From 1913 to 1924, the consolidation movement began with some of the
nearby schools joining the Mediapolis system. School bus routes were begun
as was the serving of hot lunches in the cold weather. The domestic science
class prepared and served the lunches under the supervision of the instructors.
A favorite item of the menu was salmon loaf, creamed peas and chocolate
pudding.
Across from the street from the school, the American Legion built a Community
Hall which also served as a gym and auditorium. This let the school
expand its curriculum to include baseball, football, and basketball.
Finally, after consolidation, the school was closed down because it was
a major fire hazard because of the open stairway and the wooden interior.
Another move was necessary. There was some controversy over the location
of the new school. The eastern part of town wanted near them and the western
part of town wanted it near them. Finally the school was put at the northern
end of town where it presently stands today. The total cost of construction
was $150,000.00 which included walks, driveways and grading.
Thirty-five years passed before the district boundaries were changed necessitating
more construction. The state was urging schools to merge so that all students
would receive as excellent education with an enlarged curriculum. Smaller
schools were threatened with the discontinuation of state funds if they
did not comply. The schools that joined the Mediapolis district were Huron
in 1959, Yarmouth in 1961, and Sperry in 1962. At the time, the superintendent was Wayne Burns.
This time, the site of the school was not changed, but a large addition
was added to the north side of the existing school building which was completed
in 1960. The new addition included a large gymnasium and office space as
well as the classrooms for the high school. The upper floor of the old building
became junior high and the elementary were distributed between the four different
schools. At the present time, the elementary levels are in the lower floor
of the Mediapolis building and in the Yarmouth building. The Huron school
was destroyed and the Sperry school was closed.
In 1960, Mrs. Elsa Archer gave the ground for the present athletic field known as Archer Field
and is still around today.
Source: 1875 - Centennial - 1975, Mediapolis, Iowa
