Barstow School - Weathercock Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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'ff Mr. Mlchael Churchman 659 Assxstant to the Headmaster Hnstory B A , Wesleyan Unxversnty M A, Unxverslty of Kansas Cnty Mrs E1leen French Steele C225 Head of the Upper School Englxsh Drrector of Testing BS Kansas City Teachers College M S University of Kansas Unnversxty of Colorado

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Mr. Richard H. Sears C103 Headmaster A.B., Harvard Ed. M., Harvard TO THE STUDENTS By the time this 1960 Weathercock reaches you, another school year will be fast drawing to a close. I hope that for each of you it has been a year of fulfillment-a year of increased knowledge, improved skills, and deeper appreciations. You have been members of a school which con- stantly has placed before you the standard of excellence in all of your accomplishments. At a time when we are being urged to conform to mediocrity, may each of you cling to this standard of excellence all your days. Grasp it and hold it fast that your life may have quality. 5

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SCHOOL HISTORY Seventy-six years ago when Ada Brann and Mary Louise Barstow, two enterprising young Wellesley graduates, came to Kansas City to found an institution of learning, little did they know that the school they established was to flourish into the Barstow of today whose name is known and respected. As the site for their school, Miss Brann and Miss Barstow chose a location one block west of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, and there it remained for sixteen years, knowing three dif- ferent locations on this same block. During this time the school was rather limited in its activi- ties because of a lack of a campus for outdoor sports. At this time there were no regular art and music departments and the clubs such as Pretenders and Glee Club, which now play such an im- portant part in the life of Barstow, had not yet come into being. Despite these deficiencies the school prospered, and before long a certificate from Miss Brann could be used by the possessor for entrance into almost any college. However, with Miss Brann's striving to improve the school and uphold its fine reputation, also came a failing in her health, which forced her to retire and thus end the first era in Barstow's history. Advised by her good friend, Colonel William Rockhill Nelson, Miss Barstow remained as principal and owner of the school and moved the school to a more favorable location on Westport Avenue. The new schoolhouse had as its first associate principal Miss Caro Taylor, who, upon her marriage, was succeeded by Rose Adelaide Witham, a graduate of Smith College. Miss Wit- ham's coming was a very fortunate event for Barstow, for she not only carried on the school's ideals and policies but also introduced many worthwhile ideas.