Cape Girardeau History and Photos

My mother and I stopped for lunch at the three-year-old Gordonville Grill (great catfish for lunch and an excellent steak for dinner, by the way), then we decided to cruise by our property in Dutchtown to see how the river was doing. About half a mile north of Dutchtown on Highway 25, there’s a set of stone gate posts with the name Beechwood on them.

I’ve been by there scores of times – and I may have even been back there once – but I never knew any more about it than it was a private club. It was combination sporting club, retreat and getaway; it’s pretty far out in the sticks even today. My mother didn’t know much more about it.

Google News Archives paint a portrait of Beechwood

The Beechwood Club’s heyday was during the mid-30s to the mid-50s. During that period, there were frequent brief mentions in the local paper of church groups, service clubs, Scout groups and local movers and shakers playing bridge, pinochle, swimming, holding parties and an annual rabbit supper for the men employees of The Southeast Missourian.

The first reference I spotted was July 20, 1933: Members of the 1933 Club of the Eastern Star were entertained Wednesday night by Mrs. Herbert Boeller and Mrs. M.E. Sanders at the latter’s cottage at Beechwood Club.

Plans to expand Beechwood Club fell through in 1935: Dr. C.W. Kinsey, secretary of the Beechwood Club, which owns property near Dutchtown, said today that that the club has abandoned a projected plan to buy about 35 acres of additional land adjoining the present premises…The club has about three acres now, on which are located a clubhouse and six cabins.

Right next to the story was an advertisement from Missouri Utilities encouraging you to buy an Emerson ventilating fan to make your kitchen “ALL ELECTRIC.” For information, you were to call 72. The largest town on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Memphis had two-digit phone numbers.

Nocturnal swimmers not welcome

For the record, I didn’t go past the locked gate to shoot these pictures. It’s a good thing. The club put out the word July 13, 1934, that trespassers, particularly “nocturnal swimmers” weren’t going to be tolerated.

Nocturnal swimmers who find the pool at secluded Beechwood Club near Dutchtown a choice site for midnight parties may find their entertainment rudely interrupted.

Aroused by reports that the privacy of the club pool has been invaded during the night hours, members of the club have adopted a policy that will result in the prosecution of any trespassers caught, and the catching should be easy.

The club, located just off Highway 25 one-half mile north of Dutchtown, is owned by 25 members, who supplied the money to build the swimming pool, a club house and a number of cottages on the property. It was formerly known as the JJJ Fishing Club.

The club was still cranky in May 28, 1954, when it ran a Notice of Reward: A reward of $25.00 will be paid to any person furnishing information which leads to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons who shall willfully or wrongfully damage, injure, deface or in any way disfigure any property or who shall trespass on property of the Beechwood Club located near Dutchtown, Mo.

Big doin’s at the Beechwood

The Missourian reported on Dec. 10, 1935 that the men employees of The Missourian held their annual rabbit supper at the Beechwood Club near Dutchtown, with 25 being present. There were plenty of “eats” to go around. The affair was directed by Alvin Macke.

Some Central High School names you’ll recognize: Sept. 26, 1942 – The first in a series of four parties for the year by a standing committee of Miss Frieda Rieck, Mrs. Oscar Findley and Miss Mary Reed for the Central High School faculty was held Friday night in the form of a supper at Beechwood Club….The group assisting included Misses Naomi Pott, Alene Sadler, Flora Burton, Mrs. Nita Stout, E.G. Rudert and Wm.A. Shivelbine.

Aug. 22, 1950: It was family night for the Rotary Club…when the organization…held a picnic at Beechwood Club…Rotary wives had an opportunity to show their skill with a rolling pin on Herman, a satin-faced dummy. The winner of the throwing contest was kept a club secret.

There were a few negative stories:

• Dec. 20, 1939: A field fire invaded the Beechwood Club…and badly damaged a brick cabin owned by Al Brinkopf. The building, including two rooms and a porch, was razed except for the walls…The Brinkopf cottage was built about five years ago and was adequately furnished.
• Oct. 31, 1938: Five youngsters who had been attending a Halloween party at Beechwood Club were injured, none seriously, when two cars collided near the club.

By the 60s, the stories slowed

• June 23, 1962:  Brownie Troop 141 recently held an overnight campout at Beechwood to complete their fly-up requirements. The fun started with an afternoon swim supervised by Mrs. G.L. Kaiser, Mrs. E.L. Dye and Michael Rogers.
• June 28, 1967, a member ran a classified ad to sell his membership and cabin.
• Jan. 8, 1971, Dr. C.W. Kinsey, a founding member of Beechwood Club, died.

Arson suspected in Beechwood fire

The biggest story in the past three decades was a fire March 18, 1979: Arson has been blamed for Sunday afternoon fires which destroyed or heavily damaged five cabins and a mobile home at the Beechwood Club…

Destroyed were cabins owned by Van Sander, Jack Burris and Harold C. Kasten, and the mobile home owned by John Bernard. Cabins owned by Gilbert Winchell and John and Fred Bernard were damaged.

Assistant Fire chief Roy Brown said there was also a fire beneath a club house which was extinguished before it caused any damage.

When I saw a headline in The Southeast Missourian that Florence Poe, Cape Giradeau’s oldest woman had died at 112, it didn’t register very high on my interest meter because I didn’t have any connection with her, John Donne and “never send to know for whom the bell tolls,” not withstanding.

That’s when Wife Lila pointed out that her sister, Marty Perry Riley, had painted the woman’s portrait when Mrs. Poe was 107. Marty said that one of the most striking things that she wanted to capture was the beauty of Mrs. Poe braiding her long, white hair every morning.

Mrs. Poe at her 110th birthday celebration

Marty took these two photos at Mrs. Poe’s 110th birthday celebration. The woman was blind – “her eyes just gave out” – and her body was old, but she was “sharp as a tack. She would tell stories of coming to the area in a covered wagon.”

The Missourian’s obit by Alaina Busch said that Mrs. Poe was born Aug. 24, 1897, and was the seventh oldest documented person in this country and 16th oldest in the world. That’s the info that the Gerontology Research Group had current as of March 15, 2010.

Mrs. Poe is survived by three daughters and – as the old obit phrase used to go – “a host of other friends and relatives.” Her mother was almost 104 when she died; her oldest daughter is 91.

She wanted to prove she could walk

Mrs. Poe was fiercely independent, Marty said. When she turned 110, she wanted to let people know that she could still walk. She was delivered to party in a purple and white lace-decorated wheel chair, but she walked to the table on her own.

Mrs. Poe died March 21 after suffering a stroke.

Thanks to Marty for providing the images and memories. I love the regal and dignified look she captured. Mrs. Poe is no longer a stranger to me. I’ve heard John Donne’s bell.

Franklin School opened its doors in 1927, but it did it without a name on the front of the school. It was the only school in the district with no outward identification.

It wasn’t until 1971 that the 8-inch-high white plastic letters were placed above the door. Money for the sign was raised by the Student Council, which sold school supplies and held a used book sale.

Franklin came about because of western expansion

The Cape County school web site has an interesting history of Franklin School that I’m going to borrow from.

Due to rapid growth in the west part of town, the Cape Girardeau Board of Education looked into expanding the school district in 1925. On November 2, 1925, six acres were purchased at a price of $14,000.00 to build Franklin School. A bond issue for $300,000.00 for the purchase and erection of the school was passed. For a contracted price of $179,611.00, work on Franklin School began.

Bond issue would replace Franklin School

Voters will go to the polls April 6 to decide, among other things, whether or not to replace Franklin. A Southeast Missourian story quoted Neil Glass, director of administrative services, as saying, “It was by far in the best interest of our students to go with a new school,” he said.

… Franklin is the oldest of the district’s five elementary schools. As he looked at seismic upgrades and other renovations, Glass said the scope of the project grew.

“Before we knew it, we were at $11.8 million,” he said. Cost estimates for a new two-story building are $10.02 million. Glass said it would be built behind the current building and would include the school’s gym.

First Ben Franklin was 14″ high

From the history site: On January 13, 1928, Franklin School received a 14” bust statuette of Benjamin Franklin from the Franklin History Club of Central High School.

The current Ben Franklin statue was carved by A. W. Birk. He did an original carving in 1999; this one replaced it in 2006.

Teacher’s pay in 1960: $3,800

From the history site: In 1960 teachers’ salaries were increased. A teacher with a B.S. degree will start at $3800.00 and in 9 years will receive $4850.00.  A teacher with a M.A. has a starting salary of $4200.00.  The school board also denied extra duty pay for those teachers who are doing duties.  In another direction, voters rejected another proposed bond issue for a new junior high school a second time in less than 2 months.  This was the first time in 26 years a bond issue had been rejected.  John R. Miller is the principal of Franklin School beginning in 1961.  He is only the third principal in charge since Franklin opened its doors.  He is in charge of 20 teachers and 520 students.

Open classroom concept not popular

On December 5, 1972 a special election was held to pass a $995,000.00 bond issue.  The money was to be used to renovate Franklin School, complete the remodeling of Washington and Lorimier Schools and construct a new addition to the vocational technical school.  The issue passed with a large majority.

The passing of the bond issue did not solve all the problems. When school started in September of 1973, Franklin School could not open its doors.  Due to a strike by the Carpenters Union Local 1770, progress on Franklin renovations came to a halt for some time.  School began for Franklin students in two separate places.  One hundred twenty-four 5th and 6th grade students and two groups of kindergarten children were forced to attend classes at Grace United Methodist Church while grades 1-4 were attending Hawthorne School.  In October, the group at Grace United Methodist Church returned to Franklin.  The rest came back on November 9th.

The renovations were extensive.  The open classroom teaching method was the basis for new room configurations.  Classrooms became one large room for each grade except the 3rd and 4th grades which were combined in one room.  Walls were removed so teachers could team teach and combine classes.  There were 5 private classrooms kept so teachers could use them if privacy was desired.  The folding doors were not installed at this time.  Franklin also had new plumbing installed along with new heating and air conditioning.  The stage and the old shower room were removed.  New aluminum windows and front door were installed and the office was completely redecorated.  Classrooms were given new carpet and indirect lighting after the ceilings were lowered.  Franklin looks brand new.

With the new renovations, came other problems and concerns.  Parents and students did not care for the open classrooms.  They felt students could not concentrate on their studies nor pay attention in class when several teachers are teaching different lessons.  After folding doors were installed, the protests died down.

Introduction to Biology Classes

I’m told there was some elementary, after-hours biology studies conducted on the front steps of Franklin School, but they ended before the final exam was given. In fact, I believe the course ended somewhere between the introduction of studies and the first exam, though not because of lack of student interest and participation.