School News 1914 |
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The Leon Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Thursday, November 12, 1914, Page 2 Historic Building Sold. Last Saturday two of the most historic buildings in Lamoni were sold and will be wrecked and moved out of town. David Keown bought the building known as the Center school house for $215 and will move it onto his farm. In the history of this building it was the first grain office in Lamoni and later was used for an office of a lumber company and a school room in one end, later the school board bought the building and remodeled it for school purposes exclusively. The old high school building has been the home of the majority of our young people and some of the old ones too at some time in their life. This building was sold to Barney Nelson for $300. The out buildings and fences sold for enough to bring the total sale up to $645.35. Thus ends the career of two noble buildings in Lamoni. ~ Lamoni Chronicle. Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2015 |
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The Leon Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Thursday, November 12, 1914, Page 1 LAMONI SCHOOL BURNS _____________ Recently Completed $50,000 High School Badly Damaged by Fire Early Sunday Morning. _____________ Lamoni's fine new High School building was gutted by fire which was discovered about 4:30 o'clock Sunday morning, the fire starting in the southwest room of the second floor. The fire was discovered by Austin Sellars, who was returning from a party in the country. He smelled smoke when he reached the south part of town, but could not see the fire until after he crossed the railroad tracks. He immediately went to the Herald office, just north of the school building and turned in an alarm. The fire boys were soon aroused, but by the time they reached the scene the roof was in flames, and they had a hard fight on their hands, but succeeded in getting control of the fire after the upper floor was gutted. The fire started in the civics room in the southwest corner of the building, and while many theories have been advanced as to its origin, the most plausible is that of spontaneous combustion. The building was just being completed and workmen had been varnishing in this room Saturday and probably left some oil covered rags which ignited and the flames crept up the woodwork to the roof. Nothing was saved from the second floor of the building, the fine piano, Victrola, and all of the books belonging to the students were burned, as well as much costly apparatus. The new laboratory equipment had just been installed on this floor. While there was insurance on the building we understand that no insurance had yet been placed on the furniture and equipment so that this loss will fall quite heavily on the school district. The first floor of the building was not damaged by fire, but there is considerable damage from smoke and water. The loss on the building is estimated at from $20,000 to $25,000, and it is insured for $30,000. The building was the pride of Lamoni, costing in the neighborhood of $50,000, and the loss of both the use of the building and the financial loss is a severe blow to Lamoni. But they are not the kind to keep down, and they will rebuild the school building at once. Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2015 |
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