​For some time now, I have been wanting to write a series of articles about the early educators in Grain Valley. I will be looking for information about not only the classroom teachers, but Board of Education members, superintendents and principals who were responsible for educating the young people of our town.
     It will not be easy. I have spent more than a few hours on Ancestry.com, and thus far, I have found limited information, but I won’t give up! The Historical Society has several copies of the photo above.  This is thought to be the oldest photograph of students, teachers, and the gentlemen of Grain Valley that made up the school board. The photo was taken around 1900 as my great aunt, Ruth Sanders is one of the young girls seated on the ground.  Aunt Ruth was born in 1892.
     One of the gentlemen on the back row is Jesse D. Johnson (or David Jesse Johnston), identified as the School Board President. Two photos identified Mr. Johnson, they just don’t agree on which person he is, his exact name or how to spell his name. This makes research all the more difficult.
     So bear with me as I attempt to learn about these pioneers in education. Some early superintendents were Ira McGenness (1909), J. E. Carter (1915-1919), Delma L. Webb, 1921 & 1922) and R. H. Boston (1925-1927). Lawrence Dimit was the principal in 1907.  Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything about any of them, YET! School diplomas and certificates are generally the best sources for correct names and spellings,
     If you or anyone you know might have information about the early educators, prior to 1930, PLEASE reach out to me. 

     ​My memories of Grain Valley in the 1970’s are a bit slim for a couple of reasons.  First, while I continued to live in Grain Valley, I was a college graduate gainfully employed in the area, just not in our little town. And, for the first time in over 25 years, my family no longer operated a business in town.
     Nationally, the seventies were marked by Watergate, the OPEC embargo banning shipments of oil to the U.S. and causing major gas shortages, and the near meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor.  Of course, 1976 was particularly important as the United States celebrated its Bicentennial.
     Locally, old-timers will recall the fire that destroyed the First Christian Church.  During the 1970's, the Assembly of God Church on McQuerry Road was the first church to come to Grain Valley in over 90 years.
     Grain Valley was beginning to grow with new housing additions along R.D. Mize Road to the North and the Cannon Addition just south of the railroad.  The new homes brought growth to our schools. After 50 years in the old two-story brick school, the high school students moved to a new building just west of the old building. For the first time in over ten years, the high school was connected to the auditorium/gymnasium. Soon after, Matthews Elementary School was built in time to hold classes in September of 1978.
     And finally, disco dancing took Grain Valley, and the entire country, by storm.
     Grain Valley looked much the same during most of the 1980's. A few businesses came (State Bank of Missouri), a few businesses stayed (Mc Leroy’s Gasoline Station) and a few businesses left (Save Mart Grocery), never to return. The Middle School concept was introduced and a building for 6th, 7th and 8th graders was constructed on AA Highway (now Eagles’ Parkway).
     Strangely, what I remember most about the 80's are neon colors. Back in the day, the most popular hues were similar to highlighters—bright yellow, orange, green, and pink. Stylish people would wear matching sweatsuits or tops and bottoms in coordinating neon colors. Everything from hair bows and ball caps to tennis shoes and socks were neon.
     Ronald Reagan famously told Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down that wall,” and he dismissed Marine Lt. Colonel Oliver North and national security assistant Admiral John Poindexter, both suspected of selling military equipment to Iran and diverting the proceeds to the Contras.
     Some will remember the 1980's for AIDS and Black Monday, October 19, 1987, when Wall Street suffered the worst day in its history, a 22% loss. On the bright side, others may remember the new social phenomenon: the Young Urban Professional, or “Yuppy.”
     If I was writing a book about Grain Valley in the 1990's it could easily be titled “The Decade of Growth.” Our population grew from 1,901 in 1990 to just over 5,100 in 2000. The two huge growth additions were Sni-A-Bar on the south side of town, followed by Woodbury and Rosewood Hills on the north.
     Where there are homes, there are children and where there are children there is need for more schools. In 1996 the Senior High School moved to the present location on Eagle’s Parkway. In 1997 Phase I (kindergarten and 1st grade) of Sni-A-Bar Elementary School was opened and Phase II was completed to welcome the 2nd grader the following year. In 1999, a new Middle School was built on Ryan Road. Along I-70, OOIDA and RV sales companies put Grain Valley on the map with national advertising.
     Many will remember watching live TV coverage of Operation Desert Storm, when the United States employed high-tech missiles after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. We also experienced the first bombing of the World Trade Center and the LA Riots following the announcement of a verdict in the Rodney King trial.
     On the lighter side, gourmet coffee and coffee houses became the trend and cellular phones became a common-place necessity!
     Between 2000 and 2010, the population of Grain Valley increased nearly 250% (from 5,160 to 12, 854 people). We got a new City Hall, a new Community Center, and the Market Place Shopping Center, complete with a supermarket, hardware store and some eating establishments. We also got a Sonic, McDonalds, and Subway! It was during this time that the first Casey’s General Store came to Grain Valley. And on the north side of I-70, Ward Development began the industrial park that would forever change the entire landscape of our city!
     In 2005, Prairie Branch Elementary was completed on NW Dillingham Road.  In 2007, voters approved a bond to build Stony Point Elementary School, named for the original Stony Point School built more than 150 years earlier on land about a mile away from the present school on Ryan Road.  The final phase of Stony Point was completed in 2009.
     During the most recent decade, 2010 to 2020, we have added 2 dental offices, Marketplace 8 Movie Theater, Price Chopper, Papa Murphy’s, Taco Bell, QuikTrip, AMOCO, Casey’s (number 3) and several retail shops near I-70. In the past two weeks, Panda Express and Burger King became the newest fast food in town.  The businesses on the south edge of town have increased at a nearly equal pace. From the single Main Street Café in 1989 to the more than 15 eating establishments currently in our town, Grain Valley continues to grow at a rapid pace.
     Many residents would argue that a new car wash, our own micro-brewery, and our state-of-the-art Grain Valley High School cannot make up for what we lack - a good “sit down” restaurant. Well, history buffs, relax. I’m certain whomever is writing this column in 2032 will be telling you about Grain Valley's great new restaurant! Like they say about Missouri’s weather, stick around, our town changes every day! 

​     I’m cheating again this week. Since the Historical Society is all decked out for Christmas, I don’t want to mess it up by digging for new ideas to write about.  Also, since this article appeared in The Voice four years ago, many of you have never read it.  If you have, it’s worth a “re-read” and it will hopefully put a smile on your face!
     While archiving some new “old stuff” at the Historical Society last week, I found in a filing box a 1951 booklet titled Your Household Guide. The foreword provided this information. “This book contains 1001 helpful household hints which have been selected from several hundred Walsworth Bros. Home Recipe Books throughout the nation.”
     It was published in 1951 by Walsworth Bros., Marceline, Mo. and sold by the ladies of the Grain Valley Methodist Church. Several local businesses had advertisements in the book including Minter’s Food Market, Loring Hardware, Frantz Grocery, E.F. Crull Mercantile Co., R. C. Frantz Petroleum Products, E. A. Ford Mercantile, and Grain Valley Grain Company. 
     From the table of contents, one could quickly see that this guide covered about every topic of “advice” you would ever need to know from Baking and Birthstones to Gardening, Postal Rates, and State Capitals. You should come by the Historical Society some Wednesday, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and read through some of the great tips and time savers in the book!

     In case you haven’t saved enough time to make it by before Christmas, I would like to share a few of the great tips from 1951.
• Plant radish and cucumber seeds together to keep bug off cucumbers!
• When painting indoors, slip a pair of old socks over your shoes. If paint drops on floor, just “skate” it up. Saves stooping.
• Red ants can be kept out of the pantry if a small quantity of green sage is placed on the shelves.
• To whiten laces, wash them is sour milk.
• A little vinegar added to water in which you rinse silk stockings will increase their elasticity and make them practically run proof!
• To catch mice, place a gumdrop in the trap, instead of bacon or cheese. When the mouse goes to eat the gumdrop his or her teeth gets stuck and causes the trap to go off.
• If a fish bone becomes stuck in the throat, eat a lemon or part of one as soon as possible. The lemon juice will cause the bone to dissolve.
• Wax the snow shovel to prevent snow from sticking to it. This makes shoveling much easier.
And if you are thinking of doing some baking for Christmas...
• To keep cookies fresh and crisp in a jar, place a crumpled tissue paper in the bottom.
• Set pies and cobblers on a rack to cool and the bottom crust will not be soggy.
• When bread is baking, a small dish of water in the oven will help to keep the crust from getting hard.
• An easy way to chop nuts, place in a cloth bag and roll with a rolling pin.
There was some fairly outdated and laughable advice like “jot down the important things you want to say on a long distance call, and it will prevent all that humming and hawing that cost money.”
On the other hand, I found many good ideas!
     Is there something “historical” you would like to know about Grain Valley?  Send me an email and I will be happy to try and answer your request.
Happy Holidays!
Marty
 

​     I wrote a portion of this week’s article for The Voice, a monthly Historical Society newsletter, back in 2017. I find that today, 4 years later, while my memories are still fresh, I still haven’t been able to learn “who was that man behind the beard?”
     Who doesn’t have memories of Christmas, regardless of your heritage? Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, or any number of secular or religious holidays, they all share a common thread...family!!
     How did/does your family spend the holidays? After nearly twenty-one months of some type of Covid “lockdown,”  Grain Valley residents are looking forward to celebrating with family and friends. One common thread seems to be Christmas will be spread out over several days as different children and grandchildren will be arriving at different times. Some responded with, “this is the year our son/daughter will be spending Christmas with their wife/husband’s family.”
     It made me think back to the 1950s and 1960s and a less mobile society. Some families might have two Christmas dinners, but they were usually on the same day and only a few blocks or miles apart. ! I suspect growing up in Grain Valley in those days was quite similar to many small towns. From Thanksgiving until December 25, the routine was much the same each year.
     At school, our music teacher began rehearsals for the annual! Christmas pageant. I do not recall many specifics about those years, but I do remember in first grade that all of the girls in my class were dolls. I wore a white frilly blouse and a red taffeta skirt. My mother attached bows on the ruffle with tiny bells that jingled when I danced. Each year the pageant had a theme and every grade performs along with the high school choral groups and the band. We probably had a cast of 250 students.
     By the late 1950s we had grown so much we had to have two programs, one for the elementary students and one for the junior high and high school. Did any of you take part in one of the pageants?
     Sometime in the mid 1950s, Tom Heidelberger planted an evergreen tree on the southwest corner of Front Street and Main. In those days that was the City Park. We still had the old railroad station where mail was delivered until about 1960. The city park was also the site of “free shows” in the summer. !
     Each year in early December, Tom would sting the tree with colored lights. It became the town Christmas tree and remained so well into the 1970s. What began as a little tree about 5 or 6 feet tall, grew to be quite large.  For many years, Tom provided more and more lights to the growing tree. Does anyone recall when the tree was cut down?
     On the last Saturday before Christmas, Santa arrived in town to pass out candy and ask the age-old question, “What do you want Santa to bring you this year?”!
     At that time there were only three churches in Grain Valley, but each one prepared for the holiday. Three of the biggest cedar trees in the area were chopped down as each Church add a tree to their sanctuary and a wreathe to the front door. Each of the churches had a Christmas Eve service. The Christmas story was acted out by the young people complete with Mary and Joseph, shepherds, wise men and, of course, angels, which were always girls! And then, after the scriptures and singing, there was Santa Claus! 
     Santa always came to school, too. He visited the all-school assembly and he made it to the elementary classrooms, too. Do any of you remember the “faces” of Santa? I’ve been trying to remember and have asked several people. If you are reading this story and can give me an answer, I would love to know.
     Also, if you have photographs of Christmas in Grain Valley PLEASE consider sharing some with the Historical Society. Scan the photo and email to me at MLNMIZZOU@gmail.com. Or get them to me and I will scan and return the original. Remember, they don’t have to be “old” to be historical. 2021 will soon be “history” to future generations. Please help us to preserve that history.
 

​     As I continue to peruse the “Guide to Grain Valley” inserts from the late 1990s, I certainly see a reoccurring theme.  The headlines from 25 years ago could be written today --“City expecting continued growth,” “More businesses have come in the last year,” “Police department trains to ward off crime,” Growing district changes Hackett’s duties,” and “New elementary gives district four schools.”
     Well, maybe the last one is a bit dated. The last elementary, Stony Point gave Grain Valley seven schools, and most of them are still growing with new additions continuing to increase their physical size and student capacity.
     But soon we will celebrate 25 years since the opening of Sni-A-Bar Elementary School. When Sni-A-Bar opened (August 1997) it housed Parents as First Teachers, kindergarten and first grade; about 225 students.  At that time, the district was divided by grade levels rather than living areas to avoid conflicts over attendance boundary lines.
     If you are relatively new to our city, you may not realize other ways it has changed. Twenty-five years ago we had a golf course on R.D. Mize Road, an antique mall on Main Street, and the United States Post Office still sorted mail in Grain Valley.
     As we look toward 2022, you can see that a few businesses have been erased from the landscape, several businesses have come and gone, but many more are here to stay. Twenty-five years ago we had just added Sonic Drive-In and expanded the Valley Ridge Industrial Park. State Bank of Missouri was about to open a new branch on Eagles’ Parkway and OOIDA was working to complete a $3.5 million dollar building that would bring about 50 new jobs to Grain Valley.
     As we consider the history of Grain Valley, certainly the business community is one indication of how we have changed. But schools, and the education of our young citizens, tell the real history of how we have grown.  So as we approach 2022, I hope the school district will celebrate 25 years at Sni-A-Bar, because Yesterday is History! 
 

     Today is Thanksgiving and while it is a day to be with family and remember all for which we are thankful, it is also the official start of the Christmas season. In Grain Valley that includes many traditions both old and new.
     “The holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s produces some of life’s favorite memories.” This quote comes from an insert in The Pointe published on December 15, 2004. It was part of an article written by Ray Gurney, the minister at Cross Creek Baptist Mission.
     Titled “A Grain Valley Christmas,” the insert included a letter from the North Pole, letters from city officials, photographs of the annual tree lighting ceremony, the historical society homes tour, and the Santa Bus.
     It was the center page of the insert that I found most entertaining. “Letters to Santa were shared from 3rd and 4th graders at Matthews Elementary. Today these young students would be at least 25 years old. I wonder if they got their wish?
     (I apologize in advance if the misspelled words embarrass any of the former students! They are shared with you as written.)
 
Dear Santa,
I’m glade that you are coming to my house because you are going to deliver presents. I hope you have a great tripe. Are you taking care of your reindeer.
Sincerely,
Cody Hughes
​
Dear Santa,
For Christmas I want a puppy, a fold out chair, a nutcracker, tokeo brat, CD’s, regaler brat, earrings, PJ’s, books, boots and shoes, and an American gurl doll.
Love Alissa Spradley
 
Dear Santa,
I’v been wanting a dog all my life. I wanted to know if you could bring one for me. If not, could you bring me some ideas. I would also like a hamster, mine died. I would like a black bear hamster. I would like a lot of stuff but my room is clean, so not that much.
Sincerely,
Danelle Picars
 
Dear Santa,
How is Rudolph? How many presents do you give to children? What does the North Pole look like? How many houses do you have to go to? How is Mrs. Claus? Do you get cold up there? It snowed a little here to. I’m from Missouri.
Sincerely,
Michael Pellham
 
Dear Santa,
I have been good this year. I have been great and I did what they asked me to do. I think of others first. Santa, all I want for Christmas is my family and a white Christmas.
Love,
Jessica Ault
 
     I will conclude with a quote from an article in the same insert written by David Hackett, former minister at Faith United Methodist Church,  “Christmas is a time for dreaming and for children.”
 

​      This week, again looking through the newspaper files entitled “Guide to Grain Valley,” my eyes were drawn to a special 8-page insert entitled “Bank of Grain Valley – 100 years.” (April 20, 2005 edition of The Pointe.
    I became interested it an article about what it was like back when the Bank of Grain Valley opened? (1905).  Some highlights of the article included the following:
     Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt had been elected President without a single female vote.
     Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S.A. had bathtubs and only 8 percent had telephones.
     There were only 8000 automobiles in the United States.
     The flag had 45 stars, since Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska had yet to be admitted to the Union.
     States such as Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa and Tennessee were more heavily populated than California at the time.
Only five percent of all physicians had a college education, but most attended some sort of medical school, many of which were thought to be substandard.
     The average life expectancy was 47 years. Ninety-five percent of all births took place within the home.
     The five leading causes of death were pneumonia, tuberculosis, diarrhea, heart disease, and stroke.
     The average wage in the United States was 23 cents per hour, but that number is misleading; much of the commerce took place with bartering and trading.
    A three-minute phone call from Denver to New York cost $11.00. (What would that be today?)
     Sugar was 4 cents a pound, eggs were 14 cents per dozen, and a child could purchase an entire sack of candy for just a penny!
    Products like marijuana, heroin and morphine were sold over the counter at drug stores.
     The population of Grain Valley, Missouri exceeded that of Las Vegas, Nevada, which had 30 residents, but Grain Valley was by no means a “big” city.
     I can add to these facts that in 1905 Grain Valley had three churches, and the first Grain Valley School had been built on Capelle Street in 1890. Postage stamps cost 2 cents. The population in 1890 was 193 people. However, the recorded population in 1910 was only 133. These were the recorded numbers and I have no account as to why the number decreased.
     The Grain Valley Historical Society at 516 Main Street has 2021 Christmas Ornaments for sale with a picture of the Bank of Grain Valley.
     Drop by or Wednesdays between now and Christmas; we’d love to sell you one! We also have available 2022 Historical calendars. Both make great gifts!
 

​     While perusing old newspapers, I became interested in a collection of papers intitled “Guide to Grain Valley.” These guides were published by The Examiner (Independence) for many years.  The guides typically came out in August, just prior to Valley Fair Days.
     I found these excerpts from the 1986 edition to reveal a great deal about Grain Valley’s growth and progress over the past 35 years. Laura Malt, a member of The Examiner staff compiled some interesting statistics. I hope you will agree!
 
     “Grain Valley has a name in cattle and, of course, grain.
     Taking its name from the Sni-A-Bar Creek Valley’s high grain yield, the town’s peculiarities distinguishes it from other communities along Interstate 70.
 
These details include:
 
 
POPULATION
     The population was reported at 1,327 in the 1980 census. It is now (1986) estimated at 1,600 to 1,700.
 
RESIDENTS
     The 25 to 29 age bracket has the most people in it with about 9 percent of the population. About 17 percent of the population is between 22 and 29. The next most-populous age brackets, 30 to 34 and 35-44, compose 13 percent of the population.
 
INCOME
     The median household income is $16,900. Median family income is $17,591. The city’s aggregate (total) income is $8,172,445.
 
CLIMATE
     Grain Valley’s coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 31.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest month is July, hitting an average of 88 degrees.
     February, at 1.2 inches of rainfall is the driest month; June, at 4.5 inches, the wettest.
     The average rainfall per year is 19.5 inches.
 
TAXES
     The assessed value of city property is $2.8 million.
     Basic property tax levy (per $100 assessed value) is as follows:
City: $2.03
County: $ 0.94
School: $5.47
Other: $0.38
Total: $9.60
 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
     The R-5 district received a AAA rating in 1985. About 850 students are enrolled from kindergarten to twelfth grade.
     The district has three schools: Matthews Elementary (380 students), Grain Valley Middle School (190 students) and Grain Valley High School (280 students). The school also makes use of the Fort Osage Vocational School.
 
FACILITIES
Motels: one
Churches: six of varied Protestant denominations
Public libraries: one
Gasoline stations: two
Café: one
 
     I might also note that doctors, dentists, recreational facilities, and communications were listed, but all were provided in surrounding communities. Needless to say, much has changed. While some may look back on our community with acute nostalgia, I like my local dentist, buying groceries less than a mile from home (in the 1950s and 1960s the land where Price Chopper is located was my family home and small farm), going to the movies and dining out in Grain Valley!
 

​     Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) was an educational program that was founded in Los Angeles in 1983 as a joint initiative of then-LAPD chief Daryl Gatesand and the Los Angeles Unified School District as a drug control strategy of the American War on Drugs.  
     Did you know that by 1994 the D.A.R.E. program included over 25 million kids in 25 countries, but the only ball team authorized to have D.A.R.E. on their uniform as a sponsor was located in Grain Valley, Missouri?
     Chris Pratt was the volunteer coordinator of the local program. At that time he was also actively involved in support of the summer baseball programs in Grain Valley. He approached D.A.R.E. National, for permission to use the logo.
     Their only requirement was that the city relieve them of any liabilities and the city cooperated. Chris Pratt, his wife Beth, and Scott Hedger were the coaches.
 
The Grain Valley Team
Row 1: Jeremy Bowling, Chris Steele, Tim Dorman.
Row 2: Ryan Wilfong, Matt Richard, Nathan Meyer, Alec Driscoll,
Row 3: Coach Chris Pratt, Michael Pratt, Aaron Veatch, Brandon Smith, Cody Montgomery, Coach Beth Pratt, Coach Scott Hedger.
 

     Back in August I wrote about what was going on in Grain Valley 50 years ago (August 19)  and twenty-five years ago (August 26) years ago.. Both articles mentioned the high school moving to a new building, and one article mentioned bridge work and the expansion of city parks.  All of those topics are timely today as renovation and expansion continues in the schools throughout the district. Buckner Tarsney Road is closed for bridge repair south of town, and our city parks and walking trails continue to be renovated and repaired!
 
     So, let’s look back 75 years. Without a doubt, the most impactful event in Grain Valley in 1945 was the sale of Sni-A-Bar Farms, the William Rockhill Nelson Estate, to Mr. & Mrs. Ralph L. Smith of Kansas City. During all of 1946 it was the goal of the farm to further improve the herd in preparation for the Sni-A-Bar Shorthorn Dispersion in 1947.  At the time it was considered one of the strongest collections of breeding cattle in the world. With every animal in the entire herd listed, the sale provided the greatest buying opportunity in the history of Shorthorns in America.
 
     Here is a portion of the letter written by my grandfather just prior to the dispersal.
     “During the years that I had the care of the Sni-A-Bar herd there has been much satisfaction in producing the great show herds that annually have been among the leading winners in the most prominent fairs and livestock expositions in the United States and Canada. Perhaps still greater pride and pleasure has been derived from the success of the many patrons of Sni-A-Bar with herd bulls and breeding matrons that were produced in the herd. The constructive breeding programs that I have been permitted to develop and to pursue and the favorable results of that program have been a source of pleasure and the utmost of compensation for the years of effort that I have devoted to this grand herd of Shorthorns.”

--James Napier
   Manager, Sni-A-Bar Farms
 
     Mr. Will Johnson was publisher of “The Shorthorn World,” a breed magazine and he had this to say about my grandfather…
     “During the three or more decades of the existence of the Sni-A-Bar herd, it has been in the custody of James Napier, master cattleman and farmer. To him must go much of the credit for the development of this superb aggregation of Shorthorns. He was presented with a grand opportunity to build superbly and he took the fullest advantage of that opportunity. His name will appear in livestock history as one of the great builders of the breed.”
 
 
     Are you curious about events from Grain Valley’s past? Drop by the Historical Society Museum any Wednesday (10:00am – 3:00pm). If we don’t have the answer, we will try and help you find out.