A Glance at our Past...

Nativity B.V.M. Elementary Library

In 1956, when Nativity BVM Elementary School opened, at the first PTO meeting a plea was made for volunteers to help with the Library. Mrs. Theresa Lawrence looked at her friend sitting beside her and said, "we'll try this."

Well, this turned into a major project because there were no shelves and no books --- just an empty room! They knew that they would have to beg for donations to complete this task, so, they enlisted the help of their husbands, Mr. Anthony Lawrence and Mr. Sam Uchello. The money was raised to build the shelving and to order books, but it took them the whole year. During this time they checked the books -- labeling, cataloging, putting the little envelopes in them for the library cards and marking them with a code (61) on certain pages to designate that they belonged to Nativity BVM and placing them on the shelves.

At the opening of the next school year, 1957-58, the library was ready. Volunteers were needed to man the library. Mrs. Lawrence and Mrs. Uchello, once again, offered to help -- they went to the school at 8am and left at 3pm everyday. Mrs. Maud Domning would come in at 1pm and help them. The whole school year they did this for the children and Sr. Mary Owens.

Many children have reaped the benefits of the Library because of the determination and dedication of these two ladies.

as told to family members of Mrs. Theresa Lawrence