The Annual Local History Class at ECC is gearing up for its 21st year! Founder and Organizer Sue Blesi says the lineup of speakers for the 2024 class is amazing. Many “students” return to this popular class year after year because of the varied content. All ages welcome!
The eight-week class begins Thursday, March 7. There will be two presentations each evening, at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. There will be no class March 14 due to Spring Break so classes will run through May 2 this year. Classes will be held in the Training Center Building, which is a one-story, handicap-accessible building with a level parking lot. To reach it, drive straight across the campus until you come to a “T” in the road then make a left turn.
The registration table will be set up right inside the door. The cost for the complete course is $60 or people can attend a class or two by paying $12 at the door. As usual, speakers and historical societies will have books and other items available for purchase. To enroll, call 636-649-5803 (Community Education) to enroll. A Zoom option will be available for the first time for people who sign up for the full class through ECC. Just sign up as directed above then let Sue Blesi know you want to attend some or all of the classes on Zoom (You will then have the option of attending some or all in person as you wish.)
Proceeds from the class will be donated to Four Rivers Genealogical Society. If you need more information, feel free to contact Sue Blesi at sueblesi46@gmail.com.
Click HERE to find out more…
March 7, 6:30 p.m.
Katie Dieckhaus is a local historian and archivist serves as Executive Director of the Washington Historical Society. She will present “The Washington Turnverein,” a community organization that focused on the mental and physical wellness of its members. Established by German immigrants, the local members were part of the St. Louis District of Turners. They participated in gymnastics competitions and other feats of physical athleticism. Turner Hall played host to many civic events, dances, debates, and more.
March 7, 7:30 p.m.
Brent Purschke and Adam Vaught are research buddies who enjoy looking for Indian artifacts. They have an intense interest in archeology. Brent has learned flint-knapping and studied ancient lithic reduction technology. He has even been “written up” in a national journal, Prehistoric America Journal. He found a Clovis Point that dates to about 12,000 B.C.! They will have some great displays, including a Banner Stone!
March 15: Spring Break. No class.
March 21 6:30 p.m.
Sarah Gehlert is a semi-retired university professor and administrator with a background in Anthropology and Archeology. Her deep interest in Franklin County history is based on her upbringing in Union and her family’s background in the county. She and her spouse returned to the area to live in 2022. Dr. Gehlert volunteers at Four Rivers Genealogy Society. She has been studying the history of the poor and infirmed, including those 2024 Local History Class Schedule at ECC with mental illness, since her return to Missouri. America’s treatment of the poor and infirmed has changed over time due to increases in population size and composition. The large influx of immigrants to Franklin county from Germany in the 1850s and 1860s brought about a unique approach to care. In this session, we will describe trends in Franklin County from the Poor Farm to the Franklin County Infirmary and beyond. The information to be presented comes from a rich database mainted by Four Rivers Genealogical Society.
March 21 7:30 p.m.
Jim McCarty of Union is editor emeritus of Rural Missouri magazine and special projects manager for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. He came to Rural Missouri in 1985 and served longer as editor (37 years) than anyone in the history of the publication. He is a graduate of St. Clair High School, and was an 1984 honors graduate of University of Missouri School of Journalism. In 2017, he was inducted into the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame. He will present Electric Cooperative history.
March 28 6:30 p.m.
David Menke is a retired teacher and school administrator. He graduated from New Haven High School, earned degrees from SE Mo. State University and the University of Mo., taught at Wash- ington and served as principal at New Haven. He has written numerous articles and books on area history and has served as historian for New Haven Preservation Society David is also president of the New Haven German-American Club and serves as an elder in his church. He says his greatest accomplishment was marrying his high school sweetheart, Joan! David will present a power point program on the life and works of Dee Dann, a local artist. His recently published book entitled, Dee Dann: Folk Artist, details the life of a creative and imaginative artist whose works feature a folksy style that often depicted historic locations in the area. She painted and designed and crafted many unique items which are treasured by area residents. Tragically, Dann was assaulted
in her home by a deranged woman in New Haven on June 10, 2001, and died the following day at age 70.
March 28 7:30 p.m.
Lloyd Klinedinst and “Bobbie” Bollman wil present “Our Transition into Life in Franklin County, Our Development as Citizens, and What It Means to Us.” Their talk is dedicated to Benjamin Franklin, namesake of Franklin County and often called the “First Citizen of America.” Bobbie attended Washington University, taught Middle School in Parkway for 30 years, served as chair of the Foreign Language Department at West Middle School. Lloyd taught and administrated in Parkway and local universities after earning Bs, MA, and PhD. After their retirements in 1995 and 1996, they have been found leading discussions, working as an election judges, running for the school board and MO HD109 positions, being active in Franklin Co. Service Providers, Neighbors United Undoing Racism, and East Central MNEA.
April 4 6:30 p.m.
John Stuart Fryer will present “Missourians of the Settlement of the Austin and DeWitt Colonies in Texas.” Stephen F. Austin was from Washington County, while Green DeWitt was probably from St. Charles or Lincoln County. The Zumwalts will be prominent in his discussion as well as Zadock Woods and the Cottles. With six generations of Franklin Co ancestors, Fryer grew up in Lavaca Co., Tex. He graduated from Texas A&M and from the University of Texas School of Law and is a retired County and District Attorney (analagous to being Prosecuting Attorney in Mo.).
April 4 7:30 p.m.
Melissa Scheer on “Roger Scheer and the Noser’s Mill.” This presentation will include a history of the mill and its uses, stories of various owners, including the last owner, her father, Roger Scheer. Roger became captivated by the mysteries of the mill and discovered many exciting pieces of history and collected many stories. Melissa is employed as a 4H Youth Development Specialist in St. Louis County and has degrees in Civil Engineering, Human Development and Family Studies, and Educational Leadership. She is married to Tim Maune and they live on a small cow-calf farm in St. Clair with their 11-year-old son.
April 11: 6:30 p.m.
Suzanne Pautler’s interest in Franklin County history began when she was a youth living in the Jeffriesburg area where her ancestors settled in the mid-1800s. Her experiences and background in teaching, history, genealogy, and technology, come together as she presents local history topics. She investigates historic details as they relate to the Franklin County people she researches. Suzanne has made several trips to Germany and shares with us what she has learned about life before immigration in the early- and mid-1800s. Local immigrant families moving from walled-in villages in Europe to rural Missouri posed many lifestyle changes. She has done extensive research, both abroad and in Franklin County.
April 11: 7:30 p.m.
Lynn Wagner, a lifelong resident of Franklin County now serves as President of the Franklin County Historical Society and administers the Franklin County Historical Society Facebook page. She will present more crime and punishment stories! She attributes her interest in the topic to her father, who was a police officer. This year she will present “The Deadly Dentist” and “The Hacker Murderer,” both Pacific area crimes.
April 18 6:30 p.m.
Randy Schwentker was raised in New Haven and has lived there most of his life. He has developed a strong interest in the history of the area, nurtured early by his mentor, local New Haven historian Lelia Wilkinson. Along with the history of the town, he also collects many types of local artifacts from the area. He enjoys sharing what he has learned and learning from others. His hope is that he will be able to pass on his interest to younger people who will become the future history buffs. His topic will be “New Haven.”
April 18 7:30 p.m.
Robert Muenz, author of Saint Albans and its History, Folklore, Golf & Characters, will make a presentation on his book. Beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition and their visit to Tavern Rock, the Germans who settled there, and numerous events that have taken place over the years. That includes several murders, kidnappings, front-page scandals, mysteries and back-page stories, ending with the blufftop murder of Clarence by Theodore Link II in 1960. His beautiful book includes art by Bryan Haynes, Michael Haynes, Gary Lucy and Phil Brinkman.
April 25 7:30 p.m.
Gary Lucy, well-known Washington artist and Missouri native will discuss his 38-year art career. A number of his paintings have related to area history. His presentation is entitled “Inland Waterways: The Highways of our Heritage.”
April 25 7:30 p.m.
Sue Blesi has researched area history for 40 years and has been speaking and writing books and articles on the topic for about 40 years. She started the Franklin County History Fair in 2001 and
organized this class 21 years ago, planning the programs and recruiting speakers each year. Her program this year will be “Why a Respected Franklin County Businessman came to Franklin County Secreted Inside a Casket and Loaded onto a Train!” This true tale will detail his life before and after his uncommon journey!
May 2 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Cecilia Nadal and Sydney Norton will present “The Shared History of German Immigrants and African Americans.” Cecilia is a sociologist, educator, producer, and playwright. She was founder and executive director of Productive Futures (1984-2007) and Gitana Productions (1997- 2019) and served as assistant professor of Human Services at St. Louis Community College (1975-1980. The German abolitionist story moved her to write a play on the topic inspiring Hermann’s first social Black History Month celebration (2017-2020). Sydney is an independent scholar and director of German Language Solutions. While teaching German at St. Louis University (2012-2020), she curated “German Immigrant Abolitionists: Fighting for a Free Missouri,” an exhibition that travelled to Deutschheim State Historic site in Hermann. After earning a doctorate in German Literature and Cultural Studies, she has written numerous books and articles on contempory German art and literature, performing and visual arts of the Weimar Republic, and German Immigrants in Missouri. She will discuss the complex relationships prior to, during, and following the Civil War, and share personal insights gleaned from discussions with urban and rural Missourians from both ethnic groups. [Our presenters are normally volunteers, but Cecilia Nadal and Sydney North are paid speakers from the Missouri Humanities Council speakers.]