Big Time Changes Since 1961-1964

Below is a paragraph from my Research on St. Luke's Parish I did some 10 or 15 years ago. I was reminded of this when I read Ralph Branon's Obituary. Ralph was a young architect just starting his own business in the early 1960s:

"In the spring of 1961, two tracts of land totaling 5 1/2 acres became available on the Huntville Road in Fairfax village. It was felt that this site would be ideal for a future relocation of the parish property and the land was purchased from its two owners, Roy Warren and Roma Laverdure for a total price of $3,000. Meanwhile, better financial conditions had resulted from increased parish revenue and projects so that $12,000 was in the building fund by early 1963.

With the permission of Bishop Robert F. Joyce and the Diocesan Building Commission, Father Hickey contracted with Ralph F. Branon, a South Burlington architect, for Mr. Branon to draw up plans for a parish catechetical center on the Huntville Road property. The building consisting of four classrooms, a boiler room, and toilet facilities on the ground floor with a large hall, kitchen and storage facilities on the first floor was put out for bid in July 1963. The first floor hall could also be subdivided into four additional classrooms. The successful bidder on the brick and cement block building 73 feet by 54 feet, was the Kenclif Construction Company of Burlington and construction was begun on September 3, 1963, at a total cost of $90,000. The Parish was substantially assisted by a gift of $10,000 from the Rural Missions Fund of the Burlington Diocese of Bishop Joyce. Earlier in 1963, the parishioners had subscribed to an offertory drive for funds so that the total debt on the completed building was $65,000. Construction was completed in late March, 1964, and was blessed by Bishop Joyce on April 9, 1964. On November 25, 1963, a cornerstone was blessed and laid in place by Father Hickey and the building was dedicated to the memory of Father Alfred Couture and Father Joseph Sawyer, former pastors both deceased at the time, and of President John F. Kennedy, who's funeral was held on that date."

Now, of course back in the 1960s, very few women were involved in the planning of this building. It was pretty much designed by the male gender. (I might as well fess up, I was on the Building Committee at that time) The kitchen which was originally planned to be used for our annual Turkey Dinner proved to be quite a problem. I am sure the women of the parish could have told us that quite easily. I believe one dinner was held there and that was it. The original kitchen was in the little room now used as a vestry and there was an opening out into what is now the church to pass food through.

Back in those early years, our women of the parish used to use china plates and their own silverware they had purchased. I don't know what ever happened to it, but they felt they had to set up the tables like it was a dinner in their own home. I do remember the plates and silverware being trucked down to the school for a number of years, but believe they now used the school's dishes and silverware, although I may be wrong.