Ryan Seniors celebrate by tossing their hats in the air after graduation Saturday evening at the Ryan Football Field.
More pictures and profiles in the Special Graduation Edition to be published July 9th. The edition had to be pushed to next week due to circumstances beyond our control. Thank you for your patience.
I recently changed my place of employment. I now work for the Town of Ryan and do whatever is needed. Interestingly my primary responsibility so far has been supervising a gaggle of teenagers that came seeking summer employment. A lot of people are finding humor in the idea of my being in charge of, being patient with and teaching ten teenagers. Yes, you read that right, ten young people looking at me like I know what I am doing. It has been an interesting experience to say the least. The first lesson that I imparted was that they needed to speak louder and not so fast. As I age, my hearing has suffered from years of being around a lot of noise. After me repeatedly having to say what, they have gotten into the habit of speaking louder. If your child is one of my crew and they have started talking louder at home, I am to blame. An important series of lessons that I have tried to teach have been about safety at work. Wear your safety glasses, hearing protection when operating power tools, don’t stand there , don’t put your hand there and in one instance, go home and change your shoes, sandals are not acceptable at work. Having never raised children myself, it has also been a learning experience for me. The first advice that I received was, treat them like they are human. Okay I can handle that, I think. I also had to learn to let go and let them make mistakes on their own. The best way to learn a job is by doing. I had to remember myself as a kid and being allowed to try and fail and learn from the failure. I owed it to these young people to let them try and at times fail and hopefully to learn. No one comes into this world knowing anything useful but whenever I let one of them operate power equipment or climb behind the wheel of a vehicle, I am still as nervous as that proverbial long tailed cat. I don’t know how parents manage. I don’t want to leave you with the idea that it has been a negative experience because it hasn’t been in the least. It has at times for me been highly entertaining to see just how goofy a cluster of teenage boys can be and no, I was no better at that age, I was just as goofy. I hope that the summer employees have learned something useful and the importance of public service. To all of the young people, thank you for your efforts.
Y’all take care of one another.
I will start by saying thank you to all of you that have been free with kind words of encouragement. Sometimes when I sit down to write, I do not have a clue as to where I am going, those are usually the ones that I have to re-write several times before they are presentable to my editor. Thank you everyone!
The Ryan High School cross country team competed at the Sulphur cross country meet. Lilybet Harmon came away with another individual win and the Ryan High Cowgirls brought home a team win with five young ladies finishing in the top ten and the final team member finishing in the top twenty-five. The boys team also show improvement and shave time consistently. When you see them, give each of them a pat on the back for all of their hard work.
Two Cowgirl softball players, Samantha Good and Brooklyn Charmussen, got to compete in the Southern Eight All Conference game on Monday night at Waurika. Each made the team based on years of hard work and competition. Congratulations to both of you. It has been a pleasure to watch you play.
Thursday evening at the Ryan High School cafeteria, the Future Farmers of America chapter will be having their annual labor auction. I do not know if they sell by the pound or by the head but I am sure either way you will get a bargain. Besides selling the youngsters, their will also be a live auction for baked goods, not sure yet who will be the auctioneer for this portion of the evening. There will also be an auction for items made by the students, this will be a silent auction and I am given to understand that Marcel Marceau will be on duty doing his part trying to raise funds for the Ryan Future Farmers of America.
Plans for this years “Christmas On the Trail” festival are coming along nicely. They are still looking for street vendors, so if you or someone that you know are interested in setting up a booth this year, call us at the Beaver Creek Mercantile or at The Local. You can also go on Facebook and like our page “Christmas On the Trail, downtown Ryan, Oklahoma” and we can give you all the information that you need to get started.
This last Saturday, my brother Scott, Bill Griffin and myself went to Nocona, Tx and toured the Horton Car Museum. If you like old cars (lets face it who doesn’t?) this trip is well worth the time and the door fee to get to see all of the cars that they have on display. They have more Corvettes than I have ever seen in one place. There are also Camaros and Cudas, station wagons and pickups, and a couple of Packards that boggle the mind, but if they were to offer me any car in their collection, I would now be driving a cream yellow 1951 Buick Roadmaster…….. Sorry about that but I had to stop for 3 min. and 24 sec. to listen to Mr. Bob Seger sing about “A Ship of Fools”, without a doubt an under rated classic, anyway the man working at the museum that day told us that the 130 cars on display were not the total collection. They have other cars stored in a warehouse and they sometimes swap cars out, so its possible to go there multiple times and not see the same cars every time.
Another week of nice weather here in southern Oklahoma. Flowers are in bloom and the birds are all singing. Admiring nature is a good way to take a break from everything that is going on in the world. Eventually though you have to go back and pick up your responsibilities. I’m not talking about myself because without children or grandchildren to worry about, I don’t have to concern myself with all the details and tasks that are a constant for other folks. I can only admire young parents raising children and working jobs that must be important sine they are still going to work during this lock down.
It’s easy to tale a dim view of humanity if all you read and see are news reports about crime and mayhem. If you go looking you can find the stories about people helping their neighbors and in some cases strangers. This week I watched a story about a woman handing out food to truck drivers that at times have had trouble finding food while they were on the road because of all of the restaurant closings, a restaurant owner keeping many of his employees working, cooking meals for anyone that needs them, another man that owns rental property, several of them house restaurants. He waved the lease payment if the business owners agreed to use the money to pay their employees.
Some of the feel good stories are about people that take time out of their day to be kind to someone that needs a pick me up. A teenage girl after having finished her last cancer treatment, is welcomed home by the neighbors lining the street. All of them keeping their distances but they are applauding and cheering and waving their homemade signs, a t.v. actor getting some of his friends to help and using something called Zoom (I’m told that is some more of this social media that old folks like me don’t understand) was able to host a high school prom for a bunch of kids scattered across the country, all in their homes.
One story that caught my attention, more for it’s quirkiness than anything else, was about all the people that had not gotten dressed up and gone out since this all started, did just that and got dressed in their fine formal wear and took the trash receptacle to the curb for pick up day.
That story makes me think about a job that most people don’t want, trash collector. How bad would this lock down be if they were not on the job.
All the time I have on my hands has enabled me to discover that I enjoy watching You Tube videos of people using a band saw mill to make lumber out of trees. I also enjoy watching people make wooden bowls using axes, adzes and chisels. Just in case you think that I am wasting my time, I have also been watching videos about gardening, pruning and grafting trees, starting plants from cuttings and making flower pots and planters out of cement. Just yesterday I watched a video about the ten ways you can tell that your spouse is cheating, on second thought I probably don’t have much use for that information.
All things considered, I guess social media is good for something. Education and staying in touch with far flung family. Now if you don’t mind I am going to listen to Mads Tolling play The Ashokan Farewell on the violin.
Be kind to one another, you never known what they are going through.
The Ryan High School football homecoming game held a lot of excitement for anyone that braved the swarms of mosquitoes that don’t yet realize that according to the calendar it is supposed to be fall. The Ryan Cowboys came out on top in a hard fought ballgame against the Caddo Bruins with a final score of 30-20. With all the penalty flags that were thrown and the injury timeouts, the game took longer than normal. At halftime the homecoming queen was coronated. I am sure is was a difficult task to pick one out of the seven young ladies that were vying for the crown, but Lily York was chosen and crowned by her escort. Ms. York and several other young ladies have served this football season as water persons/equipment managers for the team. During the second half, Lily did her job of handing out water to the thirsty and fetching ice for the injured, all the while wearing a tiara.
The Ryan Jr. High School softball team won their final game this season against Geronimo. Well done young ladies.
Ryan Cowgirls are the 2019 Chick-fil-A North Rock Creek High School Girls Cross Country champions. This group of young athletes have put Ryan Cross Country in front of everyone in the state and made them set up and take notice. Most of the time they were competing against much larger schools and the team can stand proud of the job they have done.
Put October 10th on your calendar. The Ryan Future Farmers of America are holding their labor auction at 6:30 pm at the high school cafeteria. Finger food will be available and a dessert auction will follow. Come out and support the FFA chapter and get something good to eat.
This week Christmas On the Trail started selling sponsor spots on the commemorative t-shirts that will be sold to help pay for this years festivities. If you are interested you can make contact through the Facebook page by the same name or contact us at either The Beaver Creek Mercantile or at The Local.
This really isn’t a plug for the store at which I work. The truth is that I spend more time at the Mercantile than I do at any other single place, so if anything of interest is to happen then most likely that is where it will happen. Case in point, just the other day, two fellows came in and after we all said our howdies, one of the gents said “we aren’t from around here”. This was obvious even to me, but it’s possible that he thought that I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed. People usually have to get to known me before they come to that conclusion. Turns out these visitors call Perth, Western Australia home. Peter and Colin are taking their month long holiday to travel across the United States, roughly following Route 66. Occasionally something will catch their attention and off they go on a side trip. On arriving in Texas, they decided that they wanted to see Dallas. It was on their return trip north that they found themselves in beautiful downtown Ryan, Oklahoma. Colin was documenting the trip by taking photos with his phone and both were more than able to hold their own in the storytelling department. Peter brought with him 12 new caps, one for each state that they would be traveling through and at some point he would trade with someone in each state. There is now as we speak, a Beaver Creek Mercantile cap being worn in Perth, Western Australia. We also have a cap with a kangaroo on the front on display in the store.
I had the opportunity recently to look through the book collection of a friend and fellow bibliophile. I found books on religion and philosophy. There are American classics like Twain and Faulkner. The books that I am looking at are not his entire library, only the ones that he left here in Oklahoma in the care of another friend. It is always interesting to see the path that someone takes by looking at what they have collected over the years. The first book from his collection that I read is one that I read years ago. “The Man Without a Country” by Edward Everett Hale. It’s a small book that was quickly read, but I enjoyed reacquainting myself with it after so many years. The next book that I borrowed is “Sanctuary” by William Faulkner. I’ll let you know how it goes. I also spotted a Winston Churchill memoir that will come home with me at some point. I might have taken the Churchill this time but I had just finished “The Citizens of London” and that is enough of World War II for now. The Citizens of London tells the story from a point of view that was different than any that I had read. In retrospect it’s easy to say that they should have done this or that but at the time they were dealing with issues that were either new to them or on a scale that they had never seen. Leaders of nations are by their nature used to being in charge. Churchill felt that since Britain had been in the war the longest that they should be given priority. Certainly had they not stood at the pointed end of the spear for so long and for the most part alone, the world might be a very different place. Great Britain held out long enough for the United States to finally get involved. Of course once the United States became involved, President Roosevelt felt that he should be in charge. Joseph Stalin wanted everything his way or the Soviet Union was simply going to do their own thing. It might seem like I am dogging these men but given the size of their egos and the scope of their undertaking, it amazes me that they worked together as well as they managed. Then you have the generals. I think putting General Eisenhower in charge of the allied armies was a stroke of genius. I cannot think of anyone else that could have managed the officers with which he had to fight a war. Each of them was convinced that he alone had the answer of how to win the war. “The Citizens of London” by Lynne Olsen is a good book and tells a great deal more than I covered in this description. It is well worth the reading for all of the students of history out there. The book also covers the interaction of the American service personnel and the citizens of Great Britain that lived around the bases that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere in preparation for the D-day invasion. In many cases the families had lost sons earlier in the war. Given the chance, I think that you would enjoy this book.
Another Cemetery Fundraising lunch has come and gone. Thanks to the hard working volunteers and the good turn out on the part of both the townsfolk and the out of town visitors, it was a success. The menu consisted of pulled pork and sausage with sides of potato salad and coleslaw. Desserts for both the lunch and the bake sale were supplied by the local women. Many donations were received by mail, sent in by people that are making their homes elsewhere but still take the time to help out with the upkeep of the Ryan Cemetery. The contract for mowing this year has been awarded to the Wesley Martin family. Several years ago they worked for the contract holder and proved themselves more than capable of doing a good job. I’m sure that their standards will be maintained. Dustan Bryant did the cooking again this year, I think that most folks will agree that Dustan might have figured out how to smoke meat. Ol’ Dusty spent most of Saturday night and early Sunday morning tending to his cooker, so if you get the opportunity, say thank you to Dustan for the fine work that he does every year. Councilwoman Tammy Cotton and her band of merrymakers spent a lot of time and effort planning and preparing for this event and then spent a lot of Saturday evening cooking for the bake sale. I never did see this rum cake that she was talking about. A special thank you goes out to Tammy’s friend Holly for all of her hard work. Holly comes to Ryan every year to lend a helping hand with the event. After the meal and bake sale, the names of the raffle winners were drawn by an honest disinterested third party. Each winner got a $25 gift certificate to one of the local businesses, if you won you will be notified or you can check with Town Hall.
The summer reading program will be starting on June 16th and will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm at the Ryan Sr. Citizens Center. Mrs. T. J. Dewbre said that you can go to her Facebook page and find the Amazon wish list if you would like to help out, also volunteers are always welcome and they can use more arts and crafts supplies. Lunches will be provided. June’s theme will be insects so the kids will be learning more about all the creepy and crawly things. Most of the activities will be at the Sr. Citizens Center but there will be ample opportunity to be going outdoors.
I went looking for further inspiration for something for this week’s column and I found it in the guise of a fellow named Mike Rowe and a show called “Returning The Favor”. His description of the show is that they go out looking for do-gooders. They search out, celebrate and try to understand people whose efforts are spent trying to make the lives of people in their communities better. I have watched veterans helping other vets. One woman that owns a restaurant and during the pandemic she had to close, so her and her friends handed out meals to people that might miss a meal otherwise. Another woman that is rescuing both urban children and abused animals. Teaching children responsibility and the animals to trust humans again. One episode was about a man that converted his family owned whiskey distillery so that they could supply hand sanitizer. All of these folks function on donations and that is where Mike and his group come in, sometimes they give them equipement and sometimes money and sometimes both. If you are a sucker for a feel good story, this is a good place to go.
Be kind to one another.
I take as my guide, the hope of a saint:
in crucial things, unity,
in important things, diversity,
in all things, generosity.
President George H.W. Bush
At times we as a nation seem to be growing farther and farther apart, the political lines running between the extreme left and the extreme right don’t leave much room for those of us in the middle. In this time of social distancing, we are seeing more and more of the silent majority coming to the front. While the more politically minded continue to argue about who is at fault, we see regular folks step up and offer a hand. Not just to family and friends but in many instances to strangers. During World War II, many companies retro-fitted production lines to manufacture the machines of war that were needed. Today we see whiskey distilleries stop making the spirits that made Kentucky famous and started making hand sanitizer that medical personnel needed so badly, multiple sewing factories changed over and started making masks and gowns that were needed.
Using Go Fund Me pages and the internet, young people that are sometimes so easily dismissed by us old folks are raising money to buy food and supplies for anyone that need these items. One little girl started a Go Fund Me page to purchase medical supplies, she donated her own savings to the cause and was able to raise several thousand dollars.
Other young people were each helping their grandparents by running errands like grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions and getting the mail. Some of them noticed that there were some shut-ins that did not have family close enough to be of much help, so these kids banded together to take care of the elderly in their areas. Not only did they supply for the physical comforts, they were in some cases the only contact some of these folks had with the outside world, even if it was from a distance.
I have written before about the wonderful job that the school systems are doing, handing out food and when needed they give tutoring, on line and in person again from a distance. Another teacher story came out of Woodward, Oklahoma. A little girl named Erin was going to turn 14 years old with only her parents and older brother in attendance. In the big picture, it’s probably not that big of a deal but Erin’s day was made a little brighter by the sudden appearance of her English teacher at the end of the family driveway. The teacher, Sonya Bell Covalt, got out of her car and in a voice loud enough to be heard on the porch, sang Happy Birthday to Erin.
The unity and generosity that President Bush spoke of can be seen daily if we choose to look.
I started with one President Bush and I will end with the other. President George W. Bush released a video this last week in which he spoke about the things that should bring us together. “Let us remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat. In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants. We are human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God. We rise or fall together and we are determined to rise.” Mr. President, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
he Ryan High School Alumni Association held its bi-annual alumni banquet over the recent Labor Day weekend.
The highlight of the weekend was the banquet held in the high school cafeteria/auditorium where the majority of the people in attendance walked across the stage to graduate from Ryan High School.
Nearly 100 alumni, family and friends gathered for the banquet that was highlighted by a catered meal from Branding Iron of Wichita Falls, TX.
Rob Givens, a 1975 graduate of RHS, was the featured speaker for the afternoon.
Givens recounted the story of how Brown Brothers Dry Goods in Ryan got its name and a little history behind it.
The last operator of the store was Givens’ dad, Bob Givens, who was known to most everyone in Ryan as a businessman and supporter of all Ryan High School activities.
Bob Givens, for whom the athletic complex is named at Ryan, was the public address announcer at the high school football games for 50 years.
After the elder Givens graduated from high school at Ryan, he joined the army and his son told the story of his dad being missing in action at one time, but returned home and never left Ryan again.
The presentation and introduction of classes was done by Tommy Johnson.
Following the introduction of the classes, the oldest graduate, youngest graduate and the graduate who traveled the furtherest were recognized and awarded a copy of the book, “The Pride of RHS: A Sports History of Ryan High School.”
Earning the oldest graduate present was Nell Largent. The youngest graduate was Alana Miranda. The person traveling the furtherest was Gary Reynolds, who came from Jackson, Tennessee.
The reading of RHS graduates who have died since the last banquet was done by Angela Sullivan, T. Johnson, Furman Clark and Don Johnson.
Since the banquet was interrupted by the pandemic, it had been three years since the association had gathered for the banquet held every two years. A list of 98 names was read to the crowd.
D. Johnson, president of the alumni association, read the names of the scholarship recipients for the past three years. The alumni association awards two scholarships to the top two seniors of the Ryan graduating classes each year.
In the program, it was noted that 35 scholarships have been given through the years in the amount of $46,350.
All of the current officers were re-elected to serve again and they will be tasked along with other volunteers to put together the next banquet which will be Labor Day weekend of 2024.
Plans are being made to try and encourage increased attendance at the banquet – especially among the local people. Many RHS graduates traveled across the state and beyond and this event would be enhanced by the participation of local people.
The class of 1972 sponsored an event on Saturday night at the American Legion as they were celebrating their 50th year since graduating at Ryan.
The class of 1962, celebrating their 60th year since graduating, also had a good representation present at the banquet.
