Volume 21, No. 2 October 2005

Once again we have fall and harvest time. The bright colors of red, yellow and orange paint the countryside, bringing smiles as pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns lend their happy faces to the decorations on porches and in the yards throughout the area.

The Board of Directors of the Deaf Smith County Historical Society met recently to make plans for the upcoming holiday season.

A special exhibit will be set up the last week of October. Jane Gulley and her brother, Dale Hampton , will organize and set up a display of oil paintings by artist Graham Nugent of Taos, New Mexico. Selections from their private collections and from the artist will be presented for viewing. The opening reception will be Sunday, October 30 at the Museum from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., hosted by the Board of Directors of the Deaf Smith County Historical Society. Dale Hampton of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, will be the guest speaker giving background information about the artist and explaining the periods and types of paintings displayed. The art exhibit will be on display at the museum through February 2006. You are encouraged to come and bring your family and friends to see these wonderful and vibrant paintings.

The quarterly meeting of the Texas Help USA Exhibit staff and participating museums will be held in Hereford at the Deaf Smith County Museum on Monday, November 7 th . The Deaf Smith County Historical Society board members will host a buffet luncheon at the Black House for this group. We are looking forward to having these out of town visitors.

The annual Christmas Open House will be held on Sunday, December 4 th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Special entertainment and Santa Clause will help get everyone into the mood for the Christmas Holidays. Everyone is invited to come see the Museum with its “Merry Christmas” decorations and enjoy refreshments.

Paula Edwards , executive director, gave her report for May through August 2005. Visitors registered were 790, representing 25 states and 4 foreign countries. Guided tours were given to 95 students and 19 adults. These represented Girl Scouts, Nazarene Kids Korner, First Baptist Kindergarten, HHS ESL Group and summer school Life Skills class.

June 15 through August 3 a traveling exhibit This Contest is for Real Hands; Rodeo Photographs of the 1930's was set up courtesy of Mid-America Arts Alliance and Exhibits USA, showing 30 black and white photographs. In connection with this display, we were privileged to display items belonging to local rodeo participants who have distinguished themselves in the National Rodeo Circuits. Our thanks to Bussy Kaul and his son Kirby , the Spicer Gripp family and Monty Lewis for taking the time to share with us some of their awards and information about their rodeo experiences.

The Indian Trunk Program was given to 30 adults. We still offer the Indian, Pioneer and Cowboy Trunk programs to the schools upon request by the teachers, and to any social or civic organizations.

Participation in the Career Day Program at Bluebonnet School involved 125 students hearing what is involved to enter and work in a museum and programs offered by the museum.

We had one chapel wedding at the museum and 5 weddings at the Black House. Six showers and one family reunion were given also using the Black House. Wedding photos were made by a group at the Black House while another group used the Sears Garden for special photos.

We were pleased to give tours of the E. B. Black House to three families connected with the E. B. Black family: Mr. & Mrs. James P. Prichard -nephew of Jim and Prudia Black , Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Prichard -great-nephew, Beth Prichard Robison -great-niece. These families were from Colorado.

Larry Pesina with Pesina Painting repaired and repainted the outside of the

E. B. Black House and Gazebo. Bill Dirks did an excellent job in repairing several of the columns on the front porch that had deteriorated.

Our thanks to all those who help us keep the E. B. Black House Gardens in tip top shape. It takes a lot of volunteer hours to help with the necessary upkeep of this “special home”. We appreciate Gene Streun and Julius Bodner working with the garden committee.

In addition to the necessary outside needs, we also have inside needs. We have recently had to consider replacement of the heating and air conditioning unit of the Black House. Bids were received for a new up-to-date energy efficient unit.

Our good friend Stanley Black , grandson of E. B. Black, contacted us recently wanting to make a one-time contribution toward preserving the E. B. Black House. He agreed to apply this last contribution to the expenses of replacing the heating and air conditioning unit. Our sincere gratitude is extended to Mr. Stanley Black for his special interest and concerns for the E. B. Black House. Through his generosity we have been able to do many special things necessary toward the general upkeep of the property and to enhance it with personal items from the Black family.

Recent acquisitions have been a set of decorative plates from the Estate of Pearl Hoover Pruit , and a 1912 Oliver typewriter used by E. B. Black at his furniture store, donated by Mark Matthews . The plates have been hung in the kitchen at the Black House. The typewriter will also be displayed there.

We began a new year in June, which reminds us that our dues are due for 2006. (See enclosed membership sheet)

We hope to see you at the museum sometime during the Holidays!

Submitted by Troyce S. Hanna

The news was just received of the death of Stanley Black. He had been very ill for the last few months. Services will be held October 13 at Palma Ceia United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL. The family requests that we keep them in our prayers and thoughts.

Memorials:

In memory of Elizabeth Birkmeyer -JoAnn Birkmeyer

In memory of Bess Werner -Mary L. Roach

In memory of Ed Wilson Jr. -Billie Jo Reiter

In memory of Jim & Prudia Black -Mr. & Mrs. Jim Prichard

In memory of F. L. Eicke -Key & Sharon Crawford,

Mr. & Mrs. R. E. Shackelford

display.

                                                                                        Submitted by Troyce S. Hanna

Memorials:

In memory of Lani Long-Bill & Pat Confer

In memory of Jeff Carlile-Lynne Carlile

In memory of Henry Solomon, Buddy McBrayer, Emily Diller, Dale Lacewall, Mardee Wood, Juanita Koetting, J. P. Jones, Frank Zinser, B. F. Cain, Lance Latham-Mr. & Mrs. Grant Hanna