(gentle music) - [Narrator] It's big and beautiful, and it's off limits.

The Compton Hill Water Tower has problems and plans.

- So it's well-worth preserving.

It's just a matter of finding the resources to do it.

- [Narrator] It was a small St. Louis wedding that happened to be international news.

It was all because of the widowed St. Louis secretary's new husband.

And her daughter's new stepfather.

- I don't think I was surprised at how much attention it got.

I mean, he was the Vice-President.

- [Narrator] He survived a childhood accident with the help of one of his heroes.

And now the inspirational story of John O'Leary and Jack Buck is moving the the big screen.

And another true St. Louis story.

We remember the life of TV newsman, Donn Johnson.

- But I think it will happen.

I think my children's children may get to experience it.

- [Narrator] It's all next on "Living St.

Louis."

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - I'm Ruth Ezell.

And, we begin with a story about one of our city's prominent landmarks.

One that's been around a lot longer than the arch.

Because of it's age, let's just say it needs some work.

Veronica Mohesky set out to get on top of this story.

(gentle music) - [Veronica] Even if you don't know what the Compton Hill Water Tower is, you've probably seen it while driving on Highway 44, or South Grand.

Overlooking St. Louis, the 179 foot tower has stood there since the late 1800s, and was a popular attraction during the 1904 World's Fair.

- The Compton Hill Water Tower of 1893, designed in 1893, built 1897 to 1899, was designed by Harvey Ellis, a very noted architect of his time.

And it is an absolute architectural masterpiece, and engineering masterpiece of national significance and importance.

- [Veronica] John Guenther is an architect, historian, and a board member of the Water Tower Park and Preservation Society.

He says the tower used to have a crucial role in our city.

- So there is a six-foot diameter, 130 foot tall serge pipe within this water tower that relieves water pressure, and maintains water pressure for the various residents around here.

So that was very important to control that.

- [Veronica] The water tower was only in use as a standpipe for 30 years, before improved technology came along.

Today, it is one of only seven historical standpipe water towers that are left in the country.

Three of which, are in St. Louis.

For about 20 years, the Compton Hill Water Tower was open on certain days to the public.

- And in the year 2000, they opened it up for visitors to walk up to the top of the tower.

And take in dramatic views of the city, 360 degree views, to take in the beauty of the surrounding neighborhoods.

So, it's a much-beloved landmark in this area here.

- [Veronica] One of the most popular times to visit the tower was on the first full moon on the month.

- I've been told that between, I think, 2000 and about 2015, there was as many, a total of about 18,000 people have climbed to the top.

So it's very popular locally, and well-beyond St. Louis.

- [Veronica] But, the tower closed during the pandemic.

And due to deterioration, it hasn't opened back up since.

- The brickwork and the stonework of the exterior of the structure was deteriorating.

Small bits and pieces were falling off.

It was a hazard for people to be outside the tower, standing close to it, because you didn't want a piece of rock falling on them and injuring them.

- [Veronica] Curtis Skouby, the St. Louis City Director of Public Utilities and Water Commissioner, took us inside the tower to get a few that few have seen over the past three years.

(reflective music) But Skouby says there is a plan to get the tower open to visitors again.

- Currently, we are in the process of hiring a consultant to take a look at the tower, the issues, and come up with a plan for restoration of it.

- [Veronica] And any changes to the tower won't be cheap.

- The main problem, as far as I was concerned, and listen, we don't wanna endanger people.

But equally it means that we could no longer charge for admission to the tower.

So the tower become unable to support it's own preservation in that regard.

- [Veronica] Christopher Matthews is a board member of the Water Tower Park and Preservation Society.

He says the Society, along with the City of St. Louis Water Division, and Alderwoman Daniella Velasquez, are working to find ways to fund the project.

- We are looking at some grant funding.

But none of the grants we found are allowed to take the full funding.

So obviously we still need to provide some funding ourselves, both from the Preservation Society and from the city.

- [Veronica] So far, Alderwoman Velasquez has allocated $50,000 to find a consultant for the water tower to assess damage, and to see what can be done.

This is great news for the Preservation Society.

But time is still ticking.

- It's really up to us as good stewards of this magnificent water tower to come up with a plan to stabilize, preserve, and fund the restoration of this tower.

We cannot let this tower deteriorate any further.

It's time to take action.

- [Veronica] The Water Tower Park and Preservation Society is currently accepting donations to help fund restoration for the monument.

Curtis Skouby says it's important for St. Louis to hold onto this piece of our city's history.

- It's a site within the city, it's one of the few that are in the country that still remain.

Most other cities have decommissioned, and removed similar towers that they had.

So, it's well-worth preserving.

It's just a matter of finding the resources to do it.

The hope is that once it's restored, people can return to coming up and seeing this view here that we have, of the city, and getting enjoyment of it.

(upbeat soft music) (loud fast-paced music) (typewriter typing) - [Old-Time News Reporter] All the world loves a lover.

And that old saying holds true for America.

Where Vice-President Alvin Barkley, and the former Mrs. Colten S. Hadley were joined in matrimony in St. Louis.

The groom was the first Vice-President of the nation ever to be married while in office.

- [Jim] This week in history, November 18th, 1949, Jane Hadley, a 38-year old widowed St. Louis secretary, became the Second Lady of the United States.

She married 71-year-old Alvin Barkley, the long-time Kentucky Senator, who that year had been sworn in as Harry Truman's Vice-President.

She would call this a Cinderella story.

They had meet through her late husband's friend, St. Louis' Clark Clifford, who was President Truman's White House Counsel.

And when Jane came to Washington, she was invited to a party on the Presidential yacht.

Truman wasn't there, but the Vice-President was.

And when they were introduced, the man they called "The Veep," barely left her side the entire evening.

- He was smitten.

And it didn't take long for her to feel the same.

- [Jim] That's Jane Hadley's daughter, Anne.

In 1949, she has just graduated from University City High School, and got caught up in on of the big stories of the year.

- I don't think I was surprised at how much attention it got.

I mean, he was the Vice-President.

- [Jim] And the press fell in love with the story.

The romance often made the front page.

The 71-year-old Vice-President, the grandfather, and the woman dubbed "The attractive widow."

In late October, Alvin Barkley and Jane Hadley, who had known each other for just a few months, decided to get married.

(gentle music) Jane Hadley was living in an apartment here on Pershing, when she decided that they would invite the press over to make their big announcement.

I think she still didn't realize how big this thing really was.

Because they had to push all of the furniture aside to accommodate the crush of reporters and photographers to hear the announcement that everybody was expecting.

Yes, they were engaged, and they had set the date.

November 18th, 1949, here in St. Louis.

Even before the press conference broke up, the news was on national radio.

- She had no idea.

She knew it was already news, but she didn't know it was gonna be that big of a thing.

- [Jim] It wasn't a royal wedding, but pretty close.

This footage shot by a news reel cameraman shows people showing up early outside the Methodist Church.

An amateur photographer put himself in the middle of the crush, and captured the arrival of the Vice-President, and just a glimpse of the bride-to-be.

And while it was something of a mad house outside with thousands of people, inside was a small wedding in the chapel.

And then... (crowd cheering) - Wow!

I mean, you couldn't see anything but a sea of people, and reporters.

And news reel cameras in those days.

- [Jim] This was Alvin Barkley's world, pressing the flesh, sparing with the press, giving speeches.

This was his life, now it was hers.

- She went from living a rather quiet life to being the Second Lady of the land.

That is a person who's life changed.

- [Jim] Although Jane had no desire to become First Lady, Alvin Barkley ran for the democratic Presidential nomination in 1952, losing to Adele Stevenson.

In 1954, he was elected to his old job, Senator from Kentucky.

And two years later while giving a speech, he had a heart attack and died with Jane by his side.

In 1964, Jane Hadley Barkley died just short of her 52nd birthday.

Bringing to an end, one unlikely and pretty amazing-like story, which she put in her memoir, entitled "I Married the Veep."

And that wedding, it captured the nation's attention 74 years ago, this week in St. Louis history.

(gentle music) - In entertainment news, film crews are in St. Louis shooting a movie.

And state and city officials are hoping it's a sign of things to come.

Governor Parson recently signed a new law offering tax credits aimed at attracting film crews and entertainment business to the state.

Tax credits for the film industry that Missouri hasn't had for 10 years.

- What a great opportunity for our state.

All we gotta do is just get after it, and make it happen.

- [Ruth] And so it happens that a new film is being shot in St. Louis.

It's the true story of St. Louis and John O'Leary.

And is based on his book "On Fire."

John told us his story when that book was still in the works.

In this photo of the O'Leary family of "Town and Country," John O'Leary was about three-years-old.

When John was nine, he spotted some older boys playing with matches and gasoline, and decided to try it himself in his family's garage.

You can imagine what happened next.

- Burned on 100% of my body.

87% was third-degree.

And so they bring me into the hospital, and I remember laying there as a little boy.

I caught myself on fire, I caught the house on fire, and I was sure, I totally let my father down.

So that was my thought.

And you could imagine my surprise and relief when he comes in, and the first thing my dad says to me, is how much he loves me, and how proud he is of me.

And so, it changed the entire story thereafter.

- [Ruth] John received an abundance of love, support, and encouragement from family, nurses, doctors and friends.

He would need it for the months of skin grafts and other procedures he would endure in the hospital.

Word of John's accident quickly reached the ears of one of his heroes, St. Louis Cardinals' announcer, Jack Buck.

The legendary broadcaster found out where the young patient was being treated, and paid him a surprise visit.

- I loved him, but I never met him before.

So he walks into this space.

And now, it's not 1120 KMOX, it's bedroom 406 at the burn center.

He's sitting next to me.

I kind of sense a presence.

And then he speaks into my darkness.

And what he says very firmly was, "Kid, wake up.

"You are going to live.

"You are going to survive, keep fighting, keep fighting."

"And when you get out of here, we are going to celebrate.

"We'll call it John O'Leary Day at the ballpark."

And then I remember he said something like "Kid, are you listening?"

And tied down, swollen shut, I remember nodding gently.

And then my hero says back, "Good, keep fighting, "see you soon."

And that promise of visiting this little boy was made and kept and delivered upon for the next five months.

And really for the rest of my life.

An incredible untold story of a guy from our community, who stood up and served, did it quietly.

And in doing so, radically changed my life.

So my oldest boy is named Jack.

And we named him after Jack Buck.

So when we come to the games, we make a point at of parking on this side of the stadium, so we can walk right past him, and point out this man who touched our lives so dearly, and so deeply.

- [Ruth] O'Leary explained how Buck persuaded him to relearn hand writing, in spite of his hands' deformities.

- When I was first burned and out of the hospital, what he learned was that I could not use my hands at all.

So Jack, thinking the way that only Jack Buck could of done, dreams outside of the box, and asked himself what more he could do, he sends me a baseball signed by Ozzie Smith.

And below the ball was a note from Jack Buck and it says, "Kid, if you want a second baseball, "all you have to do is send a thank-you letter "to the man who signed the first one."

- [Ruth] And then you did?

- I did, but he knew that I could not write.

But he also knew the value of bribery.

The value of encouraging a little guy to get what he really wanted, which was not to go back to school, but was a second baseball.

So I write this note to Ozzie, mail it off, and two days later, I get a second baseball from my hero that says "Kid, if you want a third baseball."

So, I write another note, mail it off.

A few days later, Ruth, I get a fourth baseball, a fifth baseball, a sixth baseball.

By the end of 1987, Jack Buck sends 60 baseballs to a little boy in a wheelchair without hands, with no chance, teaching him how to write again.

Transforming forever my life.

- [Ruth] They remained friends until Buck's death in 2002.

(dramatic music) O'Leary's life changed for the better in other ways.

The summer following his release from the hospital, John and his five siblings were taken by their mom and dad on vacation to Colorado.

Denny and Susan O'Leary had always wanted to climb a mountain.

Taking a cue from the adage, "Life's too short."

They made their wish come true, with family in tow, in 1988.

Several years ago, Denny and Susan O'Leary wrote a book about their experiences with their son's accident and recovery, and the community's response.

It was illuminating for John to read about how his situation affected his parents.

He wasn't the only one impressed by their story.

- One of the groups that read their book originally, was a group of Girl Scouts out on West County.

So this little group asked me to speak to their school.

It's gonna be three Girl Scouts on the first row.

It's third graders.

And I am so nervous before sharing the story, I get sick in the parking lot, before walking in to talk about this story with these little girls.

But in leaving that day, and in hugging these little ones, I realized the calling to get over myself, get past the fear, and to share the story, as it ignites hope and inspiration in the lives of others.

Look at our country, look at this stadium, look at your friends and family members around you.

We are fortunate.

- [Ruth] That talk before a group of grade schoolers evolved into a career as a motivational speaker.

- Whatever, my friends, we choose to focus on will grow around us.

If you focus on the negativity, watch out, because it's coming.

If you focus on the possibility and the beauty of tomorrow, and how it starts today, watch out because it's on, it's coming, hang on.

- O'Leary has shared his story with a half-million people and counting, around the world.

Finally, John O'Leary decided it was time for him to write a book.

It took a few tries, but what he ended up with convinced Simon & Shuster to sign him on, with its new publishing unit, North Star Way.

- I'm thrilled to be signed by them, and looking forward to the book coming out next year.

- [Ruth] His book did come out.

"On Fire: The Seven Choices to a Radically-Inspired Life."

It sold well, and was translated into dozens of languages, because he speaks all over the world.

And he even had a PBS special that ran during Pledge.

John O'Leary visited our studios in 2019 to do some promotional spots for the special.

And talked with Jim Kirchherr about how things have been going since that first story a few years before.

- You know, when the first published the book, there was a picture of me on the front of it.

So it says "On Fire," and there's a picture of me kind of looking tough.

So I sent back and email saying "That's the wrong cover."

The book's not about me.

And the cover most certainly should not be about me.

It's about the community.

It's about ordinary siblings and parents, and doctors, and nurses, and custodians, and baseball announcers, and human beings rolling up their sleeves, doing the best work they can to serve someone else.

A cause greater than themselves.

And I think that is a story, in particular in our marketplace today that connects with all of us.

We long to see heroes.

To see examples of people not just wearing capes that can fly around, but people who wear stethoscopes, the people who work in school buildings, and people who make a difference by being who they are, serving someone greater than themselves.

- You're in the motivational, inspirational business.

You're not the only guy in that business.

I just wonder from a marketing standpoint, how difficult is it to position yourself?

And to create a personality, or a message, that's maybe a little different from the other guy, who's doing inspirational, motivational stuff?

- So the cool thing about our brand is, we've never really had to create it.

I am as authentic in front of you, or a camera, or my four kids making pancakes, or the back row spanking kids, "Please be quiet, children!"

As I am in front of a stadium, or a podcast microphone, or anywhere else in the marketplace.

So my brand is uniquely me, for better and for worse.

And so for some, that's gonna say "Nah, we're just not interested."

But for most of us, I think we're looking for evidence of authenticity.

And we're looking for people who have courage to do things bigger than themselves.

And our whole story, not just the one I tell through my book, but the stories that we tell through our podcast, are about individuals who are overcoming people who are pointing the way forward, and people who are reminding the rest of us that in spite of some challenges around us, the best is yet to come.

But hold on for the ride.

(gentle music) Finally, we wanted to note the passing of long-time TV journalist, Donn Johnson.

He passed away November 1st, at the age of 76.

We worked with Donn a couple of times, and we thought it's worth sharing some of that.

We begin back in 2004, the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling.

We asked Donn who was, by then, at the Missouri Historical Society, to look back on that decision.

One that was momentous for the country, and for him.

- I think the first time that I was aware that Black and white children went to different schools was before I ever set foot inside of one.

I used to live here in the 4400th block of Washington, and I remember looking out of this second-story window, and seeing the top of Fields School over on Olive Street, and asking my mom was that a school that I was going to go to?

"No," she said.

"That's the white school, you're going to go to Cole School.

"That's the colored school."

That was the answer, I never questioned it.

That was 1952, I was four, five years old.

(children squealing) I went to kindergarten here at Cole School.

It was many blocks from my home.

I had to take the streetcar or the bus to get here.

I could of walked to Field School from my house.

I had played with a number of white kids who were still in the neighborhood, but I'd never sat next to them in a classroom.

It didn't bother them, and it really didn't bother me.

I was too young to understand segregation.

That's just the way it was.

(jazz music) (children squealing) Then came 1954, and the Brown decision.

That changed everything.

I still can hear the long phone conversations that my mother had with the various friends and relatives.

What school would your child go to?

Will he be sent to a white school?

Would there be trouble?

All these questions I didn't really understand.

I was only seven.

When school opened after the Brown decision, I distinctly remember walking to the Eugene Field School here, with my parents, my brothers, other children, and their parents.

We were being given instructions.

We were being reminded that there would be white children in our school.

We were also being told that they were no better than we were.

We were also told to watch what we say.

Not necessarily to them, but to each other.

We weren't to use the N-word.

And if one of them called us that name, then we were to tell them that we were Negros, and then, slap them silly.

Fortunately, I never had to resort to such actions.

I only remember one lone white girl showing up on that day.

There probably were other children, but I remember this, her name was Julia.

She had blue eyes, and brown curly hair.

Her parents spoke with an accent.

And they talked with my mother.

And it seemed friendly enough.

Julia and I got pretty busy running around this playground, playing with other kids.

She was only in my class for about half of a semester.

One day, she just didn't show up.

And she never came back.

I often wondered what happened to Julia.

And I wonder if she ever thinks about that day.

That was desegregation for me in 1954.

Pretty uneventful really, but forever etched in my mind.

(children playfully squealing) - [Ruth] Donn was back with us this past January, to appear with other veterans of local TV news on "Next Up."

And was asked by Wendy Weist to reflect on more recent changes.

- D.J., even before Michael Brown, even before Ferguson, you were one of the people who were, you were constantly having that discussion about race.

Are you optimistic?

Do you see, I mean through the efforts towards diversity in the media at least, are you optimistic at all?

- I am optimistic, I am optimistic.

- [Wendy] More so than before?

- Yeah, and I'll tell you why.

I think the people that I run into, the people that I see doing for each other, across racial lines, across social lines, tells me that the message that we are in this all together, is resonating to some people's minds.

I've seen minds actually changed about certain things.

So yeah, I'm optimistic.

I think it's gonna be awhile, it probably won't be in my lifetime when it's the way I would like it to be, the way Dr. King saw it.

But, I think it will happen.

I think my children's children may get to experience that.

(gentle music) - And that's "Living St.

Louis."

We wanna thank you for your ideas and comments.

Keep them coming at NinePBS.org/LSL.

I'm Ruth Ezell, thanks for watching.

And, we'll see you next time.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - [Announcer] "Living St. Louis" is funded in part by the Betsy and Thomas Patterson Foundation, and the members of Nine PBS.