Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
NATIVITY SCHOOL
NATIVITY SCHOOL. Catholic school. Since Nativity School was not ready for the 1923-1924 school year, religious instruction was given to children of the parish by SISTERS OF THE VISITATION OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (SVM) at their convent across the street. The school did open in September 1924, with an enrollment of four hundred twenty-five. Classes were conducted from kindergarten through eighth grade. Ten classes, including two sections of first grade, were located in the central wing of the building.
Surging enrollments led to double sections of other grades and an increase in the number of faculty. Classes for seventh and eighth grade girls were held at ACADEMY OF THE VISITATION (THE). The boys remained at Nativity. Because of fire damage at Visitation Convent in June 1936, the girls returned to Nativity for classes, and two new sections of each grade were opened. Due to the overcrowded conditions, kindergarten was discontinued.
An addition to the school was necessary by 1956 despite the founding of St. Joseph's parish and school. Overcrowding for the seven hundred eighty students was eliminated by the addition of eight classrooms and a chapel-auditorium. Nativity contributed 15.3 percent or $535,000 toward the cost of construction of WAHLERT CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.