Burns works to preserve old school

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

The second commercial building erected in Burns — a church built in 1882 — which later became a church-run school, will be added to the historic register if Burns Historical Society members get their wish.

German Roman Catholic St. Bonifacius Homestead Association of Cincinnati, Ohio, came to the area that would be Burns in 1878 and 1879 and built Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of stone.

In 1901, worship services moved into a wooden church just south of the original building. Classes were conducted in the original building, which continued to be used as a school until 1929.

“They just called it the old stone Catholic school,” Burns Historical Society president Daniel Hull said.

After 1929, it no longer was used as a school because all students attended consolidated Burns Union School.

Burns Union School, built in 1904 and designed by regionally popular architects C.W. Squires and J.J. Clayton, was the first consolidated school in the state, Hull said, consolidating six country schools with elementary and high school classes.

Burns Union School was the first in the state to use buses, he said.

“The bus actually was a horse drawn carriage that held 18 students,” Hull said.

When snow was deep, carriage wheels were replaced with runners.

Burns Union School is now home to Burns Historical Society’s museum.

Burns was incorporated Aug. 1, 1879. Two founders were Arnold Funke and John Beuke, who came with others in 1878 and 1879. They called the fledgling town St. Francis City in honor of the Franciscan order that had served them so well in Ohio, but then realized there already was a St. Francis in far northwest Kansas.

The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad deeded over 80 acres of land for $360. Railroad tracks were pulled up in 1944.

The historical society has been working on the old Catholic school building for about six months, even though the city still owns the building.

“We’ve got people who have got some issues with the city council,” Hull said.

Five or six years ago, some council members wanted to tear the building down and sell the stone, so no one would get hurt there.

“On the inside, it’s not usable anymore,” Hull said. “It’s been neglected for years. We’re not looking to preserve the building as something that can be used like a community center. We’re looking preserve the building as part of our heritage.”

The society has replaced 10 windows of the Union School, both to show that work is being done and to help prevent further decay of the structure.

The exterior of the old Catholic school has issues with the stone. Stonemasons have given the society tips and pointers on how to prevent damage from getting worse until the historical society can afford to do more permanent work.

“Our mission statement is ‘to preserve our heritage for future generations,’” Hull said. “The city wants to deed it over to us, so the city has no liability on it.”

North of the old stone church is the original Catholic cemetery. Graves later were moved to a Catholic cemetery east of town.

Louis Vestring, who lives northeast of Burns and also has a ranch near Cassoday, is doing what he can to help preserve the old church.

“I’m a person who likes to preserve something historical like that,” Vestring said.

The building is close to his heart. His father, Bob Vestring, attended school there for a few years.

“I’m kind of a traditionalist and I like to see things preserved,” Vestring said. “I hate to see all the monuments torn down.”

He noted that immigrants from Europe often built churches when they settled in the United States.

Vestring was baptized in the wooden church at Burns. That church was consolidated into Holy Family Parish in the 1990s. He now drives to Pilsen for services.

“I hope we have some luck preserving the building,” Vestring said.

Hull said the society was looking into grants to help with the cost of preservation.

Kansas Historical Society has a heritage grant that will pay for 50% of preservation cost.

“Right now, the account has about $8,000 donated to the cause,” Hull said. “We want to be transparent on every dime we spend.”

The Union school was put on the historic register in 1965, he said.

“We want to get the Catholic Church on the historic register so the city will deed it over to us,” Hull said. “We can’t tear everything down in town just in the hope that nobody gets hurt.”