PAUL MUELLER GRADUATES AT SENIOR HIGH---1934 This is not an attempt to salute Mr. Paul Mueller who passed away this week at age 99! I did not know the gentleman, but I do know his rags to riches story is TRUE. He did start out with little or nothing at the peak of the worst depression in our American History, and he still found monumental success in the business world, AND he gave employment to thousands of Ozarks folks beginning in 1940. Those facts are beyond debate. My grandfather Almus Payne (1894-1975) brought his family back to the Ozarks from Washington State in the late 1920s. They bought (on payments) his grandparents Williams farm northwest of Nixa and he (Almus) began working for Springfield Gas and Electric (the forerunner of City Utilities) around 1930. My granddad kept a job there until around 1946-47, at which point he went on his own in plumbing and heating, based out of his home in Nixa. I remember my granddad proudly telling me and others in the late 1950s and early 60s, that he knew Paul Mueller when the lad (a generation younger than my granddad) worked at Springfield Gas and Electric. As best I can remember my granddad was happy to have known the young man in that era, and was not surprised that he went on to great success. I have a collection of Springfield Senior High (now Central) yearbooks that I bought from the estate of Arthur Marx a number of years ago. I wanted to share Mr. Muellers 1934 senior picture from the 34 yearbook. Wasnt he a handsome----determined looking fellow. When digging that photo out (seen here with a few others in his class) I was surprised to find that the Senior High yearbook theme that year was bridges!! So I have scanned 3 of the very nice student taken bridges photos in that 1933-34 yearbook. The first birds eye photo shows the new Branson (Hollister) Bridge on the day the bridge was dedicated. The Senior High Girls Drum Corps and Boy Scouts Band paraded at the event, according to the yearbook. The next photo shows a span over White River. It is over an eighth of a mile long and towers one hundred feet above bed-rock at its highest point. The picture on the right (or bottom) is of the Swan Creek Bridge at Forsyth.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:48:10 +0000
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