Jasper County, Missouri - Chapter 37: Webb City, 1912

Political History During the 'Nineties - School System for Twentyfive Years - The Webb City College - Newspapers - Building op THE Nbwland Hotel - Reception by Webb City Lodge, No. 115, K. P. - Webb City Division, No. 11, U. R. K. P. - The Eberts- Wright Stag Party.

During the nineties, Webb City almost doubled its population. It spread out to the south and west and became not only a most busy mart, in a business way, but a city beautiful.

The first election held under the new charter in April, 1890, was hotly contested and resulted as follows: T. J. Harrington, mayor; John Brown, marshal; August Brewster, city attorney; A. C. Crandall, collector; E. T. Webb, treasurer, and John J. Corbill, recorder (police judge).

City Council - First ward, C. P. Hendrickson and Paul Maron ; second ward, Walter Tholbum and William Helbum ; third ward, W. W. Greenlee and W. C. Reed; fourth ward, John J. Craig and E. Swartz.

City Council - W. W. Wampler, Louis Helm, W. E. Reed and E. E. Brandsbury, together with the hold-over members elected in 1891. A heavy vote was polled at this election.

At the spring election of 1893, the following members came into the council : O. P. Sutherland, C. J. McClelland, L. 0. Walker and H. E. Hatcher.

At the fall election of 1894 Judge William Robinson was elected to the supreme court of the state and E. C. Crow, city attorney of Webb City, was appointed by the governor to fill out the vacancy. This was quite a coincident, the city attorneyship of Webb City being the stepping stone to the circuit court in both incidents. Judge Crow later became attorney of the state. W. J. Owen filled out Judge Crow's term as city attorney.

1896: Mayor, F. M. King; marshal, Calvin Fox; police judge, A. M. Whiteworth ; city attorney, W. J. Owen ; treasurer, H. B. Hulett ; collector, J. B. Overstreet and assessor, J. S. Harrison.

We are indebted to Miss Ella Helm, teacher of history in the Webb City High School, for the following review of the Webb City schools covering the later 'eighties, the 'nineties and the first ten years of the present century.

The perpetuity of the free institutions of our country depends upon the intelligence and patriotism of her citizens. The public school is the medium by which the proper preparation for good citizenship may be accomplished, and we feel a just pride in what has been and is being done along these lines. Today it is my pleasure to tell you about the development and growth of the public schools since I came here.

Seventeen years ago an eight-room frame school house stood where the Central High School building stands today. It had no library, no laboratory - in fact, no conveniences like the modem school building of this city today, and was the only structure of the kind in the town.

The enrolment at that time was between four and five hundred. The directors were W. E. Foster, Josiah Van Buskirk and John Jancock. The corps of teachers were: Principal, Theodric Aziine; V. Letta Speaks, Ella Helm, Ella Walker, M. J. Weatherford, Willie E. PranUin, Ruby Robinson and Rose Fishbum.

Owing to the floating population and overcrowded condition of the schools, they were not well graded. I remember distinctly a fad jjrew among the students to let the **big geography" be a basis for classification, and, without regard to intellectual attainments, the big, the little, the wise, the unwise, came to my department and said in an assured tone: **I am classified, for I have the *big geography/ "

The first morning of the session, the High School pupils were permitted to select their own course of study, for it would have been difficult to have done otherwise with this motley crowd - ^representatives from so many different schools and so many different states. By careful study of the advancement of the pupils. Professor Axline made the following High School course of study, suited to the needs of the times : Physical geography, higher arithmetic, algebra, plane geometry, botany, zoology, physics, rhetoric, general history and English literature.

There were no graduates the first year and, instead of having the regular graduating exercises, we had a ''strawberry festival" in which the entire community took part. The proceeds of the evening were ninety-four dollars, and the money was applied for the purchase of the organ now in use in Room 6, West Side. The following year, the Webster, a four-room building, was completed and ready for occupancy; and hence four more teachers were required.

In March, 1890, Webb City was reorganized into a city district and elected six directors, viz: G. P. C. Corl, C. E. McBride, A. A. Hulett, W. B. Poster and George Robinson; H. C. Gaston, clerk, and J. P. Stewart, treasurer. During that year the event that most seriously affected the routine of school work was the ** small-pox scare.'' There were only fourteen pupils who continued in school, with a force of seven teachers. One teacher had only one pupil, but the bells rang and the children congregated around the '*red flag." afraid to come to school, but they came to rehearsals of drills after school, and gave a glowing report of increase of cases, number of new flags, etc.

Under Professor Axline 's supervision, we had the following graduates of 1890 ; Plum Edwards, C. W. Fishbum, Minnie Hancock, W. H. McAboy, Ada Stockston and Lucy Wolfe.

In two years' service Professor Axline did effective work, weeding out and grading the pupils, systematizing an elementary course of study, and laying the foundation for substantial development and growth in the future.

In 1890 Professor Stevens was employed as superintendent, with a force of twelve teachers. The highest room was No. 7, at the Central and included seventh and eighth grades and Hi^ School. The superintendent heard recitations in a little cloak room at the foot of the east stairway. There was no departmental woi* in the High School. Each teacher taught all the subjects in the grade assigned her. The schools were overcrowded. In the early spring school started in little Mineral Bidge school and continued until the opening of the West Side in 1892, with Miss Lucy Wolfe in charge.

In 1892, the West Side building was completed and the High School was changed to the West Side, occupying one room. The superintendent used the basement for his recitations. The course was extended to four years, in order to complete either Latin or scientific course of study.

In 1892 and 1893, in addition to the old Central, Webster and West Side, school was opened in the Holiness church in the southeast part of town and also in the old Mormon church on Allen street. The following year No. 5, West Side, was to include High woi* with Miss Wampler in charge. The new Central was completed and ready for occupancy December 1, 1894. The High School then occupied three rooms.

Professor Stevens' efficient and permanent service rendered the public schools inestimable. His organization, his raising the standard of the High School, and his progressive spirit as an educator, have left a favorable imprint on the minds and hearts of the Webb City people. He strengthened and evened the grades by placing stress on weak work in contests in parallel grades. This was especially admirable in arithmetic, reading, phonetics and spelling.

Professor Stevens also introduced into our schools drawing, music and nature study and fostered democratic ideas of government. His laudable means to direct and control public sentiment by public school entertainments, by public school street parade, by art exhibit and by comparisons of grade work, were highly commendable. His wisdom in making changes vdthout any break in the work and his worthy incentives to induce students to adopt the new, and discard the old, received the universal support of the people.

I recall the proposition offered by Professor Stevens to the effect that any room where pupils should supply themselves with the new music book should be given a free car ride to the State Teaehem' Association at Lamar, and represent the music as taught by Professor Whybark in the Webb City schools. There was universal interest, but my room was the fortunate one, and all had books but one ; but the pupils soon took a collection and purchased another music reader.

The unique way in which ** Arbor day exercises" was observed appealed to each home. Each pupil was requested to clean his home yard and pile rocks up in some convenient place, and a drayman free of charge would call and haul them off. So you can plainly see Professor Stevens lived up to his motto: **To make the best possible of ourselves, our homes, our city."

The following are the names of the graduates during his supervision : Class of 1893 - Bemice Ashcraft, Georgia Frey, Anna Julian, Frank McPherson, Nellie Redding, Mary Richards, Onie Van Horn and Ida Weatherford.

Professor A. G. Young, Professor Stevens' successor, was a thorou^ scholar, a leading educator and a worthy citizen. In a practical business manner he sought to introduce departmental work in the High School. In its infancy Professor Young taught physics and Miss Wampler, Latin. The next year he changed the course of study, and adopted the departmental plan in full. He also had Room 12 fitted up for a laboratory and introduced the laboratory method in the High School. Previous to that time, a little laboratory work had been done in chemistry. It was done by the teacher, however, no opportunity being afforded for individual work. The next year he organized a teachers' library. It was first started by each teacher contributing a dollar. On leaving school, the contributors were to receive back the money donated, less ten cents for each year they had had the use of the library. This laudable scheme encouraged professional reading and study on the part of the teachers and led to the organization of a Teachers' Improvement Club which has directed the teachers to better scholarship and higher ideals.

As soon as the departmental plan was in use. Professor Young began to purchase special works of reference for each department, and also to purchase pictures appropriate to each department of a general nature.

I believe the greatest revolution in the High School was wrought by doing away with formal examinations, and making the class work the basis for promotion.

Miss Holmes, a teacher of reading, was added to the faculty during Professor Young's superintendency and has won many laurels by her faultless interpretation of thought, by her ability to arouse pupil's originality, and by her teaching them to think for themselves and then give expression.

In 1893 the Baptists of Webb City began to agitate the question of founding a college for the higher education of the young men ond women of the county. After much hard woit money was subscribed and the college founded. The la3dng of the comer stone in 1894 was a most imposing spectacle, all of the societies of the county assisting the Masons in the ceremonies and the parade was almost a mile long. Dr. Cook was the first president of the college and mapped out an upto-date college course of study.

The first graduating exercises occurred May 23, 1896, twenty-three students completing the course of study. Dr. Cook was an eminent educator and his personality greatly added to the popularity of the college, which continued as a Baptist school until 1905. Further mention of the college will be made in the section covering the next decade.

Webb City had, during the decade, four papers which at different times influenced the life of the city and chronicled its daily happenings. The old Webb City Times, the Webb City Star, the Record and the Webb City Register, the last two still the two leading papers of the city. For a portion of the time Jesse Zook was the editor of the Register and his long editorial experience and his expert knowledge of mines and mining made this a most valuable paper.

In 1890 the Webb City Commercial Club was organized and has since been an important part of the Webb City commercial life. The charter membership of the Club was one hundred and forty, and the following were its first officers: President, J. T. James; secretary, Ted Molyneaux.

Among the many improvements of the nineties which helped to upbuild Webb City was the erection of the Newland Hotel, which was commenced in 1890 and completed in January, 1891. The hotel was formally opened in February, with a sumptuous banquet which was attended by prominent business men not only from Webb City, but from all over the county. The dining room was profusely decorated with potted plants and cut flowers.

** Jasper County - ^Rich in agricultural wealth, richer in literary attainments and supreme in its mineral holdings;" by J. M. Rice, Sarcoxie.

Perhaps the most brilliant lodge affair of the early nineties was the reception and bnaquet tendered to the Knights of Jasper and Barton Counties and Galena, Kansas, by the Webb City Lodge, No. 115, K. P., August 29, 1891.

At 8 o'clock in the evening the visiting delegation, eighty strong, and representing visitors from the lodges at Lamar, Carthage, Carterville, Oronogo, Carl Junction, Joplin, Oalena and Ft. Scott, Kansas, assembled at the lodge room, where a general good time was had and everybody made acquainted by the reception committee, after which the lodge was duly opened and the three ranks conferred on a class of candidates. At 12 o'clock the lodge, with their guests, took up their march to the Newland hotel, where they were most royally entertained. Here a scene of gay festivity presented itself. The banquet room was beautifully decorated with the colors of the order and the red, white and blue of the nation. The tables were ornamented with potted plants and cut flowers and half hidden from view in a grotto of flowers and plants, an orchestra played inspiring music. After the banquet a six-course spread was served, after which short talks were made by the following Pythians, Chancellor Commander, T. H. Groodwin, acting as toast master; ** Lodge Decorum," G. K. Davidson, Joplin; *'The Knights of the Sunflower State," P. C. Loomis, Ft. Scott; **One of the Boys," Dr. Merrison, Ft. Scott; **That Friendly Feeling," Joel T. Livingston, Ft. Scott; ''What Pythianism Means to a Traveling Man," L. B. Cook, Carl Junction; *' Justin N. Rathbone," Judge Sapp, Galena; *'The Webb

City Knight/* J. P. Willett; ** Pythian Patriotism/' F. E. Williams, Joplin; "The Golden Chain of Friendship," H. Conley, Lamar. It was two o'clock when the assemblage arose from the table, and as the jolly crowd of Knights departed from the hotel they voted the meeting one of '*the be«t ever."

In 1892, the Webb City Division, No. 11, of the U. R. K. P., was organized, with Henry Wormer, chief of the Webb City fire department, as captain. The company was composed of the best men of the city and at once became one of the crack semi-military organizations of the county. At Monett, on Jnly 4, 1892, this company captured first prize in the drill contest of the companies of the third regiment, six companies being present and taking part in the contest. At E^ansas City it won especial mention from Colonel Gray for its military bearing and decorum. Jock Chamberlain, a Bostonian, who had been a former Massachusetts guardsman and club man, was the right guide of this division, and much of its excellence - ^that is, so far as the little detail work of formation, etc., is concerned - was due to this genial and soldierly easterner.

In 1896, Charles Ebert and Will H. Wright, both royal entertainers and princes of good fellows, gave to a select few of their friends a stag party. The evening was spent in story telling, cards, etc., every guest being required to tell a story, sing a song, or recite a selection for the entertainment of the assemblage. The stag party was so much enjoyed that it was annually repeated for many years.

A Webb City paper gives the following description of the 1899 gathering which closed the social season of the nineteenth century from Webb City, the party occurring on December 29 :

One of the most thoroughly enjoyable and altogether nnique social events of the year took place at the private apartments of Will H. Wright and Charles Ebert, on December 2^h. It was the fourth annual -'stag*' party with whidi these gentlemen delight their friends. About twenty guests had been invited and responded to the invitation. At the entrance door hung a huge Japanese lantern and thither swarmed the gentlemen of the dty. Bach guest on entering the room was presented with a boutonniere of pinks and given a guess on a conundrum, which when solved was found to tell the tale of Republicanism in a representation of "sound money, protection and good times."

Once within all were made to feel the generous hospitality of two of Webb Clty*8 most princely entertainers. The walls were covered with picture groups, quaint and unique, displaying a wealth of the esthetic sense that evidently predominates in their minds. In ample profusion were upholstery and tables for the assembled guests.

Here hilarity and social converse mingled with innocent games and colloquial diversion converted the rendezvous into a babel of many tongues. The genial hosts, assisted by Bert Wright, received the visitors and dispensed cigars and punch with lavish prodigality. There was no cessation of lavish hospitality until the midnight hour when Joe West, the popular caterer and commissariat appeared with an immense suiq^ly of edibles, consisting of excellent cofTee, labeled packages of cheese bricks, sandwiches, pickles and other relishes which were served in approved style. Around the freighted festal boards the happy guests lingered until the full limits of their gastronomical capacity had been reached.

During the lunch hour a sort of experience meeting served to enliven all and there was a world of cheer and good stories passed around, one of the most enjoyable features of which was the singing by Mr. Muratta whose rich tenor voice filled the bachelor parlors of Messrs. Ebert and WWght with a wealth of song.

It was one of those social functions that brings man in closer touch with his fellowman cementing the ties of friendship and stamping on memory's tablet a page of pleasant remembrance.

The following were present: B. C. Wanglin, Theodore Rinehart, F. Riley, W. A. Snodgrass, James Muratta, S. S. Spracklin, C. B. and Dr. Ghenoweth, R. M. Jones, G. B. Lowery, Walt Spurgin, Bert Wright, Chet Fishbum, J. A. Zook of Joplin, T. C. Hayden, W. W. Keys, Jas. Stewart, Joe West and J. W. Kieff.