It’s always great when a newspaper can report good news, something that can have a lasting positive impact on the community.

It happened this fall with the aquatic center proposal. This week it happened again with True Light Christian’s proposal to add high school grades.

Their plan has potential to give Marshall area residents with strong religious convictions a chance to make religion a direct part of the high school experience.

True Light is taking a good approach in its planning process. They’ve been meeting about a high school since 2022 and are now ready to share their idea with anyone who’s interested.

They’re starting with a goal for about a dozen 9-10th grade students in the first year. They’d then like to see it grow. I think there’s tremendous potential to grow.

Marshall has a rich history of parochial education. It dates back to the early 20th century with St. Joseph’s Academy. The school was located next to Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, on a site that later became the Red Owl grocery store and then the Marshall Independent.

After St. Joseph’s Academy, the church built Holy Redeemer School which also housed Central Catholic High School.

Central Catholic was a good thing for Marshall in the 1950s and 1960s. The city had two sets of school concerts, two sets of school plays and two sets of great athletic teams.

People have often talked about a “what if” the Central Catholic players had been combined with the Marshall Public School team. There’s general agreement that they would have been almost unbeatable. They probably would have brought home at least several state championships.

My dad taught and coached at Central Catholic from 1958 until the school closed in 1967. He then moved over to Marshall Public as a counselor and coach.

The students and staff from Central Catholic still have a lot of great memories. Holy Redeemer School has had considerable success as a K-8 school in the past 50-plus years. It’s still a very good building with excellent teachers.

Marshall is fortunate to have three successful private schools (Holy Redeemer, Samuel Lutheran and True Light). Any family that wants a religious K-8 education can find a school that fits their faith.

I’m not taking anything away from Marshall Public Schools by supporting religious education. We have an excellent public school system.

One of my two capstone stories after the millennium (along with the Minnesota Corn Processors sale to Archer Daniels Midland) was the bond issue to build the new Marshall High School.

I remember sitting under the basket in the armory gym waiting for the election results. I expected it would pass based on my news coverage, but you never know for sure until the votes are counted. It passed by almost 80 percent.

Marshall more recently replaced the 1950s West Side grade school with the new Southview Elementary building. All of the public school teachers and parents can be proud of our facilities and of the teaching that takes place in them.

I just think it’s good that people with strong religious convictions have a choice. Public schools struggle with how to teach religion.

Students shouldn’t be instructed in religious beliefs, but there should be a willingness to teach the history of religion and its historic influence on daily life.

It’s not possible to do a proper job of teaching Medieval history or Renaissance history without mentioning religion. The Roman Catholic Church was too important for maintaining social order in the Middle Ages. The Protestant Reformation paved the way for modern-day Christianity.

I wish True Light all-the best in their efforts to start a high school. Their hybrid learning model (with a mix of in-person and online courses, sounds promising. So does its plan for extra-curricular opportunities.

They should be credited for having a vision, for taking on a lofty goal. They clearly belive that without God nothing is important, but that with Him nothing is impossible. Marshall could benefit greatly as their idea moves forward.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent