No Wonder the Basketball is Flat

Episode #6 of Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz explores where Mooresville High School basketball games were played before the old gymnasium was built (next to the old high school building) in 1920.

Click Video (Above) to Play

The gymnasium was dedicated on December 30, 1920.  It was the first high school gym in Morgan County and was considered state-of-the-art a century ago.  It stood just north of the old Mooresville High School building (completed in 1909), and was across from the original Academy School built by the Mooresville Society of Friends in 1860, which was the first high school in central Indiana.  Both the Academy building and the gymnasium still stand today on the campus of Newby Memorial Elementary School on North Monroe Street (old State Road 267) in Mooresville.  Learn more about the century-old gymnasium from this superb handout by Susan Haynes, communications director for the Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation.

Mooresville High School (1909 Building) with

1920 Gymnasium (circa 1921 photo)

(Click Images to Enlarge)

1920 photo shows the Academy Building (left)

and Mooresville High School (right)

before the gymnasium was constructed

 

Many Mooresville High School basketball teams played home games downtown (you'll have to watch the video above to learn where), including those pictured below (photos courtesy of various Mooresville High School yearbooks and Mooresville Public Library's Indiana Room photo collection).

MHS 1909 Boys' Basketball Team

 

 MHS 1917 Boys' Basketball Team

 MHS 1917 Girls' Basketball Team

 

  MHS 1918 Boys' Basketball Team

You'll notice the basketball is flat when you watch the video.  No wonder--all the hot air is in the host, Grandpa Billy Bob.  (Just kidding.)
  

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Quizzes

While Mooresville Public Library was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic (mid-March through mid-June, 2020), you could still have some fun with Mooresville (Indiana) history, thanks to the library's Indiana Room historian, known to his adoring fan (namely his grandson) as Grandpa Billy Bob (or "Bebo," as his grandson, now age 2-1/2, might say).  Here's the first in what hopefully will be a series of local history video quizzes, with, we hope, better lighting in future episodes.

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz #1

(COVID-19 Edition), by Mooresville Public Library

The quiz answer appears in the video's credits near the end.  Or, you could click here.  It's your call.

UPDATE:  Here's another installment!  As if one weren't enough.

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz #2

(COVID-19 Edition), by Mooresville Public Library

Look for the answer near the end of the video credits, or click here.

ANOTHER UPDATE:  Here's another episode!  As if your life weren't bad enough right now.

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz #3,

(COVID-19 Edition), by Mooresville Public Library

Answer?  In the video credits, or click here.

STILL ANOTHER UPDATE!  When will this all end?

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz #4,

(COVID-19 Edition), by Mooresville Public Library

Answer?  In the video credits, or click here.

STILL YET ANOTHER UPDATE!  Can we just surrender already?

Grandpa Billy Bob's Mooresville History Super Fun Quiz #5,

(COVID-19 Edition), by Mooresville Public Library

Answer?  In the video credits, or click here.

Facebooking Local History

On another blog, I recently posted an article discussing local history posting to Facebook as a means of expanding libraries' (in particular, Mooresville Public Library's) "reach" to patrons.  Since more people follow the library's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube feeds than read this blog, it seemed like an excellent vehicle to promote the history of Mooresville and vicinity.

Results have been excellent.  MPL's Facebook "reach" for April and May, 2018 was considerably higher than previous months.  (Click on the graphic below to enlarge.)

MPL 2018 Facebook "Reach" Statistics

The only content change on MPL's Facebook feed during April and May has been the addition of daily local history quizzes, so the jump in readership may safely be attributed to that material.

MPL's Twitter and YouTube statistics are relatively consistent; the local history quizzes have not been featured on these social media (although both offer other local history content).

Local historians (particularly those employed by libraries) may find non-blogging social media to be an important tool to reach their patrons.  Our experience has been that blogs (such as this one) are declining in readership due to the increasing popularity of other social media platforms (Facebook Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.).  Consequently, I don't post as much to blogs as I once did.  However, I still believe blogs serve a useful informational purpose and so will continue to occasionally use them.

UPDATE (JUNE 27, 2018):  Anthony Woodside wrote a nice article in the Mooresville-Decatur Times (Wednesday, June 27, 2018, pages A1-A2) about the library's local history quizzes on Facebook and Twitter.

Answers to Our Local History Quiz

2024 UPDATE:  The TV monitor at the library now shows upcoming programs instead of the local history quiz.  Also, to reduce photocopy costs, handouts are no longer printed.  Click the images at the bottom of this blog post to see the quiz questions and answers.

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Looking for the answers to our local history quiz?  Take a peek at Mooresville Public Library's monitor display above the adult information desk.  (Click photos to enlarge.)

The Indiana Room has printed handouts to check your answers to our local history quiz.  Or you may see the questions and answers (as JPGs) below (click on the images to enlarge).

Take Our Local History Quiz!

2024 UPDATE:  This display in the media alcove has been removed to make more space for circulating games and videos.  The postcards, flashcards, and handouts are no longer printed to reduce photocopying costs.  Click the images at the bottom of this blog post to see the quiz questions.  To see the quiz answers, click here, or click the last two images at the bottom of this blog post.

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Test how well you know Mooresville, Indiana history by taking our local history quiz.  Paper copies are available in the media alcove and the Indiana Room of Mooresville Public Library (MPL).

MPL Media Alcove (where the adult DVDs & audiobooks are shelved)

(Look for the Local History Quiz display)

To check your answers, visit the MPL Indiana Room to see our flashcard/postcard rack, which has many of the answers, as well as by checking the quiz handout.  If you're really into researching local history, the answers may be found in the many specialized books, vertical files, microfilm, and other resources available in the MPL Indiana Room, as well as in some of the library's local history videos.

Click the images below to take the quiz.

ANSWERS?  Click here or see below.