St. Michael's Parochial School

Next door to St. Michael's Catholic Church is the parochial school that educates children from preschool through grade 8. The school has been in existence since before 1864.  Several different buildings and locations have been used for the school and the cornerstone for the present building, located at the corner of Fifth and Market Streets, was laid in 1923 during the time of Father Ambrose. * 

Many of my ancestors attended St. Michael's Catholic School including my mother and her sister.  At the time of their attendance, there was no preschool and classrooms consisted of the children in two grades - first and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth.  The Sisters of Devine Providence taught my mother and were strict taskmasters.  I have heard stories of how my left-handed mother was made to use her right hand to write and how rulers were rapped on knuckles.  At recess, girls played on one side of the playground and boys on the other.  Uniforms were worn by all, and my mother's ponytail was frowned upon.  

The photograph below is a picture of the dedication of the school.  I would assume that it was taken sometime during 1923 - 1925 depending on how long it took for the building to be completed after the cornerstone was laid.  The crowd of people illustrates how important the school was to the town of Ripley.  

* Ripley, Ohio  Its History and Families by the Sesquicentennial Historical Committee, 1962

St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church

St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church is located on the corner of Fourth and Market Streets in Ripley.  The house that my grandparents lived in, and where my mother was raised, is just a few houses up the hill from the church.  St. Michael's was a very important fixture in the lives of my ancestors as many of them belonged to and participated in the church.

My great-grandparents, Joseph and Henrietta (Koewler) Haitz, were married in St. Michael's in 1902 as were my parents in 1955.  My grandfather, George Henry Haitz, and his fifteen brothers and sisters were all baptized and confirmed there.  It was also where my mother and her sister were baptized and confirmed.  Shortly after I was born, it was my turn to receive the sacrament of baptism in that same church.  

This picture was taken from the sidewalk in front of my grandparents's house on Fourth Street and shows the location of St. Michael's.  I don't know when the photo was taken, other than during what looks like a terribly cold winter!  I would venture to say that it was around 1945 as that was about the time my grandparents moved to that house from their house on Second Street.  Maybe someone out there can help date the car which could help date the picture.