Local Resident Hosts St. Patrick Academy Alums
July 15, 2009

Forest Park resident Red Dwyer hosted a gathering at Altenheim’s English Gardens on June 12 for alums from the St. Patrick Academy graduating classes of 1943-1955. Dwyer planned the event to increase awareness about St. Pat’s 150 year anniversary celebrations planned for 2010-2011. “In no way in the world was St. Pat’s just a neighborhood school,” said Dwyer, who remains active with the school by serving on the 150th planning committee. “We made that big [cultural] transformation, which gave the kids an all around better education.” In the mid-1900s, St. Pat’s enrollment of roughly 400 students represented around 100 parishes. In addition to the discussions at Dwyer’s gathering, the school is encouraging alums or friends of the school to post their memories of St. Pat’s at www.stpatrick.org/150th.

Some events planned for the anniversary include a 60 year anniversary basketball game versus Tilden Tech (December 5, 2009), an Anniversary Mass and Civic Ceremony at Old St. Pat’s (June 18, 2011 at 4 p.m.), publication of a commemorative book on the history of St. Pat’s, publication of a Sesquicentennial Alumni Directory and more. Details of these and other activities will be posted on the school’s Web site at www.stpatrick.org.