The following is a brief of the story. For the full version, see the Monday, Aug. 10 print edition of the BDN.
Intense heat didn’t stop teachers, administration, students, parents or guests from gathering at Hannah Cole Primary School on Sunday. They were there to celebrate the completion of the Boonville school district’s newest school. The new school will serve students in kindergarten through second grade.
“It’s a great day to be a little pirate,” Boonville R-I superintendent Mark Ficken said.
HCP was named for Hannah Cole, one of the first women to permanently settle in the area. Cole, whose husband had recently died, led her nine children along the Boonslick Trail in the winter of 1810. She first stopped in New Franklin before crossing the icy Missouri River and settling in what is now Boonville. Many consider her the mother of the Boonslick.
Cole’s legacy was felt at the ceremony and ribbon-cutting Patricia Todd, president of the Cole Family, saying the family is “definitely part of this school. Ethan Walker, who performed during the ceremony, is a student at HCP; another descendent worked on the school; and another is a teacher.
To contact Amber Christian, email amber@boonvilledailynews.com
