Jan Sherman signs her memoir, Hypnotizing Chickens

Article and photos by Mary Alice Murphy

Jan Sherman, 94, decided to write a book'a memoir about her days as a child in the mining town of Mogollon.

Sherman has lived in the area almost her whole life. She and her brother, Bud, were raised in Mogollon, when her father was a miner in the town.

Western New Mexico University President Joseph Shepard introduced the woman of the day, Jan Sherman, as "a wonderful person who graces our lives at 94. She has been at the core of Silver City. She left for a while, but came back."

"It has taken nine months to write and publish this book," Sherman said. "I said it was like having a baby, but not quite as much pain."

She introduced Charlie McKee, who sat beside her. "She would take notes on what I said at my room at Millie's. She took them home, wrote them up on her computer and came back the next day and read it to me. We made changes as needed. My son, Jeff (Ray) spent hours finding photos for the book."

"Mogollon was a magical place to grow up," Sherman continued. "I lived there from the time I was six years old until I came to Silver City for college at New Mexico State Teachers' College (the former name of WNMU) in 1940." She said she lived in Ritch Hall, "where I learned to climb the outside circular staircase when I came in late."

She said Mogollon was a great place to grow up. "In the early 30s, there were houses all over the mountainsides. The mine stopped in 1942."

Examples in the book are "excerpts from my life, including with my brother, Bud. He was shot down over Germany in World War II."

"What a joy to be here," her son, Jeff Ray, said. "Thanks to everyone who organized and facilitated this gathering. It's been a joy to be part of the creation of the book. Charlie was key to getting it done."

Ray read Chapter 1 of the book, which described how Sherman and her brother hypnotized chickens.

He, as part of the Wishbone Trio, with musicians Tony and Pat Prewit, then performed the song he had writtenG