Even though Clifton Cedric Edom was not from Taney County, he knew a lot about it, and later, he and his wife would call Forsyth their home for a number of years.
Known as the "Father of Photojournalism," Cliff was born in Baylis, Illinois, on February 12, 1907. He received a teaching certificate from Western Illinois State Teachers College in 1925 and quickly found work in the newspaper business.
On June 30, 1928, Cliff married Vilia Clarissa Patefield (1908-2004), and the young couple purchased the Edgar News, a weekly paper out of Edgar, Wisconsin. They operated this paper for two years when Cliff took a position in Wausau, Wisconsin, with the Wausau Record-Herald.
In 1935, the Edoms and their little daughter Verna Mae moved to Aurora, Missouri, in Lawrence County. It was here that Cliff would study under famed photographer Charles S. Martz at Tasope. Soon, Cliff would serve as the educational director at the Aurora School of Photo Engraving. Also he would become editor of their school magazine, The Tasope News.
In 1943, the Edoms would move to Columbia. At the Missouri University School of Journalism, Cliff became the head of the department while taking undergraduate classes. He would complete his Bachelor of Journalism in 1946.
It was because of Cliff's dedication that the photojournalism field became so recognized. In 1949, the Edoms founded the first Missouri Photo Workshop. This program would teach research and observation skills that would show special emphasis on photojournalism regarding Missouri small towns. A number of America's leading newspaper editors and photographers would be heavily involved with this workshop program.
In 1950, a project brought the Edoms to Taney County. Cliff recalled, "Our interest in the region began in 1950 when I brought a workshop to the Missouri Ozarks, when they were moving the old town of Forsyth. The students, all professional people, came to do a week-long study and recording of Forsyth moving from the bottom (along the lake front and Swan Creek) to the new location up on the hill. We were experimenting with a new type of study with photography. It was a pioneering effort to teach people to see and think—not merely to snap a shutter. It started with interviews of the townspeople themselves and finding out how they felt and how they thought, and an attempt to record those emotions and feelings on film."
It was this kind of enthusiasm that brought much success to the photojournalism field. Cliff was also remembered for saying, "Show truth with a camera. Ideally, truth is a matter of personal integrity. In no circumstances will a posed or fake photograph be tolerated."
Cliff and Vi would remain involved with the University of Missouri until 1972. In 1973 they would retire to Forsyth and live off of Shadow Rock Drive, overlooking Powersite Dam. They would also open their own shop, the Little Photo Gallery. It was also during these years that Cliff would teach classes at Crowder College at Neosho.
In the mid-1970s, Cliff and Vi began collecting and copying old photographs of Stone and Taney counties and did some wonderful exhibits of these collections at their shop. In 1983, they released a fine 248-page book, "Twice Told Tales and an Ozark Photo Album." With a focus on Taney County, the book would include over 400 photos. Many Taney County natives came forward and helped provide photographs for the book project. Thanks to the assistance of folks like Emmett Adams, Doug Mankey, Jerry Gideon, Clay Anderson, and others, the pictorial record today stands as a valuable piece, showcasing much of our county history.
Cliff would pass away in Branson from complications of lung cancer at age 83 on January 30, 1991. He was laid to rest at the Snapp Cemetery in Forsyth. Vi would pass away at age 96 on September 9, 2004.
I must say that the Edoms’ "Ozark Photo Album" book is becoming hard to find, and occasionally it shows up for sale online. A real gem that I highly suggest is Cliff's "Missouri Sketch Book" from 1963. Edom was a big Civil War buff, and this particular book contains over 200 sketches, photos, and paintings—all dealing with the Civil War in Missouri. Good luck in the hunt for this one; believe me, it's a treasure!
Happy trails, everyone!
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