Oklahoma City Memories

[skyrick]

The 'white flight' took place @1970 when Judge Bohannon (?) issued the
busing rule.

What was the name of the steak house on N.W. 23rd and N. Lottie? I had a
friend that lived across the street from it.

Busing began with the '68-'69 school year. I went to Harding 9th grade '67-'68. The next year Harding was a JHS and we got bussed to Northeast HS. I don't think it was citywide at first. I remember in 11th grade '69-'70 they started the "Block" system. a 2 1/2 hr class in the morning and another in the afternoon. Your classes were M & Th or Tu & F. Each campus had a specialty. NE was the Science campus, I think JM was the Math campus. Had a bunch of John Marshallers in my Senior chemistry class.

[MikeOKC]

PC West was opened in 1968, so it pretty much coincided with that time frame but the movement to the PC district began earlier as you stated. My parents had a rental by Buchanan Elementary when we first moved to OKC (1964) but bought a house a half mile west into the PC district (Hilldale) in 1965 well before bussing and me starting school in 1969. PC North opened in 1978.

There is a sad situation. Hilldale was once a crown jewel of the Putnam City school district. Been there lately? I know a teacher who left there a year ago and she said it is very transient with lots of minorities moving in and out of all the nearby apartments; almost none of them with a father at home and they are all too familiar with the streets at that tender age. Discipline is almost impossible to maintain and it's just a mess. But......it's diverse! Praise the diversity! Multiculturalism has done so much for Putnam City Schools...the posters on the school walls say so, dammit!! Sadly kidding of course.

[corpsman]

PC West was opened in 1968, so it pretty much coincided with that time frame but the movement to the PC district began earlier as you stated. My parents had a rental by Buchanan Elementary when we first moved to OKC (1964) but bought a house a half mile west into the PC district (Hilldale) in 1965 well before bussing and me starting school in 1969. PC North opened in 1978.

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All right, I've got you all by a few years.....My sister-in-law graduated from Grant in 1968.....Judge Luther Bohanon declared the busing situation in '68 to commence with the 1968-1969 school year. There were problems with getting bus schedules etc. but, that is when the busing began. I was in my middle 20's and thought just how stupid could this be. Most of the southside "white Flight" began towards Moore, Western Heights, Newcastle,Mustang.....look at the demographics and aerial photos of that time and you'll see

True, but you're missing my point. The demographics of OKC were changing BEFORE Judge Bohannon's rulings. Whites started moving away from the near NE side of OKC before 1960. All of our neighbors who lived next to us on NE 25 had moved well before school busing began. My little sister graduated from John Marshall in 1970 and hers was the last class unaffected by busing at JM. Bohannon DID cause lots more people to move out of OKC Pub School areas, to PC at first (that's why PC had to add PC North and PC West), and also Edmond & Mustang. All I said originally was that "white flight" was taking place in OKC in the 50's and that is true.

Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools v. Dowell

The link is to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to terminate of the decision of Judge Bohannan to force the OKC school board to implement the Finger Plan and forced busing in 1972. I don't dispute either of your memories as I graduated from Enid in '67, and did not move here until 1972.

[MikeOKC]

However, Bohanon had issued an earlier order that began in 1968/1969. Two completely separate deals. Some of the worst days during all of this was at Northwest Classen Hign School shortly after the school year began in September of 1969. Look it up in the Oklahoman archives, it's fascinating reading.

[ddavidson8]

I can tell you from experience, that the more "diverse" a school is, the more it will struggle with test scores and probably discipline.

[MikeOKC]

delete

[MikeOKC]

I can tell you from experience, that the more "diverse" a school is, the more it will struggle with test scores and probably discipline.

No question about it. But, isn't it wonderful? Doesn't it just make you feel good? (cough, cough)

[JMGrad68]

Wow, I didn't really intend to bring up all of these "fond memories". So it was the "Finger Plan", how appropriate, lol. Anyway, anyone else ever go to the Ritz in Britton? It was only 20 cents to get in, and I had to run out during "The House on Haunted Hill" when I saw the floating head. And back to my original questions, Address of Black Brick and names and pics of Y Jr Baseball teams? Nichols Hills Rattlesnakes Midget B about 1961 - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

[gen70]

Wow, I didn't really intend to bring up all of these "fond memories". So it was the "Finger Plan", how appropriate, lol. Anyway, anyone else ever go to the Ritz in Britton? It was only 20 cents to get in, and I had to run out during "The House on Haunted Hill" when I saw the floating head. And back to my original questions, Address of Black Brick and names and pics of Y Jr Baseball teams? Nichols Hills Rattlesnakes Midget B about 1961 - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

I remember going to the Ritz as a kid with my parents. Is there anything in the theatre bldg. now?

[ddavidson8]

I always wanted to get in the building as a kid (it has always been closed in my memory).

[JMGrad68]

I don't think so, I took this pic of it a week or so ago... Ritz Theater in Brtitton April 2010 - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

[Generals64]

Wow, I didn't really intend to bring up all of these "fond memories". So it was the "Finger Plan", how appropriate, lol. Anyway, anyone else ever go to the Ritz in Britton? It was only 20 cents to get in, and I had to run out during "The House on Haunted Hill" when I saw the floating head. And back to my original questions, Address of Black Brick and names and pics of Y Jr Baseball teams? Nichols Hills Rattlesnakes Midget B about 1961 - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

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Hey guy:....the memories and discussions we have on this board are tremendous. we all have memories of different times and of different things. Just glad we have some more Northside people involved. Your question to the Black Brick is that it was about two blocks east of OCU. the area has since been demolished. I remember going there in about 1965. Though Carltonskeeper and I harass each other we are good friends for many years and he has a memory like a steel trap. He has undoubtedly missed this question but, I'll talk with him this week and get you a pretty accurate address.....That was probably one of his many haunts growing up ....(until he figured out it was "Near" Beer)....Tall Girl has a picture of a baseball team. get her to post it for you.

[JMGrad68]

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Hey guy:....the memories and discussions we have on this board are tremendous. we all have memories of different times and of different things. Just glad we have some more Northside people involved. Your question to the Black Brick is that it was about two blocks east of OCU. the area has since been demolished. I remember going there in about 1965. Though Carltonskeeper and I harass each other we are good friends for many years and he has a memory like a steel trap. He has undoubtedly missed this question but, I'll talk with him this week and get you a pretty accurate address.....That was probably one of his many haunts growing up ....(until he figured out it was "Near" Beer)....Tall Girl has a picture of a baseball team. get her to post it for you.

Thanks, Generals64, that's about what I remember, on N McKinley or so. And a garage with a Black Brick somehow attached to the door as a sign...and lots of pillows to sit on and maybe weird fruit drinks...and smoke in the air, was that incense? lol. Is that Grant Generals? A lot of red and blue/gray paint was spent on splattering each others schools back then...

[corpsman]

Wow, I didn't really intend to bring up all of these "fond memories". So it was the "Finger Plan", how appropriate, lol. Anyway, anyone else ever go to the Ritz in Britton? It was only 20 cents to get in, and I had to run out during "The House on Haunted Hill" when I saw the floating head. And back to my original questions, Address of Black Brick and names and pics of Y Jr Baseball teams? Nichols Hills Rattlesnakes Midget B about 1961 - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

Never made it to the Ritz, but ate many a lunch at the A&A Cafe. Best chicken and noodles of any restaurant anywhere, Monday lunch special as I recall. Old grandma type made the noodles from scratch, made really good cinnamon rolls fresh, too; but you had to get there way early in the morning or else they were sold out.

[USG '60]

I too was thinking it was on McKinley... in fact, I thought it was where the Blue Door is now ... maybe?

[JMGrad68]

Hey Corpsman, first of all, thanks for being a corpsman. Next, see anything familiar here?
Britton OK about 1949, looking W on Britton Rd - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

[bluedogok]

There is a sad situation. Hilldale was once a crown jewel of the Putnam City school district. Been there lately?

My parents still live in the same house a couple of blocks from Hilldale, my sister lives down the street from Mayfield and is a teacher in an elementary school that feeds into PC West so they are still very much in the area. I know that both Mayfield and West changed between the 12 years difference that my sister and I have, she taught at Mayfield for awhile when she moved back from Little Rock and it had changed even more in just the 5 years removed from the schools being at OU/UCO and a year in Little Rock.

[papaOU]

Thanks, Generals64, that's about what I remember, on N McKinley or so. And a garage with a Black Brick somehow attached to the door as a sign...and lots of pillows to sit on and maybe weird fruit drinks...and smoke in the air, was that incense? lol. Is that Grant Generals? A lot of red and blue/gray paint was spent on splattering each others schools back then...

Sounds like the People's Workshop on Paseo!

[MikeOKC]

Hey Corpsman, first of all, thanks for being a corpsman. Next, see anything familiar here?
Britton OK about 1949, looking W on Britton Rd - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

What a great pic of Britton! I know there was a TG&Y tucked in that little downtown and a grocery store. What's in the pic that should look familiar?

[gen70]

Hey Corpsman, first of all, thanks for being a corpsman. Next, see anything familiar here?
Britton OK about 1949, looking W on Britton Rd - OKCTalk Photo Gallery

I use to go to a bar in that area in the 70's called "Ruby Tuesdays".

[skyrick]

I use to go to a bar in that area in the 70's called "Ruby Tuesdays".

I drove a beer truck for Dale Distributing, the local Miller franchise, back then. Every Friday I would grab a carton of plastic beer cups, with permission of course, and head out to Ruby's with 5 or 6 friends to "deliver" the cups. Never once paid to get in there.

[gen70]

I drove a beer truck for Dale Distributing, the local Miller franchise, back then. Every Friday I would grab a carton of plastic beer cups, with permission of course, and head out to Ruby's with 5 or 6 friends to "deliver" the cups. Never once paid to get in there.

Pretty wild place, wasn't it !?!?

[skyrick]

Pretty wild place, wasn't it !?!?

Not as wild as the Longbranch on Agnew!

[gen70]

Not as wild as the Longbranch on Agnew!

Yeah, it was. I saw David Alan Coe, Hank williams Jr., Jimmy Buffett, Canned Heat, Vince Vance and the Valiants and a few more bands that, I can't remember in that place.

[Generals64]

Yeah, it was. I saw David Alan Coe, Hank williams Jr., Jimmy Buffett, Canned Heat, Vince Vance and the Valiants and a few more bands that, I can't remember in that place.

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O.K. guys, I'm officially gettting old....I forgot about the Longbranch.....