Pope John XXIII Central Catholic (Elgin, NE)

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 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 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.  Pope John has been providing Catholic education to young people in the region for over 50 years.