Our Days At Our Lady Of Good Counsel Elementary School
THIS BUILDING, LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF HELLER PARKWAY AND WOODSIDE AVENUE IN THE NORTH WARD OF NEWARK NEW JERSEY, IS THE ORIGINAL “OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL“.
THIS SCHOOL OPENED ITS DOOR’S IN 1913. AT THAT TIME, THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
AND LATER THE "ANNEX”, WHICH WAS LATER USED FOR THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL,
HELPED TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY GRADES, FROM FIRST THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE.
HOWEVER, IN 1956 OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL PASTOR, FATHER JOHN NUBERG,
DECIDED THAT THE EXISTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COULD NO LONGER ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE YOUNG CHILDREN NOW LIVING IN OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL PARISH. THE POST WORLD WAR II BABY BOOM HAD DEEMED A GREATER NEED FOR A NEW AND EXPANDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE FORREST HILL SECTION OF NEWARK. OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL’S ORIGINAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WITH ALL OF ITS SPLENDOR AND STALWARTNESS,
NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO GIVE MORE OF THE YOUNG AREA CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A CATHOLIC EDUCATION. IN THE FALL OF 1957, THE NEW AND PRESENT, OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS COMPLETED, IN PLACE AND READY TO BE OPENED FOR CLASSES.
IT WAS STAFFED PRIMARILY BY THE SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH OF CHESTNUT HILL, PENNSYLVANIA. THE SISTERS HAVE BEEN WITH THE PARISH SINCE 1913. IN SEPTEMBER OF 1959, WE BECAME STUDENTS OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE PASTOR NOW WAS MONSIGNOR JOHN WEISBROD,
OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WAS MOTHER RITA GABRIEL. MOTHER WAS IN FULL CHARGE OF BOTH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS WELL AS OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL. OUR FIRST GRADE TEACHER WAS SISTER MARIE EMMANUEL. SHE WAS A YOUNG SISTER. .SISTER MARIE EMMANUEL, ALONG WITH SISTER ALMA DELORES, HELPED IN OUR PREPARATION FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION. THE PROCESSIONAL OUR COMMUNION CLASS HAD TAKEN FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE CHURCH WAS EVIDENCED BY AN 8MM FILM MY FAMILY HAD SHOT FOR THE OCCASION.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THIS WAS THE SAME PROCESSIONAL ROUTE USED FOR CONFIRMATION AND, LASTLY, OUR EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION.
A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED ON THE WORLD SCENE DURING OUR FIRST GRADE YEAR. FIDEL CASTRO TOOK OVER CUBA EARLIER IN 1959, HAWAII BECAME OUR 50TH STATE, ROCK AND ROLL WAS ON THE DECLINE, 21 STUDENTS AT A COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA MANAGED TO CRAM THEMSELVES INTO A TELEPHONE BOOTH AND ELVIS PRESLEY, “THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL“, WAS STILL SERVING HIS TOUR OF DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
