Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School
On May 6, 1966, Omaha Archdiocesan School Superintendent Msgr. Roman C. Ulrich called together 14 representatives from the parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Bonaventure, St. Boniface, St. Francis, St. Theresa, and St. John to discuss the building of the Central Catholic High School in Elgin, Nebraska. This school would be built, maintained, and operated by the corporation representing these six parishes. Later on May 25, 1966, the name Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School suggested by St. Boniface pastor Msgr. Theodore Buelt, was voted on and accepted.
On June 1, 1966 Dana, Larsen, Roulal, and Associates were selected as architects to build the proposed school on the site west of the St. Boniface Athletic Field. The accepted design called for a 30,300 square foot structure to accommodate 350 students on a compact, one-level plan with a loop circulation corridor. The core of the plan contained a music facility, commercial room, library-study areas, physics, biology, and chemistry labs, an audio-visual room, and administrative offices. The exterior of the loop corridor included nine classrooms, as well as home economics and industrial arts facilities. The structure was designed to allow all year, climate controlled school.
Pope John XXIII High School was designed to be constructed in two phases. The first was completed as described. The second phase called for a gymnasium, locker and shower rooms, cafeteria, kitchen, and storage areas. However, in order to reduce expenses, it was decided to utilize gymnasium and cafeteria facilities owned by St. Boniface Parish.
Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School opened in the fall of 1967 in Elgin. This is Pope John’s 50th year in existence. Six parishes are part of the Pope John community. They are St. John the Baptist Parish in Petersburg, St. Bonaventure Parish in Raeville, St. Boniface Parish in Elgin, St. Francis Parish in Neligh, St. Theresa’s Parish in Clearwater, and St. John’s Parish in rural Clearwater. Pope John offers grade 7-12 and serves families from many area towns.
St. Boniface Elementary School
In 1909 St. Boniface Parish in Elgin opened St. Boniface School. For over 100 years, St. Boniface has provided a Catholic education to area children. The School Sisters of St. Francis were the first teachers at the school. The school was originally located next to St. Boniface church, but is now located in the south side of the Pope John XXIII Central Catholic. The school offers preschool through 6th grade.
