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All Alumni News
Vol I, Issue 2
March 21, 2010

Hi, !

----- SPECIAL NOTICE -----

We will not be able to rename the track this year as we have to go thru a committee process but we are still going to honor Coach Summa for the 50th anniversary of the Summa Relays.

On April 10, 2010 - Field events start at 9:00 and running starts at 11:00 – we will have a presentation before the running starts to recognize the 50th anniversary.

Keith Peterson
Head Track Coach

----- Coach Ron Bruch -----

Coach Bruch took the time to explain to me why he and his assistant coach (Bill Summa) started the Chrisman Relays in the first place. Coach Bruch saw the need for an early season, large track event and he also saw the need to have lots of kids participate. He and Summa made this happen by scheduling a large meet in early April and using the team relay format. Early? - some of us old folk commonly refer to the Relays as the first sunburn of the year. As to getting lots of runners and field people involved who otherwise would normally just be watching - one needs only to watch the Fat Man relays or see who Coach had a lesson to teach by "allowing" them to run the one-mile steeple chase. After 50 years this is still going strong. See you April 10 at the track.

----- From Dan Ogle -----------

April

May

Fall 2010 Football

Naming Rights

The district has created a committee responsible for establishing criteria for potentially naming facilities within the district. It is hoped that the committee can have recommendations to the Board of Education in May or June. After that there remains no guarantee that a carte blanche will be given to the naming of facilities. I believe there will be many factors to weigh when consideration is given to putting a name on something.

I know there is groundswell of support for various (things) to have a name placed on it. I believe it will be important to communicate to all parties and work through channels to have things happen.

Modernizing

I want to update you on some updating/modernizing thoughts and ideas that we have all batted back and forth for our gymnasium and new foyer and for Chrisman in general.

Advertising display boards

We would like two boards, one in the gym and one in the new foyer/commons area when construction is complete. Company assists with finding advertising sponsors.

Rockhurst and BS South have these and will help us problem solve. I am relying heavily on booster club to follow through on this project.

Scoreboard stat panels

I have contacted NEVCO. They are sending me information on size, hook-up info, costs, etc. Biggest issue will be fitting it beside the scoreboard with the brick pillars just 5 feet away. NKC will help us with this as they have sold sponsorships that paid for the boards. This has money making potential. Another project in which we will rely heavily on the booster club to see through.

Athlete recognition

Mr. Becker and I want to start recognizing three sport athletes with a picture and plaque. This would encourage participation and the PR that goes with this. I am contacting LS North about how they do the process.

Hall of Fame

We feel strongly about restarting our WCHS hall of fame(HOF). Mr. Becker is for this. We want our HOF stuff in the new foyer. It will take committee work, criteria, selection, etc. Most of you are familiar with what was done in the past.

Team / individual recognition

Jason Stacy has really, really updated our list of conference, district winners, state participants and champions, both team and individual. He and I are going to dig even deeper this summer. We want to update and upgrade our banners and find a way to recognize individuals.

Our new entry way and foyer will be special. We want to have some special things in it to honor our past and also let our kids know that they can and will be permanently placed here for their efforts. It will take a common vision, time and energy, as well as a coordinated effort to get the word out and raise funds.

Sometime in the spring anticipate being called together to share additional thoughts and ideas. In the meantime please feel free to call on Mr. Becker or me anytime. Thank you.

The 2009-2010 Chrisman Girls Basketball Team won the Middle Six Conference Champion. They went to the District 15 for the District Championship but lost to Liberty. Congratulations Girls. We are proud of all you victories!

SPECIAL OLYMPICS BASKETBALL TEAM EARNS GOLD MEDAL

The WCHS 5-on-5 Special Olympics Basketball Team participated in their district tournament in Blue Springs on Saturday, February 6th. They won both their games and came home with the gold medal. They now advance to Wentzville, MO and the State Championship on March 19th and 20th. Members of the team are Kenny Barrows, Josh Marshall, Matt Water, Darion Sears, Michael Lunceford and Danny Crane.

Dan Ogle, CMAA
Activities Director
Wm. Chrisman HS
816-521-5355

----- Class Reunion Information -----

The Class of 1958 50th Reunion DVD's are now available for purchase. A package deal of the DVD and the 50th Reunion Memory Book are just $20 including P&H. DVD photos include senior yearbook pictures, recent reunion pictures, picnic pictures and the elementary grade school group pictures. To purchase your DVD/Memory Book package - send check or money order made payable to William Chrisman Class of 1958 in the amount of $20 for each package to: Sherri Mullins, 1739 E. Mechanic, Independence, Missouri 64050. Offer good while supplies last. Questions? Questions? Contact Sherri by using the form on http://www.williamchrismanhighschool.com/classes/1958/58submit.shtml.

"They Call Me M. O"


by Cynthia L. Horn

Although he was named Martin Orville Johnson, he says he just goes by the initials

M.O. because of an incident at William Chrisman High School in 1958.

"One day after school, I was in my room getting ready for the next day when some youngsters came into my room having fun and joshing back and forth. I thought they were going to play their horns so I said, ‘Let me join your fun. I would like to laugh, too. One asked, ‘Could we call you M.O.?' I was taken aback. I said, "Yes, gladly providing you do one thing. If you do the things I ask you to do in class, I'll be glad to be called M.O.

"But you know, the thing that interested me was that within a week, everybody knew me as M.O., teachers and other students in school knew me as M.O. No one called me Johnson from then on. Someone had that planned. They really had gone to work on this."

He was born in Kansas City in 1912 and lived in the western part of Westport until his father bought a larger home in Fairmount. He loved the town (K.C.) and saw it grow up. He went to Van Horn Elementary School, then to junior high at Westport High School at 37th and Wyoming.

"At that time, the 8th and 9th grades were combined and the junior high school building was just completed the first year I entered it. I remember we were in a beautiful building, seven stories tall. Afterwards, I wondered how could they build a school seven stories tall? There wasn't even an elevator. One day, while we were having class, they put in blackboards to finish building the school. Then, I went to Westport High School right across the street and I graduated in 1929. Westport was a fine high school in those days -- one of the best of three high schools in Kansas City."

Music was always his special interest. He played the trombone in junior high and high school, but he started playing piano when he was nine years old.

"When I was a senior, I was in an excellent orchestra at Westport. John Phillip Sousa, director of the Marine Band, was invited to our high school. He directed us, then dropped his arm down and let us continue playing." This was not his first thrill, though. "When I was 14, I rode the streetcar to the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in 1926. "I stood right on the sidewalk next to the Queen from Hungary."

After high school he went to the Horner Conservatory in Kansas City, where he majored in piano and did some voice work. The Crash of 1929 brought changes, however, but M.O. says he feels fortunate when he looks back on it.

"Our teachers thought it would be a good idea if those of us who were involved in voice work, piano, or strings could tie our music to something else. So we joined up with the Kansas City Philharmonic, where they taught us all the woodwinds, strings, and brass." He ended up with two degrees in music from the Conservatory and his Master's degree from K.U. He later received his doctorate from in Music Education from Greeley (CO) College in 1961.

His teaching career began in Kansas in 1934 and he taught in several small towns until going to Pittsburg for five years. "I had a good time because Pittsburg was a college town. Besides the principal and superintendent, I was the only person who had a Master's degree in Marysville, KS (his previous school). By the time I got to Pittsburg, everyone had a Master's degree because of the college in that town. Pittsburg had lots of good space to play in, a good music room, and lots of good singers and players."

One day he had a visit from a man "I didn't know from Adam, who came to his music room to visit and listen to his band, orchestra, and choir. What M.O. didn't realize is that the visitor had been sent by Dr. L.G. Keith, superintendent of schools in Independence, to observe him.

"About Wednesday or Thursday the next week I got a letter from Dr. Keith inviting me to come to members, but he never once took me to the senior high to show many any music facility, because they didn't have any. And that's how I came to land up in Independence."

He had to give up the great music facilities in Pittsburg when he came to Independence. "I didn't have a thing – absolutely nothing. I had no band room, except at Palmer Junior High, and that was because it was a basement room--nothing."All that changed, though, when they moved to the new school in 1958. He got to design the music rooms at Chrisman High School and got everything he asked for.

What he loves most about his teaching career are the students. "I just think of the favoritism I got from the ability of the children, because you can't have fine results without some kids doing extra." And, he emphasized, "You are the instigator and promoter, but they are the doers."

After teaching at William Chrisman for 15 years (1934-1949), M.O. became the district's supervisor of music, a position he held for 27 years until 1976, when he retired, giving him a total of 42 years in the district. He moved to Raymore in 1982, where he now lives at Fox Ridge Springs Retirement Community/Assisted Living Center, where the music didn't stop.

"I have directed the choir at Fox Ridge Springs for 23 years," he said. "I had many adults who come by and lovingly say, ‘Gee, you really worked us hard today.' I guess it's a habit. At one time we had 52 members in our mixed chorus. We still do today. We give four concerts a year."

Throughout the years he combined his talents through school and church. He was choir director of the First Christian Church for 26 years. "My parents were really conscientious churchgoers and church workers. I had to decided whether I was going to do church or schoolwork."

Now 98 years old, he reflects on the highlights of his life and career. He remembers directing the orchestra when the Liberty Bell was given to the city from France on Nov. 6, 1950. He also was president of the Missouri State Teachers Assn. in 1959 and Independence Retired Teachers Assn. (now IRSPA) president in 1981. And, the plaques which adorn a wall of his apartment speak volumes of his many accomplishments as a musician, educator, and church choir director.

These accolades don't stop with the plaques. Phil Dunham, his successor, had nothing but praise for M.O. "Dr. Johnson was an excellent administrator who had vision and ideas for the music department in the Independence Public Schools. He was always willing to share ideas and encourage all of his music teachers to do their best. I always, and still do, admire him greatly."

This admiration continues at Fox Ridge Springs. As he helped this writer carry equipment -- even with his walker -- to her car, several men called out to him, "Hi, M.O. Is she taking your picture?" "Hey, M.O., what are you doing?"

So they still call him M.O.

Copied with permission of the Independence Retired School Personnel Association Newsletter, November 2009

----- Oneida Beeman-Lorimer says thank you for honoring her in the first Alumni Newsletter. She received many emails, phone calls, and letters for former students.

Go Bears!

Robie Mathews
Chrisman Alumni Coordinator
robiebear@att.net

----- Our April 2010 Newsletter Sponsor -----

Mullins Body Shop 1731 East Mechanic Indep, MO. 64050 (816) 252-5938 Jerry Mullins Class of 1958, Family owned and operated since 1952. Foreign and Domestic auto body repairs. Insurance claims welcome. YOU BEND IT-WE FIX IT

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