FREE - OKIE Magazine

Arlie at 15, ready to graduate from
ninth grade.
Humpty Dumpty; the most modern
grocery store and meat market in
Lawton in 1942. Crew left to right
is Arlie Wood, Bill Richardson, and
Market Manager, Jimmy Johns.
Lawton High
School, 1942
Memories of Yesteryear
Split second timing was not all important when I was growing up in
Lawton, Oklahoma. Clocks had to be wound at least every twenty four
hours and re-set every three or four days. Since no satellite signal link to
was necessary. All you needed to do was pick up a phone and say, “time
please’ or you could say, “Hi, Pauline. You sure were beautiful last night.
Oh, Honey, what time is it?”
There was a problem. Only a few people had a telephone. That’s where
engine that powered the cottonseed oil mill on Railroad Street south of I
avenue. On the wall of the engine room a pendulum type clock hung near
a very long pipe hanging from the ceiling. About halfway up this pipe was
awire that ran through the wall to the boiler room and there connected to a
lever that opened a valve.
Atop the boiler room was a steam whistle similar to the ones on the old
steam railroad locomotives but larger. It’s voice made a fog horn sound like
soprano. At 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., and at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. My
Dad would watch the pendulum type clock on the wall and on the hour, he
would pull that long black lever and send the vibrations of that huge whistle
to every building in Lawton. People grabbed their clocks and set the time.
That worked pretty well except for the speed of sound and how quickly
folks could set their clock. People out on 11th and Ferris were always just
a little behind folks on the south side of the Frisco tracks. (Of course they
would never admit it). Everything in Lawton, OK, was always on time; give
or take a minute.
Arlie D. Wood, 2011
This is the house where I
grew up. No telephone or
inside bath until after I was
gone. The power pole brought
lights, refrigerator, and radio
when I was twelve. When my
parents died they had bult
nine houses on this city block.
I liked it better when we had
orchard and garden, Mules
and a cow, hens, rabbits,
and pigeons. Yes, that funny
looking drive and road is
genuine Oklahoma Mud.
by Arlie D. Wood
Arlie(Sonny). Mom,
Pauline (Sis), Reu
(Buzz), and Lelon. My
Dad, Arvel Lelon Wood,
took this picture with a
Kodak 110 box camera.
Pauline’s husband was
in the Army and Buzz
was leaving (Pre-war
draft). Lelon and Arlie
followed. We were all
together again in this
spot in 1946. Thank God