One Hundred Years

On Sunday, St. Mary School celebrated its one hundred year anniversary.  For a Catholic school to be open for a century, especially in this day and age, is truly an amazing feat.  Over a thousand people - former and current students and their families, former and current teachers, the nuns and priests that taught at the school over the years, and many other dignitaries were invited to be a part of the anniversary mass and more than 600 people attended.  Although incredibly long, the mass was very moving.  Thirteen alumni who graduated in the 1930's were in attendance, including the oldest living alumni, a delightful woman of 95.  The current principal, who is retiring at the end of the year, gave an oral history of the school that was very interesting - and typical of a working-class immigrant town (I would be willing to bet that the Catholic schools in my hometown share similar histories). Almost every student in the school was in attendance and Elizabeth made her debut in the children's choir.  It was an amazing day and we are so happy to have been part of it!

Elizabeth, standing in front of the original front doors to the school (which are rarely used today). 

Faith, Elizabeth and Alex, members of the children's choir, before mass. 

Singing Immaculate Mary. 

The meditation song was The Bells of St. Mary's - between the chime choir and the children singing, there literally was not a dry eye in the house (I should mention that the chime choir played again the end of the song, but I didn't know that was going to happen, so had already turned off the camera).

After mass, some students were asked to make presentations in the classroom, as alumni and other dignitaries toured the school.  Here is Elizabeth and some of her classmates, reading a poem. 

Elizabeth reading her book report on orcas, while Faith holds her poster.