Saint Francis High School (Athol Springs)

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Saint Francis High School
Pax et Bonum (Peace and All Good) Deus Scientarium Dominus (God is the Master of Knowledge)
Established	1927
School type	Private, Franciscan, College Prep, Single Sex
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
President of School	Fr. Michael Sajda, OFM Conv.
Location	Athol Springs, near Buffalo, NY, USA
Campus	Suburban
Enrollment	620
Faculty	49
Average class size	15 students
Student:teacher ratio	12:1
Average SAT scores (2004)	553 Verbal (Top 10% of class = 617) 554 Math (Top 10% of class = 640)
Athletics	15 sports. Freshman, JV, and Varsity team levels for most sports
Color(s)	Red and White
Mascot	Red Raiders, Reggie the Red Raider

Founded in 1927 by Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv, Saint Francis High School is a Catholic, private college preparatory high school for young men in Athol Springs, NY. The school is operated under the jurisdiction of the Saint Anthony of Padua Province of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual and is accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

[edit] Founding and Development

The school's founder, Father Justin Figas, OFM, Conv., wished to establish a secondary school for young men, especially to serve the Polish-American immigrant community in Western New York. The Conventual Franciscans of the Saint Anthony of Padua Province already owned a thirty-two acre parcel of land on the shore of Lake Erie in Athol Springs, NY, just outside of Buffalo, NY. The site was purchased in 1916 by Father Hyacinth Fudzinski. The land had previously been the estate of one "Dr. Pierce," who developed pharmaceuticals at the turn of the century.

A portrait of Father Justin Figas, OFM Conv that hangs in the foyer of the Alumni Auditorium of St. Francis High School.

In 1924 Father Justin assembled a group of Polish-American businessmen to help raise funds and support for the construction of the school. This group became known as the "Father Justin Drivers," or the "Justin Drivers." The group was successful and in 1925 ground was broken for the new school in a ceremony held on 12 July 1925. Construction took sixteen months and Saint Francis High School was dedicated on 25 November 1926. In 1927 the first class was enrolled. The original structure built on campus is now called Friar's Hall.

Friar's Hall after the 1928 addition.

The period from 1928 to 1951 saw continued expansion and development of the school. In 1928 two wings were added to Friar's Hall followed by the addition of science laboratories and library expansion. In May of 1937 the school was found to meet all requirements of the Board of Regents of the State of New York. In 1943 the school became affiliated with the Catholic University of Washington, DC.

The John Ormsby Alumni Hall.

In the 1940s there was a great increase in student enrollment, and Father Justin again saw the need to build. This time he planned to build a dormitory/gymnasium building with an underground tunnel linking to the original building. In 1946 Father Justin again assembled a group of "drivers" and four years later, in 1950, ground was broken on the new complex. The gymnasium was completed first on 2 September 1951, but the dormitories were not completed for another six years. The building is now known as Justin Hall.

In the 1960s and 1970s reconstruction was done to the chapel, science labs, student dining room, residence facilities, offices, and gymnasium. The physical development of the institution also spurred development of the educational program. The school was able to offer a full college preparatory curriculum for students who lived on campus, and for students who commuted daily. Enrollment again increased and increased classroom space was needed. Classrooms were made in Justin Hall where resident living was once planned. At the same time, in the late 1970s and continuing into the 1980s, the number of resident students steadily decreased. By the late 1980s, only the top floor of Justin Hall was used for residence life. At the end of the 1988 school year, the Board of Directors terminated the residency program.

In 1985 fundraising began for the construction an auditorium complex. In May 1987 ground was broken and on 29 October 1988 the John Ormsby Alumni Auditorium opened. The building was constructed adjacent to Justin Hall and includes a thrust stage with an orchestra pit in an 800 seat auditorium, a campus book store, a fitness center, and a board room. In 1995 the complex was completed with the construction of a band room, practice rooms, dressing rooms, offices, and storage space.

The Quad addition. In the foreground is Friars Hall, one of the copper domes of the Chapel can be seen. In the upper left the original Justin Hall can be seen, and to the right is the most recent addition.

In 1999 the campus was expanded with the acquisition of a 16.5 acre parcel of land behind the school's football field on Big Tree Road. Practice fields and additional playing fields were constructed in that space.^[1] The science labs in Friar's Hall were overhauled and modernized in 2003. In November of 2004 an expansion of Justin Hall and the gymnasium began. In late 2005 construction was completed and the new facility includes additional classrooms; separate locker-rooms for gym classes, home teams, opposing teams, and referees; an additional gym floor, and an athletic trainer's room. At the time of construction the campus traffic pattern was also changed. Previously traffic flowed between the two major complexes on campus, essentially forming a sea of parking and traffic. The update saw the addition of a 52 space parking lot on the Lake Erie side of Friar's Hall and the creation of a traditional grass quadrangle with walkways between Friar's and Justin Halls.^[2]

[edit] Student Life

[edit] Dress Code

Like many private schools, St. Francis has a dress code for its students. It is truly a head-to-toe policy covering everything from hair and grooming to shoes. Hair must be neatly kept so that it is no longer the eyebrows in the front, no longer than the ears on the side, and no longer than the collar on the back. If hair is clipped short, it must remain long enough to pinch between two fingers. Students must be clean shaven, although sideburns to the bottom of the ear are permitted. There may be no jewelry visible above the neck (piercings, etc). Tatoos cannot be visible either. A button-down dress shirt must be worn, with the top button buttoned. Prints and designs on undershirts may not show through the dress shirt. A necktie must be worn. Dress slacks are to be worn with a belt. Socks and dress shoes must be worn. From the time the clocks are changed in the Fall until the time the clocks are changed in the Spring, students must wear a school sweater or a sportcoat. School sweaters are available in a variety of colors and styles but all feature the school name and/or crest. The faculty traditionally extends the privilege of wearing non-school sweaters to seniors.

[edit] Notable Alumni

• Jim Kubiak, quarterback who broke 22 passing records during his college career at the U.S. Naval Academy, in Anapolis, MD. Was on Indianapolis Colts roster for one season.
• Jack Quinn (Assemblyman), New York State Assemblyman representing the 146th District. He is the son of former U.S. Congressman Jack Quinn
• Lee Stempniak, forward for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League.
• Aaron Miller, defensemen for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. Played on the USA hockey team in 1998, 2002, and 2006.

[edit] External links

• Stfrancishigh.org, St. Francis High School Website