Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace - Mar 1997

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Mar 1997

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace.” Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in March of 1997.

Matt Winslow, President and CEO of Bevins and Winslow ISP, Inc., announced that effective April 1, 1997, the company name would be changed to Ozarks Communications, Inc. (OCI) due to the growth of the company, the area served, and the new services being offered. OCI now offered cable television services as well as Internet access services. The company was also positioned to provide telephone services to communities, as well.

Karen Winslow, Chair of The Bevins Trust, announced the formation of a Central Office for The Bevins Trust and affiliated companies, effective April 1, to be headed by Susan Winslow, Vice-President of Administrative Services. This action was a next step of the ongoing reorganization announced in February. The Central Office will consolidate all accounting, finance, human resources, benefits administration and risk management activities of the units and companies served. Susan Winslow was quoted as saying this centralized office will bring more efficiency to the operations as well as allow continued improvements in the effectiveness of each of the administrative services provided to the work force in each affiliated company. The Central Office will be located in The Bevins Trust building, next door to City Hall, which also houses the Ozarks Communications, Inc., offices and shops.

The Oak Springs Historical and Genealogical Society published a notice in the Oak Springs Enterprise reminding community members that they still seek information, documents, photographs, and other artifacts from the early days of the settlement of the valley we now know as Oak Creek Township. Items from the early 20th Century should also be considered. If you have materials, of any kind, that you think might be of interest, please contact Judy Winslow at the City Library. A hard-working volunteer committee will evaluate the material for you. The Society is not looking for the materials to be donated, unless you want to. They only want to inspect, perhaps copy, and record the information, materials or artifacts as part of their study of the early days of this fine community. Your help and serious consideration are appreciated.

Locals:

The Annual Alumni Basketball Exhibition Game, featuring an Oak Springs Alumni Basketball team versus the Oak Springs High School Boys Team, which represents the end of the current season, will be held on Saturday night, March 29, at the Oak Springs High School Gymnasium. Proceeds from the game benefit the High School Athletic Equipment Fund. This is always a fun game for everyone in the community.

Paul Gates, General Manager, announced that the Oak Creek Mill and Mill Market would resume a full seven-day a week schedule for the season beginning on Monday, March 24. Hours will be 10 am to 6 pm daily. The admission price for the Mill tour will stay the same as last year; admission to the Mill Market is free. Gates also announced that for the first full week, from March 24 to 30, as an Area Appreciation promotion, admission to the Mill Tour would be half-price and many other activities would have special pricing as well. He added they were hoping for good weather so that many people from the community would be able to participate.

Social Notes:

The Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party at the Oak Springs Country Club was well attended as usual. Harry and Sarah Flanders chaired the arrangements committee this year and were able to have an authentic Irish Pipe Band from Houston provide the featured entertainment for the event.

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."




Dr. Bill  ;-)

Hometown Monday - S is for Scott, Sheila, Susan and more

Hometown Monday - S is for Scott, Sheila, Susan and more

We are continuing this series of posts of excerpts from the novels, novellas, and short stories of "The Homeplace Saga" family story-telling, with a new twist. We have adopted a format from the: "Blogging From A to Z Challenge." Each week we will share a published except related to a person whose name begins with that letter. 

This series of posts is to provide an insight into the story lines that may not be clear from other promotional pieces about "The Homeplace Saga." These will also be coordinated with the content of the developmental Wiki, "Beyond the Books" - to expand the information available there, as well. [Links in the text, below, provide more information on that person or entity]

Today we look at names beginning with the letter S.

For S, we have (with two excerpts, below):

Sandra Cooper - Social Worker - in Oregon - introduced in "Christmas at the Homeplace"

Scott Gates - son of Paul and Beverly Gates

Sean - caterer for Karen

Sheila Gates - daughter of Paul and his first wife

Steve Ingalls - director of training at the college

Susan 'Susie' (Norris) WInslow - Mrs. Matt Winslow

This excerpt is from "The Homeplace Revisited" is from Chapter 21, Tuesday, September, 1996:

In the afternoon, after classes at the college, Scott and Bart had an opportunity to discuss the farming related job description statements. Scott appreciated the opportunity of become involved and offered some useful suggestions to the statements Bart had drafted. It again reminded Bart of the many elements that were actually involved in the process, some that others would not think of if they were not directly involved in the operation. 

Scott took the opportunity to talk to Bart some more about longer-term considerations… beyond his graduation next spring from the two year Farming Operations program. He also mentioned his girl friend, Rachel, and that they were asking some of these questions, as well. Bart asked Scott about his level of interest in continuing his education beyond next year. 

Scott said he had already discussed this with his dad, Paul, and they had agreed it would be all right not to go off to further schooling if he could become more involved with actual farming operations here. He would continue to be interested in short courses and workshops to continue to keep up with new developments, but he had little interest, ‘no interest, really’ in further classroom work.

As they continued their conversation, Bart suggested that this was actually a good time to be talking about this, because some changes were likely coming along in the operations of the Bevins Trust farmlands that would provide more opportunity for Scott if he was really committed to that. They agreed to continue these discussions as the fall and winter season progressed. 

This excerpt is from "Christmas at the Homeplace" is from Chapter 10, Wednesday, November 13, 1996:

Harry Flanders at the bank, acting this time as a Bevins Trust trustee, had invited Matt and Susie Winslow to meet with him and trustee Lyle Cunningham as well as retired trustee George Chambers in the bank conference room at 1:30 in the afternoon to talk about the reorganization activities the trustees were working on. 

George took the lead in talking about the work that he, Harry and Lyle had been charged with regarding the ‘central administrative office’ concept that had been presented at the earlier trustee meetings. He summarized what they had done, to date, including conversations with both Matt and Susie, individually, over recent weeks.

“We are at a point where a more detailed, specific proposal needs to be developed. Each element needs to be explored in more depth, questions asked, answers obtained and incorporated into the proposal,” George stated. Harry and Lyle commented their concurrence and each added their own thoughts.

George then said, to Susie, directly, “We’d like to ask you, Susie, to consider a contract with us to develop this proposal in detail. We are suggesting about a ‘half-time effort’ extending over probably two or three months, as we go through the end-of-the-year processes. We want you to look at our accounting, tax work, personnel and recruiting, payroll, all human resources activities, risk management and whatever else needs to included to be comprehensive, whether we now buy these services or do them internally. This includes all these activities across all of the things The Bevins Trust is now doing and is contemplating. This would include what we are coming to call ‘The McDonald Conservancy’ concept and setting up a ‘Bevins Corporation’ of the agriculture and related for-profit businesses we conduct. It also includes the Stables, The Mill and our agreement with Matt’s ISP business, of course.”

He continued, “From what we have learned, your background actually has prepared you very well to do this, possibly better than anyone else we could ask. We are fortunate to have you available, at this time. There is one more thing to consider, which is a bit unusual, as well. We are thinking of an Executive Director to head up this new unit, under The Bevins Trust and the Board of Trustees. We assume that by the time you finish the proposal, that you would be better qualified than anyone to fill that position. So, it will be acceptable, and nearly expected, that the proposal read that way. If you feel that is inappropriate, it will be up to you to tell us that.”

George stopped for a moment, as he often did. “What do you think of this idea? Will you do it?”

She was careful to respond carefully and not too quickly. “It would be hard to turn down. I am flattered and humbled that you would make me this offer. It is far more than I had hoped for, but I do feel, as you said, that my prior work has actually well prepared me for most of the assignment. You must have talked to some of my former bosses, to even know that.” Susie smiled, and stopped to catch her breath.

“Yes, we did.” Harry said. “You were highly recommended as a matter of fact. Hearing what we did made us very proud to have you in our community, and in this family, for that matter.”

George then offered, “Shall we get into some details and get to work?”

“Yes,” Susie replied, “Let’s get to work on it.”

"May each of us have a Homeplace to hold onto, if only in our minds."

Bill  ;-)

Hometown Monday - Harry, Heather and Ivy this week

Hometown Monday - Harry, Heather and Ivy this week

We are continuing this series of posts of excerpts from the novels, novellas, and short stories of "The Homeplace Saga" family story-telling, with a new twist. We have adopted a format from the: "Blogging From A to Z Challenge." Each week we will share a published except related to a person whose name begins with that letter. 

This series of posts is to provide an insight into the story lines that may not be clear from other promotional pieces about "The Homeplace Saga." These will also be coordinated with the content of the developmental Wiki, "Beyond the Books" - to expand the information available there, as well. [Links in the text, below, provide more information on that person or entity]

Today we look at name beginning with H and I. For H and I, we have (with two excerpts, below):

Harry Flanders - banker - outside trustee of the Bevins Trust - see first excerpt, below

Heather Gates - daughter of Paul and Beverly (Bevins) Gates - sophomore in high school - see second excerpt, below

Ivy Grapes - friend of Peter Bevins - in Oregon - introduced in "Christmas at the Homeplace"

The Harry Flanders excerpt from "Back to the Homeplace" is from Saturday, April 25, 1987:

        Waiting in Harry Flander’s office at the Oak Springs Savings Bank took Jason back to his old office in the Salt River Towers in Arizona. The interior decor was so similar, Jason noticed: Walnut paneling… full bookcases… spacious desk and brown leather chairs. This was in contrast to the view out the window. Outside the bank office window was the greenery of a small Missouri community.

        The town square was very active this Saturday morning in late April. All the comings and goings of the old downtown square shops were quite visible from the banker's office window. There is a man in coveralls going into the Coast-to-Coast store to get some yard work supplies. The young mother with three children in tow headed for the Buster Brown shoe store.  A teenager coming out of the Rexall Drug Store on the corner reading a comic book.

        "Sorry, I got tied up a few minutes out there, Jason. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." Harry came into the room, almost breathless.

        "No problem, Harry. I'm enjoying the view. My office in Arizona had a similar window but it was on the tenth floor and looked out over the valley. There's no urban sprawl out this window.”

         "Not that you can see, you're right. We are beginning to experience the problem, though. Since the college was built out west of town, more and more of our good farmland on that side of town is being taken up with development. Can you believe we have such a problem, right here in Oak Springs?"

        "I guess we can be thankful our place is north and east of town. Maybe we'll be safe for a few more years." Jason took a seat by the desk as Harry settled in behind it. "I came in to arrange for our crop expenses money. It certainly was a good thing the trust provided for financing. Farming is a costly venture."

        "You are right, Jason. Farming these days is all business for those who have survived… big business in most cases.

        Jason nodded his head in concurrence. "Our suppliers expect a check the first of the month. If having the financing available isn't handled properly, the costs are even higher." He handed Harry a folder of papers. "I think I have all the papers you need right here. Bart was a big help to me in compiling some of figures you need."

        Harry Flanders reviewed the papers in the file carefully. Jason noticed that Harry was looking for specific items as he went through each sheet of paper. He did not take much time, but he was very thorough. "Very well done, Jason. You followed the guidelines very closely. We appreciate that. It helps us keep the money circulating. That's real good for the economy."

        "I understand your daughter is making a real contribution to the economy, too, Harry! How is the wedding coming by now?"

        "Did you need to remind me, Jason? It is six weeks away yet. I may be broke before that time!" Harry beamed with pride, regardless of his words. "I just hope Doug doesn't back out now that we've gone this far."

        "You're joking, I assume."

        "Yes, although he has really been jumpy the last few days. I could understand his nervousness in a new town those first few weeks. Then he seemed to settle in comfortably. Now he seems so preoccupied. I've tried to talk to him, but he says he is fine. Hope so!" He had finished checking Jason's papers and was filling out a form. "This will authorize the transfer of funds you need. Thanks for the good information."

         "That's the least I can do, Harry. I'm just thankful Bart has been so helpful. We make a pretty good team, actually." Jason got up to leave.

         "Glad to hear it. Makes all our work easier."

         Jason extended his hand. "Thanks, again, for your assistance."

         Harry came around the desk to shake hands. They walked to the door together. "That's what I'm here for. Keep me up to date on how things are going."

The Heather Gates excerpt from "The Homeplace Revisited" is from Saturday, August 24, 1996:

         Jennifer and Heather were going over the horse breeding plan that Heather had begun to develop following their discussion with Diane. Jennifer shared with Heather that her check on Sunshine was entirely positive. Heather was now tracking Sunshine’s cycle and would keep Jennifer aware of her status. Together they had checked the semen sources and were ready to move ahead when the time was right. 

         Diane joined them, reviewed the plans, and gave her approval to move ahead. She had one additional bit of information for Heather. “If you are to use this for an FFA project, there is one other thing we need to do, I think. You need to have a more personal investment in the project. I have talked to both Bart, and your father, Paul, and we all agree that this foal of Sunshine should become your foal to raise as your own horse. Would you like that?” 

         “Really? Is that possible? It would be wonderful? But, how can it be possible? I don’t have any money to buy it?”

         Diane replied: “We need to work out a formal agreement of course, but that is not difficult. You have already shown a real dedication to our horse operation with your everyday work ethic. We love having you working here, and both the horses and our customers love to have you here. We already have our ‘credits’ system in place for boarded horses, like Christopher’s Shadow and others, for example. Some of the work you do will build ‘credits;’ as it grows, we’ll board the horse here and let the horse earn credits, as well, as a trail horse. As it works out you can learn how that works as part of your FFA project as well. OK?”

          “Thank you, so very much. I will work very hard to earn this opportunity. You really mean it, don’t you? Wow! Thanks!”

          “We really mean it, yes. Right, Jennifer?” Diane looked at her daughter, then back to Heather.

Jennifer replied, “Yes, we do! Welcome to full membership in the team here.”

"May each of us have a Homeplace to hold onto, if only in our minds."

Bill  ;-)