St. Pat’s school rings in 150 years

St. Patrick’s School rang in a momentous 150 years of service with a humble ceremony on Sunday, January 27.

The ceremony was opened by a mass, followed by a reception in the school’s auditorium. State Senator Marty Golden was in attendance and presented the school with a proclamation. Also present were families of students, parishioners, and, most importantly according to Principal Andrea D’Emic, community members.

“St. Patrick’s means a lot to the Bay Ridge community,” she said. “We have a long history here.”

The school was founded in 1863 during the Civil War to educate the children of Irish immigrants working at Fort Hamilton. Its original staff consisted of its founder, Father Tanzer, and a handful of volunteers. In the length of time that has passed, D’Emic believes that St. Patrick School has certainly become greater than the sum of its parts.

The long history of the school and church, she believes, has made it a major part of the neighborhood’s continuously developing culture. And D’Emic is confident that St. Patrick’s “will continue to play an important role in community,” in the future, as well.

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