This is the original artist s conception of our parish school The school was designed by E. W. Fanning Associates of Newark and dedicated on November 27, 1960.
of Lucy, "Love God," would have to be those two words. In May of 1959, after 13 years of faithful service, Father Dell'Orto left the parish to become the administrator of St. Anthony's, Union City. He was replaced by the senior curate of that parish, Father Sylvestor Livolsi. Having recorded this appointment, we again pick up the thread of our story and deal with the building of the new school.
The site for the new school was a cause of some concern to Monsignor Dooling. At one time he came within one day of purchasing a large plot of ground on the corner of Eighth Street and Berkeley Avenue, but Divine Providence and a few fast moving events happily ruled out that property. Then, by destroying one building, moving another, and acquiring two others, sufficient land was obtained to build the new school so that it fitted in with and complemented the church-rectory both aestheticallyand proportionally.
The anxiety, anguish, and annoyance which faced Monsignor Dooling during the building of the new church was not present during the building of the new school. Ground was broken on January 3,1960. On that early winter day Monsignor Dooling asked his priests and people to pray for good weather, and he made a particular point of asking that this prayer be placed in the hands of Jesus and His Virgin Mother Mary. The good God granted him all he asked for and more. We experienced one of the mildest winters of recent years. Hardly a day was lost in the work. Not an obstacle appeared to slow its completion, so that the new school year found some of our pupils already using most of its 25 classrooms, and on dedication day, in November, the building was completely finished and handed over from the builders to the people and children of St. Francis. Thus another dream of Monsignor Dooling became reality.
On May 22, 1960, Archbishop Boland officiated at the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone ofthe new school. N ow it welcomed its beloved Archbishop for the ceremony of dedication on November 27. Grouped around him Mon- signor Dooling had his priests: Father Charles Scanlon and Father John McAdam, who had come to him from the ordaining hand of his close, personal friend, Archbishop Boland; Father Vincent Bonelli, who had followed them two years later as the extra curate assigned to the parish in recognition of its growth; Father Livolsi, who arrived in 1959 to replace -Father Dell'Orto. He had a strong, young band of Filippini Sisters, eager with the enthusiasm of youth dedicated to Jesus, to implement his idea of Catholic school training: Sister Superior Carmelinda Sciscento and Sisters Concetta Umosella, Angelina Del- Vecchio, Ann Walton, Geraldine Romano, Lois Zampese, Irene Rizzo, Anita Canale, Anne Cervasio, Rose Chiuccariello, Mary Dtl.illo, J0 Ann Pompa, Jane Salywoda, Gertrude Grimes and Rosaria Tempio. These dedicated women, under the direction of Father John McAdam, the director of our school, would undoubtedly add many more glorious pages to its history. Monsignor also had a loyal group of fervent lay helpers, who understood that the Church is a Mother to be loved and served. And, finally, he had thousands of parishioners who, with varying de-