USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people > Part 52
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1905-Bessie Bonham, L. E. Briggs, Norman Cox, Clarence Ted- ford, G. Earl Doane, John Grigg, Jesse Lauck, Fred Moore, Herbert Squire, Chas. R. Wilcox, Rose Atwater, Phoebe Branham, Ethel Buch- -anan, Ruby Burge, Vivian Standard, Imogene Burns, Alfreda Christ- man, Margaret Ellington, Mamie E. Graves, Elizabeth Grigg, Emma Irene Henderson, Beatrice Hinds, Jessie Louise Hood, Ada Mabel John- son, Jessie Miller, Edith Lucynda Morris, Alice Herndon Portor, Grace Anna Roy, Florence Skelton, Winnifred Carney, Lola Mildred Wilcox,
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Nona A. Williams, Belva Lenore Lett, Beulah Hallis, Nell M. Murray, Mollie Caroline Nelson, Agnes Margaret Regan, Anna Shelton, Beatrice Spencer, Dorothy Maude Walker, Mildred Wilkinson, Lotta Smith and Chas. Watkins.
1906-Birdie Austine, Chas. Goldsmith, Ruby Commons, Ray Cross- man, Helen Dieter, Robert Dye, Mary Ebart, Esther Evans, Julia Fones, Geo. Frye, Virgie Homes, Lulu Hancock, Lillian Hills, Oscar Koch- titzky, Shirley Lanyon, Bessie Livermore, Leah Livirs, John Maddy, Jaque McKee, Prentice Reeves, Iva Roberts, H. V. Smoot, Edith Stewart, Frank Burress, Bertha Stark, Edith Smith, J. Robert Treganza, Ray True, Geo. Watkins, Blanche White and Mamie Zellers.
1907-Russell Briggs, Elmer Burgess, John Craig, Arthur Kelso, John McAntire, Weaver Morris, Harry Morrison, Guy Randall, Homer Williams, Virgil Wofford, Bonnie Allen, Ruth Arnold, Frieda Bauer, Pearl Bittick, Georgia Board, Lena Chesnut, Myrtle Corbey, Ethel Downing, Eula Fletcher, Mae Hobson, Leona Johnson, Maude Loomis, Eva McClelland, Winnie McLean, Alma McMichael, Hazel Moss, Effie Meyers, Nellie Neal, Emeline Phillips, Dorothy Putman, Marie Rensen- hausen, Florence Serowinsky, Eulah Simms, Vera Skelton. Bernice Walsh, Ethel Whitwell, James Craig, Victor Miller, Irene MeVey, Isa- belle Zamboni, Eugene Hall, Gertrude Kopelman, Anna Larrabee. Clydia Swarens and Elsie Stewart.
1908-Mildred Belden, Leonette Cassidy, Jean Cox. Leah Chicker- ing, Anna Errett, Lois Ely, Letha Frank, Louis Hamm, Esther Hob- son, Niena Isherwood, Nellie Malsbury, Elva Moore, Hazel Summer- field, Wilma Young, Albert Aiken, Geo. Glade, Walter Hale, Mortimer Heidrick, Emmett Lancaster, Fred Morgan, Chas. McLean, Marvin Sprecklin, Othello Smith, Joseph Williams, Rector Green, Stella Smith, Anna Moser, Zelma Rowland, Jessie Wright, Albert Immel, Clara Sand- ford, Daniel Sandford, Nettie Crossman, Lillie Dam, Ernest Gengerich and Nellie Hazelwood.
1909-Ola Burch, Mary Slutter, Susie Dorsey, Jessie Nibarger, Lizzie Appleman, Mildred Kiegley, Lillian Sharkey, Leonard Power, Eva Kemener, Blanche Barnett, Margaret Bingham, Lillian Brown, Rachael Buchanan, Maidie Burge, Virgil Board, Clarence Burns, Eunice Cassidy, Grace Coglizer, Elizabeth Walsh, Reba Warden, Winifred Coles, Nettie Dagley, Leota Davidson, Nydia Davis, Neta Davis, Robert DeGraff, August Dieter, Frank Evans, Viola Ferguson, Clifford Fry, George Fowler, Grace Gregory, Everett Glover, Charles Hebbard, Bertha Herring, Watson Hoover, Bonner James, Howard Jamison, Fern Kash, Hazel Williams, Jay Klein, Bertha Kitto, Rose Kopelman, Lucile Linton, DeMerce Marlatt, Lela Manning, Gertrude Molloy, Brader McKee, Julius Miller, John Murray, Frank Murphy, Mabel Nix, Maud Nutz, Helen Pickson, Hazel Portor, Arthur Shimmons, Jaunita Thornton, Marie Thurman, Mabel Woodworth, Bonnibel White.
1910-Elizabeth Arnold, Darwin Amos, Edith Amos, Alice Bass, Mildred Bowers, Clarence Barron, Fae Boyd, Joseph Cole, Earl Cooley, Esther Cohen, George Cox, Sophia Campbell, Mona Campbell, Mary
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Coyle, Lizette Clear, Theresa Dorsey, William Glade, Wynne Garrison, Elmer Gmeiner, May Harrington, Lyla Hanks. Urias Johnston, Morton Krugg, Florence Kettinger, Archie Kendall, Jean Lawrence, Lester Leach, Arnold Leonard, Rhea Lopp, Lola Maret, Edna Mclendon, Lillian Meredith, Gerry Manning, Roscoe Mills, Brian Phillips, George Phillips, Helen Porter, Helen Patton, Beulah Powell, Josephine Regan, Gladys Rice, Howard Sandford, Emma Suppe, Frank Stephens, Marian Stewart, Harry Sickosky, Leon Wing, Myrtle Waterman, Eunice Chap- man and Glenn Thurston.
Class Roll 1911-Elsie Emery Armil, Gladys E. Ayland, Mabel Elsepeth Balsley, Richard Bell Buchanan, Lilas Brooks, Carolyn L. Bauer, Russell Belden, Aura Renfrow Bradley, J. Earl Burns, Howard Price Buxton, Blanche B. Baker, Mary E. Bingham, Auriel Charlotte Chickering, Bessie Jane Congdon, Nellie Luella Campbell, Maude Coombs, Nathaniel W. Davisson, Charles Gunn Dunwoody, Grace Aileen Dawson, Glenn Guy Davis, Elizabeth Eberly, Harold Finke, Bessie L. Foster, Mike Feerick, Zerma Fisher, Maude Elizabeth Francis, Morrison Bass Fowler, Marie Guengerich, Bertha Gardner, Minnie Rebecca Garri- son, Ruth Arabella Hays, Mary Lucile Henson, Pansy Wenbourne Heald, Sue Heidrick, Amy C. Hoover, Neva Lillian Johnson, Inez Johnston, Jeanetta James, Spencer Perrine Jenkins, Oliva Margaret Jobson, Beulah Ann Johnson, Cecile Kaufman, Fern Blanche Kithcart, Sadie Klein, Charles Hendrick Kost, Ewart Hudson Lothian, Elsie Grace Leeds, Ella May Longacre, Dorothy Anderson Lawrence, Justine Worth Miles, Oscar E. Morgenthaler, Joseph Lee Marcum, Otto R. Mit, Nellie Blanche Martin, Mary Alice McCune, Maude Blanche Nickell, Edward Dorsey Porter, Hazel Perine, Norton E. Ritter, Elmer Eugene Ramaley, Elgin A. Ray, Helen Rogers, William Grier Sandford, Clare S. Sandford, John Neal Sergeant, Ethel Stevens, Susan Elizabeth Stewart, Claude E. Stephens, George O. Slutter, Muriel Juanita Simpson, Catherine Helen Scott, Donnie Cora Simmons, Ray Hammond Smith, Homer Grant Welch, Helen Williams, George Franklin Whitney, Henry Arthur West- cott, Margareth Welton, Nellie Marie Winterholer, Katherine Woodbury and Cleo Alice Woodworth.
ALUMNI BANQUETS
Each year save one during the eleven years of this century, the High School alumni have held an annual reunion, at which old-time friend- ships have been renewed and the graduating class for the year formally welcomed into the fold.
Each of these ten banquets has been highly successful and each ripe with rich experiences and pleasant memories. To give an idea of the character of these entertainments we give here the Joplin Daily Globe's account of the 1903 reunion, which we select for the reason that it brought together the largest number of alumni during the decade.
While the patter of myriad raindrops of a spring shower assailed the zinc roof of the building the Joplin High school alumni banquet Vol. 1-31
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to the class of 1903 last night went merrily on and it was not until the final note of the closing speech was sounded and the several hundred alumnae and friends sought egress from the structure that the fury of the elements manifested itself in all its might.
Aside from the weather it was an evening of pure delight to the sev- eral remaining residents that have gone out from that institution as their alma mater, as well as to the graduating class and their educational guardians, the board of education and the faculty and the other friends assembled together.
A more representative or a more valuable collection of brains has perhaps never before gathered together under a single roof in Joplin.
At the head of the long banquet tables, which extended the length of the spacious assembly hall, said to be one of the finest in the state, sat the alumni president, L. L. Lichliter, the man who stands next to the highest post of honor in the province of the school board, as prin- cipal of the High school, and a member of the first graduating class, that of '88. The faculty, the members of the board of education and their wives, together with Paul Brown and wife and Rev. W. F. Turner and wife held the front tables, while down the center of the room ran the band of white damask which was to grace the feast for the members of the class of 1903. The other members of the alumni and their friends occupied the adjoining tables.
With the guests thus arranged the Rev. W. F. Turner, pastor of the First Christian church, spoke a few forceful words of grace and in- vocation. Then for the space of the next fifty minutes the appeasing of the inner appetite was the only number on the program and it had been amply provided for by the ladies of the Dorcas Circle of the Christain church who are to be congratulated for their success in ar- ranging and serving such an elegant menu as was provided. The menu .was as follows:
Cream of Celery Soup
Queen Olives
Sweet Pickles
Cold Turkey
Tomatoes-Mayonnaise Dressing Ham Sandwich Rolls Potato Chips Alumni Fruit Punch Chicken Salad
Tongue
Salted Almonds Brick Ice Cream Angel Food
Nut Sandwiches Strawberries Devil's Food
Fruit
Cheese
Wafers
Cafe Noir
When the last remaining vestige of the feast had been removed- the last crumb brushed from the table, as it were, President Lichliter as toastmaster for the evening formally opened the toasting ceremonies
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with an address welcoming the graduates of 1903 class upon their ini- tiation into the Alumni association. Mr. Lichliter explained to the class that they had not seen the last of him as some might have thought, and no doubt many wished, but that like Banquo's ghost he would not down and was now before them in a different light, not as principal of the Joplin High school, but as the honored president of the Joplin High school alumni. He spoke in regret of the fact that of the many who start in school at the beginning, so few remain to the close. He referred to the High school as the people's college and declared the class to represent, as regards the school life, the survival of the fittest. In closing he complimented the diversity of talent and the personality of the class and bade them cordial welcome into the Alumni association.
Walter Tousley, class president, responded to the address of wel- come in that same manner and ease and completeness that has char- acterized that young man's oratorical course in the High school from its incipiency four Septembers ago. He pointed with pride to the proverbial bigness under the hat that all the members of the class certainly felt and gave forth the class promise of living up to their motto: "All are Architects of Fate," that they would do their share of the building of the great and composite structure called life.
Mrs. H. S. Miller (Miss Cora Lichliter) one of the early graduates, and who is now recognized as a vocal singer of exceptional talent- talent that was first fostered in singing those dearly sacred school songs that never die in memory-sang a soprano solo, "Shoogy-Shoo" (Ambrose), Mrs, J. M. Gwinn accompanying, and responded to an encore.
Col. Joel T. Livingston, now a member of the board of education, responded to the toast, "Old Time School Boy Days."
A male quartet composed of Messrs. E. V. Jackson, C. C. Cum- mings, L. L. Lichliter and F. B. Rogers, sang DeKoven's "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" and were very heartily encored.
Prof. J. M. Gwinn, who for the term just closed has been superin- tendent, and who held the position of principal for two years prior to that time, gave the toast "The Joplin High School." The salient facts of Prof. Gwinn's talk to the alumnae were first that of the 243 graduated students, 71 had become teachers and 43 were now serving in that capacity in the Joplin schools; second, that Joplin High school boys make the best business men and Joplin High school girls the best wives in the community.
Prof. Gwinn struck a new chord when he prophesied for some not far distant future date a magnificent new stone high school building at Wall and Eighth streets, almost across from the new Carnegie li- brary, where the Central school now stands. Prof. Gwinn foresaw in the near future if not at present a crowding for room in the present High school building, commodious though it is, so phenomenal has been the growth of the Joplin schools.
Miss Imo Price sang very beautifully G. Thomas' arrangement of
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"A Summer Night," and was called upon for an encore solo, respond- ing with "A Lonesome Dollie."
"The High School Boy in Public Life" was the toast assigned to Hon. Richard N. Graham, graduate of the Joplin High school and member of the recent Missouri legislative assembly. Mr. Graham called attention to the dire need of more high school boys in public life and advanced the opinion that if there were more of this class of young men in public life there would be fewer boodle scandals and lobby crookedness in connection with state administration. Mr. Graham spoke feelingly and eloquently to the incoming class and closed his remarks with a brilliant effort, entirely extemporaneous, alluding in most au- roral terms to the opportunities before a high school boy in public life and of the edge that would be taken off the brighter side of the rain- bow after a few months' actual contact with the rough surfaces of life in the world of public life.
The male quartet rendered Giebel's southern plantation lullaby, "Sleep Kentucky Babe," with much pleasing effect.
President C. S. Poole, of the board of education, closed the scheduled toasts with "A Few Remarks" for the good of those who spoke before him and for the good of the school.
Following Mr. Poole Rev. Paul Brown made a stirring speech in compliment to the Joplin High school and those who have watched over and in great measure shaped its destiny, the teachers, and bespoke for the future Joplin a keener awakening of the public spirit to a con- stant demand for improved facilities and accommodations in every phase of school life.
President Lichliter closed the evening by extending the thanks of the association to those present and repeated a welcome to the class of 1903, in whose honor the banquet was given.
The rain was coming down in torrents as the assemblage was dis- missed and the street carriages reaped a harvest in four-bit pieces. It was past midnight before all the evening's participants were in their homes.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS
The following is a list of the superintendents of High school, prin- cipals and members of the Board of Education who have served the people of Joplin during the present century :
1900-2: Superintendent, J. D. Elliff; principal of high school, J. M. Gwinn.
1903: Superintendent, J. M. Gwinn; principal of high school, L. L. Lichliter.
1904: Superintendent, W. P. Roberts; principal of high school, L. L. Lichliter.
1905: Superintendent, W. P. Roberts; principal of high school, S. A. Baker.
1906: Superintendent, L. J. Hall; principal of high school, S. A. Baker.
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1907: Superintendent, Edmund J. Vert; principal of high school, S. A. Baker.
1908-9: Superintendent, Geo. V. Buchanan; principal of high school, S. A. Baker.
1910-11 : Superintendent, Geo. V. Buchanan; principal of high school, F. H. Barber.
Members of Board of Education: C. S. Poole, Al Reynolds, T. A. Cunningham, C. A. Lyon, C. M. De Graff, Joel T. Livingston, L. W. Kost, R. A. Wilson, Dr. A. Burson Clark, A. J. Shockley, S. C. Fones, Dr. M. T. Balsley, W. H. Warren, J. W. Boyd and A. Houghton.
STATE UNIVERSITY SUMMER NORMAL
In 1903, largely through the instrumentality of J. D. Elliff, the superintendent of schools, who had just returned from Columbia where he had taken a post-graduate course in the Missouri State University, and the Board of Regents and faculty of that great school, there was established in Joplin a Summer Normal which was conducted partly by members of the faculty from the University and from supply teach- ers in and around Joplin. The grades made at this Summer Normal were entered on the records at the State University, and the students were given credit for the work done at Joplin, the same as if they were in Columbia. The school lasted for seven weeks, six days in the week. The following was the faculty: R. H. Jesse, president of State Uni- versity ; J. D. Elliff, superintendent of Joplin school; W. J. Hawkins, superintendent of Nevada schools; J. M. Gwinn, principal of Joplin High School; Luther Hardaway, superintendent of Jasper county, and R. R. Ramsay, W. L. Howard and William Westmoreland, of the faculty of the University. This school was a great benefit, especially to the teachers of southwestern Missouri, and was largely attended by students from all over that vicinity.
THE JOPLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
As mentioned before, a movement was started in the 'nineties to found a public library, and something like $1,000 was collected from various sources for the purpose of starting a public reading room, but it became apparent that to be a success the fund for maintenance must be of a permanent character and during the winter of 1900-1 a cam- paign of education was carried on by the various literary clubs of the city looking to the establishment by the city of a public library. The city, at the general election of 1901, by a very large majority voted an annual tax of ten cents on the one hundred dollars valuation for the maintenance of a free public library and reading room.
The law creating the library provided for the appointment of a non-partisan board of directors to manage the affairs of the library, and the Mayor named as the first board the following persons, all of whom are great lovers of good reading and who had taken a lively interest
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in securing the passage of the law and its approval at the polls by the people : J. D. Elliff, president; Rev. Paul Brown, O. H. Picher, Henry Kost, E. L. Anderson, William N. Carter, H. H. Gregg, and Mrs. Ada Goss Briggs, Mrs. Emma Lichliter and Mrs. Hattie Ruddy Rice. The board organized by selecting superintendent J. D. Elliff, of the public schools, as president and Mrs. Rice as secretary.
About this time Andrew Carnegie announced his intention of donat- ing $10,000,000 toward the founding of free public libraries and the Joplin library board made application to the philanthropist for a dona- tion for the erection of the Joplin library building and in July re- ceived the following letter relative to the same:
SKIBO CASTLE, ARDGAR, N. B., July 16, 1901. M. J. D. Elliff, Pres't Library Board, Joplin, Mo.
DEAR SIR :- Responding to your letter of May 6th-if the city of Joplin will furnish a suitable site and pledge itself to maintain the library at a cost of not less than $4,000 a year, Mr. Carnegie will be glad to provide $40,000 for a suit- able building.
Very Respectfully, JAMES BERTRAM. Private Sec'y.
As the city, at the general election, had voted the library tax and the amount to be derived from the same would exceed the $4,000, noth-
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, JOPLIN
ing remained excepting to secure a site, and at once a number of well ap- pointed building lots were offered by individuals and committees rep- resenting property owners in various parts of the city. After much consultation and careful deliberation the board, after having taken many ballots, selected the northwest corner of Ninth and Wall, and there the library, which is the pride of all Joplin, was built. The cor- ner stone was laid with appropriate ceremones in October, 1902. The Jasper county white limestone was used in the superstructure and the roof was very appropriately covered with zinc shingles, a gift from the Illinois Zinc Company.
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While the library building was in course of erection the library was placed temporarily in the High school. Mrs. Baker (Beckie Sharp) being the first librarian.
In 1905 Miss Mary B. Swanwick, the present librarian, was placed in charge of the reading rooms and she, together with Miss Blanch Trigg, Mrs. A. D. Scott (nee Mary Barr) and Mrs. Hattie Ruddy Rice, assistant librarians, have most thoroughly classified and catalogued the books and periodicals.
In order that the reader may have an idea of the workings of the library we append herewith a few extracts from the annual report of the president and librarian for 1911:
No. books purchased 1910
1,902
No. books lost or worn out
552
No. books in library Jan. 1, 1911
15,737
No. books, magazines and periodicals
18,380
No. books circulated during the year
64,542
No. of people using library during year
10,814
Active holders of library cards
6,814
Twenty-one thousand five hundred and fourteen books were fur- nished to the public schools and circulated among the public school children under the direction of the superintendent of schools. Each of these 4,634 books was read on an average by five pupils; or in other words, each pupil in the schools (grammar grades) read five books in addition to the regular studies during the year.
The following constitute the present officials of the Library: Pres- ident, Clark Craycroft; vice president, Hugh McIndoe; Thomas Do- lan, C. W. Wescott, August Junge, W. A. Nickell, Dr. M. C. Shelton, Miss W. B. Myers and Mrs. Emma Lichliter.
THE CHURCHES OF JOPLIN
Religious work kept pace with the business activity during the last decade and was manifested by the organization of nine new churches and the reorganization of the old Congregational church, which had fallen into torpor during the latter 'nineties. Six of the older con- gregations built new and more commodious church edifices and three of them enlarged their old buildings to accommodate the new and en- larged demands. At each of these churches the building of the new church was a memorable event and was attended with impressive cere- monies.
The following are among the church improvements.
First Presbyterian church building erected, costing $30,000.
Brethren Presbyterian church enlarged and remodeled at a cost of $3,000.
North Heights Presbyterian chapel built. On this building the pas- tor labored, with other volunteer help, to complete the edifice. The
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congregation, now a power, was at first few in numbers and the build- ing was almost wholly erected by volunteer help.
Second Baptist and Calvary Baptist churches erected, each at a cost of $10,000.
The First Methodist and Byers Avenue churches were built, at a cost respectively of $35,000 and $20,000, and the First Christian church for $25,000. The Second Christian church was also enlarged.
The new East Joplin Congregational church cost $5,000; St. Peters Catholic, $40,000, and St. Philips Episcopal, $20,000. The building of this church also was an example of perseverance worthy of emulation. In 1903 the foundation of the church was built. This was added to, little by little, until 1911, when the beautiful edifice was completed and dedicated.
The Central Christian church has completed the basement of a $25,000 building which is in course of construction.
The First and Second Churches of Christ Scientist, erected new temples in Carthage.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
The First Congregational church built two churches, or rather erected one new edifice and then were forced to rebuild it; and, on account of these peculiar circumstances, we speak more at length of the matter.
In 1900 the reorganized Congregational church called to the pas- torate the Rev. Paul Brown of Kansas City. Mr. Brown was an ex- ceptionally strong pastor; being not only highly cultured and a widely read man, but an orator of great ability. He at once became very popular and built up a large congregation of literary people, and money was quickly raised for a new church home which was built at the southwest corner of Second and Pearl streets. The building cost $10,500, and when it was dedicated was entirely paid for. After a few months of occupancy, however, it was discovered that the walls were sinking and an investigation disclosed the fact that a drift in an old shaft, which had been worked away back in the early 'seventies, abandoned and filled up, had begun to cave.
Mr. Brown was a man of great action and, like Napoleon, was quick to see the time for action. A church meeting was called and it was de- termined to purchase a new lot, tear down the beautiful little church and rebuild. The lot at the northeast corner of Fifth and Pearl was purchased and the church rebuilt in 1902. The drift under the old building lot was filled and the lot sold.
The Congregational church has been a strong factor in the city dur- ing the past ten years. Rev. C. L. Parker is the present pastor.
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THREE COLORED CHURCHES BUILT
In 1903 Joplin was visited by a small cyclone, which did great dam- age to certain parts of the city, destroying two of the churches occu- pied by the colored people.
Thomas Connor, one of the city's millionaires, came to the front and donated $5,000 to each of the three colored church organizations for the purpose of reerecting the buildings destroyed. This splendid gift was a great boon to the colored people and was much appreciated by them.
BILLY SUNDAY
In the fall of 1909 Rev. William A. Sunday was induced by the church people to come to Joplin and hold a series of meetings. To accommodate the vast throngs who nightly came to hear the evangelist a tabernacle was constructed on vacant lots south of the Christman Annex on Virginia avenue. The Tabernacle, as it was called, was 150 by 120 feet and seated 5,000 people.
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