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Explore > St. Joseph's High School, Coalition for a Better Acre > Story Archives
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So many memories... I could hear my classmates!
Submitted by MW, West of Boston
*Why did you come today?*
This building has a lot of meaning to me. I spent four years of my life here. The sisters and teachers helped me and shaped me into the person I am today… along with my parents, of course!
But, you know, this building is a beautiful building in that it is the cornerstone of the Acre. A lot of us grew up in this building—and there were a lot of folks before and after us—and graduated from here. But after touring the building and seeing how much work it needs, we definitely do need that grant to keep this building valuable for another lifetime and to preserve housing and services for the Acre.
Walking through the building today there were so many memories. I could hear my classmates, believe it or not! A lot of people walking around today are experiencing that too. I would like to see this building preserved for the next generation of people who will be living here.
I vote every day.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/13/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-mark-watson/
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I enjoyed my time here
Submitted by RB, West of Boston
*What brought you here today?*
I heard that you were having the Open House, and I think it is a good idea to have this building commemorated, and have as much of the history maintained as possible. I enjoyed my time here.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/13/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-robert-belanger/
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Deeply rooted neighborhood connection
Submitted by AS, West of Boston
*What brought you here today to the Open House?*
My mother graduated from St. Joseph’s back in 1973. Through my connection to Lowell Catholic, I saw that they were trying to help out with raising money for the renovations here.
*What importance does this school have in the neighborhood?*
My grandmother has lived in this neighborhood since (about) 1943, and she still lives here. In fact, she just sold her house on School Street to my brother, so my family still has a deeply rooted neighborhood connection.
I think it’s good that someone will be using the building. I’m glad to see that it’s not going to be run down. It’s not going to be knocked down. It’s not going to be something very simply thrown up… I think there’s enough tripledeckers in the neighborhood, so it’s nice that CBA will preserve the building.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/15/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-adam-sandelli/
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Active in the community
Submitted by BKM, West of Boston
*What brought you here today to the Open House?*
I am very active in the community, particularly with regard to the Hamilton District Canal project. I went to a meeting the other night where I met Suzanne Frechette, who’s very active with CBA. She made me aware of what’s going on here at the school, so I thought it was important to become active in this as well.
I was a student of the school in 1976, 1977, and 1978, and there’s a lot of good memories that I have of the school. I would like to think that there’s an opportunity to utilize the building and not leave it vacant. We do need housing, whether it be for low income or elderly within the community, and I think this is a great project that they are considering funding in order to bring the building back. And bring it back better than it is now. For a beautiful structure to be left vacant, as it is now, is obviously not its best use. And, as I said, the community does have need for low income and elderly housing. So I support this project 100%.
This building has been part of the community for many many years. To see it go away wouldn’t be such a good idea because it has had such a strong presence. It should be brought back and used as housing. Or used in another fashion other than leaving the building vacant, which obviously does nothing for the community. It being unoccupied lends itself to vandalism and deterioration.
It’s a beautiful structure and I would hate to see it go by the wayside.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/14/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-brian-k-murphy/
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I would like to have an apartment in this place
Submitted by MLC, West of Boston
*Why is CBA such an important organization in the City?*
CBA helps people, and not just through affordable housing. CBA helps people from different ethnic groups get together, share experiences, and do things together for the community.
*Why do you think this school has such a strong presence in the community?*
Because of the people who came here today, I see that there was something nice. They were here before—came for school and —and I see their faces. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for about 20 years, and although I didn’t come to this school, today is exciting because I would like to have an apartment in this place.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/15/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-myrna-l-carrasco/
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Preserving the past is what’s important to me.
Submitted by AF, West of Boston
My sister-in-law works at CBA and she told me about the event. I came back hoping to run into some old classmates, and to bring back memories of high school.
There are so many buildings in the City of Lowell that are getting torn down, and it’s sad because the city has so much history. If we are able to save some of those buildings—especially those buildings that have memories for older citizens… and not-so-older citizens!—I think that’s great and it shows the rest of the country just how proud we are of our history.
This particular building has so many generations who came here for school. Why get rid of something that meant so much to so many members of the community? If you can save the building by turning it into housing, why not? This just shows what Lowellians can do to preserve their past. Preserving the past is what’s important to me.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/16/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-amy-elizabeth-frechette/
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Came for an education and left with a career.
Submitted by DJRT, West of Boston
Coming today brought back a lot of memories. I went to school here from 1950-1962. In 1960, I started being a DJ at St. Joe’s, and have remained a DJ to this day. I came for an education and left with a career.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/16/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-raymond-tremblay/
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The ultimate in recycling
Submitted by NZ, West of Boston
*What impact do you think the building has on the Acre neighborhood and on the City of Lowell at large?*
I think that this building here will help stabilize the neighborhood, the Acre. And I think that building bringing affordable housing in here and having people use the space would greatly help the City of Lowell. We have a hospital up the street, a credit union down the street, and City Hall just a bit further. So a lot of good places have been sited in this little section. This is going back many many years.
But I feel that this is the ultimate in recycling, and in being green. We are taking something that was build a long time ago, and utilizing it for a different purpose. We are using what we have already. We not tearing anything down, but we’re making the buildings even better.
I think converting this building into affordable housing units is the greatest thing in the world. Our community definitely needs affordable housing.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/12/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-norman-zarella/
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I encourage everyone to vote for the St. Joseph’s High School project.
Submitted by NT, West of Boston
I am pleased and proud to know that Lowell’s former St. Joseph’s High School has been selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express as one of 25 significant historic sites in Greater Boston to compete for preservation funds through the Partners in Preservation program. This grant would help the Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) in its renovation of the school building into 22 permanently affordable apartments. This renovation will not only provide beautiful and high quality housing in the historic Acre neighborhood of Lowell, but also will revive a monumental and highly visible community landmark and, in the process, revitalize a historically important neighborhood. I encourage everyone to vote for the St. Joseph’s High School project.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/11/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-congresswoman-niki-tsongas/
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My heart!
Submitted by SrLL, West of Boston
*What brought you here to St. Joseph’s for the Open House?*
My heart! Anything that has to do with St. Joe’s always touches a special chord for me. St. Joe’s is where I went to high school—although it wasn’t in this building. I taught here, I was a supervisor here, I replaced the principal for a few weeks. This whole complex—the convent, elementary school, high school, church—was my life. I can trace my life from my baptism at the church to when I decided to become a nun. All that happened within this parish and this building.
It has been a wonderful time for me to read about what’s happening in this building, that it’s going to be preserved, that it’s going to be saved, and that it’s going to be used for housing poor people. I was a Grey Nun, and the Grey Nuns were founded to take care of the poor. So throughout the whole history of the order—from the 18th century to now—the Grey Nuns have served the poor. And CBA is going to do that! They are providing housing that’s desperately needed, especially by those who are low income. It’s like somebody is doing all the things I wish I could do. I asked them downstairs how much this project is going to cost and when they told me how many millions, I said, “well, I guess my social security isn’t going to do it. It’ll take a little more than what I have.” But if I can do anything, other than my prayers, I’m definitely going to vote. They say we can vote everyday, so I’m going to vote everyday! It’s the only time in my life that I can stuff the ballot box!
I think it’s an excellent idea to convert this building into affordable housing. First of all, there’s no chance that this building will ever become a school again. There’s only one Catholic school left in Lowell. At one time, we had five, but not any more. The only alternative would be to tear it down and that would be a crime. This is an historic building, it’s a solid building. Its impact on the community is too significant to tear it down. What would they replace it with… a parking lot? Good heavens. Whereas this building is going to provide good, comfortable, clean, beautiful housing for people who probably can’t afford it any other way. I think that’s the best way to use this building. CBA did it with the elementary school, and they did a great job.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/11/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-sr-lillian-lamoureux-sfcc/
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Para ayudar a las personas de pocos recursos para tener mejor vivienda, para apoyar al proyecto
Submitted by BLC, West of Boston
*Why did you come to the Open House event?*
Para ver el proyecto que está programando, para ayudar a las personas de pocos recursos para tener mejor vivienda, para apoyar al proyecto. Que este proyecto sea un gran beneficio para la comunidad de Lowell. Felicitaciones por este gran obra que están realizando.
To see the project that is planned, to help people with few resources to have better housing, and to support this project. May this project be of great benefit to the City of Lowell. Congratulations for this great work that you are doing.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/05/09/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-berta-l-cordoba/
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Winning the lottery
Submitted by RNL, West of Boston
As CBA’s community organizer, I have met some of Lowell’s residents with the greatest need, and have learned first hand about the need for more apartments that offer quality, affordable housing in Lowell. I have seen a mother and father squeeze their family of five into a small two bedroom apartment, who have been on a waiting list for a three bedroom apartment for years. I have seen single, working women, whose children are grown, struggle with the costs of living alone, and even though they are nearing retirement, continue to work to keep a roof over their head. And I have seen a single working mother struggling to recover from a broken marriage, who wants to move after living in one place for 15 years because she and her child need to leave some memories behind, but have been waiting for Section 8 housing for more than 10 years.
As CBA’s community organizer, I have also had the privilege of entering many of CBA’s properties and meeting the people who have turned our affordable apartments into very happy homes. In July 2008, CBA completed renovations of 15 affordable apartments in the former St. Joseph’s Elementary School, CBA’s most recently completed development project. These beautiful apartments were rented out through a lottery, whose application process received more than 100 applicants! We organized a New Tenant Welcome in the common area of the building after all of the selected tenants had moved in, and it was amazing to see how happy and appreciative people were, and how their lives had been transformed, to have the opportunity to live in quality, newly constructed apartments. From the astonishing re-furbished original hardwood floors, to the high ceilings and whirling ceiling fans, this former elementary school is the model for what the St. Joseph’s High School can be.
I vote for St. Joseph’s High School because I want to knock on more doors where I am greeted by someone who feels like they have won the lottery.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/04/27/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-robyn-long-navas-part-1/
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Providing affordable living, a more sustainable way of living.
Submitted by MW, West of Boston
In 2001, I answered an ad for a position with The Coalition For A Better Acre, an organization whose mission is to provide affordable housing to low income individuals and families. It gives me such great pride and at the end of every day, I go home knowing that we not only provide residents with a place to live, we provide affordable living, a more sustainable way of living.
With the redevelopment of the former St. Joseph’s High School, CBA will be preserving the quality and character of the building while also strengthening the surrounding community.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/04/23/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-michele-witts/
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There’s a lot to like about Lowell!
Submitted by EWR, West of Boston
"There’s a lot to like about Lowell!" as the saying goes. For one thing, the Acre neighborhood in Lowell is a place that launched my family. Would you have guessed that a country girl – I grew up across from a dairy farm in Western Connecticut – would have roots in the great gateway city of Lowell? My father’s father, Shmuel, who in America became Sam, brought his young family to Lowell in the 1930’s. He managed the Enterprise Department store downtown. He always boasted when I was a kid about how he could add up a row of numbers in his head. He spoke Russian, Yiddish and Polish and Hebrew. English was his fifth language. He studied Torah and Talmud in the old country and had a complete Jewish education. He came to America by himself at age 17 and never went to school in America, at least not the formal kind, but he was schooled in Lowell.
My dad was born in the St. Joseph’s hospital, just a stone’s throw from my office at CBA and St. Joseph’s High School. Sam moved when the company asked him to and managed other Enterprise stores and was eventually able to open his own store, Brenner’s clothing in Wakefield center. When I think of Lowell and the Acre neighborhood and St. Joseph’s, if I close my eyes and imagine, I can hear the raucous noise of kids playing in the school yard and running through the halls. I think of all those who came to Lowell and built the city- the Irish, French Canadians, Greeks, Portuguese, Poles, and Eastern European Jews. They built great institutions –St. Joseph’s High School among them – and my family was there!
I look forward to when the halls of the St. Joseph’s High School will be filled again with raucous noise and laughter- this time family noise and wonderful cooking smells of Asian, Latino, African and American cuisines. Who knows where those children will be 70 odd years from now- perhaps in Lowell, or maybe settled down with their families in Western Connecticut. With all good fortune, St. Joseph’s will be home to may more generations of young ones from many parts of the world destined for many great things.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/04/22/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-emily-weitzman-rosenbaum/
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The past is honored by a vibrant present
Submitted by JF, West of Boston
When I was hired by CBA, the part of my job that I was most excited about was the High School project. I’ve always been enamored by the idea of taking an old building and giving it new life. Lowell is one of those cities that has seen that done many times over to astonishing results. The entirety of the downtown is considered a National Park, but not as a collection of buildings preserved for viewing to be opened at 9am and closed at 5pm, but as people’s homes, places of business, and neighborhood. The past is honored by a vibrant present. We have the opportunity to do the same with St. Joe’s. The French-Canadian heritage of which this Catholic school was at the heart will be honored through preservation of the building while a new generation of immigrants will be able to make their home in Lowell’s The Acre Neighborhood.
http://preservestjoes.com/2009/04/21/why-i-vote-for-st-joes-jeff-fugate/
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Full Circle
Submitted by SF, West of Boston
I could never imagine how my life would come full circle as it has. I spend ages 6 through 18 coming to St. Joseph Elementary School and High School, and doing everything in my power to avoid entering St. Joseph Convent. Yet here I am, coming to work in the former convent every day, looking out my window at the elementary school and working diligently to raise money to renovate my former High School. I am overwhelmed with how well both the convent and elementary school have turned out and fully expect the high school to be equally as beautiful. As the self appointed spokesperson for the French Canadians who came before me, I am convinced that these beautiful historic reuses would make my ancestors proud. After all,the hard work and determination that they put into creating these buildings was to make a better life for themselves and their progeny. The recreation of these buildings continues to do that for new immigrants and their families.
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The Importance of Affordable Housing
Submitted by Nancy, North Shore
After reviewing all of the entries, I feel that supporting the Coalition for a Better Acre's effort to create affordable housing is the best use of these funds. I believe the United States should be a country in which everyone's basic needs for food, shelter, and health care are met; this entry best fits my criteria for awarding this grant.
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Coming Alive
Submitted by Esperando nueva vida, West of Boston
St. Joseph's High School has been primarily vacant for many years now, with only small sections of the building recently utilized. Plans are to convert the former school to 22 affordable apartments, which will once again bring new life and a place for young ones to create memories. At the open house this past weekend, I could feel the building already coming alive with the buzz of people; some to remember the building's past, and others to dream of a possible future.
Vote for the re-birth of this building!
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Growing up in the Acre
Submitted by denise, West of Boston
I grew up in the Acre along with my two sisters and brother. We lived near the school for most of my childhood. I didn't go there, I went to the Voke, as did my brother. But, my sisters went there. I went to the elementary school, though. We would walk by the high school on the way to school, and went there when we were working with the high school kids. When I was in second grade, the nun asked the class if anyone had a long gown. I thought she meant the long gowns we used for dress up, so I raised my hand. It turned out she meant a "nice" long gown that I could wear for the High School graduation, walking in front of the graduates as they walked from the Church hall to the Church. My mom could sew, so she ran down to the fabric store to buy some material for my gown. She finished it just in time for me, at the age of 7, to march down the street in front of the St. Joes High graduates, class of 1966. I still remember that day.
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Giving Back
Submitted by Lisa, West of Boston
The sisters at St. Joseph's gave so much to me. I begin to repay that debt by being a teacher myself and giving back to students in a disadvantaged community that mirrored the one in which I grew up in. I may have been poor in terms of material standards, but the sisters made me rich in regard to my spirituality and that has always stayed with me. As a single parent, I worked hard and did the very best I could to provide for my own child. We both are college educated people, working with decent paying jobs and we turned out just fine. In fact, I am able to afford my own single family home today. And I owe that to the first time home buyers program which is affiliated with CBA. All of this came as a direct result of the foundation and values taught to me by the sisters. And now, it comes full circle as CBA is attempting to save that building and provide affordable housing in the way of apartments for other people who need a hand up. Help us to continue that legacy!
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The past is honored by a vibrant present
Submitted by jfugate, West of Boston
When I was hired by CBA, the part of my job that I was most excited about was the High School project. I’ve always been enamored by the idea of taking an old building and giving it new life. Lowell is one of those cities that has seen that done many times over to astonishing results. The entirety of the downtown is considered a National Park, but not as a collection of buildings open from 9 to 5 for the viewing public, but as people’s homes, places of business, and neighborhood. The past is honored by a vibrant present. We have the opportunity to do the same with St. Joe’s. The French-Canadian heritage of which this Catholic school was at the heart will be honored through preservation of the building while a new generation of immigrants will be able to make their home in Lowell’s The Acre Neighborhood.
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My Memories
Submitted by ALF, West of Boston
While at St. Joe's ('83-'87), I enjoyed playing on the girl's basketball team. We only had a girl's team my freshman and sophmore years, but enjoyed being part of the team. After that we did not have enough girls sign up to continue the team.
I will always remember Sr. Marie and her biology classes and Sr. Helene's Advanced French class (remember the scoring charts she used with us?). Being a shy student, I really flourished in a small school with the family atmosphere. I do not know how I would have ever done in the public high school.
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Memories
Submitted by Goose, West of Boston
The photographs on this web site bring back many fond memories of St. Joseph's boys' high school. I attended the school in 1940-1941 and 1942 and I remember well the Brothers who were our teachers. Back then, students remained in the classroom and different brothers came in to teach each specialty. Two of the boys in my class took it upon themselves to break up the day with humorous pranks. In the 5 to 10 minute lull between teacher changes, they would unscrew their chairs from the floor and place them squarely in the center of the aisles. As the Brother entered the classroom to begin teaching his subject, he would order the culprits to move their chairs into their proper positions behind the desks. This would cause another 5-10 minute delay, resulting in shorter classes. Back then, we all thought this was great fun.
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Hgh School memories
Submitted by Suze, West of Boston
St. Joseph High School was part of S. Jean Baptiste Parish, the first French Canadian parish in Lowell and part of what was once little Canada. Stores, movie theaters, restaurants and other businesses were owned by French Canadian iimmigrants, French was heard every where. My father was first generation American, my grandparents were illegal immigrants who changed theiir last name to remain in this country. St. Joes, even when I went there almost 100 years after it opened, was still primarily children of French Canadian descent. We were all related in some fashion, cousins in common, as I always say. Even the nuns were french. I still remember Sr. Jeannine singing Oh Canada over the intercom. I have many happy memories of the school.
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