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St. Vincent de Paul
Parish, founded in February, 1925, opened its school
in September of the same year. Two Sisters of the
Holy Names of Jesus and Mary were the first faculty.
Right Reverend Monsignor A. Hildebrand,
Administrator of the Archdiocese, officiated at the
dedication and blessing of the elementary school
that boasted an enrollment of 84 students.
These religious and
their predecessors commuted from Sacred Heart
Academy in Salem until 1949 when they moved into a
temporary dwelling. This year 300 pupils were
registered.
The ‘new’ section of
the school (four new classrooms and a gymnasium) was
added in 1948. The church that had been located in
the basement of the school then moved to the gym.
In 1953 the faculty
numbered ten religious ( living in a new home across
the street) and two lay women who greeted 450
children in grades first through eighth. As
Archbishop Edward D. Howard blessed the new convent
at its dedication, he remarked, “We could ask for no
better proof of the love our people have for
Catholic education ...” 8000 volunteer hours and
$90,000 built and furnished the convent.
The present church
was dedicated in 1960 and the students had a gym.
The enrollment
swelled the building in 1962 with 800 students. In
the fall of 1974 grades seven and eight moved to a
common campus with similar grade levels from the
other Salem Catholic schools.
Over the years, Kindergarten, Preschool and Extended
Child Care have been added to round out the programs
and services of the school. St. Vincent de Paul
School treasures the heritage and traditions that
have brought us to the present years. |
