OUR HISTORY

Most Reverend Richard Gilmour, Bishop of Cleveland, formed the congregation of St. Stanislaus by an official act in 1873.  The early parishioners worshiped in the abandoned St. Mary's of the Flats. Reverend Victor Zareczny of St. Adalbert parish in Berea cared for the souls of the first parishioners of St. Stanislaus.

In 1876, Amasa Stone, owner of the Newburgh Rolling Mills, advertised in Poland for workers. Thousands of Poles answered this call and migrated to the Newburgh area of Cleveland. As the parishioners of St. Stanislaus increased in number, due to this immigration, a new location of worship had to be found to accommodate the larger congregation. Franciscan Father Wolfgang Janietz, O.F.M., took over the care of the St. Stanislaus parishioners in 1879 and moved the center of worship to St. Joseph's Church on Woodland Avenue.

As the congregation continued to grow, it became apparent that the parishioners of St. Stanislaus needed their own house of worship. A site was found when farmer Ashbel Morgan offered to sell some of his land to the people of St. Stanislaus. The church committee bought thirteen lots for $3,000. Where St. Stanislaus Church currently stands was once a potato patch.

A small church was built in 1881 which had a school on the first floor and the church on the second floor. By 1885 there were about 600 families and a bigger church was needed. Reverend A. F. Kolaszewski, who was then pastor of St. Stanislaus, undertook the task to build the current church. The cornerstone was laid in 1886 and the structure was completed in 1891. Diocesan priests cared for the people of St. Stanislaus until 1906, when the Franciscan Order took over this responsibility.

Due to the increasing number of school children, a new school building was erected in 1907, coinciding with the arrival of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who replaced the Franciscan Sisters.  The school was designed by Brother Leonard Darscheid, O.F.M., of the Sacred Heart Province. A central heating plant was built, which continues to heat the school and church.

Saint Stanislaus School continues the rich tradition of creating students of Spirit, Knowledge, and Community.