WITH A SINGLE LIGHT

It began in 1988. During the first year, the Ladies Auxiliary of Henryetta Medical Center raised $5,000 through the tree donations. Along with sales from their hospital gift shop, other funds and donations, they managed to give the Henryetta Hospital Authority $5,500 for hospital beds.

The “it” in the question, of course, is the annual “Lights of Life” tree lighting fundraiser. A continued look back at this tradition in Henryetta shows: In 1989, $2,265 was raised in addition to the tree, for a total of $5,000 for an ultrasound unit.

In 1990, $5,520 was raised for cardiac treatment equipment.

In 1991, the fundraiser yielded $2,345 with a tree, donating a total of $4,700 to the hospital for mammography unit.

1992 was another banner year, raising $2,786 with the tree, donating $5,500 for a Puritan Bentley ventilator.

A pulse monitor was purchased in 1993 with the $4,000 donation from the Auxiliary, $2,075 of which was raised through the tree.

In 1994 they raised $1,702 with the tree, donating $4,500 for needed equipment.

In 1995, $2,245 was raised with the tree, donating $5,000 for a transducer unit for the ultrasound.

In 1996, $1,920 was collected from the tree and the total $5,500 raised was used to add the new lobby to Henryetta Medical Center.

USE OF SEAT BELTS CREDITED WITH SAVING EMPLOYEES LIFE

City workers on the scene credited the use of seat belts for saving the life of Toby Elam, employee of Henryetta Public Works Department on Fourth Street this morning when a large rock slipped from under his wheel making the backhoe turn over. The backhoe slid downhill for a short distance taking out at least one tree.

The particular area where Elam was attempting to work is approximately one block north of 4th and Merrick where there is no street. Trees and brush had been cleared to make a path for the backhoe. A dozer had to be called in to upright the backhoe back on its wheels.

Elam was taken to Henryetta Medical Center by the local Okmulgee County Emergency Medical Service. City workers assisting thought there were no broken bones or serious injuries and that Elam appeared to be in good condition. There was no official word of his condition from HMC at press time.

50 YEARS AGO – 1972

ELEMENTARY TOURNEY

Several hundred area fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders will be converging on Henryetta this week as the elementary school tournament gets underway Monday and runs through Saturday.

Bob Crawford, physical education teacher at the Henryetta Elementary School, said teams from Henryetta, Dustin, Schulter, Graham, Dewar and Nuyaka will be competing for first and second place trophies in two age groups as well as individual sportsmanship awards.

The tournament is being played at the high school gymnasium. Admission is 25 cents for students and 50 cents for adults. Action gets started Monday at 4 p.m. as Henryetta Team No. 2 faces off against Henryetta Team No. 3 in the fifth and sixth grade girls play.

At 5 p.m., fifth and sixth grade boys from Dustin and Schulter are scheduled to play. Graham and Henryetta seventh and eighth grade girls play at 6 p.m.

At 7 p.m. Monday, Dustin and Schulter fifth and sixth grade girls play at 8 p.m. Dewar faces Henryetta seventh and eighth grade boys in the nightcap.

Henryetta’s teams should have a slight edge over their opponents in that elementary school students here can take advantage of the intramurals program now in its third year.

There are four teams each of fifth grade girls and sixth grade boys and three teams of fifth grade boys at the Henryetta elementary school.

“We have a total of 90 to 100 students in our intramurals program here,” Crawford said. “Okmulgee is the only other school around here with any form of intramurals in the grade school.”

Besides Crawford, the Henryetta teams are coached by elementary teacher Vernon Siler and Mary Langston, who plays on Red Coleman’s All Star independent basketball team.

OKMULGEE MAN NAMED

Ray Courtemanche, of Okmulgee, was named chairman of the legislative committee of the Oklahoma Shorthand Reporters at their convention in Tulsa over the weekend.

New officers in the organization were installed by national President Sally Cochran, of Chicago. Courtmanche is court reporter for District Judge Kirk Woodliff. Mrs. Blanche Brothers, court reporter for Associate District Judge Charles Steele attended the meeting.

Other new officers installed were Harvey Stephens, of Bristow, president; G. C. Freeman, Miami, Vice President and Joel Johnson, Tulsa, secretary-treasurer. The two day convention was held at the Trade Winds Hotel Friday and Saturday.

75 YEARS AGO – 1947

ELDERLY WOMAN SCALPED IN ACCIDENT

Mrs. Jennie Keisman, over 70, was given a 50-50 chance for life by her attending physician today after a car accident late Saturday night in which the top of her scalp was sheared from her head.

Dr. William Haynes, her physician, said today that Mrs. Keisman’s condition was “pretty fair.” She was admitted to the John Taylor hospital after the accident.

Her scalp was cut from right above the eyes to the back of her head, and the skin was lifted completely from the bone, Dr. Haynes reported. She also suffered arm bruises.

She was the most seriously injured of the seven passengers in the car in which she was riding. She apparently was thrown from the back seat through the front windshield when the car went into the ditch on North Ninth Street.

Her son, E. A. Watkins, about 50, who was also a passenger in the car, said the driver turned the car into a ditch to avoid hitting the back of a pickup truck containing several children. Watkins said that the car rounded a curve to come upon the truck parked in the road.

He suffered facial bruises and cuts and his son, Talmadge C. Watkins, suffered head cuts. When the accident was imminent, the elder Watkins said his mother handed a small child she was holding in her lap to him and he dragged the little boy to the floor with him.

Drivers name or name of the owner of the truck was not disclosed. Watkins says his family lives at 1462 South Fourth.

SANTA’S TOYSHOP SET UP

As busy as Santa’s Brownie workmen, Henryetta’s firemen bustled about the fire department today establishing a Santa Claus workshop 4921 right here in Henryetta.

On Santa Claus orders, received from the North Pole today, firemen will operate the workshop from now until Christmas, repairing old toys for distribution to underprivileged children in Henryetta.

The drive to collect old toys continued full steam ahead, with volunteer workers ready to pick up toys given by citizens.

Toys will be collected from homes whose members phone either contains either 654 or 875.

Fire chief James Powell, directing the drive on Santa’s orders today urged that local children contribute as many old toys as they can to the drive so that other children may have toys for Christmas.

Meanwhile the fire department was taking on just the sort of look Santa wants it to have. Little black boards, hobby horses, toy furniture and dolls were beginning to take their places behind fire trucks and firemen were busy repairing all the toys brought in so far.

Powell today asked Henryettans to remember that not a month remains before Christmas in which toys can be repaired, and again urged that toys be turned in to the drive immediately.

100 YEARS AGO – 1922

INTEREST IN REVIVAL GROWS DAILY

Despite the muddy streets last night the revival was well attended. In the afternoon of yesterday a good sized crowd came for the afternoon service, although it was raining at the time. Mr. Flowers last night showed how people would rob the church of things that helped to make the church a greater force in the community. Rev. Curry said it was Evangelist Flowers best sermon so far. The sermon tonight will be of unusual interest. “The Devil’s Program for Henryetta.” The minister said if you did not believe that Satan had a program for Henryetta just hear the message tonight. He said he would like for the church to have a program that would counteract the program of the devil. The discussion tonight promises to be a lively one.

When asked last night when Mrs. Flowers would speak, Mr. Flowers said he was saving the heavy artillery until later. Mrs. Flowers will give her first address in the revival Sunday morning at 10:00 o’clock. The people have heard so much about this gifted woman and they are anticipating a great treat in her messages. Next week, Mrs. Flowers will speak to the married women only at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon at the Methodist Church. She will discuss subjects that mothers and wives are interested in. She will discuss them from the woman’s viewpoint. In Mrs. Flowers’ work in Kansas she has won the reputation of being the greatest woman evangelist that visits Kansas.

START WORK FOR KING KOAL KARNIVAL NOW

The first real step was taken last night looking to the success of next year’s Oklahoma Coal Exposition and King Koal Karnival, the occasion being the regular weekly luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce, except on this occasion the gathering was made a night affair and took on the nature of a banquet.

The evening was selected because there were many more things to be talked about and done than time at the usual noon hour luncheon would permit. There was a board of directors to be elected, Ben C. Eastin, the secretary, was to make his report on the New Orleans convention and last, but not least, V.V. Kingsbury was to tell about beginning preparations for the King Koal Karnival.

The directors were elected and they will meet next Tuesday to organize and elect officers. Secretary Eastin then told of the convention of commercial secretaries at New Orleans and the high standing Henryetta has taken among the representatives of all the commercial organizations of the country, particularly calling attention to the fact that “Miss Henryetta,” the publication of the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce, for the second time, taking first prize as the best publication of the kind. Mr. Eastin told of many other occurrences at the meeting tending for the betterment of Henryetta. The report was exhaustive and of much interest to all hearing it.

V.V. Kingsbury, the general chairman, who so successfully carried on the work of the last carnival, told at length what they are going to do the coming year. Great as was the success attained last June, big as was the plan, real “big town stuff,” as Secretary Eastin always describes it, and it was Mr. Kingsbury told those present last night that the plans already laid down for the coming events are just twice as large as were those of the last carnival.

This means a wonderful undertaking. Surrounding cities marveled at what Henryetta undertook last summer and were astounded at the great success attending the carrying out of these vast plans.

Of the entire committee, the several sub-committees and the scores of willing workers among the members of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kingsbury, as general chairman, perhaps was more closely in touch with every detail than was any other worker and his ideas are clear and distinct as to what is necessary to make the coming carnival by far the greatest of the kind ever undertaken in the state.

Mr. Kingsbury told his hearers the necessity for beginning work now. He told them that as soon as the newly elected directors meet and perfect their organization, work must begin and that it must be unceasing. Plans, he said, have been in the making ever since the close of the last carnival and with the coming in of the new board of directors and officers and the completion of the busy man’s business attending the close of the year, the work must go forward daily.

Henryetta citizens proved their ability to pull together, proved their hearty co-operation in their work for Henryetta and it is expected there will be further demonstration of this spirit in preparation for this year’s event. Many new members have been acquired by the Chamber of Commerce but not so many as there should be. People are moving to Henryetta daily. New firms, new companies, new corporations are daily becoming a part of the business life of the city and from these newcomers many members of the Chamber of Commerce will be drawn. They will not be long here until they catch the Henryetta spirit and will become workers along with those who “put over” the big event this year.

Those who heard Mr. Kingsbury last night fully realize what he accomplished at the carnival, knew he was talking facts. Facts which when carried out will put Henryetta as far ahead of this year as this year was ahead of the previous one in the way of doing big things.

ARRESTED AGAIN ON AN ALIAS WARRANT

Everett Smith and Roberta Covey were arrested several weeks ago at the Yale rooms, where they had been living for two or three months, on charges of adultery. The wife of Smith came here from Ada and filed the complaint. The couple were taken to the jail at Okmulgee and later released on bond. Justice Davis was informed that the woman would leave the country and that the man’s wife would take him back if he would abandon the Covey woman. On this state of affairs, Justice Davis continued the hearing indefinitely.

Yesterday Justice Davis was informed that Smith and the Covey woman were again in the city living in a little restaurant and he immediately issued an alias warrant for their arrest. They were arrested by Constable R.C. Grubbs and placed in the city jail. They will have a preliminary hearing and, if the evidence warrants, Justice Davis will hold them to the superior court for trial.