| From
the March 28, 2005, edition of “Northwest This Week.”
by Dana Ternus
Life in Maryville during the
mid-20th century was usually calm, quiet and uneventful. But that
calm was violently and tragically shattered on Saturday April
28, 1951.
Shortly after midnight, a large St. Joseph Light and Power Co.
gas tank east of the women’s Residence Hall (now Roberta
Hall) exploded. The hall was severely damaged by the blast and
subsequent fire.
Fortunately about a third of the women living in the hall had
gone home for the weekend, while others were just returning from
a dance party at the Bearcats Den, a popular campus gathering
spot. Just as fortunately many of the partyers were disobeying
school rules by talking to their dates through the windows on
the west side of the building.
The explosion was so powerful that the Residence Hall doors were
blown open, and many of the young men courageously rushed inside
to help the women to safety. Faculty members, students and townspeople
quickly ran to the scene.
Some of the men formed a line and managed to salvage personal
belongings from smoke-filled rooms by passing them hand to hand
to the library, now known as Wells Hall. President J.W. Jones
and his wife opened the Gaunt House for use as a first aid station
and relief center.
Many of the women were injured, some gravely. The most serious
cases were rushed to St. Francis Hospital, and 40 pounds of Vaseline
had to be flown in from Kansas City to treat burns.
Both Maryville residents and members of the Northwest community
found it hard to comprehend the extent of the disaster until the
remains of the tank were discovered. One end was blown clear to
the Wabash railroad tracks behind the present-day TKE fraternity
house. Several rail cars were damaged, as was the track itself.
The other end sailed across College Avenue and landed at the corner
of Third and Frederick.
Maryvilleians continued extending aid to former hall residents
long after the night of the disaster. Some opened their homes
and provided living quarters through the end of the semester.
Others donated money to help students replace lost clothing. The
American Legion established a fund from which victims could borrow
money at no interest.
Most of those hurt in the tragedy recovered fully, though three
women are known to have suffered third-degree burns. The sole
fatality was Roberta Steel, a student from St. Joseph. Though
Steel partially recovered and managed briefly to return to school,
her lingering injuries proved too severe. She died in 1952.
Following extensive repairs, the Residence Hall was re-named Roberta
Hall in her honor in 1960.
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