CHET PREISSER AND THE GRALAND CIRCUS
Another reason to honor Mr. Preisser.
An excerpt from Rosemary Fetter’s book:
“The first Graland Circus was held on March 21, 1929, the year after the new school was built That first year, students sold ads to pay for Graland’s physical education equipment. Supporting businesses included S.S. Newberry and Shafroth and Toll who urged investors to buy land around the school. The second-floor gym served as the circus grounds during January and February. “The circus was one of the year’s biggest events,” Virginia Shafroth Newton relates. ‘I remember ropes hanging from the ceilings and students romping around in class costumes.’ A big parade by the First Class Band kicked off the first celebration which featured a second-grade lion tamer and his pets, the third-grade pyramid, the fourth- grade Daring Bareback Riders, and the only real bucking bronco in the West. That year’s circus gymnastics also starred the D.U. tumbling team.”
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1924, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
