Saint John the Baptist Elementary School, Pittston
Encyclopedia
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School was a Catholic school
located on William Street in Pittston City
, Luzerne County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It was named after the neighboring church (which was first opened in 1892 by Slovak immigrants). It's pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik (who served from 1929-1961), Rev. Michael J. Krupar (who served until his death on Christmas Day in 1964), Monsignor Joseph Super (who served until 1998), Rev. Andrew Strish (who served until 2005), and finally John Bendick (who led the church until it closed in 2008).
saw its first graduating class, which only contained nine kids at the time. Over the decades, the school had seen many teachers, graduating classes, administrators, and priests like Reverends Pavco, Bednarcik, Krupar, Super, and Strish.
On March 27, 2004, Bishop Joseph Martino
announced that Saint John the Baptist School and Saint Mary's School in Avoca
will close for good. After a long fight, which even went legal, the doors closed for good on Friday, June 4, 2004. The last reverend for the elementary school was Andrew Strish. He administered the last school mass for the nearly 200 students and faculty.
"Ninety-five years of Catholic education ends today at Saint John the Baptist," stated the last principal of the school, Robert Kaluzavich, during the ceremony. He concluded his speech with two words: "SJB Proud."
Four years later, in late June 2008, the diocese closed the doors of the Church too. From December 2009 to March 2010, the Monsignor Joseph A. Super Athletic Center
, the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Information Library
, the rectory
, the church, and a section of the school were demolished.
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
located on William Street in Pittston City
Pittston, Pennsylvania
Pittston is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. It gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. The population was...
, Luzerne County
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was named after the neighboring church (which was first opened in 1892 by Slovak immigrants). It's pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik (who served from 1929-1961), Rev. Michael J. Krupar (who served until his death on Christmas Day in 1964), Monsignor Joseph Super (who served until 1998), Rev. Andrew Strish (who served until 2005), and finally John Bendick (who led the church until it closed in 2008).
History
Under the leadership of Reverend Andrej Pavco and Reverend Andrew Jurica, ground was purchased for a school next to their church. Construction on the building stated in 1917. By 1924 the newly built Roman Catholic elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
saw its first graduating class, which only contained nine kids at the time. Over the decades, the school had seen many teachers, graduating classes, administrators, and priests like Reverends Pavco, Bednarcik, Krupar, Super, and Strish.
On March 27, 2004, Bishop Joseph Martino
Joseph Francis Martino
Joseph Francis Martino is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and the Retired Bishop of Scranton. He served as bishop of Scranton until his resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on 31 August 2009....
announced that Saint John the Baptist School and Saint Mary's School in Avoca
Avoca, Pennsylvania
Avoca is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, ten miles northeast of Wilkes Barre and nine miles southwest of Scranton. The population was 2,851 at the 2000 census...
will close for good. After a long fight, which even went legal, the doors closed for good on Friday, June 4, 2004. The last reverend for the elementary school was Andrew Strish. He administered the last school mass for the nearly 200 students and faculty.
"Ninety-five years of Catholic education ends today at Saint John the Baptist," stated the last principal of the school, Robert Kaluzavich, during the ceremony. He concluded his speech with two words: "SJB Proud."
Four years later, in late June 2008, the diocese closed the doors of the Church too. From December 2009 to March 2010, the Monsignor Joseph A. Super Athletic Center
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
, the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Information Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, the church, and a section of the school were demolished.