Snippets of the history of Valley Springs School Taken from a time capsule kept in columns of the main steps into the Valley Springs School

… Notices of election were posted May 19, 1919 calling an election for the purpose of voting bonds in the sum of $30,000 to erect a new school building and also to elect two directors. The result of the election was 103 votes for the issuance of bonds and 11 opposed. On motion, it was decided to borrow money from the State School fund for the erection of the new building. On July 11, 1919, the board met and the following resolution was adopted: “Resolved that the Independent School District of Valley Springs, S.D., issue bonds in the amount of $35,000 due and payable in 20 years from date bearing interest at not more than 6.5 percent per annum, payable semi-annually, for the purpose of raising money to purchase a site and erecting a suitable school building for school purposes in said district.”

On Monday, July 14, 1919, notices were posted. On Aug. 12, 1919, an election was held and per notices posted, 68 votes being cast, all in favor of the issuance of bonds.

As we were crowded for room, it was resolved to purchase the Jacobson school house for $95 and moved onto the school groundd and used for school purposes.

On Feb. 26, 1920, it was unanimously agreed to purchase four acres or more if necessary, from the A.G. Swanson farm just at the west end of Main Street as the site for the new school house, for which he was to receive $475 per acre. At a special meeting on March 17, 1920, it was decided to pay A.G. Swanson $100 down toward the purchase price of the new school site. 

On this date, it was decided that the president and the secretary should meet with the architect to select a building spot. As per advertisement, bids were opened on April 8, 1921 at the Fraternal Hall with all members present. The lowest bid on general construction was $44,975 by Combs and the lowest bid on plumbing was $7,875 by Stokey. The Board met in short session and after bids had been disposed of and decided to reject all bids on account of being too high. On June 1, 1921, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “Resolved that the Independent School District of Valley Springs, S.D., issue bonds in the amount of $15,000 due and payable in 20 years from date, bearing interest of not more than 6.5 percent annum, payable semi-annually for the purpose of raising additional funds to erect suitable school buildings for school purposes in said district. A.C. M. Johnson, President, E.J. Anderson, secretary.”

On June 8, 1921, notices were posted in three most public places in said district, giving notice that an election would be held to take the sense of the voters upon the question of issuing additional bonds in the amount of $15,000 to be used in the erection of a new school building for this district. The election resulted in 93 votes in favor of the issuance of bonds and 49 against. In order to accommodate the pupils in the grades, an addition was built onto the small school house about June 15, 1921.

On Feb. 21, 1922, the Board met together with Architect McWayne to open bids on a new school building. Fifteen bids were received on general construction, the lowest bid being $35,798 by O.H. Olson of Stillwater, Minn., and which bid was accepted, with alternate to deduct $310 to use Kasota stone for trimmings. As soon as weather permitted the work of excavating was commenced and the basement and finally the building was completed and accepted the 8th day of December 1922. A building of which the people of the community can be justly proud.

Valley Springs Gym

On Monday, Feb. 8, 1954, at a regular school board meeting, a motion was made by Mrs. A.M. Christensen and seconded by David Olson that a representative of the Carlson Construction Co. be asked to advise them as to the feasibility of extending the gymnasium by removing the west wall of the present gym. At a special meeting on June 1, 1955, a motion was made and seconded that a reliable architect be obtained by the board, to give them information pertaining to a new proposed high school auditorium.

At a regular board meeting on April 1, 1956, Mr. McWayne, a Sioux Falls architect, was present at the meeting and discussed with the board the possibility of a new gymnasium.

At a regular meeting on May 13, 1957m Mr. Byrne of Tabbert Construction Co. was present and discussed with the board the possibility of a new gym. At a special meeting on July 3, 1957, a discussion was held in regard to corrections or changes to plans offered by Lucas Craig and Whitman Architects. After plans were studied, it was decided to fund the cost of widening the stage entrance from 20 feet to 26 feet.

At a special meeting on July 10, 1957, Mr. Evan Lucas was present to discuss plans for an auditorium addition west of the present building. Mr. Lucas explained the difficulties and expense of opening a stage through the west wall of the old gym therefore it was decided to place the addition to the north of the present building.

At a special meeting on July 15, 1957, a motion was made and seconded that the board sign an agreement with Lucas, Craig and Whitman Architects of Sioux Falls for plans for the proposed addition of an auditorium to the present school building.

On Feb. 10 1958, at the regular meeting a motion was made and seconded to appoint Nils Boe as attorney of the Valley Springs Independent School District, for the purpose of assisting and calling the special bond election. On Feb. 24, 1958, at a special meeting the board adopted the following resolution:

It is hereby found and determined that it is necessary and expedient for the School District to construct and equip an auditorium-gym and remodel a portion of the present school building and pay the cost thereof by issuing its negotiable coupon general bonds in an amount not exceeding $65,000, bearing interest at the lowest rate or rates obtainable upon a public sale thereof, but the average annual net interest rate not to exceed 5 percent per annum, payable semiannually and maturing serially in such installments as this Board shall hereafter determine, within a period of 20 years from date of issue, which borrowing will not increase the total amount of indebtedness of the School District beyond the limit fixed by law.

The meeting of the issuance of $65,000 School Building Bonds, in accordance with paragraph 1 of this resolution, shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the district at a special election to be held on Tuesday the 8th day of April, 1958, between the hours of 8 o’clock a.m. and 7 o’clock p.m. at the public school building in the Town of Valley Springs, South Dakota.

The special election was to be held April 8, 1958. The issuance of bonds was not to exceed $65,000 with interest at 5 percent.

At the regular meeting on March 18, 1958, it was agreed that there would be no school on Tuesday, April 8, 1958, the day of the School Bond election. At a special meeting April 9, 1958, the official returns for the special election were presented. They were as follows: 

For issuing bonds 214

Against issuing bonds   34

Spoiled and blank bonds     1

Total vote 249

As a special meeting on May 5, 1958, the board adopted a resolution to provide for the public sale of $65,000 school building bids.

On May 29, June 5, June 12, 1958, the “Notice to Bidders” was published in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

At a special meeting on June 16, 1958, the board opened and read the sealed bids for the auditorium building. A motion was made and seconded to accept General Construction base bid No. 1 by Henry Carlson; plumbing and heating base bid by Meester; and electrical base bid by Swede’s.

The Last Class

Linda Olson and Laurene Finck reigned over the last Valley Springs High School homecoming. Valley’s two-day homecoming festivities, Sept. 21-22, 1961, were highlighted by the coronation of Queen Linda Olson and King Laurence Finck.

Activities began Thursday evening with a bonfire, snake dance and pep rally led by the cheerleaders.

Hudson defeated the Wolverines 33-6 Friday afternoon. Valley’s touchdown came in the fourth quarter with a pass from Rich Larson to Jack Card.

Candidates for king and queen, Larry Claussen, Laurence Finck, Joyce Eernisse and Linda Olson, were presented at halftime. Student body president, Guy Eich, crowned the king and queen Friday evening.

Attendants were seniors, Joyce Eernisse and Larry Claussen; juniors, Arlyce Evenson and Dick Uherke; sophomores, Marilyn Johnson and Rich Larson; and freshmen, Ginger Aljets and Roger Larsen. Jody Den Herder and Dale Rippentrop were crown bearers. 

Royalty walked down the aisle to the music of Miles Olson, pianist, and Mrs. Bess Henderson, soloist. Following the coronation, royalty led the grand march to the music of Wally Jerome’s combo.

Mr. and Mrs. Archie Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. Lorenz Claussen and Mr. and Mrs. James Larsen served as chaperones.

Merging two districts into one …

… Mr. Edward Uherka accepted the position of Superintendent of Valley Springs Public Schools in September 1955. He, his wife, Gertrude and five children moved into a home on Beaver Park West Street. Plans for reorganization of Minnehaha County School Districts were presented to the school board in 1956 and when reorganization became a reality in 1962, the high school was moved to Brandon, but one classroom of each of the first six grades and the junior high school were in Valley Springs. Mr. Uherka remained in Valley Springs as principal. In 1967, Mr. and Mrs. Uherka moved to a home in Rembrandt, Iowa.

… Since the first four-year graduation in 1916 to the last graduation in 1962, there were a total of 546 graduates from Valley Springs High School, the largest class size was that of two classes of 22.

In 1962, Valley Springs was reorganized with Brandon, with the vote of the school board members: Dave Olson, Archie Elliott, Tilford Iverson, Mervin Hokenstad, Olaf Tuntland. The name changed to Brandon Valley School District. The high school students were all bussed to Brandon and the seventh and eighth graders to Valley Springs. The school district grew, curriculum changes were made and the need of new and better facilities faced the district.

With this need in mind, the board put to a vote of the people a bond issue in the amount of $1,130,000 on May 19, 1964; it failed. Back to the drawing board, and on Sept. 29, 1964, a bond for the sum of $1,090,000 was also defeated. Again on Dec. 98 1964, a bond in the sum of $950,000 was defeated. On Jan. 19, 1965, a bond for $940,000 was voted for. Construction began and the new high school, located in Brandon, was completed by the fall term of 1967-68.

High school students moved to the new building, junior high students moved to the Brandon Elementary and junior high building, and Valley Springs had two classes of each grade, one through six. Mr. Morris Magnuson was Superintendent; Russ Wilkins, principal of Brandon Elementary and Jr. High, and Charles Langner, principal at Valley Springs. 

New bus barn

In 1977, the old bus barn, located on Broadway Avenue, was sold at auction. A new garage to house eight buses was built on the southwest corner of the school property.

Alumni

When the school reorganization plans were being formulated, some of the alumni decided to form an alumni association to keep in touch with former graduates and preserve our heritage.

Gertrude Hoogers, Helen Mathison and Blanche Outka met at the school house, went through records, finding the names of all the graduates starting with the class of 1916. One member of each class was asked to notify his/her classmates of the first Valley Springs High School Reunion to be held June 30, 1962.

There were 350 alumni and former teachers attending the first reunion. At that meeting, Dave Olson was elected president; Dean Gage, vice president; and Mrs. Jack Den Herder, secretary-treasurer. The motion passed to have the alumnus pay dues of 50 cents every five years, and to hold the second reunion in 1967. Included in the alumni association are members of their two-year high school 1902-16, all four-year graduates, 1916-62, with the exception of 1917 and 1918 when no classes were graduated during World War I;  and students who began high school in Valley Springs

In 1967, the second reunion was considered a decided success, the officers, committees in charge of the dinner, program, decorations and in arranging the detail should be commended. Officers for the third reunion were elected: Leland Anderson, president; Bob Severson, vice president; and Mrs. Jack Den Herder, re-elected as secretary-treasurer.

A bit of nostalgia was added to the program when four alumni gals showed what the basketball girls wore in the 1920’s. The girls wearing black bloomers with white middies were Doris Skillman, Mildred Smith, Pearl Elofson and Blanche Outka.

The third reunion was in 1972, which the revealing of the time capsule of 1922. Fifty years of history was read to the group. Miss Jenney was a guest speaker.

Some of the history was: John Tamaris was custodian at Valley Springs for 29 years, and Archie Elliott had 30 years dedicated service to Valley Springs and Brandon Valley School Boards of Education. He summed it up as, “It was a satisfying opportunity for community service.”

Officers for the fourth reunion were elected: President, Ronald Scott; vice president, Richard Bonander; secretary-treasurer, Lois Hansen.

The fourth reunion was held July 2, 1977, with Eldon Pletcher as toastmaster. Richard Bonander gave the invocation and Lois Hansen gave the welcome. A few of those in attendance were superintendents, Walter Brugger, Ed Ross, Harold Indall; teachers, Ellen Johnson, June Smith, Jane O’Daniel, Gladys C. Lee, Eleanor Hansen, Linda Phillips, Blanche Outka, Eleanor Hubbard Indall, Jerry L. Hainje and Vivian Olson. Jerry Hainje gave a piano medley and led a sing-along with Marilyn Smith accompanying. There were about 350 attending. It was mentioned at each reunion one could visit people you had not seen at previous reunions. 

The fifth reunion will be during the summer of 1982 with president, Stuart Smith; vice president, Gary Elofson; and secretary-treasurer, Lorraine Bjork, making the arrangements.