By Antonio D. French
Filed Saturday, April 15, 2006 at 9:06 AM
It was nearly 25 years ago that Vince Schoemehl, the young alderman from the 28th Ward, was sworn-in as mayor of the City of St. Louis. On April 21, he and his supporters will be remembering the moment.
They promise "No Speeches," "Just Fun," when they gather at the Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park at 5:00 next Friday to remember the legacy of the Schoemehl Administration.
That legacy means many things to many different people.
Some recall Schoemehl's time in Room 200 as the birth of a stronger Office of Mayor in the City of St. Louis. "Schoemehl worked to transform the office of mayor from a 'weak mayor' system into a political powerhouse," remembers an exhibit at the St. Louis Public Library.
Others recall Schoemehl's tenure as a destructive turning point in the rapid decline of certain parts of the City.
His term coincided with a awful rise in crime marked by the introduction of crack cocaine and gang wars that left thousands of young men dead in the City's streets.
Schoemehl will always be known in many communities for reneging on his promise to reopen the vital Homer G. Phillips Hospital located in north St. Louis' Ville neighborhood.
In 1992, Schoemehl was defeated by then-Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan in the Democratic primary for Governor. He was succeeded as mayor by the City's first African-American to hold the office, Freeman Bosley, Jr.
They promise "No Speeches," "Just Fun," when they gather at the Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park at 5:00 next Friday to remember the legacy of the Schoemehl Administration.That legacy means many things to many different people.
Some recall Schoemehl's time in Room 200 as the birth of a stronger Office of Mayor in the City of St. Louis. "Schoemehl worked to transform the office of mayor from a 'weak mayor' system into a political powerhouse," remembers an exhibit at the St. Louis Public Library.
Others recall Schoemehl's tenure as a destructive turning point in the rapid decline of certain parts of the City.
His term coincided with a awful rise in crime marked by the introduction of crack cocaine and gang wars that left thousands of young men dead in the City's streets.
Schoemehl will always be known in many communities for reneging on his promise to reopen the vital Homer G. Phillips Hospital located in north St. Louis' Ville neighborhood.
In 1992, Schoemehl was defeated by then-Lt. Gov. Mel Carnahan in the Democratic primary for Governor. He was succeeded as mayor by the City's first African-American to hold the office, Freeman Bosley, Jr.
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