Centerville and Vinton High Schools, Iowa
south central Iowa near Missouri border
Years Represented: 1918-1919
Connie Schuelka, Rochester Branch of AAUW, found a picture and description of her grandmother's team in Iowa. Connie's grandmother, Katherine Black LaGrange coached the team in Centerville in 1918-1919 and in Vincton in the early 20s.
The Centerville Yearbook of 1918-1919, provided the following description of the season:
"Although the Girls' Basketball team in one sense of the word was not a winning team, the girls and their coach, Miss Black, may be highly complimented for the ability which they displayed as this was the first year that any kind of girls athletics was had in the Centerville High school.
The first game of the season was held on our home floor, with Albia as our opponent, although Albia received the long end of the score the team and their pep for this was Centerville's first attempt at girls athletics while Albia had had such experience for the past four years.
The next game of the season was also played at home, this time the team playing against Mystic. This was a good fast game as the teams were more evenly matched. The Mystic team had had previous experience in basketball it seems. The teams tied; the score being 10-10. This game gave the Centerville team more pep and encouragement and many nights of hard practice was put in, getting ready for the next game, which was again scheduled with Albia at Albia. The girls at this game were at a great disadvantage as they were unaccustomed to a strange floor and also Albia's gymnasium was much smaller than that of our C.H.S. Because of this disadvantage the girls lost their keen eye for the sight of the baskets. The Albia team again won by a large score.
The next and last game of the season the girls went to Mystic to play the Mystic team. A game of 'Basketball,' but from the reports of the Centerville team their treatment from Mystic has never been excelled in unfairness, and the game proved to be more of a football game than a basketball game which was introduced by the M.H.S. team.
Although the C.H.S. team played but a few games this year, it is hoped that the girls will keep this sort of athletics up throughout the future High school years, and as there is plenty of good material in the C.H.S., there is no reason why Centerville should not in time be as popular in girls athletics as it has been with the boys."
The 1918-1919 photo of the Centerville team identified players as follows: left to right - Fern Masteller, Mona Mickle,...Criddle, Pauline Payton, Ruth DeNoon, Ella Criddle, Pauline Clemmins, Cecil Moore, Miss Black, coach.
Connie's grandmother later became the coach in her hometown of Vinton, Iowa in the early 20s. The gymnasium was in the basement of the Methodist Church. Connie recalls that her grandmother's favorite story was about the night the church burned down on February 28, 1922. The girls had practiced basketball that evening in the church gym. It happened that the Church Board of Trustees were also meeting in the church that evening. Connie reported, "Grandma went to the board to complain about the heat in the church gym. She said it was so hot in there that the girls couldn't practice. That night the church burned down."
The Centerville Yearbook of 1918-1919, provided the following description of the season:
"Although the Girls' Basketball team in one sense of the word was not a winning team, the girls and their coach, Miss Black, may be highly complimented for the ability which they displayed as this was the first year that any kind of girls athletics was had in the Centerville High school.
The first game of the season was held on our home floor, with Albia as our opponent, although Albia received the long end of the score the team and their pep for this was Centerville's first attempt at girls athletics while Albia had had such experience for the past four years.
The next game of the season was also played at home, this time the team playing against Mystic. This was a good fast game as the teams were more evenly matched. The Mystic team had had previous experience in basketball it seems. The teams tied; the score being 10-10. This game gave the Centerville team more pep and encouragement and many nights of hard practice was put in, getting ready for the next game, which was again scheduled with Albia at Albia. The girls at this game were at a great disadvantage as they were unaccustomed to a strange floor and also Albia's gymnasium was much smaller than that of our C.H.S. Because of this disadvantage the girls lost their keen eye for the sight of the baskets. The Albia team again won by a large score.
The next and last game of the season the girls went to Mystic to play the Mystic team. A game of 'Basketball,' but from the reports of the Centerville team their treatment from Mystic has never been excelled in unfairness, and the game proved to be more of a football game than a basketball game which was introduced by the M.H.S. team.
Although the C.H.S. team played but a few games this year, it is hoped that the girls will keep this sort of athletics up throughout the future High school years, and as there is plenty of good material in the C.H.S., there is no reason why Centerville should not in time be as popular in girls athletics as it has been with the boys."
The 1918-1919 photo of the Centerville team identified players as follows: left to right - Fern Masteller, Mona Mickle,...Criddle, Pauline Payton, Ruth DeNoon, Ella Criddle, Pauline Clemmins, Cecil Moore, Miss Black, coach.
Connie's grandmother later became the coach in her hometown of Vinton, Iowa in the early 20s. The gymnasium was in the basement of the Methodist Church. Connie recalls that her grandmother's favorite story was about the night the church burned down on February 28, 1922. The girls had practiced basketball that evening in the church gym. It happened that the Church Board of Trustees were also meeting in the church that evening. Connie reported, "Grandma went to the board to complain about the heat in the church gym. She said it was so hot in there that the girls couldn't practice. That night the church burned down."
Centerville 1918-1919