Forum Flashbacks: May 23-24

By Phil Cobb | May 23, 2019 |

FORUM FILE PHOTO
The old schoolhouse in Burlington Junction is shown engulfed in flames on Saturday, May 22, 2004. The blaze was one of two fires that day in the small north-county community. Also destroyed was the former Christian Church.

25 years ago

Thirteen years of education came to an end yesterday for 13 graduating seniors at South Nodaway High School in Barnard.
The commencement was highlighted with speeches by the class valedictorian Matt Goedken and salutatorian Amanda Giffin.
Goedkin spoke on the importance of building good character as opposed to building a good reputation.
“Everyone wants to be successful in life,” Goedkin said, “although some may find it harder to achieve than others. Reputation makes a person richer or poorer, and character makes that person happy or miserable.”
“The challenge and reward are on the character side,” Goedken said.
For the Maryville High School track squads, the highlight of the Missouri Class 3 A sectionals Saturday at Blue Springs High School came in the first event of the day.
The Hounds’ 3,200-meter relay team of Kevin King, Jeff Edmonds, Justin Cracraft and Mike Morley shaved 11 seconds off their best time of the year, finishing the relay in 8:15.3, good enough for a third-place finish and a trip to Jefferson City for this weekend’s state meet.
“The competition down here is just so much greater than any we have faced, so we were all pretty pumped up,” Morley said.

15 Years ago

The West Nodaway Fire Department responded to a call at 6 p.m. Saturday to the corner of Caldwell and Third streets in Burlington Junction where the former Christian Church was in full blaze.
Approximately 45 minutes later the old Burlington Junction schoolhouse, another historical icon, was on fire three blocks north.
It was reported that before the night was over somewhere between 50 and 60 firefighters turned out to battle the fires. Firefighters included those from the Clearmont, Elmo, Skidmore, Polk Township, Maryville and West Nodaway fire departments.
“We were amazed how many community members threw their hats into the ring to help out,” said Mike Moore, West Nodaway firefighter.
As students of Eugene Field Elementary School look forward to the last day of school, they are still involved in fun learning activities.
On Friday, Nona Fine, along with her 6-year-old dog, Kipyn, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, visited Karen Coulson’s Title 1 Reading class as part of the Reading Dog Program.
Kipyn has been through obedience school and has been trained to sit and listen as children read her a story.
The process makes reading more fun for children and encourages them to continue in their learning.
“I liked reading to Kipyn and especially liked it when he shook my hand,” first grader Remington Reno said.

5 years ago

The Maryville R-II Board of Education on Thursday issued a release regarding the sale of $10.25 million in capital improvement bonds that will be used to finance construction of a new performing arts center for Maryville High School along with several other projects.
As reported earlier this week, the board has instructed its bond underwriter, L.J. Hart & Co. of St. Louis, to make the initial $5 million general obligation bond issue available to individual and institutional investors.
The bonds were approved by a supermajority — about 67 percent — of district patrons voting in the April 8 municipal election.
A municipal ordinance passed earlier this year, and set to go into effect July 1, that raises Maryville’s bar- and tavern-entry age limit from age 19 to 21 could be repealed next month when it goes back before the City Council for discussion and a possible vote.
The 3-2 decision to revisit the ordinance came during a rare special meeting, described as a work session, attended by all five council members Wednesday evening at the Northwest Missouri Regional Airport.
The split vote to consider repeal of the age-19 ordinance, passed after nearly two years of studies, debate and public meetings, divided the council along lines of age and tenure created following the April municipal election.