CommunityHow do we define community? The word community is closely related to the word common - and not just the common that means ordinary - but the common that binds us together, that which benefits us all. Common land! Common bond! Common benefit! Museums should be thought of in those terms of community for they are a public trust. They provide us with a common bond, rest on common land and serve for our common benefit.
We sometimes are tempted to dismiss words which have become so mindlessly used, words such as democracy, self-determination, enlightenment; words which should signal prime importance are seldom given any real meaning at all.
Such a word is community, especially in our search for identity for the Cherokee National Historical Society. To find our true identity, we must return to that which is important, the base for which the original vision was created: community!
Our basic role, then, is to make ourselves accessible to our community, in the literal sense of operational hours and in the more abstract sense of displays, programming, accountability and administration. In all areas of our mission we must see ourselves s belonging to all, benefiting all, and available to all.
Community is one of the most used and abused words in our contemporary cultural jargon. What do we at the Cherokee National Historical Society mean by 'community'? We mean you! If we are to be a benefit to you, useful to you, and ultimately belong to you - the community - we must develop in a way to serve you. You and I must have that one thing in common - our joint ownership of the Cherokee Heritage Center.
Mac R. Harris
Executive Director
Carrie Bushyhead To Teach at Adams Corner
The Cherokee Heritage Center has launched new education program. The
first objective of the program is to successfully reproduce a day in 1896 at
a one-room schoolhouse in Tahlequah, Indian Territory. The day will be
at the Swimmer schoolhouse in the Adams Corner Rural Village and the
Cherokee National Museum which are located at the Heritage Center. The
second objective is to establish a cultural enrichment program for fourth
graders which will complement their Oklahoma history studies. The
program will be offered on a reservation basis to area I schools during
the months of November and December, 1995 and March through May, l996.
Renowned Tahlequah playwright/actor, Laurette Willis of Dovetail Productions, designed the program for the Cherokee Heritage Center. She will also help launch the program by portraying Adams Schoolteacher, Miss Carrie Bushyhead. Miss Bushyhead served as a teacher in Indian Territory for almost fifty years. She was the sister of Principal Chief Dennis Wolfe Bushyhead and the daughter of Reverend Jesse Bushyhead. Miss Bushyhead, a survivor of the Trail of Tears, attended and taught at the original Cherokee Female Seminary which stood on the grounds where the Cherokee Heritage Center is now located. Mrs. Willis will bring this prominent Indian Territory educator to life for school children.
"I am excited to work with the Cherokee Heritage Center. This type of program has been very successful in other parts of the state. I believe that it will be a very popular historical program with schools in Green Country and the surrounding area," said Willis.
The children's instruction will include opening exercises, penmanship using the Palmer method, "the Syllabary Song" written by Mrs. Willis, reading, orthography, arithmetic, storytelling, geography, history, personal hygiene, physiology and spelling.
The day will be authentic in every possible detail. Students may be asked to volunteer to come to the "recitation bench". The scholars will be given word problems congruent with the period. Time permitting, there can be a ciphering contest. The Adams "school marm" will tell or read a short story from Cherokee folklore, Aesop's fables or a short morality story. "Current" events will be covered. Girls first, then boys will take turns going to the back of the room to wash their hands in the basin. During this time, the children will be instructed on the importance of cleanliness, exercise and the harmful effects of alcohol, narcotics and tobacco. After lunch, the children will play games popular in the 1890s.
Pre-visit and post-visit activities will be outlined in a manual designed by Mrs. Willis for fourth grade teachers and their students. Some of the activities include a description of education in Indian Territory in 1896, a note on 19th century discipline and rules of behavior, examples of lessons from the 1890's geared to 4th grade level, follow-up activities to be completed in their classrooms and a sample letter to parents indicating such matters as simple old-fashioned clothing which may be worn during their visit.
According to Willis, "Combined with the exhibits in the Museum, this will prove a valuable all-day field trip from schools throughout Oklahoma. Families of the children who have taken part in the 1896 Adams School Program in the autumn or spring will be more likely to visit again in the summer to experience the Ancient Village and "Trail of Tears" Drama to see for themselves the wonderful, magical place their children keep telling them about!"
For more information about the program, please call the Cherokee Heritage
Center's Education Department at 1-918-456-6007. [ed. note: Although this article is from 1995, the museum continues to offer this type of opportunity for schools to use the rural village and its heritage farm in their school programing.]
From The Cherokee Advocate, October 12, 1883Indian Commissioner Price has forbidden the privilege of dancing to the tribes under his supervision. This is exactly the opposite of lndian courtesy which occasionally goes to the extent of making Indian agents dance. We should suppose that the Indians have as much right to dance as the whites or the blacks or the dancing-jacks that we purchase, at Christmas for our babies. The Commissioner also has issued an order restraining the tribes from the practice of polygamy. Now if the Indians danced waltzes, the last order might shed some light on the first; but such is not the case. The dusky child of the forest never takes a female partner nor allows females to hang around his fandango, and his dancing is but an expression of inward feelings by rhythmical movements of the body. His dance is the dance of nature; the dance of children, the dance before the altars and around the statues of pagan times; the dance of David before the ark; the dance of Moses and Miriam when the Israelites passed the Red Sea as on dry land. But it is not the kind of-dance to suit Commissioner Price. He wants a general hugging dance, and if he cannot get that he will insist that the Indians cannot go ahead with their dance.
Want To Adopt a Part of History?Here's your chance to be a part of a special event: "Ground Up at Tsa-La-Gi!".
Together with the community, the Cherokee Heritage Center is working very hard to not only renovate but re-invent the Cherokee Heritage Center. Unfortunately, it is going to take much more than the time and hard work of dedicated volunteers. The Cherokee Heritage Center needs money to make this very special project succeed. We are looking for individuals, such as yourself, to adopt a piece of "Ground Up!".
There are numerous tasks that require our attention. We would encourage everyone to not only buy a piece of history but also be a part of history. The unique nature of this project allows you to decide how much you want to donate and where you want your money to go. If you would like to participate or if you have questions about the "Ground Up at Tsa-La-Gi", please contact Mac R. Harris at (918) 456-6007. All donations will be greatly appreciated. Words can not express how grateful we are for the continuing support. Whether it is time, materials or money - it provides us encouragement and guarantees the future of the Cherokee Heritage Center!
If you would like to be a part of "Ground Up", you can send a check or credit card details to The Cherokee National Historical Society, P.O.Box 515, Tahlequah, OK 74465 or call (918) 446-6007 stating what task or part of task you wish to adopt. (Please use the task number)
Fully tax deductible under IRS 501(c)3 regulations.
Cherokee National Museum
Prepares New Exhibits
Changes begun last year at the Cherokee Heritage Center continue as the Cherokee National Museum focuses on the presentation of Cherokee culture and arts from the Cherokee point of view.
During the early months of 1997, the Cherokee National Museum staff installed a new series of exhibits designed to focus on lifestyle and culture, as exemplified in objects and artifacts, rather than artifacts displays with only the date and cultural group identified on accompanying labels. Curved panels have been constructed to give the museum visitor a sense of immersion or being surrounded by the display.
The central theme of the new exhibits is expressed to the right of the entrance, "Deferring to Our Elders," which is the museum's first in-depth presentation of traditional Cherokee culture. "Deferring to Our Elders" identifies a select group of elders in both North Carolina and Oklahoma and their place in Cherokee society.
Upon entering the gallery, visitors will see a map of the Cherokee lands. Photographs and murals on the panels present traditional
Cherokee lifestyle and note changes and cultural blends following European contact. One panel addresses the subject of broken treaties and creation of Indian lands in the west. The display leads to a panel featuring Charlie Starr, the first of two elders to be profiled. Other elders and their contributions are featured on other panels.
"Threads of Time" Quilt Show Proves Popular
One of the challenges facing a museum during a remodeling phase is what to show. Although most of the museum's exhibitions feature arts, crafts, and artifacts, we decided to have a quilt exhibition. Evidently, the museum visitor
Our choice was to show mostly art, but we thought a quilt show would be an interesting change of pace. We were right. The Threads of Time quilt show was one the most popular exhibits held at the Cherokee National Museum in many years. More than seventy quilts with some connection with the Cherokee Nation were on display. Going beyond mere display, a hands-on area was created for children to make a "quilt" with wooden pieces. A large wooden frame was constructed on the floor with assorted sizes and shapes. Children were then invited to arrange them in patterns. Also, a quilt frame was suspended from the ceiling and work was done on the quilt throughout the show.
One of the most interesting quilts contained the names of men from Sequoyah county who were in the armed forces. During World War II, families paid to have their son's name placed on the quilt. It was then raffled with the proceeds going to purchase war bonds. One of the names is that of a young Cherokee named Jack Montgomery who went on to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Trail of Tears Art Show Returns to May
The 26th Annual Trail of Tears Art Show opened May 10 and will hang through June 1. Two years ago we experimented with May and found it to be a convenient time for both our staff and patrons. A major change for patrons this year is that there was no cost to attend. The day's events began at 1:00 p.m. with a preview and sale of the art work. Awards were announced at 2:30 after remarks by Principal Chief Joe Byrd.
Troy Anderson of Siloam Springs, Arkansas received the Grand Award for his painting, Ani-tsa- squa. Troy joins a select group of artists who have received two Grand Awards in the Trail of Tears Art Show. His previous top honor was in 1989 with Bird Maiden. Anderson's other top honors in the Trail of Tears Art Show include: Best of Category in Paintings (1983 and 1990); Best Graphics (1986); and, Best Sculpture (1993), as well as numerous Second and Third Place awards.
Donald Vann, from Austin Texas, was awarded Best Painting for The Gift. Valjean Hessing placed Second with The Crossing and Gary Montgomery received Third Place with Winds of War. Each of these artists were previous Grand Award winners, Vann (1990), Hessing (1983 and 1986), and Montgomery (1986). Anita Caldwell Jackson received an Honorable Mention for What Will be Left Will Be Taught.
Anita Caldwell Jackson, from Kiowa, Oklahoma. won the Graphics division with Gathering in Secret. Gwen Coleman's Ties That Bind received Second Place and Betty Fletcher took Third Place with Cool Waters. Honorable Mentions were awarded to: Cheryl Theroux, Cheyenne Buckskin; Bob Thomason, Warrior Spirit; and, Sonya Ayres, Hands of the Craftsmen.
Barthell Little Chief of Anadarko, Oklahoma repeated his performance of two years ago and received Best in Sculpture category for Victory. Susan Ayote Anderson of Arlington, Texas was Second Place with Her Tears Froze on the Trail. Pat Stewart, who now resides in Shawano, Wisconsin, received Third Place with Trail of Tears. Honorable Mentions were awarded to David Bowman for The Noble One and Diane Starr for Bear.
The Trail of Tears Theme category is a recognition of the roots of the this show. In the early years, all entries were required to relate to a removal theme. Later, rules were changed to allow any theme. Anita Cladwell Jackson, winner of the 1996 award, again submitted the winning entry A Tear for Every Season. Joan Hill received Second Place for The Rabbits Will Dance no More (The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek). Gary Montgomery was awarded Third Place for Trail of Tears (Hope). Consistency of Love by Jeanne Walker Rorex received an Honorable Mention.
As always, the competition in the Miniature Category was extremely competitive. Norma Howard, from Stigler, Oklahoma, received Best in Category for Picking Berries. Chris Natachu, of Zuni, New Mexico, was runner-up with Zuni Raindancer. Daniel HorseChief's Caught in a Storm was awarded the Third Place ribbon. An Honorable Mention was claimed by Valjean Hessing for The Stake Holder.
A feature of this year's show was to name The People's Choice. As opening night patrons arrived, each was given a ballot to mark their personal selection. Lois Hulse, from Ft. Smith, Arkansas, was honored with that prize for The Courtship.
Nearly seventy artists are represented in this show with 145 pieces being shown The 1997 show is deliberately smaller than usual and much more competitive. Gallery space is greatly reduced as a result of recent renovations and which necessitate that only the finest pieces be shown.
The juror's for the show were Mary Jo Watson and Tom Woodard. Ms. Watson is currently with the University of Oklahoma's Department of Art. She spent many years with the Oklahoma State Arts Council. Woodard formerly operated art galleries in Sante Fe and Gallup, New Mexico. Both are in great demand as judges. Watson said, "There were many exceptional pieces in this 26th Annual Trail of Tears Art Show." Woodard echoed those sentiments as he stated, "I am very impressed with the quality of art work submitted."
The poster for the 1997 Show is "Eternally One", by Sam Kidd of Muldrow, Oklahoma. This is the first poster to use pencil as its medium. Ms. Kidd is a relative newcomer to the Trail of Tears Art Show and this is her first poster to be produced by the museum.
The Texaco Foundation of White Plains, New York is National Sponsor for the Trail of Tears Art Show.
Cherokee Genealogical Sites on the Web
More and more our telephone callers begin to ask what sources are available on the Internet. Generally these requests concern genealogy, but can often include other sorts of information. This article will be the first of an ongoing effort to keep our membership up to date on what is on the web.
There are countless sites on the web that somehow relate to genealogy. One person who tries to keep count is Cyndi Howell on Cyndi's List of. As of September 18, 1997 she was up to 23,200 links. You may find her at www.CyndisList.com. The site is then divided into several categories, one of which is Native Americans or may be directly addressed at www.CyndisList.com/native.htm.
The big news for those interested in Cherokee research is the availability of the Dawes Roll on the Internet. The National Archives has established a homepage at http://www.nara.gov. It lists the many sources available through the National Archives. A link on that page connects with the NARA Archival Information Locator (NAIL). Unfortunately, only two sources are currently available at this time. The good news is that one is the Dawes Roll, the other is a listing of criminal case records from Ft. Smith.
We gave NAIL a test and found it to be somewhat tricky, remember it is only a prototype. There were two problems. First, it requires an exact match for names. If you enter a complete middle name and it has only an initial, the result will be negative. We entered a name with a middle initial and were surprised to receive no match since we knew it to listed on the roll that way. The problem was that we added a period after the middle initial and the database did not use a period. It seems the best way to search is by last name only. This method shows all entries with that surname and allows you to click for more information. One final note, it also missed one name we knew to be on the roll, so beware.
Another problem we encountered was incorrect information. One of the persons we searched was listed as rejected, in spite of the fact that she later received a roll number. In this particular case, the family was initially rejected for non-residency, but successfully appealed the case through tribal courts. Had we not known better, it would have been easy to conclude that this person was rejected.
Once a person is found, NAIL provides a brief report with instructions on how to order more information. This information includes the census card and enrollment packet. Despite it's limitations, NAIL finally makes the Dawes Roll easily available.
Spring Renews Life for Heritage Center
This Spring marks my third Spring back in Oklahoma and I am so pleased to drive through the eastern part of our state and see the Redbud and Dogwood trees in full bloom. Easter has come and gone and we are working to renew our "life" at the Cherokee Heritage Center. Many, many worthy projects are underway. We are about two months' behind schedule due to a lack of sufficient funding this past winter, but our staff is busy cleaning, cutting, building, and working. Among our efforts are new educational programs, a new docent program, a new theater production, a new museum exhibit, the rebuilding of the front of the Ancient Village, new handicapped access ramps in the Rural Museum Village, new gardens and flowering plants, and much, much more.
Elsewhere in the newsletter you will read about an exciting new program called "First Families of the Cherokee Nation." We encourage you to be a charter member of this program.
We also want to pay special tribute this season to our grounds. As you know the Cherokee Heritage Center is the site of the Cherokee Female Seminary. To honor the many students who attended, we are proposing the "Rosebud Project." It is an opportunity for our friends to plant an old-fashioned rosebud in memory of past seminary students. Each planting will be a tribute to one of those students who graced the grounds when the Cherokee Nation affectionately referred to them as "Rosebuds."
The "Rosebud Project" is an opportunity to honor these wonderful ladies and to beautify the grounds where they once studied. You can purchase a rosebud for $35.00 Each bush will bear the common name of the species and the name of the honoree. If you are interested in being a part of this project, please contact me at 918-456-6007 or write me at P. O. Box 515, Tahlequah, Oklahoma 74465
I believe it is always important to remember: history is not just the names of heroes and politicians. History is composed of every story of every individuals who contributed to our common destiny. We each live in a unique world; we each perceive that unique world through the eyes of those who came before us in our family, our society, and our culture. Help us reflect in the beauty of our site, the beauty of those who walked here yesterday. Help us make history grow!
Ancient Villagers Hold Reunion
The Ancient Village is now thirty years old. It opened June 29, 1967, with the first ticket being sold to Margarite Ross of Tahlequah. Since then, it has been the subject of many travel articles and used as a setting for photographers. It remains one of our most popular attractions with the public.
The Ancient Village was the first area of the Cherokee Heritage Center to be opened to the public. It began as a dense thicket of trees and underbrush. Col. Martin Hagerstrand, Dr. Jack Kilpatrick, and Charles "Chief" Boyd researched Cherokee culture and formulated a design for the village. Cherokee elder Cecil Dick took an active role in carrying out the plan and directed work crews.
The villagers for the first year were given classes to teach traditional methods of preparing food and how to make baskets, pottery, and points. Many of these villagers, using skills acquired in these classes, and through their village employment, later became very proficient and recognized as masters. The village was operated as a living history museum where the visitor would feel they have stepped back into time. Villagers speak only Cherokee. If the visitor wishes to ask a question it must to be translated into Cherokee by the guide. One of the most unique features of the village was its inclusion of children. Mothers were encouraged to bring their children to work and allow them to play. They are given costumes and simply told to have fun. After all, historic villages had children playing. Over the years, many of these children grew up and became villagers with their children working beside them. A reception to honor all who had worked in the village, initially scheduled for July 12, was reset for July 20. The change in date was made in memory of Diana Scott (see story below). The reception featured a special photographic and crafts exhibit in the museum gallery. Several of the former villagers showed up to recount memories of village life. One "oldtimer" was Betty Smith, an original villager who shared some of her experiences. Her ten children and most of her grandchildren were also villagers.
Spring Golf Tournament Planned
Golfers are invited to converge on Tahlequah for the Cherokee National Historical Society's Dogwood Classic golf scramble. It will be held in early April of 1998, during the peak of the spring foliage season. Up to eleven teams will compete at the Cherokee Nation's Crosswind's Golf Course south of Tahlequah. Prizes will include a chance to win a golf cart for a hole-in-one. Former Deputy Chief John Ketcher conceived this event for promoting the golf course among the golfing community and earning income for the CNHS. It is also part of our plan to become more visible in the community.
Book Review
Review of Neptune's Account from Publisher's Weekly, September 18, 1995
(ed. note: This review was provided by Marjorie Lowe of Houston, TX. She is a retired educator and currently a member of the CNHS board of trustees. Lowe is a charter life member of the First Families of the Cherokee Nation.)
Maintenance Work Continues
The overall appearance of the grounds continues to improve. Several structural repairs were made to the theater's stage and house. Concrete in the seating area was cleaned with a high pressure spray and woodwork replaced in the rain shelter. A special effort was made to repair to the concession stands and restrooms. The Ancient Village received a facelift with the replacement of the entrance portion of the stockade wall. Our water gardens and streams received special attention this year. Inside the village, a new pump was installed for the stream and water plants were placed in the pools. The reflecting pool in from of the museum was cleaned and also received new plants and circulation pump.
New lighting was added in the parking area and special routing stripes were added for buses. Tahlequah Public Works Authority replaced aging transformers. The outdoor concession stand underwent a change with the addition of a new roof and screen wire. Wiring and plumbing problems are now being addressed. These changes allowed us to serve lunch and buffet dinners from that facility during the drama season.
A visitor reception area was reopened at the front of the museum. The sales counter being placed there gives visitors more convenient access to the museum. One area of the entrance was partitioned to create a new office for the executive director. The Ho-Chee-Nee Chapel also received some needed attention. Sheetrock was damaged in one area by a leaky roof and in another by a broken water line. The damaged portion has been removed and replacement will be made as soon as funds are available.
Oops. . .
Computers are nice and do a wonderful job of helping us track our membership, unless the hard drive crashes. Those familiar with computers know the words "hard drive" and "crash" form a bad combination. For those who are not computer literate, "hard drive crash" means your worst nightmare come true. All information on that drive is lost. Unfortunately, the computer that contains our membership records crashed. We are rebuilding the data from hard copy and other records. The fact you received this issue of the Columns is a good sign, we found your information. We need to direct this apology to those who are not getting the Columns. Meanwhile, a new tape drive has been added to the membership computer which routinely backs up all information. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused to our membership.
Heritage Farm Adds Pony
The livestock exhibit in Adams Corner Rural Village continues to increase. Last May, our Spanish goats, pineywoods cattle, Dominique chickens, and guineas, were joined by a Cherokee pony named T.J.'s Hawkeye. The Rural Village exhibit is designed to provide visitors an accurate example of livestock that might be found in an 1890s Cherokee community.
The pony is descended from horses owned by Chief Old Tassel of the Cherokee Nation East that traveled the Trail of Tears in 1838 from Echota, Georgia to Oklahoma Territory. The Whitmire family has maintained a mustang herd near Westville for over 140 years, one of nine foundation herds of the Southwest Mustang Association (SSMA). Horses registered with the SSMA must prove descendance from one of these nine premier breeders.
The Cherokee ponies graze on native grasses with little supplemental feeding. Their hooves are tough, enabling them to take punishing terrain without needing shoes. Along with good bones and feet, they seem to have a spring in their pastern with a natural gait. They live to be about 20 years old. The size is usually 12 to 14 hands high and colors vary from solids, bays, browns, buckskins, palominos, apps and pintos. Our pony is white. However, it is also known that the Cherokee ponies are gentle and make good family horses if handled correctly.
The Cherokee National Historical Society Board of Trustees purchased this Cherokee pony April 13, in memory of Tim Strunk, the son-in-law of board member K. S. "Bud" Adams, Jr. Strunk died tragically in an automobile accident. This yearling stallion is 5/8 Cherokee mustang. We are proud to own this Cherokee mustang which played an important part in the survival of the Cherokee people. The mustangs are now an endangered breed of horses.
Other Farm Additions
Our Spanish goat population increased with the birth of Delsey and Elsie in July and another kid in August. These are the first animals to be born in the exhibit. Elsie is especially gentle and enjoys being petted. She is very popular with children. We also have many chickens that often serve as "greeters." Dominique roosters alone number nineteen and are being sold. It might soon be time for chicken and dumplings!! A separate chicken house is being built for Bantam chickens. Pasture space for the cattle and horse is being increased. The Heritage Farm is really coming to life.
Several persons have expressed an interest in how they can help with this project. One area of need is the cost of maintaining the livestock. We currently bale hay from a small field across from our entrance and sometime allow the goats to forage. Still, the cost of feeding the livestock and providing veterinary services averages approximately $50 per week. It is an ongoing expense that must be met every week. We are beginning a sponsorship program in which our friends may help underwrite this expense. A contribution of $200 will allow you to be recognized for a month as the animal's special friend. You can also receive recognition for a week for $50, or three days for $25. For details, contact the CNHS office at 918-456-6007.
Collections Update; Sculpture Donated to Museum
Our collections continue to grow. This past summer we were presented with a ceramic/bronze sculpture entitled White Rose--Cherokee. The sculpture portrays Nancy Ward, also known as the Ghigau or Beloved Woman. It was donated by the sculptor, Bernadette Carman. Her husband, Revis Carman is a direct descendant of Nancy Ward.
Several years ago we received the Wilson Rawls collection. Rawls was the author of Summer of the Monkeys, recipient of the Sequoyah Award for Children's Literature. He also wrote Where the Red Fern Grows, which was made into a motion picture. One interesting part of the collection is numerous letters and drawings from school children. Rawls loved to speak to children and retell his stories. Materials from his collection have been used often in our education programs. A portion of that collection is now on its way to the Idaho Falls (ID) Public Library for exhibition.
This summer we were fortunate to have Angela Morgan assigned to the collections area as an intern. She spent her time classifying artifacts to conform to standardized terms used in Robert Chenhall's Nomenclature. These standardized terms will allow us to organize the collections with all "like items" being placed together. Angela's time is up, but this is an area where we can certainly use volunteer assistance.
First Families Get First Members
The First Families of the Cherokee Nation is off to a good start. We approved eleven members during the month of July. They are: Marjorie Johnson Lowe; K. S. "Bud" Adams; Susan Adams; Amy Adams; Thomas Stuart Adams; Nancy Catherine Smith; Tracy Ann Thompson; Thomas Alonzo Thompson, IV; Blanche Adams Strunk; Kenneth Stanley Adams, IV; and, Barclay Adams. Applications have also been approved for James D. Johnson and Irle Dean Hightower in August.
Education Department Holds Summer Meetings
The Education Department has been busy this summer with meetings in Claremore, Collinsville, and Owasso with Johnson-O'Malley Project Directors on how utilize CNHS historical resources. Some questionnaires on areas of interest have been received from area schools. One booking has already been made for next year's 11th Annual Education Field Days and Student Art Show. Meetings are scheduled for the autumn with teachers interested in using the school house in Adams Corner.
MusicFest '97
The Cherokee National Historical Society will host MusicFest '97 on the grounds of the Cherokee Heritage Center October 17 - 18, 1997 in Tahlequah. The festival atmosphere, will include instrument makers, arts and crafts, carnival games, food vendors, cultural and children's activities scattered throughout the grounds. A "Writers in the Round" concert featuring recording artists Jimmy LaFave, Ray Wiley Hubbard, and Kevin Welch will be held Friday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater. On Saturday, in addition to the festival activities, there will be folk music all day beginning at 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Featured artists will be the Denns, Mike West and Myschkin, Barton & Sweeney, Brewer & Shipley, Childers & Skinner, and the Burns Sisters. The Cherokee National Museum and gift shop will be open. Ticket prices are: Friday, general admission $8.00, reserved $12.00 - Saturday, general admission $12.00, reserved $15.00. For more information, call (918) 456-6007.