Linda Kay Herman

Regan Siler This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is August 15, 2024 and I'm sitting here with Linda Kay Herman at the Bristow Library Annex. She is going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. And I did forget to say, make sure your phone is off. Okay, alright. Can you please state your full name?

Linda Herman Linda Kay Herman.

Regan Siler Okay, and do I have permission to record this interview?

Linda Herman Yes, ma'am.

Regan Siler Okay. Can you tell us when and where you were born?

Linda Herman I was born at the Bristow Memorial Hospital, June 20, 1955. I was the 66th baby born in that hospital.

Regan Siler And how do you know you were the 66th baby?

Linda Herman It says on my hospital certificate.

Regan Siler So, it actually says that on your birth certificate? 00:01:00Number 66, huh? So, did you just find that out recently, or have you always known that?

Linda Herman No, I found it out looking through my baby book for my birth certificate to get my driver's license that you have to have now.

Regan Siler Right, right. Well, how funny. I wonder if they did that on every I wonder if they did that on every baby?

Linda Herman I don't know.

Regan Siler I wonder who number one was?

Linda Herman Barbara Livesay.

Regan Siler Oh, really, you actually know that?! That's funny! Okay, well, can you tell us a little bit about the people in your family? Let's start with your parents. What are your parents full names?

Linda Herman Benjamin Hill ("BH") Herman [1/30/1923-6/11/2016] is my father. Martha Jane Thompson Herman [6/4/1929-4/11/2003] was my mother.

Regan Siler Okay. And I have it, now, did your dad go by BH?

Linda Herman Mm-hmm.

Regan Siler Okay, and I have his date of birth as 1/30/1923.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler Okay. And then for your mom, I have her date of birth as 6/4/1929. 00:02:00Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler Okay, alright. And then do you have any siblings?

Linda Herman Yes, I have a older brother, Thomas Rogan Herman. He goes by Tommy. And a younger brother, Benny Taylor Herman, and he goes by BT.

Regan Siler Okay, um, what type of work did your parents do?

Linda Herman My dad had a body shop with his brother.

Regan Siler And what was the name, and what was the name of that?

Linda Herman I don't remember. You know, it's where Jim Cochran's used to be, I don't know.

Regan Siler Ralph Bird Motors (ph)?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler That wasn't it?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler Was that another place that he worked?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler No?

Linda Herman No. He worked at Cunningham Chevrolet for a while. And then he and his brother had their own body shop, and Taylor did the motor work, and dad 00:03:00did the body work. Then he went to the golf course, and was the superintendent and golf pro at the golf course for 20 years.

Regan Siler So, how long has the this, I'm getting off track, but I know golf is like a huge part has always been a huge part of your life. How long has the golf course been there?

Linda Herman They built it in 1922 and it opened in 1923.

Regan Siler And did the, did the city build it? Or do Linda Herman The city has always, they own the land, and they have always, as far as I know, has owned the land, and they lease it to a board of directors.

Regan Siler And it's been since 1922. Wow. Okay, so, and we'll go, we'll go back to golf, because I know that's a big, a big part of your life. Um, so your dad, he primarily worked, so how long would you say he worked in like that, being an auto body 00:04:00 guy?

Linda Herman Well, we moved to the golf course when I was in fourth grade, so Regan Siler So, you actually moved, you lived at the golf course? Okay.

Linda Herman He was in the Air Force first.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman And him and my mom lived in Florida, but I couldn't.

Regan Siler Okay. That's okay. That's okay. And then, so, did your mom work outside the home?

Linda Herman Yes, she worked for Bill Boerstler in his business that he had. And then when we went to the golf course, she ran the pro shop and had a little restaurant where she cooked hamburgers for everybody. And thenwhen my dad retired, she went to work and was the secretary of middle school for 19 years until she retired.

Regan Siler Oh, okay, well, that's you've just, you've kind of, it's just between the golf course and the school 00:05:00and everything. Okay. That's neat. So, growing up, did you have a lot of families, family that lived nearby? And if so, who?

Linda Herman My dad's brothers, two of his brothers, lived here, but everybody on my mom's side lived in New Mexico or Amarillo, Texas.

Regan Siler Okay, so, like, I guess historically speaking, has your dad's side always been in the Bristow area?

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler For, do you know, like, how long?

Linda Herman Ever.

Regan Siler Forever?

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler Just ever. Okay, has your fam, okay, yeah, so, okay, well, let's talk about your early childhood. Do you remember any of your favorite 00:06:00toys or games that maybe you played when you were young?

Linda Herman Well, we played outside a lot, and we played tag and hide and seek. stuff like that.

Regan Siler So you were more of an outside kid?

Linda Herman Yeah, we didn't get to stay inside. We lived over here on Fifth and Elm and there was a lot of kids, and we had a lot that we could go up about two or three houses, and we'd all meet there and play football and ball and baseball and all that kind of stuff. I remember going to Trigalet's liquor store and standing at the door and asking Mrs. Trigalet if her kids could go somewhere with us.

Regan Siler Oh, that's funny.

Linda Herman And but we just ride up and down Fifth Street on our bicycles and stuff. I think I had every Barbie doll, every bit of clothes that Barbie had, 00:07:00and always wanted to play with the trucks and stuff with my brothers, but my mom and my grandma made sure I had every.

Regan Siler You had all the Barbie stuff.

Linda Herman And I know something earlier, when you said something, I remember, I had the 55th, 57th Barbie Doll made when I was it was tattooed on her bottom.

Regan Siler Please tell me you still have it.

Linda Herman Oh no. I sold them all on Ebay.

Regan Siler Oh, my goodness!

Linda Herman All of her clothes and everything.

Regan Siler I was a big Barbie fan, too, whenever I was young. I feel like I had, I was like, you I had the big house and all the Barbies and the clothes, yeah.

Linda Herman And I really didn't want to play with it, but I did, because I knew my mom wanted me to. And something else growing up, the Trigalets, there was quite a few in their family, and they'd come down and they'd eat with us, and my mom would just put slices of bread all across the counter, you know, and just start putting mayonnaise and bologna. And she would 00:08:00always come to Annette and go, she'd go, Mrs. Herman, I didn't get any bologna. I'll have his mayonnaise. Because there were so many, mom had to make so many sandwiches.

Regan Siler Like an assembly line, and forget a couple.

Regan Siler Yeah, somebody would always just get a mayonnaise sandwich.

Regan Siler That's funny. So did you have any chores that you were expected to do as a young person?

Linda Herman Um, when we were at the golf course, we did, well, let me back up. When we lived in town, we all had our own clippers, and that's how you did your edging on your sidewalk. Tommy, BT, and I would have our own and my dad would mow, and we'd have to go along and clip around the edge, you know, of the sidewalk. And we got to stay outside after dark, because we had street light and play. But when my mom whistled, we knew we better run, because it was time to come home.

Regan Siler My goodness!

Linda Herman Yeah. 00:09:00And when we went to the golf course. Yes, we all had chores out there working because my brothers helped my dad and I helped my mom.

Regan Siler Okay, okay, um, so I was going to ask that you, obviously, had friends that would come over and play. They would come to your house. You would go to their house, along with playing with your siblings.

Linda Herman In the summer, Jill LeForce and I, Jill LeForce Farris, were real good friends. And in the summer, she would stay a week at the golf course with me, and then I got to come to town and stay a week with her.

Regan Siler Oh, fun!

Regan Siler Oh, how fun!

Linda Herman And then during school, my mom would buy lunch meat and for one week, and I'd walk up 10th Street hill with her, because we, you know, we didn't want to eat in the cafeteria, and we would share lunches like that, you know.

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler So, you had a, you had a very,sounds like, a classic 00:10:00growing, growing up in a small town.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler Yeah, yeah, um, did you have any favorite activities or hobbies as a young person?

Linda Herman I liked to play golf. I've always played, you know, since I was young. I let Rosemary and Myra Kemp taught me how to sew, and I'd go home with Myra Kemp on Sundays and after church, and she would teach Susan, and then [indecipherable] and I how to sew, and I still have my little apron I made. Oh, and I was a little girl, and we got to come to town and run up down Main Street, you know. I remember gas would be a quarter, and so we'd all pitch our money together and drive till we were almost empty, and then we just sit, sit somewhere and watch everybody else go by.

Regan Siler Park! Do you remember collecting anything as a child other than maybe, Barbies, 00:11:00that your mom got for you?

Linda Herman No, not really.

Regan Siler Okay. Um, well, let's talk a little bit about your school life. You attended school from start to finish in Bristow, right?

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler Okay, um, do you remember having any particular influential teachers during that time?

Linda Herman Well, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Berry, I loved her to death. Her husband was the postmaster or mailman, whatever. And my mom said that I just loved her to pieces, that I cried every day in her class. I did my work and all that, but I really did like her, Mrs. Berry in first grade, and Mrs. Cunningham in sixth grade, and then the rest of - I loved Home EC. So, I loved my Home EC teachers in high school, because I loved to cook and sew.

Regan Siler So, what do you remember why you cried in first grade if you loved your teacher?

Linda Herman No, just, I don't know, because 00:12:00I went to Mrs. Couches (ph) play school, because we didn't have preschool, pre K or kindergarten, we went straight to first grade, and I had never been anywhere exept with my mom.

Regan Siler So that was a new set, mom, right? That was a new set up for you.

Linda Herman Yeah, so.

Regan Siler Well, she must have made a impact if you felt, you know you have that love towards her or whatever to feel comfortable, because it is hard. That's a big transition when you're used to, yeah, being with mom all the time.

Linda Herman Stay with mom till you know you have to go to school.

Regan Siler Right. Um, so do you remember how you got to school as a youngster?

Linda Herman We walked.

Regan Siler You always walked, okay.

Linda Herman We lived on Fifth Street, so we just walked right up here to Edison. And then when we got older, we could walk home for lunch, but then we had to turn around, walk back. And then when we got in middle school and high school, my mom and dad were at the golf course, and mom couldn't come get us if they 00:13:00were busy at the golf course and the bus wouldn't take us, so we'd have to walk. We'd have to go all the way around the lake because it didn't have the cutover or the new housing addition then. So there was many times that we had to walk home.

Regan Siler You definitely got your your exercise when you were young, didn't you?

Linda Herman You know, y'all probably know if you have an older brother. Tommy used to make BT and I lay down in the back seat of his car when he got a car because he didn't want to see his brother and sister. You know in the car. I have to take my brother and sister somewhere.

Regan Siler That's funny. Were you a member of any clubs or organizations in school?

Linda Herman Was in FHA or Home EC.

Regan Siler Who was your FHA teacher?

Linda Herman Mrs. Simpson.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman And then I had a Mrs. Foster.

Regan Siler Okay, Linda Herman Pep club. 00:14:00I was on the boys golf team.

Regan Siler Oh, you were?

Linda Herman Yes, we didn't have sports when I was in school, so after school, I would go out and play. And I did get to participate on the boys golf team when I was in school.

Regan Siler So, they didn't have golf or anything like that when Linda Herman We had no sports. We had to wear a dress to school every day until I was a senior in high school.

Regan Siler No sports? My gosh, you're not that old!

Linda Herman Yeah, I'm almost 70! Well, we had no sports.

Regan Siler Wow. Okay, um, so did you enjoy school?

Linda Herman Nah.

Linda Herman No. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be out.

Regan Siler You didn't?

Regan Siler You would rather be out.

Linda Herman On the golf course or, yeah, I went. I mean, I had fun, but I would, you know, if I had a choice, I would Regan Siler You wouldn't be there. So, did you have a favorite subject other than maybe FHA?

Linda Herman I loved Rosemary LeForce, and I loved being her 00:15:00office aide. And I went to vo-tech in Drumright [Oklahoma] to be a beautician. I hated that.

Regan Siler So, you were figuring out all the things you didn't want to do. Okay, yeah, um, so let's talk a little bit about the houses that you grew up in. So, where was your first house at?

Linda Herman At Fifth and Elm.

Linda Herman It's where the soil conservation is right now, is that what that is?

Regan Siler Fifth and Elm. Now is, what would you we had talked on the phone earlier, and I can't remember which house it was that you were you had told me.

Regan Siler Yes.

Linda Herman That's where our house was.

Regan Siler But now, is that the one that you were telling me about that they what was it they hauled in a bunch ofdirt. No, that was on Sixth. Okay, okay, so you, you go ahead start from Linda Herman So, I lived at Fifth and Elm, okay, in a little house there, and then my dad went to the golf course, and the board moved a house from town out there and remodeled it, and we lived in that house. 00:16:00Then when my dad left the golf course, we went to my grandparents house on Sixth Street, 508 West Sixth Street, and we lived there and take took care of my grandmother. My mom and dad took care of my grandmother. Then, I moved up on 10th and Asj, where I live now.

Regan Siler Okay, so, but can you, it seems like you had told me a story about the house on Sixth.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler When they were trying, did your dad build that house?

Linda Herman No, my grandfather Thompson.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman Built the house in 1922.

Regan Siler So, tell me, tell me that story.

Linda Herman Um, he built the house in 1922 and it was a little spring that ran through Sixth Street, and he hired a gentleman and paid him $1.50 a day to haul dirt in there to fill that spring in so he could build the house. And he built this house, and him and two bachelors 00:17:00lived in the basement, because it has a full basement with bathrooms and everything down there. And then he married my grandmother in 1923 and they moved upstairs and the bachelors moved out.

Regan Siler Oh, my goodness.

Linda Herman So, it's been in our family since 1922 other than my dad sold it to Alan Nichols, and then Alan sold it to his dad, Doug. And then Doug sold it to Kendra Raney and Megan Blakeman. And then my older brother Tommy bought it back from Kendra.

Regan Siler Oh, okay, so it's back in the family! Oh, that's so neat.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler So, that house holds a lot of history for you.

Linda Herman Oh, yeah.

Regan Siler Can you tell me what your grandparents names are, just so we'll have that.

Linda Herman Loren Frank Thompson [2/13/1895-12/17/1964] and Madge Ingram Thompson [1/24/1900-12/2/1989].

Regan Siler Okay, okay. So, did you have your own room growing up?

Linda Herman Yes, other than at Fifth Street, and I had to share 00:18:00a room with Tommy and BT. They had bunk beds, and then I had a bed of my own.

Regan Siler And we already know you didn't spend a lot of time in the house. You were usually outside. Well, can you tell me what meal times were like in your family? Did you usually eat together every night? Or what did that look like?

Linda Herman My mom and my brothers and I usually ate, but my dad would be at the golf course till we moved out there, and then he would come in, you know, while we were at school, and eat around 1230 and he watched Days of Our Lives every day. He loved Days of Our Lives. He watched it till the day he passed away.

Regan Siler Oh, my goodness, I don't know if he'd want you to be telling that.

Linda Herman And then, at night, we would all sit down and eat together at night time, yeah.

Regan Siler Okay, so did, I'm guessing your mom cooked the meals, especially since she was the the cook, yeah, like the golf course 00:19:00and stuff? Did you, were you part of the cleanup crew or did she teach you how to cook?

Linda Herman No, but she taught me. They'd have steak fries and different things out there, and I would help her. I told her later on that I didn't care if I ever washed another baked potato or cut a head of lettuce.

Regan Siler Oh, my goodness!

Linda Herman For a salad, because I was tired of doing that!

Regan Siler Right!

Linda Herman But I didn't like being in there. One da I told my dad, I just want to be outside with you and BT and Tommy. Well, get out here. So, he had me pulling weeds off of a green and I was allergic to them, and I broke out, so I never got to do that anymore.

Regan Siler So, that cured you of doing that.

Linda Herman Yeah. So we never got allowance. We if we worked, then they would give us stuff to go to the movie or something like that, you know, yeah.

Regan Siler Well, so looking back, do you, are you, I know you probably didn't love it at the time, but are you glad that your mom, you know, taught you how to cook?

Linda Herman Yes, because I love 00:20:00to cook. I love to cook. I love to sew.

Regan Siler I think sometimes it takes us as young people to have a little perspective or life before we realize, yes, to appreciate the things that our, we might not have loved at the time as kids or whatever, but that, I think, benefit us greatly as we're older.

Linda Herman Yeah, yeah. Tommy and BT, they would get real upset with my dad, you know, out there working and have to go rake all the sand traps, you know, and stuff like that. But, you know, they look back now and, you know, they we, they taught us a lot.

Regan Siler Work ethic, yes.

Linda Herman And I, you know, I get real upset with some of these kids that just think, it's give me, give me, give me, you know. You gotta do what I had to do growing up, yeah. The golf course was a fantastic place to grow up, you know. And you learned it was Mr. and Mrs. and all that stuff.

Regan Siler And you knew how to talk to people you got, yeah.

Linda Herman And 00:21:00back when my dad did it, there was a lot of oil men and lawyers, and they had a lot of money out there, you know. And my dad was well taken care of by these gentlemen out there and stuff. But it was, I mean, I would have raised a kid out there for sure.

Regan Siler Well, so do, I would think that, especially, being in that time frame that trying to care for a golf course was probably way harder, yes, than what it is today.

Linda Herman Because they don't have, you know, my dad Regan Siler The equipment.

Linda Herman He had to walk to mow the greens. Now they ride. You know, he did have a fairway mower to mow the fairways, but, yeah, he had to walk every green, some every day during the summer, because that grass just grows and grows and grows.

Regan Siler So his job was probably 24/7 pretty much.

Linda Herman Yeah, and we, we'd get up in the middle of the night with him and go change sprinklers. I do want to tell you a funny story.

Regan Siler You go right ahead. 00:22:00Linda Herman One time it was my turn to go with him.

Regan Siler And so did he take you to because you were helpful for him or because you wanted to go?

Linda Herman So he wouldn't be by himself. It'd be like midnight, oh, one o'clock in the morning, you know? And we just, well, actually, I got two funny stories, but he said, he always called me Boo Boo. Boo Boo, you wanna go tonight? Yeah, I'd love to go to, dad. And so we went. We got up on number three, and there was a mother and a family of armadillos. He said, will you stay here with the flashlight and I'll go get something and come back? And I said, well, yeah, sure. I'm not afraid, you know. And they were having an all night drive in movie thing, and King Kong was on. Well, I sat there by myself, you know, about this time King Kong came on (rawr) and I was scared to death and started screaming, you know.

Regan Siler How, how old were you at the time?

Linda Herman I think I was around 12 or something, you know, 00:23:00like that. So, and then another funny story is, when we were out there, there were lovers lanes, and you could, where the housing addition is, you could drive up in there and park, you know. Well, somebody was always getting stuck, and they would come Mr. Herman, can we borrow the tractor, you know? Well, Tommy and BT and I would fight to see who got to go with daddy to see who was parking up in lover's lane. It was, you know, we had a tennis court and, so, you know, when it got dark, everybody would come to the tennis courts to play tennis.

Regan Siler Well that sounds like a super fun, super fun way to grow up!

Linda Herman You know, and you'd just sit there and watch and, you know, going, man, I wish they would ask me to play. Linda Kay, you wanna play tennis?!

Regan Siler Well, that's cool. Well, knowing that your mom cooked and cooked out there, did you come away with, like, a favorite meal or a favorite recipe that she did? 00:24:00Linda Herman She did make the best hamburgers and people that Regan Siler Do we know why? Do we know what her secret was?

Linda Herman She did nothing other than she, she would use her fingers to flip the patties. She cooked them in a broiler. She wouldn't cook them in a pan. She'd cook them in the broiler in the oven, and she'd toast the buns. You know, but she just would just buy regular old hamburger meat and cook them. And guys today still go, boy, I wish Martha was here so we could have a hamburger on the turn.

Regan Siler Well, she definitely made an impression then, didn't she?

Linda Herman They were the best hamburgers. I don't know, you know, what it was. It was just toasting the bun. And, I mean, it was a big burger. It wasn't those little buns. It was a big old burger. And she, she didn't do anything that I know of.

Regan Siler So, can you replicate can you replicate it or?

Linda Herman I probably could, yeah, I probably could. .Yeah, 00:25:00I, yeah, I probably could.

Regan Siler Well, thinking about town life and growing up, what were some of your favorite community activities? And so I, for instance, like, maybe, you know, Western Heritage Day?

Linda Herman We loved Western Heritage days. We would dress up and we got to take a little cap gun downtown. I used to get mad at the boys because they'd have a pea shooter, and they'd shoot, you know, pea shooters at us, you know, and stuff like that, but we'd have a cap gun, and we'd be dressed all in our little western skirts or jeans and chaps and boots, you know. Mom always made sure we had a little cowboy hat.

Regan Siler So, that was a big deal for you guys. So, did you do the rodeo and all of that stuff, too?

Linda Herman Just go and watch. Yeah, we'd be downtown all day long. And parades, we were always in a parade. Tommy, I know one a parade, one time, he had his goldfish in a bowl, and he'd put it in a wagon, 00:26:00and he had us pulling his Bull Shoals or bust. I remember he won. You know, I don't remember what parade it was.

Regan Siler That's funny. So, did you, were you involved in any of, like, the county fairs or anything like that that were here?

Linda Herman BT was, I wasn't. He had chickens.

Regan Siler Chickens.

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler But did you go and, like, and enjoy it?

Linda Herman Yeah, we'd go and ride rides, and, yeah, we did do all that.

Regan Siler So, did they have, the pool was around at that time, wasn't it?

Linda Herman The Silver Plunge.

Regan Siler Is that what it was called?

Linda Herman The Silver Plunge.

Regan Siler I don't know if I knew that. Um, and so did you guys visit the pool quite a bit? Did you go to day camp?

Linda Herman Oh, yeah, I went to day camp. I was a counselor at day camp. Yeah, I loved day camp.

Regan Siler We're super happy that the pool has been revitalized and is back open. That's wonderful for Bristow.

Linda Herman And the high tower, I just wanted to go off of it so bad. And Tommy Parish and Larry Parish were lifeguards. And I'd get up there and I just couldn't do it. 00:27:00You're not coming back down those steps!

Linda Herman They made me jump. And after that, I love to swim, you know.

Regan Siler Did you jump again? I mean, you got over your fear?

Regan Siler Oh, no!

Linda Herman Yeah, I got to where I'd dive off it, you know, and all that stuff.

Regan Siler Was there, were there any other type of activities I might not have thought to ask you about that, town activities, community activities that you enjoyed? Because, you know, a lot of things have changed. I feel like we do have people really trying to re, you know, revamp, keep Western Heritage Days going and stuff like that. Did they have any other like, you know, obviously, we have to Tabouleh Fest and stuff like that, now, was there any other types of festivals or anything back back then?

Linda Herman Not that I can think of.

Regan Siler Not that, not that stuck out to you anyway. Okay, um, do you remember some of the like, the biggest or most popular or your favorite businesses around town 00:28:00growing up?

Linda Herman OD Thorpe's Grocery [Thorpe's Food Store].

Regan Siler Oh, no, that's not what I've heard of, OD Thorpe's [Thorpe's Food Store]. Where was that located?

Linda Herman It was right across from Community Bank.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman It's a pot shop now. That when we lived at Fifth Street, we got to walk down there, and that's where we bought our groceries, and he would always give us a hot dog to eat while my mom was shopping.

Regan Siler Oh!

Linda Herman Everybody, all the kids that came in, always got a hot dog.

Linda Herman Yeah. And we could go down there, my mom needs a package of cigarettes, and he'd give them to us, you know, and we'd walk back home. And I liked going to Strong's Department Dry Goods, and you bought a pair of shoes, and this big old chicken laid a gold egg, and there was a prize that you got when you got bought shoes, you know. And I don't, I hated going to the laundry mat at Fifth and Main because it was hot but we'd have to go, and we got to play outside while my mom was doing laundry. 00:29:00Regan Siler Well, that's cool.

Regan Siler Well, it seems like, from, I didn't come to Bristow until around the early 80s, and it seems like prior to that, that Bristow was a really happening place, and which, you know, other people have told me that they feel like Walmart was kind of the downfall and the Turnpike. I guess maybe the change in Bristow.

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler But it does seem like, I feel like we're on an upswing now, and that things are things are happening and but, man, I mean, there was a lot of stores here.

Linda Herman There was a place down that was, what was the name of it? My grandmother, Stanford's. That's where my grandmother's always went and bought my clothes, little dresses and shoes and socks and everything to match, patent leather shoes, you know, little purse. She always had me foo foo'd up going to church, and the boys would always steal my purse and ran and I'd start crying. 00:30:00Regan Siler Now, did you like dressing up like that?

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler Or were, you did, okay?

Linda Herman I did it for my grandmother. I loved my grandmother. And yeah, no, I just match from head to toe all the time.

Regan Siler I bet you were adorable.

Linda Herman Little chubby thing.

Regan Siler Did you have a favorite place to eat out, or did you primarily eat at home?

Linda Herman Highway Cafe.

Regan Siler Highway Cafe. Now, remind me where that was that on Linda Herman That's where Zane Goodwin is right now.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman And we'd go there every Sunday after church. And I remember there was a lady, Phyllis Holcomb was her name, and she wore bright red lipstick, and she waited on us, and she'd always let Tommy, BT and I have, instead of ketchup, she'd give us French salad dressing to squirt on our french fries instead of ketchup.

Regan Siler Really?

Linda Herman Yeah. And sometimes we'd go to J & J, which was down here between Fourth and Fifth Street, and I remember there was a black cat and it's eyes would go back and forth. 00:31:00Watch that cat going, okay, what's it gonna do?

Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Um, well, as a teenager, where were where was the hangout? Where was the happenin', like, what did you do as a teenager? Where'd you hang out?

Linda Herman Well, we drove up down Main Street, and we'd go down to 7-11, which is Kum & Go, and then we'd go back up, and we'd go through Thurman's Motel trying to get caught, to go through there because you weren't supposed to, you know. Then there was a gas station where Regan Siler Trying not to get caught, or trying Linda Herman To get caught, but because you weren't allowed to go through there [indeciphperable] back on the main street. But then there was a gas station where Mainer is, and they would close, so we'd turn around there, and then go back down. Well, then they put the four lane in. So then we went out to the four lane, and then they put Stop N Shop and all that in, and so, we would go, and we turn around there, and then we'd go to Kum & Go and then come back up, you know, 7-11 then. And then we'd 00:32:00just sit in the gas stations that were closed, or stores, you know, with the all the doors open, or somebody's in a pickup, we'd sit and just watch and holler at people as they go by.

Regan Siler And now it's just because it was like that, even whenever I grew up where, you know, you cruised main.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler You hung out, and now it just, town is dead. Nobody cruises. I'm like, we need to bring that back. That was a that was always, like, a really fun time to have a cool car and, you know, cruise and, but it's just, I don't know the kids nowadays, I guess don't think that's fun.

Linda Herman We'd always try to run the Depew girls out of town because they were out here trying to get the Bristow boys.

Regan Siler That's funny.

Linda Herman Mainly, we were just, you know, I was a good girl. I didn't do, because I knew I'd probably get killed.

Regan Siler Well, yeah.

Linda Herman And we had the longest driveway because Tommy, BT and I, we'd always have, you know, we have to be home at midnight, and so we'd have to leave early because we had to go all the way around the lake and 00:33:00fun would only start like 1030 or 11 o'clock, and then you had to be home, and then you try to recreate that the next day.

Regan Siler And it is, well, it wasn't the same, was it? Yeah, because thinking about that, you did have a lot that was a long way to to try to get out there.

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler So, was the was the lake there at that time?

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler The lake was already there.

Linda Herman The lake has always been there as long as I Regan Siler Okay, okay, but they just didn't, did when did it get, in relation to you living out there, when did it get redone, as far as like, having the nicer road around it? Was it like that?

Linda Herman No, it was after.

Regan Siler It was after that.

Regan Siler I need to get the date of when that was all redone for for reference.

Linda Herman Yes. We didn't have a cable. It was just loaded with trees all the way around it. Like the damn was loaded with trees. You couldn't see down in there or any of that stuff.

Linda Herman Now when the lake would go down, 00:34:00like in the winter, it would get real low, and where the walk across is now, we could walk across that, but you had to climb up on boat docks and all that kind of stuff. And that's another funny story. We all went to town one day and we walked, and there's snow. We couldn't get around, you know, and we went to town and did what we had to, and we came back and we got across the dam there and my mom wasn't with us. Well, she got hooked on a nail on the boat dock and was hanging and we didn't notice.

Regan Siler And you didn't even notice?

Linda Herman One, one of us turned around and said, hey, mom, and she wasn't even there. She was back hanging on the boat dock.

Regan Siler Oh, that's funny, um, do you remember your first family car?

Linda Herman Yeah, my dad always, always had a station wagon.

Regan Siler A station wagon.

Linda Herman It was beige and had brown paneling down the side of it.

Regan Siler So you were styling, weren't you? 00:35:00Um, so I guess, did both your parents usually take you places? Or was it usually your mom? Or, since your dad was Linda Herman Usually my mom.

Linda Herman Dad never went like on a vacation in the summer, which we never went on a vacation in the summer, because that was the busy time at the golf course.

Regan Siler Usually your mom, okay.

Regan Siler That was my next question is, did you ever get to go on vacation?

Linda Herman And it was either to Amarillo [Texas] to my mom's sisters or to Kansas, which was still on my mom's side, but they were big dairy farmers in Kansas, and we'd get to go up there and do the milking, and then they got electric milkers, and we just thought that was cool, you know, yeah.

Regan Siler So, do you remember who taught you how to drive?

Linda Herman Jack Snorgrass (ph). Pat Lewis's grandfather, he had no van, and he'd take Pat and I on Sundays out in the country and let us drive his old 00:36:00 van.

Regan Siler So, it was just a family friend that taught you how to drive? Were your parents too scared?

Linda Herman No, my mom, she was good about it. She and I would go drive on country roads a lot and stuff. And then my cousin came up from Amarillo in a Volkswagen, and I wanted to drive the Volkswagen. It was a standard. She goes, teach yourself how to do it. So, I taught myself how to do that, you know.

Regan Siler And didn't lose a, didn't tear anything up in the process?

Linda Herman No, no.

Regan Siler Do you remember what your first car was?

Linda Herman A Galaxie 500 [Ford Galaxie 500], and I'd drive it like from here to Okemah [Oklahoma] and have to put a quart of oil in it. My car payment was $64 a month. And now you pay five and $600.

Regan Siler Or more! I think there's people that probably pay more than that. Oh my gosh, a Galaxie. What is that?Who even makes that?

Linda Herman I think Ford did.

Regan Siler A Ford Galaxie.

Linda Herman It was kind of a golden brown with a black top.

Regan Siler I'll have to look that up. I'm not, I'm pretty familiar with cars, but I'm not familiar with that one.

Linda Herman And when I was a senior in high school at Christmas, and 00:37:00yeah, my mom, they bought it and made the first payment. Wasn't new at all, but I didn't care, you know.

Regan Siler So, is working at the golf course how you made your payment?

Linda Herman No, I worked at the drive in theater in the concession stand for Bill Wilkerson.

Regan Siler Do you remember, do you remember how much they paid for it? You don't remember?

Linda Herman No, they hid it in the barn at the golf course with the golf carts and wrapped up the keys and gave them to me senior year at Christmas.

Regan Siler Well, that's Linda Herman And then told me I had to pay for it!

Regan Siler Well, you know.

Linda Herman That's all right, hey, I got a car.

Regan Siler Yeah, exactly. Um, what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? I know you said you were outside a lot or whatever, but did you, did you watch TV? And if you did, like, what was your favorite program?

Linda Herman I remember watching Big Bill & Oom-A-Gog on TV.

Regan Siler What?

Linda Herman Yeah, Big Bill & Oom-A-Gog. And it was a, I think it was on channel two in Tulsa. I got to go there when I was in Girl Scouts. 00:38:00Regan Siler What? So, what is that?

Linda Herman It was Regan Siler Big Bill & Oom-A-Gog?

Linda Herman It was a robot. It was a robot. There's a man there. And we got to go when we was in Girl Scouts, and be on the TV show.

Regan Siler Oh, neat!

Linda Herman Yeah. And we watched a lot of family shows, you know, together in the evening and stuff. But we watched a lot of golf on TV and stuff, so.

Regan Siler Do you recall witnessing any like pivotal events on TV?

Linda Herman I remember sitting in Rosemary LeForce's bed when Mr. President Kennedy got shot. I remember sitting and Jill and I'd sit and we watched all that, you know, and stuff and.

Regan Siler So, about how, how old would you have been?

Linda Herman Maybe, do you remember when he got shot? 00:39:00Regan Siler No, I don't. Well, so I guess, do you remember how you felt, like, how that made you feel at the time? Just, you were just, yeah.

Linda Herman I just knew the president got shot.

Regan Siler You were just interested in, in, in what happened. Um, did you enjoy listening to music growing up?

Linda Herman Nah, I didn't.

Regan Siler You didn't?! I can't believe how many people say that they don't, they didn't really listen to much music.

Linda Herman Yeah, no. I mean, if I was in the car, you know.

Regan Siler So, you didn't have, like, a favorite artist or favorite record you listen to, or anything like that?

Linda Herman Well, I love Kenny Rogers. I love to listen to Kenny Rogers. And, you know, back then we played a record player a lot, you know. And I had an album and albums of different, you know, ones, but Kenny Rogers was probably my favorite.

Regan Siler Your favorite.

Linda Herman I think because he looked like Dr Krug. And I thought doctor was very handsome.

Regan Siler Oh, that's funny.

Linda Herman I used to tell 00:40:00Susie all the time, oh, I just look at him and think of Kenny Rogers.

Regan Siler Oh, that's a good one. Well, that's a good transition into what was medical care like growing up? Did you have a family doctor?

Linda Herman Yes, I had Dr. Norfleet (ph) and Dr. Chapman [Frank D. Chapman 1/26/1934-12/13/2020] and Regan Siler Did you go to the doctor much? Or did you guys typically handle things at home?

Linda Herman We didn't, I don't remember going to the doctor a whole lot.

Regan Siler That didn't stand out to you?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler So, you didn't have any, you don't recall you or any of your family having any, I don't know, like, outbreaks of anything, or Linda Herman I know I had chicken pox, was it chicken pox, real bad. And my mom said all she could get me to even swallow was peanut butter sandwich soaked in milk.

Regan Siler Oh, my goodness.

Linda Herman I remember her telling me that that, you know, I had chicken pox real, real bad, 00:41:00[indecipherable] Regan Siler So, nobody had any like serious illnesses or epidemics or anything? You didn't go through anything like that as a as a youngster?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler Um, did you attend church growing up?

Linda Herman First Presbyterian Church.

Regan Siler First Presbyterian, um, that's the gray church, isn't it? Yes, yes. Um, so what was it like? What do you remember about attending church there can, like Linda Herman We, we went every Sunday, and, Regan Siler Like, your whole, did your whole family go? Or, Linda Herman Yeah, my dad, you know, never could go. He did after, you know, he retired and stuff. But my grandmother and granddad Thompson went there, and we would go, and we were all three in the angel choir, and my mom was in the choir. And it was a lot of fun going. There were a lot of kids, and we just walked from Fifth Street, you know, over there. And my grandparents were real big 00:42:00into the church.

Regan Siler And, so, that was where you had always gone?

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler Okay, okay, um, what were holidays like in your family? We can start with Christmas, because that's usually always the big one. Tell me what a typical Christmas was like at your house?

Linda Herman We pretty much got everything we wanted, but that would be the only time my mom would go out at Christmas, not birthday, Easter, any of that. But Christmas Regan Siler Was a big deal.

Linda Herman It was a big deal.

Regan Siler And do you remember what it was like decorations like, tell me, like, what your house.

Linda Herman My dad would always go buy two trees and drill holes and put branches into another tree to make it bereal full.

Regan Siler Are you serious?

Linda Herman Yes, because they just weren't real full. And he wanted a full tree. Then it sat for a couple of days so all the limbs could fall down like they should, 00:43:00and then he'd put the lights on it. Then we got to decorate.

Regan Siler Man, he was into it, wasn't he?

Linda Herman And he always decorated our house, put lights outside and everything.

Linda Herman Then the old, neat ornaments, you know that, I don't know, they were just so neat. And then you had, Regan Siler I love that.

Regan Siler Like, the vint, like the vintage, the vintage looking ones, yeah?

Linda Herman And then, excuse me, um, tinsel. Well, my mom had to put each little piece. Well, Tommy and BT and me, just, just throw it, you know, and she'd get so mad at us, just go sit down! Just go sit down! You don't need to do it!

Regan Siler We, me and my brother, my dad loved tinsel, too. It wasn't until I was older that I realized why my mom didn't like it is because it's so messy.

Linda Herman Yes, yes, but mom had to put each little piece, you know. But it was wonderful. And everybody came to my grandparents house, and there were so many presents.

Regan Siler And was that at Sixth Street, 00:44:00 okay?

Regan Siler But a magical, wonderful memory.

Linda Herman You couldn't even see the fireplace and all that because everybody's presents were there, and it was just like a mad house. But we had a blast.

Linda Herman Oh yeah, yeah.

Regan Siler Well, that's neat.

Linda Herman But we'd always meet at my grandmother Thompson's for Thanksgiving and stuff. But any other holiday we really didn't, you know, go away.

Regan Siler So, it wasn't a it was mainly Christmas, so not even, like, Fourth of July or anything? It wasn't as big of a deal as what Christmas was?

Linda Herman No.

Regan Siler Sounds like they went on they, yeah, they went out with a bang on Christmas. Yeah. Well, that's neat, yeah. Um, as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Linda Herman Yes, I wanted to attend OU [University of Oklahoma] and be on the girls golf team, and then be a golf pro. And I didn't do any of that, other than play golf.

Regan Siler Well, I mean, you're, you're in the realm there.

Linda Herman That's what, and I found 00:45:00my little deal that I wrote not too long ago in school for some class, and that's what I wanted to do, was go to OU and.

Regan Siler So, when did you, let's talk about the golf course more in depth, and like the effect that it had on your life. Obviously, it sounded like it was a very cool place to grow up, and you have a lot of good memories there. When did you actually start playing golf? Did your is your dad, the one that was instrumental in getting you to?

Linda Herman Yes, yes. I started as soon as we moved out there. I was in the fourth grade.

Regan Siler Fourth grade.

Linda Herman And I started playing then.

Regan Siler Did you immediately love it?

Linda Herman Oh yeah. And my dad used to make us hit 100 golf balls in a circle whenever we'd practice.

Regan Siler A hundred golf balls in a circle?

Linda Herman Circle, so you could get your distance of where you were going, like, you'd have a hole out there, so you would know how far to hit it in that circle to get close to the flag pin. 00:46:00Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman You know, and stuff like that. He made us practice constantly. Practice makes perfect.

Regan Siler Right.

Linda Herman And to this day, don't ask me to go hit a ball practicing, because I won't do it. I tell those guys, I'll be on tee box waiting and I'm not practicing. I'm not hitting any balls. I give golf lessons. I will not I just.

Regan Siler You won't do it. So, where did his love of golf come from?

Linda Herman When he was in the service in Florida, he took it up and would play. And then he got called back into the Korean War and he was married to my mom, and she thought he was going to the base every morning. Oh, no, he was going with all the captains and everything, to the golf course, playing golf every day. And she thought he was on base working. So, that's where, you know, in Tommy and BT, they play, but not like I do.

Regan Siler Not as much as what you do. So, tell me more, so how long were, how long 00:47:00did you guys actually live out there and and run it?

Linda Herman I think my dad was out there around 20 years.

Regan Siler But how long did you live actually live out there?

Linda Herman The whole time.

Regan Siler The whole time? Oh my gosh, okay.

Linda Herman Yes, yes.

Regan Siler So, that was, that was your whole entire childhood.

Linda Herman And they would have parties in the big room there, and we wouldn't be allowed to come, so Tommy and BT and I'd lay in the window sills and watch them in there having fun and everything. But it was a great place to grow up. I learned a lot. I learned a lot of respect.

Regan Siler Did you, did you feel like at the time, being a young person, I know we talked about, you know, that's where you've learned, like, your work ethic, and did you always love that part, or as a kid that that, did you wish maybe you didn't have to do some of that stuff?

Linda Herman Yeah, no, I was fine being out there.

Regan Siler Well, 00:48:00that's good.

Linda Herman I was great.

Regan Siler That's good.

Linda Herman It was great.

Regan Siler And that was probably even a fun place to have your friends out?

Linda Herman Yes, yeah, we just get in a golf cart and get to ride around. And, you know, we just, it was a great place.

Regan Siler Great place.

Linda Herman I would raise anybody out there.

Regan Siler Yeah. I mean, it sounds like it. Well, let's talk a little bit about your different jobs you've had during your life. I know we talked about that a little bit on the phone. I know you said you started at the drive in and that's how you paid for your car.

Linda Herman Started at the drive in theater, and then I went and worked for Edmond and Sherian [Slyman] catering, and I also helped them at the tabouli shop that they had. And I worked for, I was Corinne Dial's first employee at Little People School. And then I left there, and I went to the school 00:49:00in '79 and worked for the school for 41 years.

Regan Siler Forty-one years! So, you saw a lot of kids grow up in that time.

Linda Herman Regan, kids to this day your age, hey, Ms. Linda Kay! I go you don't have to call me Ms. Linda Kay. You will always be Ms. Linda Kay.

Regan Siler It is like that I've had, I have a hard time even when I run into teachers now, I'll always say, Ms. so-and-so. You don't have to call me that. That makes me feel old. I'm like, but that's who you are to me.

Linda Herman But now that I've retired from school, I kind of did nothing for a couple of years, and I'm back at the golf courses manager.

Regan Siler Back at the golf course.

Linda Herman I have made my circle.

Regan Siler You have and how, how is that for you? Are you?

Linda Herman It's good. I love it. You know, I see now a lot of things that my mom and dad had to put up with that is ridiculous, if people would just think, you now. 00:50:00But you know how days and times are now. It's all about them. And it's been hard because I'm a woman. They don't want me telling them, hey.

Regan Siler How to do things.

Linda Herman How to do things, and, you know, on the golf course, mainly. My employees are wonderful that work for me. They'll do anything.

Regan Siler So, maybe like a like you're saying kind of a level of disrespect, maybe?

Linda Herman Yes, you know, they don't, you know they don't want me to tell them, if you don't want to do what I'm saying, then leave.

Regan Siler Right.

Linda Herman They don't like me telling them that I'm telling you to leave.

Regan Siler Yeah, that's unfortunate.

Linda Herman Yeah, and the board, Brian Pinson and Gary Graham, the board out there is wonderful. They support me wonderfully.

Regan Siler That's good. Yeah, you've definitely come full circle, haven't you?

Linda Herman I've made my circle, and I feel like I've in my mom and dad's footsteps and stuff.

Regan Siler Yeah. Well, before we get off of that, I've got to circle back to the school. I know that. I mean, my gosh, 41 00:51:00years, that's a long time. And this is probably a loaded question, because there's probably tons of stories, but what did you, what did you get out of that, being there, because I feel like you're, you're like, the, oh, I don't know, like the Linda Herman You see, a lot of personalities. Well, take you, for instance, your kids act just like you, you know, you see that, and they would come and go, Linda Kay, do you remember Regan when she was in school? Does Chad act just like she did, yeah, you know, or you know, they you just see a lot of it. I mean, I used to tell Judy Vice, I think we have seen grandparents now.

Regan Siler Like there's the generations of kids.

Linda Herman Yes, you know, but so many different personalities. It was a good place to work. You know, 00:52:00I fell in love with a lot of kids. There's a lot I would have taken home with me if I'd had the room, because I felt so sorry for them.

Regan Siler Yeah, yeah.

Linda Herman Some of those kids, the only meal they get is at school, and that just broke my heart. I probably spent more of my own money on stuff for kids.

Regan Siler Yeah, that's a rough thing to have to witness and not really have any, any control to fix.

Linda Herman Yeah, it's not their fault, you know.

Regan Siler Do you have any like I say, I'm sure you have tons of stories, but does anything in particular stick out to you that, I don't know, meant a lot to you or that would, success, I don't know, just any, any particular stories that stand out to you, that I guess you can share without, yeah, with maybe not mentioning names. I don't know.

Linda Herman Yeah, no, there was a lot that I, 00:53:00you know, when you'd have to keep kids from parents. That just broke my heart, but I knew it was the best thing you know for that.

Regan Siler Have you had any kids that are adults now come back to you and tell you, thank you for loving on me?

Regan Siler Well, I could see, I guess that's what I was trying to say earlier, is you seemed to me like you would be the, the soft place to fall for a lot of kids that maybe don't have that, or maybe even that do, but just are having a rough time, or, you know, whatever that that you were 00:54:00kind of the soft place to fall for them.

Linda Herman Yes, yes. And then I have some that kind of go, do they still had the time out box? Like a three-sided thing that Mrs. Vice would have him sit in, you know, to cool down and all that. But no there, you know, they'll and they'll tell their kids, hey, she was in school when I was there, and she was the sweetest thing. And we love Ms. Linda Kay and, you know, and stuff like that.

Linda Herman Yes.

Regan Siler The person that that kind of loved them no matter what, you know.

Linda Herman Yes, and they would, you know, they would, they would just come and sit in my lap and let me love on them and, and they needed that.

Regan Siler Now you're going to make me cry.

Linda Herman Today's time, you can't do that. I Regan Siler I know.

Linda Herman That was very hard to do.

Regan Siler I know.

Linda Herman My last few years, I had to watch who I touched.

Regan Siler Everything has changed.

Linda Herman You know, I would know Regan's not gonna matter if I love on Chad.

Regan Siler Cale, it's Cale.

Linda Herman But, you know, it was that's, you know, if you just really have to watch. Back then I could have loved on every one of them, and thank you, Linda Kay, for, you know, so and so came home today and said they got to sit in your lap. You loved on and they were crying, you know.

Regan Siler But to me, that seems like that would be, and I think, especially, in the elementary that's a, can be a tough 00:55:00time for kids that, to know that you had that loving effect on them, to show them kindness and love in times when they need or, you know, just a hug. My boys, Cale and Luke, like I know, Cale was a, he still is, you know. Love him to death, but he was a tough he was a tough kid to get through school. And sometimes he would just have, yeah, rough days, you know. And to be able to hug a kid like that and tell him it's going to be okay, that makes a huge difference.

Linda Herman Right, you know, and I'd had to have parents call and go, Linda Kay, is there any way you can come get so and so and take her to school with you? I can't get her in the car and she'll go, if you'll come. Sure, you know, and I'll go do it and, you know.

Regan Siler And that's the stuff that I don't think, well, I know, like a lot of people don't, I think it's easy to, I don't know, lump teachers in education. It's education is kind of a mess right now. Different sides 00:56:00saying different things. But I think that's an aspect of it that regular people don't see unless you're in the education system, that there are people that go way above and beyond what their job title is, as far as just caring about the kids and taking care of them, and that's how I see you. I think you gave 41 years to Bristow kids.

Linda Herman I did. I really did, and it's, to me, it's not the school system, it's the other things you have to deal with that is hard. And I was, I was done.

Regan Siler Yeah, you know, do you, I understand being done, especially in this time period that we're in. But do you miss it?

Linda Herman At times I do, especially, being around the little kids, you know. The adults and stuff, no.

Regan Siler Yeah.

Linda Herman That you dealt with every day.

Regan Siler Right.

Linda Herman You know, it's always our fault.

Regan Siler Right. It was time for a new chapter 00:57:00for you, or maybe an a new old chapter.

Linda Herman Yeah, yeah. And I had wonderful bosses, you know. And I was, you know, I told Debbie Ponder, I said, I'm sorry, but I'm done, you know, it's time for me to get out, so.

Regan Siler Yeah, and I bet that was a that was probably a tearful Linda Herman It was very hard.

Regan Siler A tearful goodbye. You do something, I mean, honestly, hardly anyone stays at anywhere that long. It just doesn't happen in this day and age.

Linda Herman And used to I was up and ready to go to work, and it was getting to where I had to make myself get up to go to work, yeah, you know. And I knew, you know.

Regan Siler Wanted to go out on a good note.

Linda Herman Yeah, yeah, yeah, so.

Regan Siler Well, to kind of change things up a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime?

Linda Herman Well, 00:58:00I'm gonna say it is the difference in golf clubs.

Regan Siler Of course, that would be your answer!

Linda Herman The change in golf clubs. I mean when you go from persimmon trees shafts in golf clubs that, you know, think hitting a golf ball with a wooden shaft. You would think that that would bust when you would hit two steel shafts, metal shafts, flex shafts, and all that kind of stuff. And the ball goes so much farther. There's so much in stuff that has been Regan Siler Like evolution in the Linda Herman Yeah, in a golf club, you know. I have my grandfather's golf clubs, and they were all wooden shaft, you know. And just to think, you know, the difference in that and now.

Regan Siler Why does it not surprise me that she answered with a with a golf Answer? 00:59:00But no, I think that's a great, a great perspective.

Linda Herman Yes, so.

Regan Siler And golf balls you said?

Linda Herman And golf balls, yes, you know, it's just the difference in what they've have invented and discovered in golf even, you know.

Regan Siler Okay, that's a that's a fair answer. Well, how do you feel the world is different than when you were a child?

Linda Herman When I was a child, it was very enjoyable. People got along. You know, you weren't scared of anything. You left your doors open at night. Your windows up and all that. And I feel like life now, you're scared to death all the time. You know, you can't do, you're just constantly looking behind to see what's going on and Regan Siler Right, no, I hear that.

Linda Herman Growing up as a kid was wonderful.

Regan Siler Carefree. It was very carefree!

Linda Herman Now, I mean, these my nieces, great nieces 01:00:00and nephews, what are they going to have to deal with when they're five now, and when they get 20?

Regan Siler And you feel different, I'm sure, towards, towards them, and how you watch them, or how, you know, any kids, just because.

Linda Herman I mean, we got wore out. I don't know if you did. I'm still alive.

Regan Siler Oh, yeah.

Linda Herman Whip that butt.

Linda Herman You know, it's not going to hurt them. That's, you know, that's the problem now, you know, there's no discipline because they're afraid to discipline that someone's gonna call and turn them in or.

Regan Siler Yes.

Regan Siler Right.

Linda Herman Something like that.

Regan Siler Oh no, there was no lack of discipline in my house.

Linda Herman I still have ears.

Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Well, what this might be along the same line, but what do you feel our nation's biggest problems are, and how do you think they can be solved?

Linda Herman Oh, gosh, politics, I think this is our biggest problem, and to fix it, I don't know. 01:01:00Regan Siler Wipe it all out and start over, maybe?

Linda Herman Something, but I, I wish the economy and stuff would be better, you know. And I know it'll never get back to 25 cents a gallon for gas, you know, like what it was. And, you know, go and buy a bill of groceries for $50 and you pay $200 now, you know, stuff like that.

Regan Siler It just makes it very, the times we're living in now are very hard, very hard to make it. And yes, I know I've said, like for my kids, who are young adults, it's very hard to get started in life, because it's just a whole different.

Linda Herman And I have a niece that wants to go to work, but child care is so expensive. If you don't have a good job, all your money's going to child care.

Regan Siler Yeah, you're paying someone to Linda Herman If you don't have a family member and when I retired, I said I wasn't babysitting.

Regan Siler Right, right.

Linda Herman I've eaten my words there. 01:02:00Linda Herman Well, you know, I'm not going to do it every day. You know, just stuff like that. I just wish it would just get better, you know.

Regan Siler Right.

Regan Siler I can't disagree with you.

Linda Herman You don't get to go and do like you did back then, because you used to be able to go on a tank of gas, and now it takes a tank to get halfway there.

Regan Siler Well, I saw a meme, and it kind of makes me laugh, because it's true, like, I don't leave the house much anymore, because every time I do, it cost me $300.

Linda Herman Yeah, yes, you know. And my little great, great nephew, he'll kind of okay, okay, you take me Coop's, you take me to Coop's? And you go, and it's 20 bucks by the time you leave Coop's with candy, slushes and but I do it, you know.

Regan Siler Oh, yeah.

Linda Herman Why should they get left out?

Regan Siler Yes, no, I understand. How have historic events affected you? For instance, well, like we talked about JFK 01:03:00getting shot, but like maybe the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, COVID, natural disasters. Have any of those things affected you in your life? Do you remember or can you think of?

Linda Herman No, I think about the bombing. It happened on my brother's birthday. And so I think about it every year.

Regan Siler Which one the Oklahoma City or?

Linda Herman Yes, the Oklahoma City bombing. So, I think about it, you know. And I was at school when that happened. I think when I really got to where I was watching my back a lot, even at school, is when Eisenberger [Scott Eizember] Linda Herman Eizmeber, all that happened. And we were on lockdown for such a long time, and you were just constantly, you know, just to walk to the cafeteria 25 yards now, you were just kind of Regan Siler Yeah, that was like, that was that manhunt was a major, major thing. I can remember being, I was younger, and being like, you're nervous to be outside in the country when that's nothing you ever thought of, 01:04:00never even considered being outside in your yard or doing anything, but like you say, you're always kind of looking over your shoulder.

Regan Siler Eizember?

Linda Herman And even, like when I'm at the golf course and I'm by myself, you know, I'm not scared.

Regan Siler You just have to be aware.

Linda Herman But you have to be aware, and like I told the guys, more than likely it's going to be somebody I had in school, and I'm going to say, what in the heck do you think you're doing, you know? It's Ms. Linda Kay, you're not gonna hurt me and stuff like that. But I shouldn't have that outlook. And I still have, you know, in my mind, you've got to watch, you know, on stuff like that.

Regan Siler You definitely have to be aware today. Is there anything else that we haven't covered that you would like to share with us, or maybe any wisdom that you would like to share that you've learned through your life that you want to pass on for your 01:05:00great nieces and nephews to hear one day?

Linda Herman Take care of yourself. Live a good life. Have fun and enjoy it and play golf!

Regan Siler That's how she's gonna end this interview, play golf!

Linda Herman Play golf! Swing that club. It's good exercise.

Regan Siler Absolutely.

Linda Herman And I've tried and tried to get my nieces and my nephews to play, and I think I might have one. He told me the other day he wanted to play golf. He's only five, but we'll see. You know, I Regan Siler Well, maybe you need to teach me how to play golf. Because I am, I honestly, I am, I love sports, but I have never in my life played golf. I haven't, and I'd probably like it.

Linda Herman I gave Boston Raney, Blakeman, whatever, lessons last summer. He and another little boy, and they're big baseball players, you know, and I think they got so sick of me saying, put your feet together. Put your feet together. 01:06:00And but I played against Boston in a tournament last summer, and he we were on this same group, but on different teams. And he would say, Linda Kay, and I'd go, I can't tell you, you're my opponent. I can't tell you what Regan Siler We mean business!

Linda Herman When we're on this team, golf tournament, or money, or whatever. And so he got to where he'd just look at me, and I just, you know, do this with my eyes, so he knew he was doing it right. But I love that little boy. If he sticks to it, he'll be a good little golfer.

Regan Siler Oh, well, that's good. Maybe I need to come out and visit the golf course, and you can take me for Linda Herman There you go.

Regan Siler A around and see if I like it, because I feel like at some point me and my husband are going to have to, you know, when he ever quits working so much, find a hobby. It seems like that might be one that doesn't kill you in your old age. Yeah, that's actually good for you without, 01:07:00like, really messing something up, you know.

Linda Herman And if I don't hit a good ball, I just take off walking, so I still get more exercise, you know. But I was also going to tell you, if you want it, I have a picture, and I think it is opening day at the golf course.

Regan Siler Oh, yes!

Linda Herman And back then, the men played in dress pants and shirts and ties. Oh, white shirts and ties, and there's all these men standing around. It's either six or nine green and we think it's opening day.

Regan Siler That would be amazing. Is that something that you would want us to copy, or you would want to donate to the museum?

Linda Herman We'd have to copy it.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman We have it up in the pro shop.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman We found it when we were cleaning some stuff out, and we believe it's opening day.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman And they opened in '23.

Regan Siler We have a pretty quality scanner down at the depot, so maybe we bring it down there, and we could make a copy of it. That's, yeah, that's awesome. That's the kind of stuff that we love to preserve.

Linda Herman Yes. So, and we had two copies, 01:08:00and if I can find that other one you call can have one.

Regan Siler Okay.

Linda Herman But, yes, we do have one there in the pro shop. And, okay, yeah, we think that's.

Regan Siler Yeah, that's awesome. Okay.

Linda Herman Yeah.

Regan Siler Well, we appreciate you taking the time to visit with us today. Your interview will become an important part of our oral history archive for the museum. We appreciate you very much and thank you.

Linda Herman Thank you.