AROUND ABOUT [SCOTT'S SCHOOL]
IRON COUNTY REGISTER,
Ironton, Iron Co., Mo., Thurs. Feb. 10, 192?
Mr. Editor
– May I impose on your good nature and the patience of your many readers to tell of a
trip I recently made through the Lead Belt, into the country – about eight miles to
eastward? The Lead Belt is not a very
interesting place, as is nearly always the case of a center to great activity, unless one
is looking for work or business of some kind. I
mention the L.B., with its bustle and hustle, in comparison to the quiet place, only eight
miles away, known as Scott’s School. In
addition to the school house there is a church house, which is open to all denominations. Everyone, no matter what he calls himself, may go
and worship the Creator.
My headquarters were at the home of Mr. Janis.
I spoke of the quietness of the community, but I do not want to be misunderstood as
meaning it is slow and shiftless. It is a
farming community and these farmers are all hustlers.
Mr. Janis has a comfortable house, plenty of outbuildings, plenty of stock of all
kinds, and the general appearance of his farm attests to the fact of his thrift. The same may be said of all the other farms I saw. Mrs. Janis was a Miss Sigman and is a sister of Wm.
Sigman who lived in Trenton a few years ago. Mrs.
Janis’ old home is at Stone. She is very
energetic in her home and never tires of trying to make her visitor comfortable. Little Miss Genevieve (aged five) goes to and from
school with as much pride and importance as a high school girl just before graduation.
Mr. Archer is a very fine gentleman and a very interesting talker. He made a trip to California about one year ago,
and his renascency was very interesting. Mrs.
Archer is a lady of much refinement. She has
an intelligent bearing and a very motherly and kind disposition.
There are Uncle Boyd and Major Thurman! I
must not pass them by. Mr. Boyd is quite old
and would be very active, for one of his age, but for the unfortunate fact of having
fallen from a high bluff and sustained injuries from which he never fully recovered. His mind reaches back to a time that is ancient
history for this part of Missouri. His very
early days were spent near Doe Run, Mo. Instead
of the locomotive whistle his ears caught the weird sound of the wild cat’s squall
and the hideous howls of the timber wolf. He
cut cord wood for the Iron Mountain Company in the early invasion of the virgin timber. It seems a pity our historians do not consult such
man. Just a few more years and it will be
forever too late. Yes Major Thurman! When he meets you with arm extended, palm open,
grasps your hand in a hearty shake, a broad smile that covers his whole face and says with
such a real meaning; “Come in and stay all night,” you can not help believing he
means it. His wife is the same good hearted
soul. Major Thurman has served his county on
the county judicial bench. I met two of his
sons who served in the late war. I met a
number of other young men who had served. All
fine young men. I visited the school, which is
being taught by Miss Edith Gordon. This is her
second term at that place. I had the pleasure
of teaching one afternoon while Miss Gordon and Miss Scott were horse back riding. I never saw better children or greater interest
taken in any school. Miss Scott’s early
years were spent here. Her father was a
physician and he was closely linked with the early history of this community. Miss Scott’s parents are dead.
Last but not least I speak of Mr. And Mrs. Byington.
About 7 P.M. a call over the phone requested me to come to their house. I went, and I did not regret it. For a while I felt a little embarrassed, being much
the oldest person present. The house was
filled with young people, all bent on having a good time.
Mr. And Mrs. Byington are the kind of people that every community is not
blessed with. They are much loved especially
by the young people. The youngsters literally
“take” the place and Mr. And Mrs. B. surrender.
These young people were so full of joyous life that merry making was soon
“unconfined.” I caught the spirit of
youth and soon found myself mingling with the merry makers.
The joy that was “unconfined” lasted until midnight and when we
parted, there was no boom of cannon to blanch the cheeks of those sweet girls or banish
the smiles of those fine boys. I was invited
to have dinner at their house the next evening. Mr.
And Mrs. B. are not southern people but they are the soul of hospitality. Among all the good things we had, I must make
special mention of the coffee and cake, and the bread!
Kings and Queens of this earth have never tasted such. The bread was delicious beyond compare. This was accredited to Miss Scott’s culinary
attainments. I want to say here that the man
who is fortunate enough to get Miss Scott for a wife, if he will furnish the flour and
other ingredients, she will make him as fine bread as can be made. Boys, I recommend her to you. Many times will I see and hear those young people
in their joyous and innocent revelry. I hope I
may see them all again before the curtain of death is dropped forever.
O. H. GORDON
MISS EDITH GORDON VISITS PARENTS
Miss Edith Gordon visited her parents, O. H. and Mrs. Gordon, Nov. 25[?], 1920. Miss
Edith was accompanied by Mrs. Byington, a friend. Edith and Mrs. Byington visited her
brother and family, Mr. A. R. Gordon, and had Thanksgiving dinner with them. They also
visited Miss Marjorie Kendal. Miss Marjorie and Edith seem to be greatly attached to each
other. Miss Edith was graduated from the Ironton high school, Spring of 1917. Miss
Marjorie was graduated one or two years later.
Miss Edith was graduated along with Miss Stella Beardsley, Geo. Farrar, Russell Riggs,
Bernard Adolph and one or two others whose names the writer does not recall. So far as the
writer knows all of her class are living except Russell Riggs, whose body lies buried in
the fields of France, where he made the supreme sacrifice, never knowing whether that
sacrifice bore fruit or a blight. Russell seems to have been a great favorite with his
class.
Like ashes before the wind this class is scattered wide. Miss Edith is teaching her
second term in Ste. Genevieve County at a school known as "Scott School." This
district is composed of parts of St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties, so it might be
termed the "Two Saints." Mrs. Byington was born at the once quaint old town,
Ste. Genevieve. Her father, Dr. Braham, moved to Farmington when she was a child, hence
most of her girlhood and young womanhood was spent in Farmington. Her father is now living
in Chicago, and in spite of his advanced age, which I understand, is a little more than
three score and ten years, is practicing dentistry. Mrs. Byington's love at fair [affair?]
is a little bit romantic, married her early girlhood lover.
Published by the IRON COUNTY REGISTER, Ironton, Iron Co. MO, Thurs. Dec. 2, 1920.
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