Forum Flashbacks: March 30-April 5
FORUM FILE PHOTO
25 YEARS AGO: Arbor Day planting – Mrs. From’s first grade class, school administrators and city staff gather as the Tree Planting Committee plants a Dogwood — the State Tree of Missouri — at the outdoor classroom at Eugene Field. The first graders listened as Mayor Bridget Brown read a proclamation in honor of Arbor Day and the event. Brown described the proclamation as a “birthday card for the tree.”
15 years ago
Steven T. Sapp, 29, Tarkio, has been charged with second degree murder as the result of a Sunday night incident in Pickering.
Sapp was charged Monday in connection with the death of Steven Allan Leach, 40, Maryville, who was pronounced dead at 11:25 p.m. Sunday at St. Francis Hospital, after allegedly being stabbed multiple times during an altercation with Sapp at the home of Leach’s former wife in Pickering. …
Members of the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol Nodaway County Emergency Medical Services and Pickering Rescue volunteers responded to a 10:13 p.m. 911 call Sunday from a Pickering resident reporting a one-vehicle accident.
When officers arrived at the accident scene, they found a vehicle that had run off the north side of Fifth Street and struck a tree. The pickup truck, driven by Leach, had apparently struck a stop sign and a fence while traveling north on Wallis Street before hitting the tree.
Investigating officers said Leach and Sapp were involved in an altercation at the Pickering residence when Leach arrived there to return two children who had been visiting him earlier Sunday.
Leach received multiple stab wounds to his head and arms. He apparently returned to his truck, where his two children, ages 5 and 2, were still in car seats, and left the scene of the scuffle.
25 years ago
Being a supportive, involved and caring principal is what made Sue Dorrel one of 12 principals in the United States to receive the 1998 Distinguished Principal Award from the National Catholic Educational Association.
Dorrel is the principal at St. Gregory’s Catholic School. The diocesan office nominated Dorrel out of about 40 other Catholic school principals within the district, which includes Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.
Dorrel will accept the top award at the NCEA’s 95th Annual Convention and Exposition, April 14-17 in Los Angeles. …
Sue Seipel, first grade teacher at St. Gregory’s, was one of the faculty members at the school to send a letter of support.
“Mrs. Dorrel provides excellent support for the faculty and staff,” Seipel said. “She always tries to enrich students spiritually, intellectually and socially. She is always trying to develop positive morals and values for the students, as well.”
100 years ago
GARRETT ELECTED BY 244 MAJORITY
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ROMASSER AND STRONG WERE ELECTED COMMISSIONERS
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W. O. Garrett was elected mayor of Maryville yesterday over Mayor Fred P. Robinson, running for re-election, by a majority of 244 votes. An hour before the polls closed Garrett was practically assured of election. Gus Romasser and Howard Strong were elected commissioners by comfortable majorities.
A surprise to many in the election returns, was the election of Jack Holt for school director on an independent ticket, defeating Lee Carpenter. Holt received 170 more votes than Carpenter, carrying the first and second wards, while Carpenter carried the third and fourth wards by small majorities.
The additional six mill school levy carried by a majority of 521 votes. However there was a large increase in the vote against it over the preceeding(sic) years. Leslie G. Somerville, running for re-election as county superintendent of schools without opposition, received 1552 votes. …
A heavy vote was cast yesterday, the total for mayor being 2378. This was 214 more votes than was cast at the last city election, the total at that time being 2164. Garrett carried every ward in the city. … Strong was the high man for commissioner leading Romasser, next closest man, by 70 votes. …
There seems to be some difference of opinion as to the time the new city administration goes into office. Mayor Robinson said this morning that it would be just as soon as the present administration could wind up affairs and get them in shape for turning over to the incoming officials. Mayor-Elect Garrett said that he was of the opinion that the law specified next Monday as the day for the change in administration. This however will be definitely decided in the next day or two.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 100-year flashback is courtesy of the Missouri Digital Newspaper Project from the State Historical Society of Missouri, viewable at shsmo.newspapers.com. The original article ran in the April 4, 1923, edition of The Maryville Daily Democrat-Forum, which later would become the The Maryville Forum.
