While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
The following account, of the closing day
of our last term of school, is taken from
the last issue of the Oak Hill Freedman's
Friend, a news-letter, intended to promote
the interests of the Academy, and sent to
its patrons and friends as a quarterly at
first, but later as an annual, from February
1905, to September 1912.
Closing Day, 1912
June 13, 1912, was a day of unusual
interest. It was the last day of the last
term of school, under the management of the
superintendent, and the contemplation of
this fact frequently suggested a thought of
sadness, since it meant the last meeting
with many friends and co-workers.
It was also the second day set for the
dedication of Elliott Hall, and the third
day announced for a visit and address by
Rev. Phil C. Baird, D. D., pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City.
His leading and unusually happy
participation in the events of the day, made
his visit and services on this occasion
thrice welcome and valuable.
At 2:00 p. m. Dr. Baird delivered the
principal address to a large and very
appreciative audience in the Academy. He
chose for his theme, The Essentials of
Success; and emphasized these three, namely
"Labor, purpose and perseverance."
Elliott Hall
Dedicated
At the close of the address of Dr. Baird,
the meeting was transferred to the cozy and
spacious front porch of Elliott Hall.
The story of the Hall as a grateful and
permanently useful memorial of the late
Alice Lee Elliott, and the generous gift of
$5,000.00 on the part of her surviving
husband, David Elliott of Lafayette,
Indiana, now at Minneapolis, Minn., was
briefly related by the superintendent. Rev.
W. H. Carroll reported that voluntary
offerings to the amount of $29.48 had that
day been donated toward the expense of
furnishing the two bath rooms. The prayer of
dedication was offered by Rev. Wiley Homer
of Grant, who has been a faithful annual
visitor and constant guardian of the good
name and welfare of the institution ever
since it was founded in 1886. The
benediction was pronounced by Rev. P. S.
Meadows of Shawneetown, moderator of the
Presbytery of Kiamichi.
Closing Concert
The program provided for the evening
consisted of a vocal and instrumental
concert by the students, such as had been
given, with one exception, at the close of
each term. Several of the selections,
rendered as full choruses, were from
Leslie's Ideal Class, the music book most
frequently used by the superintendent in the
training work of note reading and vocal
culture. They included the anthems, "Break
forth into Joy," "I was Glad," by I. B.
Woodbury, "Before Jehovah's Throne," and
patriotic Glees, "Hail to the Flag," "Now a
Mighty Nation," and "Unfurl the Sail."
When the time arrived to announce the
closing chorus, the superintendent, after
expressing appreciation of the fact there
were present so many ministers of the
Presbytery, patrons and friends; and
gratitude for their constant co-operation,
then made known to them, for the first time,
the fact that several months previous he had
tendered his resignation to the Board of
Missions for Freedmen, and that in due
season, Rev. W. H. Carroll, the principal,
would be promoted to fill the vacancy, when
it occurred.
After hearing these announcements, every
minister present manifested a desire to
participate in the meeting, by bearing
voluntary testimony to the good work that
had been done at the Academy under the
leadership of the superintendent. Rev. Dr.
Baird was the first speaker, and he acted as
a leader or chairman during this temporary
interruption of the program. He bore
testimony to his previous knowledge of the
faithfulness and administrative ability of
the superintendent, and his pleasant
surprise at the results achieved at this
institution. Grateful tributes to the
efficiency of his work, as superintendent of
the Academy, were then expressed by Rev.
Wiley Homer of Grant, Rev. T. K. Bridges of
Lukfata, Rev. P. S. Meadows and Rev. W. H.
Carroll.
Rev. W. J. Starks of Frogville read and
presented for adoption the appreciative
resolutions that follow:
Their unanimous adoption by a rising vote
was immediately followed by a general waving
of handkerchiefs, a touching expression of
good wishes and parting cheer.
Resolutions
Whereas the Rev. R. E. Flickinger, our
beloved superintendent and friend, has
announced his resignation as superintendent
of Oak Hill Industrial Academy, now Alice
Lee Elliott School; and whereas such
resignation has come to us at a very
unexpected time; We, citizens of the
neighborhood, patrons, students and teachers
of the Academy, and members present of the
Presbytery of Kiamichi, do hereby unite in
adopting the following resolutions:
First. That the announcement of his
resignation brings to us profound grief and
disappointment, as it takes from among us a
friend and brother bound to us by many
unusual and lasting ties.
Second. That we lose in Rev. R. E.
Flickinger, the founder of the new and the
real Oak Hill Industrial Institution,
through the accomplishment of the following
achievements, during his administration:
When he re-opened the doors of this academy
seven and a half years ago, it had been
closed for the year, and for months there
seemed to be but little prospect it would be
opened again. The evidences of neglect,
decay and desertion were manifest on every
hand. Under his magic hand the school was
re-opened, only a few students were enrolled
the first term, but the piles of rubbish in
every corner, and underbrush began to
disappear, and one of the buildings was
neatly painted by the boys. At this time the
Board did not own the land on which the
buildings were located. After the removal of
the restrictions in 1908, the title to one
small tract was promptly secured by
purchase. A dozen other adjoining little
tracts have since been added to this first
one, as their purchase became possible and
at their virgin price; so that now there
belongs to this school, as a means of
promoting its local support, the magnificent
domain of 270 acres of beautiful and
valuable tillable lands of which about
one-third is now cleared, enclosed and under
cultivation.
"Enlargement and Permanent Improvement,"
became the watchwords of progress, when the
title to the second tract was secured. Upon
this stable material basis there has been
systematically organized and developed an
important Industrial institution, where boys
and girls are trained not only in the great
fundamentals of the best intellectual and
moral culture, but also in the essential
industrial arts of life.
The accomplishment of these results has cost
the superintendent an indescribable amount
of toil and labor. His great staying powers
and ingenuity were taxed to their utmost,
when, in quick succession, the two largest
buildings were suddenly destroyed by
unexpected fires that left nothing but ashes
and discouraged friends. The testimony that
he has proved himself capable of overcoming
these staggering losses appears in the
temporary Boys Hall, an addition to the
Academy building after the first fire in
1908, and in the large and commodious new
building, bearing the name "Elliott Hall" of
which he enjoys the honor of having been its
architect and builder, through the labors of
the students and the teachers of the
academy; and, in this creditable student
body of well trained young people.
Third. In grateful recognition of his
unusual patience and perseverance, his
unceasing toil and never failing interest,
his self denying generosity and for his
noble, manly exemplary Christian life, we
tender to him our heartfelt lasting
gratitude; and, enrolling his name among the
worthy founders of Oak Hill Industrial
Academy, shall enshrine it as one to be
given to children's children, as the
educator and organizer, who infused new life
into this institution and greatly enlarged
the scope of its work.
Fourth. That a copy of these resolutions be
sent to the Board of Freedmen, to the
Interior, The Valliant Tribune and the
Times, Fonda, Iowa.
Phil. C. Baird,
Chairman of Meeting.
A Token of Affection and Regard From the
Students
Dear Superintendent:
I have been requested by the boys of this
institution, to offer you a slight token of
our affection and regard. I cannot tell you
how delighted I am to be the means of
conveying to you this expression of our
united love. What we offer you is a poor
symbol of our feelings, but we know you will
receive it kindly as a simple indication of
the attachment, which each one of us
cherishes for you in our hearts.
You have made our days and months pleasant
to us. We know that we have often tried your
patience and forbearance, but you have dealt
gently with us in all our waywardness;
teaching us by example as well as precept,
the advantages of magnanimity and self
control.
We will never forget you. We shall look back
to this institution in after life; and,
whenever memory recalls our school days, our
hearts will warm toward you as they do
today.
I have been requested by my school mates,
not to address you formally, but as a
beloved and respected friend. In that light,
Dear Superintendent, we will regard you.
Please accept our good wishes. May you
always be as happy as you have endeavored to
make your pupils; and may they-nothing
better could be wished them-be always as
faithful to their duties to others, as you
have been in your duties to them.
Very truly yours, W. Riley Flournoy.
In behalf of the boys of Oak Hill
Academy.
An expression of gratitude from Simon
Folsom, an elder of the Forest Church, who
gave us very cordial co-operation, and whose
voice, ringing with pleading eloquence and
words of glad encouragement to the students,
was frequently heard at the Endeavor
meetings or morning services, by the young
people during term time:
Dear Sir: I want to thank you for your
interest, help and work among my people. I
feel that you have done us a great service
here. It is my prayer that God will reward
you in time for all your services in labor,
thought and interest. This is the plea of
one whom you have been serving.
July 21,1912. A Friend, Simon Folsom.
Fruit Bulletin
The superintendent continued to have charge
of the improvement and other work of the
Academy and farm, until the first of
October; publishing in the mean time the
last issue of the Freedman's Friend in
September; and, remaining during the month
of October, prepared and published a
bulletin entitled, "Approved Fruits for
Southern Oklahoma."
The aim of the author, in preparing and
publishing this fruit bulletin, was to
furnish a short and reliable text book on
horticulture, for use in the Academy; and to
supply the patrons of the institution, the
information they were needing, to enable
them to secure, when making their first
investments, profitable early, medium and
late, fruit-bearing varieties of trees for a
small home orchard on their respective
allotments.
Farewell
The farewell words of the superintendent,
briefly summarized, appeared as follows in
the last issue of the Freedman's Friend:
With the sending forth of this issue of the
Oak Hill Freedman's Friend, Rev. R. E.
Flickinger lays aside the mantle of service,
as superintendent of the Academy and Farm,
and cordially commends Rev. W. H. Carroll,
his successor, to the confidence and esteem
of all the patrons and friends of the
institution.
The opportunity afforded here during the
last eight years, to engage in the
educational work among the colored people of
our beloved land, has been the realization
of an earnest desire awakened in the early
part of our ministry, but not expressed
until the opening occurred at this place.
The silent but deeply impressive cry of
need, the golden opportunity to lay the
foundation for the organization and
development of an important Industrial
Educational Institution in this new section
of country, and the cordial co-operation of
local ministers, teachers, patrons and
friends, have combined to make this work
throughout, intensely interesting.
It has enlisted our noblest and best powers
of mind, heart and hand. The constant
probability that our term of service would
at best be brief, and the desire to
accomplish the greatest possible results,
have proved an incentive to incessant
industry. When difficulties increased, they
served as a signal to go forward more
earnestly.
We have done what we could to add our mite,
most, effectively, to the great educational
work needed in this south land. That which
has been done, has been due to the constant
and cordial co-operation of our Board of
Missions for Freedmen, and of the immediate
patrons and friends of the institution. It
remains, that we express to you all our
lasting gratitude, for your cordial
co-operation, and for the present, say,
Farewell!
"God bless you, till we meet again."
Very truly,
R. E. Flickinger.
This site
includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These
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interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
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Choctaw Freedmen and Oak Hill Industrial
Academy, 1914, Robert Elliott Flickinger
