Roscoe Thompson's Story

In this 1911 classroom photo from Eastside school, there is a young boy named Roscoe who has drawn an arrow to himself beginning on the blackboard and over three rows to a young boy resting his right arm on the desk behind him. The photograph came from the collection of Nellie Beavers Childs.

The mystery began when Nellie Beavers Childs told me (Letty Watt) in a 1993 interview that Roscoe drew an arrow to himself in her two photos. 

Nellie Child's Story

I immediately thought Roscoe might be slightly ornery to draw a line to himself on a girl's class photo. He also drew a line in the 1908 photograph that Nellie carried with her. 

**This one's for you Roscoe: the line drawn to a young boy who would one day take over his father's business and create a legacy for Norman, Oklahoma.  

Curiosity took over and I set out in spring of 2025 to find out who Roscoe Thompson really was. In less than three months of social media, phone calls, and personal encounters I discovered that I personally knew Roscoe’s grandson, Craig Thompson, who works at OK Runner (3408 36th Ave NW Suite 100, Norman, OK 73072).

One afternoon in May, Gus Thompson, youngest son of Roscoe, and his wife Anna met me at Jefferson school to talk about Gus’s father, Roscoe.

Roscoe graduated from Norman High School in 1920 (building facing East Gray St. operated 1909—1958).

When I asked Gus about the nickname "Trucky" on his graduation picture, he said the family never used it, but it probably referred to their business "OK Transfer and Storage" being the first business to retire their workhorse "Old Domino" in 1915 and purchase a truck. It seemed logical that high school students in 1920 would nickname him "Trucky." 

Roscoe's son, Gus, also said that his father really never seemed ornery and wasn't sure why he would have drawn the line to himself in the old phots, but Gus smiled just the same. 

Roscoe’s father, James Milton “Milt” Thompson was the Foreman for the Henry Johnson Ranch in the Chickasaw Nation on the south banks of the Canadian River. When Roscoe was three the family, Milt and Lillie Belle, moved to Norman. In 1904 Milton Thompson started the "OK Transfer and Storage" business.

When Roscoe graduated from high school his plan was to go to college and become an engineer. When he enrolled, the University of Oklahoma professor said, “We don’t know what electrical engineering is but we can teach you how to use electricity.”

The family describes Roscoe as a quiet man who loved to read and quoted famous people and books regularly. In the 1920’s Roscoe married Esther Baker. However, in 1926 his father, Milt, was in a financial pinch and the bank went to Roscoe and asked if he would take over the business. The bankers thought Roscoe had the ability to rescue the business.

James Milton Thompson sold the business “Ok Transfer and Storage” to his son, Roscoe,  for $1.00 on June 28, 1926.

Milt became a farmer on a 160-acre plot of land owned by John and Bessie Baker, who were Esther’s parents.  John was the agent for Santa Fe Railroad at the Norman Depot.  

By 1924 Norman became known as the “City of Churches” with construction of one of the finest churches in the Southwest, The McFarlin Methodist Church. The merchants were proud of services and goods sold in Norman, so a Merchants Parade was staged with three of Thompson’s latest model trucks kicking off the parade, displaying new equipment in use.

 

Norman was recovering from its “greatest fire” that gutted building east from Peters St. The same year the highest flood waters known to the area swept through Little River. Even with these setbacks 200 new families moved to Norman and Roscoe Thompson was there to help with the moving and recovery.

 

Over the decades the Thompson name became ubiquitous with Norman businesses. Roscoe’s family with his wife, Esther, who was known as “boss Mom” had five sons: Jerry, Joe, Pat, Mike, and Gus.

 

Thompson Drive was named after the family grew its business at the far West side of Norman, now the corner of West Main and Thompson Drive, 1918 West Main.

Our Roscoe was known by his sons as “Daddy” and later known to his grandkids as “Pop.” Beginning in 1933 Roscoe Thompson started a men’s fishing trip for his employees and sons. This year in 2025 Gus shared that he had returned from the 88^th Annual TAFT--Thompson Annual Fishing Trip. 

*Great-Grandson, Brian McLaughlin, a fourth grader at Jefferson in 1994, participated in the 1894--1994 100th anniversary play "Then and Now"  of Eastside/Jefferson school.

 

 

 

 

Ellen's Story--The Giving Tree

It was a Monday. We assembled noisily in the scattered line as we shuffled out the classroom door. While making silent faces trying to get others to giggle in a solemn hall, we reached our destination--the library. I loved wandering aimlessly through the library gazing at all of the bindings trying to decipher which adventures I wish to discover that week. I found two books on the new book rack. It was laborious to find books I hadn't read. The third book must be short, a beautifully illustrated picture book. Time was running out, in 156 seconds we would have to assemble in our line and trudge back for History class.   I would like to have stayed in the library for the remainder of the day, but King George seemed to call. Quickly, I nudged my sticky, peanut butter and jelly fingers along the well-used bindings… huh?...The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein…He writes good poems…I’ll try it. I found my third book. What I didn’t realize was that I had discovered a treasure that I would cherish for eternity.

This book had no pirates, no animals, no overseas adventures, just a plain story about a boy and a tree. The tree loved for the little boy to gather her leaves, climb up her trunk swing from her branches and eat her apples. “The boy loved the tree… very much and the tree was happy.”

As time went on, the boy grew older, and the tree grew lonely. When the boy did come to visit he talked of material things. The tree gave the boy her beautiful, crimson apples to pawn so he could have money. Time after time he would come back, and she would give freely no strings attached. Each time she was happy to give. The tree's purpose was to please the boy--nothing could have made her happier. When the tree dwindled to nothing but a stump, the boy now, an old man, returned.  The tree was very sad for she had nothing left to offer but the boy, having accomplished everything in life, needed nothing but a place to sit and rest. The tree straightening up as much as she could, invited the boy to sit down and relax. “And the tree was happy.”

As a child. I read a quaint story about a boy and a tree. Now as I reread the book, my mind transforms a simple children's story into a complex symbol, deep with meaning. As I compare my life to the story, I become the boy and God becomes my tree. His roots are embedded in soil and no matter when or what I ask, He replies. He offers his apples and his branches. His trunk supports me in every task I take on. He gives me strength to help others in day-to-day life. When I have two AP English papers due, a physics test, a student council meeting, show choir rehearsal, and I'm scheduled to work all in one day. He gives me strength to carry on and still look forward to tomorrow. When I am sad. He lets me sit under him in his shade. When I am happy. He lets me swing from his branches. This modest children's story gives me abundant insight. I'm certain that no matter where I travel in life. My stump will be waiting. “And the tree was happy.”   

*With permission by the author:  Ellen Ryan, May 1993 the spring of her Norman, OK High School graduation. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein was published in 1964.

2025 June

The Sanibel Public Library District’s board recently filled an open set on the commission, selecting Ellen Vinciguerra to fill the seat by a unanimous vote.

“The Sanibel Library has been a part of my life since I was a little girl as my family has been on the island since I was a child.” Vinciguerra wrote in her application to the district.

“Libraries are the heart of a community, and for Sanibel, it is the lifeblood of the island…Libraries are critical to the growth of a community.”

 Dear Ellen, If I may speak for the tree, for the teachers, the authors, and the libraries, "We are all so very proud of you and your love of books and libraries."