This
Month in St. Louis History
Famous births and Gateway
Arch stunts
Novembers past were the birth dates
of a St. Louis Cardinals' World Series
hero and a singer who was seriously injured
while entertaining troops in World War
II.
Stunts involving the Gateway Arch happened
in past Novembers. One of them ended up
in death.
Also, St. Louis' first YMCA was established
in November, 1853.
These are some of the people and events
that shaped the long history of St. Louis
and the surrounding area. Each month,
the staff of the Missouri History Museum
compiles information about historic area
happenings.
Young Saint Louis.com then brings
those reports to you so you can know more
about the state's and city's past. St.
Louis is one of the oldest cities in the
Midwest and its past has been significant
and colorful.
(For more, be sure to check www.mohistory.org.)
Cardinals'
Joe Medwick
(Nov. 24, 1911-March 21, 1975)
Joseph (Ducky) Medwick was born on Nov,
24, 1911, in Carteret, N.J. He started
his major league baseball career with
the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932. He also
finished his career with the Cardinals
in 1948.
A member of the Cardinals' infamous "Gashouse
Gang," he is a member of the Baseball
Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. He was
a 10-time all-star, the 1937 MVP and had
a lifetime batting average of .324.
But, he may be best known for an incident
in the 1934 World Series between the Cardinals
and the Detroit Tigers. He was ordered
out of the series' seventh game by Baseball
Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.
Landis took the action to protect Medwick
after he was pelted with garbage by fans
when playing in the outfield. The fans
got upset when they thought Medwick slid
too aggressively into third base on a
triple.
During his career, Medwick led the league
in batting, runs, home runs, base hits
(twice) and RBIs (three times).
His career almost ended in 1940 when
a former Cardinal teammate beaned him
just six days after his trade to the Brooklyn
Dodgers.
(For more on the Gashouse Gang, visit
http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashouse_Gang.)
Singer
Jane Froman
(Nov. 10, 1907-April 22, 1980)
Jane Froman was born in University City
on Nov. 10, 1907. She spent her childhood
in Clinton, Mo., and her teens in Columbia,
Mo.
In 1934, at age 27, she was the top-polled
"girl singer." When asked about his top-10
singers, composer/producer Bill Rose reportedly
said, "Jane Froman and nine others."
She became even more popular after a
1943 airplane crash while she was entertaining
troops on a USO tour. She suffered a cut
below her left knee that nearly severed
her leg, multiple fractures of her right
arm and a compound fracture of the right
leg.
She underwent 39 operations over the
years and used a leg brace for the rest
of her life. But, she returned to do 95
USO shows while walking with crutches.
She starred in movies and had her own
TV show on CBS. Her life story was featured
in a 1952 film, "With a Song in My Heart."
It starred actress Susan Hayward and Ms.
Froman supplied the singing voice.
(For more, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Froman.)
Bizarre Gateway Arch
Stunts
Since the Gateway Arch was built as
part of the Jefferson National Expansion
Memorial, it has been a target of stuntmen.
It's been especially attractive to fliers
of small planes.
The first flier went through it June
22, 1966, less than a year after it was
completed.
But, the most dangerous flight was Nov.
2, 1977. That's the night a pilot flew
his unlighted plane down Market Street
at 50 feet "just above the street lights."
He went through the Arch and across the
Mississippi River.
A total of 11 flights (including one
by a helicopter) were recorded prior to
1991.
But, other stuntmen got into the act.
On Nov. 22, 1980, Kenneth Swyers of Overland
parachuted to a landing on the top of
the Arch. But, a wind gust threw him off
balance and he slid down the North Leg.
He tried to use a second parachute but
it didn't deploy. He landed on his head
on the concrete below and died.
(For more about the Jefferson Memorial,
visit www.nps.gov/archive
and find the Jefferson National Expansion's
administrative history.)
St. Louis's First YMCA
In 1844, clothing store clerk George
Williams founded the Young Men's Christian
Association in London, England. Only nine
years later, the first public meeting
of the St. Louis Chapter of the YMCA was
held on Nov, 13, 1853, at the Mercantile
Library here.
Two hundred ninety-eight new members
attended. They represented 12 different
Christian denominations.
In 1881, the St. Louis chapter opened
its first "medical mission" to provide
free medical care. A small 25-bed hospital
opened a year later. The first gymnasium
opened in 1886.
(For more YMCA history, visit www.umsl.edu/~whmc/guides/whm0473.htm.)
Second
in a 12-part series
Learning local history
in local cemeteries
(Editor's
note: This is the second in a yearlong
series about famous St. Louisans who are
buried in local cemeteries. The material
is from author Kevin Amsler's book, "Final
Resting Place: The Lives and Deaths of
Famous St. Louisans.")
The Bellefontaine Cemetery in north St.
Louis is the final resting place for the
largest concentration of famous people
from the city's early days. Almost everywhere
you go, there are grave markers of people
who helped form our city and area.
In the first article last month, you
met some of them such as William Clark
of Lewis&Clark fame, riverboat operator
Henry Miller Shreve and St. Louis's first
mayor William Carr Lane. (To read that
entire article, click
here.)
(If you'd like to know more, you
can buy Mr. Amsler's book at local bookstores
or by visiting www.STL-Books.com.)
This second article continues a tour
of the Bellfontaine Cemetery. We visit
the final resting places of statesman
Edward Bates, soldier Stephen
Watts Kearney, educator Wayman
Crow, soldier Sterling Price,
educator William Greenleaf Eliot,
educators Henry and Susan Blow
and ship and bridge builder James Eads.
Edward Bates
(September 4, 1793-March 25, 1869)
An early opponent of slavery, Edward
Bates was nominated for president in the
1860 Republican National Convention in
Chicago. But, he was swept away by candidate
Abraham Lincoln.
However, Lincoln chose him to be his
attorney general. Bates became the first
cabinet member from west of the Mississippi
River. However, Bates opposed many of
Lincoln's war policies. He also was against
the admission of West Virginia as a state.
He resigned and returned to Missouri.
He suffered financial reverses and serious
illness.
But, he recovered and again became active.
He was the co-founder of the Missouri
Historical Society.
Stephen Watts Kearney
(August 10, 1794-October 31, 1848)
Stephen Watts Kearney moved to St. Louis
to take over command of Fort Bellefontaine
in St. Louis in 1826. He then moved south
of St. Louis to oversee construction of
Jefferson Barracks.
He went on to build a number of military
posts throughout the western U.S., including
several in California.
In 1833, he took over command of the
first cavalry unit of the U.S. Army. That
earned him the nickname, "Father of the
U.S. Cavalry." He was named military governor
of Mexico City after the Mexican War.
But, his service in Mexico left him seriously
ill with yellow fever and dysentery.
Wayman Crow
(March 7, 1808-May 10, 1885)
Wayman Crow had a successful career in
business, railroading and politics. But,
his biggest accomplishment was drafting
in 1853 of the charter to establish Washington
University.
He also survived one of the most bizarre
accidents in Missouri railroad history.
In November, 1855, he was on a train of
dignitaries who were making an inaugural
trip from St. Louis to Jefferson City.
The train derailed when the Gasconade
Bridge over the Missouri River collapsed.
Thirty-one people died in that derailment.
But, Crow lived for 30 more years.
Sterling Price
(September 20, 1809-September 29, 1867)
Sterling Price had an unusual military
and political career during the Civil
War period in Missouri.
He served in Congress but resigned to
join the Second Missouri Infantry during
the Mexican War. He received a brigadier
general appointment while in New Mexico.
He returned to Missouri and was elected
governor in 1852. But, on the brink of
the Civil War, he was training soldiers
to serve the Confederates. He contributed
to the defeat of Union forces at the battle
of Wilson's Creek in Missouri.
As it became clear the South was going
to lose the war, Price relocated in Mexico.
Later, he and his family returned to Missouri
where he established a tobacco company.
He died in 1867.
William Greenleaf Eliot
(August 5, 1811-January 23, 1887)
William Greenleaf Eliot came to Missouri
and established the First Congregational
Church in downtown St. Louis. He was a
member of a prominent New England family.
Among his ancestors was William Dawes,
who accompanied Paul Revere during his
famous "midnight ride" at the start of
the Revolutionary War.
William was a benefactor of several educational
institutions in Missouri. He co-founded
Eliot Seminary, which later because Washington
University. Eliot became the school's
chancellor in 1871. He also was involved
in the establishment of Mary Institute.
William and Susan Blow
William Taylor Blow came to Missouri
at the age of 13 and attended St. Louis
University for two years. Several years
later, he went into business with Joseph
Charless to make paints, oils and drugs.
Later, he was involved in construction
of railroad lines and also mining lead
products in southwest Missouri. He was
involved in politics, including being
a delegate to the 1860 Republican National
Convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln.
He served two congressional terms and
was appointed ambassador to Brazil.
Blow and his wife, Minerva, had four
daughters and two sons. The most prominent
was Susan who is credited with starting
the first kindergarten in American schools.
She picked up the idea while going to
school in Germany.
A year later, she started the first school
to train kindergarten teachers. All her
work with the St. Louis public schools
was without compensation. Her family's
fortune took care of her wages.
William Blow died in 1875 and his daughter,
Susan, in 1915.
James Eads
(May 23, 1820-March 8, 1887)
The arrival of James Eads and his family
in St. Louis was certainly tragic. As
they stepped off the riverboat, it was
engulfed in flames and they lost all their
possessions.
But, James Eads did much more than survive.
He went on to become one of the most famous
ship and bridge builder in history.
His first invention involved a double-hulled
ship to allow recovery of sunken ships.
Included was a diving bell and Eads made
500 trips to the bottom of the Mississippi.
During the Civil War, Eads received a
contract to build a fleet of ironclad
ships for the Union forces. After the
war, his doctor suggested retirement.
But, Eads had more building to do.
But, he went into bridge building although
he had no formal education as an engineer.
The result was the Eads Bridge across
the Mississippi River, competed in 1874.
He also designed and built a series of
jetties to remove sediment at the mouth
of the Mississippi. This allowed for a
year-round shipping channel in Louisiana.
Places
to Go, Things to Do
Build winter bird feeders;
visit Winter Wonderland
When winter comes, birds in the St.
Louis area will need help in finding food.
The Missouri Department of Conservation
has classes during November to help kids
build bird feeders.
Twelve-year-old Albert Barnett and his
9-year-old brother, Matthew, of Wright
City got a head start in October with
a bird-feeder building class. The MDC
has more classes in November.
Trailnet also has a late season bike
ride in conjunction with the Missouri
History Museum's new "Shifting Gears"
exhibit about the auto industry.
November is also a good time to register
for a variety of activities that will
happen later in the year or in early 2007.
Toward the end of November, there will
be a variety of Winter Wonderland displays,
including the famous Tilles Park light
show.
(Every month, Young Saint Louis.com
searches for a list of Places to Go;
Things to Do for our readers. We're
looking for a variety of things that will
appeal to kids and families. We like to
focus on activities and events that are
free or inexpensive. When possible, we
include website addresses where you can
get additional information.)
Here are the November selections:
Bird-feeder and Birdhouse
construction
Albert and Matthew Barnett and their
mother, Mary, were at the bird-feeder
class at the Busch Conservation Area on
Thursday, Oct. 19. They learned how to
build a hanging bird-feeder for their
backyard.
One good thing about the class was that
participants were given pre-cut and pre-drilled
pieces for the feeder. That even included
plexi-glass panels that allow them to
see the level of the birdseeds in the
feeder.
All they had to do was line up the pieces
and fasten them together. There were even
power screw-drivers and adult instructors
on hand.
The kids also received a "Woodworking
for Wildlife" booklet that gave instructions
for building all sorts of other bird houses.
There's even a plan for a rabbit trap.
Matthew said their bird-feeders were
a first for them. However, he said they
do have a bunch of brilliantly red, daisy-like
flowers that attract humming birds in
the summer.
The November bird-feeder class at Busch
in St. Charles County will be Wednesday,
Nov. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. In addition,
on Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 6-to-9 p.m.,
there will be a class on building Chickadee
Bird Houses.
Call for registration at (636) 441-4554.
For other MDC conservation area classes
and activities, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/areas.
Tilles Park's Winter
Wonderland
The St. Louis County Park's Winter Wonderland
is a St. Louis tradition among the lighted
holiday displays in the metro area. This
year, the display opens on Wednesday,
Nov. 22, and will run through Monday,
Jan. 1, 2007.
Over a million lights and over 100 displays
will line the mile-long route inside 75
acres of Tilles Park Families drive through
the display on Sunday through Friday.
Saturdays are reserved for horse-drawn
carriages only.
For reservations, call (314) 534-1111
or buy tickets at www.metrotix.com.
Advance registrations
in November
Advance registrations are called for
in November for a variety of programs.
Among those are the 2007 Gateway Young
Achievers and the MDC's Arbor Day Poster
Contest.
Deadline for nominations for the 2007
Gateway Young Achievers will be December
15.
Awards include $1,000 scholarships to
the 10 2007 awardees. The awards are for
outstanding achievements in academics,
outside activities and community service.
For application information call (314)
961-5978 or visit www.youngachievers.us.
The 2007 Arbor Day Poster Contest sponsored
by Missouri Department of Conservation
is open to all Missouri fifth-graders.
Contest packets are mailed to fifth grade
teachers.
If you want to enter, be sure to ask
your teacher for contest information.
You need to get started now since the
entry deadline for artwork is January,
12, 2007.
If your teacher doesn't have the information,
she can get it by mailing a request to
Donna Baldwin, Poster contest coordinator,
P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102
or e-mail Ms. Baldwin at donna.Baldwin@mdc.mo.gov.
History Museum Storytelling
A series of nine "Storytelling in the
Galleries" events will be held on Saturdays
in November and December at the Missouri
History Museum. The events start at 1
p.m. and are for kids 10 and over and
their families.
Among the subjects of the 45-minute events
are "Celebrate Families," "Salute a Soldier,"
"Happy Turkey Day," "Pets Are the Best,"
"Hats Off to the Chef," "Winter Wonderland,"
"HolidayHullabaloo," "Traveling Tales"
and "Happy New Year."
For information, call (314) 746-4599
or visit www.mohistory.org.
Shifting Gears Bicycle
Ride
Trailnet has organized a Shifting Gears
Bicycle Ride in Forest Park for Saturday,
Nov. 4. It's in conjunction with the opening
of the Missouri History Museum's new exhibit
that looks at St. Louis' role in the nation's
auto industry.
Registration is from 10 to 11 a.m. at
the north entrance to the museum in Forest
Park.
There are special routes that show off
some of the historic statues and monuments
in the park. This ride is especially designed
for families.
You can ride on your own or you can join
a guided tour that starts at 11 a.m.
The ride is free and, after
you've completed the ride, you can get
in free to the Museum's
auto industry exhibit.
For more information on fall events you
can visit www.greatrivers.info
or www.trailnet.org
or call (314) 416-9930.
Lewis & Clark recap
Three-year journey
changes Josh Loftis' life
Twenty-year-old Josh Loftis said
his three-year odyssey as the youngest
member of the Lewis & Clark re-enactment
journey has given him a whole new
focus for his life.
The Belleville, Ill., youth wants
to build a career in helping Americans
"to start fresh in our relations with
Native Americans and develop a better
tomorrow for them." He wants to help
young kids understand history from
the Native Americans' viewpoint.
But, before that, he said he needs
to restart his own life in present-day
terms. "I want to write a book about
the journey, go to college and get
a girl friend."
Josh is back in St. Louis after three
years of traveling nearly 10,000 miles
by boat, horseback and walking. He
sat down with Young Saint Louis.com
last month to outline how the experience
changed his life.
About returning, Josh said, "Everything
goes so fast. I'm used to traveling
three or four miles a day. Now, you
expect to go that far in three or
four minutes."
Before getting focused on the Lewis
& Clark bi-centennial, he said he
had planned to go to college and study
for a career as a marine biologist.
But, he got interested in the Lewis
& Clark re-enactment because of his
grandfather, Bob Anderson of Marysville,
Ohio. Mr. Anderson and Josh are direct
descendants of George Shannon, a member
of the original Lewis & Clark expedition
of 1804-06.
He said his grandfather had appeared
as a historic re-enactor in some of
the preliminary events promoting the
upcoming Lewis & Clark bi-centennial.
Mr. Anderson took Josh along on one
of those events.
"After that first event in 1999,
I was hooked. I had to be part of
the new Journey of Discovery crew,"
he said. Both his grandfather and
Josh did the re-run tour.
Now back in St. Louis, Josh said,
"I had my eyes opened wide to the
impact of the original journey from
the Native American viewpoint."
He said, to white Americans, the
Lewis & Clark journey was "one of
discovery." But, from the viewpoint
of the Native Americans, "it was the
beginning of the end of their way
of life," he said.
"Now, I want to write a book about
my experiences. Then, after college,
I want to move to Washington State
to help Native Americans regain some
of their heritage," he said. Josh
said the Chinooks were among "probably
50 tribes I met during the two years."
From that original 1999 re-enactment
experience, Josh's life has been a
hectic one.
For one thing, in order to join the
re-discovery tour, he had to speed
up his schooling at the First Baptist
School in Belleville. He wanted to
have graduated from high school by
the start of the tour.
That meant he had "to cram" his
four years of high school into three.
But, he still had time to co-captain
and MVP of his school's basketball
team. He got his diploma in 2003.
That meant he could participate in
the whole Lewis & Clark journey that
started at Elizabeth, Penn., in 2003.
That "Eastern Legacy" leg went down
the Ohio River to Cairo, Ill., and
up the Mississippi to St. Louis.
The "Western Legacy" leg started
at St. Louis in 2004. That round-trip
journey to the Pacific Ocean and back
ended in St. Louis on Sept. 23, 2006.
During that nearly three years time,
Josh said he was with the re-discovery
crew for all but 13 days. He was away
from the crew for a time in 2003 with
the flu and again in 2005 when he
was hospitalized with pneumonia. "And
I took three personal days," he said.
But, his biggest physical problem
came during a winter break. The original
Lewis & Clark crew waited out the
winter weather with stays at Fort
Mandan, S.D., and Fort Clatsop in
Oregon.
The modern explorers took winter
breaks by returning to their homes.
It was on one of those winter breaks
that Josh broke his leg in a four-wheeler
accident. "I had to have a metal rod
and three screws in the leg," he said.
But, at the end of the winter break,
he was able to join up with the crew
and continue.
Josh said the whole trip was like
being "on a three-year camping trip."
But, he had some individual memories
that stuck out in his mind.
"Riding over the Rocky Mountains
on horseback was outstanding," he
said.
"Then, I got to build a canoe out
of a log with tools just like Lewis
& Clark used," Josh said. It took
six days to hollow the log into a
canoe. But, he pointed out with some
pride that his canoe was still in
service when the crew returned to
St. Louis.
Another vivid memory was a hunt when
he killed a 3-year-old buffalo. He
said, "I used the same type of Pennsylvania
flint-lock long rifle that Lewis &
Clark used."
But, the thing he remembered the
most was the interaction with the
many Native Americans along the way.
He said, "The purpose of the trip
was reconciliation with the Native
Americans. The trip was a huge eye-opener
for me about the Indian way of life."
He said he remembers the "thousands
of kids" the re-enactors met. He said
the crews' reception by the Indians
was mostly friendly. "We only saw
a few protestors," he said.
Josh said the huge dams along the
Missouri River were the biggest change
to the landscape between his journey
and that of the original Journey of
Discovery. "We had to put our boats
on trucks and travel around the dams,"
he said.
Another contrast between the two
journeys was in communication. "When
Lewis & Clark were on their journey,
there was no communication for two
years. When they got back to St. Louis,
many people thought they had been
killed," he said.
But, Josh had his cell phone and
could get e-mail messages. His crew
took the winter breaks in the comfort
of their homes but L&C crewmembers
were holed up in a log fort.
Now he's back, Josh said he's got
to make a new start with his own life.
One of the first orders of business
is to write a book based on his three
years of journals. "I want the book
to be published by 2008," he said.
He also needs to find a job and earn
some money for college.
For his future, he's set his mind
on moving to Washington State to work
with the Chinook Indians. That group
lost its accreditation as an official
tribe in 2002. Josh said he'd like
to help them get re-accredited by
the U.S. government.
Belleville kid on TV's
Jeopardy
Twelve-year-old Scott Szewczyk watches
the quiz show Jeopardy every day when
he gets home from school. The show
on Friday, Oct. 6, will be his favorite
because he was one of the contestants.
The 12-year-old Belleville, Ill.,
youth was one of 15 kids featured
on the weeklong Back to School Week
on Jeopardy. In each show in the week
of Oct. 2-6, three kids competed.
But, in this special programming,
none of the kids appeared more than
once, even if they won their daily
competition.
Scottie is a 6th grader at Blessed
Sacrament Catholic School in Belleville.
Scottie said he noticed an ad on
the show early this year calling for
kids to volunteer to be on the Back
to School shows. He looked up the
entry form on the Jeopardy
website and sent in this application.
St. Louis was one of the cities where
tryouts for the show were held. "There
were kids from all over the country
to came to St. Louis," he said. "Some
were as far away as from Florida,"
he added.
First, the field of 200 was narrowed
to 10 finalists. Among the factors
involved in the judges was the number
of outside activities in which the
kids were involved. Scottie is a very
busy kid, both in and out of school.
"Then, each of the 10 finalists appeared
in a simulated show with a buzzer
to push and everything," Scottie said.
In the show, the master of ceremony
asks a question and the kid who hits
the buzzer first gets to answer.
Scottie said one problem is you
don't want to be too fast. "If you
click too fast, the computer locks
you out," Scottie said.
In the end, Scottie was the only
kid from the St. Louis tryouts to
make the final list of 15. The TV
show held tryouts in various parts
of the country to insure a good geographic
spread of contestants.
Then, the waiting started. For Scottie,
the waiting lasted longer than for
others in his family.
The show directors notified his parents
in the summer but told them not to
tell Scottie immediately. The show's
promotion department wanted to arrange
for local media coverage of the announcement.
So, it wasn't until just two weeks
before the family traveled to Los
Angeles that Scottie found out he
was in. "Even my brother and sister
knew before me," he said.
Scottie and his parents were flown
to Los Angeles in late August. "We
stayed in a really nice hotel and
they paid for everything," Scottie
said. The all-expense trip covered
Scott and both of his parents.
In addition, his brother, Eddie,
flew out from Pennsylvania where he
is a freshman at Penn State University.
(Young Saint Louis.com readers
will remember Eddie as our reviewer
of the Harry Potter movies.)
After the Jeopardy filming,
there was more waiting and more secrecy.
Under the show rules, none of the
contestants could tell how they did
in the show until it aired on TV.
When the Back to School Week came,
the principal at Scottie's school
set up a big TV in the gym so that
kids could watch the show together
after school. The show aired on KSDK
(Channel 5) in the St. Louis area.
"We made kind of a party out of it,"
Scottie said.
Scottie said he racked up winnings
of $8,000 during the show. He doubled
his previous earnings by getting the
"final Jeopardy" question correct.
But, unlike the senior Jeopardy,
the non-winning kid contestants don't
get to keep the money. Scottie said
another of the contestants on his
show ended up with $20,601. Scottie
got a $1,000 appearance fee.
About his experience, Scottie said,
"It was really fun." He said kids
at his school "thought it was really
cool."
One of the things that probably helped
Scottie win his spot on the show was
a wide variety of activities in which
he participates. He is a member of
The Muny Kids program and had parts
in two Muny shows last summer, "Oliver"
and "Wizard of Oz."
He had speaking lines as a lawyer
in "Wizard of Oz."
Also, he participates in a wide variety
of sports at school. Included are
soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball,
lacrosse, golf, tennis and swimming.
On the Jeopardy show, he was
asked what he wanted as a career.
"I told them a biologist but I'm not
sure about that," he said. He does
hope to go to college at Notre Dame.
Kids' Voting Missouri,
2006
An issue at Iveland
School-school uniforms
Kids at Iveland Elementary
School will hold a school-wide election
rally on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The school
is part of the statewide Kids' Voting-Missouri,
2006, but their rally also deals with
the issue of mandatory school uniforms.
Iveland Elementary is
in the Ritenour School District. That
was the first Missouri district to participate
in Kids' Voting program back when it
started in 1996.
Now, 23 St. Louis area
school districts are included in Kids
Voting-Missouri. In addition, Greater
Kansas City districts and those in northwest
and southwest Missouri take part.
This year, the Kids Voting
program has added pre-election lessons
in citizenship and the history of voting.
Kids also learn about state, local and
national candidates and issues.
On election day, kids
go with their parents to polling places.
While the adults cast regular ballots,
the kids go to special Kids' Voting
polling spots nearby to vote on the
same candidates and issues.
But, at Iveland, they're
taking the whole process a step further.
Kids are having their own campaign on
the issue of school uniforms. At the
school-wide rally, results of the referendum
will be announced.
(Young Saint Louis.com
covers the Kids' Voting-Missouri
program every two years. In November
editions, we run an advance story like
this one about Iveland. Then, in December,
YSL.com will compare statewide
Kids' Voting results with those from
adult polling. Watch for the December
polling comparisons.)
Ten-year-old Carly Neal
and 10-year-old Nadja Williams already
have had personal experience in the
election process. Both 5th graders ran
for the student council this year.
They had different results.
Carly won and Nadja didn't. But, they
both learned the value of every vote
in an election.
Carly ran for a student
council seat and won. Then, she ran
for council president and won again.
Her margin of victory in the president's
race was just four votes.
Asked about her campaign,
Carly said, "I didn't promise anything."
But, she did say she'd work for school
improvements that the kids wanted.
Nadja also ran for a council
seat but was defeated by just two votes.
She blamed her loss on
her "stage-fright" while trying to make
a campaign speech before the whole student
body. "My friends voted for me but those
who didn't know me were turned off by
my stage-fright in the rally," she said.
Ten-year-old Alyssa Lamb
is one of the 5th graders who will be
participating in Kids' Voting at Iveland
for the first time. She wasn't in the
school during the 2004 campaign.
She said kids have been
learning about "our duty to vote" and
the democratic process. "The vote gives
us power," she said.
She said she'd like to
make a speech on the democratic process.
Ten-year-old Raheem Coleman
said he came to Iveland two years ago
"just before the Kids' Voting." He said
he remembered voting with his parents.
Iveland school is one of the adult polling
places on election days.
He remembered the 2004
presidential race between George W.
Bush and John Kerry. He also remembered
that Matt Blount won a close election
for Missouri governor.
Raheem, who lives in Overland,
said kids have been discussing local
politics and issues. One issue that's
close to home is the election of controversial
Overland Mayor Ann Purzner.
In 2004, Purzner won a
close election and has been battling
the city council ever since.
Ten-year-old Sawyr Cronin
said he's interested in the U.S. Senate
race between incumbent Jim Talent and
challenger Claire McCaskill. He said
he hasn't decided whom he wants to win.
"But, I'll figure it out by election
day," he said.
At the school-wide rally,
the kids vote totals on the Talent-McCaskill
race will be announced in addition to
the vote on the school uniforms.
Fifth grade teacher Adam
Barnstead has been leading the Kids'
Voting discussions in his classes. He
said, "It's nice to hear the kids discussing
adult issues. They learn there are bigger
issues than just what's in their personal
lives."
At the rally, kids will
take part in singing of patriotic songs
as well as discussing the elections.
They also will hear outside speakers
discuss the election issues and races.
(If you'd like to
know more about the history of the Kids'
Voting-Missouri program, visit www.kidsvotingmissouri.org.
For national information, www.kidsvotingusa.org.
)
Rams Reader Team
Rams players recommend
kids books
St. Louis Rams players
have given area kids their own personal
reading suggestions. Fifty-six Rams
players picked a favorite book from
their childhood and urged local
kids to try them.
For instance, all-star
flanker Isaac Bruce suggested elementary
kids try "Bingo Brown," by author
Betsy Byars. While Rams coach Scott
Linehan said he recommends "Brian's
Song" for middle school kids.
Quarterback Marc
Bulger said "Grapes of Wrath" by
John Steinbeck is a good book for
high school kids.
The Rams kicked off
its 2006 Rams Reader Team program
during the Big Read festival early
in October in Clayton. The one-day
street festival provided all sorts
of book tips, including many for
kids.
Kids were urged by
the Rams to contact their local
libraries for program details and
a complete list of player book suggestions.
A total of 100 libraries
in Missouri and Illinois are participating
in the Rams reading program. That
includes 67 libraries in Missouri
and 33 others in Illinois. Included
are 16 libraries in the city of
St. Louis, 20 in St. Louis County
and 12 in St. Charles County.
The Rams Reader Team
program runs through the end of
November. The St. Louis Rams offer
individual incentives for each book
a kid reads from their recommended
list.
In addition, at the
end of the program, kids to have
read the most books on the recommended
list will be invited to a Team party
at Rams Park in early January, 2007.
To participate, kids
sign up at their local library and
then register the books they've
read with their local librarian.
Incentives include Rams poster,
magnets and folders.
For a complete list
of the recommended 2006 Reader Team
recommendations and a list of participating
libraries, visit your local library
or visit www.stlouisrams.com.
From the home page, click on the
Off the Field icon and then
Ram Reader Team.
Here are a few books
recommended by Rams players, together
with a content description:
Tackle Alex Barron,
"Call of the Wild" by Jack London,
for middle schoolers. This is a
story of a courageous dog, Buck,
taken from pampered surroundings
and shipped to Alaska to be a sled
dog. As Buck fights for survival,
his primitive nature begins to emerge
and he becomes more like a wolf
from which his breed is descended.
Wide receiver Isaac
Bruce, "Bingo Brown," by Betsy Byers,
for elementary schoolers. A boy
is puzzled by the comic and confusing
questions of youth and worried by
disturbing insights into adult conflicts.
Bingo brings laughs but is sensitive
and thoughtful.
Quarterback Marc
Bulger, "Grapes of Wrath," by John
Steinbeck, for high schoolers.
This epic story of the Joads tells
about a family of Oklahoma farmers
who flee from their farm to California
during the dust bowl years of the
1930s. The family discovers the
harsh relatives of America's division
between rich and poor.
Wide receiver Tory
Holt, "The Jungle Book," by Rudyard
Kipling, for elementary schoolers.
This is the tale of a baby abandoned
and brought up by wolves, educated
in the ways and secrets of the jungle
by Kaa the python, Baloo the bear
and Bagheera the Black Panther.
The story is a mixture of fantasy,
myth and magic.
Coach Scott Linehan,
"Brian's Song" by William Blinn,
for middle schoolers. Two men. One
is named Gayle Sayers, the other
Brian Piccolo. They came from different
parts of the country. They competed
fiercely for the same job. One liked
to talk; the other was shy. One
was white, the other black. This
is the story of how they came to
know each other, fight each other
and help each other.
Defensive end Leonard
Little, "Winnie-the-Pooh," by A.A.
Milne, for elementary schoolers.
A collection of stories that tell
of the adventures of Christopher
Robin and his stuffed animal friends,
Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore,
Rabbit, Owl, Piglet, Kanga and Baby
Roo. Many fun lessons are learned
from these characters as they get
themselves in and out of trouble.
Offensive tackle
Orlando Pace, "The Shape Changer,"
by Bill Brittain, for elementary
schoolers. Two seventh-grade friends
aid a shape-changing policeman from
planet Rodinam as he tries to capture
an alien master criminal who also
can change form.
Punter Matt Turk,
"Treasure Island," by Robert Louis
Stevenson, for middle schoolers.
A sea-faring adventure that will
be sure to keep your attention.
Linebacker Will
Witherspoon, "Me and My Dad," by
Paul O'Neill, for middle schoolers.
Stellar Yankee right fielder Paul
O'Neill, now retired, weaves his
life in baseball with his father's
direction, training and example.
Chick O'Neill, who died just before
the final game of the 1999 World
Series, made his youngest son into
the player and man that he is.
Read, Right and Run
An "ultra-marathon"
at Holman Middle School
Holman Middle School students in
the Read, Right and Run program face
a lot more running this year. Instead
of running a regular 26.2-mile marathon,
they'll be doing an "ultra-marathon"
of 50 miles.
But, the Holman kids aren't worried.
After all, the RRR runners spread
that mileage over 26 weeks. So, last
year, they ran one mile a week and,
this year, they'll be doing two.
Eighth grader Alexa Jones has been
participating in Read, Right and Run
for all three years she's been at
Holman Middle.
She said she completed all requirements
the last two years. And, she's looking
forward to the 2006-2007 schedule,
even with the extra running.
Under RRR, kids agree to read a book,
do a good deed and complete their
running each week. This year, the
St. Louis Marathon sponsors decided
older kids should run more.
In previous years, all kids did
a mile a week for 26 weeks, whether
they were in kindergarten or 8th grade.
This year, elementary kids will continue
at the mile-a-week pace and 6th, 7th
and 8th graders will do two miles.
All the kids who complete the program
will participate in a Fitness Weekend
in Forest Park next April. That is
the same weekend that the St. Louis
Marathon holds its adult races and
kids also get to mingle with serious
runners.
On April 14, 2007, elementary kids
will run 1.2 miles while the middle
schoolers will finish with a 5K (3.1
mile) run.
Teacher Stephanie McCreary at Holman
Middle schedules weekly after-school
sessions on Tuesdays to help her kids
meet the goals in reading, good deeds
and running.
Fourteen-year-old Alexa said she
plans to do about half of her 2-miles-per-week
running on Tuesdays. The other mile
will be done on a treadmill that she's
got at home.
She said the treadmill was purchased
for her older sister. "But, she didn't
use it. I'm the only one who uses
it now. I like to run," she said.
Alexa also enjoys the other aspects
of the RRR program. And, this year,
she'll get double-credit for her good
deeds. "As an 8th grader, I have to
do 15 hours of community service work
and that also counts in RRR," she
said.
"I plan to work at The Magic House,
in nursing homes and at libraries,"
she said.
She said she hasn't started her reading
for this year's program.
Twelve-year-old Marc Prather is a
7th grader at Holman. He's in his
second year in the RRR program. He
said he really enjoyed last year's
Fitness Weekend in Forest Park.
Marc said he'll do part of his running
at the Tuesday sessions. He also gets
credit for running during intramural
sports at the school. For the rest
of the running, he said, "I'll run
around the block near my home."
Last year, Marc said much of his
reading requirement was met by reading
"Eragon." The big fantasy book was
written by a young author from Montana,
Christopher Paolini. (If you're
interested, you can read a feature
on the author and a review of his
book by clicking in Past
Stories on the home page and
go to December,
2003.)
Marc's planning to read a variety
of books this year. To meet the book-a-week
requirement, kids have to read at
least 40 pages a week.
Marc said his good-deed work is mostly
at his church. But, he also volunteers
to pass out uniforms before performances
by the local high school band.
About RRR, he said, "The good deeds
make me feel good, the running keeps
me in shape and the reading helps
me keep up in school."
Thirteen-year-old Casey Dial is
also in her second year of RRR. She
said she'll do some of her running
at school and some in her neighborhood
with a friend. "I like to run on Sunday
because it's an easy-going day," she
said.
Casey is planning to read longer
books this year. She's picked "Ender's
Game," a sci-fi book; "A Break with
Charity," about the Salem witches,
and the fantasy book, "Narnia."
Her good deeds will include work
at Rose Acres Elementary as well as
at the pre-school at the nearby Pattonville
District offices.
Twelve-year-old Sharron Murff is
in her second year of RRR. She said
the Fitness Weekend after last year's
program was "real fun."
She also is going for longer books
this year. She's already starting
to read "The Road to Memphis." Her
good deeds involve baby-sitting for
cousins and friends, as well as her
little brother and sister.
She said she likes RRR because she
makes new friends and enjoys the activities.
"It also helps me build responsibility
because I have to keep records on
what I do," she said.
(If interested, visit www.stlouismarathon.com
and click on Read, Right and Run.)
Trout fishing for
kids comes to St. Louis
Attention, all kid
fishermen in the St. Louis area!
The rainbow trout are coming; the
rainbow trout are coming!
Usually, trout fishermen
in St. Louis have to go long distances
to fish for rainbow trout. And then
there are only a few places in Missouri
where trout flourish all year long.
That's because most
Missouri lakes and streams get too
warm for trout to survive during
hot summer months.
But, the Missouri
Department of Conservation brings
the rainbow trout to St. Louis area
fishermen once the winter weather
drops lake water temperatures.
Since 1989, the MDC
has stocked rainbow trout in selected
St. Louis area lakes. That's a part
of the Urban Fishing Program, which
has a special emphasis on giving
city kids their first chance at
fishing.
In 2006, catchable
trout will be stocked from November
through February 2007, in 17 lakes
in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis
County and St. Charles County. Many
of the lakes will be stocked twice
a month.
For the 2006-2007
winter season, more than 36,000
rainbow trout will be stocked, according
to Kevin Meneau. He is an urban
fishing specialist at the Busch
Conservation Area in St. Charles
County.
The MDC doesn't announce
in advance when the stocking will
be done each month. That's to give
everyone an even chance of catching
the trout.
Rather, the MDC has
established a Fish Stocking Hot
Line at (636) 300-9651.
Lakes stocked are listed only after
the monthly stockings are completed.
Mr. Meneau said complete
stocking of all 17 lakes takes as
much as three days. Therefore, you
need to keep checking to see when
lakes in your area have been stocked.
One new lake-Koeneman
Park Lake in the City of Jennings-has
been added to the Winter Trout Program
this year, Meneau said.
Other lakes to be
stocked are:
-
Busch Area
Lakes 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28 in
St. Charles County.
-
Boathouse Lake
in Carondelet Park in City of
St. Louis
-
January-Wabash
Lake in City of Ferguson
-
Jefferson Lake
in Forest Park in City of St.
Louis
-
O'Fallon Park
Lake in City of St. Louis
-
Suson Park
Lakes 1, 2 and 3
-
Tilles Park
Lake in St. Louis County
-
Walker Lake
in City of Kirkwood
-
Wild Acres
Park Lake in City of Overland
-
Vlasis Park
Lake in City of Ballwin
There are special
Winter Trout Program rules and regulations.
For one thing, kids
under 16 can fish without
a valid Missouri fishing permit.All
others from 16 through 64 need a
valid permit.
If you want to keep
the trout you catch, you need a
trout permit. But, for those who
"catch and release," not trout permit
is needed.
You can use only
one fishing pole from Nov. 1 through
Jan. 31, 2007. (From Feb. 1,
you can use more than one pole.
That's because the MDC wants fishermen
to catch all the trout before the
water gets too warm for the trout
to survive.)
The MDC has designated
some of the lakes as "catch and
release-only" from Nov. 1 through
next Jan. 31. They are Tilles Park
Lake, Jefferson Lake in Forest Park,
Koeneman Park Lake, Walker Lake,
Wild Acres Park Lake and Busch Conservation
Area Lakes 21 and 28.
For most lakes, the
daily catch limit is 4 and the possession
limit is 8. For a free Winter Trout
Program brochure, call (636)
441-4554.
|
The St. Louis Winter trout
program is just one of the
programs to encourage fishing
in urban areas. For instance,
the MDC stocks other species
of fish in 21 St. Louis City
and County lakes from April
through September.
In the warmer months, the
types of fish stocked include
channel catfish and carp.
The Busch and Weldon Spring
Conservation Areas in St.
Charles County have lakes
stocked with catfish, bass,
muskie and carp. There are
even kids-only lakes.
No fishing
equipment; no problem.
There's a free fishing equipment
loan program for those without
a fishing pole and reel. For
information call either (636)
441-4554 or (314) 877-1309.
|
Gateway Young Achievers
2006
Luke Downen plans
holiday service project
(Sixth in a Series)
When 12-year-old
Luke Downen was named a 2006 Gateway
Young Achiever, his community service
accomplishments figured in his selection.
The 7th grader from St. Charles
already has a new project planned
for this school year.
Luke and his family
are signed up for a weeklong mission
trip south to Mexico to build housing
for a homeless family now living
in a shack near the town dump.
His selection as a
2006 Young Achiever was made based
on his 2005-2006 record of good
grades, school activities, sports
and leadership ability. Last school
year, he was a 6th grader at Grace
Christian Academy.
Although it was unusual,
Luke decided to run for vice-president
of the 6th, 7th and 8th grade student
council. Usually, elective offices
are filled by students from upper
grades.
In her Achiever nomination
letter, language arts teacher Nancy
Ratzlaff noted Luke's decision to
run was "somewhat unusual." However,
she added, "Luke had a strong desire
to be in a decision-making position."
She noted he "took
his position seriously and participated
fully in all the responsibilities
expected of an officer."
Luke said his campaign
centered on having better student
events. They included such things
as Fun Fridays, Impact Tuesdays
and teamwork building events.
(This is the sixth
of eight profiles by Young Saint
Louis.com on elementary and
middle school awardees. If you'd
like to read the previous profiles,
go to Past Stories and click on
June,
2006; July
2006; August,
2006; September,
2006, and/or October,
2006.)
Luke is now attending
Christian High School as a 7th grader.
He has a new school but his plans
include a wide variety of activities,
just like his previous years.
He has achieved honor
roll listing every semester he's
been in school. His two favorite
classes are math and science. He's
planning to go to the University
of Missouri-Rolla, where he'll probably
study engineering.
For a career, he's
looking at engineering, like his
father, Phil. "I haven't decided
on whether to be an electrical or
a mechanical engineer," he said.
His interest in science
goes all the way back to 2nd grade.
There, his science project involved
building a working battery. It generated
an electrical current by using iron,
zinc and vinegar.
Recently, he built
a model car from Popsicle sticks.
The car was powered by electricity
and could go forward and backward.
"I'd like to add steering," he said.
Luke controls the car with a remote
"rocker switch."
His interests extend
far beyond science.
He takes music lessons
on the drums and he and his sisters,
Rachel, 16, and Sarah, 14, are starting
a band. Rachel handles the keyboard
while Sarah plays guitar. Luke is
starting to experiment with the
bass guitar.
He said his favorite
music is rock and alternative rock.
