YOUNGSTOWN St. Christine School marks 50th anniversary

A member of the first graduating class will concelebrate the anniversary Mass.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It's been a long time since the Rev. Terry Hazel walked the halls of St. Christine Elementary School on South Schenley Avenue.
He's excited about getting a chance to go back next week.
The Rev. Mr. Hazel was a member of the school's first graduating class in 1963, and he'll be there Tuesday to help mark the 50th anniversary of the school's dedication.
St. Christine's has asked him to concelebrate a special 10:30 a.m. Mass in the adjacent church to mark the occasion.
Parents who are alumni of the school and who have children attending there now have been invited to lead the processional into the church.
There will be a reception in the school's Gutman Hall immediately after Mass.
Memories
Mr. Hazel, now pastor of St. Michael Parish in Canfield, said he was "thrilled" when he got the invitation to participate. He has fond memories of his school days there, he said, especially of the Daughters of Charity who staffed it at the time.
"They were a wonderful group of nuns," he recalled.
Mr. Hazel grew up in St. Christine Parish and still visits the church twice a year during Advent and Lent to assist in Reconciliation with the school children.
"I was one of the first two students to register there," he said, noting that he was in the first, first grade to enter the school. His class was the first to go through all eight grades at St. Christine, he said, noting the school had between 1,600 and 1,700 children at that time.
The enrollment is 457 this year in pre-kindergarten through the eighth grade.
The school is holding a series of other, smaller activities all year to mark its anniversary.
gwin@vindy.com