Published: October 25, 2009 08:25 pm      

Chisholm Trail Book Festival brings people closer together

DUNCAN — It has been said that through reading people can be brought closer together. That statement could not have been more true than at the 1st Annual Chisholm Trail Book Festival this past Saturday.

The book festival started with the presentation of a basket of books to the best dressed storybook character.

The students entering the contest came together and decided that no matter who won the contest they will donate books to the Duncan Middle School Library in memory of Seth McGhghy. McGhghy was a sixth grader at Duncan Middle School, and passed away unexpectedly Sept. 24, 2009.

McGhghy’s mother Sherry, who is also the 8th grade Social Studies teacher, was in attendance at the book festival and was extremely grateful and proud that her students did such a gracious thing in memory of her son.

“This was such a sweet gesture for these students to do,” McGhghy said. “Seth loved to read and would have loved being here talking with these authors.”

There was also an essay contest held for the book festival for eighth graders enrolled in Stephens County, as well as for home school students who are 13-15 years of age.

The topic of the essay contest was for the students to write a journal entry, 500-700 words long about being a cowhand on a Chisholm Trail cattle drive in the 1870’s. The essay winners were named Saturday.

Winning sixth place in the essay contest was Blake Graham of Duncan Middle School, fifth Place went to Colby Crowson from Velma-Alma, and fourth place went to Justin McCall from Duncan Middle School. The third place winner this year was Patrick D. Sullivan of Duncan Middle School. Sullivan received a $75.00 cash award sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Doyce Croy. The second place winner was Blake Dalton Wood from Comanche Middle School. Wood received a $100.00 cash award sponsored by First Bank and Trust Co.. The first place winner was also from Comanche Middle School. Kelly Thomas-Cutshaw received a $250.00 cash award sponsored by Legacy Bank and Combest Financial Services. Fourth through sixth place winners also received passes to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.

All the students who submitted an essay were published in a book by Tonya Shook.

“These students worked hard, and all wrote very impressive essays,” Shook said. “They are now published authors so we need to encourage these young people to keep writing.”

Shook was thrilled with the response at the Book Festival this year. She said that this is an event that has grown larger each year. The Book Festival started in Comanche and grew too large to be held in Comanche.

Shook said she would like to see the state of Oklahoma become known as the book festival state.

“Our state is known for The Grapes of Wrath, and we need to change that image,” Shook said “If New Mexico can be known as the Balloon Festival state, why can’t we become the book festival state?”

The Book Festival’s guest speaker for the day was author Dusty Richards. Richards is the winner of the prestigious Western Writers “Spur” Award. He is the author of 65 books and dozens of short stories and hundreds of articles and columns. Richards was inducted into the Arkansas Writers Hall of fame, and serves on numerous writer’s boards and resides in Springdale, Ark..

Richards said that seeing the young students interested in writing was so encouraging.

“These young men and women have been put in a win-win situation here,” Richards said. “They have been published and they are being encouraged to keep writing.