Fr. Louis Baska (1888-1973)

From “Strawberry Hill” in Kansas City, Kan., came Louis Baska to attend high school at St. Benedict’s.  He in due course entered the novitiate and made his vows July 2, 1909.  He earned a bachelor’s degree at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., and was ordained priest April 21, 1915.  In 1931 he earned a doctor’s degree in economics from The Catholic University of America with the famous Father John A. Ryan as one of his professors.  He also attended summer schools at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Chicago—shortly after ordination—and Harvard University in 1930.

In his career at St. Benedict’s Father Louis was principal of the high school, director of the college and professor of economics.  In that capacity he was known among the students, particularly his own, as “Econ Louie.”  He was known as a hard grader and author of meticulous questions like, “How many railroad spikes are there between Kansas City and Albuquerque?”  This latter was a question asked in a parody of one of his classes during a college amateur night in 1950.  During World War II Father Louis was on the War Labor Board, Region VII, in Kansas City, Mo., and worked in over 55 cases as a mediator.

On retirement from the college Father Louis became chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters at Mount St. Scholastica in Chicago where he gained the reputation as an organizer of excursions in Europe and South America.   While living in the abbey the Abbot gave him permission to conduct a small book selling business.  He bought many of the monks copies of the works of Abbot Columba Marmion.

Father Louis Baska passed away November 13, 1973.