Page 40 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2020- Online Magazine
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HONORING SENIORS
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Senior Senior Paula Brashear
Hidden
Treasure in a
Storied Life
by Ellyn Brashear
ll my life, I have loved (at one time the largest classical
listening to my grandmother’s music competition in the country
Astories. She’s an amazing for students), helped implement the
storyteller because she has had Vesper Concert Series at First United
an adventurous life and has a Methodist Church on Broadway, and
huge stockpile of amazing events served as the president of the Lubbock
from which to choose her stories. Symphony Orchestra for a time. She
When I decided to write about my eventually became the Director of
grandmother, Paula Brashear, the first Development for the College of Arts
thing I did was sit down with my dad. and Sciences at Texas Tech University.
He gave me a long list of things my One of her greatest accomplishments
grandmother has done in the Lubbock in that position was the creation of the
community. She was the Lubbock brick garden outside of Holden Hall.
Director of Camp Fire Girls and
helped create the regional camp, Camp When I finally spoke to my
Monikiwa, in New Mexico. After grandmother about this article,
she got married, she became heavily she was ecstatic that I wanted to who was a senior choir member
involved in the arts in Lubbock: she write about her life. I listed the at Oklahoma City University, was
started the Pastoral Music Festival accomplishments my dad had told selected to be one of 39 original
me and asked which ones she thought members of the Surrey Singers
should be the focus. Because my who traveled all over the country
grandmother knows that I am a promoting the movie. On August
Disney fanatic, she bypassed Dad’s 15, 1955, she boarded a plane for the
ideas to talk about the experience that first time in her life and, seated next
led to her appearance on The Mickey to Oklahoma Governor Raymond
Mouse Club television show. D. Gary, made her way to Chicago,
Illinois. From there, they boarded
It began in 1955. The movie version another plane to New York City. The
of the, at the time, longest running next night, a promotional concert
Broadway show “Oklahoma!” called the Oklahoma Song Fest was
was about to premier. The movie held in Central Park with an estimated
producers and promoters wanted audience of half a million people.
the state of Oklahoma to be well The Surrey Singers of OCU were the
represented. My grandmother, featured performers and got to sing
40 Lubbock Senior Link
