|
|
HISTORY CENTER THREATENED BY QUIRK IN STATE FUNDING Oklahoma City-Oklahoma's unique method of appropriating funds for bond payments is threatening to force the Oklahoma Historical Society into an additional 12 days of furlough for all employees. At a quarterly board meeting Wednesday, Executive Director Bob Blackburn explained that the revenue shortfalls automatically reduce the Society's appropriation for bond fund payments, but those obligations still have to be met to keep the state out of default. The only place to absorb the additional cuts is in payroll. "Unless the Governor and Legislature correct this quirk in state funding, the Historical Society will be cut 2.5% more than other state agencies," said Blackburn. "This means an additional cut of $309,000 for the rest of this fiscal year, or 12 more furlough days per employee." "Legislative leaders have indicated they would like to correct this unfair penalty," said Blackburn, "but until a brokered deal is reached on the budget crisis, we have to plan for the worst case scenario. Twelve more days without pay is worst case for many of our dedicated staff members." Of the 28.5 employee positions vacated since July 1, 2009, 26 were working at the Oklahoma History Center. Further cuts in the work force will threaten the ability of the research and museum facility to meet educational and heritage tourism obligations. The unique method of funding bond payments dates to a Supreme Court decision that forces the legislature to appropriate monthly payments to the agencies occupying state buildings. Since that time, the Governor and Legislature have exempted bond funds from budget cuts, which can be done only through a funding bill during regular session. Hoping that the Governor and Legislature will correct this fluke in funding formulas, the Society's board of directors delayed implementation of the additional furlough days until April 1. All 12 days of furlough would run concurrently with the 6 days already scheduled for the rest of the fiscal year, the equivalent of one full month out of work. |
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE OHS
by Paul F. Lambert
In previous issues, I have written about membership, volunteering, and supporting Friends groups as ways to support the OHS. There are many other means of helping the OHS, and one of them is by promoting visitation to the Oklahoma History Center or our other historical sites and museums.
By encouraging relatives, friends, and colleagues to visit an OHS facility with their families you are providing additional admissions income for the OHS. Since the first of the year, most of our museums and sites, as a budgetary necessity have begun charging modest admission fees. Of course, members will continue to receive free admission to all of our facilities, but visitation by non-members will increase admissions revenues and gift shop sales. In addition, some of these visitors will join the OHS.
Another way to promote visitation is to encourage organizations or schools to book group tours. Again, gift shop and admissions revenues benefit immediately and, hopefully, these visitors will encourage others to visit.
In addition, increased visitation numbers help us maximize the impact of our efforts to create new exhibits and education programs. Moreover, we believe that all of our visitors will benefit from learning more about our fascinating state and local history. |
|
PRIMITIVE BOW MAKING WORKSHOP
9 AM, Saturday, February 6, 2010
Pawnee Bill Ranch, Pawnee Tommy Leach of Stillwater will present a primitive bow making workshop in the Pawnee Bill Ranch's historic big barn. The class is a hands-on opportunity for participants to learn the stages of bow making. The fee for the workshop is $20.00 and lunch is provided. For additional information, email pawneebill@okhistory.org. |
OIL FIELD LINGO (Part 2)
From 1899 to 1939, Oklahoma was one of greatest petroleum producing areas in the world. Much of the prosperity and quality of life we have in Oklahoma is owed to the wealth produced during this golden era of petroleum and to subsequent discoveries of oil and natural gas in the state. The early oil fields also spawned a language or lingo of their own. Below is the first of a three-part series of oil field terms and definitions. This information was taken from the teachers' guide materials in our Petroleum Education Trunk.
Dogleg: applies to almost anything that is crooked, i.e. a piece of equipment or a hole.
Don't let that pig iron eat you: old safety warning.
Duck's nest: a firebox in a boiler.
Fishing: trying to recover tools lost in the drill hole.
Fishtail: a bit used for shale and other soft formations in rotary drilling.
Grief Stem: a heavy, square pipe that works through the square hole in the rotary table that drives the drill stem, also a kelly.
Ground stomper: person in seismograph crew who places the spread of the geophone detectors.
Gun barrel: a tank used for settling out salt water and other impurities in oil.
Hickory nut: an old-time employee.
Independent: and oil man who operates on his own with no stock holders or big bureaucracy , someone engaged almost solely in exploration, drilling production.
Jackknife: portable derrick.
Jar Head: cable driller, also rope choker.
Killing a well: oil and gas temporarily blocked off in hole so work may be done on a well.
Lazy bench: where derrick rig workers sit during breaks.
Lease Hound: Someone who obtains oil leases, i.e. a landman.
Mud Gun: Length of a pipe through which mud is pumped under pressure to obtain proper
weight and consistency for rotary drilling.
Mud Hog: Pump used in rotary drilling to circulate the drilling mud fluid through the drill stem. |
Dr. Aaron Mason to Speak at Sod House Museum Saturday, February 6th at 10am
Dr. Aaron Mason, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, will present a lecture entitled "The Galvanized Yankees in the American West" on Saturday February 6th, 2010 at 10am at the Sod House Museum southeast of Aline.
An Oklahoma native, Dr. Mason holds a PhD in political Science from Northern Arizona University. While serving as a Park Ranger with the National Park Service, Mason provided interpretive talks and programs dealing with the Galvanized Yankees at Fort Larned National Historic Site. In addition, Mason has published several articles and written numerous conference papers dealing with tribal-state relations, the presidency in times of crisis and various public policy issues. He currently serves as the pre-law advisor at Northwestern and is the sponsor of several student organizations.
Mason's lecture will explore and consider the role of executive federal power and how it can be used flexibly in times of crisis by analyzing the policies and programs instituted during the Civil War by President Abraham Lincoln. One of Lincoln's most pressing problems during the war concerned the issue of prisoners of war and how they should be treated. One of the most remarkable and creative solutions which the Lincoln Administration proposed involved the taking of captured Confederate personnel and paroling them by enlisting them as soldiers in the US Army to be garrisoned in far western outposts. By removing his gray uniform and then assuming the blue uniform of the federal army, the soldier was then "galvanized." This topic is interesting in the sense that Lincoln's reasoning, while logical and sound, may have been illegal and perhaps even unconstitutional. As such, this lecture will consider Lincoln's actions in light of the constitution and his arguments regarding the status of confederate soldiers.
The connection between the sod house and this topic concerns the fact that upon their discharge, many former Galvanized Yankees as well as other former confederate soldiers returned to the West and began life on the plains as farmers in sod houses. As such, it seems a fitting and desirable backdrop from which to engage in this discussion.
The program is open to the public and will run approximately 40 minutes. After the formal presentation is completed, Dr. Mason will welcome comments and discussion with the audience.
The Sod House Museum is located southeast of Aline on State Highway 8 and operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society. For more information contact Renee Mitchell at
|
Fort Towson Time Line and Public Education Event
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 9:00 AM
Fort Towson, Oklahoma 74735, Fort Towson
A group of education stations will depict times and events associated with the military occupation of Fort Towson Historic Site. The event is designed to target school children as well as history enthusiasts.
Each education station program will be presented by a living historian dressed in period clothes talking about a specific time or demonstrating trades from the past. Among the presentations planned are blacksmithing, trade items of the 1840s (silver, beads, and furs), artillery demonstrations and candle making.
For additional information, contact Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson, Oklahoma, by phone at 580-873-2634 or by e-mail fttowson@okhistory. |
Victorian Valentine Workshop
Sat, February 6, 2010, 10:00 AM
George M. Murrell Home, 19479 E. Murrell Home Rd., Park Hill, OK 74451
Instructor Martha Ray will instruct participants in making at least eight unique Valentines from the late nineteenth century time period. Attendees will learn about the history of Valentine's Day and make some of their own to send to special friends, family, and sweethearts.
Participants will need to bring a pair of sharp scissors and a sack lunch. Cost is $15.00 per person. Reservations required. Deadline for registration is February 4th.
Reservations can be made in person at the Murrell Home or by telephone at (918)456-2751. | |
|
|
|
|
Oklahoma Historical Society
2401 N. Laird Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405)522-0317
|
Do you have questions? Call (405)522-0317 or email
|
|
Don't Miss These Upcoming Events
2/5 An Evening with Martha Washington, 6pm, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
2/6 Territorial Muster Brigade, 9am-5pm, Fort Washita, (580)924-6502
2/6 Primitive Bow Making Workshop, 9am, Pawnee Bill Ranch, Pawnee
2/6 Victorian Valentine Workshop, 10am, George M. Murrell Home, Park Hill
2/8 Eli Wiesel's "Night" Lecture with Dr. J. Rufus Fears. 7pm, Northern Oklahoma College, Enid
2/9 Quilt Block of the Month Class, 6:30pm, Pawnee Bill Museum, Pawnee
2/10 Annual Quilt Show, 9am, Jim Thorpe Home, Yale
2/12 Pawnee Bill's Birthday Reception, 11:30am, Pawnee Bill Museum, Pawnee |
|
On the importance of history...
"A country without a memory is a country of madmen." George Santayana
| |
|
