School: Neillsville St. Mary's (Closing 1972)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Makie, Wegner Mayer, O’Connell

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 2/17/1972

Catholic School (Closing 1972)

The closing of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Neillsville at the end of the current term was made official by a vote of the parish council Tuesday night.

Official notice of the fact was to be forwarded to Supt. Gerald Makie, administrator of the Neillsville district public schools, by Mrs. Carl R. Wegner, secretary.

At the same time, LaVern Mayer, head of the St. Mary’s school cou7ncil, said that an effort will be made to increase religious education for the parish if it can attract a nun, priest or a brother. The purpose would be to make such instruction available to both school children and adults.

The Neillsville district public school board spent some time in its meeting Monday night discussing aspects of the projected closing with Mr. Mayer and others. An effort will be made to purchase and use such equipment now at St. Mary’s as may be required by the district to care for the additional load of 118 children, Mr. Makie said.

Many details remain to be worked out to make a transition smooth; but Mr. Makie reaffirmed his original analysis that the transfer could be made with a minimum of disruption in the public school system.

Prin. Dan O’Connell of the elementary school suggested that a day be set aside in the spring on which St. Mary’s students might visit the public schools to become familiar to the routine of classes. In this way, it was felt, the transition might be more smoothly made by the students next fall.