AROUND ABOUT [SCOTT'S SCHOOL]
IRON COUNTY REGISTER,
Ironton, Iron Co., Mo., Thurs. Feb. 10, 192?

             Mr. Editor – May I impose on your good nature and the patience of your many readers to tell of a trip I recently made through the Lead Belt, into the country – about eight miles to eastward?  The Lead Belt is not a very interesting place, as is nearly always the case of a center to great activity, unless one is looking for work or business of some kind.  I mention the L.B., with its bustle and hustle, in comparison to the quiet place, only eight miles away, known as Scott’s School.  In addition to the school house there is a church house, which is open to all denominations.  Everyone, no matter what he calls himself, may go and worship the Creator. 

            My headquarters were at the home of Mr. Janis.  I spoke of the quietness of the community, but I do not want to be misunderstood as meaning it is slow and shiftless.  It is a farming community and these farmers are all hustlers.  Mr. Janis has a comfortable house, plenty of outbuildings, plenty of stock of all kinds, and the general appearance of his farm attests to the fact of his thrift.   The same may be said of all the other farms I saw.  Mrs. Janis was a Miss Sigman and is a sister of Wm. Sigman who lived in Trenton a few years ago.  Mrs. Janis’ old home is at Stone.  She is very energetic in her home and never tires of trying to make her visitor comfortable.  Little Miss Genevieve (aged five) goes to and from school with as much pride and importance as a high school girl just before graduation. 

            Mr. Archer is a very fine gentleman and a very interesting talker.  He made a trip to California about one year ago, and his renascency was very interesting.  Mrs. Archer is a lady of much refinement.  She has an intelligent bearing and a very motherly and kind disposition. 

            There are Uncle Boyd and Major Thurman!  I must not pass them by.  Mr. Boyd is quite old and would be very active, for one of his age, but for the unfortunate fact of having fallen from a high bluff and sustained injuries from which he never fully recovered.  His mind reaches back to a time that is ancient history for this part of Missouri.  His very early days were spent near Doe Run, Mo.  Instead of the locomotive whistle his ears caught the weird sound of the wild cat’s squall and the hideous howls of the timber wolf.  He cut cord wood for the Iron Mountain Company in the early invasion of the virgin timber.  It seems a pity our historians do not consult such man.  Just a few more years and it will be forever too late.  Yes Major Thurman!  When he meets you with arm extended, palm open, grasps your hand in a hearty shake, a broad smile that covers his whole face and says with such a real meaning; “Come in and stay all night,” you can not help believing he means it.  His wife is the same good hearted soul.  Major Thurman has served his county on the county judicial bench.  I met two of his sons who served in the late war.  I met a number of other young men who had served.  All fine young men.  I visited the school, which is being taught by Miss Edith Gordon.  This is her second term at that place.  I had the pleasure of teaching one afternoon while Miss Gordon and Miss Scott were horse back riding.  I never saw better children or greater interest taken in any school.  Miss Scott’s early years were spent here.  Her father was a physician and he was closely linked with the early history of this community.  Miss Scott’s parents are dead. 

            Last but not least I speak of Mr. And Mrs. Byington.  About 7 P.M. a call over the phone requested me to come to their house.  I went, and I did not regret it.  For a while I felt a little embarrassed, being much the oldest person present.  The house was filled with young people, all bent on having a good time.   Mr. And Mrs. Byington are the kind of people that every community is not blessed with.  They are much loved especially by the young people.  The youngsters literally “take” the place and Mr. And Mrs. B. surrender.   These young people were so full of joyous life that merry making was soon “unconfined.”  I caught the spirit of youth and soon found myself mingling with the merry makers.   The joy that was “unconfined” lasted until midnight and when we parted, there was no boom of cannon to blanch the cheeks of those sweet girls or banish the smiles of those fine boys.  I was invited to have dinner at their house the next evening.  Mr. And Mrs. B. are not southern people but they are the soul of hospitality.  Among all the good things we had, I must make special mention of the coffee and cake, and the bread!   Kings and Queens of this earth have never tasted such.  The bread was delicious beyond compare.  This was accredited to Miss Scott’s culinary attainments.  I want to say here that the man who is fortunate enough to get Miss Scott for a wife, if he will furnish the flour and other ingredients, she will make him as fine bread as can be made.  Boys, I recommend her to you.  Many times will I see and hear those young people in their joyous and innocent revelry.  I hope I may see them all again before the curtain of death is dropped forever.
                                                                         O. H. GORDON

MISS EDITH GORDON VISITS PARENTS

Miss Edith Gordon visited her parents, O. H. and Mrs. Gordon, Nov. 25[?], 1920. Miss Edith was accompanied by Mrs. Byington, a friend. Edith and Mrs. Byington visited her brother and family, Mr. A. R. Gordon, and had Thanksgiving dinner with them. They also visited Miss Marjorie Kendal. Miss Marjorie and Edith seem to be greatly attached to each other. Miss Edith was graduated from the Ironton high school, Spring of 1917. Miss Marjorie was graduated one or two years later.

Miss Edith was graduated along with Miss Stella Beardsley, Geo. Farrar, Russell Riggs, Bernard Adolph and one or two others whose names the writer does not recall. So far as the writer knows all of her class are living except Russell Riggs, whose body lies buried in the fields of France, where he made the supreme sacrifice, never knowing whether that sacrifice bore fruit or a blight. Russell seems to have been a great favorite with his class.

Like ashes before the wind this class is scattered wide. Miss Edith is teaching her second term in Ste. Genevieve County at a school known as "Scott School." This district is composed of parts of St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties, so it might be termed the "Two Saints." Mrs. Byington was born at the once quaint old town, Ste. Genevieve. Her father, Dr. Braham, moved to Farmington when she was a child, hence most of her girlhood and young womanhood was spent in Farmington. Her father is now living in Chicago, and in spite of his advanced age, which I understand, is a little more than three score and ten years, is practicing dentistry. Mrs. Byington's love at fair [affair?] is a little bit romantic, married her early girlhood lover.

Published by the IRON COUNTY REGISTER, Ironton, Iron Co. MO, Thurs. Dec. 2, 1920.