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Holy Family has deep roots in area
Published Sunday, May 18, 2008
NATCHEZ — Katie Moore is a product of Holy Family Catholic School.
She went to school at Holy Family from kindergarten through sixth grade.
She began her teaching career in 1975 and joined Holy Family’s faculty four years ago, a homecoming of sorts.
She started off working in the computer lab and for the past three years she’s been teaching third grade.
“It’s been great,” she said. “It’s brought back memories.”
For the first three years, she even worked alongside a teaching sister that taught Moore when she was in school.
Moore has nothing but positive things to say about the school — how the cafeteria workers open their arms for children to run into, how the teachers share everything, how everybody knows everybody else.
“I was devastated to hear it was going to close,” she said. “Not for my benefit, but for the children.”
She’s not worried about job security, what she’ll do next year or where the income will be coming from.
She’s worried about the 57 children who will not be able to return to Holy Family next year.
Most children will wind up joining the public school system, she said.
Cynthia Williams, PTA member, said two of her children will still be able to attend the school next year, but her oldest will be going to public school.
PTA member Margaret Kafperski said she does not want to see her granddaughter go into the public school system.
“I will not put (her) in public school but I can’t afford Cathedral School,” she said.
LaDonna Moore, a Holy Family parent, said she will continue keeping her daughter in parochial school, despite the increase in tuition.
“I have no choice but to go to Cathedral,” LaDonna said. “Between Cathedral and public school, I want to keep her in a private setting.”
Losing a piece of history
Williams’ children are the fifth generation to attend Holy Family.
“My grandmother, grandfather, great grandparents all went to Holy Family,” she said. “With them closing, we’re losing out.”
Ernest “Tony” Fields was the second generation to go to Holy Family and his son is the third generation.
Fields said the biggest thing he established at his six years at Holy Family was a foundation.
“When I did switch to public school, I was definitely ready,” he said. “I felt like when I did come to public school what we were doing we had really already covered at Holy Family.”
He said he learned things outside the academic realm as well.
“It was a very structured atmosphere,” he said. “We were very disciplined, we went to mass, we learned religious (lessons), it was well rounded.”
He said his son will attend kindergarten at Holy Family, then switch to public school.
“It was already in the plan that he would come to public school in the first grade,” Fields said.
But that doesn’t mean Fields isn’t upset to see four grades lost.
“It’s just a shame to lose a school like that,” he said.
LaDonna Moore went to Holy Family from 1972-1974 and she said it was natural for her to send her daughter to the school.
“She really excelled,” she said of her daughter’s time at the school.
She said she hates to see the school lose grades one through four.
“It was a heart-breaking decision,” she said. “All of that’s going to be lost and to me it’s part of history, so why would you shut that down?”
The school’s overall enrollment has been steadily declining since the late 60s when the grades were whittled down from preschool through 12th grade to only preschool through sixth grade. In 2001 when Principal Rosa Demby took over, it had dropped to only preschool through second grade, but Demby worked to add back the third and fourth grades.
Demby had planned on retiring from Holy Family in May of 2008 since she took the job.
“I was hoping with all my hard work that it would be a thriving school when I left,” Demby said.
“I’m glad I was here to do what I could do,” she said.
Comments
Posted by NitaRobinson (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 2:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is so wrong. Just plain unjust. Is there anything that can be done to save the school ? What is the reason for this ? Who has decided that the people of Holy Family Parish no longer matter ? I hope that the school will continue to be used in some capacity, tutoring or aftercare, something in the spirit of self-determination.
Posted by Desiderata (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NIta, I agree with you this is just plain unjust. Gene, I can tell you exactly what went wrong in the 80's because I graduated from there during that era. Let's start with the fact this is so, so wrong to close the doors on a part of history that goes back for so many generations. I hate to say it, but if this was a "white" private school there would be no problem in getting funds for the school to remain open. The Cathoic Church in Jackson is the one that really makes the decision to keep the doors open or to have them closed. They have not agreed to meet with those who represent Holy Family. All parents have written to "those in power" with the hopes of saving their school. That says alot in itself. One more thing. The children who attend Holy Family right now are extremely smart, bright, well behaved children. They have a wonderful curriculum on all sorts of things, like social skills, etc. These are the children that will represent Natchez in the next 20 years or so.
Now for the second part of this comment. I did graduate from South Natchez HIgh school in the 80's. I had a great experience there. I learned so many things from attending South Natchez. I had attented private school until the 9th grade, and asked my parents to send me to public school, and they did. Then I remember hearing about the segregation and thinking this is not going to benefit Natchez. There was certainly a white flight from the public schools, and the parents paid tons of money to send their children to private school. This problem still exists today, and Holy Family is a good example of this racial divide in Natchez. Another example is our current mayoral election. I see Chick Granning and Phillip West ads everywhere. It will be difficult for me to make a decision as to who to vote for.
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am really bothered by the actions of the Jackson diocese. I realize the enrollment numbers are down, but Holy Family is one of the gems of Natchez. I was raised Catholic, but I have noticed throughout the long history of this religion the bishops and "higher ups" have been known for their thoughtlessness. Locally, our Fathers are kind, but the higher up you look on the heirarchy, the less kind they become...it's kind of like government. Your have a better chance of getting somewhere with your local reps, but don't even dream of speaking with the Big Daddy. He's too busy counting money to worry about your heart.
Posted by Bar_Louie (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What do you expect. No jobs, no money, can't keep the school open. Wow, what a wonderful town....yea right!
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep, Bar_Louie...'tis correct. But I'm thinking the Big Daddies funded most of the kid's schooling. The same Big Daddies who refuse to offer anymore love money to the children. To some kids, this school is their best hope of getting started off right in a disciplined school setting, that which will set the standards for the rest of their lives. Shame shame.
Posted by just1comment (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
well said oldschool, however the issue of racism is alive and well. It has gone on for hundreds of years and will continue for hundreds more I am sure. We as blacks have to look beyond this and see how we can best prepare ourselves and our children for the future. The progress and success of our children is what is most important. Holy Family has had a financial issue for many years. This is no surprise to me because it was an issue over 5 yrs ago when my son attended. I didn't attend but am grateful for the foundation that my son received while he was there. (Thank God for Sister Carmen) I also hate to see the school close because of the lives that caould possibly be positively affected by its services. Is there not an alumni chapter for support? What has actually been done to keep the school open besides just saying don't close our school?
Posted by saigebush (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am a graduate of Cathedral and I really don't think that it's about race or money as to why Holy Family is closing. I think it's all about the number of kids that is on the roster. Although, I know that Holy Family is alot of history to the African Americans in Natchez there is still an option to send your children to other GREAT private schools. If you cannot afford Cathedral tutition maybe your kids do not belong in private schools after all. I do not mean to come off rude but the public school system in Natchez is one of the best in the district. I'm a teacher at Cathedral and I must say that if for any reason Cathedral would close their doors I wouldn't think twice about sending my kids to public schools. There are far more important things to worry about other than "HOLY FAMILY IS CLOSING" We at Cathedral will be more than happy to provide your kids with a proper education. Hopefully many of you will choose Cathedral.
Posted by saigebush (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with you Old School...Stop hanging on to the past. There are alot of under privledged whites and blacks in Natchez. If you can't afford private schools suck it up and send your kids to public. If you can afford private schools so be it..Have you ever heard of TRANSFER???
Posted by cchat123 (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bloggers Stop! Why don't You?
Look around you, ever heard of the falling economy?
Some things will survive and others will not!
$$$$$ Baby! is the driving force behind this school's
demise...Lawsuits leveled against the Catholic Diocese
has taken its toll...this situation is baked and ready to
come out of the oven....so move on to the next problem
Posted by saigebush (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I truly hope that nothing becomes of the lawsuit..What for?? Can't cry over spilled milk..Move on..
Posted by uwillnevaknow (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my entire family went to that school
im sure many memories will be missed there
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on May 18, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
saigebush, as a teacher at Cathedral, do you know if Cathedral receives any state or federal money in any form? I've always been curious about that. Is Cathedral totally paid for by fees from its students?
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen oldschool!!!!!
Posted by msfixit (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EnKiKur, I can answer your question as a former member of Cathedral's board. The school receives a very limited amount of money through the Title I program to fund an elementary computer lab (or it did when I was on the board). There was also some money available for drug education and teacher professional development in science and/or math. At one point the school received some state funds for a tutorial program for children with special needs, but it is my understaning that they no longer participate in this. Cathedral also receives some state textbook money.
Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldschool and fire39212 are both just what is wrong with this country, racist A____!!!! Racism is alive and well and it comes in all forms, blacks hating blacks, whites hating whites, and whites hating blacks and vice versa. To sit and think that this country is all so perfect you are only seeing what you want to see. This article only was stating the facts and no one, whether black or white, said anything about this school closing as being racist. Grow up!!! If your child brought home a boyfriend or girlfriend of a different race be honest with yourselves, how would you feel. Natchez is full of racist pigs, rich whites seperate themselves from the blacks and whites who don't have what they have. Rich blacks build homes in white sections to make themselves feel accepted. The world is changing and getting worse everyday, now is not the time to continue to be stupid. We all need to be in prayer for one another whether black, white, green, or whatever.
Posted by Desiderata (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OldSchool, I believe accorrding to your blog you think I am black. I am not. I am a well educated white person who works full time in the city of Natchez and nothing is handed to me for "free." I believe in the truth, and that is racial issues exist and always will. I believe good and bad people come from both races. You need to chill out and quit writing in upper case letters. On the internet this means you are yelling and I do not like people that yell. You sound like a very angry person.
Posted by saigebush (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We receive both federal and state funding.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on May 18, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, thanks. I know Catholic Charities receives a large portion of the federal money given out to faith based initiatives, I think somewhere around 2 billion last year, plus the Church operates as a 501 3 c, and that kind of makes the Church more of an accepter of charity than a giver of one.
I know it receives heavy federal subsidies for education in some other countries.
How much treasure does the Church have in the Vatican, and how much land does it own worldwide? I'm not knocking it, as George Carlin said God is omnipotent, omnipresent, the Creator of the Universe...but He is always broke!
Posted by leftforafuture (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is for all the post on the subject of Holy Family closing and the comments about racism in Natchez and the south. I left Natchez because I did not see a future for my family or I. The problem is not just racism, but ignorance. Ignorance on the part of all people. The rich keeping getting rich and poor keep getting poor. I love my country but the US isn't all that we want to make it. We go half way around the world to fight for the freedom of others and can't take care of those in our own back yard. The education system is failing, people can't afford food or gas and let alone medical care. Why is it that one of the most powerful countries in the world is in the state that it is in? We need to take care of home first.
Racism is alive and well in this entire country. All people need to realize that education is the only thing that can not be taken away from you no matter if you are black or white, rich or poor. (And yes, I think blacks should be given some type of reparations.) We must also stop relying on others to give us justice. We can give ourselves justice if we use the things we have to get ahead without breaking the law and fighting each other. While everyone is commenting on racism and the reasons why things are the way they are, we need to be uniting to fight the gas companies on the high, high, high price of gas. Soon, your socioeconomic status nor color will not matter if the bottom falls out of our economy.
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll bet the number of Catholic holdings worldwide would blow our minds! And I've heard tell of vast underground catacombs (for lack of a better word) in the Vatican that contain so many of the world's secrets. How come Benedict and Co. get it all? Why can't the Baptists have a smidgen, and the Methodists their share? Surely the Episcopalians wouldn't mind having a pinch. Is it because the religion is so old and they've had plenty of time to amass this? I'll bet they could end world hunger with that fortune.
Where did all that come from? I must need to go to bed!!!
Posted by msfixit (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EnKiKur, the church does own land upon which it has schools, hospitals, orphanages, churches, soup kitchens, and many other charitable enterprises, none of which are for profit. Last time I checked there wasn't much of a market for cathedrals, no matter where in the world you are talking about, and most of the ones in Europe at least, are considered priceless historical sites and cost more money to keep up than they bring in. The "treasures" of the Vatican are also of immense historical value. As long as they are in the possession of the Vatican museums they are displayed to the public, and some even come to the U.S. in travelling exhibitions. Better there where anyone who can make it over to see them can enjoy them instead of in the hands of some private collector somewhere. The fact of the matter is that the "wealth" of the church in hard cash is modest at best. After WWI Benedict XV (from whom this current pope chose his name) literally emptied the coffers of the church of cash and anything easily liquidatable in order to care for those displaced by the "Great War". If you do your homework you will find that it is only within the last 10 years or so that the cash flow in the church as a whole has gotten out of the red column.
With regard to the federal money organizations like Catholic Charities and Catholic Schools receive, I say more power to them--I tithe, but I also pay an obscene amount of money out of my paycheck in taxes. If I have to pay taxes I'd rather see the money go to something like Catholic Charities than a lot of other government programs I can think of. And remember, Catholic Charities does not just serve Catholics. In Natchez most of its beneficiaries are NOT Catholic, but the people of St. Mary and other Catholic Churches around the state donate so that the needy can be served.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on May 18, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
msfixit, I understand what you are saying. But the fact is, the Church for hundreds of years dominated Europe, and the fact is Gelasius declared himself Vicar of Christ, claimed that the Kingdom of Christ was temporal as well as spiritual. He claimed ownership of the whole earth, and later, in 1213 another Pope took possession of England by treaty with King John. This Pope still claimed to have the authority to act for Christ on earth and appointed King John Arch-Treasurer, or Jesus' tax collector. This same Pope, Innocent IIi refused to honor the Magna Charta.
The Church engaged in material pursuits for centuries, made loans to kings who fought wars, and do your own research on the Ustashi. The Church should have handled its money better.
Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 11:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldschool your are so bitter, you were the one who started talking about black white issues. You seem to be someone who is not so bright due to having trouble accepting someone having an opinion different than yours. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in th butt. I see that you only voiced your thoughts on select items in my blog, couldn't even give an answer could you. I refuse to let someone like you run around shooting off about things without having thought. I am a wealthy, well educated black woman. So, I have no reason to get upset about anyone getting anything because my husband and myself work hard to get the things we have. So, just be careful what you say because you might just have to come into my office for help one day. I wouldn't want to come and have to deal with "WRONG". (I wonder what you were referring to)
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on May 18, 2008 at 11:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
On the other hand, msfixit, I apologize for that last comment. I don't want to bash anyone's religion or their faith, and I don't want to take anything away from the selfless Fathers and Sisters who have served mankind for so long.
I just think all churches pay too much attention to money.
Pardon me for speaking ill of your church.
Posted by fay2ntz (anonymous) on May 19, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will let your words speak for you:
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on May 18, 2008 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
desiderata- ok now you said you hated to say what you said so I am going to comment on what you said and I hate for you to hear it but it must be said........As far as Black white thing It was the Black people that said they were being treated unfair in Mississippi and still are saying it. They always go back to racial issues. GET OVER IT!!!! IT NEVER HAPPENED TO YOU!!!! There is nothing we can do. Maybe if money was not waisted on the Forks of the Road, it might have been able to help the school. Another issue is PAY THE BILLS!!!! if $73,000 was owed and some parents got together and raised DONATIONS then the same problem will happen again this coming year. NOTHING IS FREE!! If they had to get donations and could not afford Holy Family why put your child in the school for others to foot the bill. Back to the same thing BLACKS think they are OWED something no matter what it is...... I get so tired of hearing the same bull crap. If you can't help yourself than who is. Some DO and some DON't. Just like White people you have TRASHY WHITES and you You have PLAIN, (regular ) WHITES. If we stop all this YING YANG between the BLACK WHITE ISSUES NATCHEZ would be a BETTER place to live. What it boils down to is over the years the school can't not keep the doors the doors open if their is NO MONEY!!!! People need to either wake up and see the SOUTH is not going to change until the GROWN UPS stop all this YING YANG about RASISM. SO again I can type all day long on these issues in NATCHEZ but WE AS PARENTS need to STOP and realise where the ROOTS and PROBLEMS really are TODAY and keep it out of the PAST!!!!
I am so glad that these children were getting the education, and "for the children who attend Holy Family right now are extremely smart, bright, well behaved children. They have a wonderful curriculum on all sorts of things, like social skills, etc", but this can also be done if the parents stay on them with their studies and DON'T FORGET about them. THE PARENTS PLAY A BIG ROLL in all these issues.
I went to school by working and student loans because my parents made too much money.
Posted by Desiderata (anonymous) on May 19, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
oldschool, you certainly sound like the one who is bitter. I think you need to look up Desiderata on the web and read this poem. MAYBE IT WILL HELP YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by mk (anonymous) on May 19, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is really sad, all the race comments and this is about a wonderful school who is closing the doors. This article was not about white and black, just about a school who has taught children for over a hundred years and will now only be pre school. I am thankful we have two more years at Holy Family and who knows, God works miracles.
Posted by NitaRobinson (anonymous) on May 19, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Holy Family is the nation's oldest African-American parochial school. Closing it impacts the community of people who worship there and who have attended the school. It is the special attention and nurturing of the students and the multi-generational friendships made there that makes Holy Family such a special place. Because they cared about the people they served, the school did not turn students away because they could not afford to pay tuition. Struggle is nothing new to us, but it becomes dishonest when every demand is met only to have the goals changed, again and again. It is demeaning to see all your hard work go down the drain, no matter what color you are. The same folks who cry "let go of the past" sure didn't want to let go of the old Pecan Factory building that has stood abandoned and unproductive most of my life. "Pay the bills" one poster wrote, while huge corporations are getting federal bail outs every day. The double standard is revealing.
Posted by saigebush (anonymous) on May 20, 2008 at 8:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Holy Family doors should have closed long time ago.
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