Atlanta elementary school to close - Brief Article

National Catholic Reporter, August 10, 2001 by Patrick O'Neill

Despite raising more than $600,000, an inner-city Atlanta African-American Catholic elementary school has closed its doors after 89 years of operation.

A group of parents and parishioners fell short of the $862,000 that Our Lady of Lourdes pastor, Fr. John Adamski, said would be needed to keep the school open for the 2000-2001 academic year.

Adamski had supported parishioners' efforts to raise private funds to keep the school open after last year's announcement that the archdiocese would no longer provide supplemental funds to the cash-strapped school that was founded in 1912 by St. Katharine Drexel (NCR, May 11).

Adamski's decision to close the school was announced July 1 and was backed by the parish pastoral and finance councils. Parents of the students who were enrolled at the school for the fall were notified of the closing by letter July 9. The parish will no longer operate before- or after-school programs.

Donors who supported Our Lady of Lourdes School will have their money returned to them, unless the donors specify the funds to go toward a particular need, Adamski told The Georgia Bulletin.

Our Lady of Lourdes secretary Mary Avery, who led the fundraising effort, said 110 students were enrolled at Lourdes, with the hope that the school would remain open. Though they failed to raise the funds necessary, Avery said that the fight to keep the school open was a growth opportunity for all.

"When you're surrounded by good people, it's easy to remain positive," Avery told The Georgia Bulletin. "God has truly surrounded Our Lady of Lourdes with angels. I really look at it as a learning experience. The parish grew, faith-wise."