1919
Pauline
2008
Pauline Higginbotham
January 23, 1919 — March 19, 2008
Pauline Higginbotham
Pauline Sprinkle Higginbotham, a well-known teacher of thousands of Washington County students, passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at Washington County Memorial Hospital. She was the wife of the late Howard Higginbotham.
Pauline was born January 23, 1919 in Ebo, Missouri where she grew up on a small farm with her parents, Charles and Anna Sprinkle and her brother, Homer. She graduated from Potosi High School during the depression and remembered doing her homework by kerosene lamp. To help her parents with expenses, she started teaching at 17 years old in a one room schoolhouse in Clifton, Missouri – where she had to ride horseback to get there. After a few years of gaining teaching experience, she left Potosi to work in the small munitions plant in St. Louis during WWII. She worked there until her brother, Homer, was killed as a pilot in 1943.
She came home to be with her parents and began her teaching career again in Potosi Elementary School. During the summers she took correspondent courses and went to Southeast Missouri State for her teaching certificate. In 1944 the superintendent suddenly assigned her to the eighth grade class that had already run off three teachers. She had no books or desks! She moved with that class into Potosi High School where she remained for 30 years and later became the head of the English Department. Altogether she taught 44 years.
In August 1947 Pauline married Howard Cresswell Higginbotham. She continued to teach while he began his career in the funeral home business. In 1950 he was recalled to the Korean War to reopen Fort Leonard Wood for troop training. That same year their first child, Linda Anne was born. Their second child, Charles Alonzo, was born in 1954 with Downs Syndrome. Because of Charles, Pauline and Howard accepted positions on the State Board of Handicapped Children and helped establish a school for the handicap in Washington County. Charles died in 1961, the year the school opened. About this time, Howard started his banking career in the Washington County Commercial Bank (now US Bank).
Pauline received her BS and Master of Arts in English from Southeast Missouri State University. Her efforts in teaching generations of Potosi students won her many awards and honors. In 1972 she was chosen by Southeast Missouri Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa as its first Teacher of the Year. The Outstanding Secondary Educators of America, Washington, D.C., selected her as an Outstanding Secondary Educator of America in 1975. In 1979, The Southeast Missouri District Teachers Association presented her with its award for Meritorious Service in Education. She was the sponsor of the Moses Austin National Honor Society for 25 years, received a citation from the Missouri Department of Education for contributions to the Curriculum Development Committee and was elected Retired Teachers of Missouri State Representative for Southeast Missouri. Her legislative efforts in the Retired Teachers Association helped to establish pay increases for retired teachers throughout Missouri.
Pauline was an active member of many community, school and church activities: the Missouri Federation of Women’s Clubs, Potosi Lady Lioness, the Mine au Breton Historical Society where she sponsored the festival pageants, Daughters of the American Revolution, the gourmet club and a choir member and Sunday school teacher at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church for decades.
Pauline is survived by her daughter, Linda Schaller, son-in-law, Tim Schaller and granddaughter, Loren Schaller who reside in San Francisco, California. Howard Higginbotham passed away in June 2003 and her sister-in-law, Hazel Weltch in 2006. She is also survived by her nephew, Bruce Weltch of Louisville, Kentucky, Sally Cresswell Adams, Ruth Nickerson and several close Higginbotham relatives in Potosi and Sprinkle family relatives throughout Missouri.
She will be remembered by many of her students for her unwavering standards of excellence and as the teacher who made a difference in their lives. To her family and friends – her selfless love for others, endless generosity, inspiring support and wit will remain with them forever.
Visitation was held Friday, March 21, 2008 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Moore Funeral Home, Potosi, Missouri and Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church, Potosi, Missouri.
A Funeral Service was held Saturday, March 22, 2008 at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church, Potosi, Missouri with Reverend John Edwards and Pastor Lee Miller officiating. Serving as pallbearers were Tim Schaller, Bruce Weltch, Jeff Higginbotham, Jerry Sansegraw, Dale Sansegraw, and Larry Quinton.
Final prayer and burial took place in the New Masonic Cemetery, Potosi, Missouri.
Services were Entrusted to the Care and Direction of the Moore Funeral Homes, 105 Clark Street, Potosi, Missouri.
Pauline Sprinkle Higginbotham, a well-known teacher of thousands of Washington County students, passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at Washington County Memorial Hospital. She was the wife of the late Howard Higginbotham.
Pauline was born January 23, 1919 in Ebo, Missouri where she grew up on a small farm with her parents, Charles and Anna Sprinkle and her brother, Homer. She graduated from Potosi High School during the depression and remembered doing her homework by kerosene lamp. To help her parents with expenses, she started teaching at 17 years old in a one room schoolhouse in Clifton, Missouri – where she had to ride horseback to get there. After a few years of gaining teaching experience, she left Potosi to work in the small munitions plant in St. Louis during WWII. She worked there until her brother, Homer, was killed as a pilot in 1943.
She came home to be with her parents and began her teaching career again in Potosi Elementary School. During the summers she took correspondent courses and went to Southeast Missouri State for her teaching certificate. In 1944 the superintendent suddenly assigned her to the eighth grade class that had already run off three teachers. She had no books or desks! She moved with that class into Potosi High School where she remained for 30 years and later became the head of the English Department. Altogether she taught 44 years.
In August 1947 Pauline married Howard Cresswell Higginbotham. She continued to teach while he began his career in the funeral home business. In 1950 he was recalled to the Korean War to reopen Fort Leonard Wood for troop training. That same year their first child, Linda Anne was born. Their second child, Charles Alonzo, was born in 1954 with Downs Syndrome. Because of Charles, Pauline and Howard accepted positions on the State Board of Handicapped Children and helped establish a school for the handicap in Washington County. Charles died in 1961, the year the school opened. About this time, Howard started his banking career in the Washington County Commercial Bank (now US Bank).
Pauline received her BS and Master of Arts in English from Southeast Missouri State University. Her efforts in teaching generations of Potosi students won her many awards and honors. In 1972 she was chosen by Southeast Missouri Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa as its first Teacher of the Year. The Outstanding Secondary Educators of America, Washington, D.C., selected her as an Outstanding Secondary Educator of America in 1975. In 1979, The Southeast Missouri District Teachers Association presented her with its award for Meritorious Service in Education. She was the sponsor of the Moses Austin National Honor Society for 25 years, received a citation from the Missouri Department of Education for contributions to the Curriculum Development Committee and was elected Retired Teachers of Missouri State Representative for Southeast Missouri. Her legislative efforts in the Retired Teachers Association helped to establish pay increases for retired teachers throughout Missouri.
Pauline was an active member of many community, school and church activities: the Missouri Federation of Women’s Clubs, Potosi Lady Lioness, the Mine au Breton Historical Society where she sponsored the festival pageants, Daughters of the American Revolution, the gourmet club and a choir member and Sunday school teacher at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church for decades.
Pauline is survived by her daughter, Linda Schaller, son-in-law, Tim Schaller and granddaughter, Loren Schaller who reside in San Francisco, California. Howard Higginbotham passed away in June 2003 and her sister-in-law, Hazel Weltch in 2006. She is also survived by her nephew, Bruce Weltch of Louisville, Kentucky, Sally Cresswell Adams, Ruth Nickerson and several close Higginbotham relatives in Potosi and Sprinkle family relatives throughout Missouri.
She will be remembered by many of her students for her unwavering standards of excellence and as the teacher who made a difference in their lives. To her family and friends – her selfless love for others, endless generosity, inspiring support and wit will remain with them forever.
Visitation was held Friday, March 21, 2008 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Moore Funeral Home, Potosi, Missouri and Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church, Potosi, Missouri.
A Funeral Service was held Saturday, March 22, 2008 at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church, Potosi, Missouri with Reverend John Edwards and Pastor Lee Miller officiating. Serving as pallbearers were Tim Schaller, Bruce Weltch, Jeff Higginbotham, Jerry Sansegraw, Dale Sansegraw, and Larry Quinton.
Final prayer and burial took place in the New Masonic Cemetery, Potosi, Missouri.
Services were Entrusted to the Care and Direction of the Moore Funeral Homes, 105 Clark Street, Potosi, Missouri.
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