[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF ST. MARY'S SCHOOL

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                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 10, 2016

  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize 
St. Mary's School in Lee, Massachusetts on their 130th anniversary. 
Since its inception, the hard work of the teachers and students has 
made St. Mary's School a model of success in the region.
  In the mid-1880s, Jane Sedgwick, a member of a wealthy family in 
Stockbridge, Massachusetts, wanted to open a parochial school in 
Western Massachusetts after a massive influx of Irish immigrants into 
the area. After 25 years of work and determination, Pope Leo XIII 
finally gave Jane his personal blessing to building the school that 
would be affiliated with St. Mary's Church in Lee. Five years later, 
the school was built and they welcomed nuns from St. Joseph's of 
Chambery, France to teach students grades 1 through 8.
  For 72 years, the old school located on Academy Street served the 
parish of St. Mary's until a boom in the population of Lee following 
World War II. The pastor at St. Mary's Church at the time, Father 
Jeremiah Murphy, labored tirelessly to get the funds needed to ensure 
they could build a big enough building for all the students. In 1957, 
all of Father Murphy's dreams came together and a new school was 
constructed just up the road from where the old school stood. Since 
then, the current building has added new wings to the building to 
accommodate a library and computer labs to better educate their 
students. Today, St. Mary's School has all the new forms of technology 
to help a new generation of students get excited about learning.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past 130 years, St. Mary's School's curriculum 
may have changed, but their ideals and their high educational standards 
have always remained the same. With small class sizes, teachers are 
able to give important individual attention to ensure every student can 
excel. The school's motto, ``Education with a Plus,'' speaks volumes to 
their dedication to math and the sciences, as well as the moral 
teachings that comes along with a Catholic education. I want to commend 
all the teachers and staff of St. Mary's School on all the success they 
have had over the past century in shaping the young minds of Berkshire 
County. I wish them all the best with their future endeavors.

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