Missouri Record

Published Since 1879 by Missouri School for the Deaf

Interesting Articles from The Missouri Record publications

October 10, 1936 Edition:

"Opening of School"

Classes Begin on Monday, September 21. 315 children have been registered. At the present time almost 340 children are in school, and there are probably thirty (30) more to come.

"School News"

The annual car ride arranged for our pupils by the Fulton Rotarians and other car owners took place October 4th and was enjoyed by all. It was a pleasant day---"October's bright -blue weather."

"News about the Alumni"

The twenty -seventh annual picnic under auspices of the Missouri Association of the Deaf was held Sunday, August 2nd, at Lake Contrary Park in St. Joseph, MO. The proceeds of the affair made the Home Fund richer by $50.80.

October 24, 1936 Edition:

"News about the Alumni"

Point of emphasis and reminding: Do not forget October 31st is Homecoming Day. Paste this in your hat. Come and help us skin those Jayhawker. We are counting on you.

November 14, 1936 Edition:

"AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DEAF CAN ACCOMPLISH"

The Missouri alumni Association is paying $90.00 monthly to four aged deaf persons. Those who receive help from that source must be over 65 and dependent on support as a means of livelihood. This is one of the finest things we have ever heard of, and it goes to show that the deaf have wise heads as well big hearts. We know that other states are equally generous to their aged and infirm. Does it pay to educate the deaf? We'jll say it does. The Deaf Oklahoman.

If you’ve ever been into the main foyer of MSD you’ve almost certainly noticed the large stained glass window dominating the north window high above the lobby. This is known as the ‘Kerr Memorial Window’ and is an integral part of the rich history of MSD.

During the 3rd alumni meeting of MSD in 1899, Henry gross pointed out that there was not any type of memorial celebrating the dedication and contributions William Dabney Kerr and his family had made in establishing Missouri School for the Deaf. The alumni formed a committee and over the next several years money was raised through “Kerr Clubs” around the state. Initially it was agreed that a statue would be a fitting monument, but the company tasked with the build could not produce a suitable likeness based off the few pictures of William Kerr.

In 1907 it was decided to commemorate Kerr’s accomplishments in the form of a stained glass portrait. Local famed architect M.F. Bell designed the window, procured its creation, and oversaw its installation in the school’s chapel in February of 1908.

During the presentation of the window, Henry Gross had the following to say, ‘…the Deaf of Missouri had long the desire to offer some suitable memorial to express their gratitude to the man through whose unselfish labors their education and advancement had been made possible. This sentiment found expression in contributions of the alumni by which the beautiful portrait memorial window in the chapel was procured. Mr. Gross expressed the hope that the window would serve to light the path of knowledge of succeeding generations of students’.

The window was relocated in 1958 to the newly built lobby of Wheeler hall between the high school side and the business/administration side. In late February of 2019 the memorial window was carefully removed and stored as renovations of the lobby occurred. Plans are to return it to its longtime home high above the lobby after the renovations have been completed to inspire MSD staff and students as it has for the past one hundred and eleven years.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

The Missouri School for the Deaf Families First Program had a great first semester! The last five months were filled with trainings, Home Visits, workshops, and Family Experience Days. We were able to hire five new Parent Advisors which brings us to a total of 34 across the State of Missouri! Our Family Experience Day took place on the same day as Missouri School for the Deaf’s Home Coming football game. Families involved in the program were invited to campus and took part in a number of interactive and informative activities. We are hopeful that this will become an annual event!

As we return from the holidays and prepare for the second semester, we are excited to be sending three staff members to The National Early Hearing Detecting and Intervention (EHDI) Conference. This conference will be in Chicago this year during the first week of March. We have some new and exciting local programs that we are hopeful to get started and another all Parent Advisor workshop planned in April.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about The Families First Program, please contact Jonah Wilson at 573-592-2572 or at jonah.wilson@msd.dese.mo.gov .

MSD's Womens' High School track team worked hard to beautify downtown Fulton, MO. The team picked weeds up and down Court St. and then went back and planted flowers.

Student Council members plan, organize, and put into action student led activities throughout the year. These activities encourage teamwork, sportsmanship, problem solving, and school spirit at MSD.

In November 2018, eight members of student council and JrNAD collected food and donations at Moser's Supermarket for their food drive. The students collected dry goods and $187.00 that has been donated to SERVE to help feed the Fulton community.

MSD National Honor Society and Student Council worked together to raise funds for SERVE to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to needy families in Callaway County. MSD NHS had hosted Turkey Trots in the past. This year NHS members voted to bring it back. The MSD Student Council was invited to join. Volunteers collected pledges and then ran and walked on the track for one hour. Eight students and one teacher collected over $800 in pledges. NHS rounded up the amount to $1,000.

-Ms. Blackwell

NHS Sponsor

The volleyball girls and the coaches decided to do a community service to show our firemen, EMT's, and City Hall workers how much we appreciate them. What did we do? We took an afternoon to create ghost cookies and sugar cookies with lots of icing. Then we bagged them all up in festive bags and delivered them to our local Fulton Fire Department, City Hall, and Emergency Medical Services.

-Heather Dunn

Head Volleyball Coach

In August, 2018, the Missouri Department of Conservation held its 17th annual Family Outdoor Skills Camp (FOSC). The camp is open to every Deaf or Hard of Hearing student in the state of Missouri and their families. The weekend camp is free and includes lodging and all meals. Students and families are introduced to a multitude of activities Missouri outdoors offers and make friends along the way. Missouri School for the Deaf has co-sponsored and/or attended the FOSC since its inception and continues to do so. Recently, MSD staff attended the camp at Bartle Scout Camp and , as for many years, ran their climbing tower which introduces campers to the thrill and challenge of climbing and rappelling. Staff encouraged and coached climbers as they challenged the wall. Spectators cheered as they made their way up the wall challenging themselves a little more with each try. MSD staff Kira Roberts and Jamie Danuser did double duty as they also lifeguarded the pool Saturday evening for a relaxing evening of socializing and a reprieve from the warm summer day. In all, the weekend was a wonderful opportunity for families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children to learn about Missouri's outdoors, a chance to network with other families, and a chance for their children to be the focus of all the activities provided. MSD staff that attended were Nancy Baker, Denna Wolfe, Debbie Montez, Kevin Spencer, Brad Drew, Cherise Santoriello, Kent Gilleland, Jamie Danuser, Kira Roberts and Ron Danuser.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

The last weekend in October 2018, the Missouri Department of Conservation hosted a Youth Hunt for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from Missouri School for the Deaf and Kansas School for the Deaf at the H. Roe Bartle Boy Scout Reservation. They arrived Friday evening at camp and got in a little target practice followed by a BBQ and campfire. Saturday morning, they met for breakfast at 5:00 a.m. and were in the woods by 6:00 a.m. Each student was paired with a guide and a parent/chaperone/interpreter. Each threesome sat in a blind in the woods for a few hours Saturday morning, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning (if needed). In between sessions, they had lunch and did crafts. The big craft was a magnetic chalkboard in a wooden frame. Three of the four students from MSD harvested deer this year, a nice 7 point buck, a 5 point buck, and a doe. The fourth student shot a tree thanks to buck fever. Sunday morning, the students that harvested deer processed their own deer. They were in the butcher shop at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning and they did a wonderful job cutting, wrapping, and grinding the meat. This program provided an experience for these students that they wouldn't otherwise get the opportunity to have. Everyone had a blast and learned a lot.

Congratulations to Sara Farmer, Brayden Falder, and Allen Cass for winning 2nd Place at the 6th Annual GPSD Triathlon Oratorical contest. The contest was held at Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan, WI. The title of this year's contest was "Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality".

-Dee Peneston

Speech Sponsor

The middle school students of Reid and Gannon cottages recently spent an evening touring the Fulton Fire Department’s Station #1. The students were shown the facility and explained the job of a firefighter. They were able to inspect vehicles and equipment including the famous ‘Jaws of Life’ extraction tool, a thermal imaging camera, and use a fire hose to knock over orange road cones. They were also allowed to experience a trainer designed for firefighters to simulate crawling through small spaces within a building. At the end of the evening students tried on the entire uniform of a firefighter which proved to be a thrill. Several students were so inspired by the experience, they expressed an interest in firefighting as a potential career for their future. This trip epitomizes Student Life’s ongoing goal of enriching our student’s lives and giving them a better understanding of the world around them through new experiences.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

In Student Life we're always looking for engaging activities that appeal to a diverse group of students. Sometimes they're physical games like lacrosse and sometimes they're mental games like Pente. And, occasionally, we find a combination of both mental and physical. Our Scavenger Hunts find that perfect balance. MSD's Middle School undertook a scavenger hunt on campus in which three teams dashed about finding clues which lead to more clues and eventually back to the start. The first team to make it back to the start with all the clues won a fabulous prize! The clues were riddle like messages which lead to various locations around campus. Once they arrived at the right spot, staff would hand them the next riddle, which they would decode then dash off to the next locale. It was an extremely close race with the winners only arriving a few seconds before the second place team did. Be the end of the race everyone was sweaty and laughing at mistakes they had made along the way. The students are eager for more Scavenger Hunts and as the year progresses they'll become longer and more challenging. The students boldly affirmed they are ready for the challenge!

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

With cooler overnight temperatures settling on Mid-Missouri the elementary and middle school students chose to spend a night under the stars camping on a recent stay weekend. Students learned to work together as they pitched their tents in the playground south of the cottages. Sleeping pads and sleeping bags were distributed and explanation given on how to keep warm utilizing proper technique of both pieces of gear. Staff made a fire for roasting hot dogs and warming hot chocolate. The students enjoyed the experience immensely and are looking forward to their next overnight outdoor adventure!

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

On a recent stormy night the elementary and middle school girls were treated to an impromptu chocolate fondue night. Bananas, strawberries, pretzels, grapes, and pears were all dipped into the smelted mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. Many of the students had never experienced a chocolate fondue and all of them took to it with zeal! Browsing through a fondue cookbook several expressed interest in trying other means of fondue such as traditional cheese and bread or oils to cook meats. The experience certainly opened their curiosity and we expect to see the fondue return often!

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

In Student Life we strive to provide a variety of experiences to both educate and expose students to opportunities they might otherwise not experience. Our popular S.T.E.A.M. nights succeed on both counts.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, or STEAM has become a worldwide teaching focus exposing students to the 5 areas which will provide quality jobs in the future.

Our elementary students participated in a number of activities from STEAM hands-on activities. They learned about mass and displacement, chemical reactions, building structures, and load bearing limits. By having the activities as hands-on learning opportunities the students learn while doing and increase their fun factor exponentially.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

The annual Cardboard Boat Race occurred in November, giving the high school students a chance to show off their designing and construction skills. The challenge is simple, build a boat that will carry one team member across the width of the pool. The students are limited in their materials; they are allowed to only use cardboard and duck tape and only have one evening to build it. Students who participated in years past have a slight advantage in designing their ship. In the end several of the boats functioned well enough to provide ample lift to be used as flotation devices to ferry the captains to the far side. First place Conner Luper, Second place Domanic Voss, and Third place Hezeki Smoot.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

After a several year hiatus the incredibly popular game of Humans vs Zombies (HvZ) made its return to the thrill of the students. Popular at larger universities, the game’s premise is simple; a small group of players begin as zombies who try to‘infect’ the human players by pulling off two flag football flags from their belt. Once infected the humans become zombies and seek out more human players to infect. The human players are assigned missions, leading them to various locations on campus to find brain teasing puzzles which if answered correctly deducts time from their final count. If answered incorrectly, there’s a penalty to their score. Of course, answering mentally challenging questions is hard enough, but doing so while being chased by zombies increases the difficulty tenfold!

At races end, the team of Sara, Mason, and Faith won first place by answering the most questions correctly, having all three team members complete all 5 missions and having the fastest time.

Thanks to all the Student Life staff and volunteers from William Woods interpreting program who worked so hard to make this a most memorable experience for our students.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

On October 25th, Stark Elementary went on their first field trip of the year to Fischer Farms and Pumpkin Patch near Jefferson City, Missouri. The fall foliage was beautiful amongst the Missouri River which was a short distance from the farm. The students enjoyed the hay ride and going to the pumpkin patch to pick one pie pumpkin, one jack-be-little, and a mini gourd. This was a fun filled day with a picnic lunch, playing in the corn box, sand pile, climbing the hay bales, and seeing all the farm animals (turkey, chickens, ducks, baby chicks, Clydesdale horses, cos, pigs and goats). The older students went in the large corn maze to try to find hidden things. The students and staff had so much fun that there were plenty of smiles to go around!

-Bethany VanBebber

Stark School Supervisor

William Woods University, Fulton MO, students and instructor arrived here around 2:00 p.m. Each student introduced him or herself and told if they already had a sign name. Then our students each introduced themselves and gave their sign name. William Woods students divided our students into three groups per 4 WWU students and told them short 1-2 minute stories. The final story was a fable "The Boy Who Cried, Wolfe". Before the young lady could finish the story, Miracle jumped up and asked if she could complete the last part of the story. Miracle did an excellent job! Around 2:30 p.m. we snapped group pictures of WWU and MSD students. The next time WWU promised to sign longer stories for the kids.

-Victoria Brooks

Stark Teacher

Superintendent Stailey and Mr. Danuser, Student Life Director, put on a rousing oratorical/signed performance of the classic children's book "The Three Billy Goats Gruff". Through Superintendents' mastery of American Sign Language he created visual imagery and brought the story to life for the students. The audience broke out into laughter of his portrayal of the angry troll, the thee Billy Goats Gruff, and when the troll plummeted into the river. Through rich storytelling experiences such as this the students gain exposure to rich a language environment and a love for reading and storytelling.

-Ron Danuser

Student Life Director

Congratulations to Sara Farmer for winning 1st place with this year's theme of, "Where are my Roots of Optimism". Sara received a $2,500 scholarship.

Mrs. Meyer's Biology classes did a chromatography lab with Fall leaves of different colors. The leaf is crushed in a mortar and pestle with alcohol. Then a strop of filter is placed in the fluid containing the plant pigments and alcohol. The filter separates the chlorophylls into different colors showing the amount of different pigments in a leaf.

-Kathy Meyer

Biology Teacher

On Tuesday March 5th, Kathy Meyer’s and Jack Gardner’s high school students participated in the first ever Engineering Fair at MSD. The goal for the students was to design, build, and implement some kind of classic game using boxes, paper, plastic, wood, and anything else that was non-electronic. The students creativity reached a new level and you could see their hard work in each of their projects. Special thanks goes out to each and every one that helped make this day possible. Maybe we will do it again next year?!

-Jack Gardner

High School Science Teacher

Email: DESE.MSDMORecord@dese.mo.gov
Website: https://msd.dese.mo.gov/
Location: 505 East 5th Street, Fulton, MO, USA
Phone: 573-592-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DEAF.EagleMSD/