November 14, 1920 Collins High School basketball played Cambridge High School team here yesterday and won by a score of 11-5. (Insert 2003: First reference found on specific game and results).
Collins School: Philip (Phil) Holland placed the Collins School and himself on the elite list of scoring leaders for the State of Iowa Boys Basketball in 1951 and 52. "Phil's" 1830 career points (1948-52) placed him 3rd with renowned Ray Fontana (50), Ankeny, 1899 points and Hugh Leffingwell (52), Marion, 1893 points, in 1952. Thirty years later (1982) Phil's 1830 points held ranking of 15th place in career scoring before the 3-point shot began in 1982-83 season. Also, Collins-Maxwell communities schools merged in July 1983. En route to 1830 career point record Phil (1948-52) passed previous Collins School scoring marks and withstood 31 following years through 1983 to set five all-time Collins School Boys Basketball scoring records. The records are: Sophomore (49-50) 417 points; Junior (50-51) 654 points, which is also the single season scoring record, and is the top state ranking in 1951 for juniors; senior (51-52) 590 points, and his freshman (48-49) 169 points total 1830 career points - 5 school records and 1 state record. Team's seasons' records were 24-5, 22-7, and 23-4. Gary Thompson, Roland, became state career leader with 2042 points in 1953.
Iowa - 1830 - one school in the state and was private. 1858 the township units were ruled 6 miles by 6 miles with schools every 2 miles, thus 9 schools in a township. 1901 there were 12,620 country schools - 1921 - 429 consolidated schools (Collins consolidated in 1920). 1932 there were 9,280 country schools. 1955 - 4,140 local schools. 2001 there were 374 local schools and 40 country schools, largely Amish and Mennonite.
Story County - 1853 - 6 country schools. 1875-68 country schools. 1900 - 2 high schools (Collins high school had 9th and 10th grades with 11th added in 1905 and 12th added in 1908). 1920 - 15 high schools. 1940 - 10 consolidated schools and 1960 remained 10 schools. By 2000, there were 7 community schools. (Duplicate entry from Part I Era)
Wm. Parker was the first property owner resident of Story County in Collins Township - 160 acres in Sec. 33 and34 October 1849. The town of Collins began a mile northeast of the present location about 1875. A post office was established and a school built. In 1881 the Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad line was built about one mile south and a depot built on the S ½ of NW ¼ of Section 21 Collins Township. The town of Collins moved to NW ¼ section 21; present day site. The town incorporated in 1882, post office relocated here, 8 businesses and school begins. A 2-story wooden structure school building erected in 1884. Collins population was near 275 in 1890.