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A sign displaying “Thanks for the Memories” adorned the school yard at 814 Bigler St., as gold and blue balloons seemed to sway in time with the children’s voices as they sang the school song.
After 56 years of educating thousands of South Philadelphia’s children, Stella Maris School disbanded its final flock Friday. A simultaneously somber and grateful gathering of students, teachers and parents honored the school’s legacy with songs and prayers in the school yard before parting to face the reality of a subdued summer.
Filing through halls bearing “Jesus Loves You” signs, the students, many of whom will go to either St. Monica, 1720 Ritner St., or Epiphany of Our Lord, 1248 Jackson St., eagerly shared affection. Diane Toto’s third-graders staged a group hug before greeting the sunshine.
“Bye, Stella Maris. We’re going to miss you,” they said in unison.
Principal Sister Lawrence Elizabeth of the Sisters of St. Joseph led the brief tribute with a concluding prayer for the children and their second home.
“This is a time filled with graces and challenges, with joys and sorrows,” the principal since 1991 said. “Bless us, O, Lord, according to your will. Let us grow in knowledge and grace all the days of our lives.”
With those words, the students began to disperse and to refl ect on their time at the institution, which has a tiny chance of a second life as the site of a regional school, though many other schools would need to acquiesce to make such a facility possible.
“This is a great school,” Breanna Cuticchia, a sixth-grader from the 2500 block of South 11th Street, said. “I’m going to miss everybody.”
Having known since April 9 that their school would not survive, all present bore a variety of expressions. Many looked stunned while others took solace in knowing they will continue to see their friends on playgrounds or in new schools with Epiphany, St. Monica and South Philadelphia’s youngest parish, Holy Spirit, 1845 Hartranft St., being the most popular choices for parents. Students enrolling at the first two will receive tuition subsidies from parishioners at Stella Maris.
“It’s hard to say goodbye,” Haley Herron, the Marvine-and-Bigler-streets resident who will attend Epiphany as a seventh grader next year, said. “Even so, I will definitely be keeping in contact with people.”
Stella Maris formed to accommodate the sizeable post-World War II population in South Philadelphia. Epiphany could not serve everyone, so Archbishop John O’Hara eased its burden by petitioning for the creation of a new parish.
Stella Maris became that parish on February 11, ’54. Its name, Latin for “Star of the Sea,” honors Mary, the Blessed Mother. The parish entered the diocese during the 100th anniversary of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX. Because of that, O’Hara decreed that parishes originating from December ’53 through December ’54 would include one of Mary’s titles in their names.
“It didn’t have to happen this way,” substitute teacher Lia Fusto said with a sentiment that matched the confusion many children voiced.
Fusto, who also taught at Stella Maris for 12 years before a stint as principal at Annunciation B.V.M., 1148 Wharton St., noted that the building will remain untouched.
“All the stuff is going to stay,” the resident of the 1300 block of Moore Street said, motioning to a stocked trophy case.
“We will have CCD [Confraternity of Christian Doctrine] classes on Sunday, but the building will be eerie without more activity.” “It’s really sad, but I’ll still come to church here,” Michael Singley, a fifth grader from the 2800 block of South 13th Street, added.
Alumni gathered at the church, 10th and Bigler streets, for a Baccalaureate Mass for the final graduating class Sunday. The parish will welcome Rev. John R. DiOrio as its fourth pastor June 21, with DiMaria becoming the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Royersford, according to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Website.
The celebration Friday, which brought the first through seventh grades together, as the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and eighth grade classes had held their graduations earlier in the week, ended a turbulent few months for the school. As part of the second youngest parish in South Philadelphia, Stella Maris ended this year with 181 students.
Their farewell stems from a lack of adequate funding and low enrollment. The school needed to have 175 students enrolled by March 30, the deadline from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
A February letter to parents from pastor Rev. Peter J. DiMaria had revealed his recommendation for closure of the school, and the deadline arrived with only 69 students enrolled. Operating with that enrollment for 2010-2011 would have caused an $800,000 deficit and forced the parish into debt, according to an April release from the Archdiocese.
Friendships, however, counted more than numbers Friday.
“I am disappointed,” Jarod Rodio, a fifth-grader from the 1000 block of Oregon Avenue who will attend St. Monica, said. “I wish my brother (seventh-grader) Nicolai and I could have stayed to graduate.”
Before the Friday gathering, the children received a medal of the Stella Maris image of the Blessed Mother. The image and those of Jesus Christ within the school serve as reminders of Matthew 28:20, “I am always with you, even to the end of time,” a passage that the principal, who has yet to receive a new assignment, quoted.
“I am honored to have had the chance to educate South Philadelphia’s children,” she said. “I taught the parents of some of these children. I love the children. I love South Philly.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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