Try the following code :
$("#listView div:first-child").toggleClass('k-selectable');
Hope this helps!
UPDATE :
In order to select the first item, you need to add the following code :
var listView = $("#listView").data("kendoListView");
listView.select(listView.element.children().first());
UPDATE2:
To keep the item selected irrespctive of what changes, handle the change event of the grid as follows :
change: function() {
if(!(this.element.children().first().hasClass('k-state-selected')))
{this.select(this.element.children().first());}
}