“THE JOURNEY BEGINS TODAY of turning a home into a learning center,” West Plains banker David Gohn said after his eight grandchildren broke ground today on Gohn Hall at Missouri State University-West Plains. The family home, donated to the university by Gohn and his sister, longtime public educator Virginia Gohn Sapp, St. Louis, will provide office and classroom space for the Missouri State University Outreach Program on the West Plains campus when completed in fall 2013, the 50th anniversary of the campus. The Outreach Program offers several bachelor’s and master’s degree completion programs, including those in education and business, locally. Today’s groundbreaking ceremony, attended by approximately 100 area residents, local government and university officials, marked the official beginning of the $2 million construction/renovation project. Area residents will begin to see construction crews working in mid to late January, university officials said. The project was made possible this fall with a major gift commitment from the Gohn family and university money from the Springfield and West Plains campuses. Family members attending included Gohn and his wife, Billie Kay; daughter Jennifer Gohn Mahaffey, husband Robert and sons John David and Robert Jr., all of Rogersville; daughter Courtney Gohn Beykirch, husband Greg, and children Caroline, William and Jack, all of West Plains; and son David M. Gohn, wife Maggie, and children Mary Claire, Sam and Libby. With shovels from left are John David and Robert Mahaffey Jr.; Caroline, Jack and William Beykirch; and Sam, Mary Claire and Libby Gohn. Behind the podium is Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)