Saint James School - History
 

  • Merricourt School 1920 - 1954

    • 1954 - Marsden E. Whitford, headmaster, sentenced to State Prison in Wethersfield for sexual assault on young male pupils. Suspect of similar crimes in Ohio and Rhode Island.

  • 1954 (July) Leonard Francis, through Leo Foundation, purchases Merricourt school for $125,000:

    • Real estate: four homes on Hudson St.; one home on Worthington Ridge.

    • Named after St. James RC Church in Stratford (home of VP and main fund raiser of Leo Foundation.)

  • 1955

    •  - The Brandegee House (historic landmark across from the Berlin Town Hall on Worthington Ridge purchased as staff residence and the Office for the Camp & School

    • Ad in Porter Sargent Private School Directory

      • Boys, 7-15, Grades 1-9, $1,500 Boarding & $450 Day.  Faculty 12. 
             "For the student not performing according to his known potential." 
             Math, Science, History, French, Music, Latin, Religion, Dancing. 
             Summer School at Camp Leo. Tutoring. Roman Catholic. Established
             1936. Leonard W. Francis, BE, Yale, Headmaster.

    • Ads appear for School and Camp

      • New York Times, Herald Tribune, Boston Globe

    • Students arrive from Canada and South America (mostly via Camp Leo)

  • 1957

    • School's drum band appears in

      •  New Haven Saint Patrick's Day Parade

      • State-Wide Loyalty Day Parade in Waterbury

  • 1957 - 1958

    • 70 Students reported in grades 4-12

    • Connecticut State Dept of Education added it to roster of approved private schools.

  • 1960

    • Marching unit disbanded

    • Lack of staff

    • Students forced to work on gymnasium

    • 16 year-old day student teaching math & over-night "house mother"

  • 1961

    • Two sets of parents complain to State Police Commissioner (Leo J. Mulcahy) that their sons received excessive corporal punishment

      • Francis arrested for incident

      • Francis took photos of beaten boys at Camp and School

    • School became known as "institution" in the State

    • Berliners referred to school as:

      •  "Mr. Francis' Ding Dong School

      • "That private reform school"

    • Building Inspector orders the former "Gridley" home on Hudson St. used as a dormitory closed, until safety problems corrected.

  • 1962

    • David King, arrived to teach Music and History.  Three days later, slashed his wrists and throat in a suicide.

  • 1963 - 1964

    • Local children no longer welcome at "now murky" swimming pool or tennis courts

    • Legal skirmishing involves schools several dogs.

    • Grounds ringed with high chain-link fence.

  • 1965

    • Cub Scout Troop 60 vanished

    • Most outside athletic programs vanished

    • Neighbors report distraught boys knocking lat at night - seeing refuge

    • Students appear at the Police Station [just across from St. James] with similar pleas.

  • 1965 - Arrested

  • 1968 - Arrested

  • 1970

    • St. James School sliding down into its final decade

  • 1974 - Arrested

  • 1975 - School "reluctantly" went co-ed

  • 1976 -

    • September

      • Fifteen students enrolled

      • Last entries in the Porter Sargent Private School Directory carried a caveat; "Students with disciplinary or emotional problems are not admitted."

      • Upper age limit lowered from 18 to 13

    • March 23rd

  • 1977

    • September

      • So few students enrolled, parents warned  of impending closure

      • Channel Three aired exposure of conditions at Camp Leo and St. James

    • December

      • State Representative Peter Rosso of Kensington, introduces a bill to regulate and license private schools in Connecticut

  • 1977

    • Attempt made to hold classes at frigid Camp Leo.

  • 1978

    • May  12th -  Saint James School Closes

    • May  18th  - Governor Ella Grasso signs Rosso Bill into law

  • 1980

    • 1811 Brandegee House sold to private buyer.

    • Local developer buys remaining property

  • Developer

    • Sells gym and some buildings to TN-based Pentescostal Church

    • Erects seven houses on the former athletic field

    • Names new access road, "St. James Place"

Frederick. W.Chesson                                           File: SJART.HTM

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