Thomas Clark Johnson, age 90, a lifelong resident of rural Bronson, Kansas, passed away Friday, August 23, 2024, at the Allen County Regional Medical Center in Iola, Kansas.
He was born January 30, 1934, in Bronson, Kansas, the son of Thomas Johnson and Myra Warden Johnson. Tom graduated from the Bronson High School. He served in Korea with the United States Army from 1956 to 1957. Tom had worked for many years on the road crew for Bourbon County.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret.
There was cremation. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, September 7th at the Bronson Baptist Church.
Private burial will take place at a later date in the Bronson Cemetery.
The Bourbon County Arts Council 10th Annual Art Walk is this Friday, Sept. 6 at Crooner’s Restaurant from 5-8 p.m.
The purpose of the event is for local artists to showcase their work to the public and sell their art.
“The Art Walk is an event the BCAC loves to hold. It is a free relaxing evening the community can share with family and friends while viewing the outstanding Artwork in our area. You don’t have to travel a hundred miles to get quality pieces,” said Deb Anderson, spokeswoman for the group.
“They work so hard to develop this art,” Anderson said. “We also want to expose the public to the outstanding artists we have in our area. This is also the public’s opportunity to perhaps purchase items for themselves or to give as gifts for family and friends, connect art with a story. Christmas is just around the corner!”
All the displayed art will be for sale, and the art walk is free to the public.
On Monday 9/9/2024 Harbour Construction from the Kansas City area will be in Fort Scott to start the 2024 Cape Seal Program. Below are the roads that will be getting Cape Sealed this year. I will try and have a better idea of the order of work by Monday, but they will be moving at a fast pace so it may be hard to give out proper notification of what streets they will doing on a particular day. They are saying it will take less than two weeks to complete all work. Harbour Construction will be doing traffic control and will do their best to limit commute issues but please be careful and patient during the next week or two. They will also be putting door hangers on doors to let citizens know they are going to be in a certain area. Any questions please email me at [email protected]. Thank you
The Chamber Coffee was recently held at Walmart in July, but the store invites Chamber and guests back for a second time to keep the community informed on the remodel progress!
The following is a message from Store Manager Heather Magruder: “This week marks the fifth week of our Store Transformation and there are still several weeks before our Store Celebration. During this time, we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during our remodel. We know the changes may have caused some inconvenience, and we are truly grateful for your support and flexibility throughout this period. Your continued patronage has been crucial as we work to improve our space and services. Thank you for being such an important part of our community and for standing by us during this transition.”
Contact the Chamber of Commerce for more info.: (620) 223-3566
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Mary Lou Mefford, age 89, resident of Fort Scott, KS died Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at Pleasant Hill Health and Rehab Center, Pleasant Hill, MO. She was born August 19, 1935, in Drumright, OK, the daughter of Perry and Ethel Mae Coffman Johnson. Mary graduated from Moran High School with the class of 1953. She married William “Ike” Mefford on September 29, 1967, in Fort Scott. He preceded her in death. Mary worked most of her career as a claim supervisor for several insurance companies. She was a member of Eastern Star and St. John’s Global Methodist Church.
Survivors include a stepson, Don Mefford (Linda), Mound City, KS; 3 grandsons, Mike Mefford (Rochelle) and their daughter Aleigh, Lee’s Summit, MO, Shon Mefford (Dana), Joplin, MO, and Jason Mefford (Cindy), Mapleton, KS; a sister, Jean Decker, Bronson, KS; a brother, Terry Joe Johnson (Karen), Iola, KS; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Clara Kay Griffin-Clark; 4 brothers, Ralph, Gilbert, Perry, and Paul Johnson; 3 sisters, Betty Clayton, Shirley Bolan, and Pat Dawson; and 2 stepsons, Richard and Bill Mefford.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, September 9th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Bronson Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Cherri Walrod, K-State Research and Extension Office Community
Health Worker, is providing an opportunity for parents of special needs children.
Cherri Walrod is a new K-State Research and Extension Community Health Worker (CHW), photo from her Facebook page.
“I am a mom to special needs kids myself…being a parent to a special needs child can be a special kind of isolation and hurt.”
She said another mom asked her to start a support group for parents of special needs kids.
“Throughout the spring of this year, I hosted a few meetings for special needs parents in the area, just as a personal service to the community,” Walrod said.
Walrod began a new job as a community health worker for K-State Research and Extension Southwind District on August 1.
The Community Health Worker project has received funding and support from K-State 105, Kansas State University’s economic growth and advancement initiative for all 105 counties in Kansas. Learn more at k-state.edu/105.
“Since I am part of the community of parents of special needs children myself and support groups fit in the role of a CHW, the timing was perfect to form this group officially.”
The first meeting will be September 13 from 5-7 p.m. at the Splash Pad and Gathering Pavilion at North National Avenue and Old Fort Blvd. on Fort Scott’s north end. It is a come-and-go event opportunity to connect with other parents of special needs children.
Bring your kids, lawn chairs, snacks, and water to drink, she said.
The Gathering Square Pavilion, the splash pad is behind the pavilion on North National Avenue.
“This first meeting is just a meet and greet time for area parents of special needs kids to come together for some fellowship time,” she said.” I hope to gather enough names and contact info of families interested and then try to determine which day and time might work for families to gather on a regular basis. All of the logistics for future meetings are to be determined based on the feedback from the parents in attendance. I hope to talk to enough parents to get an introductory idea of what they may need in the way of support. “
“Based on what I’ve heard so far, many parents of special needs kids feel very isolated, alone, overwhelmed, defeated and just surviving from one day to the next. Many feel judged by their parent peers due to some of the behaviors of their children.”
“This first meet and greet is just that. A chance to meet other parents in an environment of non-judgment so that we can begin to make plans to help support each other in the future.”
“I will be the lead facilitator for the time being and responsible for the majority of the logistics planning right now. Eventually, as we form a more organized group, we may have more involvement from the parents themselves and also invite community partners to join us to address special topics, needs or to provide educational or training opportunities.”
This is for parents who have wished to get together with others who are in the same situation and understand some of the stresses.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.
This is a (stone) map left to me by Native Americans from as long ago as 2,000 to 4,000 years ago, when they inhabited Bourbon County. It is a petroglyph hand-carved stone modified by an application of a Cementous substance and carved with stone hammers, chisels and drills. This is one of many artifacts I have found by digging in my yard following the 1896 newspaper article describing a “structure” found while building Crawford Street. That description fits the description of a primitive rock smelter like the one in Gunn Park we have always known as a “Bear Den”. The one described in the article was in my front yard and was written off as “an old Indian grave”.
Shown on the map is a carved-out area depicting Gunn Park with the Bear Den marked with a hole and a “smelter symbol”. Also marked on the stone is the smelter that was in my front yard, smelters that were located at 6th and Main and 9th and Main and other smelters that were in Gunn Park and some farther south in the community college area. I can see about 10 such locations, and there were more around the county. The complete area shown on the stone was being mined, with the melted materials being shipped off to other countries or nations. Those materials may have been gold, silver, copper, or steel…. I have another map that depicts various materials being mined at various locations. How far back in history this story goes, I do not know, but this find is a starting point.
The following were bike winners at the Old Settler’s Picnic in Uniontown yesterday afternoon, as submitted by Mary Pillion, one of the organizers of the event.
The AR-15 300 Blackout Rifle raffle winner was Heath Lord. Not pictured
Winners of bikes: (Submitted photos)
(Names were not provided to fortscott.biz)
Longest Beard Contest
Longest beard contest winner is Ray Taylor, middle. Submitted photos.Longest married couple Coach and Mrs. Walker. Submitted photos.Becky Shinn won for the longest resident with a Uniontown address. Submitted photos.Oldest women was Babe Goodbody, 80 years old. Submitted photos.Oldest man was Leo Hartman, 95.Longest mullet, unknown winner. Submitted photos.Even the young enjoyed the bingo game on Sunday afternoon. Submitted photo.
ARTEFFECT Ambassadors
Visual Arts Online Fellowship 2024-2025
ARTEFFECT Ambassadors is an online fellowship for educators working directly with students in grades 6-12 to foster the visual arts. Ambassadors explore teaching and learning around the inspiring and diverse stories of Unsung Heroes from history. PROGRAM TIMELINE:
The fellowship runs online from October 30, 2024–June 2, 2025. During the school year, Ambassadors attend at least four online modules taught by seasoned art educators and practitioners, accompanied by lesson plans. Sessions are on Wednesdays – Pacific Time. Module 1 and Module 6 are mandatory.
Module 1 – Program Overview: Meet the Unsung Heroes
OCT 30, 2024, 4:00-6:00 PM PT
Module 2 – Character and Values
NOV 20, 2024, 4:00-5:15 PM PT
Module 3 – Storytelling through Art
DEC 11, 2024, 4:00-5:15 PM PT
Module 4 – Unsung Heroes and STEAM
JAN 22, 2025, 4:00-5:15 PM PT
Module 5 – Artmaking and Social Impact
FEB 26, 2025, 4:00-5:15 PM PT
Ambassadors connect with the cohort and colleagues nationwide through online events and networks, meet 1:1 with the Program Director by April 1, 2025, and complete a Capstone Project and Report by June 2, 2025. Capstone Projects are learner-centered, uniquely designed, and developed by each Ambassador. Capstone Projects can take shape as lesson plans, student art exhibitions, publications, community events, and more.
The fellowship provides a Certificate of Completion, a $1,250 stipend upon completion of program requirements, and $250 credit for materials. For more details, review the two-page Program Information Sheet. Applications are due September 16, 2024.
As part of the fellowship, Ambassadors develop capstone projects throughout the school year. These learner-centered projects provide unique opportunities to explore the stories of the Unsung Heroes, expand the impact of lessons, and enrich teaching and learning. Capstone projects can engage students and communities through lesson plans, student art exhibitions, the annual ARTEFFECT student art competition, school-partnerships, publications, community events, and more.
Ambassadors in Action!
Meet our featured Ambassador in Action Kevin Dailey, a U.S. History Teacher at Ballyshannon Middle School in Union, Kentucky.
Each ARTEFFECT Ambassador culminates their online fellowship with a capstone project that brings the inspiring stories of the LMC Unsung Heroes into their classrooms and communities. Here’s an excerpt from Kevin about his capstone project:
“My capstone was a condensed, week-long unit to incorporate ARTEFFECT into a classroom. This unit was designed as an introduction to ‘project-based learning’ and Unsung Heroes. The targeted audience of the initial program was a middle school social studies class, but my lesson plan can be adapted for all grade levels and classrooms.
After the work was completed, students showcased their work in a gallery walk for the middle school. Learning objectives included students being able to describe what it means to be a hero and to identify heroes from history, and understanding the significance of art on communicating feeling, ideals, and history.
The major lesson learned from this abbreviated project is confirmation that all students can do the ARTEFFECT project. On top of that, they can produce some incredible work discovering Unsung Heroes! The students were incredibly engaged in the process. I do believe at this scale (100+ students) and speed (one week), the written component needs to be shortened substantially. Some students struggled to complete both the artwork and the writing. For those that wish to pursue the competition, they can add to that writing as they move through the process.”
Thank you to Kevin for your dedication and exploratory arts-integration unit. Congratulations on the artworks created by the students at Ballyshannon Middle School. Looking forward to the next implementation of your lesson plan!
Stay connected with ARTEFFECT through our expanding social media channels on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Shirley Jean Higgins, age 88, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Monday, September 2, 2024, at the Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born February 24, 1936, in Richards, Missouri, the daughter of John Logan Zimmerman and Effie Charlotte Debus Zimmerman.
Shirley graduated from the Richards High School with the Class of 1954. While in high school, Shirley excelled at basketball. Following graduation, she was invited to play basketball with the Redettes, a traveling women’s basketball team. Shirley declined the offer and instead married Clyde Richard Higgins on August 13, 1954, at Nevada, Missouri.
In earlier years, Shirley worked at Aren’s Produce and also as a meat cutter for Food Town in Ft. Scott. Following the birth of her son, Shirley began providing babysitting services out of her home. She continued to babysit for over fifty years and provided care to countless area children. She later worked eleven years for Community Care Connection where she provided in home care for the elderly and disabled.
Shirley loved to garden, play cards and watch KU basketball. She had a tender heart for animals. The children she babysat remember the menagerie of animals she kept in her backyard including the many bottle-fed baby squirrels. Shirley also enjoyed taking car rides with her family. She was a member of Community Christian Church.
Survivors include her three children, (Clyde)Terry Higgins (Lynne) of Carl Junction, Missouri, Teresa Jean Higgins (Paul) and Tammy Sue Ekis (Jerry) all of Ft. Scott and three grandchildren, Terra Higgins of Carl Junction, Missouri, Andrew Clyde Higgins (Savanna) of Siesta Key, Florida and Hunter Ekis of Ft. Scott. Also surviving are the numerous children she babysat over the years.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde, on January 24, 2008. She was also preceded in death by a half-brother, Dean Zimmerman and a half-sister, Rachel Minor.
Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, September 7th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Newton Burial Park in Nevada, Missouri.
The family will receive friends on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to Paws & Claws Animal Shelter of Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
