The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-12
.SLAv0NIAN
CATHOLICS
MODEL SCHOOL
st. Johns Congregation Com
pleting Parochial Building
Which Will Serve AS
Civic Center
SOCIAL LIFE OF YOUNG
Men Will BE PROMOTED
Annual Report of St. Johns
Church Just Issued by Father
Komara Discloses Interest
ing Information

Surprising evidence of progress OF
the congregation OF St. Johns S1a-
vonaan Roman Catholic church is dis
closed in the annual report OF the
church, just published, which shows
the total value Of the church prop
erty with the school, when cornp1eted,
to be in the neighborhood Of $4,000
and the Indebtedness Including the
balance to be paid for the compile
ton of the school, approximately $780,
900.
cessful in the history Of the parish
The income was $1S,440.8S, nearly dou-
BILE the income of the largest preced-
ing year, and the end of the year
ton both materially and spiritually.
the number of commandments being
larger than ever, and the interest in
spiritual affairs and harmony being
ouch that the continued success of
the congregation is assured.
Chief among the items Of revenue
offertory and door collections, s4,86st
Building s9o4s: profits from bazaar,
SO, $685. The remainder OF the revenue
was made up of small collections,
voluntary contributions, and the like.
Principal interest in the annual re-
port arises from the work OF the par
ish in the construction, on original
lines Of a parochial building, in which
is to be not only the parochial school
but a Hbeary; club rooms ms b an6 oene1
real civic center for the parishioners
Of st. Johns.
Following a number of the larger
cities in developing the school as a,
social center, Rev. Andrew e. ko-
mara, the pastor of St Johns, has
gone ahead with the construction of
the parochial school on lines that
VIII permit the Introduction of this
feature in the life of the parish, and
the building, when complete, prom
isea 30 be a model for this line of
work.
The idea of locating the assembly
hall on the upper floor of the school
hall in St Johns school is located
on the first floor, with a large ca
pacity on the main floor. A capaci-
GUS balcony supported from above,
adds to the capacity of the meeting
place without handicapping the uti1-
ity Of the main floor. The assembly
for the schooIhouses, but for the par
ish in general. A stage, we'll equip
ped, and large enough to accommodate
more than 100 persons affords
of histrionic and forensic talent.
The structure is of brick. 12s by 81
assembly hall and four school rooms
are on the first floor while the re-
nainder of the school rooms is on the
upper story. There will be nine fin
O~-~@S
This leaves the entire basement, which
is really so we'll situated as to be
practically the equal of the upper
floors, to be used FOR the purposes of
social work which have entered SO
largely into the general scope and
plan of the parochial building
Provision has been made for the in
stallation in the basement of two
commodious bowling alleys, pool, and
billiard parlors a large gymnasium UNI
current literature will be a,vailab bic,
and a roomy gymnasium. The large
size Of the structure will give ample
space for all these various features.
It is the plan of Father Konara
on having made arrang emente for the
opening of the school, to take up ac-
tive work in the completion of the
equipment of the structure for use
a civic center and club for the men
and youths Of his parish. The idea, Of
keep the young men off the street
corners, provide them with eleVatiIlg
associations and beneficial recreation.
He will proceed first with the equip
ment of the bowling alleys, and show
er baths. This done, he will proceed
step by step with the equipment of
nlent. Interest in the enterprise is
not confined to the membership of
the congregation, but is general
throughout the section where most of
the parishioners live, and the lively
cooperation with which the work has
been undertaken promises to make it
movement to incu1cate ideas of sterl-
ing citizenship and honor among the
foreign born American residents.
In connection with his annual re-
port, Father Komara has. announced
that he expects to open the new school
for the fall term. The date for the
completion of all the other features
depends upon the continued prosperity
of the parish, the funds of which will
be used first for the school itGelf, then
for the carrying out Of the other ideas
of social life and civic welfare.