Barstow School - Weathercock Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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Miss Brann, who was graduated a year before Miss Barstow, ventured out here to teach in a small private school, which seems to have gone out' of existence soon afterward. Be that as it may, Miss Brann discovered a very different Kansas City from the prevailing New England conception. She found an enterprising, young town in the midst of a big boom, Its leading citizens were cultured and traveled. The finest theatrical companies with famous American and European stars gave frequent performances at the leading theater. Opera flourished. There was an unusual number of excellent bookstores and many literary clubs, The idea of a future art institute was beginning to germinate. The public school, however, left much to be desired, and many people were eager to have at home a really fine school for their daughter-a school which could give them not only a thorough cultural education from the primary grades on but could also prepare them for the big eastern colleges, where more and more girls were beginning to go. Influenced by these favorable conditions as urged undoubtedly by those whose acquain- tance and friendship she had gained during her stay, Miss Brann finally decided to make the venture. In the following fall she returned from the East with her close friend Miss Barstow, just graduated, as her co-principal and financial partner in the enterprise, and backed by a number of the leading citizens. Miss Brann's school for Girls made its appear- ance in a former dwelling house near the corner of Twelfth Street and Broadway, where the Fairfax Arms now stands. From this beginning the inner history of the school has flowed on in a continuous stream, according to the ideals and policies of its founders, but the outer history divided itself into three periods. During the first phase of its existence, which lasted some fifteen or sixteen years, the school, always known as Miss Brann's, occupied three sites, all within the same block. lt quickly outgrew the first one on Broadway and was transferred to two adjacent buildings, part of a row of houses directly west of Grace and Holy Trinity on Thirteenth Street. At the last it was moved to a large house opposite The Washington, then a fashionable hotel. Since it was a town school with no grounds around it, no outdoor sports were possible or any gymnasium for games and exercises. There was no art or music department, but at times an art instructor came once a week, and certain piano teachers gave their pupils lessons at the school. There was no dramatic society, but plays were sometimes given. There was no school paper, no class organizations, no formal commencements. The school hours were from nine A. M. to two-thirty P. M. The pupils brought their own lunches. But there was always a big recreation room in which there was a piano and, believe it or not, the girls had an exceedingly good time. lt was not long, however, before the school began to attain fame and was heard of far beyond the city limits. The reputation grew by leaps and bounds. Soon certificates from Miss Brann's admitted its graduates to all the big eastern colleges: Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, and others of less renown. This good work led to the admission of a limited number of boys. There are today graduates or those partially prepared for college among the city's leading and professional men. At length Miss Brann's health began to fail. She felt that she could no longer cope with the strain that her duties put upon her. She left amid universal regret and the first period of the school's history was over. lt was then that Mr. William Rockhill Nelson stepped into the breach and prevailed upon Miss Barstow to continue the school as principal and owner. He built for her a new schoolhouse on Westport Avenue at the head of Baltimore. It was a large, square, yellow and white, frame structure with a fair amount of ground around it so that there could be outdoor activities for the students. In that location, as Miss Barstow's School, the second part of its outer history began. The first associate principal was Caro Taylor, afterwards Mrs. W. H. Matin, who had previously taught under Miss Brann. Upon her marriage, she was succeeded by Rose Adelaide Witham, considered by Smith College to be one of its ..9..

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if -'. 1 H, Y ll p. e I' Ol' ts. ic S n n IY its n G a ck h, se lv iss 9, but they were not too much starved, for cookies and chocolate or some such edibles and drinkables were given them at morning recess. For nearly a quarter of a century this school flourished, Many were the girls who went there, and many were graduated who later became outstanding in the colleges of their choice. Finally, Miss Barstow, who had been in ill health for a number of years felt, as Miss Brann had done, that she could no longer stand the strain of her duties and responsibilities. She left Kansas City, never to return. Before leaving, however, she gave her name, her equipment, and her goodwill to a new school, which was to carry on the ideals and methods of the past. This new school was no longer owned privately but was to be an incorporated, non-profit institution, headed by a board of trustees. Miss Witham was persuaded to become its principal for a three-year term so that no break would occur in the policies and functioning of the old Barstow. Thus the second period of the outer history ended and the third began. A new and beautiful site was chosen and a much larger school built-a plant containing a big main hall, a boarding school, and a gymnasium. lt is the same plant that is occupied now. lt was ready for use in the fall of 1924, but in the previous Iune, the girls of '24 held their commencement in the then unfinished main hall, although they had completed their senior year on Westport Avenue. During the first year of occupation, a reception was given at the time of the school's dedication. Among the many people present were three distin- guished guests: President Wilson of Smith, President Pendleton of Wellesley, and Miss Comstock, Dean of Radcliffe, all of whom became honorary trustees. Today, after twenty-seven years, the schools exterior looks the same, save for more trees and flowers and the pleasant mellowing of time and use. There have been changes within, however, and more traditions made. Since there is a gymnasium building and more land, sports, indoor and outdoor, have greater range and variety. There is an excellent art department, a music department for -11..