Albany parish sees way clear to build new education center

By PAUL QUIRINI- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

As parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany reflected on ways to best utilize the historic Glass School for religious education and preschool programs, the solution became crystal clear: A new school had to be built.

Toward that end, the parish has begun a pledge drive to raise the $1 million needed to construct a new religious education building that would replace the Glass School, which was built in the 1930s.

If all goes according to plan, ground for the new school would be broken next spring on property just a few blocks up from the church on Madison Avenue and near the current Glass School.

Historical site

Although the Glass School has become outdated and in need of major modifications, the building has quite a history over the past 65 years. In 1934, Rev. William Charles, pastor of St. Vincent's, purchased property between Madison Avenue and Morris Street as space for an elementary school.

The new program, known as the Child Culture Division, welcomed 500 students; classes initially were taught in old greenhouses that had been fitted with new glass to filter ultraviolet rays. Enrollment grew to the point where expansion was required, and the Glass School was built.

BY the 1950s, the Glass School and the Father Charles Memorial Building enrolled 1,200 full-time grade school students and provided "released time" religious education to 200 children. The school was so named because the exterior was made almost entirely of glass, including the roof, which eventually was replaced.

Down time

Enrollment in the Glass School dipped during the 1960s and '70s with the postwar baby boom leveling off. In addition, the number of families with children dropped, as seniors and college students became more prevalent in the neighborhood.

BY 1985, regular classes at the Glass School ended, but the building remained useful. There are nearly 250 people in the religious ed and faith formation programs, which are offered Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. The preschool program runs for 12 hours each week, and the parish rents part of the building to the Hartland School, which teaches dyslexic children.

In 1991, the parish commissioned a study of the Glass School; the conclusion was that it would cost just as much to modify the building in compliance with codes as it would to construct a new building.

Over the next several years, the parish council, finance committee, diocesan officials and St. Vincent's parishioners discussed options for the Glass School. They took into consideration several factors: It costs 33 percent more to operate the school than the church, and the school was used less often; they missed opportunities of renting space to local organizations because the Glass School couldn't accommodate them; and using the building during the summer was impossible because it gets so hot.

Something new

The parish decided to build a new school on land near the current building and demolish the Glass School. The new building will have 10 classrooms, a preschool room, meeting room, offices, a lounge and kitchen. There won't be nearly as much glass in the new Glass School, but the parish does hope to take advantage of sunlight in designing the structure.

"We've asked the architect to make maximum use of our location in terms of sunlight, green space and solar energy. It's following the tradition of the Glass School and incorporating the great outdoors into our vision," said Sister Joan Byrne, SNJM, St. Vincent's administrative assistant.

Susan Lackner, St. Vincent's coordinator of religious education, looks forward to conducting classes in the new Glass School. The current building has become obsolete, and a new building will make a noticeable difference in teaching parish youth.

"If you're going to talk to children about God as Creator, you need to do that in a setting that's not dilapidated," she said. "We need to have an essence of hospitality and warmth."

(St. Vincent's is still accepting donations; call the parish at 489-5408.)

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