What’s the museum’s history?

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

In 1910, The Poplar Bluff Elementary School was built on Ironton Road (now North Main Street). The same year Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, passed away. The school board decided to honor Mr. Clemens by naming the school Mark Twain Elementary. Miss Ruth Hudelston was the first school principal with three teachers. Miss Hudelston was a pioneer in education, organizing one of the first Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) in the country. In 1921, Mrs. Kinder became principal. She expanded the staff to seven teachers. Hot lunches started being served in 1924. A kitchen was added and staffed by volunteers and the W.P.A. In 1939, a phone was installed. The PTA purchased a piano for the school in 1941. Mrs. Sigler became principal in 1945. She sold encyclopedias in her spare time and earned a free set, donating it to the school. That was their first set. During the Korean War, the children made 50 gift boxes and sent them overseas.

In 1954 the “new” Mark Twain School was built two blocks away. It began a hot lunch program. The students from the Old Mark Twain School began walking to the new school for lunch. The elementary students were divided among three schools: Grades K-2 went to Williamson Kennedy School, grades 3-4 went to the Old Mark Twain, and grades 5-6 went to the New Mark Twain.

In 1988, the school was closed after 78 years. The last teachers were Elwain Walker, Sondra Gallian, Betty Owens, Reidous Fritts, Lisa Yaeger, Linda Arnold, Carolyn Smith, Lorraine Stafford and Nellie Morris. The Poplar Bluff Museum Board was formed by Sam Giambelluca. Board member David Johnson bought the school for $1.00. The limestone Greek columns from the old Post Office was moved to the front lawn of the school by Jay Githens and the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Did you attend the Mark Twain School as a child? We are trying to capture the school history through the former students. Each exhibit room was a classroom. There is a clip board in each classroom with a list of teachers who taught there. Please help us fill in the blanks and add your teachers name to the list or share stories from your school days.

The Museum is open every Sunday free of charge from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Abington Hayworth School House Room displays artifacts from the Old Mark Twain School. The Museum is located at 1010 Main Street. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.