5 years ago
Saturday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day — was definitely a time of remembrance in Maryville.
Beneath a suitably gray and somber late-autumn sky, more than 250 people gathered Saturday morning at the northwest end of Franklin Park for dedication ceremonies marking completion of Freedom Rock Plaza, a memorial paying tribute to Nodaway County veterans, law enforcement officers and first responders.
Conceived in 2016 as a Lions Clubs International Centennial Service Challenge by the county’s five Lions Clubs — the service organization was founded in 1917 — the plaza consists of a Freedom Rock mural, painted on a 34,000-pound chunk of glacial granite, and a sweeping line of flags symbolizing the nation, state, POW/MIAs, the five U.S. military service branches and the Missouri National Guard.
But the heart of the memorial consists of dozens of engraved paving stones purchased by families, organizations and businesses and bearing the names and service dates of area veterans, living and dead, who represented their country in uniform.
15 years ago
The Maryville Board of Education is facing one of its most difficult and emotional decisions of the year.
The board must consider whether it will terminate the contract of Northwest Technical School teacher Marilyn Hamm, or to keep her on staff and find an alternative form of disciplinary action following an Oct. 10 incident where she slapped a student in class who refused to listen and used profanity against her.
A special meeting of the board of education Tuesday afternoon addressed the issue in the form of a public hearing. Attorneys for both the school district and Hamm presented their cases, called witnesses and made closing arguments on behalf of their clients.
According to Hamm’s sworn testimony at the hearing, the incident began in her fourth hour personal finance class when a student was abusing a computer by hitting the computer keys.
Raising her voice “in a stern manner,” Hamm said she asked the student to refrain from his actions. …
Then Hamm tried to call (placement coordinator and disciplinarian Tom) Scarborough to the room, but while she was making a call to the office, the student pulled out his cell phone and began sending a text message. Cell phones are not allowed in classrooms.
Hamm said she asked for the cell phone, and the student refused to give it to her.
“He turned his back on me,” she said.
When Hamm reached for the phone, the student told her, “Nobody’s going to take my mother (expletive) phone from me.”
Hamm said she was so taken aback by what the student said to her, she reacted without thinking and reached out to slap the student.
“I was so shocked that I went by instinct, realized what I was doing, and tried to stop it,” she said.
At the last moment, she pulled back, but she said her hand did have physical contact with the student’s head. …
(Attorney for the school district Duane) Martin argued that Hamm was not coming before the school board to ask for a second chance. He said she was asking for a third chance.
According to Martin, on May 26, 2005, Hamm struck a student in class in front of other students.
Mike Jordan, the director of Northwest Technical School, then put together a professional improvement plan for Hamm to follow, which included classroom discipline and required the “elimination of all physical contact with students.”
25 years ago
The Missouri Interscholastic Press Association, based at the University of Missouri-Columbia, is inducting charter members into its Hall of Fame.
Opal Eckert of Maryville, noted Northwest Missouri scholar, journalist and educator, will be among seven persons recognized in a ceremony in honor of the charter member induction to the Missouri Hall of Fame.
Mrs. Eckert has been the recipient of many education and journalism awards. Some of the honors include: The U.S. Journalism Teacher of the Year Award, presented by the Newspaper Fund, Inc., and sponsored by the Wall Street Journal; citations by the Northwest Missouri District Teachers Association and Maryville Board of Education; a citation and lifetime membership by the Missouri Association of Teachers of English; elected to membership on basis of published writing by the Missouri Writers Guild; a Pioneer Educator of Missouri; and a citation as a Distinguished Missouri Writer with her books “Grassroots Reflections,” which were placed in the Missouri Book Center in Jefferson City. …
“I was surprised and honored to be chosen as a charter member,” Eckert said.
100 years ago
JOB IS ELECTED TO LEGISLATURE
BY THREE VOTES
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Recount After Illegal Absentee Ballots Are Thrown Out Gives Democratic Candidates Majority of Three
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William Job, Democrat, was elected to represent Nodaway County in the state legislature by a majority of three votes, the recount of absentee ballots late yesterday afternoon shows: Job’s total vote was 5,061 and Wray was 5,058. After absentee ballots which were not properly signed by judges had been discarded a count of these votes gave Job seven and Wray five.
Job beat Wray in the resident vote of the county by just one ballot, having a total of 5,024 against 5,023.
The official canvas of the election returns on all candidates was completed by the county court late yesterday.
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 Nov. 11, 1922, edition of The Maryville Tribune, a predecessor of The Maryville Forum.
