Lindstrom-Center City-Shafer High School Class of 1966 (Minnesota)

The Building of Chi Hi

In 1916 a new high school was approved by Lindstrom and Center City. The spot chosen was a piece of land between the two towns near the lakes. This proud new brick building, widely known as "Chi Hi," was finished in 1917, the same year in which the first class to matriculate all 12 years in a Lindstrom school was graduated. Two of the members of the class, Arvid Victor and Marcella Monson, were long time residents of the area. Arvid Victor took the many movies of the Senior Classes through the years.

The long standing rivarly between Lindstrom and Chisago City must have been at an all-time high during these years. Early photos of Chi Hi, perched on hill by North Center Lake, clearly shows that the main entrance facing south, proclaimed "Lindstrom High School," the door to the east "Shafer-Center City High School," and the door to the west, facing Chisago City, simply stated "High School."

Many consolidation votes were defeated until finally, in the summer of 1969, residents of School Districts 136 (Chisago City), and 137 (Lindstrom-Center City-Shafer) voted for consolidation by a margin of three to one, and School District 141--Chisago Lakes Area Schools--was created. It took until 1974 to pass a bond issue to build the current school on Olinda Trail in Lindstrom. The Chisago Lakes Middle School, grades six through eight, is on the site between Lindstrom and Center City. The original section of the school building has since been removed.

Taylors Falls was added to the School District, now District 2144, in 1993.

(taken from the website for the Class of 1962, http://www.chihiclassof62.com/, viewed 20151021)

This site was transferred from a different google site account in December 2023.