they were working in the right direction and encouraged them to make greater efforts. In the winter of 1886-87 a committee composed of three, L. E. Irwin, J. E. Herrick and E. M. Clendenning, was appointed to visit the Mardi Gras and get suggestions for a more ambitious parade. After much research and thought the Goddess Pallas Athene was selected to reign over the city on these occasions and to be the city's patron divinity. So in 1887 the first Priests of Pallas parade was given. Crowds surged up and down Main street all day and night. Boys went through the crowds selling folders printed in gorgeous colors, and portraying the wonders of the coming parade. And more wonderful still the President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, came bringing with him his lovely young wife, and together they stood on the steps of the old postoffice at Ninth and Walnut streets and greeted the populace. Great crowds stood in front of the Coates House where the President and Mrs. Cleveland were entertained and waited for a glimpse of them. They were rewarded in the evening, for Mr. Cleveland and his wife occupied seats on the balcony on the Broadway side and viewed the parade from there.

As compared with the later pageants, the first parade of the Priests of Pallas was crude and inartistic in many ways, but the crowds were pleased. First in line, with a flare of light and a thunder of sound came the Flambeau club, announced by its own drum corps. Rockets burst from the moving ranks in a continuous roar and flash. The members of the organization were uniformed in white, and wore helmets of burnished metal. Next in line came. the Craig Rifles, then the Kansas City light cavalry, and then the floats. The floats were drawn by four horses, handsomely caparisoned. At the head of each leader was a groom in domino and cowl, with two more at the brake in the rear, similarly gowned. Out-riders in gorgeous velvet and satin suits dashed back and forth, giving orders, and a double row of mounted priests guarded Pallas and her float. The characters on the floats were assumed by prominent business men. The floats were lighted by torches upheld by men who also were disguised.

In 1895 another organization came in for a share of public attention during the Carnival season. This was the Kansas City Karnival Krewe, which proved very popular for a number of years. The originators were J. C. Schmelzer, E. G. E. Jaccard, John S. Clark, William E. Benson, William A. Lawton, Emil Scharnagel, A. S. Woolf, Dent Yates, A. D. L. Hamilton, Frank Cooper, John Sullivan and M. V. Watson. The "K.K.K."originated the masked ball, which proved one of the big attractions of Carnival week. The K. K. K. gave a street parade in the day time. But with the passing of the old-style parade, the usefulness of the K. K. K. began to wane. There had also crept into these carnival nights an element of roughness, contrary to law and order.

In 1903 the Priests of Pallas absorbed the charter of the K. K. K. and this marked the end of the riotous carnival night in Kansas City.

The change in "parade styles" brought about in 1902, was decided upon after much discussion, because it was the prevalent opinion that an electric pageant was impossible. George Myers, president of the P. O. P. in 1908, was given the credit of having first suggested the use of electricity in connection with the parade. At first it was thought of only as a means of illumination, a way to abolish the flaring smoking torches. Fred Doggett was at that time president of the Priests of Pallas, and with Mr. Myers he sent for Fawcett Robinson, the association's artist and float designer. They presented the subject to him and he said that an electrical parade was impossible. He finally was persuaded to try it. Mr Doggett furnished him a room and told him to stay there as long as he liked, and Mr. Robinson went to work. For models he took four pasteboard suit boxes, such as tailors use, and painted them in different colors and designs, and fitted wiring into them. The result was four miniature floats, representing a pond lily, a chrysanthemum, American beauty rose and a sunflower. The small models were complete in each detail, had "high points" like big floats and were peopled with tiny dolls, daintily dressed. The miniature flowers opened and closed their petals. The tiny toys were fitted with the tiniest of incandescent bulbs, and a border outlined the sides and clusters were placed to illuminate and further decorate them. Mr. Robinson sent word to the Priests of Pallas that he was ready to receive them. They went in a body and were ushered into a room which was immediately darkened. Then Mr. Robinson turned the current on his tiny floats and the greatest excitement manifested itself. The men were delighted with what had been accomplished. It was decided that electrical parades could be made a success, and they were. From the first president, Colonel L. E. Irwin, to W. H. Winants, president in 1908, the Priests of Pallas were fortunate in having capable men to manage the affairs of the association.

It was a bit of homely sentiment, a desire to get better acquainted with each other, that inspired those, who helped make Kansas City, who came here in the early days, to formulate the organization now known as the Kansas City Historical Society.

In pursuance of this action on December 15 and 16th, 1895, the following notice appeared in the daily papers of Kansas City:

"We the undersigned citizens of Kansas City, Missouri, since the year 1865, herewith call on all those who resided in Kansas City, Missouri, at that time to meet with the society on Tuesday, Dec. 17th, 1895, at Turner Hall, at 3 o'clock p. m. Having lived in Kansas City these thirty years past, it is the purpose of the undersigned to become better acquainted at

this meeting and to take steps to further this purpose.

Signed-Henry C.

Kumpf, Dr. Joseph Feld, J. F. Spaulding, John H. Ramsey, William Warner, L. E. Prindle, G. W. Lovejoy, Henry N. Ess, Henry T. Wright, Dr. S. S. Todd, Frank Hudson, A. A. Tomlinson, James Smith, D. Ellison, Dr. D. R. Porter, C. O. Tichenor, M. B. Wright, S. P. Twiss, J. V. C. Karnes, D. S. Twitchell, Louis Dragon, W. H. Winants."

Pursuant to the above notice a large number of Pioneers and Old Settlers assembled at Turner Hall, 12th and Oak streets, Dec. 17, 1895.

The meeting was called to order by Hon. Henry C. Kumpf and on motion duly seconded Col. Daniel S. Twitchell was made chairman and E. R. Hunter, secretary. The chairman delivered an address and remarks were also made by Col. Charles E. Kearney and M. J. Payne.

On motion duly seconded it was resolved that a committee of 10 be appointed by the chair whose duty it should be to formulate a plan of organization by which the Old Settlers and Pioneers in Kansas City and vicinity should be organized into a society. The above committee was also authorized to draw up a constitution and by-laws by which the organization should be governed, and to present the same at a future meeting of the Old Settlers and Pioneers to be called at Turner Hall by the chairman, Daniel S. Twitchell. The chair appointed on said committee-Henry C. Kumpf, Charles E. Kearney, J. V. C. Karnes, J. A. Bachman, M. J. Payne, Joseph S. Chick, Dr. S. S. Todd, Robert Salisbury, J. F. Spaulding and Peter Reinhart. On motion duly seconded the chairman and secretary were added to the committee.

The committee held a number of meetings in the Temple Block, in the office of Daniel S. Twitchell. The work assigned to the committee was subdivided among its members; the chairman and secretary corresponded with the secretary of the Kansas Historical Society and the Society of Pioneers of 1849, in San Francisco.

A constitution and by-laws were drawn up, and the chairman, by notice, published in the Kansas City daily papers, called on all Old Settlers and Pioneers to meet at Turner Hall to hear the report of the committee.

After the adoption of the constitution and by-laws, a committee of three was appointed by the chair to propose the names of ninety-nine persons as directors, thirty-three to serve for three years, thirty-three for two years, and thirty-three to serve for a term of one year.

The directors elected met in February, 1893, officially organized the society to be known as the "Early Settlers of Kansas City and Vicinity," and elected the following officers and committee: Daniel S. Twitchell, president; Henry C. Kumpf, 1st vice-president; Col. Charles E. Kearney, 2d vice-presi

dent; Hon. M. J. Payne, 3d vice-president; E. R. Hunter, secretary; Frank Muehlschuster, corresponding secretary; and J. A. Bachman, treasurer. The executive committee: H. W. Cooper, Joseph Lorie, R. C. Crowell, Samuel Bales, Daniel O'Flaherty, Peter Reinhart and M. D. Trefren.

The "Old Settlers' Association" after carrying out its purpose of becoming a united body, did little active work the first year of its existence. That the members of the association had done some thinking, however, was evidenced by the fact that on the first anniversary of this organization, January 5, 1897, an amendment to the constitution was proposed that "This asSociation shall, hereafter, be known as The Early Settlers and Historical Society of Kansas City, Missouri." This amendment was accepted.

Finally on February 9, 1906, the society became known as "The Kansas City Historical Society of Kansas City, Missouri." The first three years of the existence of the society saw many changes in meeting places; however, in 1898 the society secured a permanent place of meeting in the Free Public Library building of Kansas City, Missouri.

The present officers, 1908, are: Dr. W. L. Campbell, president; Frank Titus, vice-president; Mrs. Carrie Westlake Whitney, corresponding secretary; William H. H. Tainter, secretary; and J. A. Bachman, treasurer.

On August 5, 1898, at a regular meeting of the society, Mr. William H. H. Tainter was elected secretary. Since its organization the collections of the society have not been published. There are, however, in the valuable records kept by Mr. Tainter, and the number of general, historical and biographical papers read before the society at various times, a sufficient number of documents to make a volume of historical collections which is now in course of preparation.

CHAPTER XV.

EDUCATION.

Missouri was practically without an efficient public school system until 1863. Private schools and colleges that had flourished in other years for the most part had been abandoned or turned into hospitals during the Civil Even the State university scarcely had sufficient life to open its hall doors for the admission of students. In the strife, which had been waged for four years in all parts of the state, the minds of the people had been diverted from all peaceful and ennobling pursuits; their affections alien

war.