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418 Jefferson Avenue Bristol, Pa 19007 215-788-2030/ Fax: 215-788-2979 |
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St. Ann Parish was founded in 1906 to serve the large number of Italian families that settled in Bristol. A Catholic education was to play a major role in the lives of these early families. In 1920, Father Isadore Jenne, O.SS.T., Pastor of St. Ann Church, appealed to the Rev. Mother General of the Sister of the Most Holy Trinity for four Sisters to assume the responsibility of the school which he was preparing for the parish. The first four sisters appointed were: Mother M. Teresa, Sister M. Scholastica, Sister M. Catherine and Sister M. Alphonsina. They sailed from Naples on October 13, 1920. On October 27th, they were welcomed in Bristol at the convent that had been prepared for them.
The Sisters and Pastor lost no time in getting the school started. Part of the convent was set aside for classrooms and on November 25, 1920, St. Ann School began with a kindergarten and first grade. The following year a second grade was added.
Eventually, increased enrollment necessitated that a separate school be built. Ground was broken for the school on Logan Street in November 1924. The Most Rev. Bishop Gerke dedicated the new school in September 1925, consisting of six grades. In September 1950, St. Ann School became affiliated as an annex to the Catholic High School System of the Archdiocese. The last class to graduate from the commercial course was in June 1950.
With the increasing number of children registering for school, there was the need for fire-safe classrooms for the children. In August 1967, permission was granted by His Eminence, Archbishop John Cardinal Krol, to start the construction of an addition to the existing school building and to provide new fire-safe stairwells.
The new addition consisted of three floors. The basement floor included an air conditioned auditorium (all purpose room), boiler room and incinerator, kitchen cafeteria, new rest rooms and a small office. The first floor addition consisted of two classrooms, principal’s/secretary’s office, nurse’s office, faculty room, and two rest rooms, thus allowing an already existing room to be used as a school library. The second floor addition consisted of three classrooms and two rest rooms.
Space was made available for a larger playground. A complete new heating system, water and sewage, and a public address system were installed.
Students became active in CYO sports during the 1965 school year. It began with cheerleading, boys and girls junior varsity and varsity basketball and softball. Over the years, basketball had become the predominate sport, but soccer and track are now expanding the field of competition.
In 1968, the Saint Ann Home and School Association was formulated. Since its beginning, parents and teachers have come together to better understand their responsibilities and duties toward their children and their Catholic education.
In the fall of 1976, a government sponsored milk and hot lunch program was started for the children. This program furnished a complete hot meal for the students. In the past several years a breakfast program has been started along with after school C.A.R.E.S. (Children Are Receiving Extended Service) Program with snacks from the government program.
Father James R. Day, O.SS.T. was named pastor in 1993. His background in education has been great asset for St. Ann School. Father James has been instrumental in bringing about the needed repairs and maintenance of the school as wall as opening a new, state of the art, Technology Center.
The curriculum provides a sound basic education which all students need to make appropriate academic choices for high school, and yet the smaller size of the classrooms provides the teacher and student with daily personal interaction.
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