Published: April 09, 2007 08:07 am      

John Hinkle will present a story concert at Ada Public Library

ADA — John Hinkle will present a story concert detailing the many sides of William H. Murray, “Alfalfa Bill,” Oklahoma’s ninth governor on Saturday, April 21 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ada Public Library.

The performance is written for adults and Oklahoma history students. This Oklahoma centennial program is free and open to the public.

William H. Murray, “Alfalfa Bill,” was involved in many things in his life. He was the lawyer for the Chickasaw Nation when they were fending off false claims for land grabs and the secretary to the Indian Territorial Sequoyah Constitutional Convention. He was the speaker of the first elected House of Representatives of Oklahoma and served as governor during the depression and the dust bowl. He was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives during World War I. During his last years, he was plagued by dementia and defamed for his anti-Semitic and racist views.

Hinkle has been encouraging a handlebar mustache for a couple of years, but he has shaved off his white beard by which Oklahoma children identify him as a puppeteer.

“I’ve bought white shoes and short white socks, gotten a bad haircut, purchased a pocket watch, had a white suit made with the pants too short, gone almost the whole route with black sleeve garters, black suspenders and a rocking chair. However, I’ve drawn the line at chewing tobacco,” he said. “It gives me violent hiccups.”

Hinkle went to every library in the state when he was a consultant at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and has performed as storyteller and puppeteer over the past 50 years in every Oklahoma county but three. His history with the Oklahoma Arts Council stretches back 25 years as puppeteer, Artist-in-Residence, musician and storyteller.