USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 59
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Class of 1907: Florence Morrow Manker, Mary Burris, Linn Me- Bride, Vida Julian, Eva Erwin, Estella McCafferty, Mabel Crawford. Edwin Stevison, Gladys Warthen, Nannie Oxendine, Bessie Wells, Bessie Oxendine, Rufus Lane, Nettie Marvin, Stella Jolinson, Georgia Richard- son. Anna Helm, Homer Hodson, Eldora Haughawant, Ethel Watson, Bessie Ward, Ethel Fly, Orland Inman, Florence Helin, Zoe Thralls. Leta Morris, Mary Marshall, Clarence Vinson. Nellie Haughawaut, Anna Ruth Coil.
Class of 1908: Luella Moran, Bessie Moran, J. Edgar Stewart. Anne Stewart, Ethel Ball, C. Roy Jaceard. Glenna Warthen, Mabel Morrison, J. Albert Chenoweth, Ruby Allen, Ethel Nelson, Jessie Clark, Lelalı Roberson, Gladys Cook, Marguerite Robertson, Hazel Barson, Lucy I'nderwood, Marguerite Manker, Lura Decatur. Guy Noel, Marie Clark, Argie Hanna, Glenn Hodson, Alma Steele, Madge Gaston, Tracy Rober- son, Olive Kayes, Christine MeBride.
Class of 1909: Cecil Jones, Ralph Taylor. Earl Bonsteel, Queen Bishko, Martha Jenkins, Claude Ratliff. Henry Satterlee, Hazel Hare. Ermina Ells, Roy Purkhiser, Lloy Hammell, Winifred Rierson, Regi- nald Bonsteel, Lula Varner, Helen Herrod, Elmer Stevison, Tom Parker, Ruth Clark, Grace Wigginton, Henrietta Clark, Ethel Tucker. Roy Teel, Berniee Eekert, Ruth Triplett, Lucy Peart, Odessa Kessler. Orie Imes, Sylvia Flourney, Addie Robison, Lillian Wilbur, Myrtle Hopkins, Clarence Lively, Mary Leggitt, Pearl Craig. Lillian Bailey. Marguerite Alexander, Bessie Buckeridge, Mary Loehr. Edna Barlow.
Class of 1910: Forest Chambers, Edna Busch, Roy Whitesearver. Roy Mountjoy, Ivah MeNeill, Maude Hawout. Lucia Cornett, Clara- belle Threlkeld, Tearl Davis, Aubrey Tyree, - Burch, Mattie Cantebury. Archie Glenn, James IIenson, May Aldridge. Gladys Clayton, Bertha Brewer, Richard Herrod. Louise Burns, Katherine Gorman, Bill Ellis. Howard Claypool, Edna Frankenberger, Warren Shayler, Trineie Gregg, Mary Neville, Wayne Steritt, Edith Inman, Elsie Ayer, Ray Watson, Ethel Freeman, Clara Everett. Stanley Nelson, Cleo Slatlen. Dan Lundeen, Gladys Pyatt, Margaret Asheraft, Bland Pugh, Lulu Templeton, Alton Jones. Adele Darsham. Jeannette Rose, Sam Jell- kins, Adah Daniels.
Class of 1911 : Edith Hill, Olive Gilberth, Ruth Imes, Jim Carl. Mabel Thralls, Harold Arburthnot, Lillian Herrod. Charles Bacon. Ethel Robertson ,Charles O'Neill, June Graig. Roy Coyne. Bessie Hil- burn. Willet Warne, Earnestine Loomis. Patrick Carny. Audery Ind- son. Leonard Purkhiser, Mable Rooly, Julius Galliene, Ester Vinson. Harold Blair. Molly Walton, Myrtle Fitzgerald. Madge Woodard, Frankie Atterabury. Helen Bucheridge. Norval Graig. Lucy Covert.
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Leona Bradford, Roy Latham, Hope Nesbitt, John Inman, Ruth Blan- kenship, Carl Thomas, Ethel Hopkins, Guy Bennett, Hazel Havens. Carol Berrian, Marion Hammel, Fay Barson, Grace Wommack, Lewis Decatur, Fern Levis, Adele Turner. Will Robertson, Viola Rice, Clara Wright. Roy Drak, Ralph Keane.
THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
In 1911 Webb City completed a magnificent new High school build- ing-one which reflects credit not only upon Webb City, but all Jasper county, and speaks volumes for the refinement and educational character of the place. This new up-to-date and modernly equipped building cost $90,000. It is patterned after Westport High school, of Kansas City, and is thoroughly up-to-date. The building itself consists of three stories and basement. and rises to a height of 55 feet above the grade line.
"To have obtained a site sufficiently large in the heart of the city to allow of adequate recreation grounds would have been almost impos- sible without spending too much money on the site, at the expense of leaving enough from the $90,000 bond issne to meet essential expenditure on the building itself. But the lack of outdoor recreation in the vicinity of the school building is more than compensated in the gymnasium, which occupies a large section of the ground floor, has dimensions of 72 by 45 feet, has ample height from floor to ceiling, and a seating ca- paeity of not far from four hundred. It will furnish at all times a splendid opportunity for every line of healthful exercise such as pupils of high school age will desire to follow.
"Other rooms on the ground floor- one of them 23 by 26 feet and the other 21 by 28 feet-will be ocenpied by the classes for domestic science : two other rooms of similar capacity are designed for the man- nal training classes ; and besides there are two large class rooms. 26 by 34 feet. available for other lines of study. Toilet rooms are located at both ends of the building, and shower baths are provided For the use of pupils using the gymnasium.
"The floor above includes office for the superintendent, with vaults for the care of school records, reception room, teachers' rest room and office for high school principal, with private toilet rooms for this suite of rooms. On the same floor also is the study hall. with seating for 150 pupils, and library ad joining, so arranged that the teacher in charge will have the entire room and library in full view. Eight standard- size class rooms, four of them 26 by 23 and four 21 by 23, with toilet rooms at both ends of the hallway, and loekers for wraps, are also pro- vided on this floor.
"The auditorium, which will provide seating accommodation for 01 . thousand persons, occupies a large space on the upper floor. It will have a stage measuring 32 by 25 feet, with dressing rooms adjoining. The auditorium will be approached by wide stairways, affording ample means of exit.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
"The floors throughout are of hard maple, thoroughly deadened, and the interior is of oak finish throughout. Every possible modern appliance for ventilation by air ducts has been brought into requisition, and the heating arrangements are guaranteed to keep the rooms within two degrees of the same temperature at all times in conformity with the needs of each season of the year.
"1911 marked the completion of a decade of remarkable progress in educational matters, the schools of the city having made a splendid ad- vance in all the essentials of an up-to-date public school system.
"It will be evident that this is no exaggeration, but a statement of actual fact, when it is remembered :
"That the inerease in number of teachers employed has been very far in excess of the increase in population, fifty-seven teachers being now employed as compared with thirty in 1900, while the number of inhah- itants, as shown by the eensus returns of 1900 and 1910, was from 9,201 to 11,817.
"That this increase of teachers has been followed by correspondingly inereased efficieney, the standing of Webb City high school in its relation to the state university having advanced from 16 points in the early '90s to 22 points at the present time.
"That, with the increase of faculty, there have also been large ad- ditions to the school accommodations, by the erection and subsequent enlargement of the Eugene Field building, now consisting of nine rooms, and the adding of four rooms to the Franklin building, four rooms to the West Side building, two rooms to the Webster building. and three rooms in the basement to the Central building.
"That a constant inerease, year by year, in the school enrolment has shown the more general appreciation of educational privileges by both parents and children, while an attendanee of over three hundred pupils at the high school, twice the number of ten years ago, affords most gratifying proof that the benefits of the more advanced courses are being enjoyed and appreciated by a much larger proportion of the grade pupils than was the ease in former years.
"Recalling these facts affords ample demonstration that the in- creased popularity, effieieney and usefulness of the public schools have fully justified the constant desire and efforts of both faculty and the successive boards of directors to provide the pupils with the better ao- commodations that have been so much needed during all the years of the period referred to. For the good work that has been done has all the time been aeeomplished under a disadvantage of crowded reeitation rooms and a compulsory mingling of grades such as might well have precluded the best results but for well-directed supervision and patient individual effort.
"It will be under better auspices-the best in fact that the teachers and pupils have ever enjoyed-that the next school year will open in September, when the new high school building will be ready for oceu- pation. With the Central building vacated by the high school for the use of the grades, seven more rooms will be added to the forty already
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available for pupils ranging from the primary department to the eighth grade. And of the thirty rooms in the new high school building, twenty will be available for teaching purposes, making a total of sixty-seven rooms in daily use by the grades and the high school; and every class will thus have the advantage of ample accommodations and complete facilities for every department of study-conditions such as have never before been enjoyed by either teachers or scholars.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS' TEACHERS STAFF
"It is probable that with the beginning of the next school year there will be an addition of six or seven teachers, bringing the total number above sixty, probably nearer sixty-five.
"The list of school officers. high school faculty and principals and teachers in the graded schools at present employed includes the following :
"R. S. Nichols, superintendent.
"Lelia Bruce, supervisor of music.
"'Jessie Carey, supervisor of industrial work and drawing.
"High School-O. A. Harris, principal, English; Ella F. Helm, history : Josephine Sedgwick. Latin: Ella Booher, English ; Mabel Gib- bons, science; Jane Barber, mathematics; Martha Helm, mathematics; Clara Koch, English and history; Bessie Thomas, German; O. R. Mericle, manual training; Nettie Marvin, elocution; F. R. Chapman, commercial subjects ; Aliee MeLain, study hall.
"Central School-Mande Latimer, principal, 8 A and B; Minnie Custis, 8 B and 7 A; Pearl Freeman, 6 B, 5 A and B; Nellie Lewis, 4 A and B: Mary Neville. 3 A and B; Mamie MeEntie, 1 and 2.
"Webster School-Elizabeth Jaceard, principal, 7 B and 6 A ; Kate Moran, 6 B and 5 A ; Lois Harlan, 5 B and 4 A ; Ethel Tucker, 4 B and 3 A; Georgia Richardson, 3 B; Nettie Bewley. 2 A and B; Edna Beard, 2 B and 1 A; Mayme Stinnett, 1 B and C.
"West Side School-Viola Bistline, 8 A and B; Florence Glenn, 7 A and B; Abba Morton, 6 A and B; Eulah Smith, 5 A and B; Lura De- catur, 4 A and B; Emma MeAboy, 3 A and B; Odessa Kessler, 2 B; Isadore Eells, 2 A and 3 B: Stella MeCafferty, 1 A and B: Kathryn George, prineipal. 1 C.
"Eugene Field School-Emma Robinson, principal, 8 A and B; Mary Hille, 7 A and B; Mollie Allen, 6 A and B; Ethel Bailey, 5 A and B; Genevieve Moses, 4 A and B; Ethel Fly, 3 A and B; Edna Franken- berger, 3 A and B: Pearl Hobart, 2 A and B; Katherine Winter, 1 A, B and C.
"Franklin School-Nellie Tibbs, principal, 7 A and B; Nellie Crow, 6 A and B; Ethel Norton. 5 A and B; Mae Buckingham, 4 A and B; Incy Underwood. 3 A and B; Cora Martin, 2 A and B; Bertha Clark, 2 B and 1 A ; Alice Carroll, 1 B and C."
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
CHURCH EDIFICES AND CHURCH WORK
The churches of Webb City have all made great progress during the last decade. Within the last two years the First M. E. church of Webb City has increased its membership from a little over two hundred to nearly seven hundred. This church is thoroughly organized. Three young women have gone out of the church and, having finished their training, are now deaconesses; also three young men from this church have been made ministers. The church is made as homelike as is possible and in that way keeps its hold on the younger members. They have at this writing a very fine ehoir, W. C. Pope being the musical director. The parsonage, which was recently built, cost about $6,000. The beau- tiful new church was dedicated last September, without one dollar being owed on the structure. The pastor, Rev. Dean C. Dutton, is a very capable leader and has been the pastor now for three years. One of his original plans for bringing the Lord's message before the masses. embraced the Saturday night. street services. With a large number of people to sing he would start his services on the crowded streets. After- wards a tent was purchased and night services were held in this. Every member in this church has some part of its work to do. One no sooner joins it than he is assigned some definite work. This is no home of drones.
The beautiful home of the M. E. Church Sonth, situated at the south- east corner of Joplin street and Pennsylvania avenue, was built during the summer of 1909 and was dedicated November 29th of the same year. It is considered that this ehureh is complete in its equipment. Every department of the church work is amply provided for in its arrange- ment. On the ground floor are the primary Sunday school rooms; a large banquet room and kitehen which is fully equipped with all con- veniences for the preparing of any meals; a library and a living room for the custodian of the church ; ladies' parlors and three separate toilet rooms. On the main floor of the elmurch are the auditorium with a large seating eapaeity, and the adult Sunday school room with fourteen sepa- rate elass rooms and pastor's study. This church contains in all thirty separate rooms, besides the vestibules. Ben C. Aylor and his sister, Mrs. S. Nilson, presented the church with the handsome pipe organ as a memorial to their mother. The cost of the organ was $3,500. The opera chairs with which it is seated were given by Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Chinn and cost $2,500. Mrs. E. T. Webb provided the fixtures for the lighting of the church. Rev. Thomas J. Norsworthy has been pastor now for fifteen months and at the request of the official board was re- appointed by the bishop to serve for another year. The church has just completed one of the most successful years of its long career.
The Presbyterian church in Webb City is not large, but is well fur- nished, and is eertainly carrying on a great work. The Presbyterian Aid Society has semi-monthly meetings on the first and third Fridays. They carry on a great amount of charity work, besides promoting the general well-being and good fellowship of the congregation. The Broth-
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erhood, an organization for the men, is steadily growing. F. E. Fitner is president of this society. The Christian Endeavor of this church is as popular with the young people as the other societies are with the older members. A Home and Foreign Missionary Society has been or- ganized, who have taken in hand besides the regular missionary work, Joeal charity, and it is done so quietly that only those in charge of the work know anything about it. Rev. James II. Spear is the pastor and it may be due to the energetic work of the leader that all of the members and officers are so faithful.
St. Paul's Episcopal church was organized in 1899, under the com- bined ministrations of the reetors of Christ church, of Carthage, and St. Phillips church, of Joplin. It is under the supervision of the South- ern deanery of the diocese of Kansas City, of which Dean Weed, of Joplin, is the head, and Henry Irving Batcheller is his assistant, not only here in Webb City but all over this part of the deanery. St. Paul's is the especial charge, though, of Rev. Batchellor, and services are held every Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. The Sunday school work is well founded and the teachers are energetic workers. Mrs. J. J. MeClellan has the kindergarten class and is especially prepared for this work. There are four other classes. Mrs. Fred Kellogg teaches the women's class; Rev. Batchellor, the men's elass; Mr. Waring, the boys', and J. E. Cobb, the girls' class. It was a long time before the present little church was owned, the society being organized in the parlor of one of the members, and then when the parlor was outgrown a hall was rented. But a ehurel can do better work in its own building, although it is small ; so the present church building was bought of another organization which had outgrown its home and was moved on the lot which had also been purchased. So the St. Paul's church, from a small beginning, is steadily growing and the future will tell how far its influence may reach.
The First Baptist church of Webb City is being remodeled and greatly enlarged to meet the requirements of its increasing congregation. It is said that when it is completed none in the county will be better. During the present disturbed condition services are held regn- larly in the basement. One of the energetic societies is furnishing its own class room. Rev. R. B. Kinell is the pastor and is a very interest- ing speaker, but is very quiet about his method of carrying on his work. Outside of the church, the public knows very little of his great work. This ehnreh has now been organized eighteen years and is stead- ily growing.
The Christian church was without a pastor for several months, but the place is now filled by C. E. Wagner, of Hannibal, Missouri, and a new interest has been already awakened in the congregation. Great things are expected of this church in the near future. The Christian Endeavor society has been a strong factor in the church life. The Dor- cas Cirele and the Missionary Society for Home and Foreign work also have taken a prominent part in its activities. This church has the dis- tinetion of having the largest Sunday school in the city.
Webb City has three other ehnrehes. The Catholic church has the
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largest edifice and membership of any church in the city. Rev. Father Curran is in charge of this church.
The Christian Scientists have not built a church home yet, but they hold their meetings in the Odd Fellows hall every Wednesday night and on Sundays. These meetings are largely attended.
The Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints is rapidly grow- ing and great interest is now taken in its work.
JANE CHIINN HOSPITAL
In 1910 Mr. and Mrs. Chas. R. Chinn, of Webb City, realized the need of a hospital in their home eity. Jane Chinn Hospital is the name by which it is known and it is situated at the corner of Rose and Anstin streets. It is not the largest hospital in the southwest, but is considered one of the best equipped. The cost of this hospital (which was the mag- nificent gift of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. R. Chinn) was $60,000, which in- eluded not only the site, but the building and equipment. There were arrangements made for the future support of the hospital. The first board of managers selected were Dr. C. E. McBride, president ; Dr. L. C. Chenoweth, first vice president; E. T. Webb, second vice president : Ben C. Aylor, third vice president; C. R. Chinn, Jr., treasurer; T. J. Roney, secretary.
Directors : George W. Ball, T. F. Coyne, A. D. Hatton, F. C. Wal- lower and T. F. Leman.
Building commitee: Dr. C. E. McBride, chairman; T. J. Roney, secretary ; E. T. Webb, B. C. Aylor, F. C. Wallower. These men were tamiliar with every step of the hospital work and especially with Mr. and Mrs. Chinn's plans for the hospital work.
The plans were drawn by Frank W. Canlkins, of Webb City; John R. Thomas, of Joplin, was general contractor; John R. Schwartz, of Webb City, contractor for plumbing and heating; Fred II. Nesbitt, of Webb City, contractor for masonry work. The stone used in this build- ing came from the Carthage Stone Company. The hospital has a front of 200 feet on Austin street and 1421% on Rose street. Its dimensions are 48 by 80 feet. It contains wards for the accommodation of twenty- three patients and ten other rooms for private cases ; chemical laboratory, laundry, dining rooms for nurses, offiees for doctors and nurses, steriliz- ing and anaesthetic rooms, morgue, retiring rooms for doetors, operating rooms, diet kitchens on both the first and second floors and every pos- sible accessory used in a first-class hospital. It has an elevator from basement to third story. It also has a spacious sun parlor from which one can view the whole of Webb City and Carterville and the nearby mines, and on a bright day a glimpse of the tall buildings in Joplin. The hospital is perfect in its ventilation: each partition has its own ventilating duets, connected with a vacuum fan in the attie, discharging 300,000 cubic feet of air per hour. Until the opening of the Jane Chinn Hospital there was an organization known as the Webb City Hospital Association, the members of which were: President, T. F.
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Coyne; vice president, George H. Fullerton ; secretary and treasurer, F. C. Wallower; directors-A. D. Hatten. J. J. Melellan, George H. Fullerton, T. F. Coyne, T. F. Lennan, F. C. Wallower and C. R. Chinn, Sr. This board, or association, had on hand close to $2,000 and it was turned over to the Jane Chinn Hospital as a beginning of the fund for the support of the institution. There is one thing that should be mentioned about the operating room, which is lighted at night from the ceiling by eight. Mazda tolophane lights, producing 1,000 candle power light. It is so arranged by cross lighting that is impossible for shadows to be thrown in any direction : so in an emergency case the room ean be used at night as well as by day. Subscriptions of twenty-five cents per month are taken from the miners, and the mine operators pay five dol-
JANE CHINN HOSPITAL, WEBB CITY
lars per month, which is enough for the running expenses of the hospital.
Miss Houser is the present superintendent of the hospital and is assisted by three nurses. There is one room in the hospital that is not nsed and that is the morgne, for, instead of keeping the dead at the hospital they are removed to a downtown morgue. The Chinns have made their money from Jasper county mines and the hospital is a monn- ment to their generosity.
SALVATION ARMY HOSPITAL
Webb City enjoys the distinction of being one of the first cities in the west to establish a hospital to be maintained and operated by the Salvation Army. It is a matter of common knowledge-the many acts of kindness that are done by the Salvation Army-their Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to the poor of the city and their work among the siek and distressed standing out prominently. In 1905 one of Webb Vol. 1-36
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City's big hearted men suggested the building of a hospital to be con- dneted by these good people, and money was quickly raised to build and equip a modern two-story hospital, which has since been condueted by the Salvation Army and much suffering has been relieved by them.
THIE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
The Young Men's Christian Association of Webb City has been very progressive since its organization in 1900 by a few business men. The present building was put up one year after its organization for the work of the association, but for the past few years it has been found en- tirely too small. The scope of work carried on by this organization are three Bible classes at the Sunday afternoon services for men and boys. They use a first class moving picture machine. There are the Boy Scouts who hold their meetings once a week; the Boys' Congress Em- ployment Bureau ; and the gymnasium elasses which are under the super- vision of J. Gilbert Cox and have a membership of 100. There are, in the building, the bath rooms, library, publie reading, rest and game rooms. The association has the honor of having sent one man to the training school for the association workers, and he is now in the field in aetive work. Several others are planning to take some of the work at the Young Men's Christian Association training camp at Lake Geneva, Wiseonsin, this summer. A debating club is about to be organized. A series of lectures and talks are given at regular intervals on vital subjects.
As stated, the Young Men's Christian Association has been a great power in Webb City sinee its organization and, in addition to having maintained its elegant gymnasium and reading room, has provided, through its Sunday meetings and occasional receptions, very excellent religious and moral training for the young men. To give an idea of the character of the literary spirit we note the following which was one of many meetings which helped to monld the characters of the members. In 1903 Secretary Knox arranged a series of meetings for the purpose of ereating a sentiment of loyalty, and for eight consecutive Sundays the theme disenssed was "Loyalty." The Rev. J. L. Sullivan spoke on "Loyalty to Your Church ;" C. T. Orr on "Loyalty to Your Busi- ness ;" Rev. W. P. Buckner, of Joplin, on "Loyalty to Manhood;" Rev. C. B. Boving on "Loyalty to the Home;" and Judge H. L. Bright, of Carthage, on "Loyalty to Our Country." Rev. Hall was assigned the topie "Loyalty to the Book and Church," and Secretary Knox conelnded this series of talks with a telling address on "Loyalty to the Y. M. C. A."
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