MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“History of Catholic Schools in Appleton”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 69
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, John Marx, Brian
Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, Linda Muldoon, James Krueger, and Diana Sandberg.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
October 14th 100 block of E. College Avenue - Dave Buss and Christine Williams
November 11 – Appleton Picture Show
December 5 – 11th AHS History Fair, City Center
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
• AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
• AHS Board of Directors:
A. Terms through November 2017:
1. Mark Moderson
2. John Marx
3. Laura Leimer
4. Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C. Terms through November 2015:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. James Richter
• Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss and Diana Sandberg, Research Specialists
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
E. Christine Williams, Monthly Programs
F. Gwen Sargeant, Publications
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Greetings extended to members and guests.
B. Introduced Officers and Board Members.
C. Sales of our book Images of America-Appleton continue to go well. Books are available at the registration table.
D. Thanks to Jim Krueger for August’s program “Growing Up in Appleton in the 60’s”.
E. Thanks to the Post Crescent for it’s announcement of tonight’s meeting and all of it’s support.
F. Provided a list of upcoming programs and events.
G. Reminded the audience that our November Monthly Meeting will be our annual business meeting. Elections of new board members will be held at that time.
H. The door prize of a Spat’s Gift Certificate was won by Bill Nemschoff.
CEMETERY WALK REPORT:
President Tom Sutter described the results of our Annual Cemetery Walk. Our annual event was held on August 23rd at Riverside Cemetery and was again well received by the community:
1. The event was titled Meet the Mayors-Part 4.
2. Some 40 people attended and received a tour of the graves of 5 Appleton Mayors.
3. Each location had an actor in period correct costume portraying the deceased. Thanks to the five true-to-life actors.
AHS 11th History Fair Preliminary Planning:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, of the AHS History Fair spoke on extensive planning underway for our 11th History Fair, which will be held on December 5, 2015. He and Co-Chair Mark Moderson have arranged a wide variety of historical exhibits. The focus of this event will be on “Historic Appleton Public Transportation”. Exhibits will include exhibits on Trains, Buses, Trolley Cars, Taxicabs and Bicycles”.
He urged the audience to contact he or Mark if anyone would like to exhibit or supply items for exhibit on the above mentioned items, as well as other Appleton historical pieces. All were urged to attend the event which has free access.
PROGRAM : “History of Catholic Schools in Appleton”
Presenter: Deacon Tony Abts
Speaker’s Background:
Received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from St. Norbert College in 1979; then a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986. Later received advanced certification in religion from the Green Bay Diocese. Finally he was ordained to the Diaconate for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay in 2010.
Taught at St. John Grade School, Little Chute, for six years. Then served as Principal of Holy Name School in Kimberly for four years. Became St. Joseph’s Middle School Principal in 1989. Also served as ACES Xavier Director of Educational Services from 2005 until the duties were folded into the Presidency which he assumed in February, 2006. Became Superintendent of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Schools and Principal of St. Francis Xavier Middle School in 2012. Appointed by Bishop Ricken as Diaconate Director for the Diocese of Green Bay in 2014. He also has been serving as Deacon of St. Therese Parish in Appleton for some years.
Tony also has been an avid church and community volunteer serving on countless advisory boards throughout the State.
FAMILY: Wife, Diana, Highlands Elementary School music teacher (retired), Appleton; daughter, Claire, bilingual teacher, El Ejido, Spain; and daughter, Kendra, student, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Program:
I have been asked to give a presentation on the History of Catholic Schools in Appleton. I have embraced this challenge to address how Catholic Education in Appleton came to be and how it has progressed since its humble beginnings. I enjoyed reminiscing about my beginnings in education in the area back in 1979, when I taught sixth grade St. John’s Catholic School in Little Chute. I want to thank my family and special friends that came into night to hear the program.
Thanks to the Appleton Historical Society for causing me to research and preserve much of what he is presenting. St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Appleton provided me the great history display that is shown on the boards behind me on the stage. After the presentation I invite you all to come up and view the display. (Then projected a video clip of St. Mary’s History).
How It All Began:
In Appleton’s Catholic school history “we stand in a legacy that is not our own”. Our system came from the sacrifices of French explorers. Yes, mostly French settlers brought Catholicism to the area, and many of them were missionaries. Jean Nicolet came through the area in 1634. Father Claude Allouez said the first Catholic Mass in our area in the City of Oconto on December 3, 1661.
For the next 100 years little Catholic activity was visible in our region. During the early years the entire northeastern region of Wisconsin was actually in the Dioceses of Quebec.
The Early Churches:
• The congregation of St. John the Evangelist is the oldest Catholic organization in Green Bay, and of Northern Wisconsin. It was attended by regular pastors as early as 1831. St. John's can also claim to be the first organized attempt to perpetuate the labors of the early missionaries, Fathers Allouez and Marquette.
• St. John Nepomucene, Little Chute, was the 2nd parish in the dioceses of Green Bay.
• Shortly after German settlers started what is now the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay.
• In 1860 St. Mary’s Catholic Church was formed in Appleton. It’s still located at it’s original location on the Northeast Corner of Seventh and State Streets.
Significant Points in Local Catholic History:
• Hmong resettlement into the community brought a surge in new Catholics to the area.
• The Padre Elias Nieves Celebration held at St. Therese Church in 2013. It celebrated Nieves Battle in 1921.
• Micronesian immigrants have come to Appleton in recent years and now number about 70 people.
• The Catholic Church membership is now 25% immigrants.
Nature of the Church:
• Focal points of Catholic Churches: Crucifix, Flag, and the picture of John F. Kennedy.
• Faith, language, and culture are also closely linked together.
We Have Catholic Schools Because:
• Plenary Councils of Baltimore brought Bishops together from throughout the country in 1866 and 1884 making major rulings:
A. Ruled that Catholic Schools should be erected in every Parish.
B. Ruled that parents must send their children to these schools.
C. Reflected the desire that these schools should be free to students. (No Tuition).
D. The Baltimore Catechism was a product of these Councils.
Classrooms in the Community:
• Then projected pictures of kids in Appleton school classrooms in past years.
Second Vatican Council, 1965, made this Declaration on Christian Education:
“Since, therefore, the Catholic school can be such an aid to the fulfillment of the mission of the People of God and to the fostering of the dialogue between the Church and mankind, to the benefit of both, it retains even in our present circumstances the utmost importance. Consequently this sacred synod proclaims anew what has already been taught in several documents of the magisterium,(26) namely: the right of the Church freely to establish and to conduct schools of every type and level. And the council calls to mind that the exercise of a right of this kind contributes in the highest degree to the protection of freedom of conscience, the rights of parents, as well as to the betterment of culture itself.”
Why Catholic Schools? (National Directory for Cathechesis):
• The diocesan bishop, as chief teacher of the faith, exercises his responsibility to provide
the faithful with doctrinally sound faith formation that integrates knowledge of the faith
with living the faith.
• Assisted by his priests, deacons, religious, and laity, he cares for the proper formation
of all who approach the Church for the reception and the celebration of the sacraments.
• In order to enable a deeper understanding and commitment to an active and worthily celebrated sacramental life, this sacramental catechesis is both preparatory and ongoing.
• Such sacramental catechesis does not take place in a vacuum. Its reception and fruitful-
ness is influenced by many changes that touch the lives of the Catholic faithful, along
with those of the rest of society. These changes may either encourage or block a relation-
ship with God rooted in a community of faith, committed to an active sacramental life.
Main Reasons Parents Send their Kids to Catholic Schools:
• Teach faith and values.
• High quality education and academics.
• Providing a safe environment for students.
Appleton’s Catholic Schools and When They Started?:
• St. Mary’s, State Street 1858 (Actually reopened after being closed once)
• St. Joseph’s, Lawrence Street 1867
• Sacred Heart, Fremont Street 1884 (St. Joseph’s was it’s mother parish)
• St. Theresa, E. Wisconsin Ave. 1927 (A mostly German parish)
• St. Pius X, W. Marquette Street 1957 (St. Therese was it’s mother parish)
• St. Bernadette, Matthias Street 1960 (Started in a Quonset hut on Walter Ave.)
• St. Thomas More, E. Glendale Ave. 1963 (St. Therese was it’s mother parish)
• St. Bernard’s, W. Pine Street 1966 (Controversial because Xavier High did not
want to give up the land for it)
Interesting Facts About Appleton Catholic Schools:
• St. Joseph’s School was initially staffed by lay teachers. Teaching was a half day in Ger-
man and a half day in English.
• Setup with separate sides for males and females, it had two principals Brother Peter and
Sister Peter.
• Notable Alumni: Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Winner; Greta Van Sustern,
News Anchor, Fox News; J.P. Hayes, PGA Pro Golfer.
Sisters in Religious Life:
In 1965 there were 179, 954 women in religious orders. Many of these became teaching
sisters serving Catholic Schools throughout the country.
From Parish Schools to a System:
• 1987 St. Joseph’s Middle School became reality.
• 1989 Parishes came together to form Catholic Central Middle School.
• 2001 Aces/Xavier Education System was formed.
• 2012 St. Frances Xavier Catholic School System was formed.
CONCLUSION:
Appleton’s Catholic Schools are prospering under their new system with great schools and dedicated professionals leading them. Unique thing about Appleton Catholic Schools is that they have worked with and continue to work closely with public and other parochial schools. Their history is just beginning and we are looking for great things.
James L. Richter, AHS Secretary
September 20, 2015