[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 22 (Monday, February 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E187-E188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. MARY'S SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 22, 2010

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th 
anniversary of the St. Mary's School in Taylorville, Illinois.
  St. Mary's opened its doors in 1909 in a one room structure on 
Franklin Street in Taylorville. At that time, the school consisted of 
one teacher and 77 students. The school moved into its current building 
in 1921, which is home to kindergarten through third grade, two 
libraries and the school office. By the 1990s, St. Mary's enrollment 
had expanded so much that a second building was necessary. The new 
building was dedicated in 2000.
  Over the last century, St. Mary's has remained dedicated to providing 
its students with a high quality education which will last a lifetime. 
Last fall, the school held its annual fall festival, where former 
students and educators returned to St. Mary's to celebrate a century of 
progress. To help students and alumni see how classes were conducted a 
century ago, the school re-created the orginal one room schoolhouse, 
with kindgarten through sixth grade in the same room.

[[Page E188]]

  Today, the students, families and staff at St. Mary's are recognized 
throughout the area for their exemplary record of service to their 
community. St. Mary's has been recognized for its work on behalf of the 
American Lung Association, the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and 
Catholic Charities.
  I would like to congratulate Principal Cathy Robertson, Father Alan 
Hunter, and the students, teachers and staff of St. Mary's School, past 
and present, as they celebrate this important birthday and wish them 
another 100 years of success.

                          ____________________