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William R. Dorris, A Closer Look William Robert Dorris was one of those rare civic leaders in O’Fallon who pursued two very different careers in his lifetime and was a pioneer in both-—education and banking. Born Oct. 13, 1873, on a farm near Greencastle, Mo., W. R. Dorris was the son of Union Civil War veteran August Dorris and Harriet Cantrell. An older brother, Charles Henry, was born in 1867. The family had moved to Missouri in 1868 from Okawville, Ill., on account of their father’s poor health. The doctor advised he “go West,” and west they went in a covered wagon——west being Missouri. Mr. Dorris died in 1874, and the family soon moved hack to Okawviile where both sons received their early education. In 1887 they moved to Lebanon. Mrs. Dorris kept boarders there while her sons attended McKendree College. At age 13, William was the youngest person ever to attend the school. He obtained his high school as well as college education there and graduated in 1894. He taught at Ruth School, 2 miles north of New Baden, from 1891— 1897 and was principal of Okawville public schools shortly after that. In Dec. 1898 he married college sweetheart Alice Louden at Lebanon. On being offered the position of principal of O’Fallon Public Schools, the Dorrises moved to O’Fallon in the summer of 1899. His tenure as principal saw the addition of new and more advanced studies and the erection of the first new school building in 40 years——the old West grade which stood near 5th & Oaks Sts. He was also instrumental in the founding of O’Fallon High School——originally only a 2 year course——and was principal through the first commencment in 1903. His brother, in the meantime, followed a similar path. Lebanon High School was founded under his leadership about 1895. He was superintendent of Lebanon schools from 1892—1900 and then of Collinsville schools from 1900-1937. W.R. Dorris might have continued his career in education but in 1903, as he later was quoted, he “wanted someplace to put my money.”
Next week—W. R. Dorris co-founds a bank.
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