Ellendale High School - Redbird / Microphone Yearbook (Ellendale, ND)

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1882 IHEREDBIRD 1982 When the early BettlerB first came to this tenitory,one oftheir main concerns was education. On August 86, 1888 a meeting was called in the Milwaukee depot for the purpose of establishing a school. It was voted not to form an organized district at once, but to raise money by popular subscription. A committee was appointed to collect donations and it soon had raised a total of 8138. The money was turned over to S.B. Meacham for the purpose of repairing his building on Main Street and engaging a teacher. He hired his wife. May, and she opened EUendale ' s and EMckey County’s first school. For 8100 and a ton of coal Mrs. Meacham was to furnish the building and provide instructional service for three months. School opened September 86, 1888 with an enrollment of 80 but total registration finally hit 31, with an average attendance of 16. Books from all over the U.S, were used with scarcely two aUke. The following year, in 1883, a regular public school was started in a house in the sou them part of town. During this second year, enrollment grew considerably and the small building became so overcrowded that the citizens realized a real school house was needed. In 1884, a two story frame school house was built in the block which has been the site of the public school since that time. The contract price was 83,930.75. This part of the dty was considered out in the country” in those days and many local parents thought it was disgraceful to send their children so far from home. Board sidewalks extended only part way to the school and many shoes were ruined when townspeople attended school functions during muddy spring days. By 1908, the old frame building was rapidly becoming outmoded and in 1910,885,000 in bonds was voted for erection of a new building. In 1915 an additional 819,000 bond issue was iq proved and in 1916 the present high school building was completed. From 1900 to 1915 high school students attended the State Normal and Industrial school. When the present building was completed high school courses were again ofiered here. The main school building had no auditorium; high school basketball games were played at the N1 armoiy. During the Depression days the school board began investigating the possibility of building an auditorium. The auditorium was completed in 1938 and the total cost of the building was 853,885. The original reorganization plan was drawn up on June 8, 1953 and was turned down by the voters. On October 89, 1954 a new proposal was passed 5 to 1 which brought EUendale Special, Van Meter, EUendale No. 15, and Kentner Districts into the pubUc school system. With the reorganization the enrollment increased and it became apparent that more space was needed. In 1957, the elementary building was completed at a cost of 8880,000. During 1968-59 several rural school districts were annexed to the EUendale School District. They were Dickey Consolidated, Farming VaUey, Ada, Elm, Albion, and Spring VaUey. Buses were run in these rural areas to pick up the chUdren. In 1971, the EUendale F blic school signed an agreement to operate the school at the Maple River Hutterite Colony northeast of EUendale. The number of student averages 80-85 in grades 1 - 8 . EUendale school has always been competitive in sports. Boys basketball, football, and boys track were the first extra-curricular sports. Wrestling was added in 1968, girls track in 1968, golf in 1978 and girls basketbaU in 1974. Thus far, including the class of 1988, over 8,000 students have graduated. The first class graduated in 1888. It consisted of four young women. The smaUest class ever to graduate was in 1909 with 3, and the laigest class in 1970 with 61 graduates. In 1961 the EUendale PubUc School had an aU time high enroUment of 710 students. Currently the enrollment is 460. — 1988 Graduation speech by Debbie Hokana 2 1982 Redbird [High School Annual, EUendale North Dakota]

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The Drama Class. Curt Zakopyko« Carmen Youngman, Lynne Gayman, John Grueneich, Keith Fredericks, Dana Monroe, Kathy Heitmann, Mrs Randall, Terry Farthing. 4 1982 Redbird [High School Annual, Ellendale North Dakota]