Adair County, Missouri - Chapter 19: In Memoriam, 1911 (part 2 of 2)

"It was the refusal to grant a decree in a divorce case. The litigants were young and had three pretty children. A petition and crosshill had been filed. Able attorneys were on hand to represent the warring husband and wife. Judge Ellison waved them aside and took charge of the ca.se. He asked a few questions and read a stack of letters from the wife to the husband. He made up his mind that it was <>ne of those cases where pride only prevents concessions and reconciliation. Then he said, 'Now you are both asking a divorce. I expect you both have been fretful. I expect you both have acted hastily at times, but you have three little children, who are not responsible for these troubles. They at least are innocent. The law of both God and man says that it is your duty to raise these children, and in the fae* all this affection and in the face of the fact that you both come from go people, good stock, and both have good hearts, I will not bean mo - ment - the last act of my official life, the last trial I sit as judged, not result in the severance of two young people, and in the inakine ; orphans of three little children. I will not do it. I say to you no* I dismiss the petition in this case and the cross-bill, and ask both o: y earnestly and with a heart full of sympathy for the weakness and fr - ties of humankind - I ask, nay, I beg of you at this hallowe'en time..- preceding Christmas, a day on which we will celebrate the greats event that ever occurred on earth, the proclamation of peace on far-land good will to all mankind - I say I ask of you to go back to y. - home and become to each other again the strong manly husband and dutiful loving wife. Preserve these letters I have read on the per your future happiness. They represent the all-powerful love of a Ual woman for a husband that must be worthy, else they had never written. Not one word in them need she be ashamed of, and I ti i:| more of you both for having read them. That is all. Mr. Sheriff, :t'*' journ the court." The litigants followed implicitly Judge Ellison's -ingestions in the decree, and are now living together happy and prosper^.*.

This was a most gracous act on the part of a wise Judge, a g«*n,- hearted. true-hearted great man; a beautiful closing of a long, uht.l. honorable and successful judicial life of a good and honest man. wb will ever be remembered for the good he has done.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God/' Line; 'in said, "Die when we may, I want it said of me, by those who knew w< best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where 1 tlioush' a flower would grow." Surely this applies to Judge Ellison.

Judge Ellison is a native Missourian, and was born at Monticel^- Lewis County, July 12, 1848. In his early boyhood he came to Adair County with his brother, the late Judge Andrew Ellison. He attend^ the public schools here and the Christian University at Canton. M".. also taking a course at Christian Brothers' College at St. Louis. He then read law and was admitted to the bar at Kirksville in 1867. He entered at once into the active practice and soon came to be recogniz^ as one of the ablest attorneys of the state. He served as prosecuting attorney of Adair County, l>eing fleeted in 1874. and was* also presidential elector in 1884, when Cleveland was elected President. In November of that year he was appointed Judge of the Kansas City Court <>: Appeals and elected to that same office in 1888. In 1890 he was mint: muted and re-elected for a full term. Again in 1008 he received thai same honor, and is therefore still a member of one of Missouri's hiuh<- legal tribunals.

Judge Ellison is one of the greatest of a family of great lawyer He has written many important opinions since he has been on the hem': atld they are regarded as models of true legal exposition. Few. if anv lawyers in the State are more highly regarded as citizens or more hicerely admired for the legal acumen and wide and deep knowledge. I; is believed by those who have watched his career that even great* r honors are yet in store for him.

Within the memory of men yet living, this cosmopolitan cumm.jnity of Adair County was typical of the most primitive American conditions. In the language of Herbert Spencer, Adair County, alx>v.i the year 1850, was in a condition of "indefinite, incoherent homogeneity." Its people were all very much alike. Noticeable differentiations had not Ix'gun. The specialist was not much in evidence. Unman in those days could be a doctor, preacher, tooth extractor, horshoer, water witch, stock raiser, lawyer, fanner, politician and a few other things, all at one and the same time.

Little by little different qualities among men were developed anil utilized. Specialization began. The farmer ceased to be a doctor >.-r a lawyer; the preacher and horse-shoer ceased to be farmers. Chit from the mass of homogeneities arose some school teachers. Fro: among the school teachers arose the mathematicians, scientist* ami other specialists. The last quarter of the nineteenth century produc-1 for the first time in history a new specialist among the school men That specialist was the school superintendent, a man of large capabilities, clear insight into educational conditions and processes, and ready skill in educational organization.

Once in Adair County, about sixty years ago, there was a redfaced, bare-footed farm boy some ten or twelve years of age. He wn.- healthy, robust, active and ingenious, fond of hunting and other prinv itive sports. This hoy was James M. Greenwood, living somewhere on t ht* prairies of Adair County between Kirksville and the east line of the county. Thirty-seven years ago Kansas City appointed this former Adair County farm Ixjv Su|>erintcndent of its City schools, and James M. Greenwood is now one of the most widely known American school num.

Young (Ireenwood grew up as other farm boys did. He loved hooks and readily absorlx'd, assimilated and applied their contents. He had little opportunity for education. The schools were few in number. They had short terms and the very poorest facilities. Nearly all of those who l>ecamc educated were self-educated. Mr. dreenwood attended at times the ordinary public schools, then a seminary or wouldbe college down near the Mississippi River and for a short time the University of Missouri, which institution some dozen years ago conferred upon him the degree Doctor of Laws.

Mr. Creenwood had some experience as a teacher in the early publie schools of Illinois and Missouri. He was a member of the first faculty of the Kirksville Normal School, when it started in the fall of 1867 as a private Normal School under the presidency of Professor Joseph Baldwin. When the Institution in January, 1871, became a State Normal School, the entire faculty was taken over ami made the faculty of the First District Normal School. Mr. (Ireenwood was professor of mathematics, and through his unusual skill and ability in solving the difficult mathematical problems of the day became widely known throughout the United States and other English speaking countries.

In the year 1874 Mr. (Ireenwood was called to Kansas City as Superintendent of the Public Schools of that thriving town of some twenty thousand people. From that day to the present time, he has l>eon one of the most positive forces in the educational affairs of Missouri and of the United States. He has been honored in a large variety of ways. He has had within his reach educational positions of many kinds and varieties, from his present office to that of United States Commissioner of Education; but he has chosen to remain with the Public School System of Kansas City while that city has been growing from a small city of twenty thousand people, to the great distributing center which it now is, with only five other cities in the United States surpassing it in its weekly clearing-house business.

Superintendent Greenwood has been characterized by his activity in many educational reforms and improvements. He has been an exponent and an advocate and an exemplar of democracy in education. He has believed in education through self-activity. He has believed in sending the whole boy to school and in educating all of the 1m»vs. Hihas stood for the adaptation of education to the needs of the Im»\> an I girls in every separate community. He has been the friend of the homeless and moneyless 1m>vs and girls. He has strugeled for such lawand such educational facilities as would in the most effective way enable young Missourians to educate themselves for the highest emcii-u*;.

Superintendent (Ireenwood has represented Missouri in educational associations and programs more frequently and in more WtXi than any other man that ever lived in Missouri. He is more in demand as an educational lecturer than any other school superintendent in the country. For a quarter of a century we find his name almost continuously in the programs of the National Education Association, as Will as the state educational associations of many states.

In middle professional life he was often regarded as an advocat of fads. It is now somewhat difficult to conceive of that condition existing some twenty-five or thirty years ago when no college or university in the state had a department for teaching the literature of the language we speak. Mr. (Ireenwood was the first man in Missouri to plead for a chair of English in the University and in every collefr of the state.

He was among the early advocates of the rational use of industrial and agricultural education. He has written voluminously. Siar< > an educational journal of any consequence in the country but ha> pu;>- lished many of his article-. He has been the foe and the terror of extremists in education. He lias wielded a ready pen for maintaininc sanity and regularity in educational reforms. He has 1 >een one of thf most prodigious readers of literature, history, science, philosophy, art and other records of human achievement. He is more resourceful in at least a dozen specialties than the typical specialists themselves.

He has been a man of uniformly simple habits of life. He has exemplified plain living and high thinking. He is at ease in all kind* "' cultivated society. He is a great souled, resourceful, genial, companionable, lovable and patriotic American. John H. Kirk.

A brief sketch of the life of President Kirk is given in the chapter on the Normal School, so it is not necessary that it should be rejieateii here. He is, however, by his character and achievements, more than deserving of mention among the great men of this county. Among the educators of Missouri few, if any, stand higher than he, and he is fa-t becoming one of the leaders of the educational thought of the country. As an executive he is probably without a peer, and in energy is a perfect human dynamo. What he has done for the school and therefore for the county and the State, is written large in the progress of that splendid institution. What he found when he came here to assume the <luties of the head of this school and what he has done for its progress and growth, are matters of current knowledge. Certainly the people of our county owe him a debt of gratitude.

No doubt he shall yel accomplish much for this community and aid materially her progress. That he has many plans, not only for the advancement and glory of the school, but for the good of the entire community, those who have known him well are sure. That he will bring them to a successful issue is equally patent to those acquainted with his staying qualities and dynamic energy.

Dr. Still has l>een thoroughly handled by Mr. Violette in his chapter on the great school of which he was the founder; so it is not essential that the events of his splendid career should be recorded here.

Of all the men who have left a lasting impress for good on the community and on the world. Dr. Still is without a peer. He has done more to make Kirksville famed to the ends of the earth than all others who have lived in Kirksville. From his splendid mind has come a gr»at idea which has touched the world with a healing wand ami brought happiness and rich content into countless thousands of human habitations where were known only sickness ami sorrow. His has been not only a great material achievement but has added greatly to the sum of human joy. The beauty of it all is that his great idea shall go on growing and expanding till millions yet unborn shall know its healing touch and rise up to call him blessed.

Here is truly a great man, unspoiled by success, still the kindly courteous gentleman, of the severest simplicity as well as highest purpose, of purest life and lofty ideals. His life has been such that when his labors are over and he has come to the end of his journey, its sacred influence shall fall like a holy benediction on the hearts of men.

In almost every community there is some man whose achievements stand out in such bold relief that he epitomises the thought and progress of that community; that whenever the name of one is mentioned the other naturally comes to one's mind. The names of Kirksville and

Kirksville owes Dr. Still a debt of gratitude which never can b* paid, no matter how lavish she may heap honors upon him. Like al'. great men, full appreciation will not come to him in life, hut the coniii t years will enhance his glory and add to the lustre of his just fame.

Judge YYanamaker was horn near Picton, Prince Edward County. Ontario, Canada, OctoU'r 8, 1846. He spent his early life in that country and was educated at Albert College, Belleville, Ontario, later graduating from the law department of the University of Michigan.

In 1870 he came to Missouri, and to Kirksville in 1870. He remained here two years, serving as city attorney by appointment, an<i during the last year of his residence here was a partner of H. F. Millar. In 1878 he went to Bethany. Missouri, where he has since resided.

He filled the office of city attorney of Bethany three terms, an«l was assistant prosecuting attorney of Harrison County for four year* In 1904 he was electee! circuit Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit. an<i re-elected in 1910. He is regarded as one of the able jurists of tin State, a man of the highest judicial temperament, wide learning, sterling honesty and of the kmiest insight into matters of law. Thi<» who have watched his career feel BUN there are yet many honors it. store for him.