There is a steadily decreasing number of rural school districts with three sites. East Marshall currently is one of those, but that status is the subject of this November’s bond issue vote.
(Schools now can have bond issue votes on the November election day in even-numbered years, although that creates its own set of ballot hoops. This is one of the knock-on effects of the “property tax reform” law.)
Both the Marshalltown Times-Republican and WOI have stories about a $13.5 million bond issue proposal. The Gilman school, currently serving as East Marshall Middle School, would be closed. Additions would be built at Laurel, where sixth-graders would go, and Le Grand, which would become a junior high/high school. (Le Grand has had two gymnasiums for a while now.)
Gilman’s core building dates to 1922, although I haven’t found an exact opening day. It was SEMCO High School (SouthEast Marshall County) with Laurel until whole-grade sharing began with Le Grand-Dunbar-Ferguson in 1989. LDF-SEMCO became East Marshall in 1992, a rare post-sharing name change at consolidation. I assume that Dunbar’s school closed when the grade-sharing began but the T-R archives at the Marshalltown library end at 1977. (Help appreciated!)