Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings! These massive school closings were expected. It had been announced weeks ago that the Blue Ribbon Commission studying the issue was looking at all schools in the Archdiocese and would make appropriate recommendations in January 2012. As with all closings and downsizings, it is hoped that the merged schools will become stronger, more financially viable and be able to offer more programs to students to better prepare them for college, technical training programs and the work world.
Although a very sad day for all involved, especially parents, students and employees of the system, this decision was not made lightly and the need for the closings has been coming for decades, if not generations.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings!
The very first parochial school in America is widely considered to be St. Mary's, established in 1782, in what is now known as Old City Philadelphia. It was a time when the persecution of Catholics was tolerated, if not encouraged, in some circles. Bishop Kenrick advocated the establishment of Catholic schools in the 1840's, but Bishop John Neumann is widely considered the architect of the diocesan school system. In many ways, Bishop Neumann (now canonized St. John Neumann) was a visionary champion of the flock - he established schools, banks and other institutions that would serve his faithful. Seeing that Catholic children were hardly accepted in other schools, he advocated the creation of Catholic schools as the responsible way to educate the Philadelphia area's Catholic children.
The system took root in Philadelphia and grew as the population of the city exploded. Migration northward, southward and westward brought the establishment of new Catholic parishes and parochial schools within the city limits. Eventually, parochial schools would be established in the suburban counties as well. By the 1960's there were approximately 220 parochial schools in the Archdiocese and as many as 27 high schools.
The increasing number of schools were staffed originally by religious - nuns, priests and brothers. That lasted until the early 1960's in many schools, when the administration hired lay teachers to supplement the teaching staff. Religious were still the administrators at the school and diocesan level.
Since the religious lived in community, expenses had been kept very low. All expenses for the schools were paid for by the parish directly or by parish subsidies to the designated high school. The Sunday envelopes of the faithful were the primary revenue source. Truly the entire parish community helped to educate its youth. Eventually, government funding was permitted to fund some nonreligious education items.
By the late 1960's, early 1970's, modest tuition was being charged. The declining population of nuns caused expenses to rise. Changes in educational practices added to the expense, including the introduction of modern style text books and eventually computers and other media. In Philadelphia proper, social migration fueled budget crises for many inner city and not so inner city schools. The suburbs were growing and Philadelphia parents were migrating there, leaving an ever smaller pool of parishioners to support the schools.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings!
Attempts at vouchers in the late eighties and early nineties were met with loud opposition from supporters of public education and others who saw funding or partially funding religious schools as a violation of the separation of church and state. Children who attend parochial schools and other religious schools save local school districts and the supporting states a boatload of money.
As a result of these closings, there will an influx of children in public schools. Cash strapped districts will be required to supply an education and educational services to more children.
In the Catholic system, jobs will be lost and families will suffer. Some of the proposed schools, especially in the city, will have children crossing traditional neighborhood boundaries and tensions will rise. Some merged schools will thrive and some will be faced with more budget issues and concerns. Neighborhoods will be affected, as will real estate values in areas without a school, or where the children must travel many miles to get to their new school.
In terms of the high schools, there will be no Catholic presence in West Philadelphia or Southeastern Delaware County, a large area where the alternatives are not readily obvious.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings!
Catholic schools serve the communities in which they live. They serve Catholic and non-Catholic children alike, offering a quality, values based education. Their worth to the community is seen in many ways, not the least of which is a well qualified work force. Local schools strengthen communities. My head knows that the financial drain of these schools is staggering, but my heart is broken.
I support parochial education and I support public education. These closings are a tragedy in the parochial school system and the larger community.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved and affected by this decision. I am a fourth generation Catholic school alum. My great grandmother attended Catholic school in German. My mother's parents attended Catholic grade school until about 4-6 grade and then joined the work force. My parents both graduated from Catholic high schools. I attended the same grade school as my mother and graduated from what was then the largest Catholic high school in the world with 6,000 students, successfully prepared for college. My siblings and I were the first in our immediate family to attend college. My children attended Catholic grade school and were lucky enough to finish their education at a private Catholic academy. Two of my children attended Catholic Prep schools for high school and my youngest attended a Philadelphia magnet high school - my family's first foray into public education in 4 generations.
There is a sadness over the Archdiocese this morning and I believe that pall will spread over the wider region as the news and meaning of these closings sink in.
As a parent volunteer, I advocated and lobbied for vouchers in the early nineties. I was always conflicted. Public education is important and I would never do anything to hurt those efforts. All children deserve and need an education. It is a basic human right in a civilized society. The loss of these schools and similar schools around the country is a loss to society at large.
If you are still reading, thank you. Not written for points or SEO, this post reflects a heavy heart. We are losing something special here and I am surprised by how sad I feel. Apparently even when something is expected, it hurts just as much.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings! The list of Archdiocesan school closings/mergers as of January 6, 2012
BUCKS COUNTY
St. Michael the Archangel, Levittown, merges with Our Lady of Grace, Penndel at the Penndel site.
St. Mark, Bristol, merges with St. Ephrem, Bensalem, at the Bensalem site.
Assumption BVM, Feasterville, merges with St. Bede the Venerable, Holland, at the Holland site.
Holy Trinity, Morrisville, merges with St. John the Evangelist, Lower Makefield, at the Lower Makefield site.
St. John the Baptist, Ottsville, merges with St. Isidore, Quakertown, at the Quakertown site.
Conwell Egan High School closes.
CHESTER COUNTY
St. Monica, Berwyn, merges with St. Patrick, Malvern, at the Malvern site.
St. Patrick, Kennett Square, merges with St. Cornelius, Chadds Ford, at the Chadds Ford site.
DELAWARE COUNTY
Annunication, Brookline, merges with St. Denis, Havertown at the Havertown site.
St. Cyril of Alexandria, East Lansdowne, merges with St. Andrew, Drexel Hill, at the Drexel Hill site.
Our Lady of Fatima, Secane, merges with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Morton at the Morton site.
St. Gabriel, Norwood, merges with St. Madeline/St. Rose, Ridley Park, at the Ridley Park site.
St. John Chrysostom, Wallingford, merges with Nativity BVM, Media at the Media site.
St. Francis de Sales, Lenni, merges with St. Thomas the Apostle, Glen Mills, at the Glen Mills site.
Holy Savior-St. John Fisher, Linwood, merges with St. Joseph, Aston, at the Aston site.
Msgr. Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast High School closes.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
St. Anthony-St. Joseph, Ambler, St. Catherine of Siena, Horsham, merge with St. Alphonsus, Maple Glen, at the Maple Glen site.
Conshohocken Catholic, Conshohocken, merges with Mother Divine Providence, King of Prussia, at the King of Prussia site.
St. Teresa of Avila, Norristown, merges with Visitation BVM, Trooper, at the Trooper site.
Our Lady of Victory, East Norriton and St. Titus, East Norriton, merge with Epiphany of our Lord, Plymouth Meeting, at the Plymouth Meeting site.
Our Lady Help of Christians, Abington, merges with St. David, Willow Grove, at the Willow Grove site.
Immaculate Conception, Jenkintown, merges with St. Luke, Glenside, at the Glenside site.
St. Rose of Lima, North Wales, merges with St. Stanislaus, Lansdale, at the Lansdale site.
St. Maria Goretti, Hatfield, merges with Corpus Christi, Lansdale, at the Lansdale site.
Sacred Heart, Royersford, merges with St. Eleanor, Collegeville, at the Collegeville site.
St. Philip Neri, East Greenville, merges with St. Isidore, Quakertown (Bucks) at the Quakertown site.
PHILADELPHIA NORTH
Pope John Paul II Regional, Bridesburg, merges with St. Timothy at the Levick Street site.
St. George, Port Richmond, merges with Our Lady of Port Richmond at the Thompson Street site.
Holy Cross, Mt. Airy, merges with Our Mother of Consolation, Chestnut Hill, at the E. Chestnut Hill Ave. site.
St. Bridget, East Falls, merges with Holy Child, Manayunk, at the Hermitage Street site.
Incarnation of our Lord, Olney, merges with St. Helena at the N. Fifth Street site.
Our Lady of Consolation, Tacony, merges with St. Matthew at the Cottman Avenue site.
Our Lady of Ransom merges with Resurrection of our Lord at the Shelmire Avenue site.
St. William merges with St. Cecilia at the Rhawn Street site.
St. Martin of Tours becomes a "mission school," with no change to the current school configuration.
St. Hubert High School closes.
PHILADELPHIA SOUTH
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament merges with St. Donato at the 65th Street site.
St. Laurentius merges with St. Peter the Apostle at the 5th Street site.
Annunciation merges with St. Nicholas of Tolentine at the Pierce Street site.
St. Gabriel merges with St. Thomas Aquinas at the Morris Street site.
St. Malachy merges with Visitation BVM at the Lehigh Avenue site.
Epiphany of our Lord, Holy Spirit, St. Richard, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Sacred Heart merge at the former Stella Maris site.
Our Lady of Lourdes closed, students asked to select from Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius, St. Rose of Lima, Mary, Mother of Peace
West Catholic High School closes.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces massive school closings!
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