NEW HAMBURG CELEBRATES PARISH SESQUICENTENNIAL

NEW HAMBURG -- Blandine Blettel Westrich, 88, of Chaffee, had an easier time getting to St. Lawrence Catholic Church Sunday than she did as a school girl in 1917.

She was one of about 400 people who gathered Sunday at the New Hamburg church to share stories and remember 80 years of Catholic education.

Westrich had to walk more than five miles one way from her home to the school to attend classes there as a child.

"Things were a lot rougher then," she said.

St. Lawrence, which was formed between August 1847 and August 1848 as a small log church, is holding a year-long sesquicentennial event.

Because no one is certain when the original church was actually built, St. Lawrence parish will celebrate for an entire year with activities every month until Aug. 10, 1998.

This month, the church invited anyone who attended or taught at the St. Lawrence School or the Catholic Education Program.

Westrich was the only representative from her class at the reunion and the class of 1917 was the oldest on hand. Cecilia Morie, 90, of Chaffee, represented the class of 1921.

Morie remembered skipping school one day because it was just too cold. "I couldn't get warm," she said, remembering the walk to school. "My brother told me it would be colder going home than to school but I turned around and went home anyway."

She cried when she got home and her parents took pity on her and let her stay.

Sister Mary Benedict, now of Bartelso, Ill., taught first and second grade at St. Lawrence 45 years ago. She said she'd probably seen eight of her 30 former students during the reunion.

"I didn't think I would remember any of them," Benedict said. "They've changed in 45 years. I've changed, but they recognize me and they'll come up and talk."

Benedict used to teach at what is now the old schoolhouse when it used to be the new schoolhouse. "They invited us back to say thank you for putting some religion in them," she said.

St. Lawrence stopped holding classes in 1968, the Rev. Ralph Duffner said. The school became part of the Kelso C-7 public school district.

The original log church is still in limited use today. In 1857 a larger stone church was started, completed in 1859 and burned down during the Civil War. The church was rebuilt and has been standing since 1871.

Plans for the year-long celebration began two years ago. Last month, the first month of the sesquicentennial, the church held an old-time picnic. More than 200 people attended.

People from as far away as Louisiana and St. Louis attended the reunion.

In October, the church is hosting a haunted house and Halloween celebration as a part of the sesquicentennial activities.

At the end of the year-long celebration, a time capsule will be made and sealed in place behind the altar.

Pat Moore, one of the event organizers, said the turnout for the reunion was more than expected. She said word spread through a parish newsletter and by word of mouth.

"We wanted to have this particular event to thank people who have helped us with our faith," Moore said.