Volume 8 , Issue 13

A Prairie of Dreams (Castles of NW Oklahoma)...

by - LK Wagner

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." -- William Arthur Ward. Another saying I like is, "If you build your prairie of dreams (your Castle on the Hill), they will come!"

We all have dreams! All we need is the determination and support to carry out some of those dreams. What if our ancestors had not followed their prairie of dreams to the new world? What would life have been like back in January, 1895 if the pioneers of the growing city of Alva and the county of "M" (Woods, Alfalfa and Major) in this northwest Oklahoma territory had not had their dream of a Northwestern State Normal School and the determination of a community to accomplish that dream?

There would have been NO unique and splendid "Castle on the Hill" March 12, 1897 that stood until March 1, 1935 when it was ravished completely by fire. One of those dreamers was James E. Ament who helped structure the architectural outline of the Norhtwestern Normal school building after the outlines of the Norman Castles of France that he loved so much. Ament was the first President of Northwestern State Normal College when he came to Alva in September 20, 1897.

It took the support and organization of the Commercial Club of businessmen and citizens of the community to unite and "Push" for the lobby of the bill through the State Legislature from January, 1895 to March 12, 1897. After much maneuvering on both sides, Governor Renfrew reluctantly signed the bill granting a Normal School for this determined community of Alva, Oklahoma.

While the committee was faced with several long, maneuvering and bitter fights lobbying the legislature, the citizens back home were gathering land and finances. They were beginning to build on their dream. That is how determined they were to fulfill their dreams of higher education in this growing farming town and county of "M" in Oklahoma territory. They had a dream and as a community they came together to build it.

For more details concerning the "Castle on the Hill", you may go to my Okie Legacy web site at Building of the Northwestern Normal School and read more about it.

The early morning hours of March 1, 1935, Friday, will live in infamy for many of the Old Timers of this NW Oklahoma community. That is when their beloved "Castle on the Hill" burned down. The cause of the fire has been largely a matter of speculation ranging from faulty electrical wiring -- To spontaneous combustion in a janitor's closet -- To a carelessly tossed cigarette.

From a journal that my Grandpa McGill kept this is what he wrote March 1, 1935 -- "The old Administration building burned down -- Boy! Was everybody sick! March 14, 1935 -- $300,000 passed by both houses to rebuild. Only 4 opposition -- Parade by everybody at noon, March 14, 1935."

The pioneers of the growing city of Alva and county of "M" (Woods, Alfalfa and Major) in Oklahoma territory had their prairie of dreams. One of those dreams was to see their children educated. They set their goal to build their "Castle on the Hill" for themselves, their children and their children's children. It began with 166 students in September, 1897 and grew to 2,000 students in 1999. They accomplished their prairie of dreams with the pioneer spirit and determination that drove so many to this new land of opportunities -- And they came in droves from the eastern and western seaboards and across the oceans for a new beginning.

Don't give up on your dreams. Where would we be if our pioneers had given up on their dreams. There may be times that you take a step back, but there will always be times when you take two steps forward to seeing your dreams fulfilled. What we need is more dreamers and people with determination to ease and move us progessively forward in the evolution of our life.
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