Thank you to all who came out to celebrate National Flag Day on Saturday, June 14. The American Legion represented by Willis Bedard and Boys State attendees, Dominik Meiller and Ayden Perez, raised American and Oklahoma flags and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and Pledge to the Oklahoma flag. Janine Espy sang the National Anthem. Dominik related his experience in running for public office at Boys State and thanked the American Legion for the scholarship. Matthew Pearce, the Historian for the Oklahoma Historical Society, gave an overview of the red 46 flag of 1911 and the centennial of our present Oklahoma flag. Janine Espy concluded the program with “America the Beautiful” and “Oklahoma”.
Donnie Dunn, Teresa Bryan, Connie and Mike Burcham, Sandra and Richard Hightower and Joe Bryan prepared the grounds and new windows. Robert Sawyer took care of some dangling limbs over the parking area. Todd Lafferty and Joe Bryan placed flags at Main and Noble. Janine Espy and Sandra Hightower produced pastries and Teresa Bryan provided home-made ice cream. President Connie Burcham ran the program professionally. Docents Rick Larson and Hunter Martinez provided tours.
This Saturday, June 21, the Annual Ferguson Tea will be held at the Baptist Church. The theme is the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. The tie-in to the Fergusons is the hat. In the day, felt was made from fur using mercury nitrate. This orange-colored chemical created a distinctly orange hue to skin and hair and hatters often suffered from neurological diseases, thus creating the image of a ‘mad hatter.’ There is a famous image of Elva Ferguson in a flamboyant hat typical of the 1900s.
According to an article in Wikipedia “Huge, broad-brimmed hats were worn in middecade, trimmed with masses of feathers and occasionally complete stuffed birds (hummingbirds for those who could afford them), or decorated with ribbons and artificial flowers. Masses of wavy hair were fashionable, swept up to the top of the head (if necessary, over horsehair pads called ‘rats’) and gathered into a knot. Large hats were worn with evening wear.”
Tickets are $10 per person from Janine Espy at (907) 252-1866. Children are welcome and hats will be decorated.
P lease renew your membership to the Friends of the Ferguson Home. Funds are needed for docents, programs and repairs to the 124year-old mansion and museum.