islandpacket.com - The Island Packet Online

• Archive Search

Search Everything in the Lowcountry and the Coastal Empire.

St. Francis Catholic School opens new Fine Arts Center

Comment on this | | | | | | | |

In the new Fine Arts Center at St. Francis Catholic School, prints by Edgar Degas, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh hang on the chalkboard in the art room.

Students' stained-glass projects dry on the shelves.

Across the wide lobby, the music room is furnished with choir risers and a piano. Bells and tambourines are stored in white cubbies.

"I love it," said art and music teacher Lisa Sweeney as her eyes sweep the room. "Our (music) room is three times bigger than the one we've been in for 11 years."

The arts center, the school's newest addition, was dedicated Friday. The ceremony was attended by about 200 students, their teachers and nuns and members of the St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church congregation.

The center is split into two rooms -- one for art, the other for music. It boasts a front porch, a large, open lobby and an outdoor patio for sketching. The arts center is connected to the school by covered walkways.

"It allows us to open up the options we provide, not just for the school, but for the parish," school principal Mike Rockers said. "We are looking forward to having art classes for parishioners in the evenings. The church choir will be practicing in the new music room."

The $1.3 million center was paid for, in part, by the family of Charles D. Polhamus. The remainder was paid for through the church's capital campaign.

Some Polhamus family members are parishioners. The school dedicated the center to the family with a plaque that will hang in the lobby.

Within a year, the school anticipates a third multipurpose building -- a gym and auditorium that will connect to the arts center. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall.

As the Rev. Mike Oenbrink blessed the center and all those in attendance, students sang the school song.

"Sing a song of thanks and honor for a school we hold so dear," the group sang in unison.

The voices grew louder near the end of the song.

" ... May our hearts be ever grateful, God gave us St. Francis School," the students shouted.

When the music died, the singers applauded both the faculty and the new center.

| | | | | | |