volume 5
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issue 3
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july 2014
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ON THE COVER:
38 style: Back-to-school clothes
• Profile: Laurel Rosenthal, Carthage principal
42 Profile: Scott Drake, racing is in the blood
• The transition from summer to school
44 History: Glossary of History and Architecture
• Ways for parents to save money at the beginning of the school year
48 Taste: River’s Bend Bar & Grill
• Photo Page: Pictures of the 2013 school year
• Homeschooling
• 2013 school facts
• Apps and technology The J Team
Magazine Writer Ryan Richardson Contributing Writers Brad Belk Michael Coonrod David O’Neill Bobbie Pottorff
52 LIVING: The popularity of Pinterest 56 Minding your business: MT Knives
10 THE 10-Spot 65 THE J List 66 THE Parting Shot
60 Health: Immunizations
• Back-to-school checklist and supplies
EDITOR Kevin McClintock Phone: 417.627.7279 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: kmcclintock@joplinglobe.com
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6 THE SCENE
Contributing Photographers Laurie Sisk Ryan Richardson T. Rob Brown David O’Neill Drew Kimble Contributing artists Brian Huntley Lindsey Gregory Allison Ezell Michael Duntz Regina Carnahan Cover Photo Laurie Sisk Cover design Allison Ezell graphic design Publications Press, Inc.
62 Music to the Ears: Tristatesmen Chorus
The Joplin Globe President and Publisher Mike Beatty Phone: 417.627.7291 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: mbeatty@joplinglobe.com
Sales Manager Janette Cooper Phone: 417.627.7236 Fax: 417.623.8550 E-Mail: jcooper@joplinglobe.com
EDITOR Carol Stark Phone: 417.627.7278 Fax: 417.623.8598 E-Mail: cstark@joplinglobe.com
Circulation Director Jack Kaminsky Phone: 417.627.7341 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: jkaminsky@joplinglobe.com
Director of Advertising Brent Powers Phone: 417.627.7233 E-Mail: bpowers@joplinglobe.com
Director of Magazines Julie Damer Phone: 417.627.7323 Fax: 417.623.8450 E-Mail: jdamer@joplinglobe.com
J Mag is a publication of Newspaper Holdings Inc. and is published monthly. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter. The publisher assumes no responsibilty for return of unsolicited materials.
from the editor
Kevin McClintock Editor, J MAG
2014
As always, you can reach us here by e-mail at kmcclintock@joplinglobe.com, by mail at J MAG, 117 E. Fourth St., Joplin, Mo., 64801, by phone at 417.627.7279, or you can find us on Facebook.
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In this month’s J MAG, we are providing important information parents will need to prepare their kids for school. For some of you, this is old-hat. But for those of
You’ll also read about a local racing legend that’s all in the family, a Southwest Missouri knife maker who quit a high-paying job to pursue a dream, and a campground along Shoal Creek that offers a quiet, quaint place to chill.
We also want to give a quick shout-out to Bailey and Joseph, the two Joplin kids gracing our cover. They demonstrated big smiles and tons of energy and we can’t say enough about the enthusiasm both showed.
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But this is the wacky way of life for a magazine and its staff. We are always working two months ahead from “right this moment” — which means while the rest of the world is still basking in the glow of a school-less summer, we are already knee deep in classrooms and lockers and chalkboard dust.
you doing this for the very first time, I hope the information we’ve provided will be of some help. Inside our expansive cover package, we tackle such subjects as how to offset the high cost of education and how to smoothly transition from summer fun into the seriousness of a new school year. And don’t miss David O’Neill’s great feature on a teaching institution, Laurel Rosenthal, who has been at Carthage’s Mark Twain Elementary School for many generations of kids.
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predict kids won’t like this particular issue of J MAG at all. Just weeks released from school for the long summer break, here we are, up in the J MAG cave, putting out an edition about kids heading back to... yep, you guessed it — school. Terrible, isn’t it?
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the scene
Weather PRogram Photography by Laurie Sisk
(from the left): Jenalee Robbins, Rayne Murray, Julian Garrett, Elijah Miller, Abram Stiegman and Lexi Divine attempt to blow apart a castle made of paper cups using miniature handcrafted vortex machines during a recent weather-related program at the Joplin Public Library.
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Julian Garrett tries to knock down a tower of cups with a homemade vortex as Abram Stiegman and Rayne Murray watch from the sidelines.
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Local meteorologist Gary Bandy shares interesting weather facts with teens at the Joplin Public Library. The program, “Spark a Weather Reaction,� was part of a series of programs focusing on weather for teens.
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Webb Cit y CRuise Night Photography by T. Rob BRown
William Spradling and Christina Morgan, both of Webb City, admire a 1931 Ford 5-window coupe owned by Mike and Sharon Stuart of Joplin during the downtown Webb City car show.
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Chuck Patterson of Joplin looks around at the variety of vehicles during a recent Saturday night car show in Webb City.
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Ken Ward of Joplin cleans the engine of his 1972 Chevy Chevelle Malibu called “Dad’s Toy.”
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N at u r a l B e au t y Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock Information provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation
Ten ways to admire the
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ithin a 50-mile radius lies a number of beautiful conservation areas preserved and protected by the hard-working folks of the Missouri Department of Conservation as well as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for you! Yes, you! These are places where you can recharge your batteries after a hard week of work in the great outdoors.
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Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center
“The Missouri Department of Conservation has some great public use areas in this part of the state that touch on a variety of outdoor interests,” says Francis Skalicky, media specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation (Southwest Region). “Take, for instance, Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area in Barton County. Many people know it as a place to go fishing or hunting, but it also has trails and can be a great place for day-hikes and nature photography. “There’s something at these areas for the nature enthusiast throughout the year.”
Where: 1111 E. Chestnut St., Carthage What: Historic Site managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Cost: Free Size: Several acres History: This is the location of the final confrontation of a 12-hour Civil War battle on July 5, 1861, where 6,000 Southern troops forced Union soldiers to retreat to nearby Sarcoxie. Unique fact: The Battle of Carthage was the earliest fullscale battle of the Civil War, preceding Bull Run by 11 days. Activities: This historic site contains a quiet meadow and the spring that made the area an encampment for both the Union and Confederate troops during this bloody pitched battle. The area is little changed in its appearance since the battle was fought in mid-1861. An interpretive shelter explains the history of the battle. The site is unmanned and is managed by Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site in Lamar. Hours: Open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact: 417.682.2279
Where: 201 W. Riviera Drive, Wildcat Park, Joplin What: Conservation Area managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 27 acres History: The center is a result of a nearly $6 million partnership project of the National Audubon Society, City of Joplin and Missouri Department of Conservation. The center is one of two Audubon Centers managed by Audubon Missouri, a state office the National Audubon Society. Unique fact: Chert glades, named after the bedrock on which they have formed, host a unique assemblage of plants and animals not found together anywhere else in the world. Activities: The nature center sits adjacent to the last and largest remaining chert glade, a globally unique habitat found only in Southwest Missouri, an important place for migratory birds and other wildlife, such as the collared lizard. Unique plants growing on the chert glades include the flame flower, the widow’s cross sedum, the prickly pear cactus and the Nuttall’s sedum. It’s also fun to look for the lichen grasshoppers, which blend with the plant life. Facilities include an 11,000-squarefoot nature center with a 1,300-gallon aquarium, a terrarium of the chert glades, classrooms, exhibits and a library. Outdoors, there are five miles of trails with eco-type learning stations, a gazebo and a small amphitheater. Hours: Audubon Center: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. WednesdaysSaturdays; noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Trail hours are dawn to dusk. Contact: 417.782.6287
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Cost: Free Size: 2,082 acres History: Big Sugar Creek State Park is a rugged landscape of rare shrubs and trees not often seen anymore in Missouri. Visitors can find solitude in hiking through shady upland woodlands and sunny grassy glades while passing near numerous rock ledges. Unique fact: At one time, the type of landscape called “savanna” covered 13 million Missouri acres. Today, this landscape is nearly extinct. Big Sugar Creek State Park has examples of this landscape, including dissected hills, steep hills, rock ledges and free-flowing streams. Activities: Based in the rugged Elk Hills region of McDonald County, this collection of glades, woodlands and bluffs lie along the scenic Big Sugar Creek. There is a three-mile hiking trail, called the “Ozark Chinquapin Trail.” The trail follows a small bedrock stream, which is surrounded with steep hills on both sides. The trail then climbs into the upland woodlands and glades, with opportunities to see local plants and animals, and some wonderful views across the rugged Elk River landscape. Walking its length will allow visitors to spot notable plants such as the Ozark Chinquapin tree and low prickly pear cactus as well as animals such as armadillos and the scarlet tanager bird. In all, there can be found 345 different kinds of plants and 134 kinds of birds. Hours: Open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact: 417.847.2539
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Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center
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Where: 8th Street, Pineville What: State Park managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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Big Sugar Creek
Battle of Carthage Historic Site
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Bushwhacker Lake
Where: 527 E. 6th St., Bronaugh What: Conservation Area managed by the Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 4,790 acres History: During the Civil War, Kansas Jayhawkers ambushed local residents believed to be Confederate sympathizers. In retaliation, those men, known as bushwhackers, banded together and started their own guerilla war against the Union. The guerilla warfare soon spilled over into Missouri, and some fierce fighting took place along Little Dry Wood Creek. Unique fact: This is one of only a few public areas in Missouri where prairie chickens can still be seen in the wild. Activities: Habitats provide viewing opportunities for a number of wildlife species and grassland birds (Dickcissels, Grasshopper Sparrows, Henslow Sparrows and Short-eared Owls). Hikers can walk a network of trails spanning the entire area. There is also a 6.6-mile horse trail. Bicycling is permitted on service roads and horse trails. Hunting for all major game species (deer, quail, rabbit, squirrel, turkey and waterfowl) is permitted in season. Fishing (bass, bluegill and channel catfish) can take place at the 157-acre Bushwhacker Lake, the 29-acre Willow Lake as well as a permanent stream, Drywood Creek. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: Call 417.895.6880
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Fort Crowder
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Walter Woods
Where: 17136 Highway D, Neosho What: Conservation Area Cost: Free Size: 2,120 acres History: This site was the location of Camp Crowder Army Base during World War II and it was this site that gave cartoonist Mort Walker the inspiration for “Camp Swampy,” the mythical military base that figures prominently in the famed “Beetle Bailey” cartoon strip. Unique fact: Visitors to the area can still see foundations, fruit trees, open fields and other remnants of many of the hundreds of small farms purchased by the federal government for the 60,000acre base. Activities: The area’s prominent feature is an 11-mile hiking/ bicycling/horse trail dubbed the “Mort Walker Trail,” again a hat tip to the “Beetle Bailey” comic. Hunting for all major game species (quail, rabbit, doves, deer, turkeys and squirrels) is permitted in season. Pets are allowed on the grounds as long as they are leashed. Sixty percent of the area is forested, and includes white, black, post, blackjack and red oaks, hackberry, elm, black cherry, black walnut and ash trees. There is also an unmanned shooting range at Owl Road with 25-, 50- and 100-yard ranges as well as an archery range on Parrot Road. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: 417.451.4158
Kellogg Lake
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Kellogg Lake
Where: Highway 96 in Carthage What: Community Assistance Program Lake Cost: Free Size: 25 acres (lake); 58 acre city park surrounding the lake History: Kellogg Lake is cooperatively managed by the City of Carthage and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Unique fact: In June, kids aged 15 and under are able to catch fish during the popular “kid’s fishing day.” Activities: This 58-acre sized park encompasses both Kellogg Lake and Spring River. Additionally, there is a picnic area and a pavilion, a concrete boat ramp and a fishing jetty/ platform. Kellogg Lake has a fair population of bass, catfish, crappie, carp, suckers, warmouth and small sunfish. A portion of Spring River flows through the park, including a beautiful, small rapids and waterfall. Hours: Open daily Contact: 417.237.7035
Where: Just south of Joplin, Route NN south of Redings Mills, located on Dutch Elm Drive What: Conservation Area managed by the Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 28 acres History: The original area was purchased in 1931 by Dr. Otto Walter for Chapter 31 of the Izaak Walton League in Joplin. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built many structures on the area in the early 1930s including a meeting lodge, a stone wall fence, two bridges, and fish rearing ponds. Originally, the area had eight ponds. However, only three remain today. Unique fact: At one time, The Izaak Walton League operated an active fish hatchery at this location for several years. Water from the spring on the private property to the south provided water for the hatchery operation. It is estimated that the Izaak Walton League released 1 million fish into area streams. Activities: Primary activities are bird watching, hiking on two, mile-long paved trails (each connected by a bridge), and some fishing, though activity in the fishing lake is strictly for educational purposes only. There is a lodge building, renovated in 1991 into an education training center, which houses two meeting rooms, a small kitchen and bathrooms. Recently, an adjoining 40-acre tract was purchased by the Department and will be used for conservation education. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: 417.451.4158
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Diamond Grove Prairie
Where: Four miles south of Diamond on Route V What: Conservation Area managed by the Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 852 acres (570 acres is a designated natural area) History: Land surveyors way back in the 1840s described this area in modern-day Newton County as “rich rolling prairie” and Diamond Grove Prairie looks much the same as it must have looked way back then. Unique fact: This conservation area is one of the largest tracts of tallgrass prairie remaining in Southwest Missouri. Activities: The area is dominated by native grasses such as prairie dropseed, big bluestem, little bluestem and Indian grass. Additionally, a wide array of wildflowers including Indian paintbrush, blazing star, lead plant, compass plant and royal catchfly adorn the grassland in season. Grassland bird species include the Henslow’s Sparrow while Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers can be seen there during the winter months. Recreational opportunities include hunting, hiking, bird watching, and outdoor photography. Deer may be found anywhere on the area with quail and rabbit being more common in the brushy fencerows and prairie draws. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: 417.895.6880
Diamond Grove Prairie Conservation Area
Walter Woods Conservation Area
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Where: Located in southern McDonald County, east of Pineville What: State Forest managed by the Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 2,106 acres History: Originally named “Huckleberry Ridge State Forest,” this area, purchased in the early 1960s, was the first large forested tract acquired by the Conservation Department in Southwest Missouri. Unique fact: According to legend, locals used to harvest huckleberries, a type of blueberry belonging to the Vaccinium family, in this area. The area is also home to the Ozark chinkapin tree, which is a close relative to the American chestnut. Activities: Things to do here is primarily just to enjoy the beauty of nature. Bird watching is popular in this area. So is bicycling, hiking or horseback riding on the nearly 18-mile long Huckleberry Ridge Trail. Hunting for all major game species (deer, turkeys and squirrels) is permitted in season. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: 417.895.6880
Wah-Sha-She Prairie Where: Less than three miles from Asbury on Route M What: Wildlife Area managed by the Department of Conservation Cost: Free Size: 160 acres History: Wah-Sha-She (an Osage name) Prairie is the largest publicly-owned expand of claypan (hardpan) prairie in Missouri, with a depth of 15-20 inches below the soil surface. Unique fact: Upon visiting, try to listen for the chorus of rare prairie mole crickets on a warm spring evening. Activities: This is a native prairie area with a small wetland — perfect for visitors hoping to visit a quiet, tranquil place far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Native grasses and wildflowers are very diverse and abundant — about 250 native plants can be found here. Wildflowers are especially abundant and showy from late spring throughout the midsummer months. Hours: Open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Contact: 417.629.3423
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cover profile
L au r e l Ro s e n t h a l Written and photographed by David O’Neill
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n o i p Cham of
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n e r d l i h C senthal o R l e r u ept La k s ars? ’ t e y a h 0 5 W y l near going for
Most “hobbies” don’t endure for five decades, but this fall, with no retirement plans in the offing, the highly-esteemed and much-awarded educator will head into her 48th year at Mark Twain.
Early On Rosenthal got her first taste of being what she calls “in charge” during her first day of kindergarten. “I was given the job of being in charge of the pencils given to all the students. I felt really important,” she says. It felt so important, in fact, that later on, when Rosenthal was in grade school, she was summoned to the principal’s office more than once. But that wasn’t a bad thing. “It was always for good reasons. I was chosen by the principal in my fifth, sixth and seventh grade years to be in charge of classrooms while the teachers were at meetings. I loved that.” Rosenthal so dearly loved school — and still does — that she had unmistakably found her calling at a very young age. Born in Topeka, Kansas, Rosenthal’s family moved to Kansas City at when she was less than a year old; she still considers Kansas City her hometown. “I’m a Royals fan,” she admits. The daughter of a businessman and a a homemaker, she was passionate about schoolwork from the word go. “I wanted to be a teacher as far back as I can remember,” Rosenthal says,
Before long, Rosenthal was standing in front of her first kindergarten class — as teacher — in the fall of 1966. She kept that job for 21 years and “loved every year that I taught,” she says. But others at Mark Twain had an even bigger responsibility in mind for Rosenthal. “Every principal there had said I should be principal,” she says, “and they normally don’t make a teacher a principal in the same school.” But they did, and the 2014-2015 year will mark Rosenthal’s 26th year as principal and her 48th year at Mark Twain. Amidst shepherding hundreds of children through elementary, she also found time to raise two sons, Scott and Brian, both of whom attended Mark Twain. Incidentally, Rosenthal’s late husband also had attended Mark Twain in his youth. “He used to say, ‘I never would have thought I would one day be married to the principal of my grade school.’” Many of Rosenthal’s current and former teachers once roamed the halls of Mark Twain as students themselves. She lists some of the more recent teachers who once came to Mark Twain to learn and have returned to pay it forward: “Katie Burken taught kindergarten for me for several years, Jennifer Simpson teaches second grade now, Kiley Kyte teaches speech now, and my music teacher Polly Wallace was here as a student in upper grades when I taught.” As she does with new students, Rosenthal welcomes new teachers “into the Mark Twain family. All I ask is that they treat their students the way they would want their own family to be treated.”
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“I love what I do. I’m still excited the moment I enter the school. I’m so lucky, because I consider being an educator as my profession as well as my hobby,” she says.
Upon graduation from high school, Rosenthal pursued higher education at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she received her degree in elementary education in 1966. (She would later return to school, at Pittsburg State University, to receive a Master’s degree in education in 1986 and a specialist in education degree in 1989).
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So what has Rosenthal at her desk when she could be somewhere else? The same reason she’s at school each morning during the school year at 6:30 a.m., greeting and feeding students who, like her, start their days early. It is, in a word, dedication.
“especially after my positive experience in being with the smaller students in grades kindergarten, one and two.”
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Summer school is not in session. In fact, most of the desks and other classroom fixtures have been temporarily relocated to the hallway to make way for a deep cleaning. Save for a few custodians and the school’s counselor, who’s at work on a project, she’s the only soul in this quiet, for a change, building.
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t’s an overcast mid-June day in Carthage, and school is out for the summer, but here sits Principal Laurel Rosenthal gamely at her desk, in her office, at Mark Twain Elementary School.
A teach er takes a hand, opens a mind, and to uches a heart.
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The Kids Are Alright While both of Rosenthal’s sons had good educational experiences at Mark Twain — exclusive of any special treatment — she recalls being deeply affected after overhearing her son being called “stupid” by a classmate. “It just broke my heart,” she says, “to hear another child call my child stupid.”
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It’s that same willingness to protect and nurture that’s helped inspire her longevity as an educator.
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Have kids changed? Or has the world changed? “Kids are the same,” she says. “It’s a difficult world that they live in. Most parents work, and many students rely on computer games and so forth for entertainment.” Organized sports are a great way for kids to get exercise and feel involved, she says, “but I feel kids still need their own time and to enjoy that time in a more relaxed way. Kids miss the idea of just being a kid, playing kick the can. They miss imagining.” Rosenthal says her students’ success starts at home. “We have wonderful parents who want to see their children succeed,” she says. “And we have to be the model of how they act and how
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they dress. Our kids want to do well on their tests. They want to perform, but you have to be interested. I want these kids to know that they can do it.” With 300 or so children in tow, there are times when discipline is necessary. Rosenthal’s brand starts with genuine care and concern. “We don’t have ‘bad’ kids,” she says. “I say to the child, ‘I love you, but I don’t love the way you’re behaving.’ We don’t allow bullying, and we do not allow fighting.” Raising and educating good kids, she says, starts with instilling a strong sense of respect. “I really stress that,” she says, “and patriotism is very important, too. When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, the children have their right hand over their heart.” Has school become more difficult? “Academics were always challenging,” she says. “Teachers help students want to learn, and technology helps to show what our children can do.” Kids still bring apples to their teachers and to her. “They also bring candy, flowers and notes to show their teachers and staff
Also among her many laurels are the Judge Clay Cowgill Blair Award for Outstanding R-9 Teacher in 1983, the R-9 Golden Key Award for Outstanding Administrator in 1995, and the Outstanding Principal of Southwest Missouri Award in 2000. A past president of the Women’s International Society, Rosenthal was also named Carthage Citizen of the Year in 2009 and served as Grand Marshal during last year’s Carthage Maple Leaf Parade. Another non-academic tribute she holds near and dear is serving as Grand Marshall of the Belle Aire Festival. “That’s very special to me,” she says.
“I’ve been privileged to be at Mark Twain all of my educational years, with a great staff, wonderful students and supportive parents.” — Mark Twain Elementary School Principal Laurel Rosenthal But for now, Mark Twain Elementary will remain front and center. “People are always asking if I will be here for their grandkids. My answer is that I take each day as it comes, and as long as I love what I do, and feel I’m doing a good job, I’m here.”
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The school received a $10,000 grant to be a Missouri Accelerated School and also became the first elementary school in the state to become a No Excuses elementary school. No Excuses, which began in California, stresses college readiness among students from a young age. “But not only college,” Rosenthal explains. “Some kids will go to trade school to become electricians, for example — and we need electricians. This gets them preparing for their lives after high school graduation early on.”
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Rosenthal was offered the opportunity to be principal at a newer, larger school. She chose to stay at Mark Twain, and during her tenure the school has thrived.
Even with nearly five decades on which to ruminate, it seems quite possible that some of Rosenthal’s best years are still in front of her. After retirement, she plans to stay involved in education. “I’d like to run for the R-9 School Board and, of course, volunteer to be with the students,” she says.
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With Honors
Looking Ahead
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how much they appreciate everything that is being done for them to help them become the best they can be.”
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cover story
Summer transition by Ryan Richardson
Beware of the Alarm Clock
Re-adjusting to the school year, for parents AND kids
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hile the fall means classwork, extra curricular activities and seeing old friends for many area students, the transition from summer to fall is the primary focus for most parents.
down their schedules enough and they get the kids adjusted back to it. It’s a family commitment to getting them adjusted. It seems like our lives, as parents, stop at 8:30 so they can get adjusted again.”
While the task may seem daunting after a relaxing summer, many Joplin-area parents meet the obstacle head-on. While there is no secret formula for ensuring success for students, there are several steps that parents can take to ease the transition back into “school mode.”
Callie Parazine is a mother of three Joplin School District students who agrees that a routine beginning with a normal bedtime is important.
For Carl Junction mother of three Lori Jones, the most important thing for her kids is adjusting the bedtimes for a school-friendly schedule. “After a summer full of late sunsets, it can be really difficult to get my kids back in to bed so they wake up in the morning,” Jones said. “We start working as a family in getting them used to the routine in getting to bed on time. The parents tend to slow
“With four of us sharing a bathroom and getting around in the morning, we chart everything and plan ahead so we all get into a routine,” Parazine said. “We have a chore chart, a bathroom chart, we split showers, two at night, two in the morning based on preference. With bigger families, you have to focus and organize to keep the peace while everyone makes concessions.” Another big adjustment for families is the focus on activities the school year brings. With the extra time commitment that sports, plays and academic pursuits bring, it’s easy to lose sight
on important family time. That’s why Parazine suggests the whole family takes an interest in what the other kids are doing.
Daybreak routines are also something parents will have to readjust to, as well. Parazine says those adjustments are more difficult with kids attending different school buildings. “After school and before school with different ages is crazy with all three kids because they are all at different schools,” Parazine said. “I have to drop off at three schools and pick up at three schools. Everything is staggered so oddly that you have to make an adjustment as a parent too — but we all leave at the same time. You
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“There are going to be times where it is just impossible to fit everything in, but you have to still make that family connection,” Jones said. “It’s the most important thing and that should never change.”
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“During the summer, the daycare takes care of breakfast, but during school, they have to have access to an early meal and that’s one more thing you have to make time for (in the mornings),” Jones said.
While time is limited, Jones adds it is important to bring everything back to being together as a family.
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While a set schedule takes care of the hours before and after school, starting the day off with breakfast is sometimes an unexpected time commitment that may have been lacking during the lazy summer months.
have to be in that mindset as a parent that your day is starting way before you are going into work.”
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“There was time during a season that we were putting in 15 to 20 hours in alone for one sport for one of my kids, but it is important for them to take interest in each other’s activities,” Parazine said. “We absolutely bond over school. We made the mental switch to take an interest in whatever they were interested. It is definitely an amazing asset to the family and it made us stronger together. It keeps us active in each other’s lives.”
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cover story
high cos t of education by Ryan Richardson
Fighting high co$t$ of
education
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ost parents dread the cost of putting their children through college, but most don’t realize the high costs of public or private school education.
With sports, school activities, clothes and supplies, the annual expenses to put kids through public school has steadily increased since the 1990s. According to a 2010 study from the Department of Education, the parents of a typical high school student spend nearly $7,000 a year in school-related expenses alone. While the costs seem staggering, districts like Joplin are finding ways to help parents meet the needs of the kids through programs like the district’s own Bright Futures.
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Coordinator Melissa Winston said that the program focuses on eliminating the financial hurdles that some families may run into while putting their children through school.
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“The whole shindig for little kids can run from colored pencils and construction paper to a new backpack and when they get older, there are activity-related costs for the older students and it all adds up,” Winston said. “Bright Futures is there to help bridge those barriers where sometimes some
families who are doing all they can to make ends meet, but simply can’t make it right now. That’s where we come in.” Bright Futures is completely funded by the community, either through donations by local businesses or by private monetary contributions. Through in-kind donations, the Bright Futures program put $125,000 in donated items and money to students in the district. “There is so many varied situations we come across and we don’t want those students to fall by the wayside,” Winston said. “We want to give every student in our district every chance to graduate and advance, even if their families don’t immediately have the ability to meet those needs.” Winston said that parents can help themselves get ahead of costs by financially planning for the future, if possible. “I think the number one thing to consider is planning for expenses that you know will come,” Winston said. “There is this big sigh of relief that parents breathe at the end of the school year, but that is the time to start planning for those expenses. Getting ahead even by a few months can help a family not get overwhelmed during the school year.” While there are a lot of costs involved in putting kids through school, there is also the need to identify immediate, pressing costs and expenses that aren’t necessarily important to making a child productive in school.
FREE CUP OF QUESO
WITH PURCHASE OF ANY MEAL $6.OO OR MORE. CANNOT BE DUPLICATED OR COPIED. NOT VALID WITH A LA CARTE MENU ITEMS OR ANY OTHER OFFER, SPECIAL OR DISCOUNT • EXPIRES 8/31/14
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“I think it is important to have some of the older kids to take ownership of the expenses that will come as it helps the family out, but it also helps them be proactive in preparing for the collegiate step where they will have to do much of that on their own,” Winston said. “There is a big want for parents to take so much of that load on, and they should still help contribute where they can, but it does empower them into taking ownership of what they want to do with their time in school.”
Not available with $6.49 lunch specials
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Winston advocates for parents to help their older students to take a proactive role in helping with the cost of school, especially when it comes to extracurricular activities. While this will save money, it will also help students prepare for later in life.
With these basic, essential tips, many parents can have the opportunity to meet the financial costs to make the most of their children’s education.
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“Regardless of the family’s income situation, the focus should first be on the essential elements; things that can help your student become a better student,” Winston said. “Reach out to the teachers to find out what supplies are immediately needed and what the schools will provide. There is this mindset that parents want to provide for every possible need, but sometimes, the essentials are the best route to take when it comes to a student.”
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cover story P h o t o Pag e
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By Laurie Sisk
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With the new year right around the corner, here is a look back at scenes from area schools recorded during the last school year
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H o m e s c h o o l i n g Ch i l d r e n
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By David O’Neill
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A Homeschooling Success Story
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n the world of parenting, the education of a child is among the most extreme adventures possible. Yet, increasing numbers of area parents have committed to home schooling their children — children who welcome the challenge and who flourish.
Meet the Murdocks For any parent who’s considered being a parent educator, Murdock — whose husband, Gregg, works full time — tells an encouraging story that’s heavy on college educations and thick with wide-ranging interests.
SuSan Murdock has either homeschooled or currently is in the process of homeschooling each of her six children. She says homeschooling her children afforded giving them what she describes as a more fully formed view of the world than they might have received in a public school.
She began homeschooling her oldest child, Jordan, when she was a 3-year-old. Now 23, Jordan graduated from Missouri Southern State University this past year with a Bachelor’s of fine arts degree in studio art. Caleb, 21, currently attends MSSU and is pursuing a Bachelor’s of fine arts degree in printmaking and a minor in entrepreneurship. Malachi, 20, is a senior at Ozark Christian College who’s double majoring in theology and psychology and counseling at Ozark Christian College. Keilah, 18, is a sophomore at Ozark Christian College studying Intercultural Studies; and Noah, 16, is a high school junior who will take dual-credit classes at Crowder College.
“Parents see the need to be able to have the freedom to teach their children core values of character and religious beliefs, as well as teaching academics,” Murdock says. “We also wanted the freedom to travel and still cover academics.” By teaching their own children, Murdock says she’s been “able to instill character qualities that some public schools can be limited in teaching.”
The youngest Murdock, Padon, age 13, will make the leap to College Heights Christian School this fall. “He is our only
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one who has shown a desire to attend a more traditional school setting,” says Murdock. Preparing a Curriculum Murdock prepares for a new school year by looking at what needs to be covered for that grade level. “I evaluate my students as to where they are in that curriculum. A child could be in eighth-grade math, yet need seventh-grade language,” she says. This, Murdock explains, gives parent educators and their child students an advantage over the traditional academics. “The curriculum can be tailored to the student, not the other way around,” she says.
There are guidelines, dictated by the state, to which every homeschooler must adhere. “If you bring your kids home to school, there is a process of writing letters to the school stating your intent,” says Murdock. “But again, homeschoolers answer to the state, not the school district. The state requires certain hours in certain subjects. It’s up to the educator to fulfill those requirements with a curriculum that meets those needs.” Murdock says there’s no shortage of quality curricula available, especially online. “That’s been an easy way to access material,” she says. Curricula publishers she’s used include A Beka, Pace, Switched on Schoolhouse and Teaching Textbooks.
The Murdocks’ school schedule is decidedly kid-friendly. A typical school day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. One-on-one teaching, says Murdock, makes that shorter school day possible, and students can get their homework done during their lessons. “Once my kids learned that the bus arrived at 7:15 a.m. and they wouldn’t be home until 4 p.m., they did not yearn to go to traditional school,” Murdock says. Most national holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, are free days, as are birthdays. Summers, not surprisingly, are school-free. By the Letter Murdock — who calls her own kids “students” when referring to them in an educational context — fuses modern technology and the old-fashioned letter grade to chart her children’s progress. “I use a computer program that sets lessons for the school year. Students read the lesson, then complete the questions in one sitting. The program then grades it, and it may even send a message to the educator if there are questions that need attention,” she says. “The program keeps grades so, at the end of the quarter or semester, we can print a report card.” When Murdock’s children fall behind in a given subject, she takes the appropriate action. “If my student fails an exam or gets a low grade on a lesson, I have them repeat the assignment until the grade is brought up to at least a C, and preferably an A,”
The time spent on each subject each day usually depends on the level of learning. “Lower grades can possibly be finished in a couple of hours, while junior high or senior high may take longer due to projects and lesson depth.”
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Murdock says. “I don’t want my students continuing until I know they have a handle on the material.” Every student, says Murdock, has strengths and weaknesses in certain areas. “The beauty of home education is that you can tailor the curriculum to your child’s needs.” College-Bound After home schooled children have completed the 12 grades, it’s time to think about college. Murdock says a good start to approaching college is looking at prospective schools on an individual basis. “Find the entrance requirements, and use them as a guide,” she says. “Every college has certain requirements for home schooled students.”
The Murdock children took the ACT exam for the colleges they wanted to attend, and the application process also called for transcripts. “That’s why you should keep track of grades and subjects starting in junior high if those subjects were high school level,” she says. Homeschooling is a good way to get a head start on college as well as fulfill requirements for high school — and beyond. “If you plan just right, your high schooler can graduate with not only a high school diploma but also an associate’s degree,” she says. Networking with a Co-Op Murdock recommends that parents who home school participate in a home school cooperative. Locally, she advocates the Homeschooler Network (HSN) as “a lifeline to families that want to homeschool but don’t know how to get started or need support in continuing their child’s education,” she says. Being part of a co-op can help provide a school-like setting, she says. “The biggest advantage to being in a co-op is the students’ ability to attend classes that lend themselves to learning in a group setting instead of an individual setting.” Examples of such classes are biology and band, she says. “These are classes that can be beneficial if they are taught in a group setting.
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Field trips and like events can be planned and executed easier in a co-op since groups of other parents are involved, she says.
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The Murdocks haven’t attended HSN in a while, but as a sometime consultant for HSN, Murdock helps other families who remain connected for their entire child’s education. “We found that HSN was a good foundation when we first started homeschooling. Then, when the older kids started dual credits, we needed to concentrate on studies more in the home setting.” The Kids Are Alright Do the Murdocks feel like their children have adequate opportunities to spend time with other kids their age and just be kids?
we have to slow down to learn a concept, then we do. If they are breezing through the material, then they can do just that. It caters to the student’s learning ability.”
“I don’t want my students continuing until I know they have a handle on the material.”
Worth the Effort Homeschooling can be difficult, says Murdock. “But it’s worth the effort to give your children the best of you. It’s an intentional choice to provide a quality education, while training them in all other areas of everyday life. In our family, that meant to raise them to love God, love others, and love learning. I love homeschooling, and I believe my kids are better for it academically as well as personally.”
- SuSan Murdock
Another advantage is that homeschoolers can learn at their own pace, Murdock says. “If
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Murdock also says her kids themselves don’t feel like they missed out by not attending a traditional school. “My kids loved the freedom and flexibility that comes from educating at home. We can travel while still schooling.”
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“For us, this has never been an issue,” Murdock says. “We are involved in community organizations from sports to volunteering, and my children have plenty of socialization with other children as well as adults.”
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cover story
bac k to s c h o o l c h e c k l i s t by Ryan Richardson
Don’t Forget A Thing!
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his comprehensive back-to-school checklist will help make sure your child’s first day of school goes as smoothly as possible.
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Prepping for the ‘Big Day’ • Arrange for your child to play with others in his age group before classes start • Discuss your child’s feelings about starting school and talk over any concerns • Talk with your child about his daily school schedule • Talk about peer pressure with your child • Have your child memorize your home address and home and work phone numbers • Tour the school with your child so she can find her classrooms, the restrooms, and the cafeteria • Arrange a time for you and your child to meet his new teachers
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Dress and sports code • Buy school uniforms and gym clothes, if necessary. If participating in a sport, ensure the right uniform clothes and shoes and accessories are purchased
School supplies stock • Check the school for a list of required supplies — handouts are often found at local Walmart stores • Buy a backpack or bag to carry daily items
Out of the gate • Call the school district with questions about your child’s school • Find out what day classes start and what time your child should arrive • Enroll your child (if she is not already registered from the previous year) • Fill out emergency contact sheets and any other required forms
Back to School 2014 Medical requirements • Make sure your child has all required immunizations • Schedule a physical exam for your child if needed to participate in school activities • Get your child’s vision checked before school starts if he is due for an exam • Notify the principal’s office, the school nurse and your child’s teachers about any health problems or medications
A basic back-to-school checklist
this week!
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Registration
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Healthy meals and snacks • Have nutritious food on hand for breakfast and after-school snacks • Find out how much school breakfasts and lunches cost • Find out whether snacks and drinks are available at school or can be brought from home • Ask where to obtain weekly school lunch menus • Alert school staff if your child has a severe food allergy
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After-school plans • Arrange child care or after-school activities • Choose extracurricular activities carefully to avoid scheduling too much work • Make sure your child knows where to go after school each day
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Teacher 101 • Find out whether the teacher prefers to communicate by phone, e-mail or written note • Know what your child is expected to learn in his/ her grade level • Familiarize yourself with the information on the school’s online features, including grades and newsletters from the principal and superintendent • Note the phone numbers for checking school closures or reporting absences • Find out the procedure for taking your child out of school early • Read the school handbook and make sure your child understands the rules
Plan To Be Involved • Mark school events on the family calendar • Attend the back-to-school program • Schedule and attend parent-teacher conferences • Meet leaders of the parent-teacher group
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cover story
school supplies
School Supplies 101 The basics Glue sticks (at least three for the year) Scissors (blunt ended for younger kids, pointed for older ones) Ballpoint pens No. 2 pencils (Stick with this classic to avoid classroom competition over whose writing utensil is the coolest — or most impractical) Colored pencils A pencil sharpener (hand-held with a top to collect shavings) A large pink eraser (The old-fashioned ones do the best erasing) Water-based markers A four-ounce bottle of white glue Highlighters (These are probably unnecessary for kids in kindergarten through second grade) Spiral-bound or composition notebooks A three-ring binder
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Loose-leaf notebook paper (Teachers can be picky about paper. Schools usually supply specially ruled handwriting paper to help younger children with letter formation. Older children use wide-ruled paper, and some middle school students will need the college-ruled variety) Pocket folders (If you get a folder with two pockets, label one “keep at home” and the other “bring to school” to help your child organize his papers.) Printer paper and ink cartridges (for your home computer) A ruler with English and metric measurements
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A stapler
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hat’s the smart way to shop for school supplies? Eliminate the guesswork by getting a list from your child’s teacher ahead of time or waiting until school starts to find out what’s actually required.
The teacher may recommend specific brands, sizes, or quantities, but even if the list isn’t available, you can still take advantage of back-toschool sales (many states offer “tax-free days” during this season) by sticking to the basics recommended below. And remember, you can’t go wrong with tools that help kids get — and stay — organized.
A sturdy, supportive backpack (Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations, so check with your school before purchasing one) A box of crayons (Get a 16-pack for younger kids, more for older ones) Watercolor paints Drawing paper Construction paper A box for storing items (Teachers recommend one that’s eight inches long by five inches wide by two inches deep to hold pencils, crayons, erasers, and scissors)
Extras for middle school students A calendar for scheduling assignments Two combination locks (If the school lockers do not have built-in locks, your child might need one for the hallway and one for the gym) Binder dividers (The kinds with pockets are good for loose papers) Several three-ring binders (Some teachers require that a binder be used exclusively for their class) Folders that fit in binders A small notebook to record assignments A pencil case that fits in binders Red-ink pens (Some teachers have students do peer editing) Index cards, ruled and unruled (These are great for making flash cards) A calculator (Check with the math teacher first before investing in an expensive calculator. Graphing calculators, for example, are required in some middle school math classes. Teachers advise parents not to buy a calculator with more functions than your students will use)
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cover story
2 013 s c h o o l fac t s
In 2013... 72.5 billion dollars is expected to be spent between K-12 and college.
$26.7 billion is expected to be spent on students in grades K-12.
$45.8 billion is expected to be spent on college students.
Consumers use smartphones for research (52 percent), purchases (34 percent) and coupons (4 percent).
College students are expected to spend an average amount of money on electronics ($203.28), clothes ($122.70) and shoes ($65.60).
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Parents of elementary school students are expected to spend an average amount of money on clothes ($230.85), electronics ($199.05), school supplies ($90.49) and shoes ($114.39).
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Parents spend 62.7 percent on instore supplies while 37.3 percent buy supplies online.
Seventy-two percent of parents begin shopping at least three weeks before school starts. — Information provided by Dedicated Media
cover story
Hot Apps and Technology By Ryan Richardson
Apps & Technology Helping Kids learn and organize
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In recent years, grants have put tablets into the hands of students in the Joplin School District, as well as Kansas school districts in Pittsburg, Columbus and Baxter Springs.
Games like “The Oregon Trail,” “Number Munchers” and “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” were the gateways to electronic education in the classroom for many students.
In addition, many parents involve their children with the technology they use on a daily basis to assist in their children’s education.
While the days of huge, bulky computers have given way to the age of portable tablets for area students, the educational aspect of technology is still there for students.
Here are some of the best jumping off points for applications across all ages to help students make the most of the tools they have available to them.
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f you were a child in the 1980s and 1990s, then most likely you first experienced computers in a school setting.
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Best Education Apps HMH FUSE Algebra 1 Concentrating on new common core-specific learning applications, FUSE is a very solid all-in-one teaching assistant for students dealing with middle school and high school math. This program comes jam-packed with video tutorials, homework help, quizzes, tips, hints, and many other integrated features to teach, review, and assess all concepts. The only down side is that additional modules would have to be purchased, but the basic app is free to use. Available on Android and Apple platforms
PBS Parents Play & Learn HD From the channel that brought you “Sesame Street,” “Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood” and a whole slew of educational programming from your childhood, comes a program aimed at younger learners. There are dozens of mini games integrated into this app that help connect math and linguistic skills into every day situations. Amazingly enough, the app is also bilingual (Spanish and English) so if you want to help your children learn a different language, the basics are there. Each activity comes with a parental notification, explaining what interactions and experiences a child will be exposed to. This app is free and available on Android and Apple platforms
This application is iPad only
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The basic app is free and comes with 60 cards with other packs available for download from within the app. There are also sharable designs and pictures from other teachers and parents available for download.
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Think flashcards, but with an infinite amount of cardboard based on what you want to purchase. This app was specifically designed by professionals to help reach children with autism and other special needs, but is easily used to reach other students.
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See. Touch. Learn.
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Evernote While this is the lone application on our list that isn’t directly related to education, Evernote and its related suite of applications have become the gold standard in organizational applications and note-taking, skills that your kids will undoubtedly use in their day-to-day lives. As a student, you can take notes from different webpages, organize daily calendars, keep track of practice schedules with other members of your team. As a parent, you can sync up with your child’s application to give them help where you can and to know what’s going on in their lives.
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Evernote is available on both platforms, in addition to Mac and Windows based PCs, making it a must-have for students and parents on the go
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School Gadgets Not too long ago, you didn’t need much to go to college: pens and notebooks, an alarm clock, and maybe a calculator to factor those logarithmic functions. Students today have a veritable sci-fi film’s worth of gadgets. There are enough electronics to bring new meaning to the phrase, “leave you to your own devices.” So what does a parent do when confronted with the task of equipping their child for the halls of higher learning? Easy, ask an expert: other parents. Here are some must-haves:
A laptop Smart phone Headphones Emergency chargers for those long study sessions. Some of these clip-on a belt loop and charge themselves as you walk.
e-readers, many schools now have electronic textbooks available to students. HOMETOWN DIRECTORY
Automotive Barney’s Quick Lube
Home Improvement HOME WINDOW TINTING
www.tintnmore.net
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2230 S. Main • Joplin, Mo • 417-623-TINT
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Healthcare
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417-438-0427
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1020 E 32nd St • Joplin, Mo 64804 • 417-781-0502
Tint N More
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2002 E. 20th • Joplin, Mo 64804 • 417-782-6985
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style
Bac k-t o - s c h o o l C l o t h e s
Photography by 12Eighty-One Clothing available at Blue Moon Market in Joplin
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SARAH COOKE Tie Front Crop Top: $24 Hat: $22 Stretch Jeans: $29
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Bac k-t o - s c h o o l C l o t h e s
MORGAN REYNOLDS Dress: $44
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style
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MANDY LAFFERTY Patterned dress: $52 Statement necklace: $26
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Bac k-t o - s c h o o l C l o t h e s
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MORGAN REYNOLDS Necklace: $26
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profile
Scott Drake By Michael Coonrod
Eating
Dust
Racing is a local family’s legacy
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my dad’s little brother, Clay,” says Scott. “When I started, all I could tell myself was, if can just make my car feel like they made it look, I think I’ll be okay.”
”I started racing when I was 18. It was just myself, my mom and my dad,” says Scott Drake.
Drake watched his family compete at local tracks like the old 71 Speedway in Neosho and Ozark Speedway in Joplin. One night, he got behind the wheel.
ome believe talent runs in families. Skills seem to pass from one generation to the next. Joplin’s own Drake family makes a good argument for this.
Drake grew up crushing cars with his father, Don, and grandfather, Cliff. On weekends, they went to the race track. “I got to watch my granddad when I was really young at Monett, and of course
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“Dad asked me to drive his car one evening for hot laps at Monett, so I got in and drove it. On the way home he said, ‘I think I’m done. After seeing what you can do, I think I’ll just quit,’” says Drake. “That’s kind of how that started.”
The Drake family took a trip to Florida to take Scott’s mother to Disney World. Don and Scott went to Speed Week. “The second night I ever sat in the thing, I won the race,” Scott says. “From there I was hooked. “The first Year I raced, I bought my own used car. I actually hocked the title to my pick-up and my ’64 Chevelle to do so, and had a $200 per month payment on the first race car I had,” Drake says. “The next year, I went to Dirt Works and they built me a car. I spent the next 10 years running their stuff. ”
help me out through learning experiences, not just handing stuff to me. When you’ve done it for as long as he has, he knows all the right things to do,” Trevor says. Their garage has Scott’s National Championship banner hanging on the lift. “I just sit there and look at that when I work on my race car, knowing that someday I’m gonna have to beat him,” Trevor says with a laugh. Make no mistake; the student has out-raced his teacher: several times.
“The first time he got it done,” says Scott. “He came and parked at the trailer, and he goes. ‘I’m done. I’m gonna retire.’ I said, ‘why?’ He goes, ‘cause I beat you, I finally beat you,’” he says, laughing. “When we are out there together, he makes me drive a whole lot harder,” Trevor says. “I’m pretty sure I’m just as good as he is, it’s just when he’s not out there, I just kind of get all relaxed and kind of go into ‘coast mode’ for a little bit, until he passes me and then I realize, hey it’s time to go. I don’t want to hear it again; me getting beat by the old man,” he jokes.
Scott has won MLRA races, MARS dirt car series races, and ICMA events.
“We have a lot of fun,” Trevor says. “At the same time, while we’re having fun, he’s trying to teach me what I need to know:
• Advance planning also gives you peace of mind and saves your family from the pressure of making emotional decisions at a difficult time. If you have ever had to arrange a funeral under emotional stress, then you understand how helpful preplanning can be. • We make preplanning in advance easy and convenient.
It’s Something To Do For Your Family
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“It’s been great for me and my kid to be doing it together,” says Scott.
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“It runs through the family,” says Trevor. “That’s a big motivation, because my dad’s good.”
• Making some simple decisions in advance ensures all of the details of a funeral will be carried out exactly as intended. Family members won’t be left wondering or making guesses as to what was wanted.
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Racing being a Drake family tradition, Scott’s son Trevor is now giving his dad a run for the money.
“A Well Planned service warms the soul and illuminates the memory.”
The area’s most preferred cremation provider
3701 East 7th Street, Joplin, MO 417.781.1711 www.masonwoodard.com
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“In the last 23 or 24 years now, I’ve probably won 260 times,” he says.
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history
THE JOPLIN MUSEUM COMPLEX E x p l o r i n g t h e p a s t s i n c e 19 31 Written By BRAD BELK Photography by KEVIN MCCLINTOCK
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GLOSSARY of History &
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Architecture
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D
Denpettitiivle,ssymmetrical,
entils are re ed decorative tooth-like design lly found along ornaments usua h all ice line. As wit a building’s corn vary in de , shments ntils lli be em al ur ct archite in design by They also vary shape and size. the abilities lected as well as the materials se d actual , contractor an of the architect g them. builders installin
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Dutch Colonial H
ome
ounding father John C. Cox’s ho me at 615 Persim of a modified D mon is an exam utch Colonial st ple yl e. The typical D home incorpor utch Colonial ated a gambrel ro of. What becom how this early E ast Coast, 18th es interesting is Century style w in Southwest M as reinvented an issouri. The ou d adopted tside walls of th five bricks thick. is antebellum ho Fireplaces are fo m e are und at both the the home. The east and west en prominent hill ds of the house occu time as “Wig H pies was referred ill.” Located no to at one rt h of the house is Cox dates back to 18 Cemetery, which 57. During the la te 1990s, this hi the Rozier Awar storical treasure d from the Mis received souri Alliance fo The home’s orig r Historic Preser va inal builder and tion. owner, John Cha extraordinary hi ndler Cox, was storical figure. H an e w or e many hats du judge, justice of ring his life — co the peace, postm unty aster and platte Creek in 1871. r of a town east Cox selected th of Jo pl e name of “Joplin in friend and neig ” in honor of hi hbor, Methodist s former minister Harris G. Joplin.
enzel Dieter & W
ust Dieter and hristopher Aug r John Wenzel business partne r construction established thei rs, s business partne firm in 1899. A tal l were instrumen Dieter & Wenze in High tion of the Jopl uc tr ns co e th in el, ia, Connor Hot School, the Oliv St. y, arnegie Librar Miners Bank, C ol. ho and Lafayette Sc Peter’s Church ng World p dissolved duri The partnershi . Dieter g the war, C. A War I. Followin e Scottish ompany built th C n io ct ru st on C w Temple , United Hebre Rite Cathedral Dieter’s National Bank. and the Joplin tion of was the construc last big project nor Hotel. nex to the Con an $800,000 an tion made 160-room addi y, or -st ne ni s hi T e district. est found in th rg la e th l te ho the eeting rants, several m With five restau oyees, the pl e than 300 em rooms and mor ace to stay became “the” pl Connor Hotel plin. while visiting Jo
C
Olivia
The entire series of Glossary of History & Architecture was inspired by University of Missouri Professor of Art History Osmund Overby Dr. Overby passed on June 1, 2014
hy p a r g io B t h g li t o Sp F GRAF
TOM
De
ctive Tom riod, Joplin dete pe r ea -y 11 an hts — amazingly uring in three gun fig ed lv vo in as w curred in DeGraff st shoot-out oc fir is H l. al em r would surviving th ’s next encounte ff ra eG D . ry te , 1933, Daugh esday, April 13 1924, with Roy Tu n O s. w ne l nationa d a historic make front page e officers who ha lic po th e fiv of e lyde gang at 34 Degraff was on s Bonnie and C ou ri to no e d th an encounter with ry L. McGinnis in detective Har pl Jo . fatal shots ge id R ak and O ryman received ar H es W e bl ta y cons raff fired Newton Count encounter, Deg e th g in ur D . unate battle e was not as fort during this gun H d. he at sc un remained d robber y four shots but 1935, Degraff an , 22 ne Ju n O her in a dark two years later. fired at each ot d an ed m ai on ix the abdomen suspect Glen D on was shot in ix D — ks ar m r thei e right eye. alley. Both hit ad just above th he re fo e th in t as hi hours while Degraff w ital. After a few sp ho ’s hn Jo . ed and ed to St aculously surviv Dixon was rush ir m ff ra eg D . nced dead of his life. he was pronou ain for the rest br s hi in t lle bu lived with the
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Spotlight Biography marion willia md
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arion Dial was a lo ng-time educator in the Joplin community. Dial taught in Jopl in for 36 years. Durin g that time, he serv as principal of Linc ed oln School during the period of desegregation. In 19 54, he became the first African American elected to the Joplin City Co uncil. He was the first president of the Southwest M iss ouri Negro Teachers’ Associatio n, as well. Lincoln Sc hool was located at 815 East Seventh Street.
Spotlight Biography mabel hobson draper
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abel Draper was a woman of many talents. She was nationally known as a writer of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and music, and she was also a public speaker, dress designer and director of fashion shows and pageants. She was born in Joplin at 315 Moffet, in 1884. Her most well-known book was “Though the Long Trail.” Published in 1946, this 313-page publication told the story of her pioneering mother, Mary Quinn Hobson, as she traveled from Illinois to California in 1865. Draper spent two seasons performing on the Chautauqua circuit, demonstrating her original method of making dresses and coats without chart or pattern. Due to the volume of fan mail received, she published a book on the subject, “Without Chart or Pattern.”
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Spotlight Biography n a m h s i d l a r dar r and museum
to an artist, art instruc arral Dishman was in 1966, with n tio cia gan his asso be an m ish D r. cto dire all, serving cated at 8th and W lo ge lle Co or ni Ju Joplin When the college e Art Department. th of r cto Bachelor’s ire D e th as s, he designed the pu m ca s ill H n io iss t relocated to the M issouri Southern Ar rriculum for the M Cu d an n, m io ra sit og po pr m Degree classes in art, co uthern, he taught the first director/ Department. At So . Dishman became ics m ra ce d an n io llege’s art appreciat er located on the co nt Ce t Ar iva Sp w ming one curator of the ne red his legacy by na no ho rs to ra ist in m campus. College ad itories after him. of the student dorm
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Freddie Brown an d
Marion Dial
Mining the Past
Dummy Elevators For large mining operations, dummy elevators were constructed to allow waste rock from the mill to be dumped away from the shaft. As the initial chat pile grew, a need for additional piles of waste rock were created. As one pile expanded, dummy elevators were added to that pile by conveyor belts pushing the tailings to create yet another pile. The most prolific mining operations required three to four dummy elevators.
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The derrick was the raised wooden framework sitting directly over the mine shaft, some 50-plus feet tall. A designated platform near the top was made to house the hoist. The ore bucket would be pulled by the hoist to the platform. The milling process began when the bucket was tilted dumping all the rock and ore out. The empty ore bucket would travel back down the shaft and a new full ore bucket would take its place.
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derricks
The word Dog Tooth has a double meaning. In architecture, the term symbolizes an ornament resembling a row of teeth occurring in early English structures. The Tri-State Mining District referred to a dog tooth as a piece of calcite which possessed a very sharp pyramid shape. Calcite was another mineral that was extremely prevalent in the Tri-State Mining District. Calcite is used as a whitening agent for paint pigment as well as an abrasive in tooth paste and kitchen cleaners. Also, after being reconfigured, calcite is used as mine safety dust which is sprayed on walls and roofs of coal mines to prevent dust explosions.
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DOG TOOTH
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taste
River’s bend bar and grill by Kevin McClintock Photography by Laurie Sisk
Dreams Do Come True Joplin couple finds perfect purpose
Co-owners Tom Ferguson and Ann Galbreath stand on the deck outside The River’s Bend near Redings Mill.
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hether you’ve been there for a cold beer, a nice cheeseburger or spending hours listening to local pickers ply their trade, there’s one thing a patron will always hear when exiting River’s Bend Bar & Grill:
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“See you tomorrow!”
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Those three words, always offered cheerily by River’s Bend co-owner Ann Galbreath, has become a trademark inside this tuckedaway treat. The remote coziness of the place, the covered outdoor patio overlooking Shoal Creek and the family atmosphere inside created by Ann and Tom Ferguson, have made it the proverbial “home away from home” for those who visit.
Kelly Williams, a regular at River’s Bend, plays a song for fellow patrons of this Joplin establishment earlier this year. The bar and grill also has an inside music room for guests who want to play their music.
“We try to make it feel like a home to them,” said Tom, who has owned and operated three bars and several campgrounds with Ann together in their native Minnesota. “That’s what we want them to feel like when they come. I always say (first-time patrons) walk in here as strangers and they leave as friends.” Regulars to River’s Bend will often tell Tom they won’t tell their friends about the place because they want it to remain their secret hideaway. “That’s what we want to hear,” Tom said with a grin.
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Less than two years ago, the area was choked with trees and overgrown weeds. That’s how it looked when the couple purchased the nearly nine-acre parcel of land and decided to call Southwest Missouri their new home.
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The bar and grill and adjacent campgrounds, currently home to nine permanent residents but large enough to house 20, is located just off Highway NN a mile south of Redings Mill. There are also 50-plus primitive campsites.
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Cleared the way
River’s Bend employee Rei Alexander serves Dennis Robbins on the deck of this popular bar and grill. 49
Rolling up their sleeves, they went about cutting down nearly 80 trees and clearing the overgrown brush to expose several abandoned buildings, which had once been used long ago as a bed and breakfast operation. They purchased the property in February of last year. The bar and grill opened the following April. “We did 90 percent of all the work,” Tom said proudly. “We hardly had any hired help. We did it with our own hands. We’ve always worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, all of our lives. We don’t know any other way.” When Tom and Ann purchased the property for an undisclosed price, the real estate agent asked Tom what they planned to do with the land. “I looked at him and said, ‘A bar and grill.’ I looked over toward
Ann and she was grinning from ear to ear.’” With both retired, they were hoping to purchase and operate both a campground and a restaurant/bar establishment simultaneously. In their minds, the two expected them to be separated by many miles, perhaps in completely different cities. It was fortunate, then, they’d stumbled across a location large enough to house both of their dreams. It was even better, Tom said, that it was located in Southwest Missouri, the place they had fallen in love with over the years, with the proposed building for their bar and grill nestled next to the rolling waters of Shoal Creek. “It makes us unique, having this (bar and grill) right next to the campgrounds,” he said.
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River’s Bend co-owner Ann Galbreath launches a water balloon across Shoal Creek from the back deck of the bar and grill.
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Sue Burrack (left) and Dennis Robbins enjoy some conversation on the deck at The River’s Bend on Shoal Creek outside Joplin. Robbins’ grandfather was a second cousin to country legend Marty Robbins and Dennis said he enjoys the live jam sessions at the bar and grill.
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living
p i n n i ng yo u r d i y i d e a s By Bobbie Pottorff
offers creative inspirations at the fingertips
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o Pin is to create. And when you say that word — “Pin” — most people immediately know what you’re talking about: Pinterest.
Pinterest for some great ideas.
“Pinterest has been a great way for me to come up with creative ideas when I’m in a slump,” says Alisha McAlister, of Diamond. Arts and crafts, she says, has reached new heights for decorating or creative ideas.
Muscari and her husband bought their dream house on Grand Lake a couple of years ago. After living in the home for about two months, with no furniture and no decorations, Muscari hired a designer, a painter and an artist to decorate every wall of her home, except one. For that lone wall, Muscari lifted an idea she spied while perusing Pinterest — ceiling medallions used as wall decorations.
Pinterest is the “Do It Yourself” movement on steroids. Anything and everything you can think of is on Pinterest. Need an idea about shelving for the living room? Look no further than the home décor section on
“Thank God for Pinterest,” says Susan Muscari of Grove, Oklahoma.
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“I just bought the medallions from Lowes and painted them all different colors and arranged them on the wall.”
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Nina Koehler, a former Joplin resident, “Pins” ideas for herself and others. She has “Pinned” many decorating ideas, some which have found their way into their new home she and her husband Andrew recently purchased. “I love everything about Pinterest,” says McAlister. “It has been a great way to get new ideas on decorating, cooking, hair and nails, clothing, and so much more. I have used some of the rustic lighting ideas in our home and plan to do more.”
“I just bought the medallions from Lowes and painted them all different colors and arranged them on the wall.”– Muscari
McAlister also created her own glasses from beer and wine bottles, using a Pinterest idea. A hair stylist by trade, McAlister says even her clients use Pinterest for her profession. One of her clients, a school teacher in Carl Junction, sent her a “Pin” for her hairstyle. “It was super cute and we cut her hair close to what the picture was,” recalls McAlister. “I am more willing to try new things with decorating now because with each picture it shows you the steps on how to make something.”
“Vincent made a Father’s Day gift for her husband by putting all the stubs from his concert tickets into a picture frame — making it into a type of shadow box for him to cherish.”
“I have found so many ideas that I want to try, but just don’t have the time,” says McAlister. “I really like that I can ‘Pin’ it to my board and it’s there for future reference.
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“I do believe I’m a creative person,” says McAlister. “I will see an idea and use the theme and then come up with something of my own. But Pinterest pretty much inspires me.”
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Vincent made a Father’s Day gift for her husband by putting all the stubs from his concert tickets into a picture frame — making it into a type of shadow box for him to cherish.
“My husband made a paper towel holder,” says McAlister about the idea he lifted from Pinterest. “He made it from horse shoes and a fireplace stoker.”
One of the many great things Pinterest users love, besides the ideas themselves, is that they are plentiful.
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“I’m not the slightest bit imaginative so that’s the only place I get ideas,” says Webb City resident Charity Vincent.
Pinterest is not just for women, either. Men share ideas too. Some are inspired to organize their garage with DIY shelving units while others like to create “steampunk” art. There are even ideas about how to create a nightstand that doubles as a zombie killing weapon.
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Pinterest has changed the way people exchange ideas about arts and crafts and has even given those who are artistically challenged a way to create works of art from items like old burlap and ancient pallets.
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Top Ten 2. Shelves
Family Mod Podge Coasters
Made from books, pallets, planks, you name it you can use as a shelf.
1. Picture frames With pictures, without pictures, with fabric, with hooks, etc.
3. Custom Coasters Using mod podge you can put family pictures, maps, lettering or anything onto a coaster.
5. Key holders 4. Clocks
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Made from pictures, painted onto the wall, use a number of them in an arrangement.
Made from picture frames, fabric covered wood with hooks, vintage hooks, new hooks or odd shaped screws and other metal.
6. Lighting Glasses, bottles and jars used as light covers or hung as a light, both indoor and outdoor.
7. Jars Used as lights, arts and crafts holders, bathroom fixtures for cotton balls and q-tips, or covered in fabric and stuffed with candles or lights.
9. Homemade wreaths Using everything known to man.
8. Repurposed doors Used as wall art, table tops or shelves.
10. Table cloths Used as window coverings.
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minding your business Mt knives Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock
On a
Razor’s Edge Cutting-edge business: Kickstarter helps man launch a knife-making venture
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Patrick Roehrman holds up two of the 500 blades he has produced in a shop behind his house in Sheldon.
he leading-edge blade is probably one of humanity’s greatest achievements and most valuable tools.
The knife is used daily, whether opening letters, cutting up a tomato or trimming a hang-nail. Today’s stainless-steel blade barely differs from the sharp-edged flint and obsidian our ancestors used 3 million years ago. While some technologies, such as steam power and the candle, have come and mostly gone, the blade has endured, just as valuable today as it was centuries ago. Inside a metal building on his property located east of Sheldon, Missouri, Patrick Roehrman is busy turning a hobby into a professional business. Working up to 14 hours a day, six days a week, Roehrman has spent nearly a year building up the name of his MT Knives business.
Everybody wants a good tool knife, but few know how to sharpen it or prevent the blade from dulling. Roehrman hopes to teach a new generation of Americans how to sharpen a knife. As he demonstrates, the blade can slice paper like butter.
How popular are his custom blades? He was able to sell 100 of his hand-crafted, limited-edition neck knives (small blades usually tied around the neck, making them easily accessible while hunting, fishing or hiking) with stakeholder privileges for a tidy $55,000 profit. That influx of cash convinced Roehrman to quit his job as a lineman for Kansas City Power and Light and turn to knife-making full time. “Most people don’t understand the necessity of having a sharp knife,” Roehrman said. “But it’s that one time you’ll need it to cut someone free of a seat belt or something like that, which is why it needs to be carried.”
“Each knife will never be made again,” he said. “They will never be reproduced by me in the same format ever again.”
He’s going to use that money to create a knife-sharpening tutorial for interested parties, passing on his extensive knowledge of this time-honored art to future generations. The money will help him purchase lights, backdrops, video and video-editing equipment. It will be a professional video. The final produce will cover the basics of sharpening knives and tools, how to sharpen a knife for under $10, taking care of your knife and how to even start a homegrown blade sharpening business. “It all goes back to being a young boy and always wanting a sharp knife. I remember my father, he was always a big hunter and fisherman, and the first time I saw a knife he was sharpening it, making it shaver sharp, and as a young boy I wanted something that sharp, too.” While most knives comes as “shaver sharp,” Roehrman said that’s only the beginning of the sharpening of a blade. “I have a
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The blades area also sharpened before they are shipped out to their new owner. The sharpness of the blade is an important aspect of every completed MT Knife, Roehrman said. Back on May 19, he concluded a successful Kickstarter program that netted him $15,415 from nearly 500 backers.
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Roehrman’s knife handles are beautiful to behold, made of black walnut, ironwood, snake wood, rosewood, black and white
ebony, rare Mammoth tusk, or even camel bone. Better yet, each knife is one-of-a-kind.
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“The thing is with me, even though you buy my knife and you’re wearing it, it still reflects on me because my name is on it,” Roehrman said. “If you had this rusty-old, ugly-old knife, it wouldn’t look good. I take great pride in my work.”
Five completed neck blades
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Getting a handle Aside from the handmade forge, Roehrman also utilizes a sharpening jig, band saw, drill press, belt sander and an honest-to-goodness anvil to make his knives. Over the past three years, he’s handcrafted about 500 knives.
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Some forged blades before the grip is attached. Blade handles can be made of black walnut, rosewood, black and white ebony, rare mammoth tusk or even camel bone.
passion for sharpening knives because it’s a skill.” People use tools with leading-edge blades nearly every day, whether it’s a pair of scissors, a pocket knife, razors or a box cutter.
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“We’ve gone to a throw-away society. Once we took care of our bladed tools, now we throw away thousands of knives, razors and scissors every day, for the simple fact that they went dull.”
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That sharpening skills are being lost, he said.
Area Hearing & Speech Clinic 2311 S. Jackson Joplin, MO 64804
“Our ancestors would be a bit embarrassed to see that.” For more details go to www.mtknives.net.
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Two of the neck knives handcrafted by Patrick Roehrman, owner of MT Knives.
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Patrick shows off his skills of sharpening a blade. When a blade can slice hair from a man’s face, that’s just the beginning of the knife sharpening stages.
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health
immunizations By David O’Neill
Safe & Sound Immunizations protect both our children and others
P
rior to that all-important first day of school, you’ll need to have had your children immunized.
After all, it’s how parents protect their children and others from whom they come in contact from perilous diseases ranging from measles to mumps to whooping cough. They’re also required by law. Says Cynthia Burnham, Medical Services Coordinator for the City of Joplin, “Vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives over the years.” That said, there are basic things to know about immunizations. First, immunizations need to start early in a child’s life. Babies receive a Hepatitis B vaccination in the hospital. From that point on, Burnham says, they should receive vaccines at two months, four months, six months, 12 to 15 months, 15 to 18 months, 19 to 23 months, 4 to 6 years, 11 to 12 years, and 16 to 18 years. Also, be aware that while the terms “immunization” and “vaccination” are often used interchangeably, they are different to the extreme. “A vaccination is the injection of a weakened or killed organism in order to prevent a disease,” says Burnham. “An immunization is the process by which a person is protected against a disease.”
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Basically, the difference is that a vaccination is the shot part of the protection process.
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Protecting Lives The list of diseases against which today’s immunizations protect against is a rather lengthy one. It includes polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella, mumps, tetanus, rotavirus, meningococcal, human papillomavirus (HPV), and influenza. Routinely required vaccines include those for Hepatitis B, DTaP, Hib, polio, pnuemococcal, MMR, varicella, Tdap and meningococcal for some schools, Burnham says. “Vaccines protect against all the diseases and illnesses listed above. For instance, HPV can prevent most types of cervical cancer in girls, and some other types of cancer in boys and girls,” she says. Burnham calls the vaccines now available very effective. “The weakened antigen in vaccines do not cause disease. However
they are strong enough to make the immune system produce antibodies that lead to immunity. So a vaccine is a safer substitute for a child’s first exposure to a disease. The child gets protection without having to get sick,” she explains. Safer To Immunize Vaccines themselves are very safe, Burnham says, although side effects can occur. These are almost always mild, such as redness or swelling at the injection site, and will usually vanish within a few days, she says. “Serious side effects, such as an allergic reaction to the vaccine, are very rare.” Besides, she says, “the benefits of getting the vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.” Parents who don’t have their children immunized, Burnham says, are putting them at risk. “Pertussis — or whooping cough — chickenpox and, currently, measles are still common in the United States.” Other diseases prevented by vaccines may not be common in this country. If vaccinations stopped, however, they could quickly become an active risk to children, Burnham says, because they are common in other parts of the world. “Even if your family doesn’t travel outside the states, they could come into contact with international travelers. The exposed child can become seriously ill and spread it through his or her community,” she says.
• Some children are eligible for free vaccinations; ask your local health department. • Keep your child’s shot record, and always bring it to the clinic with your child. Ask your provider to enter your child’s vaccinations into the state’s showmevax record system. • You may give your child an acetaminophen such as Tylenol — as directed by a doctor — prior to his or her immunization. • Contact your local health department with any concerns. They are there to help.
Be Cavity Free with Dr. B! A Specialist for Children
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Se dat Availa ion ble
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Depending on his or her age, parents can prepare their child, Burnham says. “With an infant, breastfeeding is reported to calm a baby after immunizations. If not, comfort your infant after they receive the vaccination by rocking them and holding them close.” Older children should just be told what to expect. “Tell them it may hurt some, but it’s over quickly and protects them from disease.”
• You are protecting your child and your community from disease.
Dr. Brett Wilson, D.D.S.
5227 S. Main, Ste. D • Joplin, MO 417-622-0004 • joplinpediatricdentistry.com
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Children who live outside the Joplin city limits may obtain vaccinations through the Jasper County Health Department in Carthage, or the Newton County Health Department in Neosho.
When it comes to immunizations, Cynthia Burnham, Medical Services Coordinator for the City of Joplin, suggests considering the following:
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Where To Go The Joplin City Health Department can vaccinate children who live within the city limits of Joplin or who attend Joplin schools if they are uninsured, underinsured, Native American, or Native Alaskan, Burnham says. Insured children can obtain vaccinations through their pediatricians.
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music to the ears
tris tatesmen chorus BY KEVIN MCCLINTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY T. ROB BROWN
Angels Voices Barbershop choirs grow in popularity thanks to singing TV shows, pop culture
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ingers call it the “angel’s voice.”
The phenomenon occurs when a group of singers reach an identical chord, voices blended together as one, the harmonics justly tuned and balanced, creating a new frequency of sound that can “literally raise up the hair on the arm,” said Don Snow. Snow, president of the Tristatesmen Barbershop Chorus, has heard this angel’s voice a thousand times before. During a recent practice session inside the First Baptist Church of Webb City, members of this all-male chorus created, right on the spot, an example of this expanded sound. Snow balanced the bass singers, the leads, baritones and the tenors into a single, beautiful tone over the course of less than 30 seconds. “Hear it?” a beaming Snow said. “Only human voices can create that.”
At that moment, the Tristatesmen singers demonstrated exactly why barbershop chorus groups and the smaller, more intimate quartets are staging a comeback in popularity among the American public. An example occurred in February, when Jimmy Fallon and his cappella close-harmony group, “Ragtime Gals,” sang the R. Kelly hit, “Ignition (Remix),” on The Tonight Show. Popular reality shows based on the singing talents of individuals, such as “American Idol” and “The Voice” have boosted interest as well. “Membership is actually up worldwide,” said Jeremy Albright, the group’s director. “We went through a long period there where football rules and singers drool. You know, it’s that old high school boy mentality. You’re not manly if you sing. But we’ve really changed that, I believe.”
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Jeremy Albright, director of the Tristatesmen Barbershop Chorus, leads his singers through a song.
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Don Snow, president of the Tristatesmen Barbershop Chorus, warms up the voices of this award-winning chorus during a recent practice.
“When I took over, there were nine guys at my first rehearsal, and the average age of in the low 70s. This year, they have between 25 to 30 active members with the average age at the low 50s. Their youngest singer is 15, their oldest is 93.” Albright, who has a music history degree from Pittsburg State University, began singing at the age of 15; he joined the barbershop choir his grandfather, Donald, was participating in at the time.
Popular songs include “God Bless America,” “I’m Feelin’ Fine,” “It is Well with My Soul,” “My Wild Irish Rose” and “Just a Cottage Small.” The chorus also features two separate quartets: F.O.G. (Four Old Guys) and Random Play. Albright and Rose are members of the latter. “We were together for six weeks, and we took ninth out of 35 quartets at district competitions,” Albright said of Random Play. “We’re very excited about what we have going on. It’s an incredible thrill to
Connecting with its audience is another area that sets a quartet apart from a band or solo act on stage. “We sing directly to our audience,” Albright said. “We make eye contact. We memorize our songs so we can get past (the song notes). We’re able to sign to our audience and give them something to appreciate. For them to feel appreciated is a real thrill for us.
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Growing membership Albright, who serves as Jasper’s Police Chief, has helmed the group for eight years.
Chartered in 1976, the chorus is composed of 40 men and boys hailing from Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, Lamar, Lockwood, Neosho, Columbus, Kan., Baxter Springs, Kan., and Bella Vista, Ark.
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The members of this all-male chorus come in all ages.
“One of the special things about barbershop quartet is music people can relate to,” Albright said. “We tell stories. Whether it’s a story about your lost love or a good old time down in Dixie, these are the kinds of stories we tell to connect with our audiences.”
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“In the group, there was a 65-year gap between me and the next guy in the group (chuckling). So I grew up in an environment where hanging with old guys was easy for me.”
go out and perform before 2,000 people.” Barbershop chorus groups and quartets aren’t just unique because they perform without a single musical instrument.
“We’re really starting to become accepted in the vocal music world as a real legitimate art form.”
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“I grew up with that music,” he said.
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The
List:
New Area School Buildings Opening in 2014
Joplin High School/Franklin Technology Center For the first time since 1968, Joplin will be home to a brand new high school. And it’s a doozy. Encompassing 487,937 square feet of space, it will be one of the largest schools found anywhere in Missouri. This $118 million building will also include a 2,500-seat gymnasium as well as a 1,250-seat performing arts center. The vocational technical center, housed within the sprawling structure, incorporates 70,000 square feet.
St. Mary’s Elementary School Currently located next to the McAuley High School in the heart of Joplin, the new school is located at the corner of 32nd Street and S. Central City Road. It will include preschool through fifth-grade classrooms with plenty of room for future growth. Also on the grounds will be the new St. Mary’s Catholic Church, offices, rectory and parish center. All of these buildings, including the elementary school, were destroyed by the May 22, 2011 tornado.
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Galena High School Construction Like Joplin and Webb City, Galena, Kansas school officials are building reinforced rooms to keep students safe in case of inclement weather. The Galena High School’s new addition will include a new gymnasium, with the building’s locker rooms and fitness center doubling as storm shelters, capable of holding 1,000 people. The new addition will also offer new science rooms.
School Storm Shelters New or existing storm shelters will soon be found at nearly every Joplin and Webb City schools. Similar rooms are being built at a Sarcoxie elementary School, an elementary school in Galena, Kansas, in Neosho in Newton County as well as Monett in Barry County.
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Webb City “Dome” At 180 feet in diameter and 56 feet from floor to ceiling, the Webb City “Dome” will be the largest tornado-safe room found in the state of Missouri. The walls of the dome-shaped shelter are about 16 inches thick, capable of withstanding 250 mph winds. It will be able to safely house 3,000 people during inclement weather. Dome Technologies inflated the safe room’s dome portion back in late May. There will be two levels inside the shelter: a gymnasium and a running track above. A connection piece that attaches the dome to the high school will have a commons area and a weight room.
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parting shot Flower Power
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Photography by Kevin McClintock
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A splash of yellow, green, blue and white during an early afternoon at the Diamond Grove Prairie Conservation Area south of Diamond, Mo.