Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Mason City Centennial Issue
Monday, June 01, 1953, Section 7, Page 37

"We pledge our faith and best efforts to do our part in the education of your children," said Supt. Lawrence H. Shepoiser in a statement prepared on the morning of Nov. 5,1952, after Mason City by a vote of 8,153 to 2,890 approved a $1,200,000 bond issue for the construction of two additional schools.

The superintendent was happy. Since coming to Mason City in 1947, he had worked to round out the physical needs and to improve the teaching standards of the schools. He had met some disappointments. This was proof once more that the people wanted good schools.

The passing of the bond issue, making possible the new Washington and Roosevelt grade schools, was the finishing touch of a school improvement program that stretched across two decades. In fact, the records don't show any period in the city's history when the community wasn't striving to improve its schools.

The following year - July 5, 1938 - the school directors passed a resolution accepting the offer of the United States government of a grant for the construction of two junior high schools.

To provide the physical plants for the two schools, the board enlarged Monroe, adding a half block of grounds to the east. A new Roosevelt junior high was erected on the spacious grounds that once formed the campus of Memorial University.

Two bond issues were voted, one for $261,250 on Aug. 15, 1938, and the other for $80,000 on May 22, 1939. These with $147,870 federal grant provided the funds for this grant building program.

It was hoped to have the junior highs ready for the beginning of the 1939-40 term, but the actual start of the new systems came on Jan. 8, 1940.

The advantages of the program became apparent immediately with special facilities in both buildings, including a domestic science laboratory for girls, woodworking, metal and electrical shop for boys. Each school was provided a swimming pool. Removal of the seventh and eighth graders from the grade schools and the 9th from the high school opened up additional room.

On Nov. 2, 1948, a proposition to spend $13,500 for lighting Roosevelt Field was carried. An additional expenditure of $10,815,80 was provided by the American Legion.

Roosevelt Middle and Junior High School was built in 1938, featuring murals, a gymnasium and a swimming pool. The school building was demolished to make room for a new building.

3kimt.com

MASON CITY, IA -- A Mason City man wants to change the name of a local school...and he's asking others to sign his petition. Brad TIEDEMANN wants to switch the Lincoln school back to Roosevelt.

He's now asking people to sign his sheet to switch the school's title.

He thinks he's gotten a few hundred to join -- and hopes to reach a thousand.

He says he then plans to present it to the school board. “You just feel like something's been taken away from you," said TIEDEMANN. "You know it's kind of like the heritage thing, you know you even with the new school you know it wasn't the same school that I went to but it was still Roosevelt when they built the new school."

We also spoke by phone with District Superintendent Doctor Anita MICICH. She pointed out that there was a lot of discussion with the re-naming of the school. The name our school campaign was widely publicized and the top five were taken to the school board. She says the board felt it was important to give the new school a new name.

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2011; updated December of 2014