Mark Twain was back in Chester Dec. 5 when English III students read the essay, “The Lowest Animal, ” in class.

Subbing for his “look-a-like,” Mr. Springston, during first and fourth hours, biographical information on the author was discussed.  Juniors in Mrs. Hodge’s second and fifth hour classes also learned about the author.

One highlight was an excerpt from Twain’s Life on the Mississippi when the author name-chacked Chester:

“We found a railway intruding at Chester, Illinois; Chester has also a penitentiary now, and is otherwise marching on.”

He observed the “new” Menard prison in Chester while on a riverboat trip in the 1880s.

But didn’t Mark Twain die in 1910?

Rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.