It was 1994 and Jean Patterson didn’t know what to expect.

She had just assumed the job of St. Paul School principal. She had met a few parents, but she didn’t know any of the students or the faculty. She had no idea what to expect.

What she found is a St. Paul trademark that was replicated Friday night as the school community celebrated its 100th anniversary at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet. The sold out dinner event officially didn’t start until 7 p.m., but people started arriving at least an hour earlier and stayed until midnight.

“It was the climate and the culture,” Patterson said of her time at St. Paul, “it was so welcoming.” Patterson held the position of principal until 2005. She found an environment excited about learning and ready to step beyond the text books and explore. Students participated in extra curricula activities such as the stock market challenge run by the Providence Journal where students compiled a portfolio of securities and measured the performance against other schools in the competition.  The school also fielded a Mock Trial team.

There was no mistaking the St. Paul School welcome culture Friday. It started at the door to Rhodes where more than 20 people waited to learn were they would be seated. Nobody was in a rush. As more people arrived they excitedly greeted one another and started recollecting the days at the school that preceded the church that has such a commanding presence at the intersection of Broad Street and Warwick Avenue.

The school graduated its first class in June 1923 after opening its doors in September of the previous year. The school can boast that it is the oldest Catholic school in the city of Cranston.  After years of church bazaars and other fundraising by parishioners and its first Pastor, Rev. Michael McCabe, who established the parish in 1907. For several decades, the school was staffed by the religious Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, based in Immaculata, Pennsylvania.

Earliest plans for the school can be traced back to 1916 when St Paul Parish held a bazaar to raise an impressive $5,000 for the future institution. With a full capacity enrollment of 300 students for grades 1-8, the school began a century of teaching the children of Cranston under the leadership of Superior, Principal and Music Teacher, Sister Mary Thomas.

St. Paul Alumni Joy Fox, who served as master of ceremonies, loves telling how the Father McCabe,  faced with a burgeoning parish intent on building a magnificent church more than 100 years ago, insisted on building a convent and school first.  As Fox points out, he understood for the church to flourish its strength would come from generations.

Fox told the story in her opening remarks, which was surely lost in the chatter of 500 people renewing acquaintances, catching up on news and recounting stories. That, indeed, was part of the 100 year celebration. But there was more to it, as co-mater of ceremonies, Ellen McNulty Brown, reminded the audience that this is the start to the next century.

Fox called it a “kickoff.”

 “Your presence here tonight tells us that you believe in helping St. Paul student present and future have the same access to the education you did and that its worth supporting for the next 100 years. Tonight is our way of giving back and keeping St. Paul School growing and thriving.