Mr. Heidgerken threatened that, due to the political situation in the colony, all the German Catholics would belong to the Liberal Party within a year as both the people and the clergy were united in their way of thinking.

He further stated that if the Separate School application was turned down, a never-healing breach would be created, and that acting in the colony's favor would show that the Minister of Education had the good of his party at heart.

Mr. Heidgerken, Father Chrysostom Hoffman, and Prior Alfred Mayer spoke to parishes in St. Peter's Colony, saying that due to problems with the Protestants, the Catholics felt they couldn't send their children to Public School.

Thus, on Oct. 15, 1906, the first parochial school in Humboldt was established.

A part of section 30-37-22 W 2nd, on the north side of town, was donated to the board by Mr. C. Kohle. This was to be the site of St. Augustine School. While waiting for construction of the new school, classes taught by Miss Scanlon were held in a building on the southeast corner of 6th Avenue and 9th Street.

The school was run by Father Rudolph Palm in the winter of 1906-07 and instructions were held in German. The school was finished later in 1907.

A new Separate School was built in 1936 on the northwest corner of 8th Avenue and 11th Street, with 10 classrooms. The old school housed Grades 1-8 until 1967, when Grades 5 and 6 ere moved to St. Dominic School and Grades 7 and 8 were transferred from St. Dominic to St. Augustine School.

The new addition was the home of a library, science room, music room, and gymnasium.

In June 1976, the school built in 1936 was destroyed by a fire, leaving the 1964 addition intact. By March 1977, construction of the newest addition was underway.

In 1959 a new Separate School was built to meet the needs of the growing population of Humboldt. It was located on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street and was called St. Dominic School after Father Dominic Hoffman.

The school was built to contain five classrooms, a staff room, office, and a small library. Only four classrooms were necessary at the time.

The parish morning, weekday masses were held in combination classroom/gymnasium and music room.

Enrolment in St. Dominic made the use of portable rooms a necessity until the completion of the west wing in 1968.

In 1978, expansion and renovations became necessary once again. Plans were made for three additional classrooms, band/music and practice room, an office area, and dental clinic. This new structure was completely energy efficient.

The Humboldt Public School opened on July 9, 1906, in the Presbyterian Church where classes continued until a small school building was erected later that year.

A two-storey building located on school section 29 where it adjoined the townsite at the

In 1912, the present Public School was erected at a cost of $65,000. Shortly after, the building was converted into a high school.

In 1931, J.C. Whyte and F. Platzer, representing the newly-formed Athletic Association, requested the use of the "Old Public School" for the Association. It was agreed this would be suitable providing Mr. Platzer agreed to coach Public School pupils in physical training in return for repairs made to the building by the Board.
Advances in School Systems
In 1932, the Board received an offer of $200 for the "Old" building. The Board decided to place an ad in the local paper asking for tenders on the building. It was eventually purchased by Mr. Kepley, the building was removed and the basement was filled in.

In 1932, Karl Wilson was hired by the Board as the first male teacher. He was followed by Mr. McFarland and Mr. Morris in 1938.

Women came into focus in the 1940s -- the first married female teacher was allowed to teach in 1942 due to a shortage of single female teachers.

The first woman trustee was elected to the Board in November 1942 -- Mrs. Mildred Sands. In January 1953, Mrs. Mary Soare and Mrs. Tillie Sawatsky appear on the Board, and later Mrs. Kay Reid, Mrs. Marie Bridges and Mrs. Dorothy Kinanman were also trustees.

The Public School remained essentially the same until 1973 when the Board decided to go ahead with extensive renovations to modernize and update the interior of the school.

Prior to 1946, the Humboldt Public School and the Humboldt High School were together under one roof. A partial division took place in 1946.

On May 21, 1946, on a motion by R.J. Adams, it was decided that "a delegation representing the Public School Board, the Collegiate Board, Town Council and the larger School Unit and the Board of Trade meet with the Minister of Education to discuss the needs of the district in the way of vocational education."

As a result, a new wing was built and students were able to take courses in home economics, mechanics and commercial. Academic classes were still being held in the Public School.

By the early 1950s, overcrowding again made it necessary to discuss the possibility of expansion. The discussion led to construction and the students then had a gymnasium, and the new collegiate was opened on Sept. 29, 1955. Enrolment in the new facility was 180 students with eight staff.

In 1963, the west wing was added and in 1968, a three-room addition came along. By 1964 enrolment was running to 296 students, and by 1972, it had risen to 390 students--making it crucial to expand yet again, on a full scale.

The new school, including a gymnasium, library, enlarged commercial area, industrial arts, art, and home economics facilities, also included a theatre--the Sutherland Theatre. It was named for S.M. Sutherland, a former Board chairman.

The official opening of Humboldt Collegiate Institute took place in August of 1975.