In Indianapolis, hundreds of people have been impacted by the legacy of two historic educational and spiritual institutions that helped shaped the growth of the local African-American community.
Next weekend alumni from St. Rita Catholic School and St. Bridget Catholic School will gather for a special reunion to enjoy great memories and recall the lasting contributions of both institutions.
More than 400 former students throughout Indiana and living around the country have been contacted to return for three days of events hosted at St. Rita Catholic Church.
Lora Vann, co-chairwoman of the reunion’s organizing committee, said the reunion will provide alumni and surviving former instructors a special opportunity to reconnect, while also reminding the community of the once prominent place held by both the St. Bridget and St. Rita schools.
“One of the things people will notice about the schools is the miracle of education that occurred for those of us who attended them,” said Vann. “We will always be champions of education, and with both schools closed this reunion gives us a good chance to preserve a special part of our heritage.”
St. Rita parish was established in 1919 for local African-American Catholics in the old Knights of Columbus chapel on Arsenal Avenue. Shortly thereafter, a small school was opened.
When the student population began to outgrow St. Rita’s School, its students were transported to the school operated by St. Bridget Catholic Church, another predominantly African-American parish located on the near Westside. Students from the two churches studied jointly until 1946, when St. Rita opened a four-room school.
In 1959, under the leadership of its longtime pastor Father Bernard Strange, St. Rita opened a larger school and gymnasium, which included the first kindergarten program in the Indianapolis diocese and a child development center.
Although St. Rita’s students were able to study in their own school again, they continued to have close ties with those from St. Bridget, forming an alumni association in the late 1960s.
The St. Bridget School was closed by the Indianapolis Archdiocese in 1974, most likely due to declining enrollment as a result of public school desegregation. The St. Bridget parish itself was shut down in 1994, although it has since been revived as an independent Catholic Church with services at St. Phillips Episcopal Church.
St. Rita had to close its school building in 2003, and students from St. Rita learned with those at St. Andrew Catholic School until 2010. The St. Rita parish still operates at 1733 Dr. Andrew J. B1rown Ave. under the leadership of its administrator, Father Eusebius Mbidoaka.
Although the schools only exist in memory now, the work of the Franciscan and Providence nuns who taught in the classes still lives on through the contributions of their successful students.
“Alumni from both schools prospered and enriched the community as a whole, with most students moving on to complete their higher education, thereby giving back to the community,” Vann said.
According to Vann, prominent individuals who benefited from their experience at St. Rita and St. Bridget include state Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis; Dr. Maxine Ray Stovall in Fort Wayne, the first African-American woman to become a veterinarian in Indiana; Addison Simpson, a business executive and official in the administration of the late Gov. Frank O’Bannon; and dental surgeon, Dr. Larry Walker.
Vann, an educator who attended classes at St. Rita and graduated from Marian College and Ball State University, said the unique Catholic education she received outlined the importance of self-discipline and service.
“We learned the value of having a desire to work in the community and help each other, to help your fellow man,” she stated.
Vann emphasized, however, that although strict discipline was enforced among students, they also enjoyed plenty of fun with activities such as sports, choir, marching band and school plays.
Marion County Auditor Billie Breaux, who attended St. Bridget and St. Rita, said the schools provided an environment that was encouraging for students, and promoted the value of a good education, a solid work ethic and the importance of working well with other students.
“It is impossible to put into words the gratitude that I feel for the education that I received at these institutions,” Breaux said. “I hope that as we celebrate the spirit of St. Bridget and St. Rita that we continue to carry forward the ideals of what we learned.”
Join the celebration!
St. Bridget and St. Rita reunion schedule:
Aug. 16 – Registration will be open 1 to 10 p.m.; with a city tour for alumni taking place 2 to 5 p.m. that will start from St. Rita Catholic Church, 1733 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Ave. Guests will be able to browse vendor exhibits until 10 p.m., and a mixer will be held at the church from 6 to 10 p.m.
Aug. 17 – Golf will begin at Douglass Park at 6:30 a.m., followed by a picnic for alumni and their families from noon to 2 p.m., which will be followed by games and a formal dinner and dance from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Marrott Grand Ballroom, 2625 N. Meridian.
Aug. 18 – Special Mass, group photo and lunch at St. Rita Catholic Church.
For more information or to register online, visit myreunioncommittee.com.
