St. Mary School - Paris at 1121 Main Street, Paris, KY 40361 US - SCHOOL HISTORY

SAINT MARY SCHOOL PARIS, KENTUCKY The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth accepted St. Mary School in July of 1888, as a community mission. Sister Borromeo was the first principal and superior. There were 105 pupils and three sisters. On Saturday March 8, 1913, St. Mary Parochial School on High Street was burned. The fire started on the shingle roof of the building and is thought to have caught fire from chimney sparks. In September 1913, the school opened in the J. Miller Ward Home, located at 12th and Main Streets. The house was remodeled and arranged for schoolrooms on the first floor and the second floor was used as the sisters' convent. In 1968, the decision was made to discontinue 7th and 8th grades, due to the shortage of teaching sisters. The school continued to grow, however, and the convent was moved to the old rectory at 1101 Main Street so that the second floor of the school could be used as additional classrooms. An additional building at 11th and Main Streets was purchased in 1999, and named the Weller Building, in honor of Sister Loretta Weller. Sister Loretta retired in 2001 after 34 years as teacher and principal at St. Mary School. A kindergarden was added to the curriculum in 2000, pre-school was added in 2002, and 7th and 8th grades were brought back in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The main objective of St. Mary School is to offer an education in which Catholic ideals and beliefs influence every facet of a child's life. To this end our purpose is to achieve that which is best for our children, our community, and people everywhere. Insofar as it is possible, the individual child must be provided with the basic knowledge, skills, habits, understandings, and appreciation that enable the child to function as a Christian in society. Opportunities for prayer and for service to the community are provided. Our school sets orderly and courteous standards of conduct and provides many opportunities for growth in self-discipline and democratic procedure. The intrinsic worth of the individual child is an all-important point of emphasis of our program. Teachers endeavor to know each pupil well and to guide the learning effectively. The acceptance of children as they are, in terms of potential for development, fosters respect for each individual. We strive to advance in a Christian atmosphere that is friendly and purposeful. One special outreach activity our students participate in once a year is Mardi Gras - a day of fun and fellowship to raise funds which are sent to missions or poor countries to help children and young people. The Fine Arts program consists of attending Lexington Philharmonic Concerts, the ballet, Children's Theatre productions and other special contemporary art programs. The students attend gym classes at the local YMCA, once a week. At the end of the school year all students participate in a Field Day. This is a fun way to end the year.

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