Arkalalah themes: 2007, 1957

The Arkalalah Executive Committee recently announced the theme for Arkalalah 2007: "Dr. Seuss on the Loose."

At first I thought it was a cute theme, especially for the kids — and Arkalalah exists mainly for the kids; that's how Arkansas City's fall festival started over 75 years ago, to give kids a "good time" around Halloween. (Really, Arkalalah is for the child in all of us.)

Dr. Seuss, of course is the famed author of rhyming children's books including "The Cat in the Hat," which was published 50 years ago this year. Dr. Seuss is a pen name for the late Theodor Seuss Geisel, of Springield, Mass.

The idea behind the theme, I was told, is to get Ark City kids to read more, and to inspire some creative floats.

I like those ideas but I'm having second thoughts on the theme. It seems a little remote to Ark City. I don't see a tie-in to our town, and Arkalalah is Arkansas City's festival — a time for family fun, class reunions and reunions in general with people who grew up here or have some tie to Ark City — or have heard about Arkalalah and want to experience the festival for the first time.

What other theme could the committee have chosen? An obvious one would be the 100th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood. Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

Ark City is only a few miles from the Oklahoma border and has been promoted as the "gateway to Oklahoma." It's also the biggest departure point for the famed land rush of 1893 into Oklahoma territory.

Plus, Miss America — either for this year or last, I'm not sure at the moment — is from Oklahoma. I made a suggestion months ago to the Arkalalah committee to get in touch with her to see if she could be in the Arkalalah Parade. Apparently nobody did, so that was an opportunity we missed, I believe. (She could still be contacted, of course.)

Fifty years ago we celebrated being neighbors with Oklahoma. As a 10-year-old, I took a picture of a float entitled "From Injuns to Engines" honoring the 50th anniversary that year of Oklahoma statehood.

The official theme of Arkalalah 1957 was "International Friendship and Goodwill" — what a different time than today! The United States was about to embark on a space race with the old Soviet Union in those Cold War days. In fact, the first artificial satellite launched by humans, Sputnik, was launched by the USSR in 1957, in October, the same month Arkalalah was held.

I don't think we have to repeat that theme this year. But it's interesting that Arkalalah organizers then thought up that theme. It was a simpler, perhaps more naive, time. But friendship and goodwill are qualities we could really use now.

Arkansas City through the years has promoted itself as a friendly town, extending goodwill to all its citizens and its neighbors. That's how I remember it growing up.

Does the town still value those qualities as highly as it did 50 years ago?