Iowa Power Objects

Both Ipalco and the people of Pleasant Hill district had reasons for not wanting to be part of the new school. Lew Slade, of Ipalco, was developing a philosophy of having the people who pay for the company's power receive the taxes from the company. Over 80% of Ipalco's customers were in the city of Des Moines. The proposed school district would direct Ipalco's school taxes away from Des Moines and toward a predominantly rural district. Also, the proposal would cause a substantial rise in the yearly taxes Ipalco had to pay, and this rise would come not from the people who were to receive the benefits but from the people of Des Moines who would receive no benefits from an increase.

Taxes were very much on the minds of people in the Pleasant Hill district and of the school board. The people had gone through a long period of high mileage rates, and only within the last ten years did the rates drop, after Lower Agency and Ipalco joined with them. On a conservative estimate, the people of Pleasant Hill would have a tripling of their school taxes if the new school district became reality. This was a jump that few people wanted to make.

There were other objections the people of Pleasant Hill had about the proposal. For over fifty years, the students of Pleasant Hill had been going into Des Moines for high school. The activities of the young people were towards Des Moines, not away out to the country. Besides, the quality of education was in doubt in the new district, and it

Class Picture
Despite the legal struggles over the fate of the Pleasant Hill School District during the 1950’s, school continued for the students. There were so many pupils for the 1953-54 school year that a third teacher, Shirley Stowe, had to be hired. Stowe taught 3rd and 4th grade. While Harlan Hyke taught the upper grades, Ruth Foster taught kindergarten through second grades. Pictured are (top l-r) Vickie Anderson, Leota Hensley, Mrs. A Keeling (cook), Francis Cumpton, Ruth Foster, Ronnie Brown, Ann Leeper, Bobbie Culp, (row 2) Eugene Cross, David Waters, Judy Harrelson, Bernard Kosman, Jerry Waters, Gene Harrelson, Linda Detrick, Alberta McFarland, (row 3) Donna McFarland, Patty Kosman, Nancy Condit, Grant Cumpton, Mary Ellen Waters, (row 4) Raymond Holland, Roseanne and Rick Grant, Priscilla and Marie Cumpton, Franci and Grant Cumpton, and Glen Harrelson.