The Dinsdale Consolidated School District was approved by voters in January 1920, and construction on a new school began shortly thereafter.
The above is a picture of the new consolidated school building at Dinsdale. The building is modern in every respect and the school is a delight to students, parents and teachers.
On Friday, October 14, over 400 people turned out to the dedication of the newly consolidated school. The annual community rally was held in connection with the dedication, and over 7200 was given away in prizes for corn, garden products, baking and needle work. The exhibit was an excellent one and the people could justly look upon it with pride. A fine dinner was served at noon, just such a dinner as the people of the community always serve on such occasions.
George A. Brown, state inspector of consolidated schools, formally dedicated the building. He showed that consolidated schools give just as good training as do those of the city, and the cost to the taxpayer is less in the consolidated district. Prof. C.C. Swaim, who followed him, stated that a consolidated school is not a luxury, but simply what the times demand; that this kind of school is no more wonderful than is the automobile, the silo and the modern farm house.
The people of the Dinsdale consolidated district have worked very hard for the present results, and are very proud of their new building and the operation of the new school.
— Toledo Chronicle, October 27, 1921
The Dinsdale gymnasium addition opened in 1953. It would only be used by students for two decades. Dinsdale Consolidated was carved up in 1964. The building was used by North Tama until 1974.
July 4, 2015: There’s a two-story building in there somewhere.
By the time I saw it from the bus windows every day after school — not quite as reclaimed by nature as above — the gym had been abandoned longer than it had been in use. The main building will reach that striking marker in 2028. Judging by aerial photos, the southeast quadrant of the main building’s roof, the chimney corner, disintegrated in 2016.