This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

AC St. Joseph's closes doors ™ Records 112 years service
Seniors to graduate Ceremony at OLG
The one-hundred twelfth annual commencement exercise will take place May
20	at Our Lady of the Gulf Church. The ceremony, at which the graduating class of sixty senldrs will receive their diplomas^ Is set for nine o’clock.
Reverend Lawrence Flannegan, S.J., of Grand Coteau will celebrate holy mass for the graduates. Monsignor James J. Hannon, pastor of Our lady of the Gulf parish, will deliver the graduation address and confer the diplomas to the final graduating class.
The Glee Club, under the direction of Sister M. Augustine, C.S.J., will sing the mass and provide the processional and recessional music.
Aleana Mirambell merited the valedictorian award with the highest scholastic average. Cheryl Harshberger won salutorian honors with the second highest average.
School opens Grads to visit
An Open House will be held here at Saint Joseph's Sunday, May 21st at 2:00 and will close with a mass of Thanksgiving at 4:00. The entire main building, Lourdes and Marion Halls will be open for the alumnae, parents and general public.
The purpose of Open House will be for the public to eye all of Saint Joseph and to give everyone a chance to make his good-byes to S.J.A.
In the course of the afternoon there will be a special discussion meeting for the visiting alumnae members. During this meeting they will try to come to a decision as to what structure the alumnae association will follow in the years to come. Two plans have been offered: an association that would have headquarters here in Bay St. Louis or one that would be a merger with the alumnae of St. Joseph Academy in New Orleans.
The One hundred twelve year old St Joseph Academy will close its doors at the eni of the current session on May 31st.
The shutdown, first announced on March 14 of this year, comes as a result of a two year study in cooperation with the Mississippi diocesan school board, pastors of the parishes served by SJA, Brothers of the Sacred Heart and a group of lay advisors.
Sister Regis, superior, announced that financial problems are principally responsible for the decision. The needed funds, in excess of $650,000, are not available to build a new boarders' residence and provide for major repairs needed by the school buildings.
m addition to these costs, there is increased difficulty in meeting the. lay teachers* salary payments. Through the years the school has taken on more and more lay personnel, all devoting time
and effort for a paltry sum. However, professional standards and accreditation committments will not allow the school to continue this practice.
One major factor in the school’s closing is the lack of qualified personneL The Sisters of St. Joseph cannot provide as many religious as needed to staff the school because of a decline in religious vocations, and in a town the size of Bay St. Louis, qualified teachers are at a premium.
The cost of education in salaries and equipment continues to soar upward as the times change, and the sisters consider it unrealistic to suppose that the residents of Bay St. Louis would he able to continue to bear such increasing financial burdens. "In view of these facts,” say the sisters, "even if the buildings were completely adequate at presenD, only a-significant increase in tuition could pre-wqt the school from operating at a loss."
Sea Sprite
Vol. XVHI St. Joseph Academy. Bayjt^Loul8J_Ml88. May 19, 1967__
Lise Dazet chosen outstanding senior Festival titled Glory That Was Greece
Senior Lise Dazet was crowned Miss S.J.A. at the last annual Spring Festival of Saint Joseph Academy Saturday, April 29.
In advance of the occasion the senior class nominated five girls outstanding in character, leadership, and service from among their classmates, one of whom would be choseij.Miss S.J.A. The nominees were Lise Dazet, Mary Ann Home, Brenda Hudson, Melissa Lucia, and Martha Lynch.
In accordance with the theme, "The Glory That Was Greece”, the Juniors, under the general direction of Kathleen Taylor and with the artistic talents of Kathy Dahl, decorated the gym with temples, fiery suns, majestic gods, hanging gardens, the evil underworld, and the central figure. Atlas. Mrs Schindler also added to the impressive array by creating ia fountain surrounded by glittering rocks. In the center of which was a bouquet of flowers frozen in a huge cake of ice. The sophomores entertained the audience with a series of dances choreographed by Robert Brupbacher explaining the beginning of Spring and the other seasons. At the climax of the evening, Zeus (Shannon Leary) crowned Lise Dazet as Miss S.J.A.
Members of thefreshman class served jrefreshments for the students and their dates at the dance immediately following the tableau. Music was provided by the "Epicurian Sounds.”
Lise Dazet Spring Festival.
reigns at last annual