“From the Archives” — Winter & Pot-Bellied Stoves

In April 1941, Bishop Andrew Brennan asked all the parishes in the Diocese of Richmond to submit an engineering report on their properties, for safety and insurance purposes. The survey for Saint Mary (at that time part of the Richmond Diocese) found most of the parish buildings were in good or excellent condition, considering their age. The only great concern was the parochial school — still occupying an 1859 building at the corner of Royal and Wolfe Streets. Each classroom was heated by a potbellied, coal stove. At the time of the inspectors’ visit (part of the diocesan survey process), the door of each stove was open. The inspectors reported: “This caused a bad fire hazard and also a treacherous hazard for the children in the building.” They suggested that all the stove doors be kept closed all of the time. They realized a new central-heating system should be installed, but this change was not practical in the very old building.

World War II began just seven months after the report was submitted to the diocese. Most building plans were postponed because military projects in the area took precedence. The desires of Father Thomas A. Rankin (pastor, 1930-1942) and his successor, Monsignor Edward L. Stephens (pastor, 1943-1959), to build a new school also were delayed by the war. The old school, with its antiquated stoves, was still in use nine years later, until the new Saint Mary School opened its doors for students in March 1950.

There are still former pupils of the old Saint Mary parish school around who recall their days there. Mary Davis, former student and later principal of the new school, recalled shortly before her recent death that the classrooms were divided into three sections of desks. The children in the front desks, closest to the stoves, “roasted.” Those in the middle section were just right, neither too hot nor too cold. The children in the back of the class “froze.” Fortunately, the pupils rotated seats every couple of weeks!

— Kitty Guy, Parish Historian