St Patrick’s 100th Anniversary Celebration set for November 5, 2022
Photo Special to The Dispatch by RONALD DURKEE These eighth-grade students at St. Patrick's School graduated and readied themselves for high school in 1949. From left, in the first row are: Rev. Thomas Quinn, church pastor; Rose Marie (Carmola) Boehlert, Phyliss (DeFrees) Thurston, Barbara Lorenz, Joan (Kiner) Taylor, Rosemary (Carhart) Keenan, Catherine (Carney) Poulsen, Mary Jane Craig, Marion (Myles) Carnevale, Pauline (Perretta) Kline, Theresa (Kraft) Tarry and Sheila (VanStrander) Clark. In the second row, from left, are: Anthony Lumbrazo, Richard Hughes, John Malone, Richard Seeber, Kathleen Dowling, Mary Butler, Anna (Rice) DiMaggio, Richard Deveans, John La Mothe and John Bayliss. In the third row, from left, are: Armand La Plante, Frank Szlachtowki, Ronald Durkee, James Nixdorf, Martin Angelino, Robert Clute, Peter Palamara, John Graves, Carl Origlio and David Maley. The photograph and information were originally supplied in June 1984 by Ronald Durkee.
The Guardians of St. Patrick’s Elementary School Foundation Inc is hosting the 100th Anniversary Gala at The Kallet Civic Center Saturday November 5th, 7-10pm. St. Patrick’s School is celebrating 100 years of exceptional Catholic Christian education for the young people of our community, committed to faith development, academic excellence, and service to others.
The longevity of the school is a testament to the selfless dedication of benefactors, volunteers, families, teachers, staff, administrators, and parishioners for over a century. The preparations for the school began many years before building started. The Rev. John H. McGraw came to St. Patrick’s Church in Oct. 1913 with a goal to build a parochial school. In 1919, McGraw announced the property behind the church had been purchased for the school. The foundation was completed during the summer of 1920 by contractors Fazio and Avery. Bishop John Grimes laid the corner stone on Sept. 19, 1920. The Rev. Charles McEvoy, superintendent of schools in the Syracuse Diocese, gave the sermon. The building was completed before winter started as work continued on the interior. McGraw and a committee from the church conducted a successful drive to raise $50,000 for the new school and convent. The total cost of the school and convent was $163,000. The dedication of the school and convent took place on Sept. 4, 1921. The sacrament of confirmation was administered the same day and Grimes blessed every room of the building. More than 3,000 people attended the event. The school opened to students on Sept. 7, 1921. The six faculty members were nuns from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Order from Scranton, Penn. Each grade level, from first through sixth, had a single class. Two-hundred-and-eleven students were enrolled on the first day but the number swelled to 280 by the second week. The first commencement exercise was held on June 30, 1922 for sixth grade students. In the fall of 1922, soldiers and sailors of Oneida who served during World War I donated a flag and flagpole to the school. They were dedicated in a ceremony on Oct. 15, 1922, as the students formed a living flag on the lawn. The first eighth grade class graduated in June 1925. One grade was added each year and in 1927 the tenth-grade class graduated. One class graduated from the school as seniors in 1930. Due to a lack of space in the building, the high school grades were discontinued at that time. Kindergarten was added in 1938. In 1953, an addition was added to the school which provided space for a library, auditorium, enlarged gymnasium, teachers’ room, kitchen facilities and additional classroom space. A ninth grade was added in Sept. 1961. That class graduated in June 1962. The ninth grade was again discontinued in 1968 due to the need of space for the kindergarten and the first eight grades. Since that time, pre-kindergarten programs for 3-year-olds and 4 years olds has been added to kindergarten through sixth grade, as well as a before school program, and an after school program.
In 2015, St. Patrick’s earned the Middle States Accreditation, making St. Pat’s the only elementary school in Madison County to be granted this expression of confidence in an institution's mission and goals, its performance, and resources. An institution is accredited only when the educational community has verified that its goals are achieved through self-regulation and peer review. St. Patrick’s continues to be a faith centered community, focused on promoting academic excellence while developing a strong moral conscience in our students. We serve families from Canastota, Morrisville-Eaton, Cazenovia, Chittenango, VVS, Madison, Camden, Stockbridge, Waterville, Jamesville and Oneida.
The school has undergone additional structural and technological upgrades in recent years. St. Patrick’s was one of the only schools in Central New York to remain open during the COVID pandemic and continues to grow and thrive. With the enthusiastic support of Fr. Chris Ballard and Fr. Nathan Brooks, our enrollment is 120 strong, and includes students of all faiths. Tuition assistance is available based on family need.
The Guardians of St. Patrick’s Elementary School Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization formed in response to an increasing need for financial support for current and future students. Our goal is to continue providing tuition subsidies, supplies, major repairs and other needs of St. Patrick's Elementary School. This is done through the collection of financial contributions by benefactors, community members, families of alumni, and the alumni themselves.
To make reservations or buy tickets to the 100th Anniversary Gala, Saturday Nov. 5th, 7pm. please call St Patrick’s School at 315-363-3620
Submitted by: Guardians of St Patrick’s Elementary School Foundation Inc, Janet Jones, 257 E. Walnut Street, Oneida, NY 13421
https://www.guardiansfoundation.net/
Contact St Patrick’s School Board of Trustees President: Becky vanLieshout at St Patrick’s 315-363-3620
https://stpatricksoneida.org/
