Remembering Maudmary

Near the bottom of the Miss Maudmary Wilson's obituary notice in 1986 was the simple statement: "There are no immediate survivors."

While this was true, it did not explain the legacy this Neosho High School art teacher left with her students and with many others she came in contact with during her life.

Recently, Dr. Roy Shaver, former Neosho superintendent of schools, published a book of meditations from life experiences called Thirty-One More One-Minute Devotions. For the cover, he selected a Maudmary Wilson sketch of a small country church.

For many years, Miss Wilson did the covers for the Laymen's League services which are held in Neosho during the Christmas season. The sketch of the small country church is one of these cover sketches.

Wilson taught art in Neosho High School(NHS) from 1950 until her retirement in 1976. It was not unusual to see her walking the halls of Neosho High with a piece of a student's work in her hand. She would usually be scrutinizing the hundreds of art pieces already decorating the halls in NHS. Sometimes she would pause and exchange the piece of art she was carrying for one that had been on display. Other times she would simply move one piece of art to another location.

The walls of NHS were the showplace for her students' works. She also encouraged her students to enter their works in Neosho's annual "Art in the Park" contest held each year.

Wilson was a hard taskmaster and a strong disciplinarian. A Women's Army Corps(WAC) member in World War II, she was given the nickname "Sarge" by her students. Still, she was an inspiration to many who went on to make a living with art or have art as a part of their life.

One former student used his art training to earn a living at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. The popular and beautiful Newton County Court House mural was done by Billie Gofourth Stewart, a Wilson student.

Stewart had Wilson as an instructor for two hours a day for all four years of high school. Her classes were Art I, II, III, IV and Yearbook.

"Most people don't know that Maudmary was only a few courses shy of her doctorate, but she liked teaching high school art," Stewart said. "We had to sketch five or six buildings as seniors. That's actually when the Newton County mural actually began...Nearly everything I know about art came from her."

Near the bottom of the Miss Maudmary Wilson's obituary notice in 1986 was the simple statement: "There are no immediate survivors."

While this was true, it did not explain the legacy this Neosho High School art teacher left with her students and with many others she came in contact with during her life.

Recently, Dr. Roy Shaver, former Neosho superintendent of schools, published a book of meditations from life experiences called Thirty-One More One-Minute Devotions. For the cover, he selected a Maudmary Wilson sketch of a small country church.

For many years, Miss Wilson did the covers for the Laymen's League services which are held in Neosho during the Christmas season. The sketch of the small country church is one of these cover sketches.

Wilson taught art in Neosho High School(NHS) from 1950 until her retirement in 1976. It was not unusual to see her walking the halls of Neosho High with a piece of a student's work in her hand. She would usually be scrutinizing the hundreds of art pieces already decorating the halls in NHS. Sometimes she would pause and exchange the piece of art she was carrying for one that had been on display. Other times she would simply move one piece of art to another location.

The walls of NHS were the showplace for her students' works. She also encouraged her students to enter their works in Neosho's annual "Art in the Park" contest held each year.

Wilson was a hard taskmaster and a strong disciplinarian. A Women's Army Corps(WAC) member in World War II, she was given the nickname "Sarge" by her students. Still, she was an inspiration to many who went on to make a living with art or have art as a part of their life.

One former student used his art training to earn a living at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. The popular and beautiful Newton County Court House mural was done by Billie Gofourth Stewart, a Wilson student.

Stewart had Wilson as an instructor for two hours a day for all four years of high school. Her classes were Art I, II, III, IV and Yearbook.

"Most people don't know that Maudmary was only a few courses shy of her doctorate, but she liked teaching high school art," Stewart said. "We had to sketch five or six buildings as seniors. That's actually when the Newton County mural actually began...Nearly everything I know about art came from her."

Wilson was a woman like none other. She loved cats, owls and the color orange. In her home, she had one room entirely devoted to pieces of art dealing with cats. Seldom did her attire not include at least one thing that was orange.

This unusual personality knew she was different. Each fall, she would introduce herself to new teachers by saying. "Hi! I'm Maudmary Wilson. I'm the local character."

Although not a Newton County native, Wilson had been introduced to the area by one of her own teachers, Neosho's Thomas Hart Benton. Mr. Benton was one of her instructors when she attended the art institute in Kansas City.

Wilson may not have had any blood relatives left at her death, but she certainly left a legacy of art with many of those who had her as an instructor.