Mother at SEMO 1939 & 1940

A reader was kind enough to drop off a box of old Sagamores a few months ago. I offered to fill in gaps in the collection at the Cape County History Center, but I held back two that had surprising photos in them.

The 1939 issue had photos of Mother as a freshman. It identified her as being from Advance, and being in the Home Economics Club and the YWCA.

Book belonged to Milburn Lavelle Bess

A note in the front of the 1939 book said it belonged to Milburn Lavelle Bess of Cape Girardeau, who was a member of the Band, Orchestra, Pi Mu Omicron and A Cappella.

A number of the pages were autographed by friends who referred to him as Lavelle, instead of Milburn.

I’d be willing to pass the book on the Lavelle or any of his family members.

Albert and Leming Halls

Two of the dorms for women appeared on facing pages. I wasn’t sure if Mother was in either of them.

Mother may have been mistaken

She had two photos in a scrapbook that she labeled as being of Albert Hall, but the yearbook pictures show that Leming is the building with a screened porch.

Even as I consider saying that she was wrong, I’m looking at the sky expecting a bolt of lightning to come down.

She was a sophomore in 1940

She’s still listed as being from Advance, and of being in the Home Economics Club and the YWCA.

Secretary of Home Economics Club

I can’t be sure she’s in the group photo, but the text copy notes that she was secretary of the club.

War Department took notice

Mary Welch Steinhoff telegram

Maybe her election to the office of secretary was what caused the War Department to send her this telegram.

When Mother would tell the story, she always said, “I’d rather be married than type.”

Dad and Mother were in a movie theater when the word about the attack on Pearl Harbor broke. When they came out, my grandfather said, “If you kids are going to get married, you’d better do it right away.”

And, they did, exactly one month later, on January 7, 1942.

1940 Aerial photo of SEMO

The front of the 1940 yearbook had a double truck (printing-speak for a two-page layout made up as a single unit) aerial of the area around the college.

It’s amazing how many neighborhood homes have been gobbled up over the intervening years.

Free hospital care

There were interesting little nuggets scattered all though the books. The Medical Staff faculty page showed Dr. O.L. Seabaugh as college physician, and Rose Margaret Dewever, RN, as college nurse.

It said that “beginning with a complete physical examination upon entering school, students are offered competent medical attention through the services of a qualified physician and registered nurse.

“One week’s hospitalization in either of Cape Girardeau’s hospitals and the use of the x-ray are included in advantages offered by the Health Department free to the students on a co-operative basis.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Prof Gerald Mills

SEMO English prof Gerald Miller c 1966I probably shot English Prof Gerald Mills for The Sagamore. I’m pretty sure he was married to Linda Mills, who worked in the newsroom at The Missourian.

If I’m remembering that correctly, one night they invited me over to meet one of their friends who was a professional magazine freelancer. He wasn’t a big name, but he had some nice photos in his portfolio and was very patient when I kept pulling mediocre photo after mediocre photo from a stack of paper boxes I had brought along.

Difference between a good and bad photographer

Mostly silent through the cascade of crappy images, when he saw the last print come out of the last box, he sighed, looked me in the eye and said, kindly, “The difference between a good photographer and bad photographer is that a good photographer never shows his bad pictures.”

Point made.

I can’t think of his name now, but we stayed in touch for a number of years. He was good about sending me lists of publications looking for stock freelance photos. I don’t think I ever sold anything, but it was good experience to pitch my work.

Even Her Mug Shot Is Cute

Lila Perry Steinhoff's SEMO ID cardNot everybody can look cute in a mug shot with a number under their chin.

Had Wife Lila elected a life of crime, the FBI would have had a tough time keeping her picture on the Post Office walls because teenage boys would have been snagging them to hang next to their Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs posters.

Pre-politically correct SEMO

Lila Perry Steinhoff's SEMO ID cardThis Southeast Missouri State College ID was issued while the school still had a newspaper called The Capaha Arrow, a yearbook named The Sagamore, and Chief Sagamore was a fixture at all the football games.

I removed Lila’s Social Security number and birth year to thwart ID thieves. I don’t know what all the holes that are punched out signify. The top evidently refers to the school year, but I don’t what the 1 through 25 boxes are for.

Here’s what happened to Chief Sagamore.

Capaha Arrow turns 100 as The Arrow