Mt. Pleasant, IA High School Fire, Feb 1932

HIGH SCHOOL AT MT. PLEASANT BURNED.

Mount Pleasant, Ia., Feb. 23. -- (UP) -- Fire today destroyed the Seeley Memorial high school here with loss estimated at $150,000.
Cause of the flames were uncertain. A Kansas City to Chicago mail plane flew 10 miles off its course to circle low over the city in order to awaken the residents and warn them of the fire, which started shortly after midnight.
Nothing but the school records was saved from the building on which $100,000 insurance was carried.
The high school band had returned to the school at 10:30 P.M. after playing for a pageant at Iowa Wesleyan Chapel Monday night.
The possibility that the blaze was of incendiary origin was seen by Chief CLAUDE TAFT of the local fire department, who said he found the side door of the building open when they arrived. It was recalled that evidences were discovered last week that the building had been broken into but nothing was missing.
The Mt. Pleasant school board met today to arrange to continue the scheduling of the some 300 pupils accomodated in the demolished building.
The building was constructed in 1906, originally as a Y.M.C.A. but later was remodelled into a high school.

Oelwein Daily Register Iowa 1932-02-23
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!