This Month in St. Louis History

Gini Laurie and Hub Pruett
are part of state history

Activist Gini Laurie and St. Louis Browns pitcher Hub Pruett aren't household names these days. They were not born in Missouri but did memorable work in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Cathedral Basilica was consecrated in June, 1926. And the Missouri State Lottery and U.S. Interstate Highway Act were enacted in past Junes.

These are some of the people and actions that fit well into Missouri's rich history.

(Each month, the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park provides Young Saint Louis.com with information about people and/or events that shaped the state's history. These items are ones that have an anniversary in the current month.

(If you'd like to know more about the museum's offerings, visit www.mohistory.org.)

The items with June anniversaries:

Activist Gini Laurie

In the 1900s, the childhood poliomyelitis (polio) left thousands of American children paralyzed. One of the most vocal spokesmen urging polio rehabilitation was Gini Laurie, who was a childhood victim.

And she did some of her best work while living in St. Louis.

She started her work in Cleveland, Ohio, with publication of a mimeographed newsletter for the Toomey Pavilion. That was a respiratory center for polio victims.

In 1971, Ms. Laurie moved to St. Louis.

In 1976, she wrote the book, "Housing and Home Services for the Disabled, Elderly and Retarded." It was published by Harper & Rowe. In 1981, she coordinated the first conference on the plight of polio victim, "Whatever Happened to the Polio Patient?"

The second International Post-Polio Conference and Symposium on Living Independently with Severe Disability was held in St. Louis two years later.

Of course, the development of a polio vaccine for children by Dr. Jonas Salk was instrumental in breaking the disease. But, living victims still needed help.

Ms. Laurie's work in promoting rehabilitation for victims of paralyzing illnesses continues even today. She died in 1989 but a Gini Laurie Endowment was established during the 5th International Conference.

For more on the history of polio, visit the Smithsonian Institution's website at: http://americanhistory.si.edu/polio/howpolio/rehab.htm. The website includes a picture of Ms. Laurie at work in her office.

Pitcher Hub Pruett

Pitcher Hub Pruett wasn't the St. Louis Brown's winningest pitcher. But, he did know one thing; he knew how to get slugger Babe Ruth out.

On June 12, 1922, rookie Pruett was the winning pitcher as the Browns beat the New York Yankees, 7-1. In the game, Pruett struck out Babe Ruth three consecutive times.

His success with Ruth wasn't a one-time fluke.

Pruett struck out Ruth 10 of the first 13 times he faced him. In his seven-year career, Pruett ended with 15 strikeouts in the 30 times he faced Ruth.

Pruett didn't do as well with other hitters. He won only 29 games against 48 losses.

But, his "fadeaway" delivery certainly had Ruth's number.

After he finished pitching, Pruett enrolled in the Saint Louis University's School of Medicine. After earning his degree in eight years, Pruett became a practicing physician.

St. Louis Cathedral Basilica

The St. Louis Cathedral Basilica was consecrated on June 20, 1926. That was the 100th anniversary of the St. Louis Diocese.

But, church building wasn't designated officially as a basilica until Pope John Paul II's visit to St. Louis in 1997.

One of the most unusual features of the gigantic church is the tile mosaics on the interior.

The mosaics contain 41,500,000 glass tesserae pieces with over 7,000 different colors. The mosaics cover 83,000 square feet and is the largest mosaic collection in the world.

A total of 29 different artists worked on the installation that ran from 1912 to 1988.

There are several websites where you can get more information about the basilica. They include www.explorestlouis.com/factSheets/fact_newCath.asp?PageType=4, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_Basilica_of_St._Louis.

Missouri State Lottery

The Missouri State Lottery was established in 1985. The lottery came into being with passage of Missouri Senate bill passed on June 11.

That was less than a year after a 70% majority amended the state constitution to allow for establishment of the lottery.

The first game was an instant one called "Jackpot 86." One Feb. 13, 1986, a retired butcher from Kansas City, Kan, was the first lottery millionaire when he won $2.1 million.

Lotteries have a long history in the U.S., extending back to the Revolutionary War. For a history of American lotteries, visit: www.library.ca.gov/CRB/97/03/Chapt2.html.

U.S. Interstate System

One of the biggest improvements in Missouri transportation history came when the U.S. Congress enacted the Federal-Aid Highway Act on June 29, 1956. That is the legislation that authorized the building of the country's interstate highway system.

For Missouri, it brought some order to the state's piecemeal highway construction efforts.

For a history of the Interstate in Missouri, visit www.modot.org/interstate/MissourisInterstateHistory.htm

Ninth in a series

Famous black St. Louisans buried at St. Peter's

(Editor's note: This is the ninth in a series about famous St. Louisans who are buried in local cemeteries. Information is from St. Louisan Kevin Amsler's book, "Final Resting Place: The Lives and Deaths of Famous St. Louisans.")

St. Peter's Cemetery was opened in 1855 in north St. Louis on 50 acres purchased from the Lindell Estate. Now, it is over 100 acres with 70,000 graves, including those of many prominent black St. Louisans.

Two of them, John Stark and Tom Turpin, were pioneers in ragtime music. Lawyer Homer G. Phillips was the namesake of the city's first black hospital.

James (Cool Papa) Bell was a famous baseball player in the Negro League era and now in the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wendell O. Pruitt was one of the famous Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. Boxer Lemuel Steeples died in a plane crash that wiped out the U.S. Olympic boxing team.

(You can read about famous St. Louisans included in previous articles in this series. Go to the YSL.com home page and click on Past Stories and check October, 2006; November, 2006; December, 2006; January, 2007; February, 2007, March, 2007, April, 2007 and/or May 2007.

(To buy Mr. Amsler's book, visit a local bookstore or visit www.STL-Books.com.)

Among those buried in St. Peter's Cemetery were:

John Stark
(1841-1927)

John Stark was a piano and organ dealer in St. Louis before he got interested in ragtime music. Then, he became a sheet music publisher and promoter of that type of music.

In 1899, he published Scott Joplin's "The Maple Leaf Rag." That one tune sold over 500,000 copies in the next 10 years. And it was a source of income for Stark for the rest of his life.

When he stopped publishing in 1923, his catalogue was considered one of the best collections of ragtime in the country. Among the many Joplin tunes he published was "The Entertainer." That song became popular again a half-century later as the theme for the movie, "The Sting."

Tom Turpin
(1871-1922)

Tom Turpin was a café owner in St. Louis who became a composer of ragtime music. He was the first black to get an instrumental rag tune, "Harlem Rag," published in 1899.

His Rosebud Café was immortalized by Scott Joplin's ragtime tune, "Rosebud March."

His St. Peter's Cemetery gravestone is inscribed, "The Father of St. Louis Ragtime."

Albert Burgess
(1856-1932)

Albert Burgess was the first black lawyer admitted to the bar in St. Louis. He also was the first treasurer of the Mound City Bar Assn. and an assistant city attorney in 1894.

He was known as the lawyer who paved the way for other black attorneys in the city.

Homer G. Phillips
(1880-1931)

Homer G. Phillips was an attorney but is remembered now mostly as the namesake of the first hospital for blacks in St. Louis, The Homer G. Phillips Hospital.

He had been negotiating with then Mayor Henry Kiel to establish the hospital when he was shot in a dispute over an estate bill.

The hospital was started a year after his death and opened for business in 1937. The hospital was closed in 1979 but the building is being redeveloped as housing.

Allen Britt
(1881-1899)

Allen Britt's life was short. He was killed by his live-in girlfriend, Frankie Baker.

Songwriter Bill Dooley immortalized that episode in a hit song, "Frankie and Johnny." Frankie's name was used in the title but Allen's name was changed. The song is the story of the two star-crossed lovers.

James Bell
(1903-1991)

James Bell was born in the South and moved to St. Louis when he was 16.

He played semi-pro ball with the local Compton Hill Cubs before starting his career in the Negro Leagues. He played for the St. Louis Stars, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Homestead Grays and the Kansas City Monarchs.

He batted over .400 several times. But, his trademark was speed on the base paths. He stole 175 bases in 1933.

For a time, he roomed with famed pitcher Satchel Paige. Paige once said Bell was so fast that he could turn out the light in their hotel room and be in bed before it got dark.

Bell retired from baseball in 1950 after a 29-year career.

He was the 5th black player to be inducted into the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wendell O. Pruitt
(1920-1945)

Wendell Pruitt was a Sumner High School graduate who was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. That was an all-black flying squadron during World War II that trained at the Tuskegee (Ala.) Air Base.

He flew 70 missions in Europe. He was credited with shooting down three German planes and destroying eight more on the ground. He also assisted in sinking a Nazi destroyer.

Pruitt was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His picture is prominent in the Tuskegee Airmen mural painting now at Lambert Field in St. Louis.

He was honored in 1944 by the City of St. Louis on "Captain Wendell O. Pruitt Day."

Lemuel Steeples
(1956-1980)

Lemuel Steeples was an up-and-coming boxer who won titles in Golden Gloves, the Pan American Games and the National AAU.

In training for the 1980 Olympics, Steeples was on a flight to Poland when his plane crashed. He was one of 14 fighters and 8 officials of the U.S. team killed in that crash.

Places to Go, Things to Do

Lots of family fun activities for June

Wonders of Wildlife (WOW), KMOX Fishing Day, a Family Fun Day "Fly In" and a free Father's Day Family shooting outing. These are just some of the fun Places to Go; Things to Do during the month of June.

Other June activities available for kids include learning to draw and paint birds, bicycle rides, riding in a wilderness wagon and exploring the EarthWays Center's environmentally friendly home.

(Each month, Young Saint Louis.com gathers information about cool St. Louis-area activities and events of special interest to kids and their families. Most of the items either have free or low-cost admissions.)

Here's some more information about Places to Go; Things to Do for June:

Wonders Of Wildlife (WOW)

The WOW outdoor recreation and conservation school is coming to the heart of St. Louis. The instructors will be on hand Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, at Forest Park.

The event starts with an overnight camping experience, complete with a campfire and tents. Those who attend will get an introductory "learn to camp" lesson. The overnight starts at 5 p.m. Friday.

The all-day Saturday program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Included will be lessons in archery, nature photography, camping, canoeing, rock climbing and nature woodworking. Also, there will be instruction in Dutch oven cooking, introduction to reptiles and amphibians and other artistic and outdoor sports adventures.

For registration, call (314) 340-5794. The cost is $25 per family or $15 per individual.

KMOX Fishing Day

The KMOX Family Fishing Fair will be held Saturday, June 9, at Suson Park in south St. Louis County. The event runs from 7 a.m. to noon.

The event is hosted by KMOX's Dan Young. Admission is free. Food and snacks will be provided.

This will be a free fishing weekend, with no license needed, thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

For information for other St. Louis County park activities, visit www.stlouisco.com.

Family Fun Day "Fly In"

The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park will host a Family Fun Day "Fly In" on Sunday, June 10, from 1 to 4 p.m.

The event will feature appearances by the Spirits of St. Louis Radio-Controlled Flying Club, the Aero Pilots Flying Club and the St. Louis Whirlybirds.

Youngsters will be able to create their own model airplanes from paper and balsa wood.

The event is to celebrate the museum's new exhibit, Flight City. St. Louis Takes to the Air. The exhibit tells the story of St. Louis' main flight accomplishments, from Lindbergh flying non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean to construction of advanced air and space craft.

For information, visit www.mohistory.org or call (314) 746-4599.

Father's Day Family Free Shooting

If you or your parents are hunters, the Busch Range and Conservation Education Center has just the present for Father's Day. The whole family can have two hours on the rifle/pistol, skeet, archery or patterning ranges.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free. No registration is required.

For information on this or other Missouri Department of Conservation programs, call (636) 441-4554.

Painting the Birds

Also, at the Busch area, there's a neat art-lesson program for kids 8 and up. You'll learn to sketch and paint a bird, using watercolors.

The Painting the Birds sessions are on Thursday, June 7. One session is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. while the afternoon session is from noon to 1:30 p.m.

For reservations, call (636) 441-4554.

Trailnet Bike Rides

Trailnet has Family Fun and Pedal in the Park rides scheduled for June. These rides that have relatively level routes and usually have a fun community event at the end of the ride.

The River des Peres Ramble is Sunday, June 3. This ride is one of the hillier rides with routes of 13, 24 and 35 miles. Registration is 8:30 to 10 a.m. from the music stand in Carondelet Park. A limited number of Lions Choice food items are available at the end of the ride.

The Route 66 Bicycle Ride and Festival will be Saturday, June 9. Registration is 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Domino's Pizza in Edwardsville. Return to festival after the ride for food and more fun.

The Bridge Birthday Bash and Bicycle Ride is Sunday, June 24. Registration is from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Return to the bridge for the birthday party, with food, music, cake and ice cream.

The June Peddle in the Park ride is the Picasso Pedal, sponsored by the St. Louis Art Museum. It will be Sunday, June 17, with registration from 1 to 2 p.m. This ride is only five miles and is a good Father's Day present for your parent.

For all Trailnet information, visit www.Trailnet.org or pick up a 2007 ride calendar at your local bike shop.

Shaw Reserve's Wilderness Wagon

The Shaw Nature Reserve in southwest St. Louis County sponsors Wilderness Wagon Rides on Saturdays and Sundays. Departures are at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission is $1 per person in addition to the reserve admission.

You get a 3-mile ride in a wilderness wagon that includes stops at the reserve's trail house and the wetlands.

This ride is in an area that has been returned to the condition and foliage of pioneer times.

For information visit www.shawnature.org or call (314) 451-3512.

Shakspeare Festival Summer Camps for Kids

The Shakespeare Festival Conservancy has a wide variety of camps for kids in June and July. There are camps for young kids to late teens and for beginning to experienced actors.

For instance, there's a series of half-day camps for kids ages 6 through 9. The kids can study as many as four different Shakespeare plays.

One other camp is a full-day, 3-week camp where actors ages 13-18 end up performing a 90-minute version of "A Comedy of Errors" in the Forest Park Amphitheater.

Or actors can go to camps and perform in the Laurmeier Sculpture Park.

For details call the Shakespeare Festival at (314) 531-9800 or visit www.sfstl.com.

Explore EarthWays Center

Families can get ideas on how homes can be converted to energy efficiency by touring the EarthWays Center in downtown St. Louis. The center is open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Admission is $2 for adults but children 12 and under are admitted free.

For information, visit www.earthwayshome.org or call (314) 571-0220.

And More….

Every Day Circus: The City Museum offers the Every Day Circus shows as a part of its regular admission. Shows include clowns, stilt walkers, jugglers, magicians and mimes. For information, visit www.everydaycircus.net or call (314) 645-4445.

Ice Cream Making lessons: At West Tyson Park in St. Louis County, there will be a lesson on homemade ice cream making on Saturday, June 16. Hours are 1 to 3 p.m. and cost is $5 per person. Using one of grandma's recipes, families can combine sugar, cream and fruit into a favorite dessert. Register at (636) 391-0922.

Sister is investment advisor

Kid has own stock market account

Despite being in wheelchair

Illinois girl set for two national athletic meets

Eleven-year-old Brooke Feltmeyer is confined to a wheelchair by an illness that often locks her joints and saps her muscle strength. But, she's scheduled to compete in two national athletic meets this year.

Brooke is a 5th grader from Granite City, Ill. She's been competing in both soccer and swimming in the Disabled Athletic Sports Assn. (DASA) since it was formed in 2004.

This month, she'll be on the DASA Dynamites power soccer team that competes in its national tournament in Indianapolis, Ind. The Dynamites are the defending national champions, having won in 2006.

Later this year, she'll compete in the DASA national swimming meet in Spokane, Wash.

Being able to compete in swimming may be more unusual than her power soccer play.

Her physical condition (called arthrogryposis) gives her virtually no use of her arms. So, when she competes in "free-style" swimming, she rolls onto her back, folds her arms on her chest and propels herself only with her legs.

In soccer, Brooke has use of a motorized wheelchair with a special "fender" across the front. That's used to nudge the outsized soccer ball toward the goal.

Competitors can't touch the ball with any part of their body. Also, the wheelchairs are set so no one goes over 6½ miles per hour. The competitors also can't ram another competitor to jar the ball loose.

In the wheelchair power soccer game, the Dynamites play with four players on the field at one time. There's a goalie and then three field players. One is a center and there's also a left wing and right wing. Each team also has two substitutes.

Players rely on intricate wheelchair moves and spins to gain control over the ball.

Two other young members of the Dynamite power soccer team are 13-year-old Brady Kedge of Florissant and 10-year-old Tyler King of St. Charles.

Brady is a 7th grader at Cross Keys Middle School. He plays with an older-style wheelchair that actually gives him an advantage over players with newer chairs.

Brady's chair is higher off the ground. That leaves a space between his fender and front wheels where he can trap the ball while he moves forward. The newer chairs are so low that the large wheelchair soccer ball won't fit between the fender and the wheel.

The wheel-fender gap makes it harder to nudge the ball loose, once he captures it.

Brady said he likes power soccer because "there's non-stop action" throughout the game.

Brady said his best experience in power soccer came a year ago. That's when his goal in the 2006 regionals was the winning point and put the Dynamites into the nationals.

Both Brady and Tyler have forms of muscular dystrophy.

Tyler said he uses a forward-backward 180-degree wheelchair spin move to get the ball off the fender of an opposing player. That sort of spin can nudge the ball off the other player's front fender without him being charged with ramming.

Brooke and Brady have been with DASA since its founding. But, Tyler didn't join until the winter of 2005. Tyler's dad, Jim, coaches a select soccer team. A parent of one of his players is a board member of DASA. He recommended the Dynamites to Tyler's dad.

The DASA has a website where kids and parents can find out more about its varied athletic team program. The website address is www.DASASports.org.

In addition to soccer and swimming, other sports include basketball, track and road racing, golf, martial arts, archery and ice hockey.

The association also practices and plays at seven different athletic facilities. For instance, the soccer team practices in the gym at Wedgewood Elementary School in Florissant. Other venues include St. Charles Community College, the O'Fallon (Mo.) YMCA, The Pointe at Ballwin (Mo.) Commons, Renaud Spirit Center in O'Fallon, Mo., Boys and Girls Club in St. Charles and Wentzville Ice Arena.

The founder and executive director is Kelly Behlmann.

Brooke, Brady and Tyler already have career plans when they get older.

Brooke wants to be a graphic artist. She already has a computer but hasn't done much designing as yet.

Brady wants to be either a historian or a teacher or both. He said, "I like the World War II period best."

Tyler said he wants to be a videogame designer. "I want to design games with wheelchair participants. There aren't enough of those now."

GO FISH in St. Louis

Kids get fishing lessons, practice and gear

Eight-year-old Caleb Williams has learned a couple valuable fishing lessons. He can put worms on his hook and knows how to free the fish after catching one.

Now, he's waiting impatiently for one of the later GO FISH practice sessions. That's the one where the kids not only catch the fish but get to eat the fish after they've been cleaned and fried.

Caleb lives in Fenton, Mo. But, he and his dad are taking their GO FISH lessons at the hatchery lakes in Forest Park.

He said he baits his own hook and takes the fish off the hook once he reels them in.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is holding a series of summer fishing lessons at three different lakes in the City of St. Louis. Besides Forest Park, the practice sessions are being held at Suson Park in South St. Louis and the Bellefontaine Conservation Area in North St. Louis.

Denise Otto is the MDC fisheries biologist heading the GO FISH program here. She said she wants city kids to have the type fishing experience she had with her father years ago.

(If you'd like to know more about the GO FISH program, log on to the MDC website at www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/stlouis/fish/.

(You need to register in advance to attend the sessions. Those reservations can be called in to (636) 441-4554. Ask for GO FISH reservations.)

For the Chern family of Fenton, the program is a first-time fishing experience for more than just the kids. Nine-year-old Jennifer and 7-year-old Justin are fishing for the first time as is their father, Ching.

Mr. Chern said he grew up away from any fishing lakes or streams. So, he's been getting as much fishing information as his kids. He's from Taiwan and came to the U.S. for college. He now works in the IT computer field.

He said the family already has plans for an out-of-town fishing trip. "We're going to Meramec Springs for the trout fishing," he said.

Jennifer said she caught 13 bluegills during one practice session. But, she admitted she didn't bait her hook or take the fish off the hook. "I don't like to handle worms," she said.

But, she said she's pretty good about hooking the fish once the bobber indicates a fish has taken the bait.

Jennifer admitted, at first, she wasn't very excited about fishing lessons. But, after having success at catching fish, she's getting more interested.

The average GO FISH session is 1½ hours. The first part includes lessons in various fishing techniques. Then, the kids go to fish one of the three nearby lakes.

For instance, in a May session at Forest Park, kids got instruction on how to free a fish once it has been caught. Ms. Otto used models of bigmouth bass and channel catfish.

Those are common fish in Missouri lakes and streams. The fish have sharp barbs on their backs and bellies that can be painful. Ms. Otto showed how to move your hand back from the head to flatten the barbs and avoid being stuck.

Then the kids got lessons on what knots are used to attach the fishhook to the line in your fishing pole. The knot they used was called the "palomar" which is easy but very strong.

In addition to Ms. Otto, volunteers are on hand to work with kids one-on-one. The MDC also has fishing tackle that kids can use until they get their own.

Another feature of the sessions is the piece of fishing gear the kids get. So far, kids at the Forest Park site have gotten a tackle box and a bobber. The bobber is attached to the fishing line and helps kids know when a fish is taking the bait below the water.

Six-year-old Gregory Tomlin of St. Louis was one of the kids who had a lot of success catching fish in the Forest Park lakes. He caught 23 bluegills in one afternoon session.

Gregory's goal is simple: "More fish."

His family has been fishing at various lakes within the city. One of the family's favorite spots is Fairgrounds Park. Gregory also practices his casting technique on the trips.

Another fishing location for the Tomlin family is the Mississippi River near the federal locks and dam at Alton. The turbulence below the dam stirs up food for a wide variety of fish. Eagles winter at Alton because the moving water keeps the Mississippi free of ice.

Caleb Williams said he's been fishing several times at the Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County. That large area has more than two dozen lakes available for fishing.

Caleb said he's also taken archery, trapping and BB-gun lessons at the Busch area.

CECH community studies

Can ghosts help revive Old St. Charles?

"Read It Forward" program

St. Louis Library's "gift" book has harsh tone

The book the St. Louis Public Library is using in its unique "Read It Forward" program for kids has a strong urban school theme. It also echoes the present-day reality in its portrayal of violence in schools.

In the "Read It Forward" program, the city public libraries are lending 500 books to kids and they don't have to return them. What they do have to do is agree to pass them along to other kids so they can enjoy reading too.

In turn, the next kids pass them on to others or notify a branch library that they'd like to pass them to someone on the waiting list. Library officials say that some of the "Read It Forward" books from last year have been through 20 to 30 kids.

This unique "gift" lending is trying to get city kids interested in reading and libraries.

The city library started the program a year ago. Then, starting in March, the libraries lent out 500 copies of author Jamie Adoff's book, "Names Will Never Hurt Me."

Last month, Adoff was in St. Louis for talks with kids at Beaumont High School, Webster Middle School and at the Schlafly branch library in the Central West End.

Most of his "Names" books have been lent out a first time. But, kids can sign up on a waiting list for notification when a book has been finished by one kid.

(To learn more about "Read It Forward", visit www.slpl.org. To sign up for waiting list, e-mail readitforward@slpl.org. To buy the book, click on Amazon logo on home page. )

Carrie Dietz is the SLPL young authors librarian. She said the library already has picked a new book for the next "Read It Forward" distribution. In mid-October, the library will buy 500 copies of author Sheila P. Moses' book, "I, Dred Scott."

This book is a fictionalized account of former St. Louisan Dred Scott's fight through the state and federal court system in his bid to escape slavery.

Ms. Dietz said the library had selected Mr. Adoff's book as a "Read It Forward" offering "many months ago." But she said, "It was eerie how the subjects of bullying, loners and violence in schools mirrored recent news stories."

She said she was explaining to kids at Cardinal Ritter High School about the book the same day of the killings by a loner student on the Virginia Tech campus.

Adoff's book tells the story of one day in the lives of four students. But, unlike the Virginia Tech shootings, the loner in Adoff's book ends up as the hero.

SLPL's "gift" book program tries to select books and authors of interest to kids.

In Adoff's case, his path to becoming a children's book author was a very unique one.

He was born into an inter-racial family with two famous authors. His mother was the late Newberry Award author Virginia Hamilton. His father was published poet Arnold Adoff.

"Of course, with two powerhouse authors as parents, I was certain I'd never be a writer," he told the Schlafly library audience.

In his teens, he got interested in music and "I wanted to be a rock and roll star." He said he played drums in a "garage band" but the best gig was "fronting at our school prom."

In college, he played in four or five different bands. After college, he went to New York to try for a recording contract.

He said, "I finally decided it wasn't going to happen in music. I was playing with a band in a small smoky bar in New Jersey. There were only three people in the bar and they all had their backs to the band."

During most of his life, he had kept daily journals of his activities. He decided to try his hand at writing. His first efforts were in the form of "hip-hop" poetry.

His first published book was poems about music, "The Song Shoots Out of My Mouth."

The "Names" book was his first novel. It tells about the lives of four kids, what happens to them externally and what they think about internally. Kurt is the loner who is constantly bullied by his classmates.

But, at the end of the book, he's the one who is the hero. Mr. Adoff said, "In the end, he's the one who does the right thing."

Several of the kids in the Schlafly audience asked him about his rough language and descriptions of school violence. He said, "After what happens to them, I doubt if they would describe that with "gee" and "golly."

But, he said he's an "optimistic person" who believes in the eventual goodness of people.

He's thinking about a "Names" sequel, telling how the four turn out later in life.

The Muny's 2007 season

Three Daiker sisters win play roles for 1st time

Sisters Caroline, Annemarie and Olivia Daiker all will be appearing for the first time during the Muny's 2007 summer season. And they started this month with pre-season Muny Kids promotions.

The sisters have appeared in stage productions around town for several years. But this was the first time they won auditions for parts in the Muny's season in Forest Park.

Their first appearances will be as members of Muny Kids during a promotional tour. The Muny Kids make appearances to promote the season after tickets go on sale early in June.

Thirteen-year-old Caroline said, "We do scenes from all the musicals as a revue."

(There are two youth organizations that act as "good-will ambassadors" for the Muny. They are the Muny Kids (ages 7-13) and the Muny Teens (ages 14-19).

(In addition to promoting the current season, the two groups appear at such community events as the Variety Club's Telethon and Fair St. Louis. In addition, there is a Muny Kids Holiday Show. To learn more, visit www.muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.)

The Muny Season The 2007 Muny season includes: "Oklahoma," June 18-24 "Grease," June 25-July 3 "Hello, Dolly," July 9-15 "Peter Pan," July 16-22 "The Pajama Game," July 23-29 "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," July 30-Aug. 5 "Les Miserables," Aug. 6-15

Ten-year-old Annemarie admits appearing on the Muny stage before her largest audience might be "a little scary." She's scheduled to be an Indian in the musical "Peter Pan."

Her older sister, 13-year-old Caroline, said, "I get more nervous during auditions." The girls prepared their own material for the Muny auditions earlier this spring.

Younger sister, 8-year-old Olivia, said she's not nervous at auditions or performances.

Caroline and Olivia said they will be in the chorus for the musical, "Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat."

Caroline said her first stage appearance was at Stages St. Louis performance of "Free to Be" when she was either nine or 10. She said, "I was the evil step-sister of Penelope."

Both Annemarie and Olivia started performing when they were 6. Annemarie said she was a Russian in the "Nutcracker" at COCA. Olivia's first part was as a mouse in the musical "Cinderella" at the Kirkwood Youth Theater.

The kids come from a family with performers. As a sideline, their father, Stephan, is the bass guitarist for a local rock band, "3rd Story." Their mother, Diane, competed in beauty contest when she was younger and acts in drama presentations at their church.

About her dad's musical skill, Annemarie said, "He's pretty good."

The girls said they'd all like to have a career as actors or singers. But, they said they realize they might need a Plan B.

Annemarie said, "I dream of being on Broadway." She'd like to appear in musicals.

Caroline said she'd also like to be on stage. But, if that doesn't work, she said, "I'd like to be a director."

Olivia said, if she can't be in the theater, "I'd like to work with pets as a vet."

The girls have taken different types of lessons to improve their performance chances. They've taken a variety of dance, ballet and voice lessons.

All three of the sisters said their best performing experience came in their appearances in "Aladdin, Jr." at the Kirkwood Youth Theater last fall. They said they made a lot of friends in the cast.

Caroline also remembered she had "one good line" in the play. She said, "I was a baker and said, 'Thief! Thief! Someone stole my bread.'"

But, they also had remembrances about performances that didn't go as planned.

Caroline said her worst experience came during a performance of "Seussical the Musical." She said, "I got the hiccups during one of the songs. But, I don't think anyone in the audience noticed."

Annemarie's toughest stage experience came a couple years ago in the "Wizard of Oz." In that play, Toto was played by a real dog that decided to relieve himself while on stage. She said she and other cast members put up with the smell and had to watch where they stepped for nearly two whole scenes before cleanup was accomplished.

Olivia said her worst time also came during the "The Wizard of Oz." She said a friend of hers didn't get to the theater in time. "But, the director thought it was me that was missing," she added.

The girls attend school at Visitation Academy. Caroline is in 7th grade, Annemarie in 4th grade and Olivia in 2nd grade.

2007 Young Achievers

Kid learned about service from grandfather

Fourteen-year-old Simon Clark has finished another school year filled with a wide variety of community service projects. And he will be doing more of the same during the coming summer vacation.

The 8th grader from Hixson Middle School in Webster Groves said he learned about service to others from his grandfather. Simon said, "He did lots of service to the community and he was so happy. I thought I should do what he did."

Simon's extensive community service along with exceptional academic achievements helped earn him one of 10 2007 Gateway Young Achiever awards. The award includes a $1,000 savings bond and a chance to compete in a national YA competition.

(Young Saint Louis.com carried a story about the 2007 winners in the May edition. To read that story, click here. Each month through the end of 2007, YSL.com will run individual profiles about the seven elementary and middle school winners.)

In June, Simon will be a camp counselor for the National Youth Leadership Training program. The month-long session is at the SBarS Boy Scout Camp in southern Missouri.

He said his participation at an earlier NYLT camp was his best Boy Scout experience. "I really liked the outdoor activities and the lessons in leadership at the camp," he said.

He's also been accepted already as a counselor at the Kendrick-Glennon camp for the summer of 2008. He has participated in that camp for three years.

Simon is the senior patrol leader of his Troop 300. He achieved that top position by a vote of the 80-member troop at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

He is now a Life Scout and hopes to finish his qualifications for Eagle Scout by mid-July.

He's also received certification in both life saving and first aid.

But, his service projects include more than scouts.

He said his favorite volunteer experience has been his work at the St. Louis Food Pantry. "When I fill the orders, I think about where each of the food packages is going," he said.

He also volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul Society and the St. Augustine food pantries.

He has been active in Hixson School service projects. One involved building a small pond on the school grounds. Teachers use the pond for earth science experiments.

The pond is stocked with fish from the Missouri Department of Conservation and landscaped with plants from the Missouri Botanical Garden. "Most of the fish and plants are native to Missouri," he said.

As part of the ongoing maintenance of the school grounds, Simon has donated hours to the Webster Groves "Make a Difference Day." The service hours are spent on outside beautification, including around the school.

Also, at school, he's been the school ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House. Hixson students save tabs from soda cans and bottles. The tabs earn money for the charity that provides lodging for family members visiting children in local hospitals.

He has been active in service to his Annunciation Catholic Church. He's been an altar boy at the local church