Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, St. Louis: culture, basketball, American)

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

If I may add a bit of history:


In 1918 William Chrisman Hish School was built at 709 West Maple. According to the indenture made and signed by Maggie Chrisman Swope daughter of William Chrisman and wife of Thomas Swope (Swope Park of Kansas City), April 1, 1916, sold for $1.00 the property for a high school. Then in 1957 a new high school was at 1223 North Noland Road, this is the present site of William Chrisman High School. The old William Chrisman later became William Chrisman Junior High and today, is a church for the Restoration Branch of the Reorganized Church of Later Day Saints.

William Chrisman High School built in 1957 incorporated a 1935 building previously used as Ott Elementary School. The original structure of Ott housed 13 rooms and restrooms. The main wing of the building was opened in 1956 the remainder of the building was built in stages. In 1957 and 1958 the remainder of the building was completed with the following areas added, the auditorium, the gym and the cafeteria. In 1972, the the special education wing was added to William Chrisman. This addition added a number of rooms, a library and a gym to the current structure.

This is what I recall:

I entered the new William Chrisman High School in September 1957 as a junior. Along with the '58 seniors we were the first classes to attend.

There was no construction from September 1957 through May 1959 at the school while I was there as a junior or a senior. The gym and the cafeteria were already there when we moved in in September 1957.

During the two years I was there, we held school assemblies in the gym. The auditorium was not constructed until the year after I graduated. I think they might even have started auditorium construction a month later in June 59. There was a plaque installed in that auditorium in memory of Leslie Curtis who attended McCoy grade school with me and was slated to graduate in 1959. During that first fall that William Chrisman opened, or perhaps a year earlier, he was seriously injured in football practice and died as a result. I have not been back since the completion of the auditorium so I do not know if the plaque might still be there.

I might add that the bonds amount voted for the new school was for $800,000, which back then was considered a fortune. Some disgruntled voters were upset that such a plush school was being erected.

I had one class in the old rehabbed Ott portion. That old part also housed the teacher's room or teacher's lounge. I passed by there one day and saw a teacher open the door and come out. The smoke was so heavy in that room one could have cut it with a knife.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I happened to read that same article two days ago while wondering just who William Chrisman was and ironically saw Phog Allen's name. During his time the HS was in the Palmer Building I believe. This was the same day when the "30 For 30" ESPN move came out over the auction bid for James Naismith's handwritten original rules for basketball which was acquired and now on display in Allen Fieldhouse.

Russ Morman was quite the player for Wichita State. When I've looked at the businesses around Lexington and Main I've wondered if the "Morman Barber Shop" was his dad's or grandfather's (or uncles") This would have been located with a few doors of SilverDoc's Uncle's real estate business.

I saw Don Buschhorn pitch several times at Crysler Stadium. Dominating as kids could be back then, he could really hum it.

I dont believe the high school was ever in the Palmer Building. The Palmer building name came long years later. The building, though, as a school, was built in two phases. The original phase closest to Truman Road has "JVNIOR HIGH SCHOOL" chiseled in stone above two of the doors, which have since been converted to windows. That "V" always threw me.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I dont believe the high school was ever in the Palmer Building. The Palmer building name came long years later. The building, though, as a school, was built in two phases. The original phase closest to Truman Road has "JVNIOR HIGH SCHOOL" chiseled in stone above two of the doors, which have since been converted to windows. That "V" always threw me.

This is the Wikipedia article I got that from I guess I misread that they were the same building.


William Chrisman High School is a high school located in Independence, Missouri as part of the Independence School District. The school was founded in 1888 and was originally known as Independence High School. The first building was located at the intersection of Pleasant and Truman Road, the current location of the Palmer/Central Office Building. It is from this location that President Harry S. Truman, First Lady Bess Truman, and Truman White House Press Secretary and Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Griffith Ross graduated from in 1901.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

This is the Wikipedia article I got that from I guess I misread that they were the same building.


William Chrisman High School is a high school located in Independence, Missouri as part of the Independence School District. The school was founded in 1888 and was originally known as Independence High School. The first building was located at the intersection of Pleasant and Truman Road, the current location of the Palmer/Central Office Building. It is from this location that President Harry S. Truman, First Lady Bess Truman, and Truman White House Press Secretary and Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Griffith Ross graduated from in 1901.

That would have been the old high school that was torn down after the high school moved to Maple Street. Then the junior high was built at that Pleasant and Truman location.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

That would have been the old high school that was torn down after the high school moved to Maple Street. Then the junior high was built at that Pleasant and Truman location.

That school is for sale by the way.

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

That school is for sale by the way.

According to one of my sources:

"Independence High School on the corner of Maple and Pleasant Streets was built in 1898 at a cost of $30,000. The building had 12 classrooms and an auditorium that seated 600. It was called Central High School from 1898 to 1908, the year a library addition opened. It became a junior high school in 1919, when the first William Chrisman High School opened. The building was destroyed by fire in 1939."

I have a photo around here somewhere, taken by my Great Uncle of the smoldering remains of the school. I'll try to find it, and post it, later.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

According to one my sources:

"Independence High School on the corner of Maple and Pleasant Streets was built in 1898 at a cost of $30,000. The building had 12 classrooms and an auditorium that seated 600. It was called Central High School from 1898 to 1908, the year a library addition opened. It became a junior high school in 1919, when the first William Chrisman High School opened. The building was destroyed by fire in 1939."

I have a photo around here somewhere, taken by my Great Uncle of the smoldering remains of the school. I'll try to find it, and post it, later.

1939 sounds about right for the original building on the north end. An addition was built on the south end later. And even much later there was something built on the south at the Maple and Pleasant end, but I think the place was then no longer used as a school. Something was also built back behind where we had the playground.

The Independence Public Library was at one time the Independence schools library. When I checked books out from the junior high school library, many of them had "Independence Public Library" stamped in them. I inquired of the librarian about it and she gave me this information.

[WCHS'59]

Every so often something triggers my memory about a certain tidbit event that I can recall in my life.

McCoy School on South Pearl Street had a number of swings and a slide on the north side of the building.


I was in the second grade and I was sitting in a swing before school started and a third grade kid came by and he looked at me and asked me if I was "for Truman or Dewey.” When I said I did not know he shook his head and walked off like I was a dummy. I did not have a clue as to what he was talking about and did not find out until a few years later.

I was not even aware at that age that the President of the United States was from Independence.


Thinking back about it I don’t think this older kid knew who either man was but had probably picked his question up from home.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

According to one my sources:

"Independence High School on the corner of Maple and Pleasant Streets was built in 1898 at a cost of $30,000. The building had 12 classrooms and an auditorium that seated 600. It was called Central High School from 1898 to 1908, the year a library addition opened. It became a junior high school in 1919, when the first William Chrisman High School opened. The building was destroyed by fire in 1939."

I have a photo around here somewhere, taken by my Great Uncle of the smoldering remains of the school. I'll try to find it, and post it, later.

At Independence Junior High School our auditorium for school assemblies was the auditorium in the memorial building. We all walked across the street and found a seat in the balcony or on the basketball floor. Our cafeteria was in the basement on the east end of the memorial building.

[WCHS'59]

Do any of the old timers on this thread remember the unofficial holiday celebrated on the first Saturday in November, with variations, at many high schools and colleges?

A man with the unlikely first name of Hekzebiah started the holiday.

William Chrisman High School was one of those schools observing the holiday.

The holiday spawned a celebration that many girls looked forward to and probably the guys, also.

I suspect Sally36 has some fond remembrances.

I do also.