Bill and Beth Dalpoas

Interviewer: Georgia Smith

Interviewee: Bill and Beth Dalpoas

Other Persons:

Date of Interview: June 3, 2021

Location: Bristow, Creek County Oklahoma

Transcriber: Abby Thompson

Organization: Bristow Historical Society, Inc.

Original Cassette Tape Location: OHP-2021-18 at 00:00 to 53:53

Abstract:

Preface: The following oral history testimony is the result of a cassette tape interview and is part of the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.'s collection of oral histories. The interview was transcribed and processed by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc., with financial assistance from the Montfort Jones & Allie Brown Jones Foundation. Rights to the material are held exclusively by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.

The reader should bear in mind that he or she is reading a verbatim transcript of spoken, rather than written prose. Insofar as possible, this transcript tries to represent the spoken word. Thus, it should be read as a personal memoir and not as either a researched monograph or edited account.

To the extent possible, the spelling of place names, foreign words, and personal names have been verified, either by reference resources or directly by the interviewee. In some cases, a footnote has been added to the transcript in order to provide more information and/or to clarify a statement. Some uncertainties will inevitably remain regarding some words and their spellings. In these scenarios, a (ph) follows a word or name that is spelled phonetically. The notation [indecipherable] is used when the transcriber has not been able to comprehend the word or phrase being spoken. The notation [inaudible] is used where there is more mumbling than words, or when interference on the tape has made transcription impossible.

BD: Here we go

BD: Red light is on

GS: Yup, and it's running so here we go.

BD: Okay

GS: Alright, this is Georgia Smith with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma., and this interview is part of the historical societies ongoing oral history project. The day is June 3rd, 2021 and I am sitting here at the home of Bill and Beth Dalpoas, who are going to tell me a little bit about their history in the Bristow area. Now, I'll start with you Beth; give me your full name and your date of birth.

BD: Wow. Elizabeth Ann Long Dalpoas. Birthday: March 19, 1939, in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

GS: Okay thank you, and Bill what was your full name at birth and birth date, and place.

BD: William Raymond Dalpoas, and I was born in Hartshorne, Oklahoma, August 5, 1938.

GS: Very good, wow. Okay and what year were you two married, Beth?

BD: Oh, 1959 October the 4th in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

GS: In Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

BD: We repeated our vows five years later First Baptist church in Bristow with reverend Dick List (ph) performing the ceremony.

GS: Oh how wonderful! And what prompted you to do that?

BD: Well, it was a promise that I had made my parents that we would do this, and-- but they didn't show up. But the ladies at the church decorated with the colors that we had used in our wedding, and our son Danny carried our rings for us

GS: Aw how sweet

BD: And there was a reception at the church afterwards just like when we got married

GS: Aw that's-- that was pretty neat, that's pretty neat. Well what brought you to the Bristow area Bill?

BD: Well I was working in a store in McAlester, Oklahoma

GS: What kind of store?

BD: It was a general merchandise store, clothing.

GS: Okay

BD: It was a company owned by J.L. Dobson (ph).

BD: Turner. J.L. Turner-- okay.

BD: Out of Kentucky, and when I found out they were gonna move me to Bristow, we drove up here and looked the town over.

GS: Very good

BD: And we were not very impressed

GS: Oh you weren't?

BD: No. There was [Indecipherable] and a Penny's (ph) and two drug stores, two jewelry stores, and that's just about all. And there was a Safeway, but that's about all there was. I counted eleven empty buildings.

GS: Wow, and that was in what year?

BD: 1962

GS: My goodness

BD: And I almost backed out when I saw the town, but I didn't

GS: Well we're glad you didn't. So what job did you come to here?

BD: I was manager of a store. We opened in the old Safeway location, which is 00:03:00now Homestead.

GS: Okay that's right, Safeway was there

BD: Right off the corner

GS: 8th in Main, uh-huh.

BD: And we opened the store and it was kinda [Indecipherable] store, we'd get big baskets of socks that were not even matched and we had to go through all of them and match them

GS: Oh wow

BD: It was nationwide department stores, wasn't it?

BD: Yeah it was a nationwide, and it morphed into what is now Dollar General store.

GS: Oh okay! And Dollar General store is presently where a different old Safeway was

(Laughter)

BD: And the first person that we saw when we came to Bristow, really, was Cleo Pinson standing on the corner there by the store, singing Wolverton Mountain.

GS: Oh my goodness

BD: And after we looked the town over and ate at Hi-way Café, we drove around town awhile looking at houses, not knowing which side of town to look on or anything, got wound up out by the swimming pool and there was Cleo still singing Wolverton Mountain

(Laughter)

GS: How wonderful, Cleo was a main stay in Bristow for many years

BD: Yes, and he never called me Beth, it was Beverly

GS: Really? Well.

BD: Beverly, the whole time, yes.

GS: Okay, so how long were you with Nationwide?

BD: Well, I was with them from 61' until 64'

GS: Okay, and what caused you to leave them then?

BD: I was hired by Travis Paten

GS: Okay, to do what?

BD: Be an assistant manager at a variety store, which was planned [Indecipherable] was gonna leave Bristow, and he bought the building and we opened a Ben Franklin store there.

GS: I remember that, yes. So he hired you to be the manager of it?

BD: Yes

GS: How long did Ben Franklin's last in Bristow? Well first off where was it?

BD: Oh, it was right directly across the street from Safeway

GS: Okay, so between 7th and 8th street on the West side

BD: Yes

BD: Where the parking lot is now

GS: For the Mexican Restaurant

BD: Right

GS: Uh-huh, okay. And how long were you with Ben Franklin store?

BD: Oh, till 1978 and I opened the men's store

GS: And what was the name of that store?

BD: Bills [Indecipherable]

GS: I remember that. And did you open it in Ben Franklins or in a different location-- I mean in the same building or a different location?

BD: No, different location.

GS: Okay, and so did-- was Ben Franklin's still there, or-- and they had a different manager

BD: Yes, it was still there, yes.

GS: Okay, and how long did you have Bills [Indecipherable]?

BD: Oh, what three years?

BD: I believe so

BD: Three years, and then I bought the Ben Franklin store

GS: Oh okay! Okay, how long did you own it then?

BD: Not very long, it burned.

GS: I remember that

BD: I think about two or three years later

GS: Aww

BD: We had it in 1982 because my dad's clock that he had at the naval base in 00:07:00McAlester was in there that burned, Danas little flowers that she had in a coronation in high school were in there, and dads big roll top desk, remember? It was in there.

BD: Yeah

GS: Can you tell me anything Beth about some of the businesses that were on each side of the street?

BD: I thought Bristow was a neat little town, I thought it was busy, but you know, I wasn't a merchant so I-- I do know that there was-- when I was trying to find a house for us, or whatever, Chamber of Commerce wasn't too happy about us moving to Bristow, but--

GS: Really?

BD: Yeah, but it was--

GS: Why on earth not?

BD: 'What kind of business are you putting in?' That was one of the questions, and I said "Well it's a general merchandise, sir" and da-da-da, and they just weren't too receptive, you know.

GS: Well, that's unusual

BD: It really-- it really was

GS: You would think they would've welcomed all business.

BD: But-- no they weren't, you know, because it was, you know, we had sharps, or not sharps at that time it was--

GS: Pennys (ph)

BD: Pennys, and Shamus (ph)

GS: Yes

BS: and--

GS: Clothe stores

BD: Yes, those. And we had men's store, and it was like infringing on their business

GS: Yes, I see

BD: Which, in a way--

GS: And Patens Place (ph)

BD: Yes, well Paten still had Ben Franklin, the small store.

GS: Okay

BS: It was--

GS: Well, but didn't they have a clothing store too?

BD: Yes, later on they did.

GS: Oh, not right then

BD: No, Pauline Paten (ph)

GS: Okay

BS: That was Pauline's

GS: I didn't realize that, okay.

BD: So it was-- I mean the people were great! The people themselves, you know, but I can sorta understand the business part, just like how we felt when we 00:09:00heard that Walmart was coming in.

GS: Right, yes.

BD: Bill made a comment when that happened, they said "What are you gonna do when Walmart opens" and he said "It wouldn't matter if I had the Dallas cheerleaders dancing naked out on main street, they'd still go to Walmart"

GS: Yeah

BD: Which is--

GS: And Walmart has really hurt mainstream, downtown America.

BD: If you look at any town that's-- they have messed up main street America. I know everybody needed a job, but they had jobs before that in a different area. But it's, yeah it has.

BD: Yeah Walmart took 75% of my business the very first day

GS: Wow, wow

BD: At the time before Walmart moved in, I had 13 women working for me, and I ended up with two.

GS: Oh my goodness, yeah that would be really disheartening

BD: Yeah, it was

GS: Yeah it would be.

BD: People used to park on Main street on Saturday night because that was the late night to stay open just to see who was coming to town and to look inside the stores

GS: Really?

BD: It was really neat, yes

GS: I like that!

BD: They did! Certain people would have certain parking places every Saturday night and they parked on main street to watch the foot traffic and to see what was going on and it was really--

GS: Did we have the vertical parking then, or the horizontal?

BD: We had both!

GS: Okay

BD: It was the vertical then we had the horizontal, and I think the ODOT said, you know, since it was a state highway, we had to do the--

BD: Parallel

BD: Parallel parking

GS: Yes, parallel parking

BD: Whatever-- yeah, whatever that was, and so.

GS: Okay so when you moved here, did you get active in any of the organizations here in town?

BD: Yeah we--

GS: I'll start with Bill, and then I'll jump to you Beth

BD: We had started a JC Program

GS: Okay

BD: I was president of JC's for two years. We had a hundred members

GS: Wow!

BD: But--

BD: Now that's a certain age group, the JC's are.

GS: Okay

BD: And we were instrumental in doing a lot of things. We bought a siding machine and all the-- we did all the street signs, and put them up

GS: Oh that's awesome!

BD: And we were instrumental in the swimming pool project

GS: Yes

BD: And we did a lot of-- lot of good things.

GS: They have been a good organization in Bristow, they have

BD: But it's made up of young business men

GS: Uh-huh

BD: And Bristow ended up not having any

GS: Yeah, yeah. Not very many, we had a few but not too many anymore, yeah. Most of them that we do--

BD: What we have now are good, but back then it was--really we went to state 00:12:00conventions and everything and made little Indian necklaces to represent Oklahoma. I mean the Women; the JC Janes were the co-whatever's of the JCs.

GS: Were you a member of the JC Janes?

BD: Yes, Barbara Hutten (ph), Ashley Vandever (ph), Sue Tapana (ph), Linda Suther (ph), yes, I mean we were all. Well I have a silver plate that says "Charter Member" For Stacey James (ph), Mary Ellen Holmes (ph), yes.

GS: Yes

BD: We were very active. I mean, we raffled Christmas items off, we'd sit and sew sequins on Christmas tree skirts and raffle those off. We were the backbone mainly of the JCs. I mean we were the support group of the JCs. Whatever they were active in, we went along with it.

GS: So you didn't do your own thing, you were there to back up the JCs?

BD: Right

GS: Okay very good, yeah.

BD: And the JCs were the backbone of western heritage

BD: Yes

BD: We had gun fights

GS: I remember, I was a kid and loved to go down to the gun fights and the stage coach coming in, bicycles build for two

BD: Yes, yes

GS: Lots of fun things

BD: My best memory of that was I was due to get shot, and I got shot and I think it was Dunaways (ph) funeral home that had an old horse drawn hearse

GS: Oh my goodness really?

BD: Yeah and they come down and put me in that thing

GS: Oh my goodness

BD: Now this is in August bear in mind, no air conditioning, nothing

BD: And it was hotter than blazes, I couldn't hardly wait to get out of that thing

BD: They took him; I don't know where they-- on up north main

BD: they rode around with me for a while

GS: Oh my goodness, I'd have said-- it probably wasn't air conditioned, was it

BD: No, no

GS: Oh my goodness sakes

BD: Joule Dean Masterton (ph) is -- I think I've donated the pictures, I'm not 00:14:00sure but there she is over and she's tickling him trying to get him to move, but I mean he's been shot you know.

(Laughter)

BD: But Joule Dean was trying to get him to move or something, then they loaded him up in that

GS: I'd love to have some copies of some of those pictures

BD: Okay

GS: That would be just marvelous, that would be wonderful. So besides the JCs and the JC Janes, are there other organizations you were involved in?

BD: Well we were very active in the First Baptist Church, we were both Sunday school teachers for Junior high, and he coached baseball--

BD: Yeah

BD: For--

GS: Little league baseball?

BD: Well we had church leagues then

GS: Oh okay

BD: If you didn't attend Sunday school you didn't--

GS: Play baseball

BD: you didn't play that week or whatever

GS: Uh-huh

BD: So it was--

BD: And I still have-- well there were a few that played on my team in Bristow 00:15:00and they still call me coach

GS: Aww that's nice

BD: Or Papa Bill-- or Daddy Bill!

BD: Yeah Daddy Bill

BD: Daddy Bill, because that's what Danny called him, ya know was Daddy Bill.

GS: Danny?

BD: Our son

GS: Oh okay

BD: Our son called him Daddy Bill, so I mean there were Danny Hanks, and-- my goodness

BD: Ashley

BD: Ol' Danny Ashley

BD: Danny Ashley (ph)

BD: Yes

BD: Johnny Carmichael (ph)

BD: Yes, his dad was a highway patrol man here, the Carmichael's

BD: And Morris Hancock (ph)

GS: Yes

BD: Yes. Yeah, I still keep up with them on Facebook

GS: He came into the museum over tabbouleh fest

BD: Oh really?

GS: He did, I got to see him, I hadn't seen him in years.

BD: Well that's great! We haven't either.

GS: Okay so, you mentioned Danny, your son. How many children did you have?

BD: We have two children; Danny was nine months old when we moved up here

GS: Okay

BD: And then Dana is our daughter and she was born in February of 64' out here in Bristow medical center-- or the hospital then! The Baptists had it then

GS: Yes

BD: And Danny was born at Saint Marys' hospital in McAlester

GS: Okay

BD: So, our families were not too happy when we moved up here, but--

GS: I'm sure

BD: You've gotta do what you've gotta do

GS: That's right, jobs take you where they take you

BD: Right

GS: Okay so do you have any anecdotes about those years, or special memories of events that happened during that time?

BD: Well at one point in time I was a Welcome Wagon hostess for Bristow

GS: Very good!

BD: And the business professional women, we had a big committee of that-- or group of that

GS: Yes

BD: And they got Jane Ann Jurough (ph), the reigning at that point in time, to 00:17:00come down.

GS: Yes

BD: And they-- they had decorated the force field house with the big swing and all of that, and as the welcome wagon hostess, I got to go out to the [Indecipherable] house west of town

GS: Yes

BD: And give her gifts from the local merchants

GS: Oh how wonderful!

BD: So that was-- and I understand she's still a TV announcer in Oklahoma City

GS: Uh-huh, I've seen her a time or two

BD: That was a, something. And then Ally Reynolds (ph) one of the baseball--

BD: Yeah one of the baseball field was dedicated out here, which now football--high school football has taken it over

GS: Okay

BD: And I had a New York Yankees baseball that my Anna gave me, and I took it up to him and had him resign under his name

GS: Aww how wonderful! Do you still have that?

BD: No

GS: Aw

BD: I gave it to my son and he sold it on Ebay--

BD: Ebay or something

GS: Aww, that's a shame.

BD: But he does have a baseball signed from-- when we had the t-shirt shop, it was in the summer time in the Fort Cob boys. There was a little team from Fort Cob baseball, and they'd come in the store and they ordered t-shirts that had certain lettering on them, well our daughter Dana could do the lettering real good, she and Bill did that, and they were not allowed to swim on--and they were staying at Thurman's hotel up on North main, and every time they'd win a game, they'd bring those little shirts in and I'd wash them for them and they'd have 00:19:00new lettering put on [Indecipherable]. And they got into the finals, and they would just lay around in the store because it was air conditioned, they didn't bother anything or anybody, they'd do little errands and they were the nicest young men. And their coaches were fantastic, and they got in the championship game over in Mannford, and they won.

GS: Oh wonderful

BD: And the first people they came to show the trophy was Bill and I

GS: Aww

BD: So that really--

GS: Spoke a lot to them

BD: Yes, so Dana-- I brought all their shirts home, washed them on Saturday night so they could have them on Sunday to be able to go back to Fort Cob, but we heard from one of the coaches' wife for quite a few years, and they offered to come get us for their picnic in a private plane, but we didn't go.

GS: That would have been a fun experience

BD: Oh--maybe! Maybe so

BD: I still have their baseball bat there

BD: Yeah, they signed us a baseball

GS: Aww

BD: And I have the baseball from my team too from 1966

GS: Oh that's wonderful, 1966

BD: Yeah we're a collector of 'things', I mean just--

BD: Well I had-- she had a birthday party for me, and they all came to the house and that's when they signed the baseball

GS: Awww that's perfect! That's just the perfect present

BD: Our house was the party house and the whatever house that the kids wanted to come to, because was it the bachelors that?

BD: Yeah

BD: They used to come practice in our living room, the band

BD: Oh boy

GS: That takes some patience to put up with that now

BD: Yes, yes. Yeah that--but they did--

GS: Who was in that band? Was that Steve Hollands band?

BD: No, that was before Steve I think

BD: Yeah it was

BD: Or maybe it was in between-- I don't remember, there was Danny Hanks (ph), gosh we went all through that just recently, who was in what band. And then they would have teen town on Friday nights, was it?

BD: Yeah

BD: At the Presbyterian basement.

GS: Oh in the Presbyterian basement! I never went to it there

BD: I--yes it was because we lived on West fifth street, the house has been torn down now

GS: That was probably before I lived here

BD: Yes, yes

GS: When I went to Teen town, it was on east ninth I believe

BD: No that was before the Presbyterians sponsored it

GS: Was after it? Presbyterian was before or after the east ninth teen town?

BD: Yes, yes. It was before.

GS: Before

BD: Yup

GS: Okay, and then it moved from the east ninth location to seventh street and 00:22:00it didn't last very long on east seventh. About where that church is, the Cornerstone church

BD: Oh okay

GS: My memory's a little fuzzy but about there

BD: I don't remember--I mean

GS: When I was, oh maybe a sophomore in high school

BD: Oh okay

GS: So around 71' maybe, I moved here

BD: Okay

GS: Okay so looking back at the decades you've been here; what decade do you think was the best for Bristow?

BD: 60's

GS: The 60's?

BD: Definitely the 60's

GS: What do you think made it the best?

BD: The people

GS: The people?

BD: They were together. I mean they worked together, business was good, schools have always been great, he served on the school board for--

BD: Nine years

BD: Nine years, and then I worked for Edison for 27 years, and how long did you work at--

BD: Seventeen years

BD: Seventeen years, so. It's been great, really. We have no--well people were 00:23:00motivated in the 60's, you know? The families in the 70's were alright. We moved in our present home where we are now in 1976 in June. In September of that year, school had started and our son comes home and says "I volunteered the carport to build our float"

(Laughter)

BD: The big nails are still out in the carport framing, and they were out here-- I mean

BD: I came home from work, and it was dark, and I turned the corner and came in the driveway and I had kids on the roof

GS: Oh my goodness

BD: They were everywhere

BD: Well this was all woods then, so we were the second home to build out here. This was all a wooded area

GS: Oh my goodness, and now look at all the houses around you.

BD: Yes, this 40 acres was bought by Mr. Jones and Mr. Leflar from a little Indian--

GS: Robert Jones (ph) and David Leflar (ph)?

BD: No

GS: The lawyers? No?

BD: David Leflar and--

BD: Well Leflar was the--he had the Jones foundation

BD: Yes

GS: Okay, those Jones

BD: And they kept telling me--when we were building this was not in the city limits and I said "Yes it is" "No it isn't" so I went to city hall one day when Johnny Darnell (ph) was still with us in the city clerk, got my coke and peanuts, and I went through all the records that Johnny would let me go through

GS: Uh-huh

BD: And I found a school board minutes one time and there'd been a [Indecipherable] on there cus' Mr. Leflar was also the school attorney

GS: Oh okay

BD: So he had added that on that this was--this 40 acres was in the city limits

GS: There you go, good for you!

BD: So I-- we, well they weren't gonna give us any city utilities or anything

GS: Oh yeah

BD: We still have our own water well, we don't have city water

GS: Really?

BD: But that's okay, we don't have a water bill

GS: Yeah, exactly yeah

BD: And it's good water too

GS: That's good, that's very good

BD: So we did-- this was all red clay when we moved here

GS: Lots of red clay in Bristow

BD: Yes, yes. And the Matthews home on the hill was the first home built out here because Dowell (ph) and Leflar owned this

GS: Okay

BD: Dowell Matthews and David Leflar.

GS: Okay, and did they develop-- did they build all the houses or just they sold the lots?

BD: The lots, we bought two lots 'cus we lived where Corwins dentist office is 00:26:00in a two story house

GS: Oh okay! Uh-huh!

BD: And we had the first tree that was ever had Christmas lights outside on it

GS: Aww

BD: And they tore 'em down

GS: Aww that hurt, didn't it?

BD: Yes, yes it did. Especially when you found out it was someone in your Sunday school class

GS: Aww

(Laughter)

BD: But it--then when the grocery store burned, Mr. Wells, who was the owner of the grocery store, started buying lots. Bill and I had said to ourselves "When we get to x amount of dollars, we'll sell"

GS: There you go, uh-huh.

BD: He did!

GS: Wow! Very wonderful

BD: So we used that money to build this home

GS: Very good!

BD: So, he was-- there was a lot of fun times over there on 7th street too. I mean, the folks over there were really good too--

GS: Good neighbors

BD: Yes, yes. The Methodist church was right across the street

GS: Yes

BD: And, ohh what was her name? Alexander-- Myrtle

GS: Myrtle Alexander (ph)

BD: Yes. I would crank up the stereo if I was cleaning a house and open the door and she'd go sweeping down the sidewalk to tell them about [Indecipherable]

BD: Dancing

GS: How wonderful

BD: She was-- she was a keeper for sure.

GS: I've heard many good things about her

BD: Then we had--there was a little--did Buddy just have one leg? The little black guy who had the shoe shine?

BD: Hm, yeah

BD: There was a little black guy's first name was Buddy. I have heard his last name; someone has told me but I've forgotten. He had a little shoe shine place in the alcove of where--

BD: Where Penny's (ph) was

BD: Yes, where--

GS: Okay, yes

BD: There's a little alcove in there and Buddy had a shoe shine stop

GS: Oh how wonderful!

BD: And he would talk by our house and one day he just stopped and he--we just had the best conversation because he told us, told me who had built lived in that house. It was a doctor Copiague. Now I don't know which Copiague it was, but he told me that he took care of his horses, little paint horses, their little team. And when Doc Copiague (ph) would go out at night, Buddy said I would go, and he said that this porch right here on this house; when it got hot, the girls would sleep out on this, and I said "Really Buddy?" and he said "Yeah". And he said "On all the sides on this side of town, you see the little houses on the ally? Well that's where the house keepers stayed" or whatever. And he said "We just had a lot of fun. Doctor Copiague was so nice"

GS: Aw

BD: I just thought 'Wowie', ya know. And he said this house had a big wrought iron fence all the way around it, because we dug and found--we didn't know what was going on, but it was--We moved from a five room house to a nine room house

GS: Oh my goodness, that's wonderful

BD: And the nine room house people moved into our five room house

(Laughter)

BD: That was a busy, busy night

GS: Downsizing and upsizing

BD: Yes, yes. But we've-- this is home

GS: Yes

BD: You know; we weren't raised here. Bill was raised is Hartshorne, and I was raised in Ashland, which is a farming community.

GS: What--where is that in Oklahoma?

BD: That's south west of McAlester

BD: Yeah

GS: Oh okay

BD: My dad was called to the naval base, it used to be a navy base, it's an army base now.

GS: Yes

DD: Now I've still got a ashtray and stuff from that navy base. And dad worked 00:30:00for the rock Island, he went to work from-- he was manager southern ice in Haileyville, and then we went to work for Rock Island Railroad and hated it, then when the war broke out, my dad had a fantastic memory for numbers. And they needed somebody to dispatch the railroad cars, so basically he was drafted. I mean he was-- had too many dependents to be drafted. But it was like 'give up your job-- '

GS: I'm just gonna check and make sure we're going great, yes we are.

BD: And worked at the navy base

GS: Oh, uh-huh

BD: So dad worked out there for twenty something years before he retired

GS: Oh

BD: So, and then we moved on--McAlester was here, Navy base was here, Ashland was here, Hartshorne was on the other side-- east of McAlester, we were Ashland 00:31:00was west. We were 45 miles apart when we were dating, so big drive. (Laughter) You'd drive that way--

BD: I put a lot of miles on my car

GS: I bet you did Bill

BD: And how many months, we dated?

BD: Six months

GS: Ahh

BD: Our first date was April the 15th, 1959 income tax day

GS: Oh my goodness, yes.

BD: And we got married October the 4th

GS: Oh, well that's a pretty speedy courtship there

BD: Yeah. Be 62 years this October

GS: Well congratulations

BD: I guess

BD: Yeah

GS: Yeah. Okay so you had a lot of the youth in your home

BD: Yes

GS: What else did you do for entertainment Bill?

BD: Well we went dancing a lot

GS: Oh where did you go dancing?

BD: Anywhere there was a dance

BD: Anywhere--When we first got married, we'd go to a dance every week

GS: Were there dances here in Bristow?

BD: No

BD: No, that was before we moved here, there was Italian place in McAlester that would have us come at--it wasn't Pete's place, it was [Indecipherable]

GS There was a large settlement I think the Italians in that area

BD: Right [Indecipherable] And we go--they'd ask us to come dance Tuesday night to get people to come out on the dance floor and dance, then they'd give us our meal free

GS: Oh how wonderful! Well that was pretty good for a newlywed couple

BD: Yeah that helped a lot, that helped a lot.

GS: I think Ted would've learned a dance

BD: Danny and Dana both danced. We had-- we went to Sapulpa and Danny and Cara Jean Thompson (ph) went to Stroud and a contest, like Saturday Night Fever or whatever, they were very good, they could--

GS: And was it 50's type dancing or ballroom dancing?

BD: Bill and I, both

GS: Both

BD: Uh-huh, yeah. He was very good dancer

BD: Jitterbug

GS: And you could Jitterbug?

BD: Oh yeah

GS: Oh I wish I could see you Jitterbug

BD: I wish I still could

(Laughter)

GS: I understand that

BD: You could if you wanted to, you could if you wanted to. But we--

GS: So did you go to Tulsa to dances from Bristow?

BD: No, they used to have quite a few dances. I mean, and up on top of the Roland Hotel is a big ballroom

GS: Oh okay

BD: And on top of JC Penny was, is a ballroom

GS: Yes

BD: But the J.C.'s used to have our-- some of our new year's parties up there. When Big George Joseph (ph) and all of those were--

GS: Yes

BD: Big George had a pig onetime that had been roasted, and that was our centerpiece and [Indecipherable] so, yeah.

GS: Was it staring back at ya?

BD: Yes

BD: Yeah, it had an apple in its mouth

BD: Cherries for the eyes

BD: I didn't eat too much

GS: I understand that

BD: But that--there's a very nice dance floor up there. And on top of the Penny's building was also--

BD: Well they used to have dances out at the country club.

GS: Okay, were you members of the country club?

BD: For a while, yeah

GS: Uh-huh, any other organizations, like the Elks or anything?

BD: No I belonged to the Lions for a while

GS: The Lions club, okay.

BD: Did you belong to the Rotary or was it Travis?

BD: No, the Lions club. I didn't belong to the Rotary

BD: Okay

GS: Okay so Beth tell me about your time at Edison Elementary

BD: Well, when we moved out here in 1976, and we got all settled and everything, I didn't have anything to do. Both of the children were in school, he was at work, and so I went to Doctor Carmichael and I said "I'm ready to go to work. Is 00:35:00there anything available" you know? Well there was two or three jobs available, and I said "put me where you want me" and he put me as kindergarten aid. So for two or three years, I had my own room, where home alone is now, and I had every kindergartener every day.

GS: Wow

BD: They would come to my room, 'cus we only had half day kindergarten then

GS: Yes

BD: And so one room--one half of the room was for morning kindergarten, the decorations and stuff, and the other room was--half was afternoon. And that went on and I mean the decorations were what they did. I mean, we had a-- Bill drew a great big tree and we put it and we decorated it for every holiday, they did 00:36:00paperwork. Plus, then I as given the attendance books for Edison Elementary to keep on top of that

GS: Okay

BD: So it was running all the papers for the two teachers at that time, and myself, plus taking the attendance for Edison. And when Christmas came, it was Brent, Scott, Lomenick, all that group. I had made little Christmas ornaments for every one of them. And one of the mothers told me not long ago they she still have it

GS: Aw that's so sweet

BD: So I'm going 'Okay' but it was out of clothespins and glue and paint, and then we moved down to-- what building is it did they used? Now it was where that third grade building, I don't know what they use that building for, it's not the 00:37:00administration building, But there was Joann Free (ph) and Betty Lindsay (ph) and I was will their aid in the room, I was there all the time. So I went from one to the other, but I loved those little ones. It was-- I can still remember 'Sounds like Gurple, but it's Purple' ya know. But teaching them their colors and kindergarteners are so much more advanced for the time they-- I mean we've got a great granddaughter that'll go in kindergarten this next year and she's gonna be bored at first.

GS: Aw, pretty sharp

BD: She's very sharp

GS: She already reading?

BD: Yes, yes.

BD: Yeah her mother's a teacher so that helps

GS: Yes, it does.

BD: Yes, they're the ones who were here this past weekend to visit us

GS: Aw that's wonderful

BD: So we had a sleep over. They slept in here and it was-- it was great but I 00:38:00loved my time at Edison because I worked in the office, or back in the office for I don't know how many years, and then Mrs. Vise, Judy Vise (ph) was the principal and she said "Would you like to move to the media?" Because the lady out there was gonna be leaving, last name was Neil, I can't think of her first name right now. Olivia. And I said "I would love to" I mean, and that's, the library was my thing

GS: Oh that's wonderful

BD: I love to read, I--

GS: So how long were you at Edison?

BD: 27 years

GS: So you retired from Edison

BD: Right, right.

GS: Very good, and what year was that?

BD: I don't know, 'cus I still substitute at the high school

GS: I knew that you did. Do you still substitute today?

BD: I didn't this last year because of the COVID, but hopefully and the Good 00:39:00Lord willing, the creek don't rise, and my health holds up, I'll go back this next year.

GS: Well bless you and more power to you.

BD: I love-- Why the high school? I don't know. But I love history, we're lacking in that. I don't know music that well, but I love to substitute for Mr. Sanford in the Choir. And fact is a couple years ago, I taught a young man how to dance for the prom. He didn't know how to dance, and I said "if you step on my toe one time we're gonna quit" because he was a big young man. But I still love the kids.

GS: Aw that's wonderful, it's good for you, good for you. What year did you retire Bill?

BD: 2001

GS: And you retired from what business

BD: From--I was maintenance supervisor at the school

GS: At the school. So when did you go to work for the school? After Ben Franklin burned?

BD: Yeah, I was in my 40's and when the store burned, I was, you know, I didn't. And I tried reopening a store in the location where homestead is

GS: Okay, uh-huh

BD: And that didn't last. Walmart was still-- when I opened the store, Walmart sent clerks into the store with notepads writing down everything I'd put in that store

GS: Aw

BD: And then they'd go back and put it in Walmart at a lower price, so.

GS: Aw that makes me sad

BD: Then I went to Doctor Carmichael and asked him if there's anything available at the school, and he said "give me a few days and I'll get back to you". So he 00:41:00came back and said "I want you to be the night supervisor for house cleaning", so I did that for a year, and then Rex Kearly (ph) retired and he hired me to be the maintenance director

GS: Okay

BD: Then that's where I stayed, till I retired

GS: In 2001, very good. Have you been active in anything since you retied? Hobbies or organizations?

BD: Oh I'm [Indecipherable] but I still worked after I returned, I mowed for the school for what, 14 years

BD: Yes

GS: Very good, it's good to stay active

BD: Oh yeah, I miss that now but I can't be very active

GS: Oh I know, I understand that totally

BD: He's still a good guy, he's a keeper

GS: Looking back at the decades again, who were some of the more influential people that you think have come through Bristow that have helped Bristow?

BD: Well number one Doctor Warren Carmichael (ph)

GS: Okay, he was the Superintendent for the schools

BD: When I was on the school board they hired him, and when he came to Bristow, Bristow's schools were stagnant. We had old building, and that's what we jumped on first. We started building buildings, and it just went in a different way after he came here. He got retirement for the maintenance people and all of--

BD: Support people

BD: Support people

GS: Yeah, yeah

BD: Which they appreciate it

GS: Which before they didn't have?

BD: No

BD: He had a chain of command, you didn't just--

GS: No you didn't.

BD: No, it was--it was entirely different and everybody-- a lot of people complained about the yearly picnic we had, but--and every once in a while when insurance stuff would come up, we'd all meet in the old junior high auditorium. He kept us updated on our insurance, all the school, the cafeteria would fix all the chicken before the picnic. But every school was to bring certain dishes and we'd meet out at the high school for that. So Dr. Carmichael had a great deal to do, and coming on down the line honey, who would you say?

BD: Influential people?

BD: Yeah

GS: In Bristow yeah, that have helped it quite a bit.

BD: Hm, well we had a few merchants that were active and--

GS: Go getters

BD: Yes, they started fixing up their storefronts, which helped the main street

GD: Definitely, definitely did

BD: That helps a great deal to have--even if the store is basically empty, if the windows are decorated or something it has great appeal to folks. Well so many, though, really have done a lot that have not been recognized, you know.

GS: Very true

BD: Behind the scenes that, you know, I commend Tara Montgomery (ph) for all that she's done for the swimming, you know

GS: Yes, definitely

BD: And--

GS: We know Bob Chatterton (ph) with the city lake, that's a big asset to Bristow

BD: Oh Bob Chatterton in his class of 40' did wonders. I did the first 1940 00:45:00thing for Bob Chatterton

GS: Oh really

BD: Yes, I did, when I went to the school he came in and we visited and then Christmas that year I got this humongous, now we're talking big, poinsettia type tree. And it was from Bob Chatterton and the 1940 class

GS: Aww

BD: And he didn't forget, I mean that was--because I had typed up all of those for-- all the students that had been had submitted things for scholarships. Bob Chatterton did a lot for the depot, he did a lot for the students, he did a lot for our town.

BD: He did football field to

BD: Yes

GD: Oh he did? I didn't know that

BD: Yeah he played for the track

BD: Track

GS: I didn't even realize that

BD: First--the first asphalt track

GS: That's a nice track

BD: Yes, it is, yes it is. And Gosh you caught us off guard on that because

GS: Sorry about that

BD: We've admired and been friends with a lot of people.

GS: You've probably known a lot of business men, a lot of pastors

BD: Oh yes, the Pastor when we moved here was Dick List

GS: Okay

BD: And his wife, and we visited every church that Dick and Joann-- they were very, very close friends out ours. Every church, and they even served in England too, they went overseas, and there was one church that we didn't visit Dick and Joann. We went to Louisiana, or [Indecipherable] Mississippi where their church was and visited some of the Antebellum homes there while we were. I mean, when they came to Bristow, this was their home. They were here. And he calls 00:47:00sometimes, he was in the military, he was a chaplain.

GS: Oh! How wonderful

BD: And he did that when the Vietnam war, he went in. And I went in and said "Dick why did you do that?" and he said "How can I minister to the families of these young men if I don't know what's going on?" and that's just the kind of pastor that he was. I mean, he was--

GS: That brings up a good, different direction to go in. Did any either of you or your children serve in the service?

BD: I did

GS: What branch?

BD: Army

GS: Army?

BD: 11 years

GS: Were you-- was it during peace time or did you go overseas?

BD: I didn't go overseas because I belonged to a division that was a training division

GS: Okay

BD: We trained troops to go over there

GS: And what years were you with the Army?

BD: Oh, I enlisted when I was in high school, 1956 until 64' and I resigned, but the army kept me on 24-hour standby for three years

GS: So you were still doing army when you came here and started working for Nationwide, right?

BD: Yeah

GS: Well that kept you busy, didn't it?

BD: Yeah

BD: They didn't have a slot for him here at the reserve, so he had to drive to Okmulgee

GS: Oh

BD: Well Bristow had a 45th division here

GS: Okay

BD: And they were artillery, and all my background was infantry

GS: Ah

BD: So I had to drive to Okmulgee

GS: Makes sense

BD: But, he is eligible for VA benefits because the time that he served was 00:49:00during what they call the Cold War

BD: Well they've got me written down for Korea service, but I never went to Korea

GS: Praise the Lord

BD: Yeah

BD: But I was in that time frame

GS: You were training men to go over there

BD: Yes, and Vietnam they got me down for that, but I never went to Vietnam. I probably should have, but I didn't.

GS: Yeah, well it's not for lack of you, they thought you did better work here probably

BD: Yeah, I've always felt a little guilty about not doing it because I was trained for it

GS: Right, well you go where they put you

BD: Yeah and I had two little kids and a wife, so that made a difference

GS: Yes, it does. It definitely does. I usually ask people looking back over 00:50:00your lifetime, what do you consider the biggest, maybe not invention, but the invention or situation that changed things the most, or made the most impact on society or your life?

BD: Wow

GS: Yeah that's a biggie

BD: When you live as long as we have, there's been a lot

GS: Yes, there has

BD: Technology

GS: Definitely. I think technology is a lot like Pandora's box

BD: Yes, yes

BD: I think we've had too much. I'm like the guy in the Tulsa paper today that complained about all the computers failing and everything, and he called 911, 00:51:00well their computer was down, he called the police and their computer was down, so he called the chief of police and asked him 'have they outdated pencil and paper?'. But I think we've got too much communicating. When I was a kid growing up in Elementary school, if I got in trouble we didn't have a home phone, but if I got in trouble before I came home that evening, my mother already knew about it.

BD: True, so trueGS: Okay we've been-- we're at the tail end thank goodness of this COVID pandemic. How has that changed life for you Beth?

BD: Well, it kept me out of the school this past year, for one thing. But we 00:52:00both have had out two shots and we were very cautious when we went out, we didn't go out that much, the grocery stores and--

GS: Yeah I-- no I's just checking my recorder

BD: Oh, okay. Grocery store, doctor, that's about the only time-- we didn't attend any basketball games or any social stuff, but we wore our masks and it's been kind of rough in some ways, but we've done a lot of visiting with our neighbors out on the porch that way we were--

GS: Social distancing

BD: Right

GS: And you have the outside air and, yeah, yeah.

BD: So we were--fact is out Christmas was with the ones that were here this past weekend. We had it on our deck, they came down the day after Christmas; we had out masks on, we were outside, the little ones played in the backyard and in the garden, and so it was a beautiful day. God took care of us and neither of us had 00:53:00any signs of COVID and we got our shots over at Vo-Tech so we were Ok.

GS: Wonderful, that's wonderful. How about you Bill, can you add anything to that?

BD: No, I've kinda liked staying at home so it worked out good for me

(Laughter)

BD: Very true

GS: Good deal. Okay is there anything you can thing of story wise, personal information, town wise that we haven't thought to mention that you would say "Oh that would be good to tell her about"?

BD: Oh we'll think of it after you leave Georgia

GS: Of course, of course. Well I sure do appreciate you giving us your time for this oral history interview and it'll be remembered for a long time

BD: Well we've enjoyed it I think, right Bill?

BD: Yeah

GS: Oh well thank you so much, I've enjoyed it tremendously.