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  2. Our Lady of Lourdes

Lourdes High School Dedication 1959

The new Our Lady of Lourdes High School building in the Edgewood section of Coal Township was dedicated during ceremonies on Sept. 13, 1959. Upward of 2,000 people, including clergy from high Catholic offices of four diocese, city and township officials, faculty members, students and parish members of nine churches in the Shamokin Deanery attended the historical program. Blessing of the building, laying of a cornerstone, which contained mementoes of the year, blessing of the American flag and statue of Our Lady of Lourdes were among the highlights of the two-hour ceremony. The Most Rev. George L. Leech, bishop of the Harrisburg Diocese, was the principal speaker. On Jan. 5, 1966, a groundbreaking was held for a $500,000 addition to Lourdes to accommodate students from Mount Carmel Catholic.
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(02.09.1956) Attorney Vincent Rovito, chairman of St. Joseph memorial gift committee for the Central Catholic High School Building fund, marks on the report board the amount of money pledged. The Rev. Dennis P. Reardon, past of St. Josephs, watches Rovito and checks the figures. Picture taken Feb. 9, 1956.
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(02.09.1956) Attorney Vincent Rovito, chairman of St. Joseph memorial gift committee for the Central Catholic High School Building fund, marks on the report board the amount of money pledged. The Rev. Dennis P. Reardon, past of St. Josephs, watches Rovito and checks the figures. Picture taken Feb. 9, 1956.

CatholicHSBuildingFund2956CC

  • (02.09.1956) Attorney Vincent Rovito, chairman of St. Joseph memorial gift committee for the Central Catholic High School Building fund, marks on the report board the amount of money pledged. The Rev. Dennis P. Reardon, past of St. Josephs, watches Rovito and checks the figures. Picture taken Feb. 9, 1956.
  • (03.29.1956) Catholic Central High School (OLOL) campaign.
  • (02.23.56) Looking at the design of the proposed Catholic School are Robert Rosini, Robert Mace and Mary Lou Strausser, of St. Joseph's School.
  • (02.23.56) Looking at the design of the proposed Catholic School are Robert Rosini, Robert Mace and Mary Lou Strausser, of St. Joseph's School.
  • (October 1957) Officials looking over blue prints for Our Lady of Lourdes in late 1957.
  • (08.01.57) St. Ed's groups of children with priest Father Lahaut. Cub Scout Pack 3255 meet at the site of the new Central High School.
  • (08.01.57) St. Ed's groups of children with priest Father Lahaut. Cub Scout Pack 3255 meet at the site of the new Central High School.
  • (1958) Construction of Lourdes Regional.
  • (1958) Construction of Lourdes Regional.
  • (1958) Construction of Lourdes Regional.
  • (July 1958) Construction of Our Lady of Lourdes High School.
  • (July 1958) Construction of Our Lady of Lourdes High School.
  • (Nov. 1958) Construction of Our Lady of Lourdes High School.
  • (1958 or 59) Our Lady of Lourdes.
  • (1965) OLOL.
  • (04.02.1989) OLOL.
  • (1964) Our Lady of Lourdes.
  • A modern-day aerial shot of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School- In 1957, 22 acres in the Edgewood section of Coal Township was purchased for $10,000 for the purpose of building a Catholic school. On Jan. 26, 1957, 2,000 area parishioners watched the Most Rev. George Leech, Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, turn the first spade of dirt. Master of ceremonies was Rev. Thomas Leitch, principal of Shamokin Catholic High School, who would later become the first principal at Lourdes. The school was built at a price of around $1 million and dedicated Sept. 13, 1959. Funds for the project came from the 22 parishes it would serve. Enrollment was around 500 students. After the Mount Carmel Catholic High School closed in 1964, a major expansion of the school was undertaken. As expected, enrollment jumped to around 750 students. In 1984, enrollment had decreased to 400 students, 137 of whom graduated in the spring. By 2011, the number of graduates had dwindled to just 35.
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