Fr. Cyril Bayer (1879-1966)

Father Cyril was born in Zurich, Switzerland, came to Kansas at age 14 to study for the priesthood at St. Benedict’s College.  He made his first vows July 11, 1902, and was ordained 1907.  He then began 22 years of service in parishes both in Iowa and Kansas.  Most notable he served twice at St. Mary’s Parish, St. Benedict, Kan.  While there he founded a high school and brought the schools of both Bailleyville and St. Benedict into the Kansas State educational system as public school district. 

He was first principal of the newly purchased Midland College campus in south Atchison, where St. Benedict’s High School was moved to and renamed Maur Hill School, serving there from 1920-1924.  The first four monks assigned there were: Bayer, Schier, Enslein, and Vonderstein.  Quite a formidable line-up.  Father Claude Enslein seemed to think that he was the first principal but though he served faithfully, the record says otherwise.