At about midnight the firemen seemed to get the fire under control. That nine hours steady stream of water had to do some good and it did eventually. It looked as if the two lower floors of the grade school could be saved. Boys with firemen went into the building and salvaged some of the valuables, including books, from the eight grade class room. It was nearest to the outside door.

the sturdy old walls of St. Mary's stood, they did not fall. The front wall caved in somewhat but the rest withstood it all. The big chimney behind the laundry building looks as bold and defiant as ever. It was completely untouched. One of the men said "Don't worry that won't fall they'll have to take it apart brick by brick on Judgement Day."

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the statue above the main entrance to the old building, is still standing upright a little smudgy and battered looking but not really damaged in spite of the crumbling walls all around her. Three cheers.

Nor was the Sacred Heart statue in the front yard damaged by all the water and fire equipment that had to get near the building. It looks whiter and more beautiful than ever.

By one A.M. the crowd started breaking up. We went to the hospital to prepare for a sleepless night. As we looked out the window we saw Mother Antonella and some of the Sisters coming from the high school, so we redressed and went down to find out what was new. We joined them and found out that our electricity and water had been connected, so we could go home if we wanted to. Me? I went. There's no place like home to sleep.

The hospital Sisters had given us each sleeping pills to help relax us so we could get some rest.

When we got home we sat around glumly and talked. The Froelichs and the Birminghams came over and we talked and reminised along into the morning.

Firemen remained all night keeping that steady stream of water flowing on the burning building.

I got back to my milk and crackers at 2 a.m.

They were all so wonderful, so self sacrificed. They certainly did all they could to save the buildings.

At 5:30 p.m., Wednesday all is rather quiet. The flames have died down and the ashes are cooling. The firemen have been inside the building all day putting out little fires that break out all over. The entire area is roped off. A loud speaker is blasting on Benton street, telling prowlers (like us) to keep off the premises under penalty of arrest. The FBI is here from Lincoln investigating Uncle Sam's loss and the cause. The National Guard in relays of four are patrolling the property, keeping every one away while the investigation is going on.

The first indication of smoke was observed after school by a group in the music department, Room seven. The west corner on the north end. As soon as someone saw it coning through the floor, he ran to turn in the alarm to get everyone out of the building. Of course some of the teachers thought that one of the boys was fooling with the fire alarm, but some of the grade teachers smelled the smoke (after school) and left to find out what it was all about, with the intention of returning to finish the work they were doing. They did not return. The building had filled with smoke that quickly.

It's 10 a.m. Thursday. What is left of Old St. Mary's? The walls are still standing shakily, but are standing. The windows are gone, the insides of the rooms completely gutted. The floors of the rooms have fallen through to the basement and are still smoldering with an occasional outburst of flame.

The National Guard is still patrolling, Uncle Sam has spoken, no one unauthorized goes into the building.