In 1918, a special election was held in Russell for the construction of a new school building. With a vote of 104 in favor and 8 against, the Russell Board of Education was instructed to begin construction of a new brick building.

Under the direction of Principal Holmgren, construction of the new building and a three-year high school curriculum was established. The new school opened in the fall of 1920. The total cost of the building, equipment, vans, and books was just over $60,000. Building additions were implemented in the mid-1950s and 1960. The building was demolished last year.

For many years, the high school occupied the top floor, and the remainder of the building space was devoted to the elementary grades and the school gymnasium. On Friday, June 3, 1921, the first high school graduating class received their diplomas. The members of the first Russell High School graduating class were: Luella Anderson, Allan Burckhardt, Arthur Bergman, Carl Hansen, and Ebba Nelson.

In the early years of Russell High School, basketball was played by both men and women. Russell’s first basketball team was in the years 1919-1920. One of the first Russell High School graduates, Allan Burckhardt played on the first boys’ basketball team. In the Russell Centennial book, there is a passage in which Allan describes the team: “We won about half the games, but the score was always low. If the game got over fifteen, it was high, because you see the center was the only one who could run all over the court. Guards and forwards stayed in their own fields. The score was low always, and then most of the schools didn’t have too much head room above the baskets.”

The photograph featured this week from the museum’s collection shows the 1926-1927 Russell High School boys basketball team.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a non-profit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 W Lyon St in Marshall. The Lyon County Museum is open year-round to visitors. To contact us, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or on our Facebook page.