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This
issue of The Message Tree has been one that to us
was exciting to compile, from the interview with
Peter Engler, the road trip to the Douglas County
Historical and Genealogical Society and Museum, and
all the other articles in this issue, we have
really been busy in both the field and the office,
bringing to you, new material.
As
long time artists and crafters, we have admired the
work of Peter Engler as well as his foresight and
efforts to promote and preserve the Ozarks that we
all so dearly love. Not only is Pete an extremely
talented individual, but also he really understands
and cares deeply for the hill country and its
people. Please take a moment to read his story and
you will have a greater understanding of recent
history in the Branson area.
Ann
was so moved by Mr. Englers story that she has
submitted an editorial, The Rape of the Hills,
expressing her fears and concerns regarding the
effect of progress, a subject that relates to the
current events in the Branson region, events that
too many of us are ignoring as we stay glued to the
media's coverage of geopolitical concerns.
Watching
the Grammy Awards, this past month, for some reason
I was touched by the opening act, Simon and
Garfunkel, as they performed their classic ballad,
The Sounds of Silence. In particular the following
verses gave me reason for thought;
'Neath the halo
of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon
light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.
And in the naked light
I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.
It occurred to me that these
lines were of great significance, as today too many
of us that are caught in the middle of society are
remaining silent and failing to take advantage of
our rights under the Constitution to make our
voices heard. Special interest groups representing
agendas of the far left, the far right, and big
business have spoken out and gained the attention
of our leaders, in these groups many talk without
speaking using rhetoric designed to hide their
agendas, in our society many hear without listening
believing that the speakers are telling seemingly
logical truths that really are facades that hide
the real truths then without questioning they
follow behind those who would lead them astray,
many write songs that our voices, the voices of the
majority, never share, and out of the fear of being
ostracized, the majority of us do not disturb the
sound of silence. It seems to me that now is the
time for us to break the sound of silence, make our
voices heard, demand some common sense in all
legislation. Neither the far right nor the far left
should dominate the vast majority of us in the
middle, and we should cry out in a constructive
manner pleading for compromise, a general
consensus. Common sense should prevail in all
debates without a minority pressing its views and
opinions on the majority. That is why The Message
Tree has published Ann's editorial this month, we
see a need here in the Ozarks for everyone to speak
out and ask our officials to seek a compromise
between unbridled progress and inflexible
preservation. We need jobs and improvements to the
infrastructure, but do we have to lose our natural
scenic beauty, our culture and heritage, our
individualism that makes the Ozarks a special
place, just in order to placate those who would
profit and run leaving all of us, native and
newcomer alike in a place no different from the
cities many of us have come here to escape from? I
don't think so, but why don't you read Ann's
editorial, consider the thoughts therein and decide
for yourself, that is what being an Ozarker, an
American is all about, the freedom to think for
yourself and make your own decisions.
On
another note I have always loved to watch and to
listen to people, observing the funny things they
say and do. Watermelon Seeds, is another one of
those stories from personal experiences in the
rural Ozarks, one that I am sure you will enjoy,
especially if you happen to be someone who at one
time or another has "put in a garden."
The
author Don Goldsmith, tells how one day he found in
a flea market, an old Spanish bit, that at one time
in the past had been a part of a horse's bridle.
While examining this bit his mind wandered and he
visualized how the bit might have came to be found
in the Midwest. From this "daydream" he developed a
fictional storyline of how a sixteenth century
Spaniard might have became separated from his party
exploring the Great Plains, no doubt in search of
the mythical Eldorado or city of gold, and how this
individual might have been accepted into one of the
nomadic tribes of indigenous people of America, the
Plains Indian. Subsequently Mr. Goldsmith wrote and
published a dozen or more paperback books that
detailed the life of this fictional Spaniard and
offspring from his union with a native princess,
following their story through several generations.
Actually these books were quite good, very
believable, and most of all they left me with a
sense that every artifact, every antique, be it in
a flea market or museum, has a story to tell, you
just have to open your mind to hear that tale. In
this issue of The Message Tree we have an article
on one of the area's best museums and Jim has
embarked upon a new story line that will not only
entertain you but will also give you a glimpse of
local culture, from the dawn of history to present
day.
The
Douglas County Historical and Genealogical Society
and Museum, in Ava is full of artifacts, each one
with a story to tell. This collection of
memorabilia, will tell you of the life and times of
those hardy folks that transformed one part of the
Ozarks Wilderness into what we now know as Douglas
County. This is one of those places that you must
take the kids or grandkids for a visit, someplace
that will entertain and educate, but not break your
budget like those big city interpretative centers
with big city admission fees.
Jim,
in the sprit of the great author James Mitchner, is
now feverishly working on a series of articles that
will transport you back in history to prehistoric
times in what is modern day Stone County, where he
will introduce you to the inhabitants of the White
River Valley, and follow the lives and times of
these people, those who arrived there after them
and the chain of events that led up to present day
Kimberling City. This is exciting as we may be
watching what might become an important piece of
American literature as it is being
written.
The
special edition of THE MESSAGE TREE that went out
in mid February was a BIG success, and we are glad
that many of you enjoyed the collection of past
work that Jim did on the Kimberling City area of
Stone County. All in all, you have helped to make
this electronic magazine what it is today and we
hope we can continue to live up to your
expectations. With over twelve thousand "hits" for
the month of February, we know that the magazine is
getting read by a large audience. So hang in there,
we have much more planned, for example I'm twisting
Jim's arm to have the next installment of his new
series ready by the middle of this month so you
won't have to wait for an entire month.
So until next we
meet.
Ed
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Stone
Creek Crossing
