This being 60 Years since I attended my first year at 'St. Mary School'", my prayers have been answered!  Thank You, God!

St. Mary School in Putnam to close

  By EMILY GROVES

Norwich Bulletin

Posted Aug 20, 2010 @ 01:42 PM

Last update Aug 20, 2010 @ 03:11 PM

Putnam, Conn. —

St. Mary School in Putnam will not open for school this year, as plummeting enrollment this summer has led the Diocese of Norwich to shut its doors after 137 years.
A news release from the office of the superintendent of schools for the Norwich Diocese said the school will be closed effective immediately.
The letter stated only 47 students were enrolled at the school earlier this week, but an additional 20 families have taken out registration forms at two neighboring Catholic schools in the past two days.
“It is not possible to offer a sound educational program with enrollment so drastically low,” the release stated.
Parents were alerted earlier this week the diocese was contemplating the school’s closure after enrollment numbers dropped by half in the past few weeks.
The school already owes the diocese between $200,000 and $300,000,said Michael Strammiello, spokesman for the Diocese of Norwich.
Strammiello said the diocese and the parish of St. Mary's had every intention of working toward revitalizing the school earlier this year.
But with fewer than 30 students, the tuition income to the school would have been less than $120,000. Expenditures were projected to reach $700,000, according to the release.
"Clearly, the school and the parish cannot sustain themselves under such conditions. Efforts to turn the school around were rendered impossible by the number of families having withdrawn their children," the release said.

Copyright 2010 Norwich Bulletin. Some rights reserved

Memoirs d'Une Petite Française

Greetings to you, C.C., Argyle and folk:

With the exception of tuition and our pennies to donate to the starving 

children in Chili, no currancies, Rupee's or otherwise, is needed here. 

  I am offering an excerpt from my own, Memoirs d'Une Petite Française

For today, I have adapted my composition to the puzzle at hand.  Thanks to Mr. Parrish for provision of inspiration for this passage.  Thank you to Dennis for all the hard work you do and for providing daily information which I always find useful.

Please enjoy and know that every word is true as I know it to be. A white lie is a venial sin and a flat out lie is a mortal sin. So I was taught and I stay away from both.

National Sister Day:

'Sister' Is the name we called the nuns at Catholic school. Their Order, Sisters of the Holy Ghost," (since updated to Holy Spirit.)  They were our school teachers.  Monday through Friday, we would tumble out of our feather beds and aided by our mother(s), prepare for a new, often holy, day. When we'd arrive at school each morning in our uniform wear consisting of a modest white blouse, navy bow tie, navy knee length wool stockings and a knee length or longer, navy blue jumper with our school's insignia, SMS, monogrammed on a shield-shaped badge over our hearts, "SMS" (Saint Mary's School.) We topped this off with a navy felt beanie and two hat pins. A bell would PEAL and as was our CUSTOM, we lined up in very specific order in mandatory silence. This was followed by a MARCH played on the school intercom projected into the schoolyard. We would enter the school in an orderly manner.  During this process, we maintained mandatory silence.

This was a well orchestrated event; an expo of sorts.  From time to time pedestrians passing by would stop agog at the sight we provided.  We proceeded in direct current, nsync, one may say, to our classrooms.

We would then put our coats, beanies and school bags into the cloak room, making sure, at that time, to take the essential papers, books, pencils and any other necessary materials to be used during our lessons lest we cause a disruption during instruction time.  We would go to our assigned desks, still in silence. We put our things neatly on the desktop then remain standing to recite THE PLEDGE OF ALLIGEANCE and THE LORD'S PRAYER.  We were given permission to be seated and thus, we began our day.  "Good morning class."  "Good morning, Sister." Now, class, today is a special one.  This is what is in store for you...we are blessed and honored to be awaiting a visit from the esteemed bishop of our dioses. Let us now pray for his safe arrival and for our worthiness to stand in his holy presence."

A start with, on occasion, Sousa, no sip of coco...or scent of Channel as the good sisters smelled of pure, clean soap, being humble as they were.  It is plain to see, we were quite tame.  No openning of a single yap allowed as it would dearly cost us. We were highly encouraged to offer up a silent, spontaneous prayer throughout the course of our day. The verse, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?" was one I often sent up, though I felt guilty about it as it was not mine to judge.

I could go on, though I feel I've adquatly illustrated my point.  I hope to the Good