Work on a museum at the shuttered St. John’s Military School is progressing.

Organizers say multiple projects at the St. John’s Military School Historical Museum are complete. While this was no small undertaking, they are so excited about the progress.

A checklist of completed and/or near completed projects include:

• painting of all rooms and outside complete
• flooring with cove base complete
• all lighting replaced
• window treatments complete
• air conditioning system complete
• security system installed
• landscape and grass seed planted
• bathrooms remodeled
• fire alarm systems installed
• electrical updated.
• all furnishings moved from Vanier Academic Center, Quartermaster and Jack Vanier Hall

The start of a replicated tear drop was formed with a flag pole erected. A 30 foot pole, to the north of the Museum, will fly a 6 x 10 flag.

The mascot of St. John’s, the  Muleskinner, which was placed at the 100th, (1987) Corps was moved. A time capsule was embedded in the base of the Muleskinner at that time, with the intentions of not opening the time capsule until 2087. However, with the closing of St. John’s, the time capsule was opened last May. The contents will be on display in the Museum.

The team moved the monument across campus without putting a scratch, dent, or tear in it..

The hanging of 87 class photos around the museum is progressing.  Each room will display an era, along with memorabilia.  The moving of the busts of COL. Duckers, COL. Clem, COL, Kellogg and Mr. Browning. are on the agenda as well.

Organizers are awaiting occupancy approval  from the city.  Once this happens, they will be in full decorating/setting up mode for each of the rooms.

They are now enlisting  a volunteer campaign to help finish what they have started.  If you can give some of your time, on a weekly, monthly or one time factor, they need your help.

They  have 30 display cases to set up, furniture and artifacts to move from storage, cleaning and archiving,  along with other tasks too numerous to mention.

Volunteers have already saved approximately $32,000 from the cost of the museum.

To volunteer contact contact Mike Wagner [email protected] or Kent Tretheway,  [email protected].

St. John’s Military School, which opened in North Salina back in 1887, closed this in May of 2019.

Since closing, leaders of Saint Francis Ministries and St. John’s Military School entered into a collaboration. Saint Francis Ministries has agreed to take over the St. John’s campus and will lead a collaborative effort to establish future plans for the property. The campus will become part of the long-time Salina-based nonprofit that provides child welfare and adult services in six states and internationally.

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COURTESY PHOTO – The  St. John’s Muleskinner mascot is moved.