"Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto": The state motto is "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto" which is Latin for "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law."

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Nearly 100 years after achieving statehood, Missouri adopted an official flag on March 22, 1913. The flag was designed by the late Mrs. Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver, wife of former State Senator R. B. Oliver. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor, purity, vigilance and justice. In the center white stripe is the Missouri coat-of-arms, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars, denoting that Missouri was the 24th state.

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White Hawthorn Blossom: The white hawthorn blossom is the official state floral emblem of Missouri. Known as the "red haw" or "white haw," the hawthorn (crateagus) is a member of the great rose family, which resembles the apple group. The hawthorn blossoms have greenish-yellow centers and form in white clusters. More than 75 species of the hawthorn grow in Missouri, particularly in the Ozarks.

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Bluebird: On March 30, 1927, the native bluebird became the official state bird of Missouri. The bluebird, considered a symbol of happiness, is usually 6 1/2 to 7 inches long. While its upper parts are covered with light blue plumage, its breast is cinnamon red, turning rust-colored in the fall. The bluebird is common in Missouri from early spring until late November.

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Channel Catfish: On May 23, 1997, the channel catfish was designated as the official fish of Missouri. The channel catfish is slender, with a deeply forked tail. Young have spots that disappear with age. The catfish does not rely on sight to find its food; instead it uses cat-like whiskers to assist in the hunt. The channel cat is the most abundant large catfish in Missouri streams. Its diet include animal and plant materials. Adults are normally 12 to 32 inches long and weigh from a half-pound to 15 pounds.

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Paddlefish: The Paddlefish became Missouri's official aquatic animal on May 23, 1997. Only three rivers in Missouri support substantial populations of the paddlefish; the Mississippi, Missouri and the Osage. They are also present in some of the state's larger lakes. The paddlefish is primitive, with a cartilage skeleton, rather than bone. They commonly exceed five feet in length and weights of 60 pounds; 20-year olds are common and some live 30 years or more.

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Flowering Dogwood: On June 20, 1955, the flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida L.) became Missouri's official tree. The tree is small in size, rarely growing over 40 feet in height or 18 inches in diameter. The dogwood sprouts tiny greenish-yellow flowers in clusters, with each flower surrounded by four white petals. The paried, oval leaves are olive green above and covered with silvery hairs underneath. In the fall, the upper part of the leaves turns scarlet or orange and bright red fruits grow on the tree.

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Missouri Mule: The Missouri Mule is the Missouri official state animal. It is a hybrid, the offspring of a mare (female horse) and a jack (male donkey). After its introduction to the state in the 1820s, the mule quickly became popular with farmers and settlers because of its hardy nature. Missouri mules pulled pioneer wagons to the Wild West during the 19th century and played a crucial role in moving troops and supplies in World Wars I and II. For decades, the Missouri was the nation's premier mule producer.

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Square Dance The square dance was adopted as Missouri's official American folk dance on May 31, 1995. Square dances are derived from folk and courtship dances brought to the United States by European immigrants. Lively music and callers are hallmarks of square dancing. The caller directs the dancers by singing the names of figures and steps to be performed.

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Honeybee: On July 3, 1985, Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill designating the honeybee as Missouri's state insect. The honeybee, (Apis mellifera) yellow or orange and black in color, is a social insect which collects nectar and pollen from flower blossoms in order to produce honey. The honeybee is common to Missouri and is cultivated by beekeepers for honey production.

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Fiddle The fiddle became the state's official musical instrument on July 17, 1987. Brought to Missouri in the late 1700s by fur traders and settlers, the fiddle quickly became popular. The instrument was adaptable to many forms of music, could be played without extensive formal training and was light and easy to carry. For generations, the local fiddle player was the sole source of entertainment in many communities and held a position of great respect in the region.

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Eastern Black Walnut: The nut produced by the black walnut tree, the eastern black walnut, became the state tree nut on July 9, 1990. The nut has a variety of uses. The meat is used in ice cream, baked goods and candies. The shell provides the soft grit abrasive used in metal cleaning and polishing and oil well drilling, and is also used in paint products and as a filler in dynamite.

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Taum Sauk, Missouri, 1,772

Geologists say that Taum Sauk is unique among state highpoints in that it has never been under the ocean or under a glacier (not even Everest and McKinley can claim that!).

Taum Sauk (and the Ozarks) are also unique in that they run east-west (most mountain ranges run north-south).

Taum Sauk is made of rhyloite -- very similar in appearance to granite except that the crystals are much smaller. Rhyolite which is found all over the world is formed from the cooling of volcanic magma and consists of chunks of feldspar and quartz. Outcroppings of this rhyolite is celebrated at a couple of nearby Missouri state parks at Johnson Shut-Ins and at Elephant Rocks.

The area is still not silent geologically speaking. The most powerful earthquake recorded in North America occurred in the early 1800's 50 miles east at New Madrid, Missouri and caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards!

Geologists say that given the Midwest's fragile geology, if this fault acts up again, it would devastate a swath from Memphis to St. Louis to Chicago to Kansas City (in contrast an earthquake of similar size in California or Alaska would be relatively localized because of more dense rock formations there).

Historically, Confederate General Sterling Price lost the state of Missouri in a battle 10 miles north of the summit at Pilot Knob/Fort Davidson. Price went on to lose a battle literally on Mississippi's highest point.

Ulysses S. Grant (who was also at the Mississippi battle) extolled the virtues of the area and its cool streams.

Jesse James may have hid out around Taum Sauk when he robbed the Ironton train (which is celebrated in "The Ballad of Jesse James" song).

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Missouri Waltz
Written by James Royce Shannon
Music by John Valentine Eppel as arranged by Frederick Knight Logan

Hush-a-bye, ma baby, slumber time is comin' soon;
Rest yo' head upon my breast, while mommy hums a tune;
The sandman is callin', where shadows are fallin',
While the soft breezes sigh as in days long gone by.

Way down in Missouri where I heard this melody,
When I was a little child on my mommy's knee;
The old folks were hummin', their banjos were strummin'
So sweet and low.

Strum, strum, strum, strum, strum,
Seems I hear those banjos playin' once again,
Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum,
That same old plaintive strain.
Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum,
That same old plaintive strain.

Hear that mournful melody,
It just haunts you the whole day long,
And you wander in dreams, back to Dixie, it seems,
When you hear that old song.

Hush a-bye, my baby, go to sleep on Mommy's knee,
Journey back to Dixieland in dreams again with me;
It seems like your Mommy is there again,
And the old folks were strummin' that old refrain.

Way down in Missouri where I learned this lullaby,
When the stars were blinkin' and the moon was climbin' high,
Seems I hear voices low, as in days long ago
Singin' hush a-bye.

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The Great Seal was designed by Judge Robert William Wells and adopted by the Missouri General Assembly on January 11, 1822. The center of the state seal is composed of two parts. On the right is the United States coat-of-arms containing the bald eagle. In its claws are arrows and olive branches, signifying that the power of war and peace lies with the U.S. federal government.

On the left side of the shield, the state side, are a grizzly bear and a silver crescent moon. The crescent symbolizes Missouri at the time of the state seal's creation, a state of small population and wealth which would increase like the new or crescent moon; it also symbolizes the "second son," meaning Missouri was the second state formed out of the Louisiana Territory.

This shield is encircled by a belt inscribed with the motto, "United we stand, divided we fall," which indicates Missouri's advantage as a member of the United States. The two grizzlies on either side of the shield symbolize the state's strength and its citizens' bravery. The bears stand on a scroll with the state motto, "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto," meaning, "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." Below the scroll are the Roman numerals for 1820, the year Missouri became a state.

The helmet above the shield represents state sovereignty, and the large star atop the helmet surrounded by 23 smaller stars signified Missouri's status as the 24th state. The cloud around the large star indicates the problems Missouri had in becoming a state. The whole state seal is enclosed by a scroll bearing the words, "The Great Seal of the State of Missouri."

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Missouri Sports Teams:
Missouri High School, College, League, and Professional Sports


College

• Central Missouri State Mules - Warrensburg
• Missouri Tigers - Columbia
• Southwest Missouri State Bears - Springfield

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Did You Know . . .

Missouri has been held by three nations: France, Spain and the United States. First claimed for France by LaSalle in 1682, Missouri was ceded to Spain in 1762. By secret treaty in 1802, Spain ceded the Louisiana Territory back to France. Napoleon Bonaparte, anxious to rid himself of the vast and troublesome frontier, sold it to the United States in 1803 for a total of $15,000,000. Missouri was organized as a territory in 1812, and was admitted to the Union as the 24th state on August 10, 1821. Missouri was the second state (after Louisiana) of the Louisiana Purchase to be admitted to the Union.

In 1820, the Missouri Compromise was passed, whereby Missouri was to be admitted as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Although admitted as a slave state, Missouri nevertheless remained with the Union throughout the Civil War.(Missouri was the 24th state)

Missouri takes its name from the Missouri Indian tribe. .

Missouri played a leading role as the gateway to the West. St. Joseph, Missouri was the eastern starting point for the Pony Express,

Both the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails began in Independence, Missouri.

Bagnell Dam was built across the Osage River in the Ozarks from 1929 to 1931, creating the Lake of the Ozarks, which covers 57,000 acres and holds 617 billion gallons of water.

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Missouri's present State Capitol is actually the state's third in Jefferson City. After the second capitol burned in 1911, the people of Missouri decided to build the grandest in the country, using stone excavated from quarries near Carthage. The Capitol has many magnificent features - the rotundra, the stained glass windows, the murals and paintings and photographs of legislatures. Two museums display items from Missouri's past and help explain the state's history and resources.

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What does....     Harry S. Truman,     Samuel Clemens,     George Washington Carver,     Walt Disney,     James Cash Penney,     Scott Joplin,     Joyce C. Hall,     Laura Ingalls Wilder,     David Rice Atchison,     General Omar N. Bradley,     Josephine Baker,     Thomas Hart Benton,     Stanley Frank Musial,     Edwin Hubble,     R. Marlin Perkins,     Bob Barker,     Rose Philippine Duchesne ,     Dale Carnegie,     Tom Bass,     Walter Cronkite,     John Ashcroft,     Sacajawea,     General John J. Pershing,     Charlie "Bird" or "Yardbird" Parker,     Reinhold Niebuhr,     Emmett Kelly,     Susan Elizabeth Blow,     and Jesse James    
all have in common?                 Missouri!

Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) is one of the most highly regarded U.S. Presidents of our time and one of the most respected statesman in American history. Born in Lamar, Missouri, he became our 33rd president upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. As chief executive, he led the nation through the end of World War II and guided our country through the Korean Conflict. He was also responsible for a major turning point in American policy which bears his name, The Truman Doctrine. He is buried in his beloved town of Independence, Missouri, where thousands of admirers visit his home and presidential library every year.

Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), better known as author Mark Twain, as millions of readers have come to know him, was one of America's greatest writers and humorists. Born in Florida, Missouri, he is best known for his two classic novels of boyhood life on the Mississippi River, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. His childhood home of Hannibal, Missouri, which inspired many of his literary creations, has become an attraction for thousands of tourists each year. He took the writing pseudonym, Mark Twain, from riverboat jargon he learned during his years of piloting steamboats on the Mississippi.

George Washington Carver (1861?-1943), triumphed over a life of slavery to achieve international fame as a scientist, botanist and educator. Born near Diamond Grove, Missouri, he revolutionized agriculture in the South. Through intensive research, he developed more than 300 by-products from the peanut and sweet potato. He is also known for his work in the fields of soil fertilization and crop diversification. Carver was the first chair of the Department of Agriculture at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) was a film and animation pioneer and innovator whose achievements sparked the imagination of people throughout the world. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Disney moved to a farm outside of Marceline, Missouri, with his family in 1906. In 1910, his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri. After service as a World War I ambulance driver, Disney returned to Kansas City and opened his first animation studio. Winner of a record 32 Academy Awards in his lifetime, Disney amassed a remarkable body of work. His major accomplishments include producing the first synchronized sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie (1928); initiating the use of the three-color process in animation for motion pictures; producing the first feature-length animated picture, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937); and creating the family theme park Disneyland and such beloved characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

James Cash Penney(1875-1971) was the founder of the J.C. Penney Company department stores. Born on a small farm outside of Hamilton, Missouri, he grew up believing in God, self-reliance, self-discipline, honor, and the Christian ethic of the Golden Rule. By combining high ethical principles with sound economic practices and concern for his customers, he built one small store into a vast retail empire.

Scott Joplin (1868-1917) became known as "The King of Ragtime" because of his significant contributions to this unique form of music as a composer and pianist. Born in Texarkana, Texas, he spent the major portion of his life in St. Louis and Sedalia, Missouri. His musical composition, "Maple Leaf Rag," named for a popular Sedalia nightclub, was the first piece of American sheet music to sell one million copies. His celebrated ragtime piece "The Entertainer" won an academy award in 1974 as the theme music for The Sting. In 1976, he was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music.

Joyce C. Hall(1891-1982) was the founder of Hallmark Cards, Inc. Born in David City, Nebraska, Hall came to Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 18 and turned a mail-order postcard business into the world's largest personal expression company. During the 56 years he led Hallmark, Hall initiated many new and important marketing strategies such as functional inventory, automatic reorder, and display control systems, which gave the company an automatic index of public taste. He also introduced self-service for greeting cards with his open display racks. Two highlights of his career are the creation of the Hallmark Hall of Fame, a continuing series of television specials which have won more Emmy awards than any other program on television, and the development of the 85-acre Crown Center complex of shops, theaters, hotels and office space surrounding Hallmark's world headquarters in Kansas City. His creed, "Good taste is good business," is reflected in every Hallmark project.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957)used her childhood and adolescent experiences on the American frontier to write autobiographical novels beloved by children and adults alike. At Rocky Ridge Farm, her family home in the Ozarks near Mansfield, Missouri, she wrote the "Little House" books such as Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie. Her work has remained continuously in print since the books first appeared in the 1930s and was the subject of a very successful television series.

General Omar N. Bradley (1893-1981)was one of the most famous American military figures of the 20th century. He lived the first 15 years of his life in Clark, Missouri, and then moved to Moberly, Missouri. During World War II, he led the U.S. Armed forces at the invasion of Normandy and by the war's end was field commander of the largest American force united under one man's command in history. His other accomplishments include being named administrator of Veterans Affairs (1946-1948), Army Chief of Staff (1948-1949), first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Department of Defense (1949-1953), and first chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1950). Because of this five-star general's popularity with the enlisted men, he was given the nickname "The G.I. General." Bradley served 69 years on active duty in the Armed Forces until his death in 1981, longer than any other soldier in United States history.

David Rice Atchison (1807-1886), a Missouri native, held the office of president of the United States for one day in 1849. The terms of President James K. Polk and Vice President George Dallas officially expired at noon, Sunday, March 4. President-elect Zachary Taylor, a very religious man, refused to take the presidential oath on a Sunday. Senator Atchison, then president pro tem of the Senate, thus served as president of the United States from noon, March 4 until 11:30 a.m, March 5, 1849.

Josephine Baker(1906-1975) was an international star and human rights activist known for her sultry vocals and distinct improvisational dance style. Born in the slums of St. Louis, she discovered her ticket out of a life of poverty through song and dance. Because of her strong views against racial discrimination, she left this country for France to launch an entertainment career which spanned five decades. Deeply involved in the civil rights movement, she was instrumental in prompting nightclubs and theaters to integrate their audiences by her refusal to perform unless nondiscriminatory seating practices were followed. One of the highlights of her life was taking part in the 1963 Freedom March in Washington, D.C., and delivering a speech beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial. Four days before her death, on April 8, 1975, she opened a new revue in Paris and after a 15-minute ovation stated, "Now I can die."

Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) was one of the leaders of the regionalist movement in the world of art. Born in Neosho, Missouri, he received international reknown as a painter, muralist, and printmaker. Famous for his dramatic paintings of the American scene, Benton is best known for his panorama of Missouri history found in the lounge of the Missouri House of Representatives and his Truman Library mural depicting the role of Independence, Missouri in the opening of the West. He was also an outspoken champion on behalf of American art.

Susan Elizabeth Blow (1843-1916) established the first public kindergarten in the United States. Recognizing the benefits of preschool education as a result of her study of the kindergarten in Germany, Blow opened the DesPerres School in St. Louis in 1873. Accepting no pay, she directed the St. Louis kindergarten system for 11 years. She also trained teachers who established kindergartens throughout the country. Because of her dedication, kindergarten became a vital part of the American education system.

Emmett Kelly (1898-1979) was a gifted entertainer who gained world fame as the hobo clown, "Weary Willie." Born December 9, 1898, in Sedan, Kansas, he and his family moved to a farm near Houston, Missouri when he was six. At the age of 19, Kelly went to Kansas City with the dream of becoming a professional cartoonist. It was while working for an advertising agency that he created the hobo clown character for which he would later become famous. He did his first circus work as a trapeze artist and clown for Howe's Great London Circus. In 1933, while working with the Hagenback-Wallace Circus, his "Weary Willie" character was born and instantly became a symbol of hope for those hard hit by the depression. Kelly found his true home in 1941 when he joined the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. He became a major star of the circus and even made appearances in films, night clubs, television, and the Broadway stage. Kelly passed away on March 28, 1979.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)was a pastor, teacher, author and political activist. Regarded as the leading American religious thinker of his time, he was born in Wright City, Missouri, and moved with his family to St. Charles, where they lived until Reinhold was nine. Like his father, he entered the ministry of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, receiving his education at Eden Theological Seminary near St. Louis and at Yale Divinity School. He was pastor of a church in Detroit from 1915 to 1928, when he became a professor of ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. A prolific writer and lecturer, his best known books include Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, The Nature and Destiny of Man, and The Irony of American History. Through his speaking, writing and organizational activities, he sought to describe and achieve social justice through church and political means. His best known contribution to popular culture is the prayer he wrote about serenity, courage, and wisdom in relation to what can and cannot be changed. In recognition of his contribution to American life, Reinhold Niebuhr was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964.

Charlie "Bird" or "Yardbird" Parker (1920-1955) was a gifted saxophonist and composer who advanced the art of improvisation and rhythm and founded the bebop jazz movement. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of eight. Greatly influenced by the Kansas City jazz scene, he eventually began to play with a variety of local jazz and blues groups and finally moved to New York where his musical reputation grew. Two of his most famous musical compositions are "Yardbird Suite" and "Now's the Time." His last public appearance was March 5, 1955, only seven days before his death, at the New York nightclub, Birdland, which was named in his honor.

General John J. Pershing (1860-1948) commanded the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in Europe during World War I. Born near Laclede, Missouri, he became a master of military tactics through his training at the United States Military Academy and his teaching at West Point. Organizing, training, and leading all American land forces in the AEF marked Pershing as one of history's great military leaders. Four years after World War I began, he started with almost nothing, and within eighteen months time, established an army of two million soldiers who brought the conflict to an end in 200 days. He is the only American to be named General of the Armies in his lifetime by a special act of Congress, one rank above the five-star generals of World War II. In 1921, he was named Army Chief of Staff, and after his retirement, he served as chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Sacajawea (1788-1812) was the only woman to accompany the expedition by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark into Missouri and other territories of the Louisiana Purchase. A Shoshone Indian, she acted as an interpreter for this first U.S. exploration of a route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean and made many valuable contributions to the success of the mission.

John Ashcroft (1942- )Nationally~Known Missouri Statesman Born on May 9, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois 29th State Auditor: 1973-1974 38th State Attorney General: 1977-1985 50th Governor of Missouri: 1985-1993 United States Senator: 1995-2001 79th Attorney General of the United States: 2001-2005 President of the National Association of Attorneys General: 1981-1982 Chairman of the Education Commission of the States: 1987-1988 Chairman of the National Governors Association: 1991-1992 Commemorative Trees planted at the Washington Monument and Missouri State Capitol: 2005 Presented by Speaker Rod Jetton from Speaker's Annual Golf Classic Donations Sabra Tull Meyer, Sculptor

Walter Cronkite(1916- ) has been named the "Most Trusted Man in America" for more than half a century. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, he moved to Kansas City and then to Houston, where he began his journalism career as a campus correspondent for the Houston Post. In 1936, while visiting his grandparents in Kansas City, he took the position as a one-man news and sports staff with the KCMO radio station. There he met a new advertising writer named Betsy Maxwell, a recent graduate from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Four years later they were married. Mr. Cronkite has covered virtually every major news event throughout his more than 60 years in journalism.

Tom Bass (1859-1934)is regarded as one of the world's greatest saddle horse trainers. Born into slavery in Boone County, he lived most of his life in Mexico, Missouri. where he trained horses for a number of notable individuals including Theodore Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill Cody. He rode in the inaugural parades of Presidents Grover Cleveland and Calvin Coolidge and was invited to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebration in England. Bass was known for his gentle and humane training methods and was said to have never raised a whip or a club and rarely his voice to his horses. He invented a special bit that is less intrusive and painful to horse's mouth, but he never patented it because he wanted to "give it to the horses of the world; something to make their way in life a little easier." The Tom Bass Bit is still in production today. While living in Kansas City for a short time during his life, Bass helped organize a horse show that today is known as the American Royal. Because his talent as a horseman was greatly admired, Bass was allowed to show in the same ring with white trainers when America was still a very segregated place in the decades following the Civil War. Tom Bass helped break the color barrier at the turn of this century while revolutionizing the saddle horse profession.

Stanley Frank Musial(1920 - ) (Stan the Man) was born in Donora, Pennsylvania. In the minds of sports fans everywhere, Stan Musial, the Cardinals and St. Louis are forever linked. Musial started baseball with the Cardinals as a pitcher, but in 1941 was converted to an outfielder/first baseman because of an arm injury. His Major League career, all with the Cardinals, lasted from 1941 through 1963. His starting salary went from $65 per month in 1938 to $100,000 per year in 1954. Musial was nicknamed "The Man" by fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 after he returned from naval duty in World War II. His athletic awards, records, and recognitions are extensive. He held 7 National League batting titles, received 3 Most Valuable Player Awards, and was named to 24 All Star Teams. His lifetime batting average is .331. Sports Illustrated named him "Sportsman of the Year" in 1957. The Sporting News honored him as "Player of the Decade" for the years between 1946 and 1956. At retirement, Musial held 17 Major League, 29 National League and 9 All Star Game records. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) was born in 1889 in Marshfield, Missouri. His undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago emphasized mathematics and astronomy, and led to the B.S. degree in 1910. He spent the next three years as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, where he studied in the field of law and received the M.A. degree. He returned to astronomy at the Yerkes Observatory of the University of Chicago, where he earned the Ph.D. in 1917. Hubble was offered a staff position by George Ellery Hale, the founder and director of Carnegie Institution's Mount Wilson Observatory, near Pasadena, California. But before accepting, Hubble served with the U.S. Army in France, where he rose to the rank of Major. He returned to America in 1919 and accepted the Mount Wilson appointment. He remained with Carnegie until his death in 1953. Shortly before his death, Palomar's 200-inch Hale Telescope was completed. Hubble was the first to use it. He died of stroke on September 28, 1953.

Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769-1852) American Frontier Educator, Roman Catholic nun, born in Grenoble, France. Came to America in 1818. Opened the first free school west of the Mississippi in St. Charles, Missouri, in a log cabin. Spent 34 years on the American Frontier establishing schools and doing charitable work. Realized her dream of working with the American Indians who called her "Quah-kah-ka-num-ad" or "The Woman Who Prays Always". Beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1940 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

R. Marlin Perkins (1905-1986)Born and raised in Carthage, Missouri. Zooligist and naturalist. Brought wildlife behavior to television on Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" shown in 40 countries and awarded four Emmys. Zooligist for Sir Edmund Hillary's expidition to Mount Everest in 1960, Director of Saint Louis Zoo 1962-1970.

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)Born on November 24, 1888, in Maryville, Missouri Legendary Author - Educator - Self-Development Pioneer Author of one of the best-selling books of all time “How to Win Friends and Influence People” Established a revolutionary instructional program in communication and human relations known as The Dale Carnegie Course Founder of the Dale Carnegie Training Institute Syndicated Newspaper Columnist - Radio Personality Prominent Lecturer - Sought after Counselor to World Leaders Educated at Central Missouri State University Died of Hodgkin’s disease on November 1, 1955 Buried in Cass County Belton, Missouri “Throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.”

Bob Barker (1923- )Born December 12, 1923 in Darrington, Washington Attended Central High School, Springfield, Missouri Attended Drury College, Springfield, MO on a basketball scholarship Member of Epsilon Beta Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity at Drury College Married Dorothy Jo Gideon in 1945 She was his inspiration to Advocate for Animals Dorothy Jo died of lung cancer in 1981 They enjoyed 36 years of marriage Game Show Host of Truth or Consequences from December 1956 – 1975 Game Show Host of the Family Game in 1967 Game Show Host of CBS’s The Price Is Right from 1972 – 2007 Seventeen-time Emmy Award-Winning American Television Game Show Host Lifetime Achievement Award for Daytime Television in 1999 “Help control the pet population; have your pet spayed or neutered.”

Jesse James (1847-1882), the notorious outlaw, was born in Kearney, Missouri in 1847.

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