The Bacone College Medicine Wheel

Ruthe Blalock Jones, former Associate Professor and Director of Art at Bacone College, created this medicine wheel. It was designed to focus on the mission and heritage of the school in serving the educational needs of American Indians. The cross symbolizes the College’s Christian heritage. Knowledge is symbolized by the flame or lamp of learning. The four peyote birds, four fan shapes and spirit lines radiating from the center are included as homage to Woody Crumbo, a renowned Native American artist and former Director of Art at Bacone. They were part of the Rose Window that Crumbo designed for the Chapel (destroyed by fire in December of 1990). The single star recognizes Company I of World War II. The star also relates to the Oklahoma Flag and the Five Civilized Tribes. Buffalo tracks in the quarter spaces represent good luck with the tee-pee designs representing a camp or place of dwelling. These images are Dick West’s and are a tribute to him. Mr. West is another of the renowned American Indian artists who has been a member of the Bacone faculty. These designs were used to represent continuity in building on the past and moving forward.