St. James School
The former St. James School, an architectural gem at 37 St. James Place at James St., is linked intrinsically to the history of education, immigration, and the Catholic Church in New York City. Its building, from 1868, is among the oldest purpose-built Catholic schools in the city, and likely the oldest.
As immigration surged in New York in the early and mid-19th century, particularly in the Lower East Side, it was clear that the city would have to educate a vast number of students. The public offering was imbued with Protestant teachings, and Catholic leadership strongly objected to this curriculum. Eventually the Church established its own parallel school system that, at its peak a century later, would accommodate some 40% of Catholic children.
The St. James School was first established in St. James Church on James Street, not long after the church opened in 1836. The present school building, at 37 St. James Place (then called New Bowery), across the street from the Church, opened in 1868.
One distinguished parishioner and school alumni, Irish on his mother’s side, was Alfred E. Smith, four-term New York Governor and Democratic nominee for President in 1928.
In addition to Smith, his five children went to St. James school. St. James Church and its school played a central role in the life all Catholic families in the surrounding neighborhood, providing them with a true sense of belonging.
When St. James School closed in 2010, the building began to house Transfiguration School, and as of this writing it still provides a Catholic education to youngsters in grades 6-8.
LESPI’s Letter to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
Request for Evaluation