There was a great destiny for Holt County, but in the latter part of July 1876, grasshoppers temporarily postponed it. The grasshoppers covered the ground to a depth of four to six inches. The aerial flight of the insects was about one and one-half to two miles wide and lasted for nearly two days. Such severe crop damage, amounting to over fifty percent losses in the colony, caused many of the homesteaders to decide to leave the colony.

The official organization of Holt County occurred in the summer of 1876. In the face of the grasshopper scourge, it provided the struggling settlers with badly needed encouragement. They had been looking forward to the area's official recognition as a County for many months. The children of the settlers were able to attend a school, which was established by one of the settlers in her own home.

The settlers then decided to begin the erection of a church for the Lord. Father Bedard was still coming from Frenchtown (present day Neligh) for services in O'Neill. As the church was being built, Father Bedard is reported to have died, probably in Yankton in 1876. It was completed in July, 1877 and the first Mass was said by a Father Smith of Council Bluffs who was sent here for the purpose. He was appointed as the first permanent pastor of St. Joseph's Church (St. Patrick's Church) in O'Neill. As the newly ordained priest arrived in O'Neill, he temporarily resided at the home of John Cronin and at intervals with families of Dennis Daly and J. P. O'Donnell.

During the year 1879, Father Smith built the first parochial residence in the parish. Much land was still public domain and the virgin prairies, unbroken and unclaimed, lay invitingly awaiting the approach of the homesteader who soon came in, entered claims, and established homes so that Father Smith soon found his ever increasing congregation outgrew the seated capacity of his eighteen feet by thirty-six feet church. The first money collected for the new church, which was built by Father Smith, came from a bequest of John Hughes, a bachelor, who died here and willed his property to St. Joseph's Church - several thousand dollars in notes, on parties in Iowa, but for various causes. Father Smith realized only seven or eight hundred dollars on them.

The old church, which had been moved to the east of the church being built, was sold to the O'Neill School District Number Seven. O'Neill's first church building became O'Neill's first public school building and continued as such until 1884 when School District Number Seven built its brick building.

In 1889, a strong and universal feeling existed throughout the parish, that the time had come and the exigencies and necessities of the situation demanded the establishment, at O'Neill, of an Academy for young ladies, wherein should be taught the higher branches of learning, music, and the arts, the same to be placed in charge of and conducted by one of the more popular orders of instructors to be found among the sisterhood of the church.

Following Easter in 1890, subscription books, for the purpose of raising funds, were opened to the public and voluntary contributions were solicited for the purpose of building a Catholic Academy. The people, fully assuring the success of the project met these with generous and prompt responses. Plans were taking form to build the Sister's school on the lots just west of the church and rectory. It must be remembered that when the parish was incorporated in 1886, Bishop James O'Connor once again gave the warranty deed back to Father Cassidy.

The plans for the school really began to take form. Toward the middle of May 1890, a certain Mr. McLean visited Father Cassidy. He offered a cash donation of $2,500.00 and freight gratis on all material used in its construction. He also guaranteed that all the material should be purchased at Sioux City prices and all of this no doubt was to bring Mr. McLean's donation up to $4,000.00, possibly $5,000.00. A meeting on May 29, 1890, showed that the people of O'Neill pledged nearly $5,000.00, making the total close to $10,000.00. Meetings and conferences were held from time to time to devise ways and means until June 19, 1890, when the plans were released and a contract was entered into for the erection of the brick building. Many went to Architect Dyers' office to see the plans. The plans were elaborate and when the building was to be completed the cost was to be at least $22,000.00. It was to be seventy-five feet on the front (south) and forty-five wide (east) with an addition in the back thiry-one feet by forty-nine feet. But this back part was not to be built right away but in time was expected as an addition. It was to contain four floors ( basement, two full stories, and an attic). It was to be equipped with all modern appliances, and heated by steam. It was to be built on the western half of Block Four and was to be known as Saint Mary's Academy. But the plans were to build the best possible. The basement was divided into kitchen, laundry, and dining rooms. On the first floor was a music room and reception room in the southwest corner, a parlor in the southeast corner, two schoolrooms, hall and cloakroom. The entrance and vestibule measured nine feet by thirteen feet. The second floor had two sisters' rooms in front, chapel room on the east and a class room on the west, with a hall and cloak room as the floor below. The third floor is divided into dormitories, bathroom and hall. A tower measuring twelve feet by sixteen feet will run up in front over the vestibule. The large spacious hall and stairway, the elegant rooms for its various departments were to combine and thus make it one of the finest buildings in this part of the state. The style of the building was Romanesque, the corners were rounded, with a foundation of stone and the main building was to be of brick with stone trimmings.

City Engineer Adams set out the stakes for the building. To the people of O'Neill it was the Sisters' College but to Father Cassidy, it was to be Saint Mary's Academy. Excavation began in June of 1890, and Contractor Burns worked quickly. It only required half a dozen men and three teams of horses to get the job done. Mr. Burns donated his work to the church and was certainly deserving of much credit or as the local newspaper stated it "... considering the fact that he has not a dollar's worth of property in the town for his liberality."

The cornerstone for the new school was laid on September 13, 1890. It was a big day for O'Neill, and there was a large crowd to witness the ceremony. At two-thirty in the afternoon, the O'Neill Cornet Band marched to the church and rendered a few selections prepared especially for the occasion, in a very commendable manner. At three o'clock, the procession, which formed in front of the church, was composed of the O'Neill Cornet Band, the Sunday school children, the Young Ladies Sodality, the Catholic Knights of America, and the priests. The procession marched to the academy and upon the first floor, which was laid, and on which stood the speaker, Father Joseph F. Nugent of Des Moines, Iowa. On the platform with the speaker were Father John Jeannette of Omaha (who officiated as celebrant owing to the recent death of Bishop O'Connor and the Episcopal See of Omaha still being vacant), Father Kolin of Atkinson, and Fathers Cassidy and Hoheisl of O'Neill. Father Nugent delighted and entertained the audience for forty-five minutes in which he made the dedicating speech. He spoke upon the usefulness and the benefits to be derived from Catholic schools and the audience stood wrapped in attention as the words of logic and wisdom fell from his lips. As an orator Father Nugent had few, if any, equals and everyone in that vast audience listened with interest to every word that was spoken. After his talk came the ceremony of laying the corner stone. In the stone was placed a tin box which contained papers on which were written the names of Pope Leo XIII, the late Bishop O'Connor, President Benjamin Harrison and Vice President Levi P. Morton, Mayor John McBride of O'Neill, the names of the building committee, the largest donators, a copy of each of the city papers, including a copy of the "boom" edition of THE FRONTIER and also coins of the current year. After the ceremonies of laying the corner stone were over, the band played a few selections and the audience dispersed. That evening, Father Nugent gave a lecture in the church on the subject of "The Lost Confessional," which he handled in a very able manner and was listened to by a large audience. After the lecture a collection was taken up and together with the one taken in the afternoon amounted to one-hundred-fifty dollars, which was given to the academy.

Work was pushed along rapidly. Father Cassidy did take a mortgage on the property for two thousand dollars with the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company of Sioux City on Lots 13 & 14 and this was paid back by November 23, 1889. A Mechanic's Lien was filed by Richard Smithy and this was paid by December 6, 1890. Then the building was completed in early February of 1891. It had a slate roof and was very steep. The tower in front was higher than the rest of the building and was seventy feet above the ground and was surmounted with a large bronze cross of very fine pattern. There were three large chimneys one each on the north, east, and west, besides the several smaller ones. The material used in the structure was principally brick with stone sills, caps, and steps. Its foundation was secure and the building in every respect was solid and substantial, a creditable monument to the enterprise and liberality of the people and lasting credit to the city. The total cost of the building without the addition was not less than twenty thousand dollars and when the addition, which was in the planning stage, was to be added and the whole unit would be near thirty thousand dollars. The school was not expected to open until September 1891 because all the good teachers were already engaged in teaching for the year and it was the intention of the parish board to start with good teachers only. The Sisters of Charity had been contacted and had agreed to come and run the school. Father Cassidy had already received inquiries from points east and west concerning the school and hopes were high that the school was going to be a success.

But then on February 19, 1891, at high noon, when the school was almost completed, the fire alarm was sounded, and the terrible fact was that Saint Mary's Academy, the pride of the town, was in flames. Crowds of men and women rushed to the scene, but it was too late to save the building and nothing could be done in a heroic manner. The wind was favorable, being from the south, and as soon as the roof fell and the northeast corner burned out, the danger to the other buildings was over. It was a sickening and painful site to see that grand structure going up in smoke and there were many sad hearts in the town because of the fire. The origin of the fire was a mystery and will probably always remain one. The workmen stated that there had been no fire in any room of the building all day except in the southwest attic room and that was out by eleven o'clock. They left the building at five minutes of twelve going from the upper floor down to the basement to get out and there was no fire visible then. The men went down to the New Ogden to dinner and had just gone in to the table when they heard the cry of fire. The noon bell had scarcely ceased ringing when it was started up as the fire alarm and the smoke was seen issuing from the windows in the first and second stories on the northeast side and out of the roof at noon or very soon thereafter. It started up and got very strong headway in an almost incredibly short space of time and the whole building was burned in about ninety minutes. The loss was estimated from ten to twelve thousand dollars and the building was insured for ten thousand dollars in the name of the church. The contractors had no insurance. The walls and high chimneys, and even the cupola frame were left standing and it was thought that the greater part of the walls were still as good as new. The northeast and northwest corners were cracked and the windowsills and caps, made of red sandstone, seemed to be burned and some of them totally ruined.

It was almost certain that the damage was to be repaired and that the building was to be in shape for the fall school term. Mr. McVey was reported as saying that the loss falls upon them and that they will expect to make it good. Mr. Meals, the other member of the firm, telegraphed to Frank Campbell to know if his interests were protected. He was to be up that evening to meet with the contractors and the building committee to get the situation properly adjusted. Also, a meeting was called by the city of O'Neill at the court house for the purpose of inaugurating a scheme whereby the town would secure a system of water works for protection from fire, but the attendance was light and nothing was really accomplished except that a seed was sown for water works in the future.

Father Cassidy felt that the fire originated in the basement through the carelessness of the workmen. At the time of this appalling disaster, fourteen thousand dollars had been expended on the building and its heating plant. Father Cassidy then was informed by the insurance company that had insured the academy refused to pay for the fire damages on the grounds that the building did not belong to the parish. The insurance policy was made out in the name of the church, but the academy had not been formally turned over to the church by the contractors, hence, the grounds for the claim. There still seemed to be no question as to the rebuilding of the academy as the contractors stated they were the losers by the fire and even if the insurance could not be collected, they would have to replace the building. Still suit was instituted in the District Court of Holt County against the contractors and their bondsmen to recover the amount paid on the contract, and a judgement for fourteen thousand dollars and costs obtained. The case was appealed by the bondsmen to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which reversed the judgment of the District Court. The suit was dropped, but Father Cassidy was faced with bills and Mechanic's Liens by Frank B. Kennard Glass and Paint Company, Galena Lumber Company (a partnership of Edward F. Gallagher and Thomas F. Birmingham), the Omaha Planing Mill Company, Newell and Lamphear, A.C. Raymer. These liens amounted to three-thousand-and-thirty-four dollars and fifty-eight cents. But Father Cassidy managed to get through all of this because on February 2, 1891, he went to Omaha and mortgaged the whole property for ten thousand dollars, and Felix J. Despecher held the mortgage.

All of this, the calamity, the mortgage, shattered for the time being, the fondest aspirations and most cherished ambitions of the parish, but, severe as the shock was, it did not entirely annihilate the hopes and determination of the people to replace the beautiful structure that had been the pride of their hearts for a day.

In the spring of 1898, the chief ambition of the parishioners was to erect a school building. The great number of children in the parish in need of Catholic education rendered the building of a school an absolute necessity. The men of the parish set to work and tore down the ruins of the first convent and school that had remained since the destructive fire of 1891. The resources of the parish were dependent entirely on the harvest of the summer of 1899 but it fell below the usual yield. The hopes of the people were somewhat dampened, and it was thought best not to begin on this new building the following spring, because the parishioners did not want "debt" ranked among their possessions. But Divine Providence intervened and blessed the community of St. Patrick's in a singular manner and this is recorded in the Sisters' Chronicle of St. Mary's of O'Neill:

The country back of St. Francis Mission, in the Rosebud Agency of South Dakota, has numerous lakes that provide splendid facilities for hunting. Father Cassidy and Patrick McManus, two famous hunters of O'Neill, were accustomed to spending a week each autumn at St. Francis Mission, in order to make use of this region for their favorite pastime. It was during these visits that the Franciscans at St. Francis Mission had an opportunity of becoming well acquainted with father Cassidy. When leaving for home, he invariably begged Mother Leopoldine to permit some of the Sisters to visit O'Neill. As the result of his pleading, Mother Leopoldine, who was in Europe in 1896, wrote back to the mission that Sister Alexia with Sophie Walking Eagle, and Frances Cut Cut should come to O'Neill for a few days, meet her at the train in O'Neill on her return trip, and accompany her back to the mission. Owing to the fact that Sister had the two Indian girls with her, she did not go to the rectory but to the home of John Hunt, who with his brother Dennis had done plastering at the mission. The Hunts were hospitable and Mrs. Hunt drove to most of the homes with Sister so that she met most of the Catholics of O'Neill.

Every afternoon Sister called at the rectory, and it was chatting with Father Cassidy on his front veranda, from which point of the burnt convent was in full view, that Father Cassidy said, "Sister, if your Community will come here and rebuild the Convent, I will give them the lots and everything on them," Sister did not reply but tried to turn the conversation to another topic. After a while Father came back with, "You did not give me an answer to my proposition." Sister answered, "Father, you do not want a German community in this Irish community." But Father continued, "I don't care what they are if they are only good teachers."

On the train going back to the Mission with Mother Leopoldine, Sister Alexia told Mother all that Father Cassidy had said. Mother Leopoldine was at once taken up with the proposal and entered heart and soul into having it accepted. She wrote at once to Reverend Mother who had Mother Cecilia and Sister Leonarda, then the business manager, come to O'Neill, meet the school children at the rectory and then send her report as to the advisability of taking over the project. Mother Cecilia and Sister Leonarda came from O'Neill to St. Francis Mission where the assembled community heard Sister Leonarda's report. It was that there was no thought of their undertaking to rebuild the school, that it would be impossible, and that the Sisters would starve in such a place as O'Neill. This was the report she sent to Reverend Mother, but Mother Leopoldine did not give up hopes and continued to urge Reverend Mother to take it. The Sisters of St. Francis Mission prayed to heaven to have the Sisters accept the new work offered. Father Cassidy was so highly esteemed by Mother Leopodine and the Sisters that they left no stone unturned to remove all obstacles and comply with his wishes. Reverend Mother's answer came to Father Cassidy: "We shall take O'Neill, for I think if our Holy Father, Saint Francis, were living, it would be just such a place as O'Neill where he would want us to work -- a place as where no other religions are working."

And thus the second St. Mary's began. Mother Leopoldine sent Sister Cypriana and Sister Rosalia McMullen (later she was Sister Emily) out to Park City, Utah, to Thomas Kearns, the owner of the Silver King Mine, an O'Neill boy who had gone west with only fifty cents in his pocket. This good gentleman gave the first donation for St. Mary's, one thousand dollars. Then Mother Leopoldine borrowed another thousand dollars from Doctor De Bell, who had a store at Rosebud Agency. She raised funds from various sources to get the work on the new school started. The first Saint Mary's was built in 1890 at the cost of eighteen- thousand dollars and was to serve as a school and a residence of the Franciscan Sisters from Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. The parish was unable to raise the funds to build another convent and school, so Father Cassidy pleaded long and earnestly to have the Franciscan Sisters undertake the rebuilding at their expense, and Reverend Mother Ludmilla finally gave her consent to the erection of a Convent to serve as a parish school and boarding school, the latter to be used especially for children of the surrounding country in order to prepare them for their First Holy Communion.

The site, including eight lots and the ruins of the old convent were presented as a free gift to the Sisters and the Sisters would in return erect a new building which would be commodious and in every way suitable to the needs of the parish and would conduct a school that would give the children and education based on Catholic foundation, and at the same time embrace the regular high school course of study.

Following the progress of the construction, the February 23, 1899 Frontier newspaper published this article:

A force of men commenced tearing down the walls of the academy last Monday. The walls are so solid that considerable blasting is being done in order to get them down. It is expected that the entire structure will be down next week and as soon as warm weather comes work will begin upon its reconstruction.

In the autumn of 1899 further agreements were made and it was decided that a few Sisters should come to O'Neill at the beginning of next year, live in a rented house, and support themselves by the teaching of music and fancy work: on April 19, 1900, Sister Mathilda, Sister Catherine, and Mother Kostka bade farewell to Holy Rosary Mission and arrived in O'Neill the following day. A delegation of parishioners met them at the depot and conducted their new home for the present, a modest cottage on the hill west of the burnt convent.

On the way to the cottage, the Sisters stopped at St. Patrick's church and kneeling at the communion rail offered themselves to God reminding him that he called them and they were in O'Neill to do his bidding. On arrival at the cottage, a hearty greeting was given to the Sisters by Brother Stander, S. J., an architect from St. Francis Mission, who, in answer to a petition from the Sisters, had been permitted by his superior provincial in Buffalo, New York, to take charge of the building, the work, and the laborers needed for its erection. Brother Stander took up his residence at the rectory and had the free hospitality of Father Cassidy. The temporary home of the Sisters consisted of several small rooms with a smaller kitchen, and the furniture boasted of having three old beds, several wash tubs, a supply of bed clothing, a generous supply of baking soda and ten dollars worth of groceries on the table, all supplied by kind-hearted parishioners. Everything spoke of extreme poverty and the first cupboards, small tables, and prie-dieux were made by the Sisters out of dry-goods boxes.

In the meantime, the plans for a new Convent and the foundation itself in 1900 received approval of the highest authorities of Franciscans' Congregation in Europe and in Buffalo, New York.

On May 4, 1900, a parish meeting was secretly called and it was to honor Father Cassidy. The parishioners found out that Father was going to Europe. A committee called upon Father and presented him with a well-filled purse containing well over four-hundred dollars, and the following address: "Beloved Pastor: Having learned of your proposed trip to Europe, we take this opportunity of paying you our respects before your departure. Fourteen years you have been the parish priest of this congregation and during that time, you have endeared yourself to all who have come in contact with you; and to us you have been a spiritual advisor and faithful friend. You have been a devout and untiring laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, and while we all very much regret that we are to be separated from you for the next few months, we still are more than compensated by a knowledge of the fact that it will be to you a season of needed rest and recreation. It is our sincere wish that your entire trip will be one of pleasure and that you will return to us in the autumn with improved health and vigor for the work before you. We know how badly you need a vacation, and we sincerely trust you will be able to put aside all cares and fully enjoy your tour in Europe, and particularly the visit you have in view to the land of your birth. We hope to receive word from you from time to time, and you may rest assured that although we may not be present with you in body, our best wishes and thoughts will follow you in your sojourn abroad. As an evidence that your work has been appreciated and that the seed sown in your labor among us had not all been cast on sandy ground, and as a token of personal esteem, we present you a purse, the contents of which we trust will help defray the expense of your trip, the recollection of which, we hope, may be a pleasant memory during your absence. Signed in behalf of the congregation, O.F. Biglin, Chairman of the Committee." Father Cassidy had a loving place in the hearts of his people and this was deeply exemplified on Sunday when he bid adieu for a time and there were tear-stained faces in the congregation as he told them of his departure. On Monday, May 7, 1900 Father Cassidy left by train waving goodbye to a large crowd assembled at the depot to bid him a safe trip and God-speed. He visited Rome, Germany, France, and the famous passion play at Oberammergau. On his return, he spent a month in Ireland and returned on September the first. The building of the foundation of the school continued.

On May 31, 1900, the Frontier carried the following article: Work on St. Mary's convent is being pushed forward rapidly. John Hunt has the contract for the brick work and has seven bricklayers at work. He expects to have the brickwork completed by August 15.

On June 11, 1990, the plans for the new Saint Mary's were shown and it was to contain four schoolrooms on the first floor, four school rooms on the second floor, with a dormitory in the roof which would be sufficient to accommodate one hundred pupils with sleeping apartments. The basement had a ten-foot ceiling, eight feet above the ground; the ceiling of the first floor was twelve feet, and on the second floor, eleven feet. The intention was to have it completed by September 1, 1900, with the estimated cost of thirty-thousand dollars, and the front of the building being built of pressed brick. On June 16, 1900, the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the corner stone to the new school was laid by Father Opava, the temporal pastor, in the absence of Father Cassidy. Work on the new building progressed rapidly, and on October 7, 1900, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, a statue of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (the official title of the new convent) - a gift of Doctor Corrigan of O'Neill, was solemnly unveiled and dedicated, and on the following day was erected in the niche above the main entrance to the convent. Not a single accident occurred during the entire time of work on the construction of the building. During the summer months though, several Sisters arrived as an increase to the community which then numbered ten. On September 10, 1900, following a High Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit, the first school year in Saint Patrick's Parish was begun. One-hundred-and-six pupils were enrolled the first day. With the permission of the Bishop, two classes occupied the church, the Blessed Sacrament having been placed in the sacristy. A third class took up its abode in the City Hall (skating rink), a favor of the city Mayor Edward F. Gallagher. As the small house in which the Sisters lived temporarily did not provide sufficient room for all, several Sisters slept in an unoccupied house near the new Convent. It had been offered generously for their use, gratis, by kind neighbors. By the end of October, one wing of the new building was sufficiently completed to permit the Sisters, in case of necessity, to dwell in it, although there were as yet no banisters on the stairways, no plastered walls, no finished floors, etc. On October 29, after spiritual exercises were ended, the statues and pictures belonging to the Sisters were carried to the convent and after seven o'clock that morning, generous and kind-hearted people appeared with horses and wagons and transported all the belongings of the Sisters from the cottage to the new Convent. The Sisters were delighted to be united again under their own roof.

The school continued toward its building completion. After a lapse of several weeks, the new classrooms were gradually finished and ready for occupancy. On December 12, 1900, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadaloupe, the convent and school were solemnly dedicated by Father Cassidy. A solemn High Mass was celebrated and Father Cleary, a renowned speaker from Minnesota, delivered a most eloquent sermon on the occasion. He outlined the benefits of a Catholic education and reminded the people of O'Neill that they were deeply indebted to the Sisters for providing these benefits for them. The rather large chapel did not furnish sufficient room for all who attended the services. The O'Neill Public School gave a free day to permit teachers and pupils to attend the solemnities. Many people wept through joy and gratitude at seeing their desires finally fulfilled. The Sisters and the people had given up many of the things that make life easy to see the school completed. The Stations of the Cross in the Sisters Chapel and the "Ave Maria" (the bell in the tower) were gifts of Mrs. James Gallagher - Ella Dailey Gallagher. The following inscription was upon the bell: "Ave Maria, Auxilium Christianorum, Protect All the Inmates, Bless the Benefactors, Pray For O'Neill, Assist Us In Death." On Christmas Eve, 1900, the Angelus was rung for the first time from the convent tower and Mother Kostka, Sister Alcantara, Sister Crescentia, Sister Laurentia, Sister Catherine, Sister Mathildae, Sister Sophie, Sister Geralda, Sister Norberta, Sister Eberharda, Sister Antoinette and Sister Arsenia were the Franciscan Sisters of O'Neill.

In April, 1901, Bishop Richard Scannell came to O'Neill and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to two hundred-and-thirteen children. He expressed his surprise at the splendid achievements in such a short time at O'Neill. He inspected the new convent and was moved by seeing the poverty of each Sister's cell. He promised to send a second priest to O'Neill so that daily Mass could be celebrated in the convent chapel. And as the first school year closed, there were two-hundred-and-ten day students and twenty boarders.

On June 18, 1903, the initiatory commencement of the Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help took place at the opera house in O'Neill. Seven young ladies (Margaret M. Barrett, Agnes F. Clark, Rose E. Grady, Margaret M. McGreevey, Florence E. Mullen, Anna S. O'Donnell, and Mary M. Hagerty) received the first diplomas from the Academy which was hailed as one of the finest educational institutions in the state and is a credit to this part of Nebraska and was the pride of O'Neill and Holt County. And the younger students of the school presented the entertainment which consisted of a "dumb-bell-drill" and a "flower circle" by the lower grades, a military drama "Rising of the Man" was also presented and appreciated by the large audience, many of whom had come many miles to be present at these exercises.

In November, 1904, the pupils of the school contributed a quilt to the fair. It was artistically made of silk materials with the signatures of the O'Neill citizens worked on each block. The quilt was raffled off and won by Miss Maggie Cullen and the ten dollar gold piece was won by D. A. Doyle. Events such as these were aiding in planning the new church. In 1907, Father Cassidy bought the Sisters a gasoline engine and machinery for mixing bread at the Academy. Mixing by hand all those large quantities of bread needed for the convent and school was a tedious process and the machinery would greatly reduce the amount of labor in this line.

1908 brought a new dimension to the school. It was approved for a Normal Training program which produces certified teachers at the end of two years. It was for Juniors and Seniors and the program was incorporated into the regular school curriculum. This year also saw the formation of a St. Mary's Alumni Association with 51 members.

A new addition was being added to St. Mary's Academy to make more room for the boarders. But it was a severe winter and thus progress was slow and a severe storm hit with high winds and blowing snow on May 1, 1911. Bishop Keane did make it to O'Neill from Cheyenne to confirm 227 persons even though there were outbreaks of measles and small pox. But the new addition was finally completed and dedicated.

Bishop Harty, who succeeded Bishop Scannell (died in January, 1916) as Bishop of Omaha, visited O'Neill on October 27, 1916, and confirmed eighty-eight children. The Bishop received a gift of six thousand dollars from the parish for the purpose of helping build the new cathedral in Omaha. Spanish Influenza (Black Flu) in 1918, coal strikes at the coal mines in 1919 and scarlet fever in 1920 caused much discomfort in O'Neill and its schools.

In 1923, financial conditions were difficult as shown by the Sisters' Chronicles: The opening of the new school year did not predict the happiest sailing, for many of the pupils did not return after Christmas to the Academy. The financial condition of the farmers hereabouts and of the people of the neighboring villages and towns, was not such as to permit them to send their children back to us. They were not even able to pay up their debts for the last year. On July 2, 1923, a tornado from the northeast hit the Academy, tearing slates from the roof and killing 50 baby chicks in the chicken yard.

1925 was the second year for boy-boarders at the school and it was the Silver Jubilee of the establishment of Saint Mary's Academy. Three-thousand dollars were contributed by the Alumnae and the members of the parish and the money was presented to the Sisters in commemoration of this event. The celebration lasted three days and it brought together many of the former Sisters and former Alumnae of the Academy.

The year 1926 was a dry year and the crops failed and that which could have survived was beaten by hailstones "the size of hen's eggs."

Plans for another addition to the Academy were unveiled in 1927 for the cost of fifteen thousand dollars, but there were excavation troubles because the previous school site had been filled in with rock. It was the Golden Jubilee Year for the Parish in O'Neill and on July 20, 1927, Father Cassidy was elevated to the rank of Domestic Prelate, with the title of Monsignor, by Pope Pius XI.

The year 1929 once again witnessed scarlet fever and small pox outbreaks among the people. The St. Mary's Basketball Team won the good sportsmanship trophy at the tournament in Sioux City and received a silver cup from Bishop Heelan.

In this year, Harlan Agnes, William Beha, Ben Clifford, Frank Gallagher, John McCarthy and Ivan Pruss were the first boys to graduate from St. Mary's.

The 1930's

In May of 1930, the boilers at St. Mary's Academy which were used to heat the institution were deemed unfit and unsafe for further usage by the State Boiler Inspectors. The new boilers would cost ten thousand dollars and the Sisters of St. Mary's Academy were financially unable to undertake such an expense. The proposition faced the parish of either closing the school or supplying the funds for the new boilers. Monsignor Cassidy made a most valiant plea to the people of the parish for the continuance of this magnificent school and as a result a financial drive was made to secure funds to replace the old boilers-and new boilers were installed in August. It was a hot summer reaching to one-hundred-nine degrees and then severe ice and snow storms hit in November.

Owing to the heat and dryness of the Earth, the seasons of 1930 and 1931 were marked by a total failure of the crops, leaving discouragement and adding to the depression already existing in the industrial centers of the country. A systematic effort was made to gather funds, food, clothing, and other necessities, including grain, for the rural people and the parish was fortunate in being able to take care of the needs of the people of O'Neill. The summer of 1932 brought many blessings in way of rain in due season, crops and vegetables were plentiful, and the people were imbued with new hope and courage to face the future.

On October 6, 1932, Monsignor Cassidy celebrated the fifty-fifth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The school children of St. Mary's gave an entertainment in his honor, and that evening a reception was held at the parish rectory by the members of the parish and a substantial purse was given to him as a token of the appreciation of the members of his parish for his long and faithful service to the people of St. Patrick's Parish and Holt County.

But two weeks later in the latter part of October, Monsignor Cassidy was admitted to Saint Catherine's Hospital in Omaha. It was a long month of November. Reports were coming from Omaha that he was improving rapidly and would be able to come home in a few days. But it was hope to have him come back. On Wednesday, November 29, his condition was critical and on Thursday, it was stated he was sinking, and on Friday, December 1, 1933, at 5:40 in the evening, the bell of St. Patrick's Church began to toll, and the people of O'Neill were in formed of his death. There was universal sorrow in the city.

On March 9, 1934, Father John McNamara, came to O'Neill to succeed Monsignor Cassidy.

There are no records inscribed of his parish work or any building projects undertaken or any important repairs made. His first years in O'Neill were years of poverty and depression occasioned by many years of drought and complete crop failures. The temperature reached one-hundred-and-one degrees at night. The following winter brought a mumps epidemic to the town. But it was not all darkness.

Quoting from the Sisters' Chronicles of 1935; "Owing to a scare of smallpox in O'Neill and surrounding country, the school children were vaccinated. Thank God all went well."

In March of 1935, there were terrible dust storms, which caused much dust pneumonia and also an epidemic of measles. But Monsignor carried on without a complaint of any demand for money, making the best of existing conditions and making ends meet as best he could. Always kind and gentle, he hated to talk about money, even when times got better and when most people prospered, he still left the parish budget and assessments as they were. A blizzard hit O'Neill in February of 1936 and it lasted a week. Drifts were ten feet high and shortages of food and fuel were everywhere. Monsignor helped where he could. The spring brought a quick thaw and the streets had four feet of water. The following winter say the temperature drop to twenty-four degrees below zero and the spring witnessed Monsignor's fortieth anniversary of his priesthood. The year of 1939 witnessed dust storms in January, heat and grasshoppers in the summer months and much snow again in December. In 1939, six-man football was organized. 

The 1940's

The year 1940 had lots of snow and Easter looked like Christmas. July was full of heat waves and November had an early blizzard that brought much damage to the crops and cattle and cancellation of the Armistice Day parade. These were the quiet years of St. Patrick's as Monsignor never wrote down the daily happenings of the parish, because things were difficult and Europe was torn apart by war.

The Golden Stairs were named in 1941. The graduating class of 1942 was the first to wear caps and gowns.

An entry in the Sisters' Chronicles of October, 1942 reads:

"An activity which is quite unique in a girls boarding school took place this year. In co-operation with the public school we entered the scrap day project. A free day was given to both schools for collecting scrap to help with the war economy project. A city lot was set aside for the center collection point and the teachers of the public school managed the weighing and tabulating of all scrap brought in by the children. How the children worked! The boarders were divided into squads with a leader to each squad; the day was an ideal one and in keeping with the spirit of youth a great deal of fun accompanied the strenuous efforts to haul the junk. We totaled over 115,000 pounds with an average of 500 pounds per capita in the High School. This entitled the High School to a flag offered by the World Herald of Omaha. The Senior Class and the Eighth grade had the highest class collection. They each received five dollars from the mayor. An appreciation program was held in the public school auditorium, which was a credit to O'Neill, and it's schools. The united bands of the tow schools which are under the same direction, Mr. Ira George, in uniforms, played while St. Mary's marched in from the west entrance. The children from both schools were in fine order and in high spirits; cheers were given, the two schools united in chorus, awarded were announced, etc., it was a real gala day with the outcome of arousing a feeling of pride in O'Neill with its population of so many children, a blessing from God."

On November 18, 1948, the Big Blizzard "the worst since '88" hit O'Neill. The Governor of Nebraska declared an emergency and the Fifth Army moved in to help. Sufferers were to leave signal marks in the snow, and places would alight to the rescue. The places arrived on skis with food, medicine, and fuel. Relative in O'Neill sent rescue planes out to rural people whose telephones and radios no longer functioned - and who might not know the distress signals. Stories of dire distress came back. Families were living in single rooms to conserve fuel; fence post and furniture were being used as fuel; some were out of food. St. Mary's Academy had reopened but only a few students could get to school and Monsignor was doing all he could to make things easier for those in dire need.

On September 30th, the city of O'Neill celebrated its Diamond Jubilee and St. Mary's float "Golden Jubilee Bells" rung by little angels won first place

In October, Monsignor was admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Lynch. His health was improving, but on the Feast of All Souls, November 2, "Father Mac" passed away from this life to the next. The funeral was on Monday, November 7, at ten-thirty.

On December 19, 1949, Father Timothy O'Sullivan came from Jackson, Nebraska, to be the successor of Monsignor McNamara.

The 1950's

The 1950 spring witnessed a blizzard, which paralyzed the whole community. St. Mary's celebrated its golden jubilee with Mass celebrated its golden jubilee with Mass celebrated by its priestly alumni: Fathers Clement Ryan, S.J.; Eugene Gallagher, S.J.; Francis Price; Peter Price, S.J., and William Froelich, S.J.

In the fall of 1952, a dream of the O'Neill community came true in that St. Anthony's Hospital was dedicated on September 24. It was also the Diamond Jubilee of St. Patrick's Parish. The hospital was first thought of in 1946 and a committee was formed with William J. Froelich as chairman. Mother Erica turned the first shovel on Sunday July 16, 1950. Two years and five days later, on July 21, 1952, the work of moving in equipment by volunteer labor was finished and the formal opening was on Wednesday, September 24.

The following year, the threat of polio was among the people. A blizzard on February 20th found many of the students pushing cars so that traffic could be resumed.

1952 saws the demise of the Normal Training program for teachers. Those pupils who had not finished their program, took the required courses at the O'Neill Public School.

Grass Fires threatened O'Neill in October of 1957. 1958 witnessed the final passenger trip of the Chicago-Northwestern Railroad and St. Mary's won the State Championship in eight-man football by beating Lawrence 53-0. The following year St. Mary's won the State Track Meet in their decision and also received the State All Sports Championship Award. IN September ST. Mary's Academy became the parish school of St. Patrick's after permission was granted by the Franciscan Order from Rome.

On December 8, Father O'Sullivan fell and was confined to bed and on December 11 the students of St. Mary's schools put on its congratulatory program on the lawn in from of the rectory. Father was made a Monsignor in Omaha by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergen on December 15. Later back in O'Neill, on Sunday, Parishioners and friends turned out in strength to honor the new Monsignor.

Father Robert Duffy was master of ceremonies and presented Monsignor with a check donated by parishioners and friends. Monsignor O'Sullivan in turn placed the money in the building fund for the new school at St. Mary's.

1960's

In 1961, St. Mary's no longer took boarders. The new convent opened and was blessed on November 17. The winter was rough and the schools had to be closed due to storage of natural gas. On January 24, 1962, Monsignor O'Sullivan laid the cornerstone for the new St. Mary's High School, which was blessed by Archbishop Gerald Bergan on April 25, 1962. Students started school in the fall of that year in the new building.

February 16, 1965- a day in our history that happened and will be remembered by both St. Patrick's Parish and the citizens of O'Neill. It was the day on which the mystery fire destroyed St. Mary's Academy. The fire was discovered near a basement shower room at 4:08 p.m. The alarm was sounded by a high-school student, John DeWitt, who had left the new St. Mary's High School to go to the original portion of the Academy to practice piano. He activated the fire alarm when he saw smoke. The alarm brought Phil Haverkamp, the school custodian, from the newer portion (west wing) to the fire detection station to determine where the fire was located. Sighting what appeared to be the source of the blaze, Phil met young DeWitt and ordered him to summon the fire department and then assist him in removing the Haverkamp family who lived on the third floor of the east wing. Also living near were three high school girls: Jane Muff of Clearwater, Sandy Pfiester of Long Pine, and Rita Schindler of Neligh. The fire was spreading fast. O'Neill's fire chief G. E. Miles invoked the countywide fire defense plan which brought firemen and equipment form Atkinson, Chambers, Page, and Stuart. The fire was now roaring through the whole east wing. Firemen had to protect the church, the rectory, the new high school and the hospital. The water pressure in the city dropped to the danger point. Water to several sections of the city had to be shut off for a time.

Firemen worked for over 10 hours to save the proud St. Mary's school.

Fortunately most of the pupils and teachers had left the building when the fire was detected. The total loss might well be in the neighborhood of a half-million dollars. Many items destroyed will never be replaced. Flames and smoke in the winter's night sky were visible as far away as Lynch and Butte. Sioux City and Omaha news media sent airplanes to the scene. Thousands of persons congregated in the school playground, on the church parking lot, and in the streets to witness the flames. On the lips were prayers as brave men risked their lives against tremendous odds to remove highly explosive oxygen bottles (part of a civil defense emergency hospital unit in storage) and to search for anyone who might be in the once stout and elegant building. Many wept. Many lingered as dying flames turned into smoldering embers in the early morning hours. The St. Mary's Academy that was had yielded.

The school was gone and adjustments were made. Temporary school quarters were set up for three classes in the National Guard Armory and the rest were put in the public school. Books were loaned from St. Francis Mission. Desks were salvaged from the ruins and also some water-soaked books. Soon the insurance adjusters came and the insurance on the building was three-hundred-and-seven-thousand dollars. Wrecking crews tore down the ruins and plans for a new school with the designs of the new convent and high school were being drawn up.

Construction on the new elementary school began in September, and hot lunch program began for St. Mary's students at the public school on December 2. With the new construction project, the winter season brought its hazards. The water pipes froze due to exposure and water had to be hosed to the convent for the Sisters. It was an adjustment for them because water had to flow continuously so it wouldn't freeze in the hoses, but every now and then, one of the Sisters would forget and turn off the hose and once again there would be no water. There were blizzards and winds and even a few "black snow" storms.

On April 20, 1966, Monsignor O'Sullivan died at Bergen-Mercy Hospital in Omaha.

An addition was built on to the high school building in August and the new elementary school opened in September even though parts of the building were still not finished.

Modular scheduling began with the fall term at St. Mary's High School and Archbishop Bergan blessed the new St. Mary's Elementary School on October 8. A blizzard before Christmas in 1968 continued for ten days and really tied up the community.

THE 1970'S

An annual parish auction started out as a White Elephant Sale to raise much needed money. Becoming more organized and named the St. Patrick's Town and Country Auction, it has continued to this day simply as the St. Patrick's/St. Mary's Auction. Items are donated by businesses and individuals in O'Neill. Half of the proceeds of this auction goes toward the Parish and the other half goes toward the school.

On June 16, 1972, Father Dunne was reassigned to St. Margaret Mary's in Omaha and Father Martin Conlev was assigned as pastor to St. Patrick's.

The town of O'Neill celebrated its centennial in 1974. In May of 1975, St. Mary's Schools celebrated their Diamond Jubilee with a three-day celebration. Preparations began early in 1977 for the centennial celebration of St. Patrick's.

Research on the history of the parish was begun that summer by searching through the records of Biglin's Mortuary, the Holt County Records office and the Holt County Independent Archives which contained many of the newspaper clippings and write-ups which were used in the parish history. Dinner tickets for the celebration were printed up and these were sold by the Knights of Columbus. The priests of the Archdiocese of Omaha were sent invitations to be celebrants at the Centennial Mass and also guests at the banquet. Invitations were also sent to State Senator John DeCamp, Congresswoman Virginia Smith, John Cavanaugh, and Charles Thone, and to Senators Carl Curtis and Edward Zorinsky, and to Governor J. J. Exon and Lieutenant Governor Gerald Whalen. Invitations also went out to the Sisters who served in St. Mary's Schools and who were daughter-Sisters of the parish. The families of the parish began to get their pictures taken for the centennial book and many of the parish began to bring in their old pictures.

A green banner with the material coming from Ireland and with a large white Celtic Cross was made by Sister Antonella and which was to be hung on the bell tower from the opening of the tower to the ground. The long green banner was dropped from the bell tower and could be seen for miles south of O'Neill. The city of O'Neill put out the Welcome Flags and the United States Flags to set the town for both a church and civic celebration.

The 1970's (Cont'd)

1977 was also the year an IGE (Individually Guided Education) program was initiated at the school. Father Frank Dvorak, Superintendent, organized a St. Mary's Foundation to preserve the Michael and Katherine Higgins estate.

In November of 1978, a St. Mary's Cardinal Booster Club was organized for the purpose of supporting the athletic programs. During this year in the grade school, Kindergarten was reinstated after a 10 year absence. A year later a weight room was equipped in the grade school basement.

The 1980's

At the alumni banquet of 1981, the Class of 1946 started a fund to have a much needed elevator installed in the school. It would carry passengers from the main floor down to the parish hall. This would provide easy access for the elderly and handicapped to many functions. Funds were raised slowly but surely to the last $8000. A benefactor, Grace Hammond Moss, of the Class of 1911, provided the final amount and it was installed in 1984.

In the fall of 1982, grades were incorporated back into the educational system at St. Mary's and the IGE program was gradually phased out. Also during this period, the Home and School Association, a parent-teacher organization was formed. Through the years, parent organizations, with different names, such as the Friends of St. Mary's, have supported our school.

In 1986-1987, eighth grade graduation was discontinued. It is sometimes hard to see certain traditions go, but others start and are as special. About this time an accelerated program for academically advanced students in the grade school was started. It was called Omnibus and was headed up by Mrs. Mickey Heitz. It also involved the parents as tutors after going through a training program.

In 1989, with the threat of the closing of St. Mary's, the SaveOurSchool project was started to raise funds to alleviate the deficit and for long term operating costs. Donations and pledges of $337,000 were gathered from community and alumni sources. The Knights of Columbus, who have supported our school through the years, not only financially, but also with their time and physical labor, willingly helped out again. Bob Clements had gathered information on a money-raising program which is in effect today. It is the Prize-A-Day Calendar and the money collected is used toward the O'Malley Matching Fund.

Other avenues of raising funds were put into action, such as the Phone-A-Thons--one in 1989 and another in 1995. The first Development Dinner at the KC Hall started to raise money for the O'Malley Matching Funds and this has become an annual event.

The 1990's

In 1991, the St. Mary's alumni attending the banquet came to the rescue by starting a fund for air conditioning in the parish hall. It was installed in 1988.

Through gifts of parishioners, a new computer lab was installed in St. Mary's High School with IBM equipment. The Apple computers that were in the High School were set up in the grade school.

A definite first for our school was the start of a Pre-School Program in the fall of the 1993-94 school year. This was directed by Margaret Fuchser and the enrollment of 31 pupils.

In the fall of 1994 eight-man football was back at St. Mary's. It hadn't been played since 1959 when they had converted to eleven-man.

A 1995 VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN followed the S.O.S. project with its goal being to increase the value of St. Mary's and St. Patrick's endowments. The campaign ended in March 2000.

The next year, 1996, the alumni class of 1946 donated 1 $10,000 check to the Franciscan Order for the Sister's retirement fund and presented it to Sister Antonella at the alumni banquet.

The Frank Soukup family donated land north of the American Legion baseball field to the school in 1997, to be used for a practice field. That same year new playground equipment was dedicated. It was donated by the Home and School Association and several private donors.

1998 brought a special honor to the Marian Yearbook committee. It was selected to be a National Sample by the Josten's Publishing Company. It also received Best Overall Photography award at the Journalism Day Competition hosted by Midland Lutheran College.

New computers were installed in the fifth and sixth grades. There are plans to replace the computers in the other grades.

Principal Jim Troshynski brought to the school board the idea of a hot lunch program for our own school. With their agreement, the first meals were served in the parish hall in the fall school year of 1999. This year saw the completion of a new weight room addition on the north side of the gym. The Booster Club, interested parents and supporters helped bring this project to fruition. The 1999 Year also saw the passing of two long-time teaching sisters at St. Mary's - Sister George Shoemaker and Sister Antonella Troshynski. Sister Agnesmarie Slaight, the last of the Franciscan nuns at St. Mary's, retired as principal of the grade school.

2000

Two thousand seven hundred and four graduates have passed through the doors of St. Mary's these 100 years and have ventured into careers that life has offered. They have also served our country honorably with some losing their lives in military service: Mike Harty ('35) - WWII, Francis Valla ('38) - WWII, Bill Biglin, Jr. ('40) - WWII, Herbert "Bert" Brennan ('43) - Vietnam and Pat Benze ('65) - Vietnam.