Lost Nation Independent School

The Lost Nation Independent School District first opened Nov. 13, 1880.

Some early teachers were:

  • Ann Skelley, 1880
  • Miss Fredrica Sieben, 1898
  • Mr. J. A. Crowl, 1899
  • SC. Jordan, 1899
The first school building was a wooden structure that occupied block 10 of the original town of Lost Nation.

In May 1900, the original building at the present site was built at a cost of $6,000. It was all brick and held about 100 students. In September, 1914 an addition was built for $7,500. In July 1937, a gymnasium was added for $13,000. In 1946, a school bus garage was built.

A new high school was built in 1951 with an addition added in 1961. In 1953, Lost Nation had their first lighted athletic field. The new gymnasium was constructed in 1975.

In 1880, there were about 100 students enrolled, by 1960, there were over 400.

Some of the changes in curriculum include Domestic Science - Home Ec, 1915; Concert Band organized in 1927 and the Marching Band was organized in 1932; Future Farmers of America organized in 1956 and Future Homemakers of America organized in 1957.

Some notable alumni include:

  1. Jim McAndrew - pitcher for New York Mets/
  2. Herman "Flip" Flemming - House of David baseball team 1929-1935
  3. Merle Muhl - St. Louis Cardinals 1939
  4. Fred Dickman - Sioux City Cowboys 1940
  5. George Becker - professional wrestler in the early 1900s
  6. George Stone - beat Ty Cobb's record


The Marching Band won 25 "firsts" in contests. National Championships were earned in 1934 and 1939. The Marching Band represented Iowa in the 1955 National J-Cee Convention in Atlanta, GA.

The Girls Basketball team were runnerup in the State Tournement in 1961.

Lost Nation School News - 1915

SOURCE: The following was in the Clinton Advertiser, June 10, 1915.
Attend Graduating Exercises

The following in the country and in Elwood attended the graduating exercises held by the Maquoketa High School Thursday: Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Schoenthaler, Miss Laura Schoenthaler and brother Everett, Mr. and Mrs. O. P. Cornish, Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson, Leon Myatt, D. K. Cook, W. S. Hill, wife and family, Mr. Sparks, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Galloway, the Misses Grace and Florence Galloway, Rev. and Mrs. C. W. Cleveland and son Joseph, Mr. and Mrs. C. Irwin, Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Schoenthaler, D. S. Wendall and family, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Clark, Mr. and Mrs. E. Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. F. Hill.

Mrs. Lou Ahrens attended the graduation exercises held at Maquoketa Thursday evening. Her daughter Hazel is a member of the graduating class.

Eighth Grade Graduation

The graduation exercises for the eighth grade Thursday evening drew a packed house at the opera house who all appreciated the entertainment very much. Each of the participants acquitted themselves in a creditable way in their various parts. Esther Burrichter's class prophecy was clever and heartily appreciated. The musical numbers also called forth hearty applause. Prof. M. H. Dake at the close of the exercises presented diplomas to the following graduates: Esther Burrichter, Rita Ales, Mabel Henderson, Ernest Scott, Lester Scott, Lester Busch, Raymond Mulvihill, Eldo Jurgens. In the closing words to the class, the principal expressed the wish that he might see them all through the highschool course taking advantage of the knowledge and opportunity that the higher education means. He said, "Better than ever are we, as a school, equipped to impart this instruction and especially since manual training, domestic science and agriculture are to be added to the curriculum."