Developing a website that is a useful tool to members and also to the public was a top priority of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association this year.
In designing the website, we referenced the mission established by the founders of our bar on Oct. 17, 1903: The object of the Bar Association of Springfield Missouri is to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of law, to cultivate social intercourse among its members, the promotion of legal science and the administration of justice.
A century ago, the way we access information professionally on the Internet and the way we interact personally via social networking was surely unimaginable, but that 109-year-old mission continues to resonate. The founding objective of the bar provided a template for the new website, and the history of the local bar is incorporated throughout.
But Springfieldbar.com isn’t just for lawyers. It has a number of links and resources designed to be of use to the public. There is a “Find A Lawyer” section with both referrals and general information, and there are links to important planning tools like health care directives. There is also information on the judicial selection process and Missouri’s Judicial Performance Evaluations, an important resource in the recent election.
Collecting and preserving an organizations’ heritage is crucial, but it is of little use if no one can find or use that information. One of the many advantages of having a good website is the opportunity to organize and catalogue documents and create accessible archives. Springfieldbar.com provides a platform so that members and other curious individuals can access that information.
One question about the bar association’s heritage I am occasionally asked is, “Who was the first female member?” Since there are no women in the bar association composite photographs from the 1920s, ‘30s or ‘40s, it is assumed our first women members joined in the ‘50s. However, the first female member of the Springfield Bar actually joined more than 100 years ago. Her name was Alma Dodson, and her death was noted in the New York Times, both in 1909 and in 2009 with the headline “Gives Party; Goes to Death.”
Apparently, the extraordinary Dodson was required to have surgery in order to live, but the procedure would very likely result in her death. Her story was so noteworthy, the New York Times covered it on the day of her funeral and also as a special interest item in the Dec. 10, 2009 feature “100 years ago on this date.” The new website provides us an opportunity to link to Dodson’s story.
There are also two recently completed histories of the Springfield Bar online. In honor of the Springfield Bar’s Centennial Celebration, observed in October 2003, SMBA member James R. Cox compiled the rich and unique history of the organization. James Owen updated the history in 2009, after interviewing a dozen of our 50-year members.
We have much to learn from our past, and much to learn from those who will replace us in the future. Young professionals expect to be able to interface with an organization or business at all hours of the day or night, through websites or social media, and they expect to be able to do so from their smartphone. Ultimately, I hope Springfieldbar.com accomplishes those 100-year-old, but still fresh goals of promoting the best parts of this profession, cultivating interaction among our members, and advancing the cause of justice.
Crista Hogan is the executive director of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and can be reached at chogan@springfieldbar.com.
