Jimmy Thompson`57 reports that there is a sign in one of the more well known drinking establishments in Des Moines that reads-- this hardwood floor was originally in the Milford Township Consolidated School near Nevada, Iowa. He reports that some of the court markings are still there for the viewing. These markings are not correlated to represent any combination of lines that would represent any significance to a basketball court. They are simply lines that were not sanded out when the floor was re-laid in Des Moines. These are the boards from the original floor of 1924 and not the ones from the 1956 construction. It would appear there are some of the trim boards from the risers (used on the south side of the gym to elevate the rows of chairs) also in use around the edge of the brewery's split level floor.
So, if you want to see the floor of our school, go to the Raccoon River Brewery in Des Moines, Iowa. It may bring tears to your eyes, or, on the other hand, it may make you happy that something is being constructively used from our school.
This is the gravestone in Pleasant Grove Cemetery of James B Swearingen and his wife Emily. He was the last owner of Soper's Mill when it was still capable of being used as a Mill. It was he who had the Mill moved back from its Riverfront location and converted into a barn. This early spring shot from 2007 is almost a opposite view angle from the WWI era picture on page 59 and, if Pleasant Grove School were still in existence, it would be right above the top left of Swearingen's Monument. The tall Randau monument is visible in both photos. Edit: The Swearingen name is not to be confused with the Schweringer (of which there seemed to be about four different spellings) name of the 1860 fire.
PTA Presidents gathering in the fifties, probably 1956. Standing: Edna Hughes 1945, Irene Jacobson 1950, Verna Borton 1948, Mary Allen, Casper Egland, Myron Boten 1942, Jeffery Rasmusson, Frances Danielson, Dawn Jorgensen, Helen Sorenson 1958. Seated: U, Martha Sowers 1925, Jenny Christy. Others known are; George Kimble 1931, Mrs Don Finch 1932, JC Ersland 1933, Vivian Cole 1957, and Pauline Book 1959. Edit: Compare the solemn expressions and no-nonsense atmosphere of this picture with the notes of frustration of the writer on page 134.
The fellows do their rendition of a chorus line at Mrs Sandell's 1954 Style show. Apparently she didn't know just how authentically the guys were going to be attired and outfitted, but everyone had a good laugh. That's Fritz Morris `54, Norman Honderd `57, Clarion Thompson `54, Ray Thomas `54, Duane Brodie `56, and Ron Otto `56.
Dale Hughes `55 at the Spencer Monument Jan 2007.
For Spencer story see page 71.