FALL RIVER, MASS.
VOL. 48, NO.32 • Friday, August 27, 2004
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Catholic education celebrates centuries of service in the U.S. By THE NATIONAL CATHOUC EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SPECIAL 10 THE ANCHOR
Today the almost 8,000 Catholic schools across the United States are regarded as a gift to the Church and a gift to the nation. But exactly when and where the first Catholic "school" began in this country - or the names of the teacher and pupils - remains a mystery. A Spanish Franciscan with a few children in a mission outpost? A member of an early French exploration party, quietly teaching and preaching? A chaplain holding class for young ship's apprentices on the beach where some 16th-century vessel had just anchored? It's hard to say. What is clear is that Catholic education goes back deep into U.S. history - to at least 1606.
That year, expressing their desire "to teach children Christian doctrine, reading and writing," the Franciscans opened a school in what is now St. Augustine, Fla. Further north and a bit later, Jesuits instructed such dedicated Native American students as Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), who became a Catholic in New York and taught Native American children in a Christian settlement near Montreal. By the latter 1600s, English colonists had set up their own, publicly supported schools. But since all the colonies were overwhelmingly Protestant, the rudimentary education often had a heavily fundamentalist Protestant (if not blatantly anti-Catholic) cast. Even in Catholic-founded Turn to page J3 - Education
READY AND WAITING - A sparkling new classroom awaits its first inhabitants at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth. The school opens its doors for the first time on September 8. Story on page eight. (AnchonJolivet photo)
New school, principals and academic enhancements usher in school year By DAVE JOUVET EDnoR
FALL RIVER - Bucking the national trend of decreased enrollment in Catholic schools across the country, the Diocese of Fall River opens the 2004-05 school year with a student population that is holding steady. And with the opening of a new school in South Yarmouth next month, diocesan enrollment may actually increase. "This is an exciting school year for us," said George A. Milot, diocesan superintendent of schools. "We have many new programs, personnel, a new school, and many of our schools have healthy enrollments." In addition to opening St. Pius X School on Cape Cod, the diocesan Education Department welcomes four new parochial school principals to its family. Patricia Marmen is the new principal of St. Pius X; Chris Myron has been named principal at Notre Dame School in Fall River; Connie Hipolito takes over at Holy Trin-
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ity School, also in Fall River; and Cross and Passion Sister Mary Jane Holden is the new principal at St.
THIS STATUE of Christ with children will welcome new students at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth this September. (AnchonJolivet photo)
John the Evangelist School in Attleboro. "We're very pleased with the addition of these four experienced educators," Kathleen A. Simpson, diocesan assistant superintendent for personnel told The Anchor. "In addition, we've added nearly 90 new teachers in schools across the diocese - many of those at St. Pius X in South Yarmouth. Another change on the school horizon this fall is the addition of a sixth-grade class at St. Mary's School in Mansfield. One of this school year's major offerings is the utilization of the nationally-recognized "Child Lures Prevention" program. 'This is one of the finest child saf~ty programs in the country," said Dr. Donna A. Boyle, diocesan assistant superintendent for curriculum. "It's in response to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops' call for increased awareness and prevention of child abuse." According to Boyle, all diocesan school employees are particiTurn to page nine - School