Just twelve years after the first mass was offered in the vicinity of Herndon the parochial school was started as a necessary part of the parish. It was in 1892 when Father Bitter merged the two parishes and moved the old northwest church building into town and immediately converted it into a school. The Sisters of St. Joseph from Concordia were assigned to the school and the first pioneer nuns on the scene were Sister Aurelia and Sister Mary John. Down through the years these two were followed by a steady stream of dedicated Sisters who helped mold and shape the hearts and minds of the little ones of Herndon and vicinity for God, the Church and Country. ST. MARY'S PARISH SCHOOL
As practically always in a new venture, the beginnings were rough. Thus from January till June of 1895, Father A. Heiman and Miss Mary Schuetz taught school. Miss Schuetz later became a nun with the Precious Blood Sisters of Ruma, Illinois as Sister Florentina. For the term of 1896-97, Miss Rose Heiman conducted the school. There was no school in 1904-05, reopening again in the fall of 1905 and Miss Celeste Rickelman and Margaret Theole taught till 1907. For the 1907-08 term the teachers were Misses Elizabeth and Catherine Mergen and Johanna Hudiburgh.
Under the watchful eyes of the Sisters and the Pastors, the influence of the Catholic school increased and so did the number of pupils. The old facilities became inadequate and a new larger school under one roof became necessary. Under Father Kilian Lutz's guidance and the generous cooperation of the parishioners, the present school building was brought to a quick and successful completion at the cost of $32,123.16. Ground work on the new building began late in 1925, the cornerstone was laid May 26, 1926, and the building dedicated on August 16th of that same year.
HIGH SCHOOL
September 12, 1928, found the new school opening its doors not only to the grade-schoolers but to a group of high school freshmen. Sister Appolonia was the entire staff of the High School Department. Under the same date we find a note stating that the Boarding House was opened for those children who lived too far away to go back and forth every day. In its heyday, St. Mary's school boasted of a twenty-five piece orchestra that was always willing to furnish music to liven up parish occasions. During this same period the parochial school choir flourished and on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee the members of the choir numbered ninety-three.
In 1932, St. Mary's High School held its first Commencement Exercises, graduating seven young women.
With the decline of vocations to the sisterhood, various steps led to the final closing of the parish school. First came the closing of the High School on October 26, 1939, in conjunction with the Sisters and permission of Bishop Thill. The spring of 1968 witnessed the last eighth grade graduation and in the spring of 1969 the school doors closed for the final time.
(An interesting coincidence: The present Catholic High School graduates of 1980, Gerard Green, James Tongish, Mary Jane Leitner and Beverly Unger made their First Communion on May 4th, 1969, and were the last First Graders to attend St. Mary's grade school.)
Since the doors closed permanently on St. Mary's Parochial School, the building was used for a short time by the local public school. It is now used regularly for CCD classes and the Hall has been the scene of many happy as well as sad occasions. It serves as a place for wedding banquets, parish get-togethers as well as funeral dinners. So the school building is still playing an active part in the life of the parish.
Taken from the Parish Centennial Book, 1980
___________________Herndon
Herndon, KS 66743Explore Herndon, Rawlins County, or visit other Kansas Cities & Towns October 8, 1998 / Jim Hoffman / Herndon, Kansas / HoffFFL@aol.com
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