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The Midland School Board voted to send a Notice of Forfeiture to Affordable Leasing at the December 19 school board meeting because the closing on the Lost Nation property did not take place on December 15. The District will not agree to any further extensions with the company. The District can now advertise the sale of the property, but cannot enter into a contract with another party until after 30 days. Superintendent Rodenberg has spoken with the contact person of Affordable Leasing and this person understands the position of the District.
Article by Marlene Flory, Midland Times

Superintendent Brian Rodenberg reported at the November 21 meeting of the Midland Board of Education that it is doubtful closing on the purchase of the building at Lost Nation will take place. The closing is less than a month away, and correspondence with Affordable Leasing is not encouraging. If the closing does not take place, the sale of the building will again be published. There has been interest in the building from other purchasers. Rodenberg stated that the building has been winterized.

Article by Marlene Flory, Midland Times

(Webmaster's note: Check the information below entitled "If It's Too Good To Be True . . ." for previous information posted on this website.)

It was announced at the September 19 meeting of the Midland Board of Education that the closing date for the sale of the building at Lost Nation has been set for 11 am on Friday, September 30 at Cedar Rapids. Later in the meeting, approval was given to sell the books and equipment remaining in the building to Tony Casconi for $4,000. He plans to donate most of these materials to an Indian reservation in Oklahoma. Supt. Rodenberg explained that the options of an auction or garage sale were not worth the work for the money that would be raised.

Written by Marlene Flory for the Midland Times

During recent years, the state champions of 50 years ago have been honored at the Girls' State Basketball Tournament. This year the 1961 champions from Valley of Elgin were recognized.

Senior citizens, like myself, remember the Tigers beat Lost Nation, 78-61 for the title.

Valley had beaten Lost Nation 76-75 early in the season. Neither team lost again until the state finals. They were ranked 1-2 all season.

Lost Nation's forwards, Debbie Rohling, Evelyn Penningroth, and Lynn Fleming each averaged 20 points a game. The guards were Lois Petersen, Karen Burmeister, and Linda Muhl.

They were veterans of a team that went 21-3 the previous season, losing in the second round of the state tournament. Don Becker, 24 years old, was the coach.

Many picked Lost Nation to win the game due to their scoring balance. The Bobcats had the tougher bracket, beating the third and fourth ranked teams in the early rounds of the state tournament.

Lost Nation's forwards scored 25, 21, and 16 points against Valley. But, the Tigers' Dianne Frieden went wild. The 5'10" left-hander scored 60 points. Valley took an early 17-3 lead and never was challenged.

Frieden, who scored 3586 career points, wasn't with her former teammates to be honored. Suffering from depression at the age of 44 she jumped to her death off a 250 foot cliff in Hawaii in April 1988. (Contributed by Jack Marlowe in the March 12, 2011 edition of Maquoketa Sentinel-Press.)

(From the Lost Nation Press, March 16, 1961 and reprinted in the Scoop) A championship welcome was given Sunday to coach Don Becker and his Lost Nation High School basketball team by the town and community. The team, which won second place in the state basketball tournament, was met at Clarence by a caravan of 100 cars from Lost Nation and surrounding towns. The caravan wove through the towns of Lowden, Wheatland, and Calamus before returning to Lost Nation. The team won their way to the finals by beating the Bondurant-Farrar and Cedar Valley of Somers. In the championship game, Lost Nation was defeated 78-62 when the star of Elgin went on a scoring spree and poured in 60 points. Debbie Rohling, forward, and Karen Burmeister, guard, were placed on the state all-tourney team.
Information and photos compiled by Sandra Brady (aka Lois Lane). Thanks!

The Midland Community School District building and property at Lost Nation was sold at the March 21 meeting of the Midland Board of Education. Affordable Leasing purchased the building for $150,000. The company had put down $5,000 earnest money. The take-over date is June 1, 2011. The District will pay for a survey of the area around the bus barn.

Superintendent Brian Rodenberg stated during the hearing preceding the vote, that the potential purchaser and his financial manager had recently toured the building. He was told that their bank was concerned about investing in Lost Nation. Rodenberg told them that the area has people who are willing to work, so they will have a work force.

The building has a tower and is wired for the needs of the company.

Lost Nation Mayor Jim Schroeder mentioned that the company's purchase of a school building at Independence has fallen through. If the sale with Midland falls through, the district will have to start all over again. He just does not want the building to end up in the same condition as the former school building at Oxford Junction.

Rodenberg responded, "We have to assume the sale will go through for us, and we have to have the attitude that it will work out." He later said that hopefully the building will be used in a productive manner and that the property is maintained.

The memorial cases in the building will go to the families who presented them or to the town. The trophies will go to the town.

The district will use some desks, tables, files, bookcases, storage cabinets, equipment and fans at the other locations. The options for the sale of remaining items are to have an auction, put a price on items, or have Affordable Leasing purchase the items. Money from the sale of the building and property will go into the PPEL Fund and the sale of equipment and other items will go into the General Fund.

(Story contributed by Marlene Flory and Midland Times)

Below is an article from the Midland Times reporting that the Midland School Board is considering selling the Lost Nation School buildings to a James J. Adams of Affordable Leasing. Before reading the Times article, you might want to check out what has happened at other locations in Iowa where Affordable Leasing has purchased or tried to purchase other school buildings. Click on the links below for other articles so that you can form your own opinions:

http://www.globegazette.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_cd385a5c-0cbe-11e0-bc13-001cc4c002e0.html

http://hamptonchronicle.com/hd-board-delays-dumont-sale-p1801.htm

http://www.wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_edbd1c26-1e54-11df-8ecf-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.kwwl.com/Global/story.asp?S=13688452

http://www.globegazette.com/news/local/article_5f6bb4fe-4a0a-11e0-b8af-001cc4c03286.html

Please read the articles, then judge for yourselves. Affordable Leasing, LLC is a registered corporation in Wisconsin listing James J Adams as the Registered Agent with his address at 200 W Main Street, PO Box 166, Dickeyville, WI 53808. The principal office of the company is listed as 118 East Street, PO Box 183, Dundee, IA 52038, USA.

The above information is provided to the readers of lostnationiowa.com for informational purposes by Leslie Schultz, webmaster.

The sale of the Midland property at Lost Nation was discussed at the Feb. 21 meeting of the Board of Education. Superintendent Brian Rodenberg said that James Adams of Affordable Leasing contacted him and Rodenberg quoted a selling price of $150,000. The potential buyer would purchase the building and all property, except for the bus barn. The city would take possession of trophies, trophy cases and all items given as memorials. The playground equipment would also go to the city.

Adams, on behalf of Affordable Leasing, has signed an agreement that the company will purchase the building. The company will become an inbound call center for an answering service, monitoring alarms.

Lost Nation Mayor Jim Schroeder presented information concerning Affordable Leasing. The company has recently purchased vacant school buildings in several communities. Some districts that have been approached by Affordable Leasing have voted against the sale of a vacant building following a public hearing.

Rodenberg stated that the kitchen equipment in the Lost Nation property has been sold. Proceeds from the sale of the property would go into the PPEL fund and the sale of equipment goes into the general fund.

Schroeder said that anything to help the town of Lost Nation would be good; such as the potential employment. He suggest that the mayors of all the communities in the Midland District and school administration and board members get together to see how the loss in population could be improved. He mentioned that zoning would have to be considered when the building is sold.

A resolution was passed stating that the Midland building at Lost Nation be sold. This does not mean that it would be sold to Affordable Leasing. A public hearing on the sale was set for 7 pm on Monday, March 21, at the Middle/High School ICN Room in Wyoming.

Midland Supt. B. Rodenberg reported at the Jan 18 meeting of the Board of Ed. that he has received an offer on the LN building and has come to tentative terms on the sale. He is currently working with attorneys on details of the transaction. The prospective buyer plans to establish a business in the building, employ people in the community, and put money back into the building. The buyer may also be interested in some of the items remaining at the school. He has purchased buildings in two other communities as well. No further details can be released at this time. A public hearing will be held on the sale before the transaction is completed.
Reprinted from the Midland Times

This is a picture of the Lost Nation School taken in 1937. If you have old pictures of the school that you would be willing to share on this website, please contact Sandra Brady in Lost Nation, or you can email a copy of your photo directly to Leslie Schultz, webmaster. Thanks!

Beginning in 1903 with the first graduating class, the Lost Nation School has housed students for the past 110 years. However, beginning in January of 2011, it will sit virtually empty. This is due to a sharing, then reorganization effort with the Midland School District and the building of a new addition at the Oxford Junction Midland Center. Just how did this come about, you ask? Maybe it is a result of the lack of students in the Lost Nation District or the number of students open enrolled out of the District. The "hows" and "whys" don't really matter anymore. What does matter is what will become of the buildings that saw generations of Lost Nation families learn their abc's within its walls. Only time will tell.

On Friday, December 17, volunteers, small trucks, and livestock trailers helped move the 2-5 grade supplies and furniture from Lost Nation to the new addition at Oxford Junction. Elementary Principal Marilyn Jackson stated that the rest of furnishing would be moved on Saturday, December 18.
Photos by Sandra Brady & Carol Hartbecke. Thanks, ladies!

The first day of the 2010-2011 school year started Monday, August 23. Midland's construction project of expanding the Oxford Junction site has been underway all summer. Soon all elementary students will be located at the Oxford Junction site. The construction should be finished by December 2010 and the Lost Nation building will be vacated once the students are moved into the Oxford Junction center. Many memories have developed over the years and the building at Lost Nation has served well. The Midland district will be deciding what is best for the future of the Lost Nation facility.
Below are some pictures from the last first day
Story & photos by Sandra Brady (aka Lois Lane). Thanks, Lois!

A quote from the Lost Nation, Iowa 1972 Centennial book, "Education has always been uppermost in the minds of the people of Lost Nation."

On April 21, 1900, A.H. Gish and wife deeded the land to the Lost Nation Independent School District No. 3. The original Lost Nation School building was built on this site and remains there today. In 1903, five students were the first to graduate from Lost Nation.

By 1915, a new addition had been added and Lost Nation became an accredited High School with 12 grades.




In 1937, work began on the original gymnasium, followed by the building of the school bus garage in 1946. The school was also consolidated in 1946 with all or parts of 14 rural school districts and became the Lost Nation Consolidated School District.

Work began on the new high school building in 1949 and was completed in 1951.





Then in 1956, the name of the school was legally changed to the Lost Nation Community School.






In 1973, work on the new gymnasium which was attached to the high school was started.

On July 1, 1993, the Lost Nation Community School District reorganized with the Midland District and has been called the Midland Community School District. Since that time, some of the elementary grades have been housed in the Lost Nation building.

What changes will the next years bring to the old halls of learning or will the buildings be left to sit and slowly decay beyond saving?

The 1972 Centennial book Business Directory listed 44 businesses in Lost Nation in 1972. Where have they all gone? Today, only the Lost Nation-Elwood Telephone Co. and First Trust & Savings Bank remain of those 44. The Lost Nation school seems to be going the way of those 42 that have disappeared from our community.

Information compiled by Leslie Schultz from the "Lost Nation Centennial" & "Lost Nation Quasquicentennial 1872-1997" books. Pictures by Linn Schultz

All design and pictures are the sole property of the owner, Leslie J. Schultz. Permission must be obtained to use any pictures or parts of this web site.