Travel through history and be entertained at the 2018 Oklahoma History Center Conference.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

You don’t need to physically travel to a far away destination to be informed and entertained. This year the Oklahoma Historical Society offers its 125 th annual History Conference at the Oklahoma City location of the Oklahoma History Center, April 25, 26, and 27. The three day conference features three tours, two luncheons and one reception and one concert, of the musical, “Oklahoma.”
Headlining the presenters will be Ted Chapin, president of the Rodgers and Hammerstein organization in New York, and David Grann, author of “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.” Dick Pryor, general manager of KGOU will serve as emcee of the annual awards luncheon on Friday, April 27, at noon. The awards luncheon will celebrate accomplishment in Oklahoma history and induct four people into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame.
The other presenters will speak during the course of 18 presentation sessions. The Thursday speakers include Mark Janzen, Edmond, Jonita Mullins, Muskogee, Jan Davis, Oklahoma City, Kitty Pittman, Oklahoma City, Michael Hightower, Oklahoma City, Christopher H. Owen, Tahlequah, Jeanetta Calhoun Mish, Oklahoma City, John Thomas Truden, Norman, and Mark Dolph, Tulsa.
Making presentations on Friday will be Rusty Willliams, Dallas, Texas, Sydney Stover, Cheyenne, Davis D. Joyce, Spavinaw, Kathryn Shurden, Henryetta, Craig Corgan, El Reno, Landry Brewer, Sayre, Chester Cowen, Norman, T. S. Akers, Oklahoma City, Bob Blackburn, Oklahoma City, John Bedford, Oklahoma City, Mark Parker, Oklahoma City, and Jo Rowan, Oklahoma City.

On Thursday, April 26, the Oklahoma Historical Society will partner with Oklahoma City University to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Broadway debut of “Oklahoma!” OCU students will perform songs from the musical and the first iteration “Green Grow the Lilacs” written by Oklahoman Lynn Riggs. The event will feature a special video by Broken Arrow native Kristen Chenoweth, who participated in the 50th anniversary of “Oklahoma!” as an OCU student. This performance is open to the public and tickets can be purchased by calling 405-522-0317. 6:30–8:00 p.m. An additional program is being offered called, Celebrating Oklahoma! at 75, in celebration of the musical’s 75th anniversary, this program will trace the story of Oklahoma! and its influence on musical theater. The event will feature performances by students from the Oklahoma City University Wanda L. Bass School of Music.
Also, on Thursday, April 26, the OHS will sponsor a bus tour of ‘89er landmarks in Oklahoma City led by Chuck Wiggin. Other tours include a tour of the State Capitol restoration by Capitol Project Manager Trait Thompson and a Behind-the-scenes tour of the Oklahoma History Center.
On Wednesday April 25th the registered public is invited to a reception from 5 to 7 p.m.,at the Oklahoma Judicial Center, formerly the home of OHS.
Ted Chapin, the president of the Rogers and Hammerstein Organization, New York City will present, “The Legacy of Oklahoma!” at 9 am on April 26th.
At noon, at the Annual Conference Luncheon,Keynote speaker David Grann, author of “ Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,”will present the background making of the popular book.
Sessions on Friday will include talks on, “ “The Red River Bridge War: When the Boundary between Oklahoma and Texas Became an Armed Camp, “The Art of War on the Washita,” and “The Origins of Freemasonry in Oklahoma,” by T. S. Akers, curator of collections, McAlester Valley of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Oklahoma City, among others. A complete listing of topics and speakers are available at Okhistory.org.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains 31 museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
To attend and hear your selection of nineteen different speakers, and tours and luncheons, you must register by April 20th, either on line at www.Okhistory.org, or by contacting Larry O’Dell at 405-522-6676 or lodell@okhistory.org or Shelly Crynes at 405-522-0317 or scrynes@okhistory.org.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

Clyde Brawner has worked for Norman Regional Health System for 33 years now.
But the director of environmental services and distribution transportation has never seen his organization have the kind of impact in such a short period as it did recently.
“Our health system CEO (Richie Splitt) saw the rise of flu cases as something that we as a health system needed to involve ourselves with from a community outreach stance,” Brawner said.
While the flu was raving Cleveland County and the rest of Oklahoma, Splitt visited with the superintendents from Moore, Noble and Norman public schools to work out the logistics that would bring the same germ fighting technology Norman Regional employs in patient areas to the classroom.
All three districts were more than willing to invite the Xenex robots and Norman Regional employees into the schools.
Eleven germ-fighting robots descended upon central Oklahoma recently to fight germs including the flu virus in local schools.
The XENEX Lightstrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a UV disinfection robot.
The robot uses a pulsed xenon lamp to create intense germicidal ultraviolet light that effectively kills the germs that cause serious infections such as influenza, C. difficile, MRSA and more.
Xenex drop-shipped the robots at the school sites and Norman Regional healers followed behind.
“We have certified users within the health system,” Brawner explained. “We developed three teams composed of four to five employees along with school custodial workers. We trained the custodial workers on the use of the devices and the super users from the health system actually oversaw the teams as they went about disinfecting the classrooms.”
“What it does is disinfect by changing or distorting the DNA makeup so that organisms, viruses, germs or spores can not replicate,” Brawner said.
The machines look like R2D2 with the ability to emit UV light 10 times brighter than the surface of the sun.
Within the health system, Brawner explained the robots are used in the terminal clean process, disinfecting a 14-foot radius per cycle. Typically rooms are run in two or three five-minute cycles.
Feedback was impressive.
“Everybody was so thankful we partnered with them,” Brawner said.
Brawner learned that at one particular Norman school no new flu cases were reported the week of the Xenex cleaning.
“I was impressed when I heard that one,” he said. “I will tell you it really was a great opportunity to do that.”
For the past two years, Norman Regional Health System has used its four Lightstrike robots daily to enhance safety by disinfecting patient rooms and other hospital areas.
The health system has been impressed for the last two years utilizing the robots, reporting a 35-percent drop in healthcare acquired infections.
Richie Splitt, president and CEO of Norman Regional, said since the hospital had seen great results, it wanted to share the robots’ capabilities with the community.
“Norman Regional is committed to improving the health of our community, both inside and outside our hospital doors. If we could provide a robot in every classroom we would, but we’re doing the next best thing by sending 11 robots to our partners at local schools to fight the flu,” Splitt said. “As a healthcare provider, we’ve seen how illness can spread quickly and we know that children learn better when they are healthy. Through this partnership with XENEX and local schools we are helping to keep our kids, educators, and parents healthy.”
Norman Regional has expanded its Xenex use to elevators, restrooms, and clinics to help curb the virus.
Matt Crowe, Xenex territory manager, said Norman Regional’s request for extra robots was an easy one to fulfill.
“Norman Regional is dedicated to creating the safest environment possible and we are extremely proud to help them protect the communities that they serve,” Crowe said. “Xenex is the global leader in UV disinfection and our Germ-Zapping Robots are highly effective against the resistant pathogens that challenge our cities and our hospitals the most: C. difficile, MRSA, Norovirus and Influenza.
“Through our combined efforts this week, we are proactively making a safer environment for all of these students and teachers. Families in these school districts should be thankful to have a health system so dedicated to their well-being.”
After the week, the extra robots were returned to XENEX, but Norman Regional’s four permanent robots kept working throughout the system.
Norman Regional Health System Infection Prevention Specialist Julie Smith, RN, MS, CIC says hospital sites around the country have shown impressive declines in organisms by using the system including:
* 70% reduction in ICU C. diff infection rates
* 53% reduction in C. diff infection rates
* 57% reduction in MRSA infection rates
* 100% elimination of VRE in isolation rooms

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

It was the year 1919. The little red-headed girl, Ruby Luegene Cook sat between her brother and sister in the back seat of the Model A, dodging the giant mud holes along the gravel road. This was a new beginning for the Cook family as they made their way from Bloomer, Arkansas to a town close to Maysville, Oklahoma. A very small place called Story, Oklahoma. As a five-year-old, Luegene still remembers helping her mother and siblings hold down the wire fence that stretched across the road while her uncle continued to drive the Model A, slowly puttering forward to their destination.
Luegene’s father had set out a few weeks before with their belongings. The team of horses pulled the covered wagon, as it carried their family’s possessions. The trip took 9 days with a few stops along the way to rest. The Cook family felt honored to move to a land that had become a new state in 1907.
As a young child, Luegene lived a happy life with her parents and brothers and sister. She was known as the little girl with long red hair; perhaps this is why she was given the name ‘Ruby.’ The children walked down the country road to the two-room school house; small in size yet big enough to hold the town’s children and two teachers with comfort. On one side of the small school house was the church. On the other side was a small store. “Every time you would walk by the store, there were always two tables by the front door. That is where the men would gather to play dominoes. That’s all they ever did,” Luegene said with a smile.
The Cook children (Luegene, Juanita, Harold and J.W.) were early risers as they had their chores to do before school; feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, and milking the cows. “Sometimes, the cow’s foot would end up in the bucket and the milk would splash, going everywhere. After that, I knew for a fact that we smelled terrible when we walked to school. Of course, I guess everyone did,” she said with a laugh.
“We had other chores after school. We worked at hoeing the young cotton plants, harvesting acres of cotton in the fall. I sure started hating cotton,” she added. “Sometimes, we would hoe the neighbor’s cotton fields too. Back then, that was just the thing to do.”
“My mother, Estelle made all of our clothes. She would flip through a Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog to find pictures of dresses. She would look at the picture and without a pattern, begin cutting the material. Our clothes were nicer than the ones in the catalog.”
In 1932, Luegene graduated high school from Maysville, Oklahoma. The next year, she married the boy next door, William Sam Merritt. They had three daughters, Donna, Kay and Phyllis. “One thing we made sure of was to make sure our daughters went to Sunday school, church and would do well in school. I am proud to say that all three did exactly that. They all went to college and became educators. I am so proud of all of them,” she said.
Soon, the married couple had their hands full with three daughters and fields covered with cotton and broomcorn. Both crops took lots of hand labor and they hired about 60 workers that they called Broomcorn Johnnies to harvest the crops.
“During mealtime, the Broomcorn Johnnies would gather around the massive boards that served as tables. With the help of some of my friends, we prepared roasted corn, beans, cornbread and ham, followed with fresh blackberry cobbler. Those Broomcorn Johnnies ate well,” Luegene commented.
Luegene and Sam loved spending time with their three daughters. They attended Story Baptist Church. Later on, when the girls moved away, Luegene was a member of Maysville Baptist Church. At one time, she worked at Storm Plastics gluing lures in the fishing lure plant. With her full schedule, she still managed to find time to play the piano, make beautiful clothes, win state fair ribbons, placing first place as a seamstress. The ribbons didn’t stop there; she also won ribbons for her canned peaches, pickles, along with her first place angel food cake and divinity. In the year 1949, Sam and Luegene Merritt were also declared the Corn Champions of the State of Oklahoma for producing the most corn per acre.
It was a year ago that Luegene decided to move into Heritage Assisted Living; nice and comfortable accommodations where she receives the best of care.
Asking Luegene how she managed to live such a long, happy, successful life, she said, “I just do the best I can, doing what’s right and looking to the future.”
Luegene is looking forward to celebrating her 104th birthday, with family and friends on June 1st, 2018.

Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

The calls to Lisa Sydnor come in waves.
Seniors facing seemingly insurmountable life changes.
Children looking for resources for their parents.
As Programs Manager for the Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command, Sydnor is charged with plugging those in need with those needed resources.
“People are beginning to understand the dynamics of getting older and it’s not always fun,” Sydnor said.
Instead of tackling the challenges one at a time, Sydnor came up with the idea years ago to host an entire event dedicated to educating seniors.
The Salvation Army 7th Annual Senior Living Fair will be Friday, April 27th from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Warr Acres Senior Center, 4301 N. Ann Arbor, Warr Acres.
This year, the Senior Living Fair’s focus is to provide a variety of resources from across the community ranging from affordable housing to getting finances in order for seniors and their families.
“This year’s event promises to offer a wealth of information,” said Sydnor, senior programs manager at The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma. “Many seniors and their families may be facing life-changing decisions and do not know who or where to turn for help. Our goal is for them to leave with their questions answered and to know there is a network of agencies ready to step in and help.”
The Senior Living Fair is free to the public – thanks to sponsors like Senior News and Living and United Health Care – and includes exhibits with information about health and wellness, housing, Medicare, insurance, aging-in-place, and end-of-life decisions.
Exhibitors for this year include Neighborhood Services Organization, Sunbeam Family Services, Around the Clock Home Care, Village at Oakwood Assisted Living, Concordia Life Care Community, Grace Living Centers, and many more.
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma operates four senior centers throughout the Oklahoma City metro. The centers are open every weekday to seniors ages 55 and older. Seniors have the opportunity to socialize, enjoy lunch and participate in numerous activities that include Bible study, exercise classes, crafts, dancing and much more.
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
More than 183,000 Oklahomans receive assistance from The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services.
As senior programs manager, Sydnor helps families struggling with crucial decisions when loved ones have an unexpected life change.
She was one of those people years ago when her mother faced a world-altering event.
The Senior Living Fair is an annual event that is free to the public thanks to sponsors and includes exhibits for health and wellness, housing, Medicare information, insurance, aging-in-place, and fun ways to stay active.
The Salvation Army Senior Programs offer participants the opportunity to learn, innovate, promote healthy activities, express and fulfill artistic talents, and socialize. The enhanced self-worth, dignity and hope are intrinsic to the well-being of every person.
Sydnor says experts from a number of relevant industries are brought together to provide a resource – not just for seniors but for everyone as they age.
“I want to see the seniors come with their families and with their children or grandchildren who will make decisions and help them,” Sydnor said.
The Senior Living Fair, presented by Senior News & Living, strives to spread hope by providing resources that empower older Americans to be more positive, active and physically fit.
The event has continued to grow because seniors are finding value in it.
“I want to see young people who have aging parents or grandparents,” Sydnor said of who she would like to see at the event. “I can’t get my grandchildren to talk about anything and they’re in their 30s. That’s when they need to be talking about it. “So many times the children don’t know what to do, the grandchildren don’t know what to do and then they start butting heads.
“I want to get the children, the grandchildren along with the parent or grandparent to come and seek out information.”
For more information, go to www.salvationarmyokcac.org. The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command is a proud partner agency of the United Way of Central Oklahoma.

What are you looking forward to about spring? Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command

Sunshine and not having to wear four coats. I love the sunshine.  Lisa Sydnor

Outside activities – I love to fish and I love to do yard work.  James Dixon

It doesn’t make a lot of difference because I can’t tell the difference between winter and spring.  Kenneth Tolle

I love my gardening and the outdoors and helping others because in winter everyone hides. Linda Garza

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Pull up a chair and feel like you’re at home.
That’s the philosophy Marty Hall has brought with him to work every day for nearly five decades in the restaurant business.
And it’s how you’ll feel when you take a seat at Sid’s Diner in El Reno and Hall spins around and asks ‘How ya doin?’”
“I love the people I meet,” said Hall, who has turned the tiny onion burger joint into a destination.
Hundreds of people daily flow into Sid’s, which is just 880-square-feet of real estate (including the walk-in cooler).
“I didn’t have any money left,” Hall said of why it’s not bigger. “When I opened the door I had $300 to my name.”
Hall built the diner in 1990 after owning the old-style walkup Dairy Hut just around the corner along Route 66 which his mother and father helped him purchase when he was 21.
Hall started working in the restaurant business at age 13, peeling onions and washing dishes at 50 cents an hour.
He also got to eat anything he wanted.
“I had to work. I was just trying to help my folks out,” Hall said.
The restaurant’s namesake – Hall’s father Sid – was a highway foreman who supervised I-40.
“Dad never saw this place. He died before I could get it done,” he said. “A year from retiring he passed away from a heart attack.”
A NATIONAL SUCCESS
The walls of Sid’s Diner are covered with magazine and newspaper articles from food critics who have made the trek to El Reno – population 18,000 – to see what all the fuss is about.
“I’ve got magazines I haven’t even put up yet,” Hall giggled.
Adam Richman brought the The Food Channel’s Man Vs. Food show to El Reno a few years back.
What he found at the corner of Wade and South Choctaw blew him away before meat even touched flattop.
“We make our own spatulas. We don’t buy them,” Hall told Richman. “We use brick trowels.”
Hall used one to flatten a freshly-formed third-pound of ground beef on the seasoned grill and topped it with a heaping handful of thinly-shaved Spanish white onions.
Hall says there’s nothing fancy about any of it. The 200 or so burgers he smashes out every day for lunch trace their roots back to the Great Depression, which, as legend has it, was when Ardmore restaurant owner Ross Davis paired five cents worth of beef with half a onion.
Oklahomans and travelers along Route 66 have been enjoying the meaty marriage ever since.
Hall’s diner has been featured in Best Roadside Eats, Delicious Destinations with Andrew Zimmern, Favorite Places on Route 66 in Oklahoma, Top 5 Burgers in America by the Food Network, Is this a Great State or What with Galen Culver and Discover Oklahoma to name a few.
Visitors have come in from as far away as Africa and Korea.
LEAVING A LEGACY
Hall was born at Tinker Field while his dad was fighting in Korea. His mother used to tell the story of how she went into labor around 10 p.m. one May 7.
His grandparents put his mother into dad’s 1948 Chevrolet and sped down Route 66 until the wind and hail forced them to pull over.
“They got caught in a storm and mom said it was a bad one,” he said. “She was pretty sure there was a tornado but they made it.”
Eight months later his father came home to meet him for the first time.
“I wouldn’t change a thing. I love what I do,” Hall said.
Working six days a week, Hall swaps off with son Adam on long and short weeks, with one working 32 hours and the other working 42.
Sid’s will one day become Adam’s, who at 35 is the same age Hall was when he built the diner.
This December, Hall’s book detailing it all showed up on Amazon.
A Burger Boy on Route 66 contains decades of stories and photos of those who traversed Route 66 and stopped by for a bite.
The flip was switched a few years back for Hall to write a book. “I’m a Christian and my wife is the one who really encouraged me,” he said.
The gravity of it all struck him a few years back.
A friend and her mother stopped by for lunch. She asked how he was getting along.
“I always say I’m doing fine, I’ve got a really good shepherd,” Hall said. “She said ‘I know. He likes to watch you cook those hamburgers.’ I had never thought about it that way.”
Hall paused.
“There’s a whole lot more going on here than cooking hamburgers.”