122-year-old Sacred Heart schoolhouse, among state's oldest, is being demolished

SACRED HEART, Minn. -- One of the oldest school buildings in the state is being demolished this week. Sacred Heart Public School, about two hours west of the Twin Cities, has stood tall for more than 120 years.

Former teachers, coaches, and students are all adamant about how much that building meant to the small town.

"We were going to be here for two years and ended up still here," said Ray Miller.

In the Renville County town of 500 people, there's an old church, an old hotel, and, of course, an old school. To many, the school itself is the heart of Sacred Heart.

"All of us teachers were best friends, and we did a lot together," said Miller.

Miller coached football, baseball, track, and wrestling there for 30 years. He's even in the Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame. He initially didn't plan to stick around but ended up falling in love with the school.

"It's hard. It's bitter because it doesn't seem like anybody should outlive a school," said Miller.

Built in 1901, the school is on the National Register of Historic Places. But classes haven't been held here in nearly 15 years.

As enrollment declined, Sacred Heart students began going to a new high school in nearby Renville. And after much debate and deterioration, a decision was made to remove the old building, and demolition began.

"As soon as you start not heating a building, the building deteriorates pretty quickly," said Doug Froke, Superintendent of Renville County West Schools. "The brick and mortar goes. The memories stay."

There are memories that Jim Guenter says he will always have. He lived right across the street and graduated in 1960.

"I walked from there to this door for my first year in this school," said Guenter

As the building goes down, Guenter will walk away with his childhood stories and a school brick to remember them by.

"I've got a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye, but I'm not going to cry," said Guenter. "It's part of Sacred Heart. Always has been."

Demolition could take a few more weeks and the district is still deciding what to do with the old school property. They do plan on making school bricks available for anyone who wants one as a keepsake.