Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book
Nichols - Our Town - 1984
NICHOLS SCHOOL HISTORY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 50-51THE SCHOOL. . . . . Has been a center of the entire community. It was the place where the children were sent to be education. It was a center of activity of many kinds. We went to the school for the class entertainments – the literary society (Alphas and Spartans) plays – band concerts – ball games – baseball in the spring and fall, basketball in the winter. And do you remember the annual “play day” in the spring? Was it the last day of school – complete with picnic, awards, ball game – the whole thing?
Yes, the school has been a very important part of the life of the community. The first log cabin school was put into use shortly after the first settlers arrived.
After the town was laid out, a school was built. It was a brick building that stood on Main street, just north of the place where Casey’s General Store now stands.
That school was destroyed by fire, and a fine new white frame building was erected in the north end of town, just east of the Christian church. That school, too, burned in February of 1914.
The present building was erected the following year and has been in use since then. Additions were made to it – the gymnasium and the primary grade classrooms.
Consolidation of the country schools into the town district increased the size of the school. For a time all was well. Then the sate suggested that the smallest schools in the state weren’t as efficient and the students attending them weren’t receiving the best education possible for them to receive. For most of two decades, Nichols suffered through a complete reorganization.
At last out community school was joined with the West Liberty school system. The Class of 1961 was the last to graduate from Nichols High School.
However, the Nichols Alumni Association decided that any student who completed the elementary grades in the Nichols school could be considered a member of the Association when graduation from an accredited high school was completed.
School Buildings
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 144The first school was a log building east of town; the second, a two-story brick building that stood near where Kevin Chown now lives. The third was a square, two-story frame building just east of the Christian Church; it burned in 1915. The fourth is the one we now have with two additions – the auditorium and gym on the north and the elementary rooms on the west.
School Addition 1954
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 62Nichols – Dedication ceremonies for a new five-room addition to the Nichols school, which has been erected at a cost of approximately $82,000 are scheduled here Sunday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m. An open house period will follow the dedication giving visitors an opportunity to inspect the improved school facilities.
Extensive Program The dedication comes as the climax to a program for improved school facilities dating back to early in 1953. In February and April of that year, residents of the school districts in Pike township and a section of Wapsie township voted to reorganize into a much larger Nichols Independent district.
With the increased enrollment resulting from the merger, facilities at the Nichols school proved inadequate and on March 13, 1954, a bond issue of $90,000 was approved by voters of the district, to build a five room addition, remodel and enlarge the school lunch room, remodel and equip the home economics room, and change the heating system for the entire school.
Work was started on the project during the last week of July, 1954. As work was completed, classes were moved into the new section and it is now utilized by the primary through fifth grades.
The addition contains approximately 5,500 square feet of floor space, with each classroom containing at least 750 square feet.
New Lighting System One of the desirable features of the addition is the use of bilateral lighting, permitting daylight to reach the inside portion of the classrooms on either side of the building. The side lights permit light to enter the corridor.
Acoustical ceiling not only add to the beauty of each room but also serve to subdue noise. Heating and ventilation for each room is individually controlled.
The kindergarten room is a self-contained teaching unit. The room contains a rest room, separate entrance to the playground, coat racks, sink, drinking fountain, lavatory as well as shelves for books and toys – all scaled to fit a six-year-old boy or girl.
The elementary addition now accommodates about 120 children and will accommodate 150, which is the anticipated enrollment within the coming few years.
Equipment for the new classrooms cost approximately $3,000; shop equipment about $750; and equipment for the home economics room about $1,000. The $82,000 cost of the entire project also included remodeling the lunch and home economics rooms and converting the heating system.
Program Arranged The program for the dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday is announced as follows:
He Rev. Gerald McCray will give the invocation; Robert Elder, president of the present school board, will welcome guests; Frank Ralston, county superintendent of schools, will speak as a representative of the county board of education; and the main address will be by the Rev. L. J. Vogel.
Dedication of the building will be by Ben Nichols, a past president of the school board. The Rev. N. A. Bolinger will pronounce the benediction.
Music for the event will be by the Nichols school band under the direction of Gilbert Lehman.
The tour of the building will begin when the dedication has been completed.~ Photos. - Some years brought forth a large number of pictures that were taken during the school year. Others brought very few pictures. We have chosen these pictures to give an overview of some of the activities that have taken place in the Nichols school during its years of existence.
Nichols High School This building was just east of the Christian church until it burned in 1914. – page 50.
Nichols School, Grades 6, 7 and 8, 1910-1911 – Standing, left to right, back row: Stella Metheney, Amanda Rummells Shannon, Jennie Brown Fox, Alberta Metcalf Kelly, Blanche Baldridge Smith, teacher, John Nash, LaFayette “Lafe” Metheney, Reuben Nash, Vaughn Stanton. Second row, standing left to right: Marie Stanton, Alvina Kirchner, Raymond Borgstadt, Alvin Stephens, Willard Rice. Seated, left to right: Vida Pratt, Elsie Kirchner, Charles Kirchner, Bennie Nichols. – page 50.
1-3 Grades Nichols Grade School, 1913, Teacher, Verna Swain – First row, front to rear, Robert Chown, ---, Wm. Dale, ---, Marguerite Kirchner, Raymond Meisky, Leo McLure; second row, ---, Wilma Mills ---, Beula Nash, Edna Rummells; third row, from right, ---, Howard Rummells, Bernard Bekker, Raymond Butler, Cantrell, Staton. – page 50.
Nichols School, Primary Room, 1906-1907, teacher, Blanche Babbitt Bangs – Back row, standing left to right: Susie Jameson, Mary Stephens, Frances Kirchner, Mavia Hamilton -?-, Bennie Nichols, Amanda Rummells, Sola Davidson, Luva Brown. Second row: -?- Jameson, -?- Jameson, Elsie Kirchner, Ralph Renshaw, Anna Nichols, Marie Brown. Third row: A. Lewis, -?-, Russell Watkins, Willard Rice, Ira Renshaw, Joe Pratt, Walter Elder. Long row: Glen Van Tyl, -?-, Robert Nolan, Myrtle Feterman, Earl Trautman, -?-, -?-, Emil Browning, Harry Nugent, -?-, Frank Hollenbeck, Walter Hollenbeck, Albert Smith, Elsie Nodine, Mildred Hummel, --- Briggs. Seated in front: -?-, -?-, Chancey Smith, Floyd Bickford. – page 51.
Eighth grade graduation class, Nichols, Iowa, 1920. Left to right, Bernice Nash, Harry Fox, Frances Wieskamp, Miriam Richter, Carroll Hanson, Neva McCullough. – page 51.
Old Nichols School building, destroyed by fire soon after this picture was taken. This was probably three lower grades 1-3. First row, front, left to right, Robert Chown, Bernard Mapes, William Dale, Frank Yedlik, Harold Graham, Gilbert Cantwell, -?-, -- Stanton, Robert Schmitt, Clifford Cantwell, Wm. “Jazz” Quimby, Cecil Hintz, Harold Barton; second row, left to right, Marguerite Kirchner, Emma McConnaha, Lila Browning, Miriam Richter, Bernice Nash, Emma Yedkik, Rose Trautman, Dorothy Mapes, Beatrice Schmitt, Helen Barton Van Dyke, Gladys Hintz Mills, Katie Yedlik Stein, Edna Rummells; third row, left to right, Ray Meisky, Carol Hanson, George Stevens, -- Bohn, Edward Nolan, Eddie Nugent, Harry Chambers, Albert Meisky, George Dale, Drew McDougal, Bill Kirchner, Henry Hamilton, Duane Duncan, Bernard Bekker. Teacher, Lucile Eves, West Liberty. – page 52.
Present school building in progress – July 19, 1915. Work is Progressing Foundation for New School Building is Now Nearly Finished. From The Nichols Courier, dated 17 June 1915: Work on the new school building is progressing nicely, considering the weather and lack of help necessary for the work. The footing has all been put in and much of the foundation walls are in place. The contractors have been placed to considerable disadvantage through being unable to secure sufficient help to push the work to its capacity. This has been overcome to some extent by them bringing in help from Cedar Rapids and other outside places. The rain, too, has interfered some. - page 52
Nichols School, 4,5 and 6 grades, about 1916, Miss Mayme Foley, teacher. First row on right, front to back, Archie Braun, Louis “Peanut” Chown, Fern Foster, Edward Nolan, Robert Schmitt, Bernice Nash. Row 2, Harry Braun, Frank Fowler, George Dale, Eddie Nugent, Harry Fox, Mildred Fowler, George Stephens. Row 3, Albert Meisky, Leona Kirchner, -?-, Beatrice Schmitt, Rose Trautman, -?-, Dorothy Mapes. Row 4, Henry Hamilton, Miriam Richter, Carol Hanson, Alice Smith, Hazel Smith, Gladys Hintz. – page 53.
Lena Geirse is the teacher in this class picture of Nichols High School. Some of the students have been identified: back to front, farthest left row: Anna Nichols, Velora Meisky, -- Smith. Next row, includes Tom Wildman, Marie Hummel. Next row, Jim Poole, Lenora Kile, Marie Brown, Floyd Kirchner. Farthest right row: Lloyd Kile, Walt Elder. 1914. – page 53.
Nichols High School students, 26 April 1922. Row 1, (on right of picture), front to back, Raymond Dawson, George Dale, Louis “Peanut” Chown, Annabelle Kirkpatrick, Drew McDougal. Row 2, William Kirkpatrick, William Kirchner, Rose Trautman Mohnson, Teacher, Miss Kleist. Row 3, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, -- Twitty, Harriette James, Anna Allard, Prof. Dawson. Row 4, Bernice Nash Hadley, Mesia Twitty, Harry Fox, Parley Mills. Row 5. Carol Hanson, Miriam Richter Banhagel. – page 54.
Teachers 1938-39. Back row, left to right, Mr. Crabtree, band, business training; Miss Foley, intermediate room; Miss Miller, English; Mr. Hansen, geometry; first row, left to right, Miss Whitacre, primary room; Miss Tufty, grammar room, home ec. – page 54. 1924-1925 Basketball Players – Played ball in the old Opera House. Back row, left to right, Helen Norris Tatge; Frances Elder Billick; Beulah Nash Berry; Gladys Hintz Mills; Beatrice Oostendorp; front row, Edna Rummells TeStrake; Jessie Christofferson Ulch; Wilma Kirchner Mills; Marguerite Kirchner Grimm. – page 54.
Boys Basketball 1931 – First row, left to right, Madison Hadley, Bob Elder, Earl Whitlock, Russell Reynolds; back row, left to right, Waldo Elder, Lawrence Foley, Albert Pike, Duane Neff.- page 55.
Girls Basketball 1949: Back row, Elaine Schmitt, Mary Hollenback, Barbara Jo Hanft, Joy Coon, Karleen Salemink, Wanda Brenneman; 2nd row, Shirley Braun, Donna Stalkfleet, Lola Ann Brenneman, Kay Chown, Naomi Wieskamp, Mrs. Jean Crabtree, Martin Crabtree; 1st row, Vera Knoll, Kathleen Hanft, Marjorie Curtis, Helene Porter, Mary Knoll, Evelyn Smith. – page 55.
1942 Boys Basketball Team. Front, Louis Peters, Willard Elder, LaMoyne Kirchner, Elmer Harder, Harry Ogren, Walter Elder; Second row, Martin Crabtree (coach), Bob Ireland, Alan Coon, Earl Woolever, Ray Porter, William Hollenbeck, Nigel Abbott and Max Morgan. – page 55.
“Whole High School – 1926” – Top row, left to right, Gladys Hintz Mills, deceased; Bonita Lorber King; Elmer “Bud” Norris, deceased; Evelyn James; Marion Nash, deceased; Edna Rummells TeStrake; William “Jazz” Quimby; Carroll Hanson, deceased; second row, left to right, Bob Metcalf; Frances Elder Billick; Geneva Lorber Salemink; Jessie Christofferson Ulch; Marguerite Kirchner Grimm; Melba Main Burton; Beula Nash Berry; Helen Norris Tatge; teacher Ella Boland; Gerbercht (Principal); third row, left to right, Bob Fox, deceased; Leland “Flunkie” McClure, deceased; Howard Rummels, deceased; Ted MacDougal, deceased; Burton Mills, deceased; Jim Kirchner, deceased; Cecil Jack Hintz; Margaret Lorber Kaalberg; front row, left to right, Vivian Lilaja, Helen Grimm, deceased; Beatrice Oostendorp; Bernice Hillyer Longstreth; Ruth Tillard; Wilma Kirchner Mills; Edward Wieskamp. – page 55.
One of the most popular organizations in the Nichols high school is the band, pictured above. Members of the band are, reading left to right: front row, seated: Margaret Fox, Lavaughn Richter, Ernest Yedlik, Lorna Nichols, Edna Earl, Robert Borgstadt, Dorothea Polman, Charlene Nichols, Robert Hillyer; second row: Margaret Swickard, Vernon Carter, Kathryn Elder, Jean Swickard, Luetta Pike, Aubrey Daedlow, Alice Elder, Esther Cozad, Ruth Cozad; third row: Hazel Heizer, Harold Elder, Virginia Holdeman, Marion Barnhart, Loretta Borgstadt, Doris Cozad; standing in back center: Miss Balzer, band director, Norma Hummell, drum major, 1936.- page 56.
Nichols High School Band, 1949 – Back row, left to right, Ramona Kaalberg, Darlene Will, Jackie Renshaw Bell, Marilyn Braun Baxter, Vera Knoll Elder, Alma Mae McCullough, Wanda Brenneman Campbell, Delbert Grimm, Bob Brenneman, Vic Mills, Evelyn Smith, Shirley Braun Plumb, Phyllis Salemink Elder, Donald Grimm, Dale Brenneman, Dick Knoll, Donald Smith; front row, left to right, Helene Porter Salemink, Kathleen Hanft Salemink, Joyce Brenneman Westlake, Norma Schmitt Wehde, Karleen Salemink O’Tole, Lola Ann Brenneman Buesing, Mary Knoll Wildasin, Fred “Pete” Chown, Bruce Curtis, Pat Kaalberg Matthews, Virgil Braun, Insructor Martin Crabtree. – page 56.
1952. First row, left to right, Gary Smith, Kenny Kirkpatrick, Helen Johnston; second row, Huff twins, Shirley and Beverly, Bob Whitlock, Gayle Kaalberg, Bernard Hovelman, Wilodene Chown; third row, Loretta Brenneman, Jane Knoll, Bill Rummells, Ron Wieskamp, Frank Holcomb, Harold Mullinix; fourth row, Ramona Mills, Marlene Juels, Dave Riemans, Joan Green, Carol Gerrischer, Kathleen Jenson; standing, left to right, Sally Sutton, Lloyd Howe, Gayle Hollenbeck, Bruce Brockway, Virgil Oostendorp, Bernice Hadley, Teacher, Norma Newton, Terry Brockway. – page 57.
Summer baseball, 1955. Standing, left to right, Curly Barkhurst, Keith Johnston, Bill Newton, Nevin Roberts, Bob Hintz, Dick Morris, -?-. Kneeling, Don Feldman, Paul Smith, Bob Thurness, Virgil Braun. – page 57.
Nichols Kindergarten class of 1954 – going on a train ride – Kim Meacham, Roger Rife, Larry Raymer, Allan McLaughlin, Nancy Mills, Cindy Porter, Michael Hazen, Nancy Marine. Back, Teacher Verna Nichols, Joanne Huff, Diane Sindt, Sandra Curry, Kenneth Grable, Joyce Curry. – page 57.
Representing the Nichols school on the basketball court from the boys standpoint are: left to right, front row: Bob Osborne, Everett Grim, Keith Mills, Bruce Kirchner, Donald Smith, Vic Mills. Back row, Coach O. W. Buckingham, Dale Brenneman, Willard Salemink, Bob Brenneman, Dean Curtis, Gene Salemink, Vaughn Will. 1947. – page 57.
Nichols School 1949 – Front to back: 1. Jack Whitlock (then front to back); 2. John Smeltzer, -?-, Delpha Holcomb, Stuart Schmitt, Judy Smeltzer, Earline Doran, Ruthann Jansen, John Rife; 3. Larry Whitlock, Camilla Pike, Jim Adkins, Jim Kirkpatrick, JoAnn Gray, Judy Kaalberg; -?-; 4. Larry Wilkerson, Marcia Hillyer, Bob Rudman, Larry Green, Carla Jensen, -?-, Bob Pike (standing), Sharon Loeb; 5. James Mullinix, Roger Wieskamp, Jim Chown, Sonny Christofferson, Jim Hadley, Jean Rife, Susan Jansen, Teacher Miss Foley. – page 57.
Mrs. Ekwall’s Kindergarten class at Nichols is ready for the Easter parade early this year. Their Eater hats are made of paper plates and decorated with ribbons, bows, flowers and stickers. They had a lot of fun creating their own designs and even ore fun modeling them for the Nichols students and teachers. Wishing you Happy Easter are left to right, Front row – Greg Green, Kyle Kaalberg, Jody Hester, Chari Connell, Tracy Hoerrman. Back row, Casey Hazen, Carrie Mills, Jason Schillig, Brian Fuhrmeister, Tiffany Priest, Mike Phelps, Scott Hintermeister. – page 60.
“Hoop Shoot” Champs for Nichols Elementary are: front row, left to right, Kelli Egel, 10-11 girls division; Corie Ruble, 8-9 girls and Jamey Mills, 8-9 boys. In the back row, Brad Koenig, 10-11 boys; Jenny Meyers, 12-13 girls, and Tim Roth, 12-13 boys. – page 60.
Nichols Elementary students who qualified to participate in the sixth grade math bee in Davenport on February 27 are left to right, Steve Hinrichs, Doug Phelps, Chris Ball, Tami Chown and Amy Chown as alternate. Their teacher (and coach) Linda Palmer will accompany them to the math bee. 26 February 1981. – page 60.
Sixth grade Math Bee contestants, from Nichols Elementary are, Front row , left to right: Neal Heneghan, Roberta Lopez, and Back row, Tammy Hoerrmann, Kelli Egel and April Petty, alternate. 16 February 1984. – page 60.
Nichols School, grades 4 and 5, 1955. Row 1, left to right, Gary Hankns, Daryle Finley, Jack Loeb. Row 2, Ronnie Oostendorp, Laura Albrecht, Larry Hall, Leonora Moorehead, Ellen Grimm. Row 3, Leroy Mullinnix, Virgil Mills, Linda Grable, Belita Brenneman, Dexter Stalkfleet. Row 4, Diane Jansen, Linda Rummells, Larry Brenneman. – page 62.
As part of the Nichols Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program, two University of Iowa starting offensive guards, Jon Roehlk and John Carroll, visited with the elementary students and signed autographs. Roehlk (left) is from Durant and was elected co-captain of the Hawkeye team recently. Carroll, a kicker, gave a kicking demonstration to the kids. Here Monique Thornock and Michelle Albrecht wait for autographs. Spring 1983.- page 64.
Centennial Book Contents Return to Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page
Page created January 19, 2011 by Lynn McCleary