From 1924 to 1963, the “Cooper Cup” was awarded to the Washington high school that racked up the most points in an internal competition that, each year, decided which class was best. The winner was chosen by the superintendent, principal, and a third party of their choice. The winner was usually the senior class.
It was named for Joseph A. Cooper, a Baptist minister, in 1924. L.E. Ziegler was the superintendent that year. Ziegler was the man who called the football team a bunch of Spoofhounds, and the name unexpectedly stuck.
The above image is from the 1962 Maryvillian yearbook.
OFFERS A TROPHY TO ‘HONORCLASS
The Rev. Joseph A. Cooper Presents High School With Loving Cup to Be Awarded Each Year.
FOR THE BEST ALL-AROUND CLASS
Scholarship, Athletics, Dramatics, and debating, and All Activities Are to Be Taken Into Consideration in the annual awarding of the trophy.
The Maryville Daily Forum, April 16, 1924, Page 1. via Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-maryville-daily-forum-cooper-cup-192/199085510/
The Rev. Joseph A. Cooper, retiring pastor of the First Baptist Church of Maryville, presented the student body of the Maryville High School with a large, silver loving cup this morning, which will be used as an achievement cup among the various classes of the local high school.
L.E. Ziegler, superintendent of public schools, received the cup from the Rev. Mr. Cooper and said that the trophy would be used in competition between the classes. in all school activities.
“During the years in which I have lived in Maryville,” said Mr. Cooper in presenting the cup,’ there have been no other institutions outside of my church that I have been as interested in as the High School and the State Teachers College.”
The school is great, and I know that Maryville is proud of its institutions. It would be a wise thing for the merchants of the town to offer at intervals #l. silver to the different school activities for their merit and work, and to show their interest in the school.” The Rev. Mr. Cooper has been closely connected with the activities of Maryville High School for the last few years and has been active in all areas of school life.
The Achievement Cup will be awarded to the class with the highest standing in all school activities at the close of each semester and on commencement day. The trophy is to be awarded each year by a committee composed of the superintendent of schools, the principal of the High School, and another member to be selected by them.
The year of the class that wins the trophy is to be engraved on the cup’s metal base. The trophy cup will be the largest in Maryville High School’s collection, which already numbers over thirty silver loving cups.
The Achievement Cup is of silver and stands eighteen inches high without the base.
John Archibald Cooper was born in Kansas City on August 21, 1887, and died in Phoenix, Arizona, on 12 Jul 1963, at age 75, and is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Kansas City.
Rev. Cooper’s education was obtained at William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo., Rochester Seminary, Rochester, N.Y., and the University of Chicago.
During World War I, he was a senior chaplain in France, where he rose to the rank of captain. The Croix de Guerre (French: [kʁwa də ɡɛʁ], Cross of War) . The Croix de Guerre may be awarded either as an individual award or as a unit award to those soldiers who distinguish themselves by acts of heroism involving combat with the enemy. The medal is awarded to those who have been “mentioned in dispatches“, meaning a heroic deed or deeds were performed meriting a citation from an individual’s headquarters unit.
After leaving Maryville, Rev. Cooper was on the chautauqua and lyceum circuit before becoming pastor of the First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1926. He would serve as president of Sioux Falls College from 1927 to 1930.
Is it a Good Idea to Have Classes Compete Against Each Other for Best Class in School?
Pitting high school classes against each other can boost school spirit and academic engagement. However, it often risks fueling unhealthy stress, fostering toxic rivalries, and alienating lower-performing students. If implemented, the competition must prioritize group collaboration and individual effort over zero-sum outcomes. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Whether a class-wide competition is a good idea depends heavily on how it is structured. Educators and administrators typically weigh the following trade-offs before implementing such programs: [1]
The Benefits
-
- Increased Engagement: Gamification can make learning more dynamic, particularly for high-achieving students who might otherwise be bored. [1]
- Community Building: Group competitions (e.g., competing by homeroom or grade level) build a shared sense of identity and encourage intra-class teamwork. [1, 2]
- Motivation: The social pressure of a challenge can encourage students to put in double the effort and review material more thoroughly. [1, 2]
The Drawbacks
- Anxiety and Burnout: Academic rivalry can exacerbate existing stress in high school environments, causing students to fixate on grades rather than genuine learning.
- Alienation: Students who feel their class has no mathematical chance of winning may completely disengage or feel inadequate.
- Toxicity: Instead of building camaraderie, class rivalries can breed division, jealousy, and sometimes even academic dishonesty.
Why Were Loving Cups Popular in 1920s?
A loving cup is an ornamental, multi-handled drinking vessel usually made of silver or porcelain. In the 1920s, these cups were highly popular for three main reasons:ceremonial toasting, trophies for popular leisure sports, and fraternal rituals. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
The popularity of loving cups during the 1920s spanned several specific cultural applications:
-
- Trophies for the Leisure Boom: With the explosion of organized sports, bathing beauty pageants, and country club culture in the 1920s, loving cups became the standard presentation trophy. They were widely awarded at sporting events and for community philanthropic awards. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Symbolic Ceremonial Drinking: Passing a shared cup was a popular ritual at banquets and weddings to symbolize unity, friendship, and the joining of families. The “Tyg” (a three-handled cup) was particularly popular at these events, so that two people could each hold a handle while a third could join their hands. [1, 2, 3]
- Fraternity and Sorority Traditions: The era saw a massive expansion of Greek-life organizations on college campuses. Fraternities and sororities, such as Delta Zeta, popularized the “Loving Cup Ceremony” to symbolize unbroken friendship and unity within their chapters. [1, 2]
Today, the ceremonial use of loving cups continues mainly in historical societies, weddings, and traditional City of London livery company banquets. You can explore antique and 1920s-era pieces by browsing selections on vintage marketplace platforms like Etsy or read about historic award designs in the Smithsonian Archives.
Why would an American chaplain receive a Croix de Guerre from France during World War I?
An American chaplain would receive the French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) during World War I for displaying extraordinary gallantry, bravery under fire, or devotion to duty in combat zones.[1, 2, 3]
Because chaplains in the U.S. Army were non-combatants and technically prohibited from bearing arms, their recognition by a foreign military power usually stemmed from acts of extreme self-sacrifice. The French government awarded the medal to allied soldiers who had been “mentioned in dispatches” for heroic deeds. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Reasons chaplains were frequently recognized include:
-
- Treating the Wounded: Many chaplains braved relentless artillery barrages and machine-gun fire to venture into No Man’s Land or exposed trenches. They provided spiritual comfort while actively assisting medics with dragging wounded soldiers to safety. [1]
- Boosting Morale: Chaplains routinely risked their lives by staying with troops in the front lines to conduct services, distribute supplies, and offer counsel, acting as a crucial anchor for the men’s psychological well-being. [1, 2]
- Recovery and Burials: Under heavy fire, chaplains often recovered the bodies of fallen soldiers to ensure they received proper religious burials. Performing these solemn rites in dangerous conditions was viewed as a profound act of devotion. [1]
- Direct Leadership: In chaotic, high-casualty battles, some chaplains stepped out of their religious duties to rally scattered troops, reorganize units, or lead men forward when officers were incapacitated. [1]
A famous example is Father Francis P. Duffy (the Chaplain of the 69th New York Infantry, later the 165th Infantry Regiment). He was highly decorated by both the American and French governments for his tireless work comforting the wounded, burying the dead, and walking openly through heavy shelling to minister to his “Fighting 69th” men. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Because the Croix de Guerre was a unit as well as an individual award, an American chaplain serving in a heavily decorated division—such as the 26th “Yankee” Division or the 369th “Harlem Hellfighters,” which were collectively awarded the French medal for their exceptional bravery—would wear the honor on their uniform. [1, 2, 3]
To explore more about how the French government recognized American service members, consult the American Battle Monuments Commission. To research specific military citations from the era, you can utilize the archives at the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
Jokes About Classes Competing to Be The Best at High School in a Given Year
- Freshman: “We practiced chants!” Sophomore: “We designed the logo!” Junior: “We ran analytics!” Senior: “We wrote the press release — and the check.”
- Freshmen cheered at noon, Sophomores held a meeting at 3, Juniors scheduled a rehearsal at 7, and Seniors won because they showed up at 11:59 p.m. and claimed the trophy in the yearbook.
- Trophy categories: Most Enthusiastic (Freshman), Most Improved (Sophomore), Most Competitive (Junior), Most Likely to Win by Default (Senior).
- Freshman: “We’re legends.” Sophomore: “We’re strategic.” Junior: “We’re unstoppable.” Senior: “We’re listed first in the alumni directory — enough said.”
- They argued over the criteria. Freshman counted noise level, Sophomore tallied attendance, Junior averaged GPA, and Seniors used senior privileges.
- Freshmen brought glitter, Sophomores brought flyers, Juniors brought a spreadsheet, and Seniors brought the principal’s coffee coupon.
- Freshman: “We invented a chant.” Sophomore: “We perfected it.” Junior: “We trademarked it.” Senior: “We put it on a T-shirt and sold out.”
- Seniors won because they had “experience.” Translation: they knew everyone’s weaknesses and everyone’s babysitter.
- Freshman: “We’ll start a tradition.” Sophomore: “We’ll build on it.” Junior: “We’ll institutionalize it.” Senior: “We’ll post a picture and call it legacy.”
- Freshmen ran for spirit points, Sophomores negotiated points, Juniors optimized points, and Seniors simply signed the points ledger.
- Freshman: “We light up the stands!” Sophomore: “We light up the scoreboard!” Junior: “We light up the plan.” Senior: “We light up the trophy with a selfie flash.”
- Freshman thought winning meant a photo. Sophomore thought it meant a plaque. Junior thought it meant a program. The senior thought it meant a parking spot with their name on it.
- The trophy read: “Best Class.” Underneath, small print: “Administered by seniors since forever.”
- Freshman: “We made posters!” Sophomore: “We made a campaign.” Junior: “We made a budget.” Senior: “We made it official — with a signature and a stamp.”
- Freshman believed in magic, Sophomore believed in process, Junior believed in metrics, Senior believed in connections.
- Freshman’s spirit was loud, Sophomore’s plan was precise, Junior’s effort was constant — Seniors’ timing was impeccable.