Chillicothe Business College
This section was written by Kirsten Mouton, Chillicothe, MO, for the Missouri Bicentennial Encyclopedia committee.
The Chillicothe Business College (CBC) was founded in 1890 by Allen Moore with help from the City of Chillicothe[i]. The CBC had wide appeal, attracting thousands of students from all over the United States as well as from a number of other countries. It operated until 1952.
In 1890 Allen Moore created a teacher training school in Chillicothe due to the excellent railroad access, agricultural wealth of the area, and the “progressive spirit” of Livingston County[ii]. Mr. Moore had been a partner in a similar college in Stansberry, Missouri, prior to coming to Chillicothe[iii]. The first term of the Chillicothe Normal School and Business Institute started on September 2, 1890, with 600 students[iv]. Classes included pedagogy (method and practice of teaching), science, music, and business. In fact, the music department was referred to as the Chillicothe Conservatory of Music[v]. The first seven students graduated in July of 1891[vi]. At this time the school consisted of a main building and Empire Hall which was a residence for the teachers[vii]. The school already had an excellent reputation, with Moore’s slogan of “a business education in reach for all[viii].” Mr. Moore served as President of the school until his death on January 7, 1907[ix].
Moore’s sons took over the college after the death of their father. Allen Moore II became president, with Roy Moore vice president[x]. By 1910 they altered the curriculum to be purely a business college and changed the name to reflect that: Chillicothe Business College[xi]. Additional courses added to the curriculum included banking, bookkeeping, auditing, stenography, typewriting, telegraphy, pen art, and railway mail clerk.[xii] The reach for students in this new era was country[xiii] and even world-wide .[xiv]
To go along with this change, several additional buildings were added to the campus, although these had been planned since 1900[xv].The Telegraph Building and Dryden Hall were built, with the latter then serving as a boys’ dormitory. In 1917 Vincent Hall was built and became the boys’ dormitory. The main building was expanded with an annex and a gymnasium added in 1924-1925[xvi]. The new gymnasium opened to plenty of fanfare in January 1, 1925. Unfortunately both the main building and the annex burned down on March 25, 1925[xvii]. All the school records up to that time were lost in the fire.
The college continued to grow. More building was completed in 1928 with the construction of a new gymnasium-auditorium[xviii]. In 1930 an athletic field and stadium were added[xix]. A new dining hall was built in 1935[xx]. In 1937 the eighth building was added with the help of the City: Minerva Hall, a girls’ dormitory[xxi]. The student body in 1938 was recorded at the biggest number ever: 3,679[xxii].
The CBC had a football team, the CBC Ducks, with two players reaching national fame[xxiii]. Though not native to Livingston County, both men attended the CBC and played on their football team. Both became All-American Football players, with Cal Hubbard going to Grantland Rice’s Dream Team and John Levi moving to the Green Bay Packers[xxiv].
In 1942, the U.S. military started an Army Air Force Technical School at the CBC[xxv]. A total of 900 students was expected in the 8-week clerical courses and plane recognition classes[xxvi], rotating soldiers in and out. The CBC reached a lease agreement with Johnny Kling of the Strand Hotel to house these new students[xxvii]. Another agreement was reached for training 250 soldiers in 1951[xxviii]. These were short-term arrangements, concluded in about a year[xxix].
The end came to the CBC in August of 1952[xxx]. The college came under new owners for the first time in 62 years and moved to a smaller venue at 919 Calhoun Street, with a name change to the Chillicothe Business College, Inc. Reasons cited for the school’s demise were “changing educational patterns” decreasing the “demand for business colleges[xxxi].” It was the end of an era.
Written by Kirsten Mouton, Livingston County Library and submitted to the Missouri Bicentennial Encyclopedia; pending publication. Thanks to Lisa Rule for her help in reviewing this.
[i] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner. Livingston County History Celebrating 150 Years 1821 – 1981 in 1981. Published by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Editor Lillian DesMarias and Mildred Sue Jones.
[ii] Past and Present of Livingston County, Missouri, volume 1, 1913 by Major A. J. Roof.
[iii] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner. Past and Present of Livingston County History by AJ Roof 1913.
[iv] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[v] 1905-1906 Chillicothe Normal College catalog.
[vi] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[vii] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[viii] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[ix] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[x] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xi] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xii] Past and Present of Livingston County, Missouri, volume 1, 1913 by Major A. J. Roof.
[xiii] Livingston County History Celebrating 150 Years 1821 – 1981 in 1981. Published by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Editor Lillian DesMarias and Mildred Sue Jones.
[xiv] Past and Present of Livingston County, Missouri, volume 1, 1913 by Major A. J. Roof.
[xv] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xvi] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xvii] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xviii] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xix] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xx] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xxi] A History of Livingston County, Missouri 1937. Published by the Livingston County Centennial Committee. Editor Grace Boehner.
[xxii] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Aug. 17, 1938
[xxiii] Livingston County History Celebrating 150 Years 1821 – 1981 in 1981. Published by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Editor Lillian DesMarias and Mildred Sue Jones.
[xxiv] Livingston County History Celebrating 150 Years 1821 – 1981 in 1981. Published by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Editor Lillian DesMarias and Mildred Sue Jones.
[xxv] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Oct 14, 1942.
[xxvi] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Apr 30, 1987.
[xxvii] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Nov 9, 1942.
[xxviii] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Apr 19, 1951.
[xxix] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Sept 30, 1943 and Jan 29, 1952.
[xxx] Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune Aug. 28, 1952.
[xxxi] Livingston County History Celebrating 150 Years 1821 – 1981 in 1981. Published by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Editor Lillian DesMarias and Mildred Sue Jones.