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KEEPING HOPE ALIVE

          About 75% of the plains people decided to stay in the Plains. They were "the next year people," who clung to the hope that the rains would come--if not this year, then next .  People who remained did all they could to support each other.

In Dalhart, Texas, there was a club organized by John McCarty the editor of the local newspaper. The club was called "The Last Man Club," and members pledged to stay, despite the hardships. The pledge said, “In the absence of an act of God, serious family injury, or some other emergency, I pledge to stay here as the last man and to do everything I can to help other last men remain in this country. We promise to stay here ’til hell freezes over and skate out on the ice.”

 Song

Instrumental




IMPROVISATION by Bernie Katzman