4A COMMENTARY

WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 27,
2018

D
(USPS 060-080) Published semiweekly for $54.60 per

AVE
year locally (see box at bottom of page) by Bolivar
Herald-Free Press. “... and you will know the
335 S. Springfield Ave., P.O. Box 330 truth, and the truth will

If only …
Bolivar, Missouri 65613-0330 make you free.” -John 8:32
Printed in
Missouri Telephone (417) 326-7636
by Periodicals postage paid at Bolivar, MO Dave Berry, publisher
Jessica Franklin Maull, editor
BERRY
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
(417) 864-0932 P.O. Box 330, Bolivar, Mo. 65613-0330

O
nly a few souls took year. If only his efforts could

Uncommonly common ground the opportunity

Saturday afternoon
garner more traction in real
time and not just in historical

S
outhwest Baptist University in Bolivar have been one not explicitly spoken: We are all to meet and hear four of the
was the scene Saturday of an uncommon on the same side. men — two Republicans and
display of bipartisan commonality. Though unuttered, that message was two Democrats — tr ying to
Four District 7 Congressional primar y communicated clearly in body language and unseat Congressman Billy
candidates — two from each side of the aisle respect. One by one, each of the four stood Long.
— came together, more than just literally, to to take his turn while the others seemed to Hats off to those
jointly host a candidate forum focused on rural embody the message displayed on the podium dedicated few at-
and agricultural issues. — “Act with civility,” an all too rare mantra in tendees. And no hard
Bolivar was just one stop in a series of today’s political arenas. feelings — at least
forums the four, along with two other bal- The trio who remained seated did more than not many — to those
lotmates, have been taking across the district just wait their turns. They seemed to genuinely who made other use
over the past few months. listen with respect. There was no eye rolling, of a beautiful week-
Their unity is, of course, based first and fore- no snorting or guffawing, no zoning out. And end afternoon, some
most in a shared mission to oust Republican no interrupting. perhaps understand-
incumbent Congressman Billy Long. Some may argue their joint effort is in vain, ing the unfortunate
But their common threads do not end there. theirs a hopeless cause against a well dug-in futility and others just Dave Berry is
not giving two hoots publisher of the
In fact, their respective platforms as voiced incumbent.
or understanding in Herald-Free Press.
Saturday seem more similar than different: But it’s hard to see as truly futile any suc-
bipartisanship is critical, agriculture should be cessful attempt to bring us all together, if only the slightest who is
a priority, rural Missourians need change. for two hours, on common ground. running for whatever office.
And the loudest shared message of all may — Jessica Franklin Maull If only it were not so futile,
regardless of credentials.
If only congressional elec-
tions here — and so many
other places — were not so
automatic until an occupant
decides to retire from the
post and open the gates.
It’s so automatic here that
the incumbent hasn’t chosen
to participate in any of these
bipartisan civility roadshow
forums, or anything like them uted public funds.
for the longest time.
And he will again suffer
nothing at the polls for avoid- encies for meaningful pay
ing any risk.
Hats off as well to Virgil
Hill, a contemporar y of mine
in the mid 1970s at what is
now Missouri State Univer-
sity. He has spearheaded the
civility tour, the latest of his
many examples of civic and
political involvement in the
region over the past 45 years.
He even sought public office
a few times.
Virgil, it seems, is a
modern-day Don Quixote
who tilts at windmills despite
all odds, year after year after
review.
The things he advocated in
his futile campaign for presi-
dent of student government
back in the day
have mostly come
to fruition — such
as parking garages
in favor of endless
parking lots.
Hearing the
comments of all
four improbable
winners Saturday,
got me to thinking
about how little
effective govern-
ment might cost us
in the long run if
only —
• we tripled the pay of all
members of congress and all
state legislatures
• forbade them, by law, to
ever take any money — not
even just one dollar — from
any individual or organization
for the cause of ser ving in
public office, and
• mandated that all of their
campaign expenditures had
to come from evenly distrib-
Freeing lawmakers to actu-
ally work for their constitu-
instead of the organizations
that buy their allegiance with
millions of dollars, the above
would be a serious variation
of what the late Max Roweton
once told then-State Repre-
sentative Ken Legan before
the latter headed off to a ses-
sion in Jefferson City:
“Go up there, vote to
double your (all lawmakers’)
pay, and then come home to
stay,” Max said (or something
quite similar and only half
kidding). “We’ll save money.”
If only.

Letter to the Editor

J
H.B. 1606

ESSICA
FRANKLIN MAULL
The information H
divide
ouse Bill 1606 now lays on Gov. Michael Parson’s desk
waiting for his action.
I love our governor, pray for him and have great confidence
in him, but he needs to hear from you.
H.B. 1606 started as a one-and-a-half page bill dealing with
GED Education in Missouri. It ended up a 39 page monster!
It requires a host of things for school districts to comply to
Pew Research Center report released between fact and opinion. While the BH-FP
as well as modifying our state’s abstinence sex education to
last week shines a light on an arena has historically been careful to separate
require teaching of “consent” of sex. Thus, it will undermine
in which Americans find ourselves opinion from “news” — the top of this page
the good of our present sex education.
A

divided: information. says “Commentar y” and this column will end

The liberal left such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL are
Pew’s sur vey of 5,035 U.S. adults set out up in the “Opinion” section on our website —
all for H.B. 1606. Please ask the governor to veto it.
to determine if members of the public could it’s always worth asking what more we can
— Gar y Urich, Bolivar
identify news as factual or opinion. do.
The sur vey’s results? Not promising. The Columbus Dispatch, for example,
Pew’s report indicated “sizable portions” separates its news and commentar y content
of those sur veyed were unable to correctly
make the distinction between facts
completely via two separate Facebook pages
with the latter page clearly named BH-FP welcomes
and opinions. About 25 percent got
most or all wrong.
“DispatchOpinion.” Given a 2016
Pew Research Center report letters to the editor
Moreover, respondents were indicated 62 percent of Americans Letters to the editor must be signed and must in-
more likely to identify opinions as rely on social media for their news clude an address and a daytime telephone number.
factual when they agreed with their deliver y — with a whopping 44 Letters should be mailed to the Bolivar Herald-Free
own beliefs — and label as opinions percent relying on Facebook alone Press at PO Box 330, Bolivar MO 65613 or brought by
facts with which they disagreed. — the Ohio daily may be wise. the office at 335 S. Springfield Ave.
The implications of the sur vey’s But then, much of the onus, I Letters cannot be used for “thank you” purposes to
results are unsettling. Given the think, remains on us as individual specific individuals or businesses.
high-speed information age in which citizens — not only to exercise our Letters may be edited for space, and preference is
we live in today — an era when Jessica Franklin Maull own critical thinking skills when
is the editor of the given to letters of 300 or fewer words.
information comes flying at citizens interpreting information, but to The editor reserves the right to refuse to publish
Herald-Free Press.
fast from all directions, often from build communities where those any letter deemed inappropriate or libelous.
less than clearly identified, let alone skills are valued and reinforced.
vetted, sources — a mass inability to accu- And where we recognize that living and par-
rately process that information could spell ticipating in today’s information age means
disaster. we must also share in the responsibility of
At the least, it spells division. And it’s little accurately interpreting information and in
wonder the outcr y of “fake news,” as often as vetting our sources.
HOW TO CONTACT THE
not, is applied to facts with which the hearer And we must cautiously and critically as- BOLIVAR HERALD-FREE PRESS
takes umbrage — rather than to instances sess what we accept and reject, recognizing Front office .............................................. 326-7636 or 777-9700
when misinformation (or worse, disinforma- we have a duty to weigh both sides and to Dave Berry, publisher ...........................................................777-9776
tion, to conjure up an old KGB term) mas- combat our own biases. Jessica Franklin Maull, editor .......................................................777-9723
querades as news. Perhaps, most of all, we would do well to Jill Way, associate editor .......................................................777-9722
So, what can we do about it? bear in mind our own tendency to more read- Martin Barrett, sports editor ..............................................777-9724
As members of the press, perhaps we ily believe information (or even disinforma- Deanna Moore, advertising manager.............................777-9731
need to think more deeply and frequently tion) that conforms to our existing beliefs — Amy Gardner, recruitment ad manager ........................777-9733
about how we can help readers distinguish or risk losing much in the information divide.

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4A COMMENTARY
WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 13,
2018

D
A keen
AVE
(USPS 060-080) Published semiweekly for $54.60 per year
locally (see box at bottom of page) by Bolivar Herald-Free
Press. “... and you will know the
335 S. Springfield Ave., P.O. Box 330 truth, and the truth will
Printed in
Missouri
by
Bolivar, Missouri 65613-0330
Telephone (417) 326-7636
make you free.” -John 8:32

Dave Berry, publisher BERRY adder

Periodicals postage paid at Bolivar, MO Jessica Franklin Maull, editor

H
(417) 864-0932 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
P.O. Box 330, Bolivar, Mo. 65613-0330 ow is it that someone preparing for the next day’s
can move to a com- sale.
munity and immedi- The Iowa transplant didn’t
150 years of thanks ately exhibit more care and
concern for its wellbeing
just talk about service. He
walked it. Those in Rotary

D
one and done. values connecting with its local past and that than many others who have know, because he became
The Bolivar Herald-Free Press’ first realizes doing so helps build in us all a sense lived there much longer? the self-appointed caretaker
150 years have been officially relegated of pride and of belonging. And that when we Especially considering the of John Playter Rotary Park
to the annals of histor y. understand who we are and where we come number of people that few of us
That isn’t exactly bad news. As enlightening from, we are more actively invested in what who perhaps move realized we needed
as we’ve found delving into our newspaper’s we become. “away” more than before he did it.
and community’s histor y to be, we agree it is • Thank you for joining in the milestone they move “to,” He would be
time to move on. (We know it beggars belief, celebration Friday (despite the scorch) and because they there every morn-
but even Dave Berr y, who has on more than for helping keep the focus where it should be: want to escape the ing with spray
one occasion been heard saying it was his on the good of the community. Your generos- burden of caring bottle and rags in
150th birthday, is included in that “we.”) ity raised $700 for Care to Learn and Keeling and participating hand to clean the
And we have a sneaking suspicion that you, Foundation for Kids. in a community’s monuments of
dear readers, likely driven half mad by our • Thank you — and we say this not just as betterment. bird droppings. He
incessant promotion of the milestone, will also BH-FP staffers, but as fellow community mem- “Let someone Dave Berry is would pick up litter.
concur. bers — for being a community that supports else care now,” publisher of the If visitors were not
But as the BH-FP officially steps into its and reads your local newspaper. someone in the Herald-Free Press. already showing
next 150 years, we want to take one more look • Thank you for your commitment to being latter category respect, he would
back — bear with us here — to thank you. informed and engaged citizens and for seeing might say, even justifiably help them understand why
So here’s 150 years of thanks from us to the value in community journalism. so. “I’ve done my share long they should.
you: • Thank you for the good news you create, enough.” If a work day was called for
• Thank you for taking this journey back in the inspiring stories you live. Our community this week club members while the park
time with us and for sharing with us your own • And thank you for allowing us for the past is losing someone from the was being built, and after,
perspectives, the impact this paper has had on 150 years — and for the next 150 — to be a former camp. In fact, we Karl would likely be there,
you and yours across the generations. part of those stories. lost Karl Keenan as a com- despite not being a member.
• Thank you for being a community that — Jessica Franklin Maull munity servant months ago We eventually made him an
when his health got in the honorary member.
way of his habit of “adding.” He deserved so much
Now, it’s his health making more. In fact, he deserved
it necessary for him, along the Bolivar Civic Service
with wife Donna, to move Award. His volunteer service
to Louisiana to be close to included the genealogi-
family. cal society and other good
Their home and many causes. He took an interest
other belongings were sold in city government. He paid
at auction Saturday, and they KEENan attention to his
are leaving town this Friday. adopted community.
“Everywhere we have Karl, without a doubt,
lived I have believed that if added to this community.
you are not adding some- Enough so that his departure
thing then you are a prob- can’t possibly subtract all that
lem,” he told me emphati- he gave us, even though he
cally Friday as worker bees will be missed more than he
were all about the house can know.

JI
Shadow of
ESSICA
FRANKLIN MAULL
the Flying
Tiger
n the 22 months I’ve been name stuck.
part of the BH-FP staff, In my early years, I took it

JI
I’ve on many occasions rather literally.

ILL
stumbled upon some bit Oh, once I learned to
or bob tucked away in our dribble, how I waited, ball

Better late than never

archives that spoke, some- in hand, most nights for a
how, of some milestone in my dust cloud to appear on our
WAY family’s chronicles. dirt road signaling Dad’s
Births, deaths, reunions, blue Polk County Electric
triumphs and trials across six work truck was making its
can admit it — I have a punctuality prob- I like to joke that being late is like throwing generations are there to be way up the hill. Maybe, just
lem. a stone into a glass-smooth lake. Once it lands, found. maybe, I would think, this
To some, it’s an illness. you’re unable to stop the ripple effect. But one particular redis- night would be the night he
But for others, like myself, it may very well My tardiness certainly hasn’t always played covery I made has stood out would take flight once again.
be our greatest strength. to my advantage. for me above the Or maybe, dared I
According to “Never Be Late Again,” a self- Let me tell you, the teachers at Conway High others. hope, it would be the
help book by Diana DeLonzor (for School certainly weren’t fans. It’s a single night my own wings
those crazy enough to actually try And I’ve pulled more all-nighters photo at the top would sprout. (After
to find a fix), people who are chroni- than I’d like to mention –- in my college left of a page in a all, Mom was always
cally late are both optimistic and years, and also 20 years later as a real- December 1971 saying how I was just
unrealistic about limitations, which life adult with a big kid job. edition of the like my father.)
affects their perception of time. In fact, I’m writing this very column BH-FP. Its cap- As I grew older,
“They really believe they can go at 2 a.m. the night before production tion: Flying Tiger. I realized the
for a run, pick up their clothes at the day, for Pete’s sake. Its subject: my nickname wasn’t
dry cleaners, buy groceries and drop But, sometimes, as odd as it sounds, father. Jessica Franklin literal. But that didn’t
off the kids at school in an hour,” my late tendencies work out for the From Snippy Maull is the editor diminish its magic.
Jill Way is associate
she says. editor for the Bolivar
best. Bobby and Bobbo of the Herald-Free With a burgeoning
(All of that seems entirely reason- Take my job at the BH-FP, for in- to Buster Brown Press. consciousness, I was
Herald-Free Press.
able to me, by the way.) stance. and Poppo, the beginning to see the
DeLonzor also says people who Even though I wrote for my school vast array of nicknames my world as it really was around
are late tend to become completely engrossed newspapers in both high school and college, I dad collected over the years me — including Dad, all
in the task at hand, losing track of time en- never considered journalism as a career path bears witness to his one-of-a- 5-foot-and-just-a-little of him.
tirely. in my younger days. kind, multifaceted personality. It also didn’t relieve the
(Guilty as charged.) Don’t get me wrong. I loved it. But Flying Tiger was one mounting pressure I felt.
People who are perpetually late tend to be But without an official journalism degree, I nickname that cast a par- While I loved sports, it
more enthusiastic, spontaneous, playful and considered myself a novice. ticularly large shadow to my quickly became clear — no
better able to see the bigger picture. Joining the BH-FP staff in my mid-30s, I child’s eye. matter how many hours I
Other studies show that these qualities carry showed up to this party pretty late compared to Its implications seemed spent practicing — I would
over into better health and a longer life span. others (like our very own publisher and editor, outright magical. As family never be a star in my own
A study by the International Journal of Clini- who have dedicated all of, or at least most of, legend had it — or at least, right in any athletic arena,
cal and Health Psychology says that people their careers to journalism). as my child self heard it — certainly not on the basket-
with type-B personalities — those who tend fall But, I’m convinced that even though I didn’t Dad had been christened ball court. A good, solid,
in the “always late” category — are less prone arrive the second the party started, I showed thus by the newspaper dur- respectable, reliable aver-
to coronary diseases thanks to a lower level of up at the perfect moment for me. And there’s ing his career as a Humans- age was probably the best I
stress in their lives. nowhere else in the world I’d rather be. ville basketball star prior to could hope for.
(I’m claiming that one!) Better late than never, I suppose. his 1972 graduation. And the See Franklin Maull, Page 5A

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Total price for 26 issues……..$24.52 Total price for 26 issues…..$32.52 the fulfillment of the conditions of payment in full of the subscription price and the complete preparation
($22.68 subscription and $1.84 sales tax) ($30.08 subscription and $2.44 sales tax.)
of the issue for release and shipment at the office of the newspaper. Title passes to a non-Missouri
subscriber upon fulfillment of the conditions of payment in full of the issue price and the delivery by the
E-edition: Online at www.BolivarMoNews.com. Sorry, no refunds on subscriptions. publisher of the issue to the United States Postal Service for mailing.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Top Left: An ad for the Chautauqua at Lexington, Missouri from August, 1917 during WWI declares that “People Don’t Fight When
They Know Each Other” and that the Chautauqua “promotes friendship and understanding.” Top Right: The Chautauqua in Spring-
field had been morphed into a “Pictured Bible Chautauqua” by August 1926. Bottom: The tent at Monett set up for their Chautauqua
that took place from July 7 to July 18 of that year.
The end of the Chautauqua’s wild ride
M
One opportunity pro-
vided to Missouri resi-
dents by the popularity of
the circuit Chautauquas
was the demand for talent
to provide the entertain-
ment. According to the old
newspapers, there were
a number of people from
Springfield who filled that
need for talent.
Eleanor Ricketts, con-
tralto singer and a sister
of the president of Spring-
field Seed Company, was
one such person. In 1916,
she signed a contract with
Redpath Chautauqua for a
10-week long tour.
Enola Handley, a teach-
er of music at Southwest
Missouri Teachers Col-
lege, began spending her
summers on tour with
Chautauqua circuits in
1919, and did so for at least
a decade. Realizing the
opportunities for her stu-
dents, she began preparing
them for performances on
the Chautauqua platform
and introducing them to
the people who could hire
them.
By 1925, she had placed
eight of her students on
the circuits. One of those
was Ruth Scott of Sequiota
Park, who began appear-
ing on the circuit at 17 as a
violinist. Another was Lor-
raine Welhener, who also
began her Chautauqua
career at 17 playing the xy-
lophone and signing for a
17-week tour. Still another
was Frieda West, a violinist
who signed with the Stan-
dard Chautauqua system
for a 20-week tour.
With so many Chautau-
quas being held in Mis-
souri, there were bound to
be some hitches along the
way. One such occurred
in Springfield. From 1905-
1910, the Springfield
Chautauqua was a pres-
tigious, well-attended as-
530727b
Ozarks
oments
By Paul Johns
sembly each year. It was
provided by Associated
Chautauquas, which had
been founded by Chautau-
qua pioneer Frederick W.
Bartell, of Siloam Springs,
Arkansas.
In 1910, trouble struck
Bartell when the Bank
of Siloam Springs failed.
With its failure, all the de-
posits from Bartell’s Asso-
ciated Chautauquas were
lost. Bartell had to file for
bankruptcy and his busi-
ness was no more.
As a result, Springfield
ended up with no Chau-
tauqua for the summer
of 1911. An article in the
Springfield News-Leader
from June 25, 1911, report-
ed that Springfield citizens
were hoping that President
Carrington, of the Spring-
field State Normal School,
would allow the school to
play host to the next year’s
Chautauqua.
That did not happen,
however, because the
Chautauqua was held at
the Jefferson Theater in
1912 — even though it
could not accommodate
the crowds that the big
Chautauqua tent had held.
Although the Chautau-
qua was an annual feature
of many communities, the
decline for this unusual
form of entertainment
began in the 1920s. The
Ellison-White Chautau-
qua held the company’s
all-time high number of
assemblies in 1920 with
more than 1,000. Still, the
handwriting was on the
tent wall, so to speak.
When Keith Vawter
bought a 1/3 interest in the
Redpath Lyceum Bureau
in 1901 — and started the
Chautauqua circuits with
Charles Horner in 1904,
creating the Redpath-Vaw-
ter Chautauquas — the
concept blossomed.
NEWS
In 1912, Horner estab-
lished the Redpath-Horner
Chautauquas, and Mis-
souri, which had become a
hotbed for the assemblies,
became part of his terri-
tory. With so many being
held throughout the sum-
mer months, crews in Mis-
souri had to be the best
and most efficient.
A crew in Missouri be-
came legendary when a
tent holding 1,800 spec-
tators emptied after the
night’s performance at
10:10 p.m. The tent, which
was 134 feet long and 98
feet wide was dismantled
(along with all the equip-
ment), hauled a mile and a
half and loaded onto a train
before midnight.
The number of Chau-
tauquas in the U.S. as a
whole, according to one
source, peaked in the sum-
mer of 1915, with 12,000
communities holding an
assembly.
One of the operating
procedures of the circuit
Chautauquas was to have
the businessmen of the
town guarantee that they
would sell enough tickets
to pay for the assembly.
This was guaranteed by
the business owners pur-
chasing the tickets and
then selling them to specta-
tors. When the popularity
of Chautauquas declined
and the tickets became dif-
ficult or impossible to sell,
the end was near.
Billings, which hosted
a series of well-attended
street fairs during the early
years of the 1900s, appar-
ently attempted to hold a
Chautauqua in 1920 that
never came to fruition. An
article in the Springfield
News-Leader on Nov. 4 of
that year disclosed a law
suit filed by the Redpath-
Horner Chautauqua cir-
cuit against several Bill-
ings businessmen.
Apparently, they had
signed a contract with Red-
path-Horner to “furnish
the necessary accommo-
dations for the Chautau-
qua,” but they “did not fill
their part of the contract.”
By 1925, the Springfield
Bolivar Herald-Free Press 5A
HOW TO CONTACT THE
BOLIVAR HERALD-FREE PRESS
Front office 326-7636 or 777-9700
Dave Berry, publisher 777-9776
Jessica Franklin Maull, editor 777-9723
Jill Way, associate editor 777-9722
Martin Barrett, sports editor 777-9724
Deanna Moore, advertising manager 777-9731
Amy Gardner, recruitment ad manager 777-9733
Franklin Maull From 4A
But Dad never let me feel it if he was disap-
pointed in my abilities. He turned up proudly to
ballgame after ballgame to watch me keep that
bench warm. And when I made the transition
from hoops to nets as a sophomore, he promptly
took up tennis so we could still play together. He
also became an expert on random topics, so he
could help me prepare for debate tournaments
— mostly by joyfully punching holes in my cases.
Without complaint, he even donned his secret
bifocals so he could prompt me as we rehearsed
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS my lines during the theater craze of my late teens
and early 20s.
Looking back, I don’t think Dad really cared
what it was I found to excel in. It didn’t have to
be basketball; he just wanted me to know how it
felt to fly high, too, doing something I loved and
exceeding the world’s expectations.
I’m pretty sure that’s the legacy cast by the
shadow of the Flying Tiger. I’m even more sure
Leader and Press, which he’ll tell me if I’m wrong.
had been a staunch sup- •••
porter of Chautauquas, Happy Father’s Day to the Poppo and to all
had changed its tune. Un- dads out there, biological and otherwise, who
der the headline, “Chau- have allowed us the honor of growing up in your
tauqua May Go” was a lead shadows.
sentence that read, “Lame
duck politicians and silver
tongued orators with a
‘message’ are facing the
loss of a means of liveli-
hood because the radio
and the automobile have
about put the Chautauqua
out of business.”
Entertainment for free
via the radio definitely
cut into the attendance
of Chautauquas. Moving
pictures were also draw-
ing crowds away from the
assemblies. As that 1925
article said it, “The movies
may not be quite as elevat-
ing as some inspired lec-
turer, but human nature is
that perverse that it would
rather watch Charlie Chap-
lin get slammed in the face
with a custard pie than lis-
ten to somebody’s theory
of how to save the nation.”
The fact that crowds of
people were about to take
vacations by automobile in
the summer also cut into
the Chautauqua crowds.
In 1924, the residents
of Garden City voted to
Singers needed for
eliminate the Chautauqua
for 1925 “because of the
response for funds.” The
July 4 performance
Bolivar area singers choir room. Participants
assemblies had beeen held
are encouraged to join a should use the north en-
in that town for the past 13
community choir for the trance on Locust Street.
years.
Bolivar Rotary Club’s July The final rehearsal
Although there were
4 Celebration of Freedom will be at the SBU music
21 companies operating
on Southwest Baptist Uni- building at 5:30 p.m. on
circuits in 1920, the death
versity’s campus. July 4, the day of the per-
knell for Chautauquas was
High school students formance.
heard in the 1929 with the
and adults who sing Morgan DeClue will
advent of the Great De-
are welcome to attend direct the choir, and Me-
pression. The last circuit
rehearsals at 8:15 p.m. linda Smashey will be the
Chautauqua system folded
Wednesday, June 20, and accompanist. For more
in 1932, and the tent Chau-
Wednesday, June 27, in information, call Dan Ad-
tauqua was no more.
the First Baptist Church kison at 761-2501.
 4A COMMENTARY
WEDNESDAY,
MAY 2, 2018
Printed in
Missouri
by
(417) 864-0932
J
.C. Meador’s celebration of life drew a
packed house of people whose demograph-
ics matched up rather well with the eulogies
delivered by attorney Kerry Douglas and floor
covering master and motorcycle enthusiast Jerry
Ross.
Douglas went over the long list of the vari-
ous versions of Meador that he could choose to
talk about, a list of different ways his friend and
client had touched many different people over
many years.
Ross talked about the influence his motorcycle
buddy had on his own life, touching on advice
Meador once gave him about the best gifts in
life being the ones that involve no one knowing
about the giver. Ross asked for an example and
his friend said he couldn’t offer one, because
then he would know.
But, by then, one person present could have
provided such an example.
Douglas had included descriptions of
Meador’s gifting, with one being the time a Boli-
var High School senior had suffered a classroom
mishap that caused him to miss the bus for the
departure for the senior trip to Washington, D.C.
JM
ILL
WAY
Lessons learned the hard way
ay 5, 1993.
It was supposed to be just like any
other day.
I was 13 years old and in seventh grade —
just like my son who turned 13 less than a
month ago.
It was a typical warm spring day at the end
of the school year. Sports were winding down,
academic work was basically completed, grad-
uation plans were set. It was officially time to
cruise until the last day of school.
Which, I’m sure, factored into
why I was running late for school
that day.
My dad was impatient. He needed
to get to school — now.
I didn’t know why he was in such
a hurry, but I knew he was frustrated
with me for running behind.
And I was equally frustrated right
back.
I’m sorry, but big hair and shoul- Jill Way is a reporter
der pads take time. for the Bolivar Herald-
The atmosphere in our white
two-door Buick Regal on the way to
school was frosty at best.
Dad parked in his usual spot on the east side
of the junior high and took off for his office — eyes were wide as she answered questions with
the superintendent’s office — while I slowly
walked my way to my locker and onto class.
Add another tardy to my tally. I’m cool with ring and class ring from when he graduated
it.
There was no, “Have a great day. I’ll see you degree, I knew something was wrong.
after school,” from my dad. Or even a quick
hug and, “Sorry I made you late … again,”
from me.
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A forum for opinions about the
place and time in which we live.
Your signed letters to the editor
will be considered for publication.
D
(USPS 060-080) Published semiweekly for “... and you will know
AVE Torch passing
$54.60 per year locally (see box at bottom of
page) by Bolivar Herald-Free Press. the truth, and the truth
335 S. Springfield Ave., P.O. Box 330
Bolivar, Missouri 65613-0330
will make you free.”
Telephone (417) 326-7636 -John 8:32
Periodicals postage paid at Bolivar, MO
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Dave Berry, BERRY
P.O. Box 330, Bolivar, Mo. 65613-0330 Publisher and Editor
38 years later W
e are one month out Our own role over those
from our 150th An- 150 years has been to record
niversary edition. It the first and subsequent drafts
Meador, unbeknownst to the student, saw to it will publish June 6, followed of history, and we’re having
that the senior was reunited with his classmates by our public party from 4 fun turning through those
and got to enjoy the trip. to 7 p.m. Friday, June 8, at pages. We think you will also
That telling ensured that at least one person Bolivar High School. enjoy the snapshot that the
present to both mourn and celebrate — and one Please keep both special section
must wonder if there were more — got to con- on your calendars. will provide.
nect some dots. And, dear adver- But this is not
Steve Hubbert, now in the local real estate tisers, if we are slow all about looking
business with his wife, Paula, was in chemistry getting to you about back. It is im-
class that day back in 1980. An accident resulted your opportunities portant to know
in acid being sprayed in an eye, causing him to to be part of this, where we have
be undergoing treatment when the buses were please call Deanna been in order to
rolling out for the senior trip. at 777-9731 to make better plan where
But alas, he was told not to despair. Once sure she knows of we are going. And
he was able to travel, he was ferried by private your interest. And part of the plan
Dave Berry is publisher
plane to St. Louis where he joined up with class- you really should for going forward
and editor of the
mates for the balance of the trip. He was spared have a deep interest. Herald-Free Press. His
involves a couple
the details. While it will column appears here of new titles for
But now — 38 years later — he knows that be our birthday weekly and weakly. deserving staff
J.C. Meador financed the trip, and no doubt (150 years for the members.
would have been fine with Hubbert never finding Free Press half of As of the an-
out about it. our name, 147 years for the niversary date, I will have
But it makes such a great life lesson that he Herald, and 50 years for the become the last editor of the
did, and how he did. Herald-Free Press), we want newspaper’s first 150 years.
— Dave Berry your ads to be about your Jessica Franklin Maull will
own time in this place as a become its first editor of the
business or organization. Yes, next 150 years. She also will
churches and non-profits, you become the first Polk County
should participate, too. We’re native to hold the title for a
all in this together. long, long time.
The special section will be No, that doesn’t mean I’ll
an opportunity for all of us to be gone. Don’t break out in
mark our time in service to celebration just yet. While I
a terrific community to call will have been the last pub-
home, whether our respective lisher of the first 150 years, I
service is measured in days or also will be the first publisher
years. See Berry, Page 5A
JI ESSICA
FRANKLIN MAULL
took an unexpected
stroll this weekend along
Memory
lane
Also at fault were Grand-
pa’s eyes. They were not as
memory lane via Bolivar’s glued to the road as Grandma
citywide sale. would wish. She looked up
Lovely weather meant the from the newspaper sales ads
city was aflutter with rum- to flash him a warning glance
magers and sales seekers. and to give a quick scan of
Camera and BH-FP sale ads street corner sale signs.
in hand, I was on a quest for “Here’s one, Sylvie,”
photos of the long-
time community
tradition.
Grandpa tentative-
ly proposed.
“No, no,” she
I’ll admit I’m not said. “There’s a
much of a rum- better one just
When it was time to head home for the day, mager by nature, down the way.”
Dad wasn’t in his office, which was weird. but it was not dif- “Awww,” Grand-
Instead, his secretary said he was at some ficult to find myself pa half-heartedly
meeting, and she’d drive me and my younger caught up in the voiced his disap-
sister the mile to our home. joy of the quest. proval over her
I remember wishing it was him taking us In every quarter of choosiness as he
home instead of her. the city, it seemed Jessica Franklin Maull is caught my eye in
Mom, who worked as a teacher in Lebanon, countless cars lined the associate editor of the rearview mirror
made it home before him. the streets. Sales the Herald-Free Press. and stuck his den-
“Where’s Dad?” seekers of all ages tures out. It was
“Not sure. At some meeting, so swarmed along a trick that never
Diana brought us home.” sidewalks and in yards. Color- failed to surprise me and elicit
Not knowing he had a meeting ful signs on street corner after a giggle.
that day, she was surprised. street corner beckoned. Grandma, ever the teacher,
But, just as he and I had done But for me, the greatest interrupted my thoughts — I
earlier in the day, she moved on, thrills of all were the memo- had serious plans for how I
getting started on dinner before Dad ries that came flooding back would spend my dollar bill
and my brother, who was at baseball from my childhood. — for a quick family history
practice, could get home. It was the first time since lesson.
Cooking dinner with my mom, my youth that I had been out “That’s where your Great-
that’s when everything changed — a-saling. For a few precious Grandma Katy Franklin
when May 5, 1993, would no longer moments, it was a spring- lived,” she said. “She and
be just another day. time Saturday, circa 1985. I your daddy used to bake
Free Press. The phone rang, and Mom sat again in the backseat of apples on that house’s metal
dropped her cooking and grabbed it, Grandma and Grandpa Frank- roof in the summertime.”
annoyed at the interruption. lin’s 1973 burnt orange Dodge And on we went, eventu-
But, her expression changed instantly. Her Dart, shorts-clad legs sticking ally landing at Grandma’s
to the vinyl seats. perfect sale. Its worthiness, I
quick replies of “yes” or “no.” Grandpa gripped the wheel soon realized, had less to do
When she started describing Dad’s wedding loosely — probably too loose- with the treasures it had on
ly for Grandma’s taste — as offer and far more to do with
from St. Louis University with his doctorate we toodled through Bolivar’s the “visiting” opportunities it
northeast side, past a house afforded.
I flipped on the TV, and there it was — a break- they had just bought, the same Nonetheless, as Grandpa
ing news story about a plane crash in Theodosia. one in which my husband and found a lawn chair in the
See Way, Page 5A I live today. See Maull, Page 5A
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Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Hope From Front Page
7-year-old daughter, Sydney, as she battles severe epilepsy.
On this Monday evening, Sophie is still working to master
the basics. Armed with a clicker and hot dogs, Murray leads
her through a series of nonverbal exercises. Eventually, he
says, the dog will learn to detect when Sydney is
seizing and to respond by alerting the near-
est adult.
‘She won’t wake up’
The Bolivar Primary School
first-grader experienced her first
seizure at age 5. Her grandmoth-
er, Mary Hopwood, witnessed
that first event. Despite medi-
cal intervention, it lasted for
around five hours, Hopwood
says.
Rachel Campbell, who was
over an hour away at the time,
said she hurried to get by her
daughter’s side.
“I said, ‘They have to stop it or
she won’t wake up,’” Rachel Camp-
bell recalls “... I didn’t know what I was
going to walk into when I finally got there.”
Sydney’s parents say that pattern — hours-
long seizures that do not respond to medication — is the rule
when it comes to their daughter’s illness.
“She’s had one that was longer than (the first one),” Ra-
chel Campbell says. “The rest of them have averaged four or
five hours. … Medication doesn’t stop them.”
Known as status epilepticus, prolonged seizures are medi-
cal emergencies and often result in permanent neurological
injury and even death.
Since September alone, Sydney has suffered around six
such episodes, Rachel Campbell says, leading the family to
travel multiple times to Kansas City for treatment.
“They’re getting worse instead of better,” she says. “...
(The doctors) can’t figure her out.”
Rachel Campbell says the family is thankful, though. Thus
far, despite the severity of the seizures, Sydney has pulled
through without suffering any permanent “deficits,” she says.
Complicating matters, Sydney’s seizures typically occur
while she is sleeping. They tend to strike around 4 a.m., Ja-
son Campbell says, a time which makes it difficult to admin-
ister her rescue medication quickly.
Doctors say waking Sydney up prior to that time wouldn’t
solve the problem.
“Even if we were to set our alarms at 4 in the morning and
wake her up, it’s coming out of REM sleep into wake,” Ra-
chel Campbell says. “Even if we were to wake her up, they
said we wouldn’t chemically break the cycle, that it would
still happen.”
So Sydney goes to bed each night hooked up to a pulse
oximeter, which will alert the family if she is in distress.
But Rachel Campbell says the monitor has its shortcom-
ings: It does not alert the couple as soon as a seizure begins,
leaving them unable to immediately administer Sydney’s
emergency medicine.
And that’s where Sophie comes in.
“Whenever (Sydney) goes into the very beginning stages
NEWS Bolivar Herald-Free Press 5A
HOW TO CONTACT THE
BOLIVAR HERALD-FREE PRESS
of what … is going to be a seizure, (Sophie) will pick up on
Front office..............................326-7636 or 777-9700
that, and she will go to the nearest person and just start go-
Dave Berry, publisher and editor................ 777-9776
ing crazy,” Murray says. “... I think that she’ll verbally alert
Jessica Franklin Maull, associate editor...........777-9723
within six months. I think they’ll know something is hap-
Martin Barrett, sports editor..........................777-9724
pening.”
Jill Way, reporter............................................777-9722
It’s a prospect, Rachel Campbell says,
Becky Baker, editorial assistant...................777-9727
that gives the family hope.
Deanna Moore, advertising manager...........777-9731
“We’ve never been there at the be-
Amy Gardner, recruitment ad manager.......777-9733
ginning of a seizure ever,” she says,
adding that administering the res-
cue medicine earlier may make
all the difference.
But it’s easy to see Sophie,
who has been in the Camp-
Berry From Page 5A
bells’ home for just weeks, is of the next 150, unless I’m struck by lightning or
already making an impact on another bad fate before then.
the family. Jessica will be taking on half of my titles, the
“(Sophie) absolutely slid one for which she is already doing the over-
right into fitting with the fam- whelming amount of the work.
ily,” Rachel Campbell says. Her current title of associate editor will quite
“Sydney loves taking care of her. appropriately slide over to the well-deserving Jill
She follows Sydney around. I can’t Way. Much more will come later regarding both
wait to see what they do together. … It’s promotions.
going to be life-changing.” Again, all of that takes effect in June, timed
A community comes together with the anniversary, but I want to make it of-
The training Sophie requires is extensive and can be cost- ficial now to build momentum for that event. We
ly. Murray says he will spend “hundreds of hours” training will be sharing more details about that celebra-
the dog. tion as we get even closer to it, but for now,
Typically, Rachel Campbell says, training an epilepsy ser- count on being entertained and having opportuni-
vice dog costs around $60,000 and requires a two-year wait. ties to win prizes while having fun and helping
By opting to work with a local trainer, the Campbells say local good causes.
they were able to eliminate the wait and decrease the cost. It will be all about keeping the focus on being
“(Josh Murray) has been amazing,” she says. “He’s really of service to community.
stepped up for us.”
Murray isn’t the only Bolivar resident responding to the
family’s needs. Community members have come together
to host a fundraising spaghetti dinner and silent auction for
Maull From Page 5A
Sydney and Sophie this week. The event, sponsored by Ste-
shade and a fellow sale sufferer with whom to
phens Pharmacy and Douglas, Haun and Heidemann P.C., is
commiserate, I scored a few successes on the
set for 4-7 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at First Christian Church,
baby clothes table. My dolls gained some new
407 W. Broadway St., Bolivar.
additions to their wardrobe.
The event will feature a cake walk, a drawing and the
As I counted my change and waited for my
chance to meet Sophie.
grandparents to wrap up their front yard chats, I
Proceeds will help offset Sophie’s training costs, as well
took comfort in the fact that I likely had enough
as Sydney’s medical expenses. A portion of the proceeds will
left over for the ice cream man that afternoon.
also be donated to the Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and
And if I didn’t, I knew Grandpa would be
Kansas.
good for it. After all, if there was one overrid-
To donate an item for the silent auction, contact Mary
ing certainty in my childhood, it was simply this:
Hopwood at 328-8958.
Grandpa was always good for ice cream.
In addition to the dinner and silent auction, a bank ac-
count has been established for donations, which may be sent
to Bank of Bolivar, PO Box 560, Bolivar MO 65613 to the
benefit of Sydney Campbell.
The family has also created a Facebook page, “Sydney’s
Journey,” that chronicles the child’s progress and provides
Way From Page 5A
updates. At least one person was taken by helicopter to
Rachel Campbell says the family is “very thankful” for Springfield.
the community’s support. I knew exactly who it was.
“I don’t have words,” she says, referring to her family’s A few days later, while in the burn unit at
gratitude. “I literally do not have words.” University Hospital in Columbia, Dad was briefly
awake enough to interact with us.

Nature trail grand

He couldn’t speak because he was intubated
Community play and couldn’t write or gesture because his hands
were in splints, but the second he saw me, he

opening set for Friday day set for May 5
The Friends of Dunnegan
Park will host a grand opening
and ribbon cutting ceremony for
the new Dunnegan Park Nature
Trail from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday,
May 4, at Dunnegan Memorial
Park, 601 W. Forest St., Bolivar.
The event will feature grand
prize drawings for $100 gift
cards to Hibbett Sports, Woods
Supermarket and Walmart. All
children and adults who walk
the trail that evening will have a
chance to enter.
There will be free drinks,
prizes and face painting, as well
as live music by Roadside At-
traction. Those attending will
also have the chance to join in an
Arbor Day celebration, getting to
plant new trees in the park.
Organizers are encouraging
people to bring their own lawn
chairs to the event.
The new mile-long chat trail
around the edge of the park fea-
tures signs, sponsored by the
Missouri Department of Con-
servation, giving information
on species of trees and wildlife
found in Dunnegan Memorial
Park.
For more information on the
event or the trail, call 380-6403.
Project TEAMS and Southern Light Counsel-
ing are ready to kick off some summer fun with
a communitywide play day from 9 a.m. to noon
Saturday, May 5, at the Cribbs Family Youth Park,
309 S. Clark Ave., Bolivar.
There will be a variety of activities for kids, in-
cluding art projects, face painting and slime mak-
ing.
Area businesses and community agencies will
have resource tables with information about safe
summer activities for children and families.
Jennifer Schiffman from DigiDiva Dialogs will
present information on keeping kids safe online
throughout the morning.
This is a shine only event. If it is raining, the
play day will be canceled.
grunted and waved me over to the bed, looked me
in the eyes and cried.
I knew exactly what he was trying to say with-
out him having to say a word. I told him I was
sorry for how that morning played out, too. And
that I love him.
Twenty-five years later, May 5, 2018, is right
around the corner.
I’m sure it’ll be similar to 1993 in so many
ways. The school year will be winding down, the
weather will be warm. And I will most certainly
be late to something or other.
But, I know without a doubt at least one thing
will be different.
I’ll give hugs and kisses and say, “I love you,”
to everyone in my house, no matter what the
morning has brought with it.
That’s a lesson that hasn’t faded in my mind,
even after all these years.

Vendors wanted for BH-FP’s 150th celebration

Time is running out for nonprofit vendors
to sign up for a booth at Bolivar Herald-Free
Press’ sesquicentennial celebration. The
event will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 8,
at Bolivar High School.
Not-for-profit organizations are invited to
set up food and information booths during the
event. There is no cost for the booths, and all
proceeds may be kept by the organizations
to continue serving the community in all the
ways they do.
Organizations must provide their own set-
up and supplies.
For more information or to reserve a
spot, call 326-7636. The sign-up deadline is
Wednesday, May 16.
526507b
BH-FP wants memories
The Bolivar Herald-Free Press is
seeking memories from its readers for a
BolivarMONews.com
HOPE RUN
keepsake special 150th anniversary sec-
tion set to publish the first week of June.
Submissions may be any length and
should include memories and/or reflec-
tions about the impact of the newspaper
on individuals, families or organizations.
May 12, 2018 • 8:00 AM
Submissions should include the au-
thor’s name, city of residence and a 5K Walk/Run $20
phone number (not to be published).
They may be dropped off at the BH-FP
Frisco Trail Registration
office, 335 S. Springfield Ave., or sub-
mitted via email to news@bolivarmone-
Free T-Shirt $15 Registration
ws.com.
w/Student ID
All participants will receive an exclusive race t-shirt. Medals will be awarded
to the top male and female in every age group with race timing provided by
Ozark Racing Systems. The Hope Run is a family friendly event, and we en-
courage you to bring your children and make it a family day. The trail is paved
which will allow easy access for strollers.
Polk County House of Hope is a non-profit organization providing services and
emergency shelter for the victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Our mission is to provide victims with hope for a better tomorrow. Plan on
joining us to run for hope and race for change.
Pick up Race Day Packet the Friday before at House of Hope: 458 S. Spring-
field Ave., Bolivar OR morning of at the start line at Kent Feed/Farmers Mar-
ket: 1184 E. 460th Road, Bolivar.
REGISTER IN PERSON OR ONLINE @ pchouseofhope.org