Fr. Biegler was not a diocesan priest, but a member of the "Missionaries of the Precious Blood." Normally he would not have replaced Weber, but he fit in well and the Parishioners petitioned his superior to have him assigned to Neillsville. He was respected, though also remembered as very strict in his application of the faith.

One more thing was necessary to undo the misfortunes of 1923 and Fr. Biegler acted rapidly with great parish support to build the new school. The school project got a boost on Thanksgiving Day, 1938, when parishioner Katherine Haines provided a $5,000 donation. A parish meeting was held on January 8, 1939, with a unanimous vote given to collect the additional funds needed. In just three weeks, at a time when the country had yet to shake off the Great Depression, fund solicitations succeeded beyond expectations. Plans were made for a $27,000 building.

Parishioners donated their labor to hold down costs. They razed the old school building, excavated the basement and laid a new water line. Much material was salvaged from the old building for reuse in the new. Harold Langreck volunteered his time, helping to tear down and salvage an old farmhouse that sat where the Mary’s Garden is today. While doing so, he and a friend accidentally ruined some good 2X6’s. This would have made Fr. Biegler unhappy, "But he wasn’t there," chuckled Langreck.

Actual building commenced May 31. The contractor was required to hire parishioners for all the common labor, in order to reimburse the volunteers who razed the old building. The Auxiliary Bishop, Most Rev. William Griffin laid the cornerstone (containing a picture of Fr. Weber) in a ceremony on July 16.

The eight-grade school opened September 22, 1939. Present that day were 81 students and a staff of four (three teachers and one supporting nun) School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) from Milwaukee. The FSPA’s had declined an invitation to return. The three teaching sisters were Sister Mary Joanice, superior, Sister Mary Lauda and Sister Mary Hildegond. Sister Mary Ancilla provided support. The new school contained their living quarters on the south side of the first floor. The north half of the basement was a chapel for morning devotions. The south part of the basement contained the laundry room. A tunnel, now closed, connected the school and the church.

Fr. Biegler, in a beautiful reflection to the parish after the first school year wrote:

It did not take long for the sacrifices of building the school to yield fruit. The first graduating class in 1940 included two future Nuns for the SSND’s: Sr. Niva (Florence) Langreck and Sr. Willene (Agnes) Grossain, and the parish has happily maintained active

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relationships with both. A few years behind them, Sr. Niva’s sister Catherine (Sr. Lillia) and Mary Ellen Vandehey (Sr. Marietta), St. Mary’s Class of 1944, also chose to enter the SSND order.

The school was a wonderful place, according to Pat Mrotek, who was a fourth grader that first year. She received a good basic education that eventually led her to become a nurse. She particularly enjoyed the nuns, countering the popular image of nuns as severe knuckle crunchers.

"They were wonderful, they were angels. We really loved the nuns," gushed Mrotek. "When I got to eighth grade we had Sister Joanice. She was the sweetest, gentlest person."

The same could probably not be said for Fr. Biegler. He would frequently visit the school and walk around the desks. If he found anyone misbehaving, particularly the boys who served Mass for him, he would give him a tug on the ear, Mrotek remembered.

Religion was an important part of the curriculum. They studied the Baltimore Catechism. The school day started with Mass and communion (24-hour fast), which meant the students did not have breakfast unless they packed something to eat at their desk, said Mrotek. On Sundays, students would not sit with their parents but filled in the front pews. The ablest were sometimes picked to do the readings. They also formed a student choir or sang with the adult choir.

The students were trained in Latin to do both the "Missal Recitative" for a Low Mass and the Requiem Mass, which included a very long "Dies Irae", according to Sister Lillia Langreck.

"This was very tedious and we often didn’t measure up," admitted Sr. Langreck.

Harold Langreck did not attend the school but remembered the church as being a center of social activity in the late 1930’s and 40’s.

"It was a great time for kids, especially when you never got out in those days. It was a big break, the church socials, ice cream socials. There were picnics back in the woods; it was all like a park then. It was lit up at night. It was a big thing for small people. I really enjoyed it," Langreck reminisced.

At this late date, the parish was still attempting to absorb immigrants. Fr. Biegler reported the following to Bishop McGavick in July of 1938.