Fairhaven, July 29th, 1918
Right Rev. Bishop of Fall River, Mass.
My Lord,
Since some time I wished to see Your Lordship with regard to a parochial school in St. Francis Xavier’s parish, Acushnet.
The facts in connection with this matter were brought by me to the knowledge of my Superior, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus, who kindly acceded to my petition jointly to see Your Lordship to let one expose all the facts and reasons that may lead to a prudent decision in this matter.
We called on Friday last, June 26th, but failed to see Your Lordship. The retreat of the priests prevented our seeing you at an earlier date.
Hearing, however, that Your Lordship will be absent for some time, I begged my Superior to allow me to expose these same facts in writing and it is by kind permission I am presently taking advantage.
Let one give a short statement of the church’s income and expenses in the first six months of 1918:
Total receipts from Jan 1st to July 1st: $2991.10
Seat-money: $795.00 (average $30.10)
Monthly collections: $514.60
Parties: $546.50
For the latter part of the year one may expect:
Seat-money (½ at same rate): $1170.00
Monthly collections (same rate): $514.60
Parties: $540.00
Total: $2170.00
We have a debt of $1390.00, interest at 5.5% = $726.00.
Expenses foreseen for remainder of this year:
Interest: $363.00
Coal: $250.00
Salary: $500.00
Diverse: $300.00
Total: $1413.00
Remains $757.00 to be used toward paying off debt. So far, we paid nothing to debt, which is due to the fact that we had all our parties toward raising a school fund and also brought a liberty bond.
We have worked much for the raising of a school fund, and so far we have $1724.00 raised as follows:
Voluntary subscriptions: $935.00
Parties: $611.00
Special collection: $178.00
Total: $1724.00
This school-fund could be considerably increased in case permission could be granted to start a parochial school.
Expenses necessary to start school:
Classrooms, two, have to be installed in that part of our basement which now serves as a hall. All we have to do is to put in two partitions with doors. On reliable authority I hear this may occasion an expense of about $150.00.
We have the desks.
We have to erect water-closets outside, which may occasion an expense of: $350.00
Diverse expenses: $200.00
Books to be paid by children.
Salary of Sisters:
Two teaching Sisters $50.00 to be paid by children. Taking 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, we would have over 100 children. Every child payes $0.50 tuition. some persons promised to pay for their children, and thus the salary could be easily provided.
House for Sisters:
There is a good offer of a house of the bungalow type at 4 or 5 minutes’ walk from church: 7 rooms, basement, water system, heating system to be installed, land 50 x 150 ft., high place, good surroundings, on Fairhaven Rd.—with regard to this house four propositions are made, contained in the type-written letter of the proprietor to me and inclosed herewith. Of course we could not buy, but the 3rd and 4th propositions appear to be advantageous.
The furnishing of the Sisters’ house would be very largely done by the parishioners, as many will give some pieces of furnishing; we have, however, a nice amount to see to it.
As to the Sisters, some two or three years, Rev. Fr. Seraphim secured the Dominican Sisters to take up the charge of our school in Acushnet.
Right Reverend Bishop, may I humbly and respectfully beg to submit these considerations to your Lordship. I have at present no complaint to make of our parishioners, and I am confident that we can make a success of the school.
It is, however, far from my intentions, My Lord, to urge anything but submit these facts and humble request for a parochial school, respectfully expecting your decision and readily accepting it whatever it happens to be. In this manner I put it up to the parishioners and I am confident they are of that disposition of mind.
We wish, however, very ardently to have a parochial school and to start next September, for the immense good resulting from it, and to impart to our children a thoroughly Catholic education in a Catholic atmosphere.
I have the honor to be,
Your Lordship’s,
humble and obedient servant,
Fr. Andrew Lariviere, S.S.O.,
Howland Rd.,
Fairhaven, Mass.