October 1 marks the birthday of Sarah Cotton, the daughter of Sedalia’s founder – George R. Smith.

According to a news release, Sarah Cotton donated her homestead to the Sedalia School District allowing the district to build the original Smith-Cotton High School.

On Friday, October 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.

School officials say the tradition was started by Smith-Cotton High School’s Student Council and continues with Smith-Cotton’s National Honor Society and Smith-Cotton Junior High School’s National Junior Honor Society.

Photo: 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. (Courtesy of Sedalia School District 200)