1934 From Chaffee Signal May 10, 1934 DEDICATION OF HARMON FIELD WED. MAY 16 The formal dedication of Harmon Field playground will be held at the Field on Wednesday May 16th. Among the many events of the dedication will be a parade of school children. The parade will start at Circle Park at 1:30 o'clock and go east on Yoakum Avenue to Main Street, then south on Main to Elliott Avenue, thence west on Elliott to Harmon Field. There will be a flag raising ceremony, an address by Mayor L. J. Heyman, and the male quartette of the 140th Infantry Band will sing on the program. There will also be an address by Hon. Eugene M. Munger, and the Junior Band of Chaffee will give several selections. There will athletic events for the school children and small prizes will be given the winners. There will also be a ballgame between the Chaffee High School and the DeLuxe Specials. Everyone is invited to come and have a good time.
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR HARMON FIELD Following is ten rules that are in apply to the Harmon Field playground and six rules apply to the field house:
1. This is a playground for children, hence campers and loafers of all kinds shall not be allowed.
2. Only such games and activities shall be allowed which develop the participant physically, mentally and morally.
3. Fence-climbing or tree-climbing shall not be permitted.
4. Bicycle-riding shall not be allowed on the grounds.
5. The furniture, fixtures, and equipment must be handled with care.
6. The supervisors shall see to it that no paper, rubbish, or trash of any kind be left on the grounds. If any rubbish accumulates during the day it shall be disposed of before the closing hour.
7. All vulgar and profane language, smoking or chewing of tobacco, or quarreling on the playground shall be forbidden.
8. No on shall be allowed on the field after or before playground hours, except by special permission.
9. Dogs or other pets shall not be brought to the field.
10. The supervisor shall endeavor to teach good sportsman ship to all contestants.
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE FIELD HOUSE
1. No one shall enter the building, or handle any equipment which might be stored in the building, except by permission of the supervisor. The supervisor shall keep an accurate account of all apparatus, and see that all equipment is returned.
2. There shall be no loafing or loitering in the toilets.
3. All furniture and equipment shall be handled with care.
4. There shall be no marking or writing on the buildings or equipment, and if any is discovered it shall be erased immediately.
5. Whittling or climbing on the building shall be prohibited.
6. The children should be made to feel that the building and grounds belong to them, hence they should do all in their power to preserve both.
1937 For a number of years Harmon Field had only a ball diamond and some bleachers on it. In April 1937, Mayor Honey appointed a Harmon Field Committee to assist him in obtaining a WPA project for the construction of a swimming pool for the youth of Chaffee. The members of the committee were: Charles Goddard, Sr., Chairman; Fred Lewallen; Rufus Heeb; Zahn Wells; and W.L. Rammage. Mayor Honey spearheaded this dream project knowing it could be built with government assistance at Harmon Field as a WPA project with WPA labor. His idea was to have an elevated pool modeled after one at Grundy Center, Iowa. After much effort the approval was made from Washington D.C. and early on the morning of October 28th, 1937, the Mayor was proud to watch George Millsap supervise the 25 man construction crew.
1939 On January 12, 1939 the pouring of concrete for the construction of the pool began.
1940 A formal and proper dedication service was held on June 11, 1940 (see photo in Jubilee Journal #3, June 11, 1980, Page 7) with an estimated crowd in attendance of 2,000. Mayor O.T. Honey had charge of the program and asked Rev. E.A. Boyer of the First Baptist Church to lead the prayer of dedication. He then introduced George B. Snider, District Director of WPA Farmington, MO; George McElwes, State WPA Officer, Jefferson City, MO and Mrs. O.E. Rigdon, District Director of Women's Work on WPA and George Milsap of Sikeston, MO in charge of the construction of the pool; and Wesley Bentz, Lansing, Michigan, the designer of the pool. He then introduced Dr. W.O. Finney, President of the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Finney introduced the guest speaker, Col. Marvin Casteel, State WPA Administrator, Jefferson City, MO.
In June 1940, they began to make plans for summer playgrounds. Harmon Field already had the new swimming pool, but the rest of the area had to be cleared and put in better shape in order to have a playground. Acting Mayor L.D. Lankford on July 21, 1940, got O.O. Divens and his group of N.Y?? boys to begin some landscaping. The first day they trimmed all of the trees. The second day they began leveling the ground. A number of interested citizens donated more trees, so Mayor Lankford instructed the boys to get those planted. In 1940 the District Recreation Department of WPA offered to assist the City of Chaffee in setting up a summer recreation program. So the City of Chaffee and the Board of Education??? became co-sponsors of a WPA Project for Recreation.
Rev. J.B. Jordan of the Methodist Church and Wayne Sarius agreed to act as supervisors. A large playground would be organized for Harmon Field and a smaller one with swings, slides, and other equipment for younger children would be set up in the vacant lots east of the American Legion Building. This would give mothers an opportunity to shop while the children had supervised play. The attendant would be paid by the WPA. Various civic organizations agreed to donate money for the purchase of soft balls, tennis equipment, badminton and croquet sets, horseshoes, and other articles which could be used by older children at Harmon Field.
Five dirt tennis courts were made with chicken wire for backstops. Charles and Kermit Goddard, LeRoy and Claude Boner, and Charles and Robert Henshaw assisted Mr. Sarius to make those first tennis courts. Mr. Sarius gave free swimming pool passes in appreciation for their work. When Mr. Sarius was trying to get helpers, he had about decided that Chaffee youth were not interested in tennis, but the minute hard work was over there were long lines waiting to play.
On August 15, 1940, the first "Play Day" under the WPA Recreational Program was held for the entire district at Harmon Field from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM. Approximately 455 out of town contestants were present. The contestants were given a free swim.
1945 Problems increased with the years. The swimming pool was wearing out and there was never sufficient funds to pay for it. Charles Allen, the local Fire Chief, was the one who seemed to keep it going for the City for many years. Then the City Council persuaded some of the civic organizations to take over pool management at different times. City records state, "On October 9, 1945, the Chamber of Commerce terminated its supervision over the swimming pool and turned its balance from the operation of the pool ($202.79) over to the City of Chaffee to be placed in the Harmon Field Playground Fund." Then back to "Good Old Charlie and his wife Catherine" who would manage the pool for the next 14 or 15 years.
1950 Bob Capshaw reported that the grandstand at Harmon Field had been repaired by the Street Department workers.
1952 Mayor Waldron obtained permission from the City Council for the building of picnic tables for Harmon Field.
1956 Mayor Spencer suggested to the City Council that they "lay aside each year 25% of all the net profits in the swimming pool funds until the fund reaches a total of $1000.00 in order to have money for swimming pool repairs."
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From Chaffee Signal - Feb 1956 Organization of "Little League" In Chaffee Progressing
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1957
1958 The citizens of Chaffee now voted for a 20 cent per $100.00 tax levy for the city park program. On August 25, 1958, Mayor Hart appointed the first Park Board Committee to assume the responsibility for operation of Harmon Field: Chairman Mrs. W.H. Wehmeyer, Homer Imhoff, J.P.Rice, Jr., Paul Bukstein, Boyd Summers, Mrs. Lloyd Taylor, Frank Enderie, and Clarence Wessel.
1959 In February, 1959, Pete Bond asked the City Council to arrange for the installing of 6 mercury lights at the swimming pool and ball park.
1961 On June 5, 1961, the Chamber (of Commerce ?) approved a $300.00 contribution to the fund being raised for lighting the Little League Ball Field in Chaffee.
1967 In 1967, James Foeste was appointed by the Park Board to serve as maintenance man in charge of Harmon Field. He has served in that capacity for 13 years. (As of 1980) However, he has now acquired a new title, Supervisor of City Parks.
1968 In 1968, Mr. Foeste was appointed Commissioner of Babe Ruth Baseball, this was a great honor richly deserved because of his great interest in the youth of Chaffee. He was able to secure a number of interesting events for Chaffee's Harmon Field as Chaffee was host of the first Missouri State Babe Ruth Tournament for a chartered 13 year old group in 1972. In 1976, Chaffee was the first city in Missouri to host a 13 year old Babe Ruth Regional (6 States) Tournament. In addition to the tournaments for the younger teenagers, Babe Ruth State tournaments for the 14-15 year old groups were held at Harmon Field in 1974 and in 1979.
In 1968 a new concession building was built by Chaffee Lumber Co at a cost of $4500.00 with two rest rooms and a storage area.
1970 The Summer Recreational Program (funded by the City Park Board) began it's first year at Harmon Field.
1977 The Cincinnati Reds Professional Baseball Club had a one day tryout at Harmon Field. Also in 1977 a broadcasting booth was built at a cost of $4,000.00.
1978 Clarence Wessel resigned from the Park Board after 20 years of service. The youth of Chaffee presented him with a plaque in appreciation for the many things he had done for them and for Harmon Field.
July 6, 1978 was the "Chaffee Youth League Appreciation Day" for Bill Bradshaw who had served as Elementary Principle for a number of years and was now leaving Chaffee to become the Supt. of Schools at Advance, MO. During his years here, he had worked not only with the youth at school and in his church, but with the Park Playground Committee. He was honored in the pre-game ceremonies at Harmon Field when the Chaffee Youth League presented him with a plaque for outstanding service to the community.
1980 In 1980 the Park Board Member are: Chairman Robert G. Sullivan, James Dooley, Dennis Graser, J.A.Chronister, Elmer Trost, Pete Dooley, Jack Burnett, James Foeste, and Madge Schoen.
If you have a copy of the Jubilee Journal #5, July 9, 1980 look at the many pictures of the youth of our community (and Buck Foeste) enjoying "Field Day at Harmon Field"
If William and Katherine Harmon were living today, they would be happy to see how much the grant of land has meant to the children in this community.. It has taken a great many years and a labor of love from numerous citizens and civic organizations and city fathers to make the park program what it is today. However, we are sure the donors would feel that their money was well spent.
INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE ONLY TRACES HARMON FIELD UNTIL 1980
The Chaffee Historical Society has published this information knowing that it is possible there are errors in dates or names. We have used newspaper and published material whenever possible as sources, and do not profess that all that we have collected is undisputable. We will continue to seek out the facts and correct any mistakes as they are discovered. We are in search of HISTORY, please come and join with us.