website  watertownhistory.org

    ebook  History of Watertown, Wisconsin

 

 

The New School

1952

 

1952_School%20Construction

 

New School Construction Site, 1952          Old Hall and Rectory in background

 

______________________________________________________________________________________


Leading members of the Building Committee for the new school included Chester McGuire, secretary; Leonard Giese, treasurer; Michael Kaul, Edgar Kellerman, James Imming, Lawrence J. Lange, Mrs. Ruben Oestreich, Norbert Pitterle and Attorney Bernard J. Traeger.

 

The school was built at a cost of almost $400,000.

 

$ 263,434.93    Maas, Gen Contract

   35,638.61    Niehoff, Heating

   15,814.86    Ruesch, Electrical

    2,134.25    Rowold, Lighting Fix

   22,154.00    Biefeld, Plumbing

   20,148.93    Architect’s fee

    4,490.00    Wrecking old school

   18,500.00    Home for sisters

    4,906.78    Landscape, playgnds

   11,462.35    Equipment

 

  398,684.71    Total Project Cost

 

The cornerstone for the new St. Henry’s Parochial School, for which site preparation was started the previous year, was blessed at a brief outdoor ceremony prior to the 11 o’clock New Year’s Day Mass, 1953.  Pastor A. J. Herrmann was assisted by the Father Donald Lins, curate. 

 

The new school was built with three entrances, one on Cady Street and two facing the church. 

 

Leo Brielmaier of Milwaukee was chosen as the architect. 

 

At the time, the building was considered rather unique in light of its considerable amount of glass and glass blocks.  The school was heated with oil.

 

The school was completed in time for St. Henry’s 1953 Centennial.

 

The two-story school building with a full basement consisted of eight classrooms, a school and parish library, offices, clinic, faculty room, two meeting rooms, cafeteria, kitchen, boiler room as the central heating plant, janitor’s room and supply rooms.

 

The new parish school, which was nearing completion, was dedicated and blessed in connection with the 1953 centennial celebration of the founding of the congregation.  It was ready for occupancy on September 9.

 

 

 

1952_School%20Construction_2

 

New school construction site, 1953

 

 


The blessing of the new school by Bishop William O’Connor took place on Sunday, August 30, 1953.

 

The centennial ceremonies included a Pontifical Mass at which the bishop was the celebrant.  The service began at 10 a.m. when the bishop and his party left the rectory, went to the church for prayers, and then to the new school to perform its blessing, after which the party returned to the church for the Mass at which the bishop presided and preached.

 

Officers participating in the Mass included the following:  The Rev. Edward Hertel, assistant priest; the Rev. Alfred Wiemer and the Rev. Joseph Brechtl, deacon and subdeacon, the Rev. Mark Mueller and the Rev. Stephen Klopfer, deacons of honor; the Very Rev. Jerome Hastrich, first master-of-ceremonies; the Rev. Donald H. Lins, second master-of-ceremonies.

 

Boys of the parish taking part in the ceremonies included:  Tom Kaul, mitre bearer; Robert Ruesch, crozier bearer; Paul Monzel, book bearer; Dick David, candle bearer; Dick Oestreich and Louis Hady, thurifers; Donald Fendt and Richard Plenge, acolytes; Allen Rothschadl, cross bearer. Junior altar boys were also in attendance

 

A dinner was served at noon and was attended by the bishop and his party, members of the clergy, nuns, parish officers, the building committee of the parish, the architect, and contractors for the new school. 

 

Also present were many of the older lifelong members of the parish and the heads of the various church societies. 

 

Later in the year, a social and reception were planned for all members of the parish.

 


1955_New%20School_Drawing

 

Drawing of new school by Sandra Pirkel

 

 

A few years later, an entire city block across from the school, with the exception of one corner residence that was not for sale, was purchased for $59,381. The homes on the seven parcels of land were either razed or moved and the entire surface was prepared and black-topped for use as a playground for the children and a parking lot for the parishioners at a cost of $7,960.

 

A previously organized building fund for the $400,000 project had been very successful and the congregation paid off its debt on its new parochial school within five years after it was erected.  In recognition of this attainment, a Solemn High Mass was celebrated on Thanksgiving Day, 1957.

 

The United States flag flew from a new steel flag pole near the front entrance of the new school, a gift of Watertown Post No. 1349, Catholic War Veterans.  The vets also donated a stone marker at the foot of the pole bearing the inscription:  “Presented by Watertown Post No. 1349, Catholic War Veterans of America, in tribute to members of St. Henry’s who served their country.”

 

During the 1953-54 school year, members of the upper grades of the school used Memorial Park, then one block from the school and currently the site of the Watertown Municipal Building, for their noon recreational period. 

 

School children in the lower grades were restricted to the use of the school grounds, significantly reduced in area because of the larger space occupied by the new school that opened with the beginning of the school year and the fact that the block west of the school had not yet been developed into a playground and parking lot.

 

On an early October morning in 1954 the steps of the new school suffered some damage as the result of a 1:15 a.m. accident at the intersection of North Third and Cady, the crash sending one of the two cars involved against the steps.

 

For the 1954-55 school year, St. Henry’s Parochial School had an enrollment of 340, 16 of which were twins.  The school boasted of the record number of twins; eight sets, not all identical, were pupils.

 

12/14/34 WTribune        A cross reference<<

8 Sets of Twins!  Can It Be Possible?  Believe It Or Not, there are 8 sets of twins in the Watertown schools.  3 sets are identical twins and the remaining 5 pairs are brother and sister combinations.  Moreover, 6 of the 8 pairs were born in Watertown.  

 

1954_Twins

 

Count ‘em, and pity the poor teachers !

 

          Grade

Top:       Jane and Jean Sterwald                                   8

               Glenn and Mary Lou Rhodes                           5

Third:    James and Allen Timm                                     4

               John  and Joseph King                                     3

Second: Ron and Don Gruenewald                                2
               Billy and Mary Thauer                                     
1

First:      Judith and James Opps                                    2

               Bonnie  Jean and Tom Wicker                        1

 

In 1955 Sister Mary Kenneth, a member of the teaching profession for the previous 31 years, won first prize in an essay contest sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary.  The subject for the essay was “A Teacher’s Contribution to Our National Security.”

 

The annual School Fair was held in February of 1956 with the lower and upper halls used to display school exhibits along with those of the Cub, Boy and Girl Scouts of the parish.  A giant fish pond for both youngsters and older folks was one of the most popular attractions, as was the “Cake Walk.”

 

A safety patrol consists of school boys and girls who are trained to remind their classmates of safety and how to protect their fellow students as they themselves practice leadership abilities, reli-ance, punctuality, courtesy, respect and service to others.  In 1955 the patrol members were all boys.

 

School%20Safety%20Patrol%201955

 

1955 School Safety Patrol

 

Top:        James Kennedy, Leo Loughlin, Edward

Bliefernicht

Third:    Ronald Newman, Richard Rhode, Douglas
               Lamp
, Harvey Gruchow, Tom Podolske,  James
               Rothschadl

Second: Richard Plenge, James Loughlin, Charles Hrobsky, Pat Loughlin, John Bredow, Ronald Pfeifer

Front:    David Hertel, Nick Schneider, James The-
               der
, James Haberkorn, James Oestreich,

Charles Bliefernicht.

 

________________________________

 

 

St. Henry’s 1956 basketball roster included Rich-ard Rhode, Tom Podolske, Harvey Gruchow, John Mooney, Ronald Newman, Jim Oestreich, Ronald Pfeifer, John Kihslinger, Richard Plenge, Jerry Peters and James Loughlin.

 

Twenty-two athletes of the grade school were honored at a banquet in May of 1956 given for them by the Holy Name Society.  Championship trophies were given to the co-captains of the football and basketball teams:  Tom Podolske and Ronald Neumann, football (George Smith, men-tor); Ronald Pfeifer and Richard Rhode, basketball (Leo Loughlin, coach).

 

An 11:10 a.m. daily Mass for pupils was instituted at the beginning of the new school year in 1957, replacing an 8 a.m. Mass and thereby not requiring the students to report to school as early as before.

On December 3, 1957, the School Sisters of Notre Dame celebrated their 100th anniversary at St. Henry’s.[384]

 

St. Henry’s Parish and Parochial School participated in a fund raising campaign conducted by the SSND of the Milwaukee Province for the purpose of constructing a new training college for the sisters to be located in Mequon, Wisconsin, on a 200-acre tract of land overlooking Lake Michigan. 

 

The announcement was made by the Reverend Mother Mary Hilaria, who was the spiritual director of the sisters’ community throughout the United States.  Parishes where the sisters were the instructors throughout the Midwestern Province made similar efforts to reach an aggregate minimum goal of $3,000,000.

 

This was the first time that the SSND in the Midwest area had made a province-wide appeal for funds.

 

If the School Sisters of Notre Dame are to continue to teach young people in this Province, we must make provisions for the adequate housing and training of these young women whom God sends to us as future members of the Community.  Overcrowded and unsafe conditions in the present college in Milwaukee make it necessary for us to build a new training college immediately.

 

- Reverend Mother Hilaria

 

Father Anthony Herrmann, speaking for the people of his parish, expressed his faith in the generosity of his people.  He stated that it is evident that this need of the sisters is a vital one and that strengthening of their structure for educating young people a basic necessity.

 

A committee of volunteer workers from St. Henry’s parish made a house-to-house solicitation of parishioners of their parish, inviting their participation in the Memorial Gifts plan of the campaign.

________________________________

 

In October of 1957 the school closed for a three day weekend because of an increased absentee rate due to an outbreak of influenza.

 

At the School Fair of 1958, sponsored by the Home and School Association, there were school exhibits as well as a school talent show featuring singing, tumbling, piano playing, baton twirling, ballet and tap dancing, accordion selections, and a pantomime.

School enrollment increased considerably during the 1950’s.  For the school year of 1950-51 there were 264 students.  For 1960-61 there were 439.

 

By September of 1964, every available space in the school and the old hall was utilized for overflow classes when the school term began.  All registrations that could be handled were, and there was a hold placed on accepting new registra-tions, as no more could be accommodated.

 

The school bands of St. Bernard’s and St. Henry’s combined for winter concerts in 1965 and 1966.

 

The 1969 CCD religious instruction classes were held Thursday afternoons for all parish children in grades one through six not enrolled in the parish school.  The non-attending seventh and eighth graders were required to meet at the same Thursday evening times as the high school Chi-Rho religious classes.

 

1971%20Football%20champs%202

 

1971 champs

 

Top:        Todd Richter, Matt Higgins, Brian Steffin,
               Mike Engel
, Joe Mooney, Roger Bliefernicht, 
               Dave Pitterle
, Dave Schaefer, Joe Meyers,

Coach

Second:  Gary Muir, Mike Peters, Kevin Kritz, Dan
               Blank
, Dan Bohlman, Bob Martin, Gene

Haberkorn, Jim Ebert

Front:    Jeff Theder, Bernie Jurick, Joe Dittmann,
               James Bauman
, Bill O’Brian, Rich  Lessner

________________________________

 

St. Henry’s won the championship of the grade school flag football league of the 1971 season.

 

In 1972 the school adopted a family income scale suggested by the Secretary of Agriculture to deter-mine eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

 

School children burn up lots of calories while learning their lessons and horsing around on the playground.  A hot lunch is a necessity and such a program requires the work of several.  In 1972 the hot lunch program was staffed by Mrs. Gordon Checki, Mrs. Simon Checki, Mrs. Jerome Fendt, and Mrs. Donald Cayan.  Jerome Fendt took care of the buildings and grounds.


A full time religious coordinator was employed in 1974 to coordinate the religious instruction of elementary school pupils who were unable to enroll in the parish school because of limitations of space. 

 

 

 

Graduation,%201968

 

Eighth Grade Graduation, 1968

 

Top Row:               Fr. Beckius, Kathy Kerge, Gilbert Brennecke, Robert Frater, Ann Peirick, Steve Martin, Joyce Horack,
                             Bill Rule
, Jane Kellerman, Dennis Berg, Mary Ann Giese.

Third Row:           Father Weisensel, Ann Burbach, Mike Mooney, Steve Chingway, Donna Cayan, Greg David, Rick Kunert, Denise Weiss, Joe Checki.

Second Row:         Fred Roethle, Butch Henze, Sherwin Stangler, Mark Hady, Joann Kopplin, Donald Engelhart, Cathy
                             Peirick
, Monsignor Herrmann.

First Row:            Tim Schleicher, Pat Peirick, Janet Bauman, Phil Schaefer, Pat Wollinger, Mary Ann Meyers, Mike Dorn, Mary Indra, John Hackbarth.   Missing:  Nancy Robinia

 

 

 previous          Table of Contents:  History of St. Henry’s School          next

 



[384] St. Henry’s Parish Directory, 1973.