Musuem/Foland School Newsletter
Part of the IaGenWeb Project
Upon the closure of rural one-roomed country schools in the State of Iowa, commencing during the latter 1950's, the Foland School closed its doors and stood empty. In 1960 a newly established school district, Grand Valley Community School, opened her doors. This school district was formed with the consolidation of Grand River town school (Decatur County) and Kellerton town school (Ringgold County). Consequently, the Foland School and the Brick School (located further north of the Foland School & west of the Wheelis Cemetery) were sold to Grand Valley Community School. The Brick schoolhouse was moved to Grand River; The Foland schoolhouse went to Kellerton. Both buildings served their respective facility as a music 'room' throughout the remainder of GV's existence. Grand Valley Community School closed her doors for the last time upon the completion of the 1992 school term. GV's final school board gave both of the little music 'rooms' to their respective communities with the purpose of using them as school museums. The former Brick School in Grand River was moved across the street into the town park and has been restored as the GV Schoolhouse Museum. The former Foland School was moved uptown next door to Kellerton's City Hall. Amazingly, the little wood-framed building survived unscathed when a fire destroyed the brick city hall located next door. Then, in July of 2011, with the facilitation of a $10,000 HRD/REAP grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa and the dedicated work of Daniel Bontrager and his crew from Seymour, Iowa, the building returned to the former Grand Valley School grounds in Kellerton.
Restoration work was begun and is being continued to the present day. I did attend the public auction this past June which was for the dispersal of Clearfield Community School items. I had hoped to obtain at the very least a bass drum that we could fix up for the museum with a tiger logo and the words "Grand Valley Community School" like the one we used to have. However I quickly discovered that my pockets were not deep enough, which was a good thing because proceeds from the auction, as I understood it, went into the building fund. Clearfield will retain the school building as a community center. I wish them well and was glad to know that this grand old school house will be tenderly and lovingly cared for to the benefit of Clearfield residents. Sure do wish I could have been able to get a bass drum for us, though. Perhaps another day. Among the displays and items housed inside GV Museum/Foland School facility:
When the building served as a one-roomed schoolhouse, the pupils would bring their lunch to school. They put their lunch pails on the pot-bellied stove located in the center of the building. This way the children were able to enjoy a hot lunch on a cold winter's day. There was also a bucket of water placed on top of the stove which served as an early-day 'humidifier,' a practice that was also done in the homes of the day. The school teacher arrived early, opening the school and gathering firewood from the little woodshed near the schoolhouse. She was responsible for not only getting the fire started but putting it out at the end of the school day and disposal of the ashes. Although the above photograph is not dated, it is believed to be from the 1930's.
When we began work this year, I looked at what was stashed in the old wardrobe closet where we hung our band uniforms. At first I thought that I saw an old basketball. Reaching into the darkness of the closet, I was surprised to discover that it was one heavy basketball, plus it was bigger than a standard basketball. Once I retrieved it out of the closet, I was surprised to discover that it was an old medicine ball. The modern medicine ball was created in the late 1800's by William "Iron Duke" Muldoon who was a New York wrestler and boxing trainer. The ball was typically made of leather, filled with sand and weighed around twenty-five pounds. Medicine ball physical training proved to be beneficial for sailors while they were ship-bound. The sport gained popularity upon its adoption by Iowan President Herbert Hoover into his fitness routine. Hence, it was dubbed "Hoover-ball" and gained popularity. "Hoover-ball" was played on a volleyball court and involved tossing a medicine ball over the net. "Hoover-ball" not only involved stringently set rules but a series of different types of moves and throws one could perform to gain points. With the evolution of weight machines and aerobics, medicine ball fitness routines and games of the early 1900's faded into obscurity. Jerry Hightshoe told me that he clearly remembered attending physical education classes where "our" medicine ball was used in the 1950's. You can see "our" medicine ball in the above photograph, located on the table before the track record board.
SOURCES:
Also included in the above photograph is an old store display case that came from uptown Kellerton. I'm not sure of the
early history of this display case, however Debbie Wicker Baker told me that she remembers it being in Meadows' store
and the little crocheted doll dress that was once in it, one that she wanted for her doll. I am quite positive that
all kinds of wondrous items were once housed in this display case. We are fortunate to have it available to us
for our Kellerton Centennial items.
New items May - July, 2014:
Thank you for helping us grow!!
I do not have any Grand River School Yearbooks on-line. I do have some photographs, material and alumni list on-line with Decatur County's IAGenWebsite. I have a few 1920 and 1921 "Kellerton H.S. Booster" newsletters and three Tomahawk Yearbooks on-line for Kellerton School. The Tomahawks I have on-line are for the years of 1948-49, 1955-56 and 1956-57. To date I have the following GV Yearbooks on-line:
1963-64, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1974-75,
Coming soon, as I can get them scanned, formatted and on-line, are the following GV Yearbooks: 1961-62,
1972-73, 1976-77, 1977-78, If you have a yearbook that isn't listed above and wish to help with this project, please contact me. Thank you!
Got a memory that you'd like to share in the next newsletter? Contact me and I'll get it in for you.
Just let us know what item you'd like for us to purchase with your gift card. Wish List's Holy Grail - old wood burning pot-bellied stove for display purposes only ~ if it is inoperable it doesn't matter.
To donate time and a little bit of elbow grease, please contact me. We have quite a few projects that are pending and can use extra hands to help lighten the load. To donate items, contact either John and Dee Euritt, Kellerton, Iowa, or Sharon R. Becker to make arrangements. The museum is open from 1 - 5 p.m. the third Saturday of the month, May through September and by appointment. Items of interest include not only Grand Valley School memorabilia but also items of historical and genealogical interest regarding Kellerton and surrounding vicinity. Monetary donations may be made one of two ways: Mail donation to Kellerton Restoration Committee c/o John Euritt (our treasurer), Kellerton, Iowa 50133 or Make check payable to Ringgold Community Foundation, with a notation that it is for GV Museum. Address for Ringgold Community Foundation is 201 E. Monroe, Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854. If using this option you will receive a letter of receipt of charitable donation which acknowledges your tax-deductible gift.
If the American Flag is flying by the front (north) door, we are there. Stop by and visit us.
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As most of you already know, the Foland School was built by Michael Foland in the 1880's on the southeastern corner of his farm,
approximately 2 miles due east of what was at one time the little village of Westerville, Decatur County, Iowa. (5 1/2 miles
northeast of Grand River, Iowa.) Although Westerville eventually became a ghost town with the arrival of the CB & Q Railroad
and the founding of Grand River, the Foland School served the rural residents who lived in what was known as the "Little
Tennessee" neighborhood. This rural community earned that name due to a large number of families who came from
the State of Tennessee to homestead in this area of Richland Township.
The GV Yearbook project continues to grow. The goal of this project is to get as many yearbooks as possible for
Grand Valley Community School, Grand River School and Kellerton School (Tomahawks) on-line as possible which will
help preserve these items and make them available for those who are unable to physically visit the museum.
To access these yearbooks on-line, click
A few items that is on our wish list and items that will help our project along:
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