Grand Valley Community School, Kellerton

VARIOUS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/2/2009 at 05:11:58

GRAND VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Kellerton, Ringgold County, Iowa

Kellerton School, 1951
Around the year of 1893, the Kellerton School District bonded $1,700 for the construction of a new schoolhouse.

During the 1920's, the issue of consolidation of Ringgold County schools was first addressed. The proposal failed and the town schools of Ringgold County continued with a majority of the rural children attending country schools. Later, when Ellston Community School closed, a few of the students attended school at either the Grand River Community School or Kellerton Community School. Grand River and Kellerton consolidated in the early 1960's, creating Grand Valley Community Schools. For several years, Grand River elementary students attended classes at the Grand River schoolhouse while Kellerton elementary students were educated at the Kellerton schoolhouse. The classes combined when the students attended junior high (7th and 8th grades). Junior High students attended classes at the Grand River schoolhouse while High School students attended classes at the Kellerton schoolhouse. [This continued until sometime in the 1970's when all classes - elementary through High School were combined, attending classes at both schoolhouses.]

The Brick Country School, once located northeast of Grand River in Richland Township near the Wheelis Cemetery, was moved to the Grand River schoolhouse grounds and was utilized as a music room. The Foland Country School was moved to Kellerton's schoolhouse grounds where it, too, was used as a music room. When Grand Valley Community Schools closed, the Brick Country School was moved west across the street where it is currently utilized as Grand River's town museum. The Foland Country School was moved uptown on the east side of Main Street where it is now Kellerton's town museum.

As student enrollment dwindled, Grand Valley Community School entered into a whole-grade sharing agreement with Mount Ayr Community schools for grades 7 - 12, and with Lamoni Community Schools.

The gymnasium and vocational agriculture building at the Kellerton schoolhouse grounds was built and dedicated on November 16, 1951. It was attached to the main building with a "breezeway." When Grand Valley Community Schools closed, there was a proposal to convert the school building into a safe house for abused women, among other things. Of the main concern was the ability to provide proper security should such a transformation take place. Ultimately, it was decided to demolish both schoolhouses instead of allowing the buildings to deteriorate and fall into a state of decline and decay. The gym at the Kellerton school grounds serves as a community center. There is a senior center now located on the Grand River school grounds.

BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM, KELLERTON
The first annual Ringgold County Basketball Tournament was held on February 28 and March 1 of 1919, at the Mount Ayr High School gymnasium. Teams from Kellerton, Mount Ayr, Delphos, Diagonal, Ellston, Shannon City, and Tingley played for the championship which was won by Ellston High School prevailing with 62 points over Diagonal's 19 points.

At the 1922 Ringgold County Tournament, Kellerton's guard JACKSON was named to the all-county first team.

Kellerton High School won its first Tournament championship in 1925, played against Mount Ayr High School. With neither team scoring during the second quarter, Mount Ayr held the lead of 3-2 at half-time. Rallying during the second half, Kellerton beat out Mount Ayr 11-10. The all-county first team included Kellerton's forwards MOSBARGER and BROWN, center LUTZ, and guard DOSER.

Kellerton lost the 1926 championship to Delphos, 13-10. Kellerton's guard ALLEN was named to the all-county first team.

In 1928, referee WHEELER of the Des Moines YMCA selected Kellerton's forward DINGMAN for the all-county first team.

The Ringgold Tournament of 1932 was held on February 18-20 at Diagonal. Diagonal won the championship over Kellerton, 38-17.

In 1934, Kellerton's GIBSON was named to the all-county first team.

In their 6th consecutive championship win, Diagonal beat Kellerton 45-18 in 1936.

Ringgold's County Tournament was held February 18-20, 1937 in Mount Ayr's newly constructed gymnasium. Kellerton came in third, William SHIDLER, Coach. A blizzard blew in on Saturday night, forcing most of the teams and spectators to spend the night at the new gym while others sought refuge at the courthouse, cafes, the town hall, and private homes. Another blizzard blew in during the championship game of 1938 when Kellerton lost to Diagonal. Diagonal, then, was defeated in an upset by Mount Ayr, 37-26. However, five weeks later, Diagonal won the Class B Iowa State Championship.

The 1956 Tournament championship game was played out at Mount Ayr on January 19th. The Diagonal team, led by Tom AUSTIN, beat out Kellerton, led by Jim HUNT, 68-52. This marked Diagonal's 15 championships out of 38 county tournaments.

During the 1957 final game was played on January 19th. Kellerton and Tingley were tied at 40 points each. With player Mike McDOWELL paving a path for the team, Kellerton defeated Tingley in overtime play, 48-42.

Other tournment championship games in which Kellerton was a contender was in 1952: Redding 32; Kellerton 28.

NOTE: The Kellerton Boys' High School Baseball team won the sectional tournament held at Creston in 1951. Monte BALLOU pitched a no-hitter for Kellerton.

NOTE: Kellerton's girl's high school basketball team won the sectional tournament in 1957, defeating Beaconsfield 54-52. In 1958, Joyce GIBSON won second place in the county-wide girls' free-throw contest, making 22 of 25 throws.

Sources: Ringgold County History Complied and written by the Iowa Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Iowa, Sponsored by Ringgold County Superintendent of Schools, Mount Ayr, Iowa. 1942.

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past. . .Ringgold County, Iowa 1855-2005 Pp. 23, 60-1, 64, 81. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr. 2009.

Photographs submitted by Ken Baker, March of 2009

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009

Grand Valley Community School, Kellerton
 

Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
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