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Jim Whitfield is a life member of The American Legion in Warrensburg.
He has served The American Legion Boys State of Missouri in
several capacities since 1953. He was Secretary-Treasurer from
1953 to 1955. He served on the site committee which made the
decision to move Boys State to the campus of CMSU in 1953. In
recognition of his lifetime of untiring service, in 2000 Whitfield
was given the title "Honorary Lifetime Commander"
of the Missouri Department of the American Legion. This honor
had been given to only three other men, including former U.S.
President Harry S. Truman.
Whitfield's service to the Missouri Boys State
program is unsurpassed. Whitfield served as a City Counselor
from 1956 to 1959 and was named Dean of Counselors in 1959.
Under his direction, the staff of Missouri Boys State took a
pro-active approach to teaching the principles of democracy
to the young men who participated in the Boys State program.
As Dean, Whitfield wrote the first counselors handbook. The
original form of that handbook is still in use today. Whitfield
voluntarily retired from his position as Dean of Counselors
in 1970. Along with Charles Hamilton, Whitfield was instrumental
in creating the intricate structure of the program that has
evolved into one of the finest programs of its kind. In his
over four decades of service to the program, Whitfield has been
at the center of every major decision affecting the program.
He has been instrumental in helping the program grow into a
youth leadership program of national prominence.
Whitfield was given the distinction of having
a Boys State City named in his honor, becoming the first Boys
State leader outside of the four founders to be given that honor.
In 2001, the Missouri Boys State Board of Directors and Executive
Committee voted in favor of renaming Smith City to Whitfield
City. He was inducted into the Missouri Boys State Hall of Fame
in 1988.
Whitfield was named one of the original trustees of the A.B.
Weyer Memorial Trust. The Weyer Trust was created to ensure
the future financial stability of The American Legion Boys State
of Missouri, Inc. In 1989, he was named Chairman of the trust
succeeding Charles L. Bacon who died suddenly while still serving
his term. Whitfield has been active in veteran's affairs since
his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in January of 1947.
He is a graduate of Central Missouri State University where
he was Student Body President. In his senior year he received
the George Charno Citizenship Award. Whitfield is still serving
as a life member of the Executive Committee of the American
Legion Boys State of Missouri Board of Directors.
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