A Farewell to Temple Street

Alumni and friends gathered to honor the school's Worcester roots.

On Saturday, June 24, 2017, the Saint John's community visited its original home on Temple Street in Worcester. 

With the imminent razing of the old Saint John’s High School building on Temple Street, the school and Alumni Association hosted a ceremony with alumni, locals, and leaders in the Worcester community. A morning Mass at St. John's Church on Temple Street was celebrated by Msgr. Francis Scollen '63. Col. A. Russell Pytko, from the class of 1944, was the oldest alumnus in attendance. Mike Principe '61 offered a reflection on his days as a student and being a part of the undeniable Pioneer tradition.

Brother Paul Feeney, C.F.X., told his story that began as a young Brother on that very spot. Back then he was a 23 year old Brother known as Brother Antoninus, one of 12 Brothers on the faculty. 

In a eulogy for the building, Brother Paul reflected with his former students, colleagues, and friends, “what made that building across the street so vital were the teachers and the students who occupied it...When the school moved to 378 Main St. in 1962, the soul of the building lived on in them, and still lives on today, as vital and lively as ever.”

Alumnus and former Worcester mayor Timothy Cooney '58 reflected, “This is a new beginning for the city of Worcester. We’ve got the memories and we’ve got the bricks, and now they’ll make way for a better setup.”

Mass was followed by a reception across the street in the parking lot of the old high school, where there were remarks on the school’s roots on Temple Street, including an homage to Mike's Lunch truck (which every day would drive up so students could get "two loaded with a bag of butter" - two hot dogs with the works and a bag of popcorn).

Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty attended the farewell ceremony, along with representatives from The Worcester Railers Hockey Club professional hockey team, which now owns the property.

According to RailersHC owner Cliff Rucker and President Mike Myers, they “respect the property as a Worcester landmark that was a home to generations of Pioneers in the extended Saint John’s family, and are optimistic about developing the space and what it means for the future of the Worcester community.”

Though the building is long past its era, the bricks have been passed out and its life force remains as strong as ever, sustained by the unparalleled Saint John's alumni and the students who walk the halls in Shrewsbury.


Read the article from telegram.com and Worcester Magazine story, which contains a video of the ceremony. 




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