A Memory & Some Notes

A MEMORY…….

One of the goals of this blog is to hear from you, whether you are an “Acre”-ite or just someone passing by on the web highway.  The counter shows over 12,000 viewer;, we sure would like to get your input.  We know there are stories out there, and it’s time they get recorded.  Just yesterday a  friend  mentioned he had graduated from Keith.  I knew that part, but did not know how often he had been “disciplined” while attending the school.  Yet today he is a respected teacher.  (I withhold his name to save his reputation.) 

After we researched the Boys School entry, Walter was able to add a personal note.

My interest in St. Patrick's Boys' School was heightened when I came across some photos my father had taken just before it was demolished.  Attached is a view of the Suffolk street facade.

He also took a picture of the rear of the building.

In the course of researching the school, I found a Lowell SUN article dated May 18, 1900 about the re-opening of the school scheduled for September.

“The younger pupils who always make up such a large number of the scholars will be under the charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame and teachers from the academy will be assigned to look after the young folks.  It is proposed to make a slight change in the school because of this arrangement.  A new entrance will be made at the rear of the school building and this will be accessible from Fenwick street.”

  The picture to the left shows the rear of the school with the aforementioned entrance, and I do believe the figures in black entering are indeed some of the Sisters.

AND SOME NOTES

A few weeks ago I met Eric at Open Doors.  We had quite a few visitors that day, but I noticed the detail with which he was viewing the art and architecture of St. Patrick’s.  We chatted for a while and found out he has a particular goal of creating a photographic survey of the city.  Please take a look at this herculean task he has taken upon himself.  Not only do I commend his efforts for helping St Pat’s and other places to record our stories, but notice the art he creates with his camera.  Many thanks, Eric.  You use your talents well.  Here is where you can see Eric’s work at St Pat’s http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Saint_Patrick_Church_%28Lowell,_Massachusetts%29, and the wider city http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Emw/gallery

The photo below is a detail of the window of St Patrick teaching the Chieftains at Tara taken by Eric.

Dig-2011

            I have been waiting 12 months for this.  My little countdown clock has been ticking away second by second.  No, it’s not Santa’s arrival at Christmas.  It’s better than that!  THE BIG DIG III is one week away.  The four Irish archaeologists will be arriving Saturday.  On Sunday will be a field trip to see a 10-footer, a house somewhat typical of the 19^th century and reminiscent of what our shanty might have looked like.  Then the fun begins!  The Dig will commence on Monday and finish up on Friday.  What will be found this year?  What new secrets will be revealed?  What will our old house tell us about those Irish pioneers?

The Boys School at St Patrick Parish, Pt 2

Lowell Sun, 1900

Success can have its drawbacks.  The first year ended with over 400 students in attendance, and more enrolling for the next fall.  At the close of school an exhibition was held at Huntington Hall to demonstrate the work of the Brothers and students.  There were those who publically doubted the success of such a school for boys.  Even the city fathers unexpectedly visited the boys’ school to look at the premises and to test the students.  They left “very impressed.”  The Brothers had to move out of their third floor dormitory in order to make space for more students.  They moved into a house on the corner of Varney and Fletcher Streets.  Older Acre residents recalled seeing the Brothers marching in line through the North Common with their black habits, rosaries hanging at their sides, and cloaks flowing in the winter winds with their hands holding their broad brimmed hats on their way to classes and then home again.

At 12:15, shortly after midnight, on March 9, 1899, Officer James F. Hurley was walking his beat on Suffolk Street.  There was a lot of smoke which wasn’t unusual with all the homes and businesses using word as fuel.  Upon further investigation the smoke was seen coming out of the windows of the Boys School.  He ran to Fire Alarm Box 125 at the corner of Lewis and Market Streets.  By the time the firemen arrived flames were shooting out of the windows of the second floor.  The wide stairways made a perfect avenue for the flames to spread.  On top of that low water pressure made fighting the fire difficult.  The firemen tried using the canal to pump water from, but it was all in vain.  It was a stubborn blaze, causing extensive damage to the building and the fire crews were not recalled until 3:56 A.M, almost four hours after the first alarm.  The cause of the blaze was attributed to a “rats nest in the partition”.

 Within days rumors spread that the school would close.  They were true.  Fr. O'Brien immediately announced the closing of the school.  What was to be done with the students? City officials were notified and at a meeting of Brother Pius, principal of the school, and Superintendent of Schools A.K. Whitcomb, it was agreed that the students would attend the public schools.

The Xaverian Brothers did return about a year later, but with changes.  When the school reopened in September of 1900 there were not enough Brothers to keep the same amount of classes going.  The Sisters of Notre Dame had gotten permission to teach the younger boys in the first four grades in their classroom, separate from the girls of course.  Because of this new arrangement a new entrance was to be made at the rear of the school so as to be accessible from Fenwick Street.  The Boys School became well known throughout the city for their Cadet Band.  The Catholic Young men’s Lyceum (CYML) took up space on the top floor.  The CYML had meetings and offices along with a lending library.  The Brothers moved once again to take up residence on Wilder Street, near Pawtucket, making the trek over a mile each way.  

In 1939, Fr. John F. Meheran, pastor of St. Patrick's announced that with the sale of the school, the parish would spend about $30,000 to provide new quarters for the boys.  In 1939, the boys were moved to some of the classrooms in the former Notre Dame Academy, which had moved to Tyngsboro, closing the aging Boys School and making way for the housing development. Cardinal O’Connell opened up the two Keith schools, one each for males and females.  The number of Brothers could no longer man the Boys School and Keith Academy.  When the school closed many were saddened, but others looked at what had been accomplished.  The Boys School had fostered dozens of dozens of vocations to the Xaverian Order and to the priesthood.  The number of firemen, policemen and politicians also gave credence to the tutelage of the Brothers and their mission of service.

Undated Class Photo, Archives of St Patrick Parish

When the school first opened in 1882, the first principal noted that the Brothers teaching style was to be built “by gentleness, rather than the birch rod.”  Those who attended might have a different story.   Brother Benedict had a trick of dropping a coin near a guilty boy.  When he bent to pick it up would “sweep down the rattan.”  The students of Brother Marcus knew when the teacher closed his book with his finger in it, he was about to tell a parable that could go on and on..  An early written account of the Brothers to their Superior states that the Lowell boys “were the worst of the worst.”  An aged graduate said the Brothers did what they had to do, and he was glad of it.

The Babe and St Patrick's

Lowell historian, Eileen Loucraft, has been part of many of our searches, especially dealing with Civil War veterans.  She has her own blog at Lowell Doughboys (http://loucraft.blogspot.com/).  Many thanks to Eileen for sharing this story. 

There must be a lot more of you out there with your Boys School Stories.  Let's hear from you.

Lowell Sun, Jan 31, 1924

Babe Ruth came to Lowell for the St. Patrick’s School 16^th Annual Alumni Banquet on January 30^th 1924. Why did he come? Because Brother Herman and Brother Gilbert asked him to!

Brother Herman and Brother Gilbert were also teachers at the St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boy’s in Baltimore, MD. Babe Ruth turned out to be their most famous student. A product of an Xaverian education just like the boys of St. Patrick’s.

From the Lowell Sun, January 31,1924

“Big Reception to “Babe” Ruth

To the accompaniment of vociferous applause, "Babe" Ruth was next introduced. From all appearances, this home run artist is a champion social hub as well a diamond celebrity. In characteristic vein, he said he had been present at 17 functions during the past week and was pretty well tired out.

He spoke of his associations with Bros. Clarence, Herman, Peter and Aquinas at St. Mary's Industrial school in Baltimore, which he attended 22 years ago and where he leaned the fundamentals of the national pastime of Bro. Herman, now stationed at St. Patrick's here. "I regret to say," said the Babe, "that I have succeeded in becoming a better player than Bro. Herman." I remember distinctly when Bro. Herman and I banged balls round the lot at St. Mary's. By the way, I never understood why they called that an industrial school, but anyway, 16 or 17 years ago, we played together. He showed me a lot of stuff, not only in baseball, but in football, too. O, yes, we used to play the rugby game. On a rocky field, too. I recall being knocked “cold” in a scrimmage once.”

Ruth then recounted several experiences at St. Mary’s. He went there 22 years ago next month, he said. Though it was hard at first, but he learned its value in later years. “I had my own ideas when I was a kid,” he added. “I never smoked a cigarette until I was 19 years old. I went direct from school to baseball, joining the Baltimore club with Ben Egan and Ernie Shore. Our first jump was to North Carolina and I was at a loss to know how we would sleep on the train. I had never heard of a sleeping car.”

The Babe in concluding, gave some good advice, asking the men to encourage baseball among the younger talent and to give them an example of clean living. He was accorded a wonderful demonstration as he left the hall to keep another engagement with the Knights of Columbus. Outside the building his progress to his waiting automobile was barricaded with groups of kids anxious to get just one look at the man they had read so much about. As his machine sped away, youthful throats shouted an envious "Good-bye, Babe," and he was gone.”

 Brother Herman also claimed that the Babe took his name for his confirmation name. Brother Herman taught 7^th grade at St. Patrick’s. He died in 1956.

 Brother Gilbert discovered Ruth at St. Mary’s School. He is credited with getting him signed with the Orioles. He was also a teacher at Keith Academy in Lowell. He died in 1947 and his funeral was at St. Peter’s on Gorham Street. His memoirs were published in 1999 and are available on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Young-Babe-Ruth-Baseball-Industrial/dp/0786406526

The Boys School at St. Patrick's Lowell

You wonder sometimes if the fates are driving this blog. Walter and I spoke briefly of the Boys School and then this weekend we both found that we had each written hisitories. We merged the two documents and came up with the following. We really would appreciate hearing from you. Share your thoughts and memories. 

St. Patrick Boys School, Suffolk Street

On October 19, 1939, St. Patrick' Boys School on Suffolk street was sold by the Archdiocese of Boston to the Lowell Housing Authority.  The land was wanted in order to enlarge the scope of the North Common Village housing project, thus ended a nearly 60 year parochial institution.

Michael O’Brien had a plan.  The pastor of Saint Patrick Parish always had a plan.  He was from a family of planners.  Like his uncles before him, Fathers John and Timothy O’Brien, they were men of vision and took their role of shepherds of the flock seriously.   Father Michael, as his congregation called him, saw the fruits of his predecessors’ labors.  Father Timothy had recruited the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to open a school for girls in 1852.  Now there was not only a school and an academy, but a convent, chapel, and gardens as well.  That let the boys of the Acre to attend the public school (for those who did), or to roam the streets, or for others to somehow get themselves into the mills.  But that little worm began crawling inside Fr. Michael’s head and it wouldn’t stop until the time was right.

Brother Alexius sat at his desk in Baltimore, he couldn’t take much more.  The letters were coming one after another.  Not only was Fr. Michael O’Brien writing to the Xaverian Brother, but he was also receiving letters from others on Fr. Michael’s behalf.  They were all urging the Brother to open a school for boys in Lowell.  Brother Alexius finally gave in.   He agreed to send 4 Brothers to open a school to begin in September of 1882.

Class Photo, Date unknown, Property Archives of St Patrick Parish

The old St Mary’s church on Suffolk Street had been empty for years.  It had formerly been built as a Methodist church, but was purchased by Fr. James McDermott in 1847 and consecrated on March 17.  Following the death of its pastor, Fr. James McDermott in 1862, it remained vacant just ready to be part of Fr. Michael’s plan.  Yes, it would make a fine school house.  What used to be the basement of the church now had a proper reception hall, dining hall, kitchen (both of these “being models of neatness”), and water-closets.  The second floor had the students’ classrooms, two students sat at each desk sharing one ink bottle.  The third floor had the Brothers’ dormitory, study, and chapel.  The curriculum would be based on commercial studies; including bookkeeping (single and double entry) algebra and geometry.  The entire course of studies would take perhaps seven years.  The intent was to have grammar and high school students, excluding the primary grades.

Opening day began with the Mass of the Holy Ghost.  The principal, Brother Joseph, and his three companions stood ready as the boys lined up outside the school, all 348 of them!  He immediately telegraphed to Baltimore to send help.  This was a most auspicious beginning and all went as expected for a number of years.