Back in the 1900's I...

    

My sister, Jonya, and I recently discovered that when we want to share our childhood stories, how we raised our kids, or even teaching career stories that we could start with this line, "Back in the 1900's I did...." It seems to catch the attention of the audience or person facing us.

The funny thing about the 1900's is that it is the PAST and the PAST is like another country. How can we relate?

For instance:

The Norman Transcript carried this story on January 1904.

A Norman  woman walked into the Silver Cliff saloon where her husband was under the influence of drink and invited the men standing around to step up and have something to drink. Instead, the men began to slink off and soon the saloon was almost deserted. The woman brought some sewing with her and expressing herself delighted with the appearance of the place by giving every indication that she might have come to spend the day. 

I can imagine the Tik Tok viewers yelling "You Go Girl." 

 

And then there are the mysterious things that happened in the 1900's, like the barrel of wine that was seized by the county Sheriff from the Catholic Church in Norman. That barrel of wine later turned up missing from the Sheriff's office. Now what could have happened to that sacramental wine?

In 1925 the Miami, Ok News Record gives bold print to this story:

"Large Rural Crowd Hears Girl Preacher"

Miss Ora Stoddard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Stoddard, 39 C street northwest, delivered a sermon Sunday night at the Sunflower school house, two miles east of Welch, Oklahoma.

A large congregation was present, it was reported. About fifteen persons from Miami drove out to hear Miss Stoddard, who is one of the youngest ordained ministers in Oklahoma. 

On September 18, 1925, the Miami News Record (AP) posted a headlines story from New York City:

"Ten Days in Jail for Disrespect to Flag" 

For failure to remove his hat in salute to the flag, John Granetzer, a young Lithuanian, is serving a sentence of 10 days in a Brooklyn jail. He pleaded guilty of disorderly conduct while watching a Mardi Gras parade at Coney Island. Coney gives the name of Mardi Gras to a post season celebration. 

A police sergeant in his complaint averred that when other spectators told him that Granetzer was ignoring the flag, warning was given that his hat must be taken off the next time the flag passed. Granetzer failed to obey the warning, saying, "my flag is the red flag," the sergeant deposed. 

The following June 28, 1958 story in The Daily Oklahoma comes from stories being circulated in the Biltmore hotel by some of the 150 delegates to the Grapho-Analysis regional convention.

Writing Reflects Your Personality

On the basis of certain curlicues in his handwriting, an applicant for a job with an Oklahoma City firm recently was turned down. He wasn't told why, but a specimen of his handwriting showed he had criminal tendencies.

Sure enough, a couple of months later, the fellow was sent up for a stretch in the state penitentiary at McAlester.

Then there was another prison inmate who wrote a letter to a certain philanthropist here pleading for help in gaining his freedom. The letter ended up in the hands of a graphic analyst, a person who analyses handwriting, who found that the writer not only lacked criminal characteristics but had considerable musical ability. 

On the strength of the grapho-analyst's report, the convict gained his release from prison and is currently strumming a guitar with a hill-billy band.

My biggest surprise came with this one quarter page add in 1920’s for a new soda called “Dr. Pepper.” The picture of the old man and the clock showing 10:00, 2:00, and 4:00 gave reason to “Join the Club” and have a Dr. Pepper.

I discovered Dr. Pepper the friendly picker upper while going to college. I think we will put a Dr. Pepper label on my tombstone.

It’s here folks! The big day you’ve been waiting for. Cold, zippy, Dr. Pepper right over the soda fountain or bottle bar. March right up...pay 5 cents…ask for Dr. Pepper and you’ll be a confirmed member of the 10,2 & 4 Club for life.

Everybody’s joining! Every member’s happy! For here’s a drink that hits the spot, and makes the spot stay hit. Girls and men need one at ten. Another’s due, when the clock strikes two, and just at four you need one more.

Wise ones never miss these hours. They say 3-a-day, keeps the energy up…We say it’s nourishment. You N E E D a little bracer at mid-meal hours. Dr. Pepper give it to you in pre-digested form…pure nourishment that is quickly assimilated into the blood. That’s why you feel distinctly refreshed after drinking.

Pure as distilled water, sparkly as a bubbling spring. Licious as mingled juices of fruits and extracts from the Orient and Tropics. 

 

**Footnote** Are they hiding the sugar in the word licious?

In reality back in the 1900's for me begins with American Band Stand and perhaps that's another story.