January 22, 2007
CHAMPION—January 22, 2007
There is jubilation in Champion! Kyle Alexander Barker has arrived! He was born January 21st at about 4:30 in the morning. He weighed 8 pounds two ounces and was 22 inches long. His mother and father are Deborah and Tom Barker. Deborah is the Special Education teacher at Skyline School. She has a large support group there and everyone is celebrating. Young Master Barker enters an expansive family. Next week end Robert Upshaw, his maternal grandfather, plans to make ice cream to celebrate the birthday of Gene Barker, his paternal grandfather. It’s nice they all get along so well. By this time next year the little fellow will have determined what his favorite flavor of homemade ice cream will be and doubtlessly will have made other preferences known that will have him identified as an individual. He has deep roots in this community going way back. He is already a lucky lad to have such a beautiful home place and such a rich family heritage.
Grandpa Upshaw (Robert) was one of several who answered the call to fight that brush fire back on December 27th. He was within ten feet of Farel Sikes when he ‘disappeared.’ Robert reported that it was a difficult situation to get Farel out of the spot into which he had fallen. Other firefighters reported that it was slick and steep and a ‘brake’ rope had to be attached to the backboard to slow them down if things got too fast underfoot. Good fortune mixed with good training and a genuine sense community affected a positive outcome for Farel. To answer a number of inquiries, he is making excellent progress in his recovery. He says he can do pretty much anything he wants to do. “Gee!” said a neighbor, “If I fall off a cliff can I go to the circus?” The neighbor misses the point and probably will not get to go to the circus, no matter how much he likes clown(s).
Sixty five years ago when Wilburn Hutchison was eight years old, he and Fleming Gheer were out in a hay field just south of Skyline when they looked up to see a dirigible! Wilburn said it was going east. He just celebrated his birthday on January 11th. He was born in 1934, which he said was reported to have been a very cold winter. He was born very close to his current residence with his grandmother and Ms. Jessie Mae Paige there to help his mother. He and Louise married in the house where they love now. It was 72 degrees that morning, December 30th, 1967, and by they time they had the ceremony that evening (the preacher had gone fishing) the temperature had dropped into the twenties and there was ten inches of show on the ground. It was a dangerous adventure getting back to Iowa for the newly weds. On November 11, 1911, there was an even more dramatic temperature drop. Tom Hutchison’s mother and dad had gone to Norwood by wagon early in the day. It was 80 degrees when they left home. By the time they got back it was 20 degrees with the snow blowing and it was a treacherous trip. In those days, with no weather service to warn them of impending disaster, people stayed prepared. They put up their garden produce, butchered a hog, made their soap and ground their sorghum, cut bee trees and fire wood. They also helped each other and built deep, strong friendships…the essence of community.
Wilburn was a school mate of Darrell Haden from whom a postcard has been received at “Champions Items.” They attended Ava High School. Mr. Haden writes a complimentary note and provides some excellent information about some Missouri songs. He reports that “I’m Goin’ Back to Whur I Come From” was written by Carson J. Robinson who also wrote “Life Gits TeeJus.” Since life can be tedious everywhere, that one will not be considered as a strictly Missouri song. He also wrote that Robinson penned “The West Plains Explosion” for Vernon Dalhart to record in June of 1928. From the internet these words are found:
VERSE 1
In a little town of West Plains
In old Missouri state
Twas in the month of April
They saw the hand of fate
VERSE 2
The springtime flowers were blooming
The world was bright and gay
And no one dreamed the danger
Would come to them that day
VERSE 3
Was there the young folks gathered
One fatal Friday night
And to the dance they wandered
With hearts so gay and light
VERSE 4
And there they spent the evening
Without a thought of fear
For nothing came to warn them
That death was drawing near
VERSE 5
The dance was nearly over
The evening nearly past
When from the floor beneath them
There came an awful blast
VERSE 6
The building all around them
Came tumbling to the ground
And there they fought and struggled
But the hot flames beat them down
VERSE 7
How quick the scene was shifted
From one so gay and light
How hard the brave men struggled
To save their friends that night
VERSE 8
How sad the fears of loved ones
Who came at break of dawn
To see the great disaster
Where forty lives had gone
VERSE 9
We can’t explain the reason
These awful things must come
But we should all be ready
To say, “Thy will be done”
VERSE 10
And tho Our hearts are weary
Our burdens hard to bare
We have one consolation
We’ll meet them over there.
While many Herald readers may be acquainted with this episode in local history, it is news to many others. The sesquicentennial celebration of Douglas County that will culminate in October this year will hopefully give residents and readers the opportunity to learn much more detail about the recent history (150 years) of the area. Pioneer Days will also be the first week-end in October and promises to be another great event highlighting the old days and the old ways. Perhaps Darrell Haden will consent to a reprint of “The Headless Cobbler of Smallett Cave, The Origin and Growth of a Douglas County, Missouri, Legend.” Encouragement from the likes of Mr. Haden is encouragement indeed! He also suggests “My Missouri Home” for the song list. Words for that one are being researched. Additional encouragement comes from Patty Squirell, via e-mail. “Really wonderful, and I love Westphalia, passing through as I did on my trips back and forth to Columbia, MO. I’m concerned that you have forgotten to mention my favorite Missouri song though. I can’t keep myself from singing anytime I head to my sister’s. “Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come.”
The Missouri Song List
- The Missouri Waltz
- Take Me to St. Louie, Louie
- I’m Goin Back to Whur I Come From
- The Westphalia Waltz
- The West Plains Explosion
- My Missouri Home
- Kansas City, Here I Come
Encouragement, legends, histories, poetry, grumblings, musings and music are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717, at the Champion Store, and at Champion News. Corrections are also welcome there. Some misinformation about the Evan’s store will be corrected in the near future. It was erroneously reported that Jesse Henson had started that store, when it was the Evans family’s business in its beginnings. Readers and writers are looking forward to learning more about the truth of that matter. There was no response to the solicitation for ‘tails’ in last weeks column. The idea of rabbits and dogs and birds loosing their trailing parts due to poor word choices is a dreadful thought. Having fur and feathers show up in the mail would be worse. So, tales are welcome, but no tails, please.
The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department will override the State of the Union Message this week with its meeting on Tuesday evening. A full report can be expected in the next issue as plans are made for the Chili Supper on February 24th. Excitement is building as time is getting short! There is much to do and energy levels are running high! Champions ooze enthusiasm!
American Soldiers young and old are doing what is asked of them. Love and Gratitude is their due.
