Sincerely Yours, Laura Ingalls Wilder

In full costume, I tell the story after the Little House books end, covering Laura’s move to MO in 1894 and why she wrote the books in her later years. I do the performance as if it is 1947, while Almanzo is still alive and Laura knows the books are being reprinted with new artwork by Garth Williams, and being translated into German and Japanese. I include the letter she wrote to be included in the books for the children in those countries, thus the name of the program. As Laura, I take questions from the audience and have been able to give them an honest answer. As an ending, I take questions as myself about the research I’ve done and why Laura’s story is so important and special to Missouri. I hope to encourage children to get as hooked on books as I was, and to give them and adults an idea of how hard life was in the 1800s and early years of the 1900s but that through hard work they survived and were successful.

George Whiteman’s Aunt Mildred

Sedalian George Whiteman is considered the first American pilot killed in WWII on Dec. 7, 1941. His story of bravery, patriotism and sacrifice are told by his aunt Mildred Whiteman Rogers, also of Sedalia. The performance is set in 1955, when the family had been informed that the Sedalia Army Air Corps Base at Knob Noster was to be renamed in George’s honor. Aunt Mildred tells of his childhood and family life in the 1920s, his academic achievements, including a scholarship to Rolla School of Mines, and his passion to be a pilot like the WWI flying aces. His work ethic and his two years of college credit, earned him the rank of 2nd Lt. Being sent to Hawaii as a pilot was a dream come true. He was determined to protect Bellows Field from the Japanese attack, but was quickly shot down and died as he crashed his burning plane. After the presentation, I tell of how this program grew out of a “Cemetery Walk” and how valuable those presentations can be for making local history come alive. The Whiteman family has seen this program and given me their approval and thanks for keeping George’s memory alive.