WHAT'S IN A NAME? TO KELLY SCHOOLS, A WAR HERO

BENTON -- Many schools in the area are named after educators. But the Scott County R-4 School District is an exception: It's named in honor of a young Scott County Army officer who gave his life for his country in World War II.

Capt. Thomas W. Kelly of the Army Corps of Engineers was killed in action 49 years ago, on July 28, 1944, during the Allied invasion of France.

Kelly was born in Sikeston. In 1926, his mother died when he was only 5. In 1935, his father was killed in a truck accident, leaving Kelly an orphan. Kelly was raised by Olivia Osburn of Commerce, a foster parent.

Kelly attended Commerce Grade School and went on to graduate from Benton High School. He attended the Rolla School of Mines, now the University of Missouri at Rolla, and graduated at 19 with a degree in engineering. Because of his hard work at Rolla, Kelly earned a scholarship to continue his education at the University of Arizona.

After graduation, Kelly accepted a job with the St. Joseph Lead Co. He worked in Arizona as an engineer for the company.

Shortly after the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into World War II, Kelly joined the Army. He quickly rose in rank from second lieutenant to captain, and was eventually sent to England.

Prior to Kelly's death, his uncle, Judge Earl Peters of Scott County, had bequeathed him $10,000 worth of government bonds. In his will, Kelly had requested that the interest from the bonds be given as a scholarship each year to a graduate of Benton High School who planned to attend Missouri School of Mines. The scholarship now is awarded Kelly High School graduates, and is called the Earl Peters Scholarship in honor of Kelly's uncle.

In 1954, the Enlarged Scott County R-4 School District was organized from three high schools: including Benton High School, and eight elementary schools in Benton, Blodgett, Commerce, Diehlstadt and Lusk Chapel. Plans were immediately started for construction of a new high school building, which was completed in 1957 by Vernon Hughes Construction Co. of Jackson, at a cost of $437,000.

The high school opened Aug. 29, 1957. At the same time, the schools at Commerce and Lusk Chapel were closed, leaving the elementary schools at Benton and Blodgett. The Blodgett school burned in April 1970. A year later, Kelly Elementary School was opened next to the high school, and the Blodgett and Benton schools were closed.

Today, the high-school, junior-high and elementary-school complex is on a 29-acre site along Highway 77, six miles southeast of Benton.

During a meeting of the board of education in August 1957, the board voted to name the new high school building in honor of the young man whose life was cut short by the war. Later, the name of the school district was changed to the Thomas W. Kelly School District.

Kelly was also remembered by his alma mater at Rolla, where a men's residence hall, Kelly Hall, is named in his memory.

Students in the Kelly School District are reminded each day of the man for whom the district is named: Kelly's portrait hangs in the lobby of the high school entrance.

Of particular interest in the display is a photograph taken shortly before the D-Day invasion of Europe. It shows Kelly and an unidentified Army officer standing next to England's war-time leader, Winston Churchill. In the background is a military policeman, rifle in hand, obviously guarding Britain's famous statesman somewhere in England.

Very little is known about the circumstances under which the photo was taken or how a young captain in the Corps of Engineers from Scott County happened to be standing next to one of the three leaders of the major Allied powers.