1938 newspaper shines among Ballwin Historical Commission donations

 On Nov. 9, current Planning & Zoning Commission member Gary Carr (Ward 1) carried several items into the Old Ballwin School House. He was there to donate pieces of Ballwin’s history. 

“Some of the stuff I’m donating today is from Ballwin Days. But the one that really struck me was the 1938 newspaper from the Community Press when they dedicated the brick building,” Carr said, referring to the school house. “My wife (Janet) had an anniversary party here for the building’s 50th year, back in 1988. We had the same chicken dinner that they had when they built the place. My wife’s uncle, Walter Bush, built that building.”

The paper, which Carr recently enclosed in a shadow box, features a large boxed section and the words “School Dedication Program.”  Just underneath that title are program details, including American flag ceremonies and addresses to be given by educational dignitaries. Near the bottom of the blurb, it mentions live performances of “Old Folks at Home,” “Heigh Ho” and “That Old Apple Tree” by the Ballwin Banjo Class. Underneath that was a note about the chicken supper Carr mentioned.

Gary Carr  and Ballwin Historical Commission Chairman Marie Clark (Source: City of Ballwin/Facebook)

“We’re thinking about moving in a couple years, but we want to stay in Ballwin,” Carr said.  “I’m just going through stuff the family has accumulated over the years, and we’re just trying to move stuff out. I didn’t want to throw any of this away, so I asked (the Historical Commission) if they wanted it. We were going to do this in the past. The plaque says 7/2019, but due to COVID, it was put off.”

According to the Historical Commission’s Facebook page: “The Old Ballwin Schoolhouse ended its role as a schoolhouse after the 1938 school year. It was then sold, ultimately becoming a private residence. For the next 50 years, it continued to be located at its original location: 110 Elm Street.  In 2001, it was moved to make way for the construction of the Old Towne Plaza.”

Carr said it took four years to complete Towne Plaza. 

“The reason it took so long,” he said, “(is) if you look at all these rocks back here, it was 70 feet down so they had to bring the grade up for the shopping center. They brought these rocks down here on 18-wheelers.  They had to have engineers here to tell them where to place them.”

One of the items donated by Carr was a Ballwin Days poster dated June 27, 28  and 29. While no one on the commission was certain which year the poster represented, it did mention that the carnival rides were by Tinsley’s Amusements, Inc, which began operation  in 1964.

In speaking with the Historical Commission, Carr mentioned one more item in his donations. 

Vintage Ballwin Days poster (Photo: Jeffry Greenberg)

“I was the treasurer at The Pointe, and this has all the paperwork of who donated money for the bond issue, built in 1995-96.”

Carr noted that his wife was responsible for acquiring some of the donated  items since her family has been in the area much longer than his own. Her great, great grandfather started (JJ) Kokesh (and Sons) Plumbing (currently at 408 Kehrs Mill Road) back in 1894. The fourth generation is running it now, and it’s believed to be the oldest continuous plumbing company in St. Louis County.

After being a plumber himself for 42 years, Carr retired in 2015. He’s been volunteering and working at the Christian Brothers home (La Salle Retreat Center)  in Wildwood, which has been there since 1886. However, he is most proud and moved by a far more recent historic event.

“I had the honor to work with the Gary Sinise Foundation at Officer (Mike) Flamion’s house as a volunteer,” Carr said.  Flamion, a former Ballwin Police officer,  was ambushed, shot in the back and paralyzed on July 8, 2016.

 “It was amazing to me the amount of people who stepped up to the plate and donated time or material. This went on and on and on,” he said. 

Fred Meyland-Smith receives Lieutenant Governor’s Senior Service Award

 (***This was a very special presentation I covered for West Newsmagazine)

It was a loud and often raucous lunchtime at Circle 7 Ranch in Des Peres on Wednesday, Nov. 3. In fact, the two heavy barn doors had to be completely closed in order to focus on the business unfolding in the restaurant’s private room – former Town & Country alderman Fred Meyland-Smith was being presented with a Lieutenant Governor’s Senior Service Award by current officeholder Mike Kehoe.

Meyland-Smith was one of roughly 100 individuals nominated for about one dozen awards. The requirements of which are to be at least 60 years of age and have performed at least 25 hours of volunteer work per year.  

The former alderman has gone well beyond the service hour parameter as highlighted in the full page letter State Rep. Dean Plocher (89th District) sent to Kehoe on March 30.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe  (left) with Fred and Susan Meyland-Smith and Rep. Dean Plocher (Photo: Jeffry Greenberg) 

“When you look at Fred’s lifestyle, it’s been exemplary,” Plocher said at the presentation. “He’s been successful in business, as a husband and as a father. He’s just a good person who works hard and gives back to the community. He’s been retired for awhile, but he gave diligent service as an alderman for eight years, and has been serving on Planning & Zoning for 14. He doesn’t shy away from making hard decisions, and does what’s best for his community and for the state of Missouri. I’ve seen him do it, and it was an honor to nominate him.”

After graduating from Colgate University (in Hamilton, New York) with a degree in economics, Meyland-Smith was recruited by Procter and Gamble.  He spent 17 years with them in sales management.  He was then recruited by Ralston Purina and joined them in 1985. He soon became vice-president of sales for them, covering the entire United States until his 2001 retirement. In addition to his long tenure as a Town & Country alderman, he is still enjoying a 14-year stint on the Planning & Zoning Commission.

All that makes for an incredible lifetime resume but Meyland-Smith is far more proud of yet another volunteer activity.

“I am currently the vice-chair of the board of directors of Wings of Hope,” Meyland-Smith said. “We are a multi-national humanitarian organization headquartered at Spirit Airport. We are the largest medical air transport operation in the United States. In the course of a year, we will transport as many as 200 to 250 patients from their homes to wherever it is they need to get to for medical attention. We will do so at no cost to them, and we will do it repeatedly until they’ve achieved medical success. Sometimes that’s a dozen or two dozen flights over years to get them the medical attention that they need. 

     “We operate in 12 countries outside the United States, and proudly, we have twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. We operate three planes here in the United States, and planes in 12 other countries around the globe. Our mission is to help people lead a better life through the power of aviation. So, if we can use a plane to help someone get from their home to children’s hospitals or to get to the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota), Johns Hopkins University Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland), or to the University of Michigan’s (Ann Arbor) to get much needed medical care that’s not available where they live, we’ll be the catalyst to get them from home to the doctor’s office.”

Despite his years of service, Meyland-Smith was rather taken aback by being the recipient of the service award.

“I am humbled and honored by this,” he said. “Thank you. I was totally surprised. I did get a call from Diana (Hennerich), Dean’s administrative assistant, a while back, interviewing me and confirming some of the things I have been involved in. So, I knew Dean had nominated me for the award, but I didn’t know any of the details. This, today, is a surprise, and as I said, I’m humbled and honored by it. But I could only do all this because of my wife, Susan. She’s always so supportive and I’ve been proudly married to her for 53 years with three children and seven grandchildren!”

In his presentation, Kehoe told Meyland-Smith, “I deeply appreciate what you’ve done for our state.

He added, “I never met Fred until today, but when we read through the application and saw what he’s done in Town & Country … His involvement literally being the godfather to the Planning & Zoning process in Town & Country, his involvement with Trinity Church, with Wings of Hope … All of these things he’s done to give back to his community in retirement is what makes him a Senior Service Award member.”

The Senior Service Award was created 15 years ago by then Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder “to promote and highlight the positive accomplishments that Missouri’s senior citizens continually provide to their local communities.”

Long-time Ballwin resident honored for helping others

(This was just entered online yesterday at West Newsmagazine's site.)

 Once notified that it was her time to receive a proclamation at the Oct. 25 Ballwin Board of Aldermen meeting, Ginny Halloran was quick to reach the podium and quick to give her acceptance speech. 

“I just want to thank all of you,” she said. “I was so stunned when Hedy (Boone, Ballwin’s superintendent of recreation) called me and told me about the proclamation. But knowing the people in Ballwin, my brother (former mayor Dick Andrews) has a street named after him in Vlasis Park and my husband (Jerry) has a plaque in the Ballwin Athletic Association right on the other side of Manchester Road, and you’ve made this complete. My family loves the city of Ballwin and the people of the city of Ballwin. Thank you so much, and we’ll go get dinner so you can finish your meeting.”

There was hearty laughter from everyone in the room, then a spontaneous chant in unison: “Wait! You have to get your proclamation!”

Mayor Tim Pogue proclaimed Oct. 25, 2021, as Ginny Halloran Day and extolled her many years of exemplary volunteer service. 

Ballwin Mayor Tim Pogue presents a proclamation to Ginny Holloran in recognition of her volunteerism. (Source: Jeffry Greenberg)

“Ginny has been involved with Ballwin Days since its inauguration,” the proclamation reads. “She started and ran a Ballwin Days Fair Bowling Tournament, and started and operated the Ballwin Days funnel cake booth. She also has volunteered in all aspects of the event, including the ice cream booth, kids’ games, the duck pond and the sucker pull. Ginny also came up with the idea to add books to the committee booth and has been serving on the Ballwin Days Committee since 1978.”

She and her husband were the 2006 recipients of the Mr. and Mrs. Ballwin Days award. 

“Ginny has always been very active in the community,” the proclamation continues. “She has been involved in the PTA (Parent Teachers Association). She was a senior Olympic Gold medal winner. She had a winning tap-dancing team that put on Dancing Follies. Ginny led tap dancing for years at the Senior Center and she is still heavily involved at the Senior Center. She has donated many hours of tutoring time through OASIS at Westridge Elementary School.”

Pogue said, “I don’t know how much more I can add to this. I’ve actually had the pleasure of knowing both Ginny and her late husband for quite a number of years.  ... It’s a great pleasure to be able to give you this proclamation as a thank you for all the years of service you (have given to) this community.  Thank you very much, and it’s definitely not gone unnoticed.”

After more thanks and a thunderous round of applause, Holleran announced, “OK, we’re going to go eat.”

The next day she told West Newsmagazine that her initial reaction to Boone’s call was disbelief.

“I told them they had made a mistake,” Halloran said. “I’ve done different things in my life, but it’s always been things I’ve enjoyed doing, like tutoring at Westridge for 20 years. I figured the kids did more for me than I did for them.”

She mentioned how her brother started Ballwin Days and how the street leading up to the old city hall was named Andrews Parkway in his honor. She also added that a plaque at the Ballwin Athletic Association reads, “If you enjoy sitting here watching the ballgames, you can thank Jerry Halloran.”

Of all the activities in which Ginny has been involved, one of her greatest thrills is dancing.

“We used to go out and perform at a lot of retirement centers,” she said.  “We would perform there, and they would pay us money, but we would give the money back to the centers so they had money to do things.”

Though she no longer lives in the city, she proudly declared, “I’m still a Ballwin fan!”