Saturday, November 4, 2023

David Evander Shapard (Chapter 19) 1918-1921 Houses, Hotels & the Rise of the Fort Smith Kindergarten

Chapter 19

Houses, Hotels and the Rise of the Fort Smith Kindergarten

1918-1921



    

As in the life of many young men, 5 year old David, for one reason or another, became disgruntled with his home life. As a boy of action, he decided he was going to part with his parents and run away. He gathered a few clothes and a toy or two and wrapped it in a cloth around a cane pole and informed his mother of his intention. She asked him not to leave home just yet, and to wait for his father to come home so he could say goodbye. Young David did as he was asked, and when his father arrived, he explained the situation. His father replied that he was so sad to see him go and that they loved him, and whenever he was ready to come back home, he was always welcome as long as he lived. Young David said goodbye and off he went down the dirt street. He looked back and saw his parents wave goodbye, and he waved goodbye also.

    There was a small spring creek, a few inches deep, that traversed the dirt road about 50 yards from David’s house. As a boy of only five years of age, that was the farthest he had ever traveled before. He recalled that when he crossed the creek in the road, he had entered uncharted territory. Up ahead was a house with a fenced yard. As he approached the house on the road, suddenly a huge dog ran up to the fence, barking and snarling. Terrified, David thought, “well my mother and daddy want me to come back home, and I really don’t have anywhere to go.” As quickly as he could, he turned around and ran back home. Upon entering the house, his parents pretended like he had really run off, though unbeknownst to him they had been watching him from the side window the whole time. They were so happy to see him, hugged him and kissed him and welcomed him back. David recalled later in life that his father was brilliant in the way he handled that situation, in that he didn’t forbid him to go, and didn’t whip him when he returned, yet was under his watchful eye the whole time.

    

In November, David, Sr., was again a proud uncle, when his brother Edwin was blessed with another son. Edwin and May named their child Edwin Ruthven Shapard III (1918-1998) in honor of his father and grandfather. Edwin Shapard III was raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Muskogee, Oklahoma. He attended the University of Arkansas with his older brother John, before graduating medical school from Tulane University in New Orleans. With the outbreak of WWII, he enlisted on February 12, 1944, in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, becoming a lieutenant commander. After the war, Edwin remained in the service and was active in the Korean War, before retiring in 1954, to go into private practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Shapard was loved far and wide for his talent in delivering babies. In 1946, he married Elizabeth Roberts (1921-?), and they had three children.

    Business was booming, and on December 7, 1918, David E. Shapard renewed his annual contract with the Atkinson-Williams Hardware Company. As their top salesman, David received a raise, increasing his base salary to $150 per month, plus all necessary and proper expenses in the discharge of his duties as a traveling salesman. In addition, when the profits of his sales exceeded $9,000, he would receive a bonus of 20 % of the gross excess beyond the said $9,000.

  

 
In celebration of his contract, David and Elise decided to forgo renting their house at 1108 North 15th Street, and instead permanently rent a suite at the Goldman Hotel on North 13th Street and Garrison Avenue. At the time, the Goldman Hotel was the social center of Fort Smith, hosting weddings, balls, banquets, philanthropic groups, business gatherings, conventions, etc. It was a first-class establishment, managed by a large staff of receptionists, doormen, bellboys, elevator lift boys, waiters, maids, etc., all exceptionally dressed and well-trained in the art of service. The six-story brick hotel was opened in 1910, and quickly became famous for its amenities and architecture. A large ball room occupied the sixth floor, and the first floor offered a barbershop for haircuts and hot-towel shaves, shoeshine stand, cigar stand, a beautiful plaster, marble and tile decorated lobby, cast iron intricate stairway rails and two elegant dining rooms. Many a bellboy remembered young David Shapard, Jr., playing in that grand lobby of the Goldman Hotel. It was stated that guests of the dining rooms were served by tuxedo-clad waiters, serving meals with silverware, and the check was delivered on a silver tray. The second floor was open to the public and provided rooms for office spaces, meetings, and expositions. The third, fourth and fifth floors offered rooms and suites reserved exclusively for hotel guests and residents, such as the Shapards.



    Interestingly, on January 1, 1919, Elise Shapard pioneered Fort Smith’s first private modern kindergarten school by renting an available room on the second floor of the elite Goldman Hotel. She had been homeschooling her five year old son David, Jr., and rightly thought that other mothers of the area would appreciate her form of education. She was clearly following in her father’s academia footsteps, and with her extraordinary educational background, talents and determination, it was a perfect enterprise. It was known simply as the “Fort Smith Kindergarten.” For the initial session, Elise limited the number of pupils to twelve. The first class of students were: her son David E. Shapard, Jr., as well as, Helen Walker, Martha Snider, Betty Lou Snider, Billie Decker, Lois Traylor, Charlen Boyd, Dorothy Nell Lane, Rhoad Ann Beesner, Rose Mary Oliver and Al Martin. This first session of the Fort Smith Kindergarten came to a successful close on June 1, 1919.


 
Elise’s inspiration had been fostered by the fact that there had been a great lack of kindergartens in the city. Although Fort Smith primary and secondary schools were recognized as some of the best in the southwest, children below the age of 6 years old, were not being properly trained to enter public school, nor adequately being molded for success and benevolence within their community. Circa 1900, the Fort Smith German Catholic Church and St. Anne’s Academy, being a catholic boarding school located on Garrison Avenue, both established minimal kindergartens with limited success. However, these schools were geared for the catholic pupils. In 1914, there was a growing call for someone in the community to establish a first class, strictly modern (Montessori system), well-equipped kindergarten. Elise Shapard’s 1919 kindergarten was the catalyst that would inevitably answer that call.

  

 
Beginning at the time that the Shapard’s were living at the Goldman Hotel, and due to the influence of their surroundings, David and Elise began to invest in a multitude of oil stocks. They were in the midst of a period of wild mineral speculation, that occurred from 1917 through the mid-1920s, during which time numerous unincorporated oil companies were being organized. Stocks were sold to raise capital for drilling, however, most of these companies lasted only as long as promoters could sell their stocks. The majority of these companies were unincorporated, operating as joint stock associations under a Declaration of Trust, being the weakest of company formations, which was favored by the promoters to avoid disclosures and state taxes required with incorporation. Shareholders were responsible for the company’s debts and lost all their investments when these companies failed. Unfortunately, by the late 1920s, David and Elise went bust on their investments of 150 shares in the Double Head Oil & Refining Company, 125 shares in the Arkan-Tex Oil Company, 5 shares in the Harris-Echols Oil & Gas Company, 5 shares in the Arkansas-Texas Company, and their 187 ½ shares in the Petroleum Producer’s Association.

    In addition to David living at the social hub of Fort Smith and doing financially well, he was thriving in his fraternal business organizations. In 1919, the United Commercial Travelers of Fort Smith Council No. 86, had 242 members among its ranks, making it the largest council in the state of Arkansas. In March, David was reelected as the council’s Secretary-Treasurer, and his brother Edwin was elected to the Executive Committee. The previous year, David had received the honor of being elected, by the Grand Council of the United Commercial Travelers for the whole state of Arkansas, to the office of ‘Grand Sentinel.’ David traveled throughout the state, and beyond, as part of the responsibility of his offices, to attend the various meetings of the U. C. T. In addition, he was also traveling extensively for his job as a salesman. During this time, for diversion, David also greatly enjoyed the social aspect of competitive shooting at the Fort Smith Gun Club with his friends.

    One particularly humorous story from this time, occurred when David was on the road, staying at a boardinghouse for a few days with some other traveling salesmen friends. The boardinghouse had no indoor plumbing, so the men utilized an outhouse in the backyard. Apparently, one of the men had a dire phobia of snakes and had expressed his concern about encountering one in the tall brush around the outhouse. Always the prankster, David conspired with some of the other men to pray upon this poor fella’s fear. Acquiring a fake snake, David placed the beast under the toilet paper, removing all but one sheet - for during this era, toilet paper was provided in sheets, not rolls. That evening, the men were giddy with concealed laughter waiting for the man to fall for the prank. Sure enough, he eventually excused himself, and, as he entered the outhouse, the other men ran to the windows in excitement. Their efforts were rewarded, a few minutes later, by a blood curdling scream from the outhouse. The entire boardinghouse erupted into laughter. It was reported that the unfortunate victim was so terrified that he didn’t even bother to open the door on his way out!

    It is safe to say that David and Elise lived a largely independent life from one another throughout the week, mostly convening on the weekends. To fill the days, Elise enjoyed perpetuating an elaborate lifestyle of society, academia, travel, vehicles, entertaining, prestige and homes of which she had been accustomed since youth; and, David gained value in becoming prosperous, providing his family with the means and stability that he himself lacked as a child. At this time, David had liberty bonds, stocks, several thousands of dollars loaned to one of the building and loan companies and about $35,000.00 in life insurance made payable to Elise. Although the Shapard family was growing in affluence, the truth was that Elise was a poor steward of their family’s finances, often spending exorbitant amounts of money without first consulting with her husband.

    As early as 1919, their independent lifestyles and the effects of her spending began to stress their marriage and she and David sought the wise council of her father J. W. Conger. He replied to both of them in a letter dated June 2, 1919;

    “…Do not fail this new year to give chief thought to your duties to God. Do not neglect his word. There is a world of rich thought and feeling and happiness for you in the reading and study of the Bible and in doing your duty to your church. Cultivate devotion (prayer) together. Each of you pray with each other and for each other – if only a few words at first, you will find a blessing and it will grow wonderfully with you. If you will read a good book now and then, I will be glad to send to you such as you will enjoy.

    Now try to see the good things in each other and talk about these and if you see something in which the other can help you, speak of it in love and not in critical love or spirit or fault finding – but with spirit to help each other. God bless my two big children whom I love so fondly and for whom I pray daily. You are both so capable and have such useful and happy future, if you will work it so – and your Papa believes you will. Hug and kiss little David for me. Affectionately, Papa.”

    In late September of 1919, Elise began the second class of the Fort Smith Kindergarten at the Goldman Hotel. Since her son David, Jr., had graduated kindergarten in June, she expanded her curriculum to include both kindergarten and now first grade, as well as, increasing the class size to 30 pupils. Elise tirelessly managed the whole operation on her own. Students for that session are believed to have been: Dora Graves, Jane German, John German, Marle Meek, Frances Meek, Parmalee Curtis, Billy Beckman, John Foster, Charles M___, Miles Foster, Frances Smith, Virginia Hinton, Mariana Johnston, Dorothy Little, Betsy Holt, Julo Ne___, Lucy Warner, Mary Gordon Richardson, Margery Bass, Elizabeth A__, Margret Walker, Bernice Vaughn, Bernice Bonmark, Mary Jan ___, Marian Aue, Sara Johnson, Frances Shipley, Mary Elizabeth Ditto. Elise’s six year old son David Shapard, Jr., was also a student, as well as, her four year old nephew John Miller Shapard, son of Edwin and May Shapard.

    While spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with the Congers in Conway, David and Elise decided it was time to invest in properties ‘in the country’ on the outskirts of Fort Smith. They liked the new neighborhoods on North Greenwood Avenue, just a short distance away from Little Rock Avenue (present-day Rogers Avenue) being the main road leading downtown. On January 8, 1920, David purchased a six room ‘modern cottage’ home at 218 North Greenwood Avenue from Mrs. Catherine Shaw for $2,300. The residence was platted as lots 3 and 4, of Block 8, of the Barnes and Sweet Addition. It appears that they may have used this house as an investment property.


   
Shortly thereafter, on January 25th, David purchased a second home, for $6,000 from Mr. C. S. Smart, that was platted as lots 18 and 19, of Block 2, in the Kinkead Addition. David took out a $4,500 mortgage to acquire this property. This house, at 610 North Greenwood Avenue, being located just a few streets north of their other property, was to be their primary residence. It was a one-and-a-half story cottage, with a beautiful trellised and square-columned porch framing the front door and wrapping around the northwest corner of the house. The foundation of the home was trimmed in brick, yet the rest of the exterior façade was of rough stucco. Numerous white wood trimmed windows allowed for adequate light and ventilation. A portion of the A-framed attic had been utilized as a second-story room, outfitted with three small windows facing the street. A sidewalk ran through the front yard with a straight concrete path leading to the three concrete steps before the front door.
Climbing roses and vines draped the trellises around the porch and house, and a few young trees were growing in the front yard. About February, the Shapard family departed from the luxury-living at the Goldman Hotel for their new residence at 610 North Greenwood. After seven years of marriage and many moves, this was the first home that they actually owned instead of rented.

  

 
After the move, Elise attempted to continue her kindergarten at the Goldman Hotel, however the frequent travel downtown, as well as, the added expense of hotel space rental became problematic. She resolved these obstacles by moving the school of 30 pupils into her home, at 610 Greenwood, until the end of the session in June. She also made the large purchase of a trapeze, seesaw and slide to outfit the backyard for the children’s entertainment. She also purchased a car for her own use, a Dodge Coupe for the significant sum of $1,500. Since David was at work Monday through Friday during the operational hours of the school, she reasoned that this would resolve all the issues with little conflict. Obviously, the reality was that this situation created a home environment not conducive for comfort and privacy.


    Although David and Elise were occupied with the new house, work and the kindergarten, they also remained involved in the First Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In 1920, David had been elected as the Assistant Superintendent of the Sunday School, and Elise was appointed to the Music Committee, for the year, in the women’s missionary society.


    
The Shapard’s were very excited about their new home and extended an invitation for friends and family to come and visit. In early April of 1920, Sumner Shapard arrived from Baltimore to visit his brothers at Fort Smith. All three brothers convened at David’s new house to admire the new purchase. Surrendering to their eternal youthful spirit, David, Sumner and Edwin climbed on the trapeze in the backyard for a well-staged photograph. It was stated that David and his son played quite often in the backyard and found great enjoyment acting together on the trapeze.

    In true form, Elise’s parents and sisters were also some of her first guests at the new home. Dr and Mrs. J. W. Conger, as of late, had both developed some health issues, and, in February of 1920, he tendered his resignation as the president of Central Baptist College in Conway, Arkansas. In honor of his service, the Board of Trustees of the college elected him president emeritus, allowing him to keep his title in perpetuity. Although the Congers retained a home in Conway, they spent an exponentially large amount of time in Fort Smith as guests of the Shapard family.

    As a family of educators, there was much discussion about the future of the kindergarten among the Conger family, and it was advised that Elise should consult with the experts in the field in order to establish a more superlative school. As it came to pass, in late July, Elise and her son David, Jr., traveled to Baltimore, Washington D.C., and New York consulting with the directors and teachers of the premier elementary schools in the nation. She studied all aspects of modern and effective classroom design, curriculum, teaching techniques, etc., in preparation of the coming year. She and David, Jr., remained in the northeast for the duration of the summer, returning to Fort Smith on September 11th.

    Just before Elise, left for her trip, she and David sold their investment house at 218 Greenwood Avenue to Margaret H. Munder. They had purchased the house for $2,300 in January and sold it seven months later for $4000, turning a substantial profit. All of the proceeds from the sale were promptly spent funding Elise’s venture for the summer, in addition to, her new car and playground equipment.

While his wife and son were away, David remained active in his salesman work, as well as, his fraternal business organizations. That year during the annual meeting of the Ancient and Mystic Order of the Bagmen of Bagdad for the Arabella Guild of the Desert of Arkansas, which was held at Texarkana, David was elected to the mysterious office of “Zenevester.” Whilst there, arrangements were made for the grand parade to coincide with the Grand Council meeting, later that year, of the United Commercial Travelers of Arkansas.


    
Elise acquired a significant amount of information, revelation and vision while consulting with the educational experts on her venture to the northeast. Despite the frequent meetings, she did allow sightseeing time for young David. In particular, they visited the sites on the National Mall and the Tidal Basin Beach that had been opened in 1918. The beach was highly popular among visitors and residents alike, before it was discontinued in 1925. Elise photographed David, Jr., posing on the shore of the lake with the massive Washington Monument obelisk towering in the background.

    Upon their return to Arkansas in September, Elise and David, Jr., stayed with her parents in Conway for a few days discussing with great excitement all the details and insights of their adventure. Once back home at Fort Smith on September 11th, there was much to be accomplished before the next session of the Fort Smith Kindergarten was to open in a little over two weeks. With an increase in admissions to 40 students, Elise knew the demands of the school was beyond what she herself was capable, and hired Miss Louise Wright as her assistant for the coming session. Miss Wright was well qualified and had spent the summer at the University of Colorado taking a special course in kindergarten primary work. On September 19th, Elise secured a large ad in the local Southwestern American newspaper describing the school and announcing the that the next session was open for enrolment until a full quota of pupils was acquired or October 1st, which ever came first. She offered that additional information could be attained by phoning her at 1676, or visiting the school at 610 Greenwood Avenue.

  

 
Just days before the start of the school session, David and Elise sold their house at 610 Greenwood Avenue to Dr. Walter Eberle and Ella Eberle for $6,850, profiting on the sale $850 after nine months. Flush with cash, Elise decided to exchange her Dodge Coupe for a larger Dodge Sedan, for which she paid $200 after trade in. David realized that the expenditures on the kindergarten, as well as, the costs of owning a home and two cars was prudently beyond their financial means. When given the choice, Elise favored the kindergarten. The Shapards immediately returned to renting, moving to the house directly next door at 614 Greenwood Avenue. Their newly rented residence was located on lots 14 and 15, Block 2, of the Kinkead Addition. The single-story brick and stucco house had a large porch spanning the front. A brick chimney towered on the southern side, and a host of trellises for roses and vines adorned the property. There was a 20 foot wide alley in the back that allowed for access to the small plankboard detached garage. The backyard had ample space for all the playground equipment, that luckily only had to be moved one property to the north! Elise quickly outfitted the house to accommodate the 40 students that would soon be arriving for the first day of school on Monday morning September 27th, at ten o’clock a. m.

    Elise Shapard’s Fort Smith Kindergarten only offered education for kindergarten and first grade, and since her son David, Jr., had graduated from the first grade in June, new arrangements were made for him. In September of 1920, David, Jr. was enrolled as a second grader at the new John H. Rogers public elementary school that had just been built at the corner of Kinkead and Lecta. The brick school building was available for grades first through sixth, and received its initial students in February of 1920, while it was still under construction. The classrooms were outfitted with large exterior windows and transoms over the interior doors that could be opened for ventilation. During the winter, gas stoves below the windows were utilized to heat the rooms. Desks were fastened to the floor, in ordered rows, facing the teacher’s desk and a large blackboard on the wall. When it was time for recess, the children were lined up smallest to largest and orderly marched outside. In the early 1920s, the playground was void of equipment, yet was home to a few large oak trees upon which to climb.

 

   
David, Jr.’s teacher that year was Miss Thelma Brown (1889-?) who had graduated from Fort Smith High School before attending a one-year normal training class, as well as, a summer training class at Columbia University in New York. She taught the second grade class, of approximately 45 children, out of a primer, however, beyond this there were very few classroom books available for students at the Roger’s Elementary School in the 1920s. She earned $35 per month, and was required to provide her teaching aids and classroom supplies out of her own salary. Blackboards were washed daily by the children; and, it was a special treat to get selected to clean the erasers, by getting to go outside during school hours and pound them on the walls to remove the chalk dust.

 

   
Throughout the fall, David and Elise had many conversations about the future of her Fort Smith Kindergarten. She had begun the school by responding to the educational needs of her own son, however, now that he had outgrown the school, her efforts seemed unnecessary. Nevertheless, Elise was an extremely well-educated woman for her time. Her level of education far exceeded that of most men, and, as such, she had an ambition to be more than just a housewife and mother. The school gave her a sense of identity, respect and purpose, that was intoxicating. And like most intoxicants, if unchecked, the effects would become detrimental to the stability of her family and the relationships with her husband and son. In the end, Elise dismissed the trepidations of her husband, and decided to pursue the school wholeheartedly. She was determined to grow it beyond what her home could accommodate, and began a fund-raising campaign to construct a new kindergarten building.

    As the fall session of the Fort Smith Kindergarten came to a close, Elise secured the Lutheran Hall, on December 17, 1920, for her students to perform a Christmas program. The performance was open to the public, and tickets were sold through the Sterling Drug Store. The proceeds of the sale were added to the building fund for her new kindergarten.

    The Shapards spent Christmas of 1920 in Conway with the Congers, returning home to Fort Smith on December 29th. Elise had much to prepare in anticipation of the next session of her school, commencing on January 31, 1921. For the remainder of the school year, she continued to retain the assisting services of Miss Louise Wright, and together made the spring term the most successful in the short history of the kindergarten.


    
While living on Greenwood Avenue, the Shapard’s became friends with one of their neighbors, Mr. & Mrs. Solon Wilder. Like David Shapard, Solon Wilder (1889-1966) was a traveling man, and, at that time was working for the New York Life Insurance Company. About once a week, during the spring and summer, the Shapard’s would go over to the Wilder house, or vice versa, and would have supper and then sit on the front porch to socialize. To further the connection between these two families, the Wilder’s had a son named Franklin (1913-1995), who was the same age as David, Jr. In fact, they were born only about a month apart. For whatever reason, to the dismay of the parents, David, Jr., and Franklin always seemed to argue and get in a fight each time the two families got together.

    One time, after scrapping in the yard, both boys were crying and David, Sr., and Mr. Wilder came off the porch and told the boys; “Stop all this fighting, every time we get together y’all end up fighting and we fathers are sick of it. And the next time you fight, we are going to punish you.” Well, it wasn’t an hour later and the boys were scrapping, wrestling and fighting in the yard again. The two fathers came off the porch, with a brilliant plan, and stopped the boys, and said, “Now boys, we want y’all to go right on fighting. And we are telling you right now, whichever one of you wins, we are going to whip you – and whichever of you loses, we are going to whip you twice! So y’all just fight all you want to fight, and we daddies are just going to stand right here and watch you. Cause we want to know who wins, so we can whip him once and the loser twice!” Well, that took all the fight out of the two kids. They weren’t about to fool around with both getting whipped. In fact, after that day, the two boys never fought each other again. On a side note, as an adult, Franklin Wilder became a judge in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

    During the summer of 1921, the Grand Council of Arkansas of the United Commercial Travelers of America held their 11th annual convention at the Shriner’s temple at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. David E. Shapard was in attendance with 250 other brethren, representing each of the six local councils of Arkansas. The Fort Smith Council No. 86 represented the largest delegation, and it was unanimously decided during the morning meeting that Fort Smith would host the succeeding annual convention. The afternoon was turned over to the Bagmen of Bagdad, who assembled and paraded through the business section of the town. The evenings featured dances, movies, car tours and musicals. During the convention, David was honored to be elected as the ‘Grand Junior Counselor’ for the Arkansas Grand Council of the United Commercial Travelers, and was re-elected for the fourth year in a row as the Secretary Treasurer of his local Fort Smith U. C. T. Council No. 86.

    While David was away for the convention, Elise and David, Jr., ventured to Conway to spend the week with her parents. Much discussion was had about the future of the kindergarten. Interestingly, her fund to build a new school was beginning to accrue capital, making the realization of Elise’s vision highly plausible. She had already compiled her research into blueprint floor plans for the perfect school layout. All along, the Congers were highly supportive of her efforts and continued to assist her in every way possible; furthermore, the special bond between Elise and her father, was made significantly stronger through her endeavor.


    
Eight year old David, Jr., enjoyed a wonderful week with his grandparents at Conway. After he returned to Fort Smith, he spent the lazy days of summer playing with his neighborhood friends, traveling with his parents and attending birthday parties. One particularly charming party was the six year birthday celebration of Ben Pollock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Pollock. David attended the event with his cousin John Miller Shapard, along with approximately 60 guests, all dressed in little suits and frocks. After playing on the new seesaw, that had been the gift of the host’s father, the children were paired and marched into the dining room where a course of ice cream and cake was served. Each guest was crowned at the entrance to the dining room. The girls received a crown of flowers, and the boys one adorned with birds and other native and wild beasts.

    As she had done in years past, Elise was busy readying herself and her home for the coming school year. It appears that she traveled to other kindergartens, making note of their layouts and amenities, as well as, gaining valuable knowledge by consulting with the various experts in the field of primary education. She returned to Fort Smith in early September, where she placed an ad in the local paper announcing the opening of the fall enrollment of the Fort Smith Kindergarten. The school was to commence on October 1, 1921, at her home at 614 Greenwood Avenue, and was listed as “the most modern, up-to-date and completely equipped kindergarten in the state.”


    
Elise maintained the maximum enrollment number at 40 students, being the same as the previous year. As a tribute to her efforts, she received the full quota of students, only losing two by the end of the school year in June. Interestingly, during the spring session of 1922, she changed the name of the school, rebranding it as “The Blue Bird School,” symbolizing expectant childhood buoyant activity and prophetic achievement. The Blue Bird school flower became the sweet pea and the school colors were blue and gold. Students of the Fort Smith Kindergarten/Blue Bird School for the 1921-1922 school year were: Pat Kelly, Elizabeth Awbrey, Jerry Creekmore, Bobbie Foster, Charles Cohn, Bennie Barry, Lucy Katherine Harper, Caroline Dixie Jackson, Mont Johnson, Jr., Louise Lillard, Dick McCann, Wright McEachin, Tom Milley, Minnie Warren Foster, Jim Foster, Martha Ann Green, Herbert Foster, Henry Goodnow, Edward Moulton, Janie Claire Mason, Charles Herbert Oakley, Ben Pollock, John Gordon Richardson, Jack Rose, John Rossman, Mary Gordon Richardson, Ida Paden, Bobbie Turner, John Mitchell Vick, Billy Warren, Helen Decker Walker, Charles Warner, Lucy Warner, Herbert Wolf, Miriam Ward, and Nancy Ruth Yarborough.



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