It’s been a quite week at the museum. I’ve done a lot of research and office work. I took some table cloths and napkins home and laundered them. Some hadn’t been used in years and were quite dusty.
We received a request on our website from a group wanting a tour in April. It was from the United Postmasters and Mangers of America. I’ll be able to tell them T.B. was post master here in Watonga before he was Territorial Governor. He resigned when appointed governor. The post office was run out of the newspaper office.
There is a clown cloth doll, dressed in red with a tan collar and cuffs, upstairs. It has a white hat with red embroidery. The face is also embroidered. It has gray yarn for hair. There are buttons for eyes and down the front of the costume. I wonder who the talented person was that made it.
I ran across an interesting clipping, “Rules of Conduct” 1. Always show respect to all those that are in a company. 2. Don’t drum your hands or feet in presence of others. 3. Don’t sit when others are standing, don’t walk when others have stopped, don’t talk when it’s not your turn. 4. Don’t read books, papers, or letters in company. 5. Don’t read over any ones shoulder unless asked too or give your opinion of them unless asked. I don’t know if this was taught to him by the sister that raised him or maybe the Kansas State Normal School Emporia, Kansas that he attended. I’m sure he taught these rules to his students while he was teaching and his children. Many of these rules are similar to George Washington’s, “The Rules of Civility”. Too bad we have forgotten a lot of these.
The following is a paragraph from the first issue, of the Watonga Republican, October 12, 1892. We will in business matters endeavor to give our readers a paper which can be read and appreciated by all. In politics the paper will be uncompromisingly and aggressively Republican. We make but one promise and that is that the politics of this paper will never be questioned. We support the Republican Party because it is the party of progress, truth and immortal history, the party of bravery, patriotism and justice.
In the book, They Carried the Torch, Mrs. Ferguson said “I made every effort to carry out his policies. As time passed party lines were not so strongly emphasized and leaders were more charitable toward each other, but the paper remained loyal to his political party as long as he lived and until its sale nine years after his death. It was because of his fearlessness and integrity that one of our greatest presidents sought him out and elevated him for the humble editorship of a country weekly to the governorship of the territory nine years after the paper was established.”
Don’t forget the Chicken Noodle Dinner fundraiser March 18, 2022, 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at the Christian Church, 400 N. Noble. It will be carry out, delivery, or dine in. For deliver, call 590-623-5069 before 4:00 pm March 18. Be sure to leave name and call back number.
Sandra Maddux will be giving a program on card making April 2, 2022, 10:00 am at the Watonga Library. Please call the museum to register so we know how many card kits to have ready. Sandra makes beautiful paper cards and other paper items. You may have seen some of her work at the Christmas Bazar.
Hours of operation are Wednesday thru Saturday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Closed state holidays. We are always happy to open after hours for special tours. Just give us a call at 580-623-5069 or 580-614-1018 to make arrangements.