March 30, I read a post on Facebook about the Boxholm School being demolished and showed it to Mark. It made us feel both mad and sad. It stirred up a lot of emotions for Mark. He went to that school, and has many fond memories. Both Ali and Jayden attended school there and we attended many school events, carnivals, concerts, sports, history day, awards ceremonies and more. Mark likes to hold on to the past and history. This bothered him and he wasn't going to just let it go. Two nights later he had a conversation with Wes P. who felt very strongly about the school and gym as well. They decided to do all they can to save the gym.
These photos were posted along with this articel, the first we heard about the plans.
Demolition Planned for Boxholm School- By Kelli Bloomquist
More than a century after the cornerstone was placed at the Boxholm school, its demolition is being planned. For 106 years, the school building for the Consolidated Independent School District of Grant Township, was a place of learning for thousands of children throughout southern Webster County and northern Boone county, until it was closed nearly 10 years ago when a sharing agreement was reached between Southeast Webster-Grand and Prairie Valley school districts and building usage changed. The building has been without heat or electricity since closing and has sadly been vandalized inside as well. At the recent March 8 school board meeting, the Southeast Valley school board voted to begin the process for demolition of the vacant site.
“Unfortunately, reorganizations and the closing of school buildings is a harsh reality in public education in Iowa,” said Southeast Valley Superintendent Brian Johnson. “I became superintendent after the Boxholm building was already closed. I am trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation. My recommendation to the school board is to make the situation the best we possibly can with the town, all while decreasing the legal liability for the district.” The cornerstone of the two-and-a-half story brick building was placed in 1916 by school board members E.S. Thorngren, Axel Westeen, Axel Henderson, F.E. Carlson, Christian Peterson, J. E. Reutter, and Akin Muench. Muench was the great grandfather of Lori Ferrari, who currently teaches at the Southeast Valley Middle School in Burnside. Four generations of Akin Muench’s family walked the halls of the Boxholm school including his son Orrie Muench Sr., who also drove a horse drawn school bus that transported country children to school. Orrie Muench Jr, Ferrari and her siblings, and her four children - Torrie, Jossie, Jaynie, and Rylie, also attended the school. “My children all loved attending school there,” said Ferrari. “They still talk about it being their favorite building to attend. I’m not exactly sure why it was their favorite, but they would say they got the entire building for just 4th through 6th grade. I think they felt like they got to rule the school. They had two gyms, their own lunch room, and lots of room to claim as their own.”
The lunch room of the school was a popular meeting place for students despite its small size.
“One thing that was really cool as a kid was that we got options of strawberry, chocolate or white milk,” said Hallie McGuire, a 2012 graduate. “You could pay 50 cents, I think, for soft serve ice cream too.” “Lunch was always homemade and delicious, something we took for granted,” said Ferrari. The school also boasted two gymnasiums which served multiple purposes from hosting basketball games, proms, carnivals, and even daily PE classes. “My favorite part as a child was when we got to roller skate all the time in PE class,” said McGuire. The smallest gym, said Ferrari, reminded her of a cement swimming pool with its four high cement walls with high seating above. “I could only imagine what a varsity basketball game might be like, peering down at the court from above,” said Ferrari, who graduated in 1985. “That gym was used for recess and basketball practices when I was a student there. We literally bounced off the walls and pushed off the cement while running killers. It was loud and echoed like a canyon.” The big gym was used for varsity and junior varsity sports and also included the stage for theater productions, graduation, and prom. “Prom was always a big deal there,” said Ferrari. “When I was junior, our theme was ‘Escape to Oz.” We had a yellow brick road swirling through the gym over a white wooden bridge. We also had live bands for the dances which is something you don’t see anymore. Only juniors and seniors attended. The sophomore class had to serve the sit down meal to the upperclassmen. The junior class parents always prepared the meal for the event.”
Denise and Randy Nissen, of Dayton, met while in 9th and 10th grade at the Boxholm school and graduated in 1978 and 1979. They’ve now been married for 43 years. “Mrs. Grillo was our favorite teacher,” said Denise Nissen. “She taught English and speech. We have a lot of good memories at the school. We drive by the school and talk about all the fun we had and all the dumb things we did, and the friends that we haven’t seen in years.” Throughout its 106 years, the building housed thousands of students in a variety of classrooms from preschool to transitional kindergarten through to 12th grade. “When I was in middle school in Boxholm, two of us got to go out and put up the American flag each morning,” said Brittany McClendon, a 2014 graduate. “They would pick two people to do the morning announcements each day too which was always fun.”
At the March school board meeting, the Southeast Valley school board approved exhibits that will be presented to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) that would allow the district the authority to use one time unexpended cash for the purposes of the demolition of an unused school building. According to Johnson, when the reorganization vote passed, the architecture firm that had been working with the district for several months was given the go ahead to distribute plans to general contractors for demolition. Those bids are due on April 6 and should be approved by the board at the regular April board meeting, pending the decision of the SBRC which is May 3rd. If the SBRC grants the district authority to use the unexpended cash, the demolition would proceed soon after with a completion goal of fall 2022. At this time, Johnson said the district has no plans for the land once the building is demolished and the lot is reseeded.
2 Days later, Mark and Wes talked and within a week Mark and Wes had enough people to have a meeting in our shop and a committee was formed. We didn't know if it is too late, but Mark was passionate in pursuing this project. On April 10, a FB page was formed to save the gym. It's Not Too Late Greetings from many concerned community citizens and alumni trying to preserve the newer gymnasium section of the past Grand Community School Building located in Boxholm, Iowa. The present building site consists of 2 individual sections connected only by a narrow enclosed hallway. The first being the old original 2 story section built in 1916 and the second being the single story new gymnasium section with cafeteria area and associated rooms built around 1956. The first Grand Community School graduating class was in 1959. A movement is underway to save the gym. We have formed a committee with multiple Boxholm Community members and Grand School Alumni that are passionate about not only saving a piece of history, but making strides to keep the community thriving for generations to come. Part of this committee's efforts involve forming a nonprofit to fund the restoration and upkeep of the gym. We are looking for like-minded people to help in this endeavor. Please join in this noble effort to preserve such a rich part of our community's past. We believe this facility does not deserve or warrant demolition and can continue to serve our community and many others in the future.
4/12/22 The Grand Heritage Foundation stood before the Boxholm City council and gave their proposal to save the gym. Dayton Leader Writes: NOTE: we don't usually put our front page stories on Facebook (we want you to buy the paper!), but with the fast timetable for this issue, we thought we would tonight. I may add to this tomorrow, but here's my first draft on the Boxholm City Council meeting tonight. Over thirty people crammed in the Boxholm Community Center Thursday night for the City Council Meeting. Most were there for one reason: to discuss the future of the Grand school building. First, Southeast Valley Superintendent Brian Johnson addressed the room, giving the history of the building, which is currently slated to be demolished. “I think I’ve been to more Boxholm council meetings than any other town’s,” he said as he began. Johnson said that the school put the entire property up for sale two or three years ago. They sold approximately 2/3rds of it (the city bought the ball diamond and Mick Pickett purchased the lot). “I was under the impression the town wanted the building demolished,” Johnson said. Shortly after the consolidation vote,
the Southeast Webster-Grand school district had a special meeting. They voted to actively pursue the demolition of the Grand school building. Six bids to do just that came in April 6. Johnson said, “The building should be down by next fall.” Johnson and two school board members then left the meeting and Mark Muench, President of the Grand Heritage Foundation, took the floor. He presented a proposal to save the new part of the school building—the part that houses the gym. He suggests that only the older part of the building
(building in 1916) be demolished and the town assume the newer section. Then a non-profit that he is forming will take over the facility, turning it into a community center. “I toured the gym Tuesday,” he said. “It looked great.” He noted he found some leaking in the locker room. Muench then put his money where
his mouth was: “I am willing to pledge $150,000 to put in an escrow account, so if this plan doesn’t work out, the City of Boxholm won’t be stuck paying to tear the gym down if our plan doesn’t work out.” Choking up, Muench said that seeing the school he attended deteriorating was like a “hole in his soul” and he wants to do “one positive thing” for his community. Again and again, Muench asked for more time to finalize his plans. Vice-President Weslie Phipps spoke next, speaking fondly of his time at the Boxholm school. “What school did we go play in that had a better than gym than we had? None,” he proudly recalled. Phipps directly addressed those that openly wonder why concerned citizens didn’t speak up two or three years ago when these
talks were started. “They say we are coming in at the 11th hour. I say we got one more hour to go then, don’t we?” Former Boxholm Councilperson Craig Reutter is one of those that question why this interest took so long. “Where were you the last three years?” he asked. Another former councilperson Paul Frazier echoed these remarks. “I was working on my farm with my nose to the grindstone, but I’m here now,” said Muench. Muench brought with him Dave Sherry from the Sherry Group, LLC. His business works with non-profits all over the nation in a variety of ways. “Non-profit success doesn’t have to do with population, it has to do with commitment to quality,” Sherry said. He mentioned the small town of Elmwood, Kansas who recently formed a non-profit with the purpose of turning an old school building into a community center. He said the first item of business would be a feasibility study. This would involve bringing in experts in heating, cooling, and plumbing to see how much it would cost to get the utilities working again. His primary request was more time: more time to get expert opinions, research operational costs, and ask questions. He said he could produce a feasibility study in two-four months. Councilperson Brandon Wendt said that he had toured the building in Tuesday and that there were many problems, including black mold that was so bad it gave him a headache. Another councilperson noted there was mold on the gym ceiling. Phipps said that he was told by Johnson it would cost $90,000 more to tear down only part of the building, instead of the whole thing. “This would bring the demolition cost to $295,299,” he said. He noted the school had budgeted $750,000 for the project originally. Muench said his committee could put up the $90,000 difference to save the gym. The $90,000 came up again when Mayor Sue Shreve indicated that Johnson had told her that it would cost the city that amount to take over the gym. “Our plan will not cost the city anything,” Muench reiterated. The council will meet again on this issues Tuesday, April 19, at 6 PM at the Community Center. Southeast Valley is holding a public meeting on the demolition Wednesday, April 20, at 6:20 PM in Burnside. The first meeting didn't go like wee had hoped. We thought if Mark gave his proposal and discussed all the possibilities and explained how the city council would have no financial obligations, it would be a win win and they would vote and everyone would go home happy. The city council was quiet and didn't say much other than they saw a lot of mold in the school. They seemed very pessimistic and told us they would not vote until next week when they would hold another meeting. Mark lined up more meetings and met with more people, made phone calls and spent countless hours planning and strategizing. He talked about it so much it was ADD and OCD. He told me how he can't even explain the kind of enthusiasm he has for this plan. He felt like he has done so much for his own family and now he wants to do something good for the community. He needed the city council vote.
(building in 1916) be demolished and the town assume the newer section. Then a non-profit that he is forming will take over the facility, turning it into a community center. “I toured the gym Tuesday,” he said. “It looked great.” He noted he found some leaking in the locker room. Muench then put his money where
his mouth was: “I am willing to pledge $150,000 to put in an escrow account, so if this plan doesn’t work out, the City of Boxholm won’t be stuck paying to tear the gym down if our plan doesn’t work out.” Choking up, Muench said that seeing the school he attended deteriorating was like a “hole in his soul” and he wants to do “one positive thing” for his community. Again and again, Muench asked for more time to finalize his plans. Vice-President Weslie Phipps spoke next, speaking fondly of his time at the Boxholm school. “What school did we go play in that had a better than gym than we had? None,” he proudly recalled. Phipps directly addressed those that openly wonder why concerned citizens didn’t speak up two or three years ago when these
talks were started. “They say we are coming in at the 11th hour. I say we got one more hour to go then, don’t we?” Former Boxholm Councilperson Craig Reutter is one of those that question why this interest took so long. “Where were you the last three years?” he asked. Another former councilperson Paul Frazier echoed these remarks. “I was working on my farm with my nose to the grindstone, but I’m here now,” said Muench. Muench brought with him Dave Sherry from the Sherry Group, LLC. His business works with non-profits all over the nation in a variety of ways. “Non-profit success doesn’t have to do with population, it has to do with commitment to quality,” Sherry said. He mentioned the small town of Elmwood, Kansas who recently formed a non-profit with the purpose of turning an old school building into a community center. He said the first item of business would be a feasibility study. This would involve bringing in experts in heating, cooling, and plumbing to see how much it would cost to get the utilities working again. His primary request was more time: more time to get expert opinions, research operational costs, and ask questions. He said he could produce a feasibility study in two-four months. Councilperson Brandon Wendt said that he had toured the building in Tuesday and that there were many problems, including black mold that was so bad it gave him a headache. Another councilperson noted there was mold on the gym ceiling. Phipps said that he was told by Johnson it would cost $90,000 more to tear down only part of the building, instead of the whole thing. “This would bring the demolition cost to $295,299,” he said. He noted the school had budgeted $750,000 for the project originally. Muench said his committee could put up the $90,000 difference to save the gym. The $90,000 came up again when Mayor Sue Shreve indicated that Johnson had told her that it would cost the city that amount to take over the gym. “Our plan will not cost the city anything,” Muench reiterated. The council will meet again on this issues Tuesday, April 19, at 6 PM at the Community Center. Southeast Valley is holding a public meeting on the demolition Wednesday, April 20, at 6:20 PM in Burnside. The first meeting didn't go like wee had hoped. We thought if Mark gave his proposal and discussed all the possibilities and explained how the city council would have no financial obligations, it would be a win win and they would vote and everyone would go home happy. The city council was quiet and didn't say much other than they saw a lot of mold in the school. They seemed very pessimistic and told us they would not vote until next week when they would hold another meeting. Mark lined up more meetings and met with more people, made phone calls and spent countless hours planning and strategizing. He talked about it so much it was ADD and OCD. He told me how he can't even explain the kind of enthusiasm he has for this plan. He felt like he has done so much for his own family and now he wants to do something good for the community. He needed the city council vote.
4/28/22 Throughout this process, Mark has said numerous times, he has a drive that he cannot explain. He has also said that it is like the Lord has called him to this project. I have no doubt, God's hand was in this process. There were so many things that lined up to make it happen.
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