Title
Honoring the 50th Anniversary of Father Judge High School.
Body
WHEREAS, Father Judge High School was established in 1954 by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a school for young men in the Holmesburg area of Northeast Philadelphia. It was entrusted to the administration of the Oblates of St. Francis De Sales and a dedicated faculty of lay men and women; and
WHEREAS, A great population growth so dramatic began after World War II that the need for a diocesan Catholic high school for boys became apparent. The Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity graciously donated part of their Motherhouse and Noviate grounds to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to realize this need. To acknowledge the sisters' generosity, the new school was named after their founder, the Reverend Thomas A. Judge, C.M. The school, surrounded by Pennypack Park, was placed under the direction of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales; and
WHEREAS, A Mass was offered in the auditorium at Northeast Catholic High School on September 8, 1954, which signified the official opening of Father Judge High School. The celebrant was the Reverend Thomas O'Connell, O.S.F.S., the first principal of Father Judge High School. The original enrollment consisted of 1,015 freshmen and sophomores; and
WHEREAS, On September 13, 1954, the new school opened its doors for the first time at Solly and Rowland Avenues. The school building was still under construction and the stories of those days were centered largely on mud and building problems; and
WHEREAS, On September 10, 1955, John Francis O'Hara, C.S.C., Archbishop of Philadelphia, dedicated the school building, and
WHEREAS, In the 1950's the school seal and colors were selected, as was the school motto, "Non Excidet", which translates "he will not fall away," and organized sports became a vital part of Father Judge High School with football, soccer and s...
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