAWMAN. I was told by Oklahoma kin that HE WAS THE ONLY AUTHORIZED LAWMAN AUTHORIZED TO USE A “SHOULDER HOLSTER”. Butch, does this make sense? Was it possible that handguns had to be visible and not concealed? ZEKE WAS KILLED AT AGE 25. I can send DOB’s. It now appears that you are my last hope before I close this case out as NOTHING FOUND: POLICE TERM. If J. THOMAS WILSON was a lawman I just don’t know for sure. I have tried the LAWMAN’S SITE YOU RECOMMENDED. Butch, I did find a ESEKIEL PROCTOR who was a CHEROKEE LIGHTHORSEMAN. What is that; is it LAWMAN RELATED? I want to know if I did have a Great-grandfather that was a LAWMAN. I grew up in the Panama Canal Zone and when I was in the US Army, I took my leave in Tulsa with kin that I had never met.” -Stan Wilson panacia@quik.com
“Just received your weekly letter. Your last e-mail encouraged me to send you meanderings as I recalled my early years in Ardmore. I recall the second day of the Gene Autry rodeo when one of the bulls jumped from the arena into the grandstand, nobody got hurt and they even managed to rescue the bull from the stands. It really scattered the spectators and was the talk of the town the next day. Do you remember that the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. had a store on the corner of main and “c” street. The original manager was Bill Boyd, he of course left them eventually to open his Pak-A-Sak stores, one on the road in S.E. Ardmore and the other on West Broadway near Mr Pickens Texaco station. The A&P was sill at main and “c” in early 1949, it closed very soon that same year. Priddy’s restaurant was located next to the Tivoli theatre in April of 49, and i believe Elmo Eden bought it within the next month. The bus station was on the s.w. corner of Main and ‘C’ and south of it on “c” was a two story house owned by a Mrs. Emerson which she ran as a boarding house and also served food to any and all who showed up. Unfortunately she had passed away before i got to town. Directly across the street from her boarding house was the Sprekelmeyer printing co. and the old Green Front Grocery store. I understand the grocery store moved on to main street next to Luke’s Music store. My youngest daughter managed to be born at Hardy Sanitarium in August of 1954 just before the new hospital was opened. I used to have morning coffee in the Ardmore Pharmacy with my friend Jack Hinckley and his young son was born right after my daughter, however he was born in the new Memorial hospital. I believe jack now lives in a Denver suburb. I recently sent a message to Gary Simmons stating that my wife was perhaps one of the first female employees of the Ardmore Air Base. When Mr. Wyatt Walker of the Russ Mitchell Construction company of Houston arrived in Ardmore to build the runways and aprons, he selected my future wife as his personal secretary. She and a girl friend officed in an old farm house on the air base property. They were warned not to walk around unescorted as many of the laborers were a tough lot. Ocassionally the girls would borrow the timekeepers horses and ride into Gene Autry for lunch. Late in 1942 as the completion of the construction phase ended she went to work for the Air Corps. This lasted about 5 months before she resigned and obtained employment at the Federal Savings and Loan office.” -Bill O’Heran in Canada (1923-2014) Bill O”Heran Obituary
“Butch, those autos with wooden spokes had a problem with the wheels coming apart at high speed (50 MPH) even when they were new. I would encourage your friend, Bill Landrum, with the Dodge to look the wheels over very, very, very carefully before hitting 60 again. (Might even have termites). Those were such beautiful and well made cars. We had a 1940 model Dodge that was trouble free for the time. Thanks for the hard work.”
Johnson’s Wooden Wheel shop 12 miles east of Ardmore on Highway 199. Below is a picture I took of Bill Landrum’s 1940 Dodge in front of Tommy Johnson’s Wooden Wheel shop.
http://www.woodwheels.com/
Hope everyone is having a good Thanksgiving, food, friends, and fellowship. There is so much to be thankful for.
“There is always, always something to be thankful for.” —Unknown
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net