Harry, Bessie, Phil and Ed

History

Bessie Roberts Minor was born on June 29, 1887 in Onaga, Pottowatomie County, Kansas. She was raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and then moved to Blackburn, Missouri where she taught school in a one room schoolhouse. She married Dean Edwin Swift on October 12, 1910 in Chicago, Illinois.

Ed, Bessie and one of son Dean's daughters

They had three boys, Dean Edwin Swift, Harry Minor Swift and Philip Eugene Swift. Dean died in the Philippines in 1946 and Harry passed away in March of 2010. Phil survives today. Although neither Bessie nor her husband had formal education past high school, each of their sons completed college. Phil recalls that the importance of education was reinforced throughout his upbringing not so much through statements or concrete expectations, but more through the example of his mother's interest in English, reading, history and music.

Bessie Minor passed away on May 5, 1972 in Napa, California and is buried next to her husband at the Blackburn Cemetery in Blackburn, Missouri.

Ed and Bessie

GRANT RECIPIENTS by year


Nevada Joint Union High School District/Nevada City 49er Breakfast Rotary Club
Nevada City, CA
$1,800 for training peer tutors to assist students struggling with reading/writing

Nevada Union High School
Grass Valley, CA
$2,000 to purchase a video camera to produce video book talks and to purchase best-selling books

South Tahoe High School
South Lake Tahoe, CA
$1,400 to fund a visual arts linoleum print project and display of the projects in the community

Tahoe Art League – Bringing Arts to Schools
South Lake Tahoe, CA
$1,250 to complete their website by adding art prints and project ideas for school volunteers

Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, CA
$2,000 to create and publish the first edition of the Kid Trib newspaper

Bijou Community School – Two-Way Immersion Program
South Lake Tahoe, CA
$1,960 to purchase leveled classroom readers for the 3rd an 1st grade classrooms

Umpqua Community College
Roseburg, OR
$1,850 for listening centers in four classrooms to encourage interest in reading in Pre-K students

The Melrose Reading Station
Roseburg, OR
$2,000 to present two 10-week Family Literacy Workshops

Hader Connection
Roseburg, OR
$1,500 to create lesson plans for art and history lessons based on stories/illustrations by Berta and Elmer Hader

Douglas County Youth Orchestra
Roseburg, OR
$1,750 to purchase a new bass violin for the orchestra

Dos Rios Elementary School
Evans, CO
$2,000 to purchase materials to promote science and math literacy using technology and hands-on experimentation

Harold S. Winograd K-8 School
Greeley, CO
$2,000 to support the After School Program to provide intervention to increase reading skills

Galeton Elementary
Galeton, CO
$2,000 to be used for tutoring expenses over the summer for students with Dyslexia

Habitat for Humanity International, Inc.
Greeley, CO
$2,000 to provide tuition for children living in Habitat homes to attend the summer Aims College for Kids