Oklahoma George Washington Wired

Washington Irving Elementary in Edmond, Oklahoma received their portrait of George Washington.  Cindy Young, their social studies fifth grade teacher and a big fan of the General, helped select the perfect spot for the painting. Inscribed next to Peale’s rendering of the first president are the famous words, “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.”  These words were uttered by Henry Lee in his eulogy to Washington.  I can think of no better words to illuminate the life of George Washington in the hallways of learning.  Thank you Washington Irving Elementary.

Mountains between two towns…in Oklahoma?  Yes!  Recently I traveled to the southwest part of Oklahoma to the towns of Hobart and Mangum.  Delightful people live in both places.  Since I was making presentations on Monday in Hobart and Tuesday in Mangum, I stayed the night in the mountains—Quartz Mountains to be exact!  This area once provided a “safe haven for Native American people for countless seasons.  Nomadic tribal groups such as the Kiowa, Comanche and Plains Apache found shelter from the cold winter winds.  The Wichita established permanent villages in the shadow of these mountains.” *

 Although these rugged crags do not match the height or the lush emerald foliage of Washington’s beloved Blue Ridge Mountains, they are unexpected in the flat grasslands of Oklahoma.  As I was winding my way up the knolls I had to stop for two deer that slowly sauntered in front of my car—You would think they would know it is hunting season—Run deer, run!!  Once I checked in to my motel I had just enough time to hike around a few of the short paths.  The lady at the Inn’s desk warned me to watch for rattlesnakes—Yikes!  I stepped very carefully!  The views were stunning—from the wooden footbridge to the stark rocks that formed these granite peaks.  This area is a true treasure of Oklahoma.  

*Quote is taken from a sign in the area.

Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit with the students of Sweetwater Schools.  Sweetwater is a town about five miles from the Texas Panhandle (within “spittin’ distance” of our Red River Rivals as a Sooner would say).  Although I toured the entire school, I had the pleasure of presenting in their new multi-purpose auditorium.  This lovely facility was built because in May of 2007 the school was severely damaged by a tornado.  Luckily, it struck after students had gone home for the day so no one was injured. 

Sweetwater is named after Sweetwater Creek which “was so named because of its sweet tasting water.  There is a tributary of Sweetwater Creek named Freeze Out Creek because two men froze to death there during one of Oklahoma’s blizzards.” * This reminds of the time just before the French and Indian War when Washington and Chris Gist sloshed through knee-deep snow and fell from a raft into an ice-choked river while trying to get a reply from the French to Governor Dinwiddie.    They both survived unlike the men on Freeze Out Creek! 

Sweetwater students and faculty were extremely friendly and welcoming.  The younger students dressed in Colonial attire for the occasion and there were some adorable student-created portraits of George and Martha Washington in the hallways.  A few days ago I received a warm note from Sweetwater’s Principal Brenda Quinn and a thank you card from the younger students.  The George Washington Ambassador thinks Sweetwater is, well, SWEET!

*This information was taken from Carl G Clifft’s Early Sweetwater History at http://www.theburningbush.org/SWHistory.html.

Why do these teachers from Yukon Central Elementary have vampire teeth?  Although Halloween will be celebrated in a few days, these lovely ladies had donned these “pearly whites” for a lesson about George Washington.  Everyone erroneously assumes that George Washington had wooden teeth—He did not.  It was worse.  He starting losing his teeth in his twenties and by the time he was President he had only one tooth in his mouth.  “A French dentist named Jean Pierre Le Moyer (or Le Mayeur) immigrated to America in 1780 and treated patients between New York and Richmond over the next decade.  Specializing in tooth transplants, he found that transplantable teeth were hard to come by and went so far as to advertise in the newspaper for ‘persons disposed to sell their front teeth, or any of them.’  The Frenchman first treated Washington in 1783.  The following year, the General paid several unnamed “Negroes,” presumably Mount Vernon slaves, 122 shillings for nine teeth, slightly less than one third the going rate advertised in the papers, ‘on acct. of the French Dentis.’  Whether the teeth provided by the slaves were simply being sold to the dentist for any patient who needed them or were intended for Washington is unknown at this point, although the fact that the General paid for the teeth suggests that they were for his own use (*Mary  V. Thompson).”  He did have several different sets of dentures.  The ones on display at Mount Vernon are made of animal teeth, some of Washington’s own incisors, and other people’s teeth.  The material for the outer part of the dentures was lead with springs on both sides.  This uncomfortable apparatus is why the President kept in his mouth.  When Gilbert Stuart painted his famous portrait of Washington, he actually added stuffing to make his mouth fuller!  By studying the painting, one will notice that the General’s mouth looks exactly like a person  who has the Halloween “vampire” teeth in their mouth with their lips sealed.  This is a great way to demonstrate to students and adults why Washington’s mouth and lips look “pursed” on the dollar bill.  Now that is something to sink your teeth into!

*Taken from Mary V. Thompson’s article, They Appear to Live Comfortable Together in Slavery at the Home of George Washington edited by Philip J. Schwarz.

It was one of those crisp autumn mornings where the air had a little “snap” to it and the leaden sky appeared as a backdrop to the theatrical splashes of colorful fall foliage.  I traveled to Peters Elementary to present the George Washington Portrait to their school.  Their friendly librarian, Kay Leslie, greeted me with enthusiasm.  Kay attended the George Washington Summer Institute this past summer.  Her Mount Vernon photographs and Washington memorabilia were evident throughout her office.  Mrs. Leslie is planning on rearranging part of the library, so our first president will take center stage.  The General always had a stage presence!

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis)!  Oklahoma students and teachers had a rare opportunity this week to listen and learn from colonial music expert Dr. David Hildebrand.  The George Washington’s Mount Vernon Ladies Association and the Kirkpatrick Foundation brought David to Tulsa and Oklahoma City for performances and a teacher workshop.  He gave three performances in the Connor’s Cove Auditorium located at the Hardesty Library of Tulsa.  Later that afternoon we took The Long and Winding Road (Beatles) to Oklahoma City.  All the Leaves were Brown and the Sky was Gray (Mamas and Papas, paraphrased) early Tuesday morning when we got into the car to head to the Oklahoma History Center for another round of presentations.  With the shadow of the Oklahoma State Capitol dome behind him, Dr. Hildebrand gave a show-stopping concert that caused Good Vibrations (Beach Boys) throughout the audience. 

Teach Your Children Well (Crosby Stills & Nash).  Dr. Hildebrand certainly did teach the children and educators about the music of Washington’s period.  He explained that the General “could not lift a note” but loved to listen (and dance) to music.  Keep on Dancin’, Yeah (Bee Gees)!  The Colonial expert explained that General James Wolfe, the British officer who died while taking Quebec, was the early American hero.  As the Revolution broke out, Washington slowly took over the role as the great American Idol.  Washington was well aware of the importance of music in civic moments—Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen). 

Everything old is new again (Peter Allen).  One major theme that ran through all of David’s seminars was how the colonials took old tunes and wrote new words.  Since, throughout the period, Americans had a fairly low literacy rate “music and lyrics gained power and meaning through repetition and recycling.”  I Believe in Yesterday (The Beatles).

I’d Rather be a Hammer than a Quill (Simon and Garfunkel, paraphrased).  As Dr. Hildebrand created his melodious magic on the harpsichord, he enlightened the audience about the inner workings of the instrument.  Whereas a piano uses hammers, a harpsichord plucks quills.  The harpsichord that George Washington bought his stepdaughter, Patsy, had louvers on the lid to help make sounds soft and loud (trying to compete with the new piano).  The louvers were activated by foot pedals.  This unique feature plus the harpsichord double manual was the instrument’s last gasp in the battle of the ivories.  Dr. Hildebrand also demonstrated the English Flute, the German Flute, and he Could Play the Guitar Like Ringing a Bell (Chuck Berry).

Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye (Dave Clark Five).  After two days of multiple performances and one workshop at the History Center, my thoughts were, “I Fe-e-e-el Good, I Knew that I Would (James Brown)!”  We returned David to the airport because he was Homeward Bound (Simon and Garfunkel)—Ain’t that a Shame (Fats Domino)! 

Thanks for the Memories (Shep Fields, Bob Hope’s theme song). Mount Vernon and the Kirkpatrick Foundation deserve a BIG thank you for bringing this educational and entertaining musical adventure to Oklahoma.  It can be best summed up by George Jellinek, “The history of a people is found in its songs.”

October is one of my favorite months.  Why?  It is my birthday month, but it is also a month of momentous proportions in the life of George Washington.  It was in October of 1781 that the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown took place.  Today most Americans do not realize the ominous situation that surrounded the Continental Army prior to Yorktown.  In July of that year Rochambeau’s army had “moved beside Washington’s some twelve miles north of Manhattan.  Social problems excruciating to the Americans instantly arose.  Officers in faded and torn uniforms or no uniforms at all had to hold up their heads in the presence of the French officers’ spotless, gold-braided, brightly colored, bemedaled, beplumed ones.  Using their hard money to buy plentiful supplies, the French entertained sumptuously, but when the Americans entertained back, they could hardly scratch up enough food to postpone hunger.   One French man, Von Closen ,wrote, ‘It is incredible that soldiers composed of men of every age, even of children of fifteen, of whites and blacks, almost naked, unpaid, and rather poorly fed, can march so well and stand fire so steadfastly.’  He credited ‘the calm and calculated measures of General Washington, in whom I daily discover some new and eminent qualities…He is certainly admirable as the leader of his army, in which everyone regards him as his father and friend’ (Flexner).”

“Things were so dire for the Continental Army that the current campaign had to be the last.  In the absence of a decisive outcome the most likely development was a negotiated settlement the following year (Ellis).”  If Washington and Rochambeau’s troops were going to corner Cornwallis “they had to march 450 miles to the Chesapeake to meet de Grasse and the French Navy.  If the arduous march ended in disaster or even just frustration, patriot morale might collapse irrevocably (Flexner).”  It was essential that de Grasse, who was currently in the Caribbean, meet them.  Would he be able to make it?

“On September 5, Rochambeau and his staff were drifting down the Delaware when they saw on the waterfront at Chester, Pennsylvania a tall man in blue and buff regimentals dancing up and down, waving a hat and a handkerchief.  It looked from a distance as if this jumping jack were his Excellency, George Washington.  Indeed it was.  He was yelling that de Grasse’s fleet had actually arrived.  According to the Duke de Lauzun, ‘I never saw a man overcome with more great and sincere joy.’  Washington even went so far as to embrace Rochambeau warmly (Flexner).”

Everything fell into place.  Cornwallis did not move away from the coast and the French fleet from Newport sailed in bringing cannon and ships of shallow enough draft to ferry troops down the Chesapeake.  When the engineering feat of creating trenches at Yorktown was complete, George Washington was given the honor of firing the first shot.    

On October 17, the day before my birthday, Cornwallis sent a message to Washington proposing a twenty-four hour truce “to settle terms for the surrender.”   The day after my special day, on October 19, the “people of the neighborhood were to be allowed to witness the ceremonies; the French were to be on one side of the road down which the British marched; the Americans on the other in two lines, the Continental in front, the militia behind them (Freeman).   Washington, astride his favorite mount Nelson, rode up between the lines that had formed for a distance of about half a mile. The march of the British was slow and labored.  Cornwallis was TOO SICK to attend the surrender ceremony so he sent Brigadier General Charles O’Hara.  “When the British leader reached the waiting commanders, he turned to his left and started to address Rochambeau but the Count pointed to Washington (Freeman);” However, “if Cornwallis was to be represented by a deputy, so would he (Ellis).”  O’Hara was forced to surrender to General Lincoln (Washington and Lincoln?  Wow! That sounds familiar!)

At the end of the day, GW wrote a draft to be sent to congress, “’Sir, I have the Honor to inform the Congress, that a Reduction of the British Army under the Command of Lord Cornwallis is most happily effected.  The unremitting Ardor which actuated every Officer and Soldier in the combined Army in their Occasion, has principally led to this Important Event, at an earlier period than my most sanguine Hope had induced me to expect.’  The rest of the dispatch was praise of others (Freeman)” so typical of Washington.
I say, “Let’s celebrate!”

Washington's 16-sided Barn

Barns are just plain fascinating! I love the smell of the fresh hay, the sound of the animals, and the varying architecture of the structures. I have always thought I had a little cowgirl in me and as I donned my cowboy boots early this morning, I decided my Blog would follow suit—We would go just a little bit country and discuss barns—not just any old barns, but big round ones!

In the 1790s Washington tried to increase the production of wheat with a new sixteen-sided threshing barn. Threshing, or separating the wheat from the chaff, was customarily accomplished in two ways, by hand or by horse. In the hand-held method laborers would use a wooden instrument called a flail to strike the wheat on large wooden floors in rectangular barns. The force of the flail knocked loose the grain. The other method was known as treading. This involved laying the wheat outdoors in a large circle or oval and driving horses atop the wheat, their stamping hooves performing the same task as the flails. Washington, ever the innovative farmer, combined these two ideas and designed a two-story, 16-sided treading barn for Mount Vernon’s Dogue Run Farm. One of the objectives of the barn was to produce a cleaner and more marketable product by removing the treading of wheat from a dirt barnyard and away from wind and rain. A second goal was to keep the grain secure. Washington was concerned about theft so his plan called for barred windows on the lower level and he specifically ordered a lock on the lower door. (Fusonie, pg 20).

His round barn was built into an embankment, which allowed the horses to enter on the upper floor by way of an earthen ramp. The upper level floor had floorboards exactly spaced 1 1/2 inch apart to allow the grain, separated from the straw in the treading process, to fall through to the lower level. On the lower level the grain was shoveled into the center, cleaned and then shipped in barrels or bags to Washington’s gristmill. George Washington calculated that the foundation and first floor would require 30,820 bricks. The upper level was wood. Washington’s round barn, considered a milestone in American farm architecture, was so well-built that it would remain standing well into the 19th century. It was torn down about 1875 and was recreated at Mount Vernon., Visitors today can visit the 52 foot diameter barn and enter the second story where more than 4,000 linear feet of 2.5 inch-square oak treading floorboards have been nailed into place with 2,600 six-inch wrought iron spikes. Horses are still brought in to “tread” the wheat in the way the General envisioned (Fusonie, pg 21-22 & Mount Vernon’s web site).

Oklahoma also has a famous “round” barn located in Arcadia on Route 66. This circular edifice was built in 1898 for livestock and the occasional local dance. The 60′ diameter dome collapsed in 1988. It has been lovingly restored and now the round barn (like Washington’s, it was also two stories) is once again open for parties. The structure was created in a curved shape because it was “originally thought that the curved form would help it withstand Oklahoma’s tornadic conditions. Who knows if it is scientifically accurate, but the barn is still standing after 107 years! (The Arcadia Round Barn Website)”

I have been interrupted at least 100 times today while writing this Blog. It is now evening and I am ready to saddle up and head west into the sunset—to Tulsa for dinner! So I am goin’ to hobble my lip, cowboy up and high tail it to T- Town (You have to be an Okie to decipher that!)

Arcadia Barn in Oklahoma

George Washington Pioneer Farmer by Alan and Donna Jean Fusonie. Published by The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, 1998.