Philosophy and Mission of Sacred Heart of Mary

The Catholic School has the opportunity and obligation to be unique, contemporary, and oriented to Christian service. Unique because it is distinguished by its commitment to the threefold purpose of Christian education and by its total design and operation which foster the integration of religion with the rest of learning and living. Contemporary because it enables students to address with Christian insight the multiple problems which face individuals and society today. Oriented to Christian service because it helps students acquire skills, values, and habits of heart and mind required for effective service to others. All those involved in a Catholic school-parents, pastors, teachers, administrators and students-must earnestly desire to make it a community of faith which is indeed "living, conscious, and active."

Sacred Heart of Mary School is committed to Catholic education as a process of self-development. Teachers encourage each child to attain his or her potential as spiritual, intellectual, personal, social, and physical endeavor. They strive to provide an environment in which the students feel secure, confident, and motivated as they challenge each to grow at increasingly higher levels of competence, responsibility, and maturity.

In 1925, Father Stanislaus Wikarski suggested to Archbishop Michael J. Curleythat a church and school be established to serve the needs of the fast-growingPolish community known as Graceland Park. This suggestion was endorsed by the Archbishop and Father Wikarski began to look around for someone in the vicinity he knew could help him with the initial planning. Having a slight acquaintance with Mr. Casimer Nowakowski (Novak), Father Wikarski visited the latter's farm where he met with Mr. Novak to discuss the prospects of building a church and school in the Graceland Park area. Together they made plans for the first parish meeting.

This first meeting was held on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1925, in Mr. Vincent Brywczynski's business establishment on Holabird Avenue. The Brywczynski family in whose home the first meeting was held, helped to supply facts for this history.

In January 1926, after many plans were discussed and gradually implemented a structure comprising within its walls a church, nine classrooms, and the Sisters' quarters neared completion. For some time the newly organized parish had no teachers but undaunted, Father Wikarski taught the first children who came to the new parish school himself until he could get the parish going sufficiently to ask Archbishop Curley for Sisters to staff the classrooms. When classes were first started in the school there were three lay-teachers only.

In answer to the request of Archbishop Curley, Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth arrived in Baltimore in June 1927 from Torresdale, Pennsylvania, to take charge of Sacred Heart of Mary School. In September 1927, school opened with five Sisters. The first Principal of the school was Mother Camilla. The first Holy Communion class in the new parish was in 1926. The first Confirmation in 1928, and the first graduation class from the school was in June 1928.

In 1950, there were 600 pupils and eleven classrooms, so a new building was started. A new convent was completed in 1959 and blessed by Archbishop Keough in 1960. After the death of Father Chylinski on May 14, 1963, Fr. Leon Warczynski was appointed pastor on June 15, 1963, by the Most Reverend Cardinal Shehan. He immediately began planning for a new school. On June 13, 1965, ground was broken for the new building which contained spacious offices, twenty-four classrooms, a library, nurse's room, faculty room, meeting room and various school work rooms.

Throughout the 1950's, 60's, and 70's enrollment remained high averaging between 500 and 600 pupils. The 1980's witnessed the effects of the closing of Fort Holabird as a military installation and production slow downs at Bethlehem Steel. This, combined with climbing tuition rates and increased education expenses, caused a gradual decline in enrollment.

In 1986, under the direction of Sister M. Irmina, principal, the faculty of Sacred Heart of Mary School prepared a self-study in anticipation of a visit by a committee of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools the following year. Upon the recommendations of this committee Sacred Heart of Mary School was accredited for the first time by this agency in 1987.

The new decade of the 90's saw enrollment in the 300's with some classes being combined from two to one class to keep costs manageable. The curriculum was expanded to include instruction in computer usage for all students.

In 1998, under the direction of Sister Philomena, principal, Sacred Heart of Mary School was reaccredited by the Middle States Association.

At the end of July 1999, The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth after 73 years of dedicated service to the Sacred Heart of Mary Parish closed the Convent and left our school. The first lay principal in the history of Sacred Heart of Mary School is Mrs. Helen Roby.