Celebrating 50 Years of Catholic Education
1952 - 2002

…and still making history.

The pastor, Msgr. Francis J. Byrne, and the parishioners of St. Bridget's had a dream to build a school. In the fall of 1951, Msgr. Byrne celebrated the successful completion of the campaign to raise the $125, 000 needed to build St. Bridget's School. Msgr. Byrne sought the support of each of the families of the newly formed St. Bridget's Church, citing "…the value of Christian Education in the shadow of the Church itself."

In late August 1951 five Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary sisters came from their motherhouse in Tarrytown, New York to start a new school. They were headed by Mother M. Gonzague, who brought with her Mother M. Patricia, Mother M. Presentation, Madame St. Jude, and Sister Inez. They took up residence in a house at 6007 Three Chopt Rd, which had been purchased by St. Bridget's for use as a convent.

Ground was broken for the school in January 1952, and after several construction delays, the new building was opened on October 6, 1952. Classes had been held in the church basement and in the convent during construction. Six hundred students could now be accommodated in the ten classrooms and two kindergartens of the new building. Additional classrooms on the second floor were completed the following year. Mother Presentation led a teaching staff of seven RSHM and seven lay teachers.

The student population of St. Bridget's grew rapidly during the years between 1956-1965 with the total enrollment peaking about 1400 pupils. A dozen school buses made double runs each day.

We especially remember the Religious f the Sacred Heart of Mary whose faith and vision brought life to Msgr. Byrne's dreams for his school. These women dedicated themselves to the spiritual and academic growth of their students. Through the years, thousands of students have learned by following the example of these special role models. Their devotion still serves to inspire a new generation of students and teachers.

We remember with gratitude all the lay women and men who have served on the faculty and staff throughout our history. They were and continue to be role models of faith to whom the families of St. Bridget's entrust their children.

No history of St. Bridget's would be complete without acknowledging the invaluable contributions of Mrs. Polly Lacy and Mr. James Brown. Mrs. Lacy was the first school secretary, hired by Msgr. Byrne n 1952, who served in the office until her retirement in 1985. Mr. Brown came to St. Bridget's as a construction worker in 1951. Msgr. Byrne persuaded him to stay on, which he did until his retirement in 1994. Their decades of devotion to the school and its students exemplify the heart and soul of the St. Bridget's School tradition.

Literally, thousands of students have passed through the halls of St. Bridget's in the past fifty years. In the early days, it was not unusual to have 60 or more students in each classroom! Fortunately, those days are gone forever. The classrooms are wired and connected to a worldwide community of learning. While concentrating on literature and the arts, math, science and social studies, the foundation of the curriculum remains the spiritual formation of each student, as it has from the first day of classes.

Who can predict what the next 50 years will bring to St. Bridget's School? Only one thing can be considered a certainty, and that is that the tradition of a Catholic education will continue to connect each generation to the next.

Because of the faith and commitment of generations of St. Bridget's families and parishioners, our most precious blessings, our children, will continue to grow in the light of the Lord for the next fifty years and beyond.