From
the 75th Anniversary Book
The interruption of his seminary studies for sea duty during World War I and seventeen
years of service at Our Lady of Refuge in the Bronx well prepared Leo. J Gregg to run a
parish. Having studied at the College of St. Laurant and then graduated from St. Joseph's
Seminary at Dunwoodie, his arrival at Holy Trinity in 1942 roughly coincided with Father
Conaty's fortieth anniversary as a priest.
He moved easily into the administrative duties assigned to him, and following Father
Conaty's death in 1949, Father Gregg became pastor. Only months later, in October of 1949,
he began a campaign to fund the construction of a parish school. Characterizing it as
"Father Conaty's dream," he proudly admitted that Father Conaty and he had been
planning for a school since he arrived at the parish.
Development of the school is covered in the later section on education, but suffice it
to say that building the school was a challenge, for the cost of the school, first
estimated at $260,000, climbed to over $370,000 for just the original wing alone. The
parish archives include models of Father Gregg's handwritten notes and typed
correspondence to the many parishioners who answered this challenge.
Before the school could open, teachers were needed. The Sisters, Servants of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary at Scranton, Pa. offered to assist, but there was no housing for
them. Father Gregg saw the solution in the purchase of a house and lot on Main Street
which was "well-constructed and would make an ideal convent for Sisters."
Purchased in 1950 from William C. Budd and fully remodeled, that building is still the
Parish Convent.
After the IHM Sisters had taken residence, parishioners like Ann Volimo regularly drove
them to and from their mother house at Marywood, in Scranton. Seeing another need,
Monsignor Gregg gathered the money to purchase a car for the nuns-but it was too long for
the Convent garage. To this day, the shed on the east side of the Convent garage, added so
the Sisters' first car would fit, is testament to the fact that few things, even good
ones, are simple.
Shortly after the Convent property was acquired, Father Gregg sold some property which
Father Conaty had acquired in 1928. At that time, it had been anticipated that Holy
Trinity might need a mission church, so nine lots on the then outskirts of Poughkeepsie,
at Whittier Boulevard and Southeast (now Hooker) Avenue had been acquired. In 1951 they
were sold to the City of Poughkeepsie.
A man of considerable generosity, Father Gregg maintained an open account for the
homeless and hungry at the Court House Restaurant, which was on the southwest corner of
Raymond Avenue at Main Street.
Committed to the well-being of parish children, he worked tirelessly for them. Whether
giving out scouting medals personally, taking the altar boys on the annual trip to
Playland at Rye Beach, or planning his daily walk to coincide with school recess so he
could mingle with children, Father Gregg's focus was always on the young. In fact, he
wrote to the architects for the school addition, discussing multiple change orders on the
job in technical terms befitting a contractor. At the end, he closed by asking whether
they had reached "any decision regarding the shower floor. As you know, this
deficiency has kept our basketball players from the benefit of showers. .1 would
appreciate hearing from you...
Although the construction of the school and its addition were his major physical
projects, Monsignor Gregg also oversaw the 1964 renovation of the sanctuary, and the
replacement of the altar rails and the sanctuary furniture.
A golfer who also enjoyed walks and a man who "never asked anyone to do anything
that he would not do," Monsignor Gregg was stately in appearance and possessed of a
voice which was warm and resonant. He was assisted early in his tenure by Father Thomas J.
Phillips, who was active in programs for the parish youth, and later by Father Vincent P.
Scanlon, who quietly shouldered greater responsibilities in the parish as Monsignor Gregg
aged.
Raised to the office of domestic prelate in January,1955, he is well-remembered by all
who knew him. Monsignor Gregg left a permanent mark on our parish at his death on July 24,
1966 at the age of 72.
Education at Holy Trinity
The school ground breaking was July 22, 1951 and within a year the cornerstone was laid
on June 5, 1952. At that ceremony Father Gregg said that the school would, "Lead the
way for the building of character and strength in the hearts, souls, minds and bodies of
the young people." Fittingly, the cornerstone is inscribed "For God and
Country."
Formal dedication of the school, with Cardinal Spellman presiding, took place on
Sunday, September 14, 1 952.~A week earlier, on the opening day of school, September 8,
1952, Father Gregg told the children, "Everything today is bright, new, shining -
really a day of promise. A harbinger of the blessings that God will send through Holy
Trinity School."
Helping to deliver those blessings were six Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary under Mother Brigida's supervision. With her were Sister M. Pius, Sister M.
Stella, Sister M. Phyllis, Sister M. Albreth and Sister M. John Berchmans. The six Sisters
were assisted by lay teachers Mrs. Anna Gates and Mrs. Palmer.
When it opened, the school had 423 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. A
premonition of the enrollment to follow, there were over 90 kindergartners attending in
that first year.
By September of the next year, the kindergarten had to be closed to allow classroom
space for the upper grades. The Parish Hall was converted to two classrooms, and in 1954
one hundred children had to be refused admission due to overcrowding.
The need was clearly there, so March28, 1955, Father Gregg launched a "second wing
appeal." Dedicated on Sunday, May 25, 1958, and making possible a total enrollment of
870 children by 1960, the new wing currently houses the upper grades and the gymnasium.
Although the sign for it is now gone, the gymnasium was dedicated as the "Peter P.
Conaty Memorial Gymnasium." The north alcove in the gym, now covered by wall matting
to protect the basketball players, opened to provide space for an altar where Mass was
said on a regular basis. The supply room immediately to the side of the alcove area served
as a sacristy.
With the new wing came the Marist Brothers who taught our fifth through eighth grade
boys from September of 1957 through June of 1963. Headed by Brother Conan Vincent Dinean,
F.M.S., they brought their own fine style of academic discipline which prepared the boys
well for high school. The Brothers resided in the Old Rectory which was cleared when the
state took parish property for westbound Routes 44-55 in the 1970's.
Mother Brigida stayed at Holy Trinity for six years, a stern but warm presence. Taking
disciplinary and other matters to her office for personal attention, which was always a
feared trip, she frequently ended those sessions with an agreement: The student would not
repeat the transgression, or would wait until after school to eat the candy which she had
slipped him as he left her office. Today our school is still staffed by IHM Sisters, with
Sister Anne Manion teaching 5th grade, Sister Ann Belz teaching math and Sister Priscilla
working as a reading specialist.
Through times of burgeoning as well as shrinking enrollment, our school has endured and
prospered, for just as enrollment swelled in the early 1950's, it shrank in the early
1980's. Our principal, Sister Mary Ellen, saw this shrinkage as an opportunity and
presented it as such to Bishop Mestice who agreed to renovate and enlarge the
kindergarten, consolidate two classrooms into the present meeting room and paint and
freshen the entire building.
Sister Mary Ellen "brought the gift of her own enthusiasm and energy,"
according to Ann Lyons, who in 1997 will start her 25th year of teaching at Holy Trinity.
Sister Mary Ellen was followed in the late 1980's by Sister Jean Louise who - to the
relief of the school alumni - took out the black line at the edge of the hallways on which
students had dutifully walked for years. Sister Eleanor Marie Malanophy succeeded Sister
Jean Louise, bringing her own inclusiveness and sense of warmth, for what other principal
would teach the kindergartners to step dance on St. Patrick's Day!
The 1995-1996 school year brought principal Tom Dicks of Staten Island, who implemented
several changes, and in 1996 came our current principal, Mary Ann McGivney.
Education at Holy Trinity would not be complete without mention of Religious Education,
which is currently headed by Sister Maureen Davey, S.U. who follows in the tradition of
Loretta M. Purcell. Miss Purcell, a Poughkeepsie school teacher, began a Sunday School and
sacramental preparatory program at Holy Trinity in the Fall of 1923, and continued it
until Holy Trinity School opened in 1952 - almost 30 years.
Msgr. Gregg started a Parent Educators Group in 1953, beginning a tradition of parental
involvement with the school which continues with today's Home School Association.
According to President Maria Maranzano, the Association raises $15,000 or more for the
school each year. Running the gamut from book fairs to wrapping paper sales, Home School
members and other parents also assist Lynn Oldmixon in the school lunch program, are well
represented as room mothers and chaperones for field trips, and are working with principal
Mary Ann McGivney to do more for the school in the future.
Much has changed since 1952 when the school opened on a tuition free basis. Tuition is
a necessary fact of life, and a decrease in vocations has caused a shift in staffing from
religious to lay teachers. Still, the school is academically very well regarded and
committed to forming each child into a Christ-like, well-educated and responsible citizen.
Our school now has approximately 300 students. The pre-K and kindergarten follow a
modified Montessori program, with grades 1 through 5 working in a traditional classroom
setting. In 6th grade, the students begin changing classes, rotating among teachers in a
departmentalized program which prepares them for high school.
September of 1997 will mark the opening of the 45th academic year at Holy Trinity.
Holy Trinity School
