History

1886 – The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus of Philadelphia, invited by Father Alexander Christie, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, agreed to build a school on the present site of the Treanor-Campion Center. The sisters gave their lessons in the Church during the first ten days. Six sisters were in the community.

1887 – In May work was begun on th new west wing of the academy of the Holy Child Jesus. The History of Steele and Waseca County states: “The west wing is 40 x 70 feet in size and well constructed of brick. The center of edifice, which was built during the summer, is 30 x 60 feet in size and is surrounded by a handsome belfry.” The cost of the west wing and its basement was $100,000.00. Child’s History of Waseca County states: “This is one of the important educational institutes of the state and has done much for the people of Waseca and surrounding country.” The Order of the Holy Child Jesus was responsible for financing and operating the school. The Sisters received no Parish funds other than donations. Their school kept girl boarders from the surrounding countryside and also taught boys until their Confirmation, when they transferred to the public high school. At the close of the school year, 270 children were enrolled, including thirty two Protestants. An Altar Society was formed. A class of Aspirants for admission to the Sodality of Our Blessed Lady was formed at about the same time.

1888 – The Academy was completed with the construction of the east wing. The enrollment was 180 students. A. Dion, the first male boarder, was registered on September 9th. A devastating winter storm struck January 12th, which swept the country from Manitoba to Texas and extended to the East Coast.

1891 – Four boy boarders were taken to their homes as Reverend Mother General prohibited the taking of little boys into the convent as boarders. Celebration of feast of St. Patrick, the first under Father Treanor, was held. “The children of the school had a holiday. The day was kept in great style by the people of the Parish. A Concert and play were given at the Opera House. The Protestants showed a very nice spirit in taking part in the Parade in their regimentals. The U.S. Militia, Fire Company and Foresters (the latter using a large silk banner, worked and made by Rev. Mother Antonia) took part. The day was begun with High Mass, and the men going to Holy Communion in a body. St. Patrick blessed the whole undertaking as its success was the fruit of prayer.” – From journals of Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus

1894 – In December, the school was closed temporarily due to diptheria.

1895 – The School year began with only ninety three children in attendance.

1901 – School enrollment reached one hundred fifty six, eleven of whom were boarders.

1902 – Graduation was held at Ward’s Opera House. A program of about one hundred boys and girls from the Academy presented the play entitled “Meeting of the Nations”.

1904 – May 13th, Reverend Mother Mary Theresa Walton took pictures of the house and the Sisters who formed the Waseca Community. Sister Mechtilde, archivist for the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus wrote, “It was resolved by the authorities that since there seems to be no reasonable hope that the school at Waseca will ever be more than it is at present and there is no prospect of obtaining boarders, the place shall be given up – sold if possible – to members of some order…” According to Sister Mechtilde, the school closed with demonstrations of grief from both parents and children. Her information is from journals kept by the Sisters who were in Waseca from 1886-1904. Reverend Mother Mary Bernadine and Mother St. Martin Cutmore went to Winona to see the Bishop and arrange for some other religious who could take the place of the Sisters of the Holy Child in the convent and school. the Bishop sent his visitors to the Franciscan Sisters in Winona and Rochester to see what arrangements could be made.

1905 – Administration of the Academy was transferred from the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus to the Sisters of St. Francis, Rochester, with Father Treanor serving as its Superintendent. Sister M. Pius was the first principal. The name of the school was changed to the Sacred Heart School. Commencement exercises for the five graduates was at Ward’s Opera House.

1907 – Church of the Sacred Heart entered into a contract with the Convent of the Holy Child Jesus to purchase the school property for $8,500.00. The deed was issued in 1913.

1908 – The first boy to graduate from Sacred Heart School was Joseph Sullivan.

1911 – Father Daniel Coleman from St. Mary’s Parish presented the diplomas to six graduates on June 6th at the Waseca Courthouse.

1912 – So far this was the largest graduation class of Sacred Heart High School with twelve graduates. Commencement was again at the Courthouse.

1913 – This was the first time that Sacred Heart High School held graduation exercises at the Palace Theatre. There were nine graduates and four of them also were graduated in music on June 9th at a recital at the Palace Theatre.

1915 – Sister Pius left Waseca and Sister Pascal came as the second principal of Sacred Heart. The students published their first issue of the Chronograph.

1916 – There were six graduates. The valedictory address was given by Joseph Collins and the salutatory address by Mary Coughlin.

1917 – Sacred Heart Conservatory consisted of one hundred ten piano students, twenty six vocal students, fourteen violin students and fourteen harmony students. The Chronograph was printed quarterly.

1918 – The seniors dedicated their annual, the Chronograph as follows: “To our soldier boys, the brave lads who have willingly sacrificed home and loved ones for their country.” Seniors were required to take Greek, chemistry, English, religion, higher algebra, and Latin.

1919 – The students joined in the celebration of the end of World War I. Everyone rushed downtown, whistles blew, and the crowd was happy and noisy. The school organized a football team with Joseph McCall as their coach. In their first game, they defeated Waseca High School by a score of 12-6.

1921 – Sister Jane Francis became the principal for her first of three times in Waseca. The basketball team coached by W.W. Boyle won the Southern Minnesota Parochial Schools Championship. The Chicago and Northwestern train to Owatonna was used as transportation to go to the games. Seniors were required to take English IV, Latin IV, French II, chemistry, and social problems.

1922 – Sister Assisi began her tenure at Sacred Heart Conservatory. The Sacred Heart Dramatic Club presented the play called “The Wonderful Challenge” on St. Patrick’s Day. The ladies of the parish served dinner starting at 11:30 a.m., and continued until all were served. High Mass preceded the dinner. Plans were made to build a new school because of overcrowded conditions.

1923 – A new parish school building was erected to serve as both grade and high school, and a separate convent building was provided for the Sisters. Each senior was allowed to lay a brick in the wall of the new school which was under construction. The school year started late because the new building was not ready for occupancy until October 9th. The high school made up for the late start by attending night sessions required by state law. It was dedicated on December 26th by Bishop Heffron of Winona. This building, which is now the Tranor-Campion Center, served as both grade school and high school. Grades one through eight were on the first floor and nine through twelve were on the second floor.

1924 – Commencement was held on June 2nd in the new Sacred Heart Auditorium for seventeen graduates.

1925 – On Sunday evening, May 31st, all the Sacred Heart students participated in crowning the Queen of May, our Blessed Mother. This became an annual ceremony. Sister Jane Francis returned to Sacred Heart as principal for the second time and was here until 1931.

1926 – Sacred Heart High School was placed on the published list of accredited high schools of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools.

1928 – In addition to many Sisters, three lay teachers were also members of the faculty. These teachers lived on the third floor of the old convent east of the school, Subjects available were English 1, 2, 3, 4, Latin 1, 2, 3, 4, algebra, high algebra, geometry, general science, biology, chemistry, physics, American, modern and ancient history, typing and bookkeeping.

1929 – The Great Depression began.

1930 – The eighth graders were graduated with ceremony and diplomas on May 30th. In this decade, the Catholic women’s Club was formed, which added their efforts to the cultural and material needs of the parish until their gradual dissolution.

1931 – Basketball was now the only sport in the high school. The Catholic schools had their own conferences and tournaments.

1932 – Sister Jane Francis returned as principal and Latin teacher for the third time and was here until 1938. Two of the senior boys dedicated their lives to the priesthood. They were Father Leonard Clasen and Monsignor Raphael Collins.

1933 – The sixth grade boys were obliged to wear red crepe paper neckties because of the necktie strike they had attempted.

1934 – The Junior-Senior Banquet was held on May 4th. The Juniors had decorated the auditorium as a Japanese garden. School News was the name of the school paper. At this time it was the practice to have boy cheerleaders or “yell leaders” as they were called. Dale Kritzer and Robert Luther were the yell leaders of 1934. The Franciscan Sisters living in the convent next to the railroad tracks had the reputation of being generous in giving food to the hobos.

1935 – Father Treanor, in recognition of his accomplishments, was made a Domestic Prelate and member of the Papal household, with the title of Monsignor. Father Raymond Snyder became the first assistant priest at Sacred Heart. He taught religion in the high school and also did some coaching and counseling. As coach he held an election among the team members to decide on the color of the new uniforms and red and white were the winners.

1936 – Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council 2768, was chartered August 3rd. At the first class meeting of the year, the Junior Class made plans for serving breakfasts on First Friday mornings.

1937 – There were only thirteen members in the graduating class. Chief Justice Henry Gallagher was the commencement speaker. The publication of School News was given first class honors by the National Scholastic Press Association.

1938 – Corpus Christi, a parish in Deerfield Township, Steele County, became a mission of Sacred Heart. The organization and election of officers for a unit of CSMC (Catholic Student Mission Crusade) took place. It was a program of prayer, study and sacrifice for the missions. Sister Jane Francis left Waseca after being here for twelve years. She was replaced by Sister Perpetua.

1939 – The staff changed the name of the school paper from School News to The Torch. Roman Dawald, the editor-in-chief, wrote in the first issue of The Torch, “As from a torch other flames may be lighted, so from our Torch we hope to kindle the flame of greater love of God, patriotism for our country, and loyalty to our school.”

1940 – Marilyn McDermott, a senior, wrote the school song which begins “On a Minnesota prairie where the winds of northland rule, waves the white and crimson banner of the Sacred Heart High School.” The Parent Educator Group was formed in the 1940’s.

1941 – Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The United States entered World War II. The Sacred Heart Parish Council of Catholic Women was established. All high school students participated in the First Friday Masses which were followed by hot chocolate and fresh rolls. Lillian Wyman became the school nurse and continued her service for the next twenty-eight years. On November 4th, the high school students performed the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta H.M.S. Pinafore directed by Sister Thomas Aquin.

1942 – Monsignor Treanor was killed in an automobile accident on January 19th. He had been pastor of Sacred Heart for fifty-two years and while Superintendent had worked very diligently to provide a good Catholic education for many people. Monsignor John B. Gregoire became pastor of Sacred Heart and served until 1948. Fall saw the return of football for the first time since 1926. Girls took over cheerleading, Helen Lynch, Gertrude Gallagher and Donna Lynch were the first girl cheerleaders of the school. The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, Pirates of Penzance, was performed by several students.

1943 – St. Jarlath’s Church of Iosco became a mission of Sacred Heart. The seniors dedicated their final edition of The Torch to the men and women in the Service who were so gallantly fighting for freedom.

1944 – Sister Perpetua was transferred from Sacred Heart to the College of St. Teresa and was replaced by Sister Eunice. The football team, coached by D.M. Coughlin, was DeSmet Conference Champion. It suffered no defeats in seven games.

1945 – The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. World War II ended. The seniors were the first class to wear caps and gowns for graduation. This decision was the result of a class vote and because there were more girls than boys in the class, the boys lost the vote.

1946 – Court Sacred Heart #1424 of the Catholic Daughters of America was instituted in Waseca in November, with 74 charter members. Sister Assisi left Sacred Heart after devoting twenty-four years of her life teaching music to young people in the area. Sacred Heart was allowed to rent the public athletic field for night games at a cost of $25.00 per game. The class play Hitch Your Wagon to a Star was directed by Sister Mary Beth and Sister Guillaume. The Sisters added characters so that all twenty seniors had parts.

1947 – This class was the first to have homecoming royalty. Marian Frederick was elected queen and her attendants were Marjorie Fitzsimmons and Geraldine Kahnke. The basketball team won the DeSmet Conference and went to the State Catholic basketball tournament in St. Paul. They won the good sportsmanship trophy. The Nights of the Altar was organized by Father Vernon Schaefer. A law was passed providing free school bus transportation for public school students. Because the buses were owned by the Waseca public schools, by law students attending Sacred Heart School were not allowed to ride them.

1948 – The school buses were sold to Milton Clemons and Robert Korteum. Selling the buses to private contractors removed the buses from state jurisdiction, allowing Sacred Heart students to ride, provided their parents paid for the transportation.

1949 – “Scarlets” was the new and official name of the Sacred Heart High School gridiron team. Up until this time the team had a variety of names: Warriors, Maroons, Redmen, Crimsons, Mac-Men and several others.

1950 – Student Queen was the senior class play with all twenty-four members in the cast.

1950-1953 – Korean War

1951 – Four additional classrooms costing $30,000.00 were added to the present Treanor-Campion Center. This addition was built on the east and west sides and included rooms on both floors. The Sodality of Our Lady was again organized. A memorable event was the day President Truman came to Waseca on the train. The students walked from the school to the depot to hear him speak.

1952 – Home and School Committee, the first of its kind in the Diocese, was organized. Scholastic honors went to William Sturner and Shirley Kelling. Football all-state was won by Richard Fitzsimmons and basketball all-conference center was won by William Fitzsimmons.

1953 – The girls’ Glee Club of forty-two members, a girls’ sextette and a boys’ sextette participated in the music festivals. All the high school girls were eligible to join the Girls’ Athletic Association. Waseca native Brother Matthew Swift was released by Chinese communists after spending 2 1/2 years in prison for refusing to print Red propaganda.

1954 – The class patron saint was Our Lady of Lourdes, the class colors were blue and white, the class flower was the forget-me-not, and the class motto was “Mary’s way – our way.”

1955 – The basketball team, the Scarlets, made it all the way to the State Tournament, but were defeated in the second game.

1956 – The first band was organized and money was raised to buy uniforms.

1957 – Under the direction of His Excellency Bishop Edward Fitzgerald of Winona and Monsignor John McShane of Sacred Heart Parish, the ground for a new high school building was broken in May. Its eleven classrooms included provisions for the teaching of physics, chemistry, biology, shorthand, typing, office practice, home economics, and the traditional academic subjects.

1958 – On May 30th, members of the last class to graduate from the old school building received their diplomas. In the fall, the present elementary school was completed. It served as the high school to approximately one hundred twenty students.

1959 – A concert was presented by the fifty-six member chorus group, the band consisting of thirty-four students, and the newly organized string orchestra made up of students from the Conservatory.

1960 – Band members, under the direction of Herb Streitz, received their new uniforms in time for the Memorial Day Parade.

1961 – Classes and all school functions were attended only in proper attire – girls to wear skirts below the knees and boys to wear dress slacks (no jeans). Shirts were to be tucked in and the boys were to wear belted pants. Gym suits were not to be worn in the corridor.

1962 – This class was the first to finish four years of high school in the new building which is now the grade school building.

1963 – This was the first class to have a student council and the first to have a foreign exchange student. Lyndon Krathochwill was the first student council president and Rafael Flores the first exchange student.

1964 – The United States became involved in the Vietnam conflict. on St. Patrick’s Day box lunches were auctioned at the basket social. Auctioneers were Jeff Conway and Michael Byron. Sister Adrian’s second grade classes continue to do a fine performance of “Ouch, There Goes My Rheumatis.”

1965 – A fire at Sacred Heart Church burned out part of the choir loft, damaging pews and a portion of the floor. Damages were between $12,000 – 15,000. The band was now under the direction of Marvin Nissen, and the chorus was led by Sister Giovanni. The winter choral and band concert was held on December 9th.

1966 – The Scarlets produced an exciting basketball season with a 13-8 record and claimed second place in the DeSmet Conference and the Region 1 Tournament.

1967 – Sacred Heart High School students began a shared time program with Waseca high School for classes not offered at Sacred Heart. This class of thirty-nine seniors was the largest to graduate.

1968 – St. Jarlath’s Church again came under the jurisdiction of Sacred Heart. As graduates of a Catholic school, the class had Saint Martin de Porres as their patron saint.

1969 – French, speech, art, typing and bookkeeping were classes shared at Waseca High School. Until the fall of 1969, parents paid nine dollars a month for each child to ride the school bus to Sacred Heart School. The State of Minnesota passed a law requiring equal transportation of public and private school children. Students from Sacred Heart School could then ride free. James Zimmerman of Sacred Heart Parish was instrumental in getting this bill passed. In March, the first Saint Patrick’s Day Turkey Dinner was held, staffed by the men of Sacred Heart Parish. Tickets were $1.75 for adults, $1.00 for children under twelve, and pre-schoolers were free.

1970 – A new addition to Sacred Heart social activities was Snow Week which was organized by the Student Council. The week’s activities included a dance, poster contest, snow sculpture contest, basketball game, snow football game, skating and cocoa party and a toboggan party at Clear Lake Park.

1971 – The Parish Council suspended the operation of the High School and reduced the Grade School to grades 1 through 4. Grades 5 through 12 were transferred to the public schools. The high school was adapted to meet the needs of grades 1 through 4. The old grade school building was used as a classroom for the CCD program, the gym was used for grade school physical education classes and part of the building was used by the Day Activity Center.

1979 – A generous bequest from Dan Campion made possible the renovation of the older school building resulting in religious education and meeting rooms, a remodeled gym and kitchen on the first floor.

1981 – The first Sacred Heart All-School Reunion was held. When insulation was installed over the windows at Sacred Heart Elementary School, corkboard was used on the inside to provide additional bulletin board space in the classrooms. Six of the nine windows in each room were insulated.

1986 – The Sacred Heart Education Endowment Fund was established.

1988 – Second All-School Reunion for Sacred Heart School; first joint All-School Reunion with public school.

1992 – Sacred Heart Children’s House opened under the administration of Monsignor Joseph Mountain and Principal Sandra Allaire. The school, located on the main level of the convent building, uses the Montessori method of education; it is nondenominational and is tuition based.

1993 – Rev. Ruben Spinler served as Deacon for six months and Assistant Pastor in 1994 for two weeks. Since 1905, two hundred fifteen Franciscan Sisters from Rochester, Minnesota, have served in the parish. Sister Mary Goergen, who was at Waseca from 1981 to 1993, was the last Rochester Franciscan to teach at Sacred Heart School.

1995 – Father John Kunz became pastor at Sacred Heart. First Sacred Heart School/Parish Breakfast was held.

1996 – Sister Loretta Strobel, a member of the Notre Dame Order, was the last Sister on the Sacred Heart faculty. She had taught here for three years.

1997 – Sacred Heart Scrip Program starts. The Sacred Heart Computer Laboratory opened. The installation of a new furnace was necessary. Two sections of kindergarten were added to Sacred Heart Elementary School.

1998 – Sacred Heart School received new windows and siding. School marathon raised $16,916.00. Sacred Heart School had an enrollment of 160 students. Sacred Heart Children’s House had an enrollment of 85 students. It employed two full-time teachers and two part-time aides. Graduates of Sacred Heart High School and Waseca High School enjoyed a combined All-School Reunion.