Saint Andrew School Memorial

Saint Andrew School Memorial. . , In the fall of 1872, ground was broken on the corner of Sheldon and Maple for a new three-story brick school building in the Second Empire style. In September of 1873, the Sisters of Mercy, a community founded in Ireland, left their convent in Brooklyn to come to St. Andrew to oversee the school. However, the school building was far from finished. The sisters held classes in a converted barn at the back of the property for the next year and a half., When the Sisters of Charity took over the school in 1877, the school was moved into the new building. In September of 1914, the Dominican sisters took charge of the school and stayed in some capacity until the school closed. Despite fires, reconstructions, and expansions, St. Andrew's School remained at the same location until 2010. In June of 2010, St. Andrew's school graduated its 137th class, and final students. Despite organized protests, the school was demolished in 2011, with the approval of the Grand Rapids City and Planning Commissions., The large stones, which are a part of the memorial, come from the original school building. They were preserved deliberately to be a part of the memorial.