Tradition Continues On Sarah Cotton’s Birthday

October 1 was the birthday of Sarah Cotton, the daughter of Sedalia's founder George R Smith.

She donated her homestead to the Sedalia School District for the district to build the original Smith-Cotton High School.

On Friday, Oct. 1, the tradition of honoring her belief in the youth of Sedalia was carried out by placing a mum at her gravesite in Crown Hill Cemetery.

The tradition was started by Smith-Cotton High School's Student Council and continues today with Smith-Cotton's National Honor Society and Smith-Cotton Junior High School's National Junior Honor Society.

Shown, from left, are National Junior Honor Society members Brylee Hermanson and Gabriel Toderescu, and National Honor Society members Ethan Moore, Jessica Tienda, Anna Johnston, Lucy Mahalovich and Levi Barth-Fagan.