Jim Tresner, 33°, Grand Cross
PO Box 70
Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044–0070

A Place of Miracles, Ill. Sam E. Hilburn's new book about Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, captures the spirit of the hospital and Texas.

First of all, the book was written by Ill. Sam E. Hilburn, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Texas and Grand Treasurer General of the Supreme Council. I hope you know the man—your life is richer if you do. Sam Hilburn is the quintessential Texan. He is as tough as a rawhide boot. Not long ago, he survived an automobile crash, which would have sent most of us to the grave. He is tough-minded, too, when it comes to important matters. And he contains more love and compassion and good humor per cubic inch than you'd think a man could hold. Mention children and watch his eyes—you will see what I mean.

And, like most Texans I know, he's a good storyteller. Those long nights spent around campfires seem to be ingrained in most Texans' souls, even if the closest they come to a campfire is a gas-fired barbecue grill.

So Brother Sam has written a book. And it's a book you should own. It tells two stories, although they relate. One is the story of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas. The other is the story of the Rocker b Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Texas—larger than some states.

First to the hospital. If you are ever in Dallas, be sure to visit it. I've been there several times, and it's one of the most wonderful places on earth. It feels so much like Disney Land that it's hard to remember it's a hospital. The kids you see there look more like they're in Disney Land, too. You see smiles and happy faces, and you hear laughter. It takes a while before you even notice the artificial limbs and the braces.

The hospital is a major center for the treatment of children with orthopedic and neurological problems as well as learning disabilities. It was Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children that first discovered what dyslexia really is, for example, and devised a means of teaching reading which is overwhelmingly successful in teaching dyslexic children this crucial life skill. Near the front of the book there is a passage which describes the hospital perfectly.

"Children who think they can't find out that they can.

Children without dreams learn what it's like to have one.

Legs that have trouble walking break out into a run.
Bent backs stand a little straighter.

Children make steps toward becoming whole again. And still the hospital has never handed any patient or their family a bill for treatment or services."

The book is worth reading for the story of the hospital alone. But the book is also about Texas cattle ranching, especially in the early days and, more especially, the Rocker b Ranch. Here are the real cowboys and the real hardships. It's the story of Texas written by a Texan, and it's a story of the sacrifice and hard work which wrested a living out of a beautiful but unforgiving land.
And the land is here, too. The book is filled with some of the most powerful and beautiful photography I have ever seen. In a way, the photographs tell a third story, with as much power and conviction as Brother Hilburn's words. The photographs give you some sense of what it is like to be able to drive for hundreds of miles and yet never leave a ranch.

The two stories come together, of course, because the 173,000-acre Rocker b Ranch was ultimately given, in one of the greatest single acts of philanthropy ever recorded, to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children by William A. Blakley—cowboy, rancher, lawyer, banker, businessman, and United States Senator. The tough spirit of the children matches the tough spirit of those early cowboys. And it makes a great read.

The cost of A Place of Miracles: The Legacy of the Rocker b Ranch is $28.95 which includes sales tax and shipping/handling charges. To order the book, please contact Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children at 214–559–7683 or toll free at 1–800–421–1121, ext. 7683.