School History

On August 23, 1908, the dream of many parishioners was realized when St. Mary's Grammar School was completed. The school housed twelve classrooms and an auditorium. On September 8^th, Reverend Daniel F. Feehan presided over the blessing of this Catholic institution, and St. Mary's School opened its doors to 538 students.

At that time, the Sisters of the Holy Union of the Sacred Heart staffed the school. They were outstanding women, who had a tremendous influence on the lives of their students. Notably, the school commenced operations under the guidance of the first principal, Sister Mary Catherine. She was the inspiration and soul of St. Mary's School from the day of its opening until the day she died in 1956.

The first graduation took place in June 1911, and on that occasion, then-pastor, Father James Coyle announced plans for the building, which housed St. Mary's Grammar School as well as St. Mary's High School. When the high school opened in 1911, it offered a two-year Commercial Course and a four-year Classical Course. The top floor of the school housed the business students, classical students on the second floor with juniors holding their classes in Saint Rita's Lodge, a two-story brick building directly behind the school. The seniors were placed in the two rooms to the right and left of the main entrance, which now houses our Business Office and Conference Room.

Among the students, a strong bond between school life and religious training was quite evident. Every Friday, the classes were lined up and processed to church in a very orderly manner for confessions. Every Sunday, the eight o'clock Mass was the children's Mass. All of the students attended with boys on one side and girls on the other side, supervised by the Sisters.

With the death of Monsignor Coyle in 1931, it was announced that he had endowed money for the formation of an all boys? high school, Coyle High School , which became a reality in 1933. At this time, St. Mary's High School became an all-girls' high school and Saint Rita's Lodge was converted into a newly remodeled science laboratory.

In 1958, the first full-time lay teacher was appointed and at that time, there were 698 students in the school (544 students in the grammar school and 154 students in the high school). There were approximately 50 students in each classroom.

Bishop Cassidy High School opened its doors in 1963 as an all girls' high school, leaving St. Mary's with many available classrooms which were utilized by various community organizations. In the 1970's, many parish schools within the Taunton community began to close due to a decline in the popularity of sending children to a Catholic school. Diocesan officials and parish priests decided to formulate a plan that would keep Catholic education alive and well within the Taunton community. Therefore, St. Mary's accepted the responsibility of keeping its doors open to offer a Catholic education for children from seventeen different parishes. As a result, St. Mary's became a primary school serving students in kindergarten through grade five. Simultaneously, Taunton Catholic Middle School was established at a different location, serving the students in grades six to eight. At that time, enrollment at St. Mary's declined to 280 students.

In 1981, the first lay principal of St. Mary's was appointed and the faculty consisted of nine lay and two religious teachers. With the continued support of the pastor and dedication of the faculty, St. Mary's had again risen to new heights, housing 450 students. At this time, St. Mary's Primary School was the second largest elementary school within the Diocese of Fall River.

St. Mary's Primary School has continued to maintain high academic standards and the integration of Christian religious values for the spiritual growth of its students, under the guidance and leadership of dedicated pastors, lay administrators, and faculty members.

St. Mary's Primary School, from its foundation, has stressed academic excellence and a commitment to Christian religious values.  In this regard, there has been no compromise or change. Genuine parental support/involvement and authentic teacher dedication are assets that St. Mary's Primary School relies on to remain a viable force in the development of our students.