I read that the Haskell County Historical Society was holding a meeting. It seems the goal is to reenergize the once vibrant historical society and its museum. Community organizations such as this are dependent upon the able and the generous. I hope the meeting was well attended and successful, that a path leading toward a revival was chosen.
You can place no price on the preservation of history. This county Museum is located in a log building next to the courthouse lawn in Stigler. In and of itself, it is historical.
I see photographs. “I remember them.” I hesitate, “I thought he was taller than that.” I see my uncle’s candy case. Now that case is a true Haskell County treasure. I believe “Every person who passed their childhood in Haskell County remembers selecting penny candy from that case.” You entered the Stigler 5 & Up, made a hard left turn and there it was. Full of colorful penny candies. Two cents would buy a Tootsie square, chocolate or butterscotch and nickel candy bars that memory says were twice the size of candy bars today. Memories.
This is our history. It is our museum. Right down to the log building. In the spring of 1955, I registered for the draft in that building. Jimmy Thomas’ dad, Lucian, was head of the draft board. Important stuff at 18.
I go into the museum and I see an exhibit. I think “I remember that. It was on the gym wall to the east of the front entrance.”
Wonder if they have a photo of the old fairgrounds? Baseball and football were played there.
On summer mornings, we would gather at the fairgrounds to play baseball on the “big diamond”. Most often Hogtown v. Powderpuff matchups. We never thought about not being welcome to use it. Oh, we didn’t go there on Tuesday. Tuesday was sale day. Well, we did go to the fairgounds on Tuesday to buy hamburgers from Mrs. Clement along with a Coke plucked from the ice that filled a galvanized wash tub. Do you remember that large oak tree to the east of the tiny white wooden building were Mrs. Clement fried hamburgers?
I ate some gastronomically pleasing burgers while sitting in the shade of that oak and leaning back onto the tree.
Do you know a boy’s baseball bat, still a Louisville Slugger but no wood in sight, can cost over $350 today? I do hope someone donates an old glove, a ball and baseball bat to the museum. A couple of gloves.
A friend recently introduced me to the concept that a game of catch could solve a lot of problems. We played catch in my backyard, so I know it to be true.
History is a cyclic poem written by time upon the memories of man. – Percy Bysshe Shelley
