St. Joseph's Parish History Part III
The year before Fr. Prendergast left Middletown he realized the need for religious training of the young people of the parish. In 1886 he made arrangements with the Archbishop to buy the Hulse property next to the church and renovated the house on the property for use as a school until a more adequate building could be erected. The school had three classrooms on the first floor and two on the second. A group of Ursuline nuns came to Middletown from St. Teresa's Academy in New York City to teach in the school. Father Prendergast aslo bought the Baird Property on East Main Street between Grand and Prospect Aveenues for use as a residence for the nuns. Mother Ursula Hughes became the first Principal of the parish school and the first class graduated in 1892. After completing the course of study at St. Joseph's school, some of the students went on to Saint Teresa Normal School in New York City which prepared them to teach in public schools. As the population of the parish continued to grow , the old school soon became in adeqaute . Father McClancy raised money and built the present school building in 1900. Mother Berchmans Gorman became the new principal. The convent on East Main Street was expanded in 1910 to house the Ursuline Academy which became the High School Department to the parish school.