First Public School

The school children in Catharine had been attending classes in the home of their teacher, Mr. Walter. By the late 1870's, the house was too crowded to hold all the students, and the village people agreed to build a new building for the purpose of a school.
A stone public school was built in 1879, and a 12' x 12' sanctuarium was attached on the east side where worship services were held until 1892.
The school was purchased by the Concordia Diocese of the Catholic Church and changed to a parochial school in 1897. It was becoming crowded, and plans were begun to build a new school.
This building was dismantled in 1902, and some of the materials were used in building the new school.