County of school playground: Cooper County
Location of school playground: Twenter Way Dr., ¼ mile S. of MO-N, Clear Creek; 5 miles SW of Pilot Grove
Built: 1918
This playground was built in the 1940's. It shows. Old style equipment, old "spin-and-go-puke"...or what we called it when I was a kid.
This site is a mission church now, and operated by the Catholic Church in Pilot Grove...
Public is encouraged to use the facilities, including neighborhood kids to use the playgrounds...
"The people of St. John's parish always realized that a school was necessary to develop good Christian citizens, and, consequently, had a school even before they had a resident pastor. Bertram Felten was the first teacher, and had the children come to his home several days each week, and there instructed them in religion as wells as reading, writing and arithmetic.
"On April 4, 1917, the school, together with all contents, burned to the ground. Church, rectory and Sisters' residence were in great danger of destruction, but the people from near and far rushed to the scene, and, having formed a bucket brigade, saved the buildings. In the spring, 1918, Father Kalvelage undertook to build a new school, and by September it was completed and furnished at a cost of $10,000, and was paid for in donated Liberty Bonds.
" ... As the public school, a quarter mile away, had already closed for vacation, the use of the building was granted for the remainder of the school term, and one of the sisters was hired to teach in the public school for the coming term. The four higher grades were taught there, while the lower grades were taught in the first log cabin.
"In the spring of 1918, five acres of land were purchased north of the church and ground was broken for a new school, to be built of brick keeping with the church and rectory. It was completed and furnished by Sept. 22, 1918, on which day it was blessed by Bishop Thomas F. Lillis.
"The sisters stayed with the new school, moved into the new convent in 1952, and remained with St. John's until changing times and needs brought about the school's closing in 1969. The following year religion classes were taught by members of the parish.
"Kitchen facilities had been added in July 1951 for school lunches and is now being used for parish and community affairs. This school stands to remind us of days gone by." ~ Cooper MoGenWeb