Reviving the Memories of St. Joseph School
Charlie Podek of the Sea Isle City Police Department stops traffic at 44th and Central to allow students to cross, circa 1955. The police often assisted with school dismissal since the bridge was located on 44th Street at that time.
By Joseph A. LaRosa, Jr., Ed.D., and Dave Coskey
The cars began to trickle into the parking lot a little after 5pm on Saturday, May 2. Everyone moved cautiously at first. Inhibitions were quickly tossed to the side as more and more familiar faces were recognized. Hugs and kisses were exchanged. Makeup that was so carefully applied just minutes before was now running as tears streamed down cheeks. To be clear, these were tears of joy as old friends were reunited, some after decades apart.
Welcome to the St. Joseph Regional School Reunion. Sure, the doors may have closed for the last time more than a quarter of a century ago, but the memories were plentiful. The parking lot soon resembled what it looks like on Sunday summer mornings. Former students were surprised as they entered the familiar doorways of what is now the new parish hall. When the school was in operation, the building was the gymnasium and lunchroom. The older version even had a stage. But the building has undergone a major renovation, and the former students were impressed by the beautiful surroundings.
The reunion, conceived by Art Iannone, appeared to have attracted more than 100 former students from near and far. Two former students explained the important role that the school played in so many lives. Gerald MacFarlane, who grew up in Avalon and now resides in Upper Township, explained how the student body was diverse and what that meant to the students.
“Being a student at St. Joseph, I had the opportunity to meet people from throughout the county,” he says. “St. Joseph drew from an area larger than our hometowns. I went to school with kids from Woodbine, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, and Dennisville, as well as Avalon, and Stone Harbor. Many of those friendships have lasted a lifetime.”
In 1953, the dreams and aspirations of the members of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic parish in Sea Isle City finally became a reality with the opening of a school to provide a Catholic education to the youth of the area’s faithful.
After many years of fits and starts, the building was finally dedicated.
The parish had reached an agreement with the Sisters of Mercy of Merion, Pa., to staff and operate the school. The Sisters also operated Mercy Hospital in the resort. The first principal of the school was Sister Mary Brendan, and 106 students were enrolled from parishes in Woodbine, Stone Harbor, and Sea Isle City. Interestingly, as what was not uncommon in small schools at the time, two grade levels were combined into one classroom. Grades 1 and 2 would be taught by one of the Sisters, as would be grades 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8. With the separate grade levels sitting on different sides of the classroom, the nuns would move between each group presenting appropriate content. Many lessons were combined, giving students a two-year lesson rather than the traditional one-year. This arrangement continued until 1966, when increased enrollment, along with the addition of lay instructors, allowed the grades to start to be separated.
Both the Sea Isle City Public and St. Joseph School were inundated with floodwaters during the March 1962 Storm. Schools remained closed for a few weeks until the buildings were restored. Students returning to St. Joseph also returned to a surprise. Floodwater had eaten away at the foundation of the floors, and they were slowly sinking away from the foundation. The Sisters and students soldiered on, maintaining a daily instruction schedule until the situation was corrected over the summer.
For the 1970 school year, a new first grade teacher was assigned to the school. Sister Roberta was transferred to St. Joseph’s School.
As the number of youths in Sea Isle City continued to dwindle, the Camden Diocese acknowledged the economic difficulty of maintaining St. Joseph Regional School in the community. A new school was built offshore in Dennis Township, in an area that was more convenient to most of the students. As a result, St. Joseph School shuttered its doors for the final time on June 8, 2000.
The youth of Sea Isle City are currently provided with a Catholic education in grades pre-kindergarten through 8 at Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School, located offshore in Ocean View.
The conclusion of the evening was an especially moving moment. Everyone gathered in the Parish Center (the former gymnasium) and sang the St. Joseph School song. Everyone remembered it pretty well, too … do you?
The song was composed in 1957 by fellow St. Joseph student and SIC resident Steve Lamanna. Many people had fond memories of Lamanna at the reunion, as a pianist, which by the way, he was and still is, but he was also the valedictorian of the Class of 1959. Lamanna then went on to graduate from Wildwood Catholic and Villanova University. We’re happy to report that he still lives in the county and is doing well. He has fond memories of St. Joseph School, and he asked us to remind everyone what Sister Brendan used to emphasize, “… It’s St. Joseph School, not St. Joseph’s, (possessive). St. Joseph didn’t own the school, so it’s just St. Joseph School.” Lamanna believes that he composed the song at the request of Sister Brendan and Sister Mary Germaine.
Lamanna, who lived across the street from the school on 44th Street, transferred into St. Joseph School in third grade, when it opened, from St. Ann’s in Wildwood. “I still have great memories of St. Joseph School,” he says. “And I thought that the nuns were just terrific.”
Reading through the words that he had written almost seven decades ago sparked tons of memories and lots of emotion. “I’ve got to tell you,” he concluded, “all these memories bring a tear or two to my eye.” And by the way, even after 69 years, Lamanna remembered most of the words, too. Obviously, the sign of a good composition.
The end to the evening seemed to come too soon, at least for some. There was lots of exchanging of telephone numbers and email addresses at the door and in the parking lot. Father Moran, who had the vision for St. Joseph School, would have been proud that so many of the children that he brought together so many years ago were now engaged in making arrangements to remain in touch. The relationships that they made at St. Joseph School have lasted even after so many years. And Alex Iannone is already talking about the “next” reunion. We’ll let you know when any plans are definite.
St. Joseph School Song
By Steve Lamanna, composed 1957
To Saint Joseph’s School
We’ll be loyal and true
And faithful to all it upholds
And school days will be our happiest days
With the Blessings of God and St. Joseph
Chorus:
Green and White
Our colors so gay
May they go unspoiled all the day
Upward and onward
Our standards so dear,
Guide us and inspire us
To be faithful
Our County we love
And we will be true to the colors of our dear flag
The Red, White, and Blue,
We’ll be loyal to you,
And to our school, Saint Joseph’s.
Chorus:
Green and White
Our colors so gay
May they go unspoiled all the day
Upward and onward,
Our standards so dear
Guide us and inspire us
To be faithful
EDITOR’S NOTE:
This is to Sister Mary Brendan. We tried to do you proud Sister and went back through our story to make sure that St. Joseph School was listed properly.