Publisher’s Pen

George Wood was in the office to renew his subscription and we had a great visit. Many of us “old timers” remember when his dad had a local grocery store. His first store was where San Luis Restaurant is now located. Then he built a new store at 601 N. Hinckley where M & R Motors is now located. Later he sold that store to J.O. Elliston who operated it until a fire destroyed it. One of my favorite stories about that store was when George and Lee Smith were in high school and working there. One evening they were scuffling and crashed thru the store wall into the Wood’s front room which adjoined the store. George said his dad was not too happy about that as they had to build a brand new wall . . . I received a call from Jackie Cooper and I always enjoy reminiscing with him. He retired several years ago from OG&E and told me that the late J.C. Meek was responsible for getting him his job. J.C. was the local office manager. Jackie was an outstanding basketball player and told me that many evenings, after practice that he, Bill Adams and Orville Reid would stay late to practice more because the loved the game so much. We covered a lot of ground from our mutual friends the late Fletcher and Vern Pennington to Kenny Ott. Kenny’s dad Glen was a dear friend and manager of our local ONG office . . .I visited Kathryn Turner this past week and she told me that this year’s Fairview Reunion will be held above the First United Bank in Holdenville. We will have complete details in the next few weeks . . .None of us were alive when it opened but thanks to the research of Fran Cook we know about the Holdenville Opera House which was located on North Broadway across from where the Court House is. This past week I found an old ad about the Opera House printed in 1901. I also Found an announcement about the opening which had occurred a few months earlier.