52 Years in the Same School Office: Brenda Kuhlman's Long Watch

Brenda Kuhlman stands in the doorway of Pope John XXIII Central Catholic School in Elgin, Nebraska, every morning to welcome the students. She has held this position for 52 years, a tenure that spans from her own high school days to the current generation of children in her community. The school, which serves eight parishes in the surrounding area, operates with a staff that relies heavily on Kuhlman’s institutional memory and daily routine.

Kuhlman started the job in December of her senior year of high school. She was 17 years old when the administrator asked her to replace the departing secretary. At the time, she was taking electives in shorthand, bookkeeping, and typing. The Catholic school had opened in 1967, eight years before Kuhlman began her shift. She had grown up southwest of Clearwater and attended a country school before transferring to high school in Elgin, a move that increased her class size from four students to 56.

Her role has evolved from a clerical assistant to the office manager who keeps the school running. She manages the funds and handles the logistics of a prekindergarten through 12th grade program that currently enrolls about 130 students. Students travel to Elgin from neighboring communities including Raeville, Petersburg, Neligh, Clearwater, and Ewing. Her duties range from financial oversight to returning lost backpacks, a task that requires a level of detail her colleagues say is unmatched.

Deb Warren, a classmate of Kuhlman’s who graduated in 1972, described Kuhlman as driven and meticulous. Warren served as the development director while Kuhlman worked in the office. According to Warren, Kuhlman knows all the details of any project, whether it involves fundraising or daily operations. "She keeps the school running like a well-oiled machine for sure," Warren said.

Lauren Borer, who returned to her alma mater as a teacher, remembers Kuhlman from her seventh-grade years. Borer now sends her own children to the school. The shift in how students perceive Kuhlman has marked the passage of time. "Brenda just became that like school mom for us," Borer said. "And now that my kids go here, like they kind of see her as like the school grandma."

Kuhlman met her husband at the school and raised six children south of Raeville. She maintains scrapbooks that preserve the history of the institution, including photographs of graduates that she displays in her office. These archives serve as a reference for staff when questions arise about past events. Borer noted that Kuhlman knows the stories, the history, and most importantly, the people involved in the school's past.

The longevity of Kuhlman’s service has created a unique bond with the community. She is invited to the graduations, weddings, and baby announcements of the families she has supported. Warren stated that Kuhlman is well thought of by both the parents and their children. Younger students often express surprise at seeing Kuhlman in public places like shops or church, assuming she lives at the school.

Kuhlman has not set a date for retirement. She said she will continue working as long as her health allows. "I guess as long as my health holds out and stuff, I’ll keep working, or until they kick me out, one of the two," she said. She finds the transition of students leaving the school difficult, particularly as she has grown older and more attached to the graduating classes. She welcomes visits from former students who stop by to see her.

The school continues to operate with Kuhlman at its administrative center. Her presence represents a continuous thread connecting the school's founding in 1967 to its current student body. She remains the primary point of contact for the families of the 130 students currently enrolled, maintaining the records and relationships that define the small community in Elgin.