Scholars Reflect On Carol Farmer’s Legacy As Season Picks Up

Scholar Bowl teams across Missouri are in the midst of their season, with dozens of squads recently competing at tournaments last weekend in Edina and Palmyra.  The “Varsity Sport of the Mind” is a tradition in Northeast Missouri that dates back nearly six decades, when the first teams organized by North Shelby teacher Carol Farmer began competing.  Sandy Werr, who succeeded Farmer as North Shelby’s coach, said Farmer had a vision to see the Scholar Bowl season culminate with a state tournament.

Werr said she and Farmer spent the following year networking with coaches and administrators.

The effort would lead to the first state tournament in 1992, run by the Missouri Academic Association.  MSHSAA assumed oversight of Scholar Bowl four years later.  Werr calls the series the lasting legacy of Farmer, who passed away in mid-November, aged 88.

Former North Shelby coach Sandy Werr is now a MSHSAA Rules Interpreter.  She was our guest on last week’s KRES Scholars Weekly program, which airs Thursday afternoons at 3:10.

You can find past episodes of the program here.