HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL HISTORYFather William C. Pieper, second pastor, saw the need for a parochial school in this new parish. In the summer of 1865, he hired Miss Elizabeth Stolz, of Philadelphia, to serve as the first teacher. The school opened on September 1, 1865, in the basement of the church building. The initial enrollment was about sixty children. Three years later, the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis arrived from Philadelphia to take charge of the school. Mother Agnes, Superior General, sent three sisters and a postulant. They included Sr. M. Aloysia, superior; Sr. M. Augusta, Sr. M. Alphonse, a novice and Margaret Haecker, a postulant who later took the name of Sr. M Adelheid . They departed the motherhouse at seven o’clock in the morning on September 4, 1869, with a sum of five dollars to start their new mission. After a fourteen-hour journey they finally arrived in Columbia at nine o’clock at night with only nine cents in their pockets. Father Pieper welcomed the sisters and showed them to their new home. It was a two-story building erected in the rear of the church. Two days later they opened their school and greeted two hundred pupils. The first days were trying. Their home was poorly furnished. The parish had no money to pay the sisters so they relied on the generosity of the people. During the spring of 1870 ground was broken for a new school building by Father Pieper with the help of some of the older schoolboys. The new school was built adjacent to the Sisters’ Convent and was dedicated on November 1, 1870. It had one large room on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor. The Reverend Mother sent another sister, Sr. M. Bonifacia. This made possible a division of the school into three classes. Then with the start of the 1873 school year the sisters were finally able to arrange the classes into grades. Sr. M. Beda taught the first grade; Sr. M Adelheid taught the second grade; Sr. M. Ildephonsa taught the third and fourth grades while Sr. M. Aloysia taught the fifth and sixth grades. It should be noted that in July 1891 Sr. M Aloysia, after twenty-two years at Holy Trinity, was appointed mistress of novices at the motherhouse, Glen Riddle. Then in 1906 she became Superior General of the whole community. Succeeding Sr. M. Aloysia as superior at Holy Trinity was Sr. M. Adelheid. She held this office until 1909. Forty of her forty-three years in the religious life were spent at Holy Trinity. In 1897, Father Pieper purchased an adjoining lot to the school to be used as a playground for the school children. The one hundred and ninety-seven foot lot was purchased from the estate of John Hippey. Shortly after being appointed the third pastor, on August 10, 1911, Father Peter Brueggermann saw the need for a new school building. He purchased four houses on Cherry Street and two on South Fourth Street. They were dismantled to make room for a new and modern school and auditorium. The new structure was erected on the corner of Cherry and South Fourth Streets then occupied by Knapp’s Grocery Store. The construction of the new school was begun in 1914 and completed in October 1915. D.S. Warfel of Lancaster built the structure at an approximate cost of $100,000. The exterior of the building is of rough gray brick with a roof of Vermont green slate. The new school contained eight classrooms on the first and second floors. In the basement there were two classrooms, a library, a large meeting room, an office, a large hall and a kitchen. The auditorium features a stage and balcony and can be used for athletic events. On October 25, 1915, the school and auditorium were dedicated with elaborate ceremonies. A parade with almost 3,000 people, including the priests, civic dignitaries and members of the parish, preceded the blessing of the building. Monsignor P. Masson of Allentown performed the dedication ceremony. One year after the school was dedicated, in 1916, a ninth grade was added. Nine years later in 1925, a tenth grade was added with an enrollment of fourteen students. Many students completed their high school education either by attending Columbia High School or traveled to Lancaster Catholic High School for the final two years. It was in 1944 that Pastor Father Leopold J. Stump developed a program to ensure the future of possible expansion in the parish. He purchased a home on south Fourth Street and in later years purchased another on Cherry Street. The schoolyard was enlarged in 1951 by razing three old buildings adjacent to the school. At the urging of Fr. Stump a cafeteria was started in 1947 to feed the students at Holy Trinity School. Gertrude Golden was the first manager and supervised the operation for many years. The first cook hired was Mrs. Clara Smith. She started out using an old U.S. Army Recipe Book containing 500 recipes. Clara would simply modify the ingredients to accommodate the large number of students fed every day. The very first day she prepared vegetable soup. That same day someone informed her there would be fifteen students from St. Peter’s School coming for lunch. She raced home grabbed some food from her own pantry and stretched the soup to feed the additional students. Additionally, Clara cooked for three pastors including Father Stump and kept house and cooked for Monsignor Heltshe. She later cooked for Monsignor Fuhr and among his favorites was her brown flower potato soup. Father Rolko enjoyed her cooking and was a fan of her chocolate cake. She cooked for Holy Name Society dinners and was very involved in the annual fastnacht bakes. Clara was Holy Trinity’s Chief Cook for fifty years retiring from the kitchen in 1997 at the young age of 92. On June 11, 1950 marked the closing exercises for the sophomore class. They were guests of the Holy Name Society at a breakfast following the seven o’clock mass. Three years later, June 1953, the final freshman class graduated ending nearly thirty-five years of secondary education at Holy Trinity School. In September approximately seventy-five students began commuting, in two buses, to Lancaster Catholic High School. The bus drivers included William Mann, and his son-in-law William Englert. They were succeeded by Mary Moore of Washington Boro, Ruby Yocum, of Wrightsville and later Samuel K. Shirk of Columbia. Upon the death of Father Stump native son Father Francis Heltshe was appointed pastor. He was welcomed "home" with a challenge for further progress. One of the first tasks he undertook was construction of a two story enclosed fire tower and stairway at the school. The tower project provided necessary exists from school corridors, auditorium and the cafeteria. This project began in July 1960. Additionally, modern fire alarm systems were installed as well as fireproof doors in the hallways. At the beginning of the 1946-47 school year Mrs. Elizabeth Mummaw and William Lutz served a physical education instructors. Then in 1948 Mrs. Jane Gray served as a substitute teacher and a second substitute was hired in 1949 Mrs. Regina Zeigler. The first full time lay teacher to be hired at Holy Trinity School was Mrs. Tybertus "Ty" Brown. She was assigned to teach fourth grade in the 1953-54 school year. This position she held for two years. Succeeding Mrs. Brown, in the 1955-56 school year, was Mrs. Mary Jane Hilt later replaced by Mrs. Rita Overfield-O’Donnell. She taught the second grade and was with the school for twelve years. In 1960 Betty Jo Stephenson was hired by Sister Cunigunda and Father Heltshe to teach the third grade. She became the third full time lay teacher and continued teaching at Holy Trinity until retiring at the end of the 1989-90 school year. During her thirty-year career she served eight principals. In February 2001 Mrs. Stephenson was honored when inducted into Our Lady of the Angels "Hall of Fame" recognizing her for her dedication and untiring service to the school even in her retirement years. On August 19, 1969 the newly organized Holy Trinity School Board met for the first time. Charter members included Philip H. Glatfelter, II, president; Edmund A. Wickenheiser, Jr., secretary; Joseph Robinson, Gerald Fischer, Donald Nikolaus, Paul Nikolaus, Father Rudolph Fuhr, pastor and Sr. Adelinda, principal. In 1974 St. Peter’s School discontinued their seventh and eighth grades. Because of this change Holy Trinity’s principal, Sister Joseph Marguerite, received permission from the Sisters of St. Francis, the Bishop, and the Vicar General of the diocese to serve as principal for both schools. At the same time Holy Trinity cafeteria began preparing hot lunches for the students at St. Peter’s School. The worst nuclear accident ever recorded in the United States happened on March 28, 1979 at Three Mile Island, in Middletown, Dauphin County. This is just north of Columbia on the Susquehanna River. Because of radiation leaking into the atmosphere at TMI children from Marietta were sent home, following lunch, on March 30th. Other students remained in school unless parents came for them. Everyone was alerted by the governor’s office for a possible evacuation. At the end of the 1982-83 school year another chapter was completed with the departure of Sisters Julia Marie Tierney and Laureen Francis Surge. They were the last members of the Sisters of St. Francis who were part of the teaching faculty at Holy Trinity. Both sisters were being transferred and after two years Sister Tierney relinquished her role as principal to Mrs. Shirley Meley. Mrs. Meley became the first lay principal in the one hundred and eighteen year history of the school. Education has always been a challenge to any community or parish. But the priests and people of Holy Trinity are proud that they never hesitated in accepting any challenge offered by education. The Sisters of St. Francis occupied a pre-eminent place in this regard. Literally, generations of these sisters have come to this parish and every sister has brought something that can never be repaid. They have been benefactors in every wonderful manner of patience and sacrifice. Holy Trinity School initiated a Kindergarten program in the fall of 1986. The first class had an enrollment of twenty-one children who attended the morning sessions. Father Stephen Rolko, pastor, undertook a major project with the help of many parishioners. The proposal to construct a parish social center/cafeteria and two additional classrooms was approved by Bishop William Keeler. The new structure became an extension of Holy Trinity School. A fund drive was launched on October 1, 1986. Donald Nikolaus was appointed general chairman. The two men responsible for overseeing the actual construction of the facility were Dick Donnelly and William Kloidt, Sr. Bishop Keeler was on hand to formally dedicate the new addition on August 15, 1987, the Feast of the Assumption. The ceremony included a Rosary for Peace followed by the celebration of the mass. Then Bishop Keeler opened the doors for the parishioners to enter. Another milestone for Holy Trinity School was the addition of a preschool program designed for four-year olds. This program began at the start of the 1987-88 school year. Father Kenneth Lawrence became the eight pastor of Holy Trinity upon the death of Father Rolko. One of his first undertakings was to purchase the three Westerman properties adjacent to the school on Cherry Street. These buildings included the former Westerman Butcher Shop and residence and the old slaughterhouse at the rear of the properties. The structures were razed and the land cleared to make way for additional parish parking and an enlarged play lot for the school. A new science room was dedicated at Holy Trinity School and an open house held on October 6, 1996. The room was refurbished and remodeled in memory of the late John Horn. Students presented a special banner and an Angel Award to the Horn Family in gratitude for their generous gift to the school. Holy Trinity School was born in a one-room classroom in the basement of the old church on September 1, 1865. From the initial enrollment of about 60 children the school progressed to 352 pupils in 1921 and to an all time enrollment of 486 pupils in 1963. With the close of the 1997-98 school year Holy Trinity School as we knew it for one hundred and thirty years ended making way for consolidation of Holy Trinity and St. Peter’s Schools. The decision was reached during the Diocesan Consultation Process. For a number of reasons, including decreased enrollment, lack of space, a decline in the birth rate, financial difficulties and after much prayer a decision was made to consolidate the two schools. Bishop Nicolas Dattilo formally closed Holy Trinity at a Eucharistic celebration. During this ceremony Our Lady of the Angels School was formally commissioned. Participating in the ceremony were students from Holy Trinity and St. Peter’s Schools. As the doors to Holy Trinity School closed, it’s first lay principal Mrs. Shirley Meley retired. She was principal for fifteen years. Also retiring was Mrs.. Elizabeth Horn. Mrs. Horn was the school secretary for thirty years. For their long and dedicated service a reception was held in their honor. They were presented with various gifts from the parish and its organizations. The 1998-99 school year got underway with much excitement. It was the beginning of Our Lady of the Angels School. A contest to name the new school was held among the students. Names were submitted to the bishop and finally he announced the selection as Our Lady of the Angels. When the doors opened for the first time children in pre-school through grade three were housed in St. Peter’s school building. Students in grades four through eighth were assigned to classrooms in Holy Trinity. The new school’s first principal was Mrs. Theresa Burg. She was the former principal at St. Peter’s School. During Catholic Schools Week, February 1999, the new computer lab at Our Lady of the Angels School was formally dedicated. Money to offset the expense was raised by the newly formed Technological Committee under the chairmanship of Philip H. Glatfelter, II. Donald H. Nikolaus organized the major gifts division while Ronald G. Sahd was responsible for contacting corporations and businesses. And Sue Morrison coordinated donations from the alumni.
Sister Superiors at Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity School Principals
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