The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-01
-ity Has Oldest Lithuanian School ir U s.
Joseph's
 O YeorsO Old Next Monduy 72 Pupils in First closs-l,S27 Given Diplomos to Dote
By GEORGE T. DILLON

By GEORGE T. DILLON
 st. Joseph's Roman Catholic church. organized to provide for the spiritual needs of the Lithuanian people of Waterbury, cherishes the distinct honor of sponsoring the old est Catholic Lithuanian School in the United States. namely, St. Jo- seph's School which will mark It's A0th anniversary next Monday,
 It opened in the fall of 1904 with an enrolment of "a pupils with a temporary staff of lay teachers in- structing. Tn January of 1905 the Sisters of the Holy Ghost were in- vited to take over the work of teach- ing and have been entrusted with Its direction ever since.
 In a few years the makeshift quarters of this first school building proved wholly inadequate. and in 1912, coinciding with the first gradu- ation, the late Rev. Peter Saurusaitis who served the parish as pastor from 1898 to 1919 completed the building of, and opened the new St, Joseph's School across the street on Congress Avenue.
 Imposing Ediflce
 Even this was soon to be outgrown, and in 1924, the present pastor, Rev. Joseph valantiejus, determined up- on the ambitious project of erecting . school building that would provide adequately for all present and future needs of the parish. The truly im- posing ediflce was completed in 1925, and which, appropriately enough, stands on the site of the original frame building, making a lasting monument to his foresight and preServering determination. While providing ample classroom i facilities and equipped to meet every modern educational requirement; 1t includes a spacious auditorium with complete stage and sound-projection equipment and a set of 10 bowling alleys. thus making 1t parish cen ter adapted to every recreation need and every social activity of the parish.
 Though modestly enough, St. Jo- sep1's parish also has the distinction of being one of the few parishes of the Diocese of Hartford possessing a home for its orphaned children. It was instituted in 1919 to fill an urgent need created by the conse- quences of World War and by the l influenza epidemic of that time; the | large number of broken families and orphaned children.
 To provide shelter for these un- fortunate little ones, Father Valan- tiejus purchased a dwelling house on James Place, to be subsequently, | enlarged and remodelled. For finan- cial support, he appealed not only to individuals and societies within the parish. but also to welfare agencies and phiIanthropic organizations of the city, and promoting to this end a yearly tag day throughout the city. At first the care of the children was entrusted to some ladies of the parish, but in l942 the Sisters of the Holy Ghost took over the manage ment, bringing with them all the lindnesses and devotion which is part of their tradition.
 During the 25 years of its exist enes St. Joseph's Orphanage has provided a home for some 400 chil- dren. It was particularly gratifying to Father valantiejus to record that in iels the orphanage was included within the framework of the Wa terbury Community Chest. from which it now receives a generous al- lotment that has gone far to ease the burden of it's maintenance.
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