Le Roy

The painting above is titled "The Clash of Cultures," in it artist Tom MacPherson shows us some of the dynamics of his family history.

It's part of a new exhibit at Genesee Community College's Rosalie "Roz" Steiner Art Gallery called "Documente: The Italian American Family Album," which includes original egg-tempura portraits, old-fashioned furniture, photographs, music and stories. It will be on display through Aug. 27.

"Clash of Cultures" depicts MacPherson's two grandmothers in 1940s Le Roy. Grandma MacPherson (foreground) was a Methodist (the ribbon around her waist reads "Methodist Church of Le Roy") of Scottish ancestry, whereas Grandma O'Geen (Gugino) was Italian and Roman Catholic.

While Grandma MacPherson stands outside, Grandma O'Geen stands secure in the "bastion" of her Catholic household (behind the front door), with Swiss Guards from the Vatican guarding the entrance, St. Peter (the first Pope) standing by her side, and Pope Pius XII (upper left) keeping watch overhead.

Born in Batavia and raised in Le Roy, MacPherson now teaches studio art at SUNY Geneseo. His family history is kind of a microcosm of Le Roy's overall past.

His Scottish forebears came to Le Roy in 1801, before it even became a town.

"They were the ones who set the tone for what the local culture would be all about," MacPherson said. "And then my Sicilian relatives had to blend into that."

From the MacPhersons' immigration from the Scottish Highlands to the O'Geens' (who changed their name from Gugino to more easily fit in with American culture) immigration from Sicily in 1896, "Documente" is a detailed panorama of the artist's roots.

Included are the adventures of intrepid MacPherson aunts, elderly Italian aunts praying their Rosaries, the persecution of Italian immigrants by the Ku Klux Klan in Le Roy, and the experience of fathers and uncles in overseas wars.

Scenes re-creating household decor circa 1940-60 add three-dimensional reality, an intimate visit into the artist's everyday world at that time. 

Here in "The Pioneer," MacPherson depicts his bold, adventurous great-aunt Kitty standing on the rocks of her ancestral Scotland.

"No, I'm Not Colonel Sanders" depicts great-uncle Rossolino Barone. Like all of MacPherson's portraits, this is based on a family photograph -- in this case, of uncle "Ross" at a family wedding in the 1970s.

In the background is the drug store that he owned in the Rochester suburbs, and overhead are angels borrowed from Fillipino Lippi's "Madonna with Child and Saints."

MacPherson incorporates images from Italian Renaissance art into his portraits in order, in his words, to "infuse my relatives with their heritage."

"I wanted my Italian relatives to be able to relate to their heritage," he said. "And I wanted (the Renaissance elements) to say something about their personalities."

In the case of uncle Ross, the angels are showering roses on him for the kindness he showed other people.

Great-aunt Catherine MacPherson is the subject of "The Conversion of Great-Aunt Catherine." Catherine was an Army nurse during World War I, and she converted to Catholicism in France after seeing the bravery of the priests and nuns who took care of the wounded and dying.

She is set against the background of her ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands, and the overhead image represents her conversion (when she "saw the light").

The subject of "The Walking Dead" is MacPherson's father, Neil Lewis MacPherson. According to the written description next to the portrait, Neil came back home a "changed man" as a result of his experiences in World War II. MacPherson chose to illustrate this by appropriating the figure of death (right) from German artist Hans Baldung Grien's "The Three Ages of Death."

Here are a few other "Documente" displays:

A series of photographs in honor of MacPherson's cousin, Frank O'Geen.

"La Vita Mia"

"What Ya Gonna Do?" (a portrait of an aunt surrounded by religious icons)

"The Adventures of Great-Uncle Pete" (To view a video explaining this one, click here.)

Having explored the history of the two sides of his family in this exhibit, MacPherson is now working on a book on the subject. He hopes to have it published within the next few years.

Roz Steiner gallery is located at 1 College Road in Batavia and is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Admission is free. Gallery Director Shirley Tokash Verrico always welcomes group tours (though children's groups may not be appropriate, as some of the images are more suited to adult audiences).

For more information, email Verrico at stverrico@genesee.edu or call 343-0055, ext. 6490.

If you lost four lawn chairs, Deputy Frank Bordonaro would like to hear from you.

The Sheriff's Office has recovered four lawn chairs on Route 5 in Le Roy that may have fallen off a vehicle passing through the area.

The vehicle was likely eastbound heading toward Caledonia.

If you think they're your chairs, contact Bordonaro at (585) 345-3000, ext. 3229

Early Saturday morning, some Le Roy residents reported seeing a young man going through vehicles and sneaking through yards.

One resident reportedly spotted the man on the rooftop of a residence on Lake Street.

When Le Roy PD first responded, the subject could not be located.

When another resident called in a report of the subject in a back yard, Le Roy PD converged on the location near Lake and Pleasant streets.

The subject allegedly fled on foot and was apprehended after a short chase.

Taken into custody was Tyler F. Longhini, 20, of no permanent address.

At the time of his arrest, Longhini possessed allegedly stolen property, including two GPS units, a Sprint LG phone and prescription medications.

Among the complaints received by police that are being investigated for possible involvement by Longhini is an early morning invasion burglary into an apartment occupied by a resident.

As the morning rolled on, Le Roy PD continued receiving complaints of thefts from numerous unlocked vehicles and an attempted burglary of a locked shed.

Longhini is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, obstructing governmental administration and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Additional charges may be added if warranted following further investigation.

The Le Roy PD is asking that anyone who may have had a vehicle, shed or residence entered Friday night or Saturday morning, or who are missing property, to call the PD office at 345-6350.

In addition to ensuring any suspected crimes are reported, investigators are hoping to identify the owners of recovered property that may have been stolen.

(Initiial Report)

A 20-year-old Le Roy resident who allegedly reported a residential burglary and claimed jewelry and marijuana were stolen has been accused of stealing the jewelry himself and falsely reporting an incident.

John H. O'Shea was already in the Genesee County Jail on unrelated charges when he was arrested by Le Roy PD earlier this week.

O'Shea is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and falsely reporting an incident, 3rd.

According Le Roy PD, O'Shea contacted police April 19 and claimed a safe full of jewelry belonging to a relative along with his personal stash of marijuana were stolen from his home in the morning hours while he was fishing.

A subsequent investigation revealed the report was allegedly false and that O'Shea either allegedly stole or took part in the theft of the jewelry.

O'Shea remains in jail on an unknown amount of bail.

A 22-year-old Le Roy resident is charged with petit larceny for allegedly trying to steal a shopping cart full of Red Bull from Top's Friendly Markets in Le Roy on Thursday.

(Name redacted upon request), who has no permanent address, was reportedly contacted by an out-of-state relative who read The Batavian's real-time news report on the alleged theft and suspected his involvement.

She contacted police with the tip and then was able to contact xxx and convinced him to turn himself in.

xxx walked to the Le Roy PD office in the village shortly before midnight Thursday.

The case began when police received a report that around 1:40 p.m. an unknown white male wearing a white tank top-loaded a shopping cart full of Red Bull and left the store without paying for the merchandise.

The subject allegedly went behind Dollar General and an employee there reported seeing him with the shopping cart of Red Bull.

After abandoning the shopping cart, the subject fled and police attempted to locate the suspect.

The Sheriff's K-9 unit assisted in the search, but the effort was unsuccessful.

As the search was taking place, The Batavian posted details of the unfolding events as broadcast by local law enforcement.

A relative in another state read The Batavian later that evening and began to suspect she knew who was involved and started making phone calls.

xxx was jailed on $500 bail.

A 14-year-old Batavia boy, if not for his age, would be facing four Class D felony charges of sexual abuse in the first degree, according to Le Roy PD.

The case has been referred to Family Court and because of the youth's age, his name was not released.

The youth is accused of subjecting a child under 11 years of age to sexual contact on at least four occasions in the past year.

Saturday was a perfect day for a parade in one of the region's best venues for marching bands and floats, the Village of Le Roy.

Here are photos from yesterday's 2012 Oatka Festival Parade.

The festival continues today until 6 p.m.  The annual duck derby race is at 5 p.m.

If you're unable to view the slide show, click here.

Prints of these photos are available for purchase by clicking here.

Le Roy's perhaps biggest annual event opens today and runs through tomorrow.

It's time again for the Oatka Festival.

The festival is celebrating its 24th year. Since its start in 1989, it has become a community event that fuses fun, food, and entertainment with a friendly, family, small-town feel.

The festival site opens 10 a.m. each day, but the true kick-off is at 11 a.m. on Saturday with the highly anticipated annual parade.

Other activities include an arts and craft show, Back Yard Circus, live entertainment, musical talents such as The Good Knights and KnightnGals, fishing and duck derbies, 50/50 raffle, a library book sale, bounce house, rock wall, and more.

In addition to the festival events, the community comes alive with many other activities. A triathlon, 30K bike race, and a 5K walk/run will fill early morning hours both days.

Le Roy Farm Market will be on Saturday at Wolcott Street with a variety of healthy foods available for purchase.

The Le Roy House and Jell-O Gallery will be open for visitors throughout the weekend with free tours and a chance to try a Jell-O Poke Cake made by Scratch Bakery.

Also, the community uses the popularity of the festival as an opportunity to raise awareness for their organizations. Some groups specially design floats for the parade, and others hold various fundraisers to support their cause.

The Le Roy Nursery School, celebrating 50 years, is one such group who has a yearly yard sale to fund the school.

 "Le Roy Nursery School has a long history of educating children in Genesee County, and we depend on our fundraisers like the Oatka Festival Yard Sale to keep the school going throughout the year," said Heidi Dominiak, treasurer for the school year 2012-2013.

Household and children’s items, small furniture, and sports trading cards are some of things found at this year's sale. All funds raised go directly back into the school.

The sale will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at 5 E. Main St., next to the First Baptist Church. More information can be found at www.leroynurseryschool.com.

Another organization, the Knights of Columbus, is hosting an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, July 15. All money raised will benefit local charities.

This year is also Le Roy's Bicentennial. The town's quilt will be available for those who want to be one of 200 to take part in painting a square for it.

More information about the festival can be found at oatkafestival.org.

With just about every officer in Le Roy on duty preparing for the Oatka Festival, an individual decided to start going through cars and trying to steal items.

Some time in the six o'clock hour, the activity was reported to emergency dispatch and a suspect was located and identified.

He was taken into custody after a short foot chase.

In the area of Lake Street, officers are locating a string of apparently stolen items, from pill bottles to GPS chords.

One officer noted that the PD will likely start getting more calls once residents start waking up and finding their property was hit.

Andrew J. Ashley, 25, of 91 W. Main St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and using a mobile phone while driving. According to Le Roy PD, Ashley was driving on Route 19 and allegedly texting while driving when he failed to negotiate a curve at Route 19 and Wolcott Street. Ashley's vehicle struck a curb and the vehicle's axle broke.

Danielle Marie Stevens, 35, of Ford Road, Elba, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd. Stevens was arrested on a warrant by State Police following a traffic stop. Stevens was turned over to the Sheriff's Office, arraigned and jailed on $1,250 bail.

Rebecca Louise Batt, 31, of East Bethany Le Roy Road, Bethany, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Batt was arrested following a trespassing complaint at 1:48 a.m., Thursday, when Batt allegedly drove her vehicle into the back yard of a residence on East Bethany Le Roy Road and parked without permission of the homeowner.

Wendy L. Mucher, 42, of Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal mischief. Mucher is accused of stealing $29.34 worth of merchandise that she removed from its packaging from a business on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Joseph Daniel Barone, 30, of Woodbriar Drive, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Barone was stopped at 8:38 p.m. Thursday on Route 77 in Pembroke by Deputy Patrick Reeves. A search of the vehicle allegedly found alcohol, crack cocaine and marijuana.

Melissa Ann Neely, 42, of Lincoln Mills Road, East Rochester, is charged with controlled substance not its original container. Neely was charged following a traffic stop at 9:09 p.m. Thursday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Jacob D. Waite, 20, of 3661 Pike Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving left of pavement markings. Waite was arrested by Attica PD following a traffic stop at 11:45 p.m. Wednesday on Market Street, Attica.

A fight was reported not long ago in the parking lot of the Creekside Manor Apartments, located at 61 Myrtle St. in the Village of Le Roy. When police arrived, they found nothing. A caller told dispatch he was going outside with a crowbar but was told to remain inside. Now, two ambulances are called to the address, to the last building on the right. One person has trouble breathing, but it's not clear why the other medic is needed.

Law enforcement is searching for a white male wearing a white tank top who is suspected of stealing a cartload of items from Tops Market in Le Roy. He allegedly left the store with the cart and then went across the street to the Dollar General store.

He is said to have gone in back of Dollar General and when spotted by employees, he abandoned the shopping cart and fled on foot eastbound "toward the bridge." Officers are still scouring the area but have yet to locate him.

UPDATE 1:43 p.m.: The suspect is believed to be about 16 or 17 years old.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.: Police think it is possible that the suspect had a partner in crime, possibly driving a vehicle. That's because the loot was bulky -- "13 or 14 cases, give or take, of Red Bull."

UPDATE 2:42 p.m.: After speaking with a person who saw the suspect, he is further described as being "very thin" and clean cut, a veritable military-style cut, and wearing full-length blue jeans. Officers found a standard white shirt abandoned along with the Red Bull, thus he might have originally worn that over the tank top he was last spotted in.

Projects approved by Genesee County Economic Development Center:

Triple F Services (Falcone Family Funeral): Sales tax exemption on materials, $27,200; mortgage tax exemption, $6,250; property tax exemption, $0. Falcone is planning on investing $602,000 to build a 4,500-square-foot funeral home in the Town of Le Roy. The company is planning to apply for property tax assistance through the Town of Le Roy. Projected new jobs: three.

Upstate Dodge Chrysler and Jeep, Inc.: Sales tax exemption, $24,800; mortgage tax exemption, $0; property tax exemption, $0. Upstate is planning on making a $655,000 investment to renovate an existing building at 125 Prospect St., Attica (Genesee County) and relocate its existing dealership from 15 West Ave., Attica (Wyoming County). Projected new jobs: 17.

Joseph M. Dispenza, 18, of 36 Church St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unlawful possession of marijuana and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Dispenza was taken into custody after Batavia PD received numerous reports of a vehicle operating erratically at 6:48 a.m., Monday, in the Valu Plaza parking lot. Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed in the parking lot and squealing its tires. The vehicle struck a light utility pole causing a significant amount of damage and rendering it inoperable. Dispenza and two passengers allegedly fled the scene but were located by patrols in the Batavia Commons Plaza. (Initial Report)

Bradley J. Broadbent, 32, no permanent address, is charged with burglary, 2nd, and petit larceny. Broadbent is accused of forcibly entering a residence on Tracy Avenue, causing damage to the door, and once inside, allegedly stealing clothing. Broadbent was arrested on these charges Monday while appearing in Batavia City Court stemming from his arrest Friday for alleged incidents on Hutchins Street. Broadbent is being held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

Kelly J. Rhim, 33, of 30 Bell St., Cheektowaga, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Rhim was allegedly involved in an argument with a female acquaintance. Rhim is accused of throwing a bowl of food at the friend, striking her with the object. There were allegedly two children in the room at the time.

Jernie Edward Kuhns, 44, of Ridge Road, Elba, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Kuhns allegedly sent text messages to another person threatening to come to the residence of that person and physically harm another person. Kuhns allegedly went to the residence but left when the occupants did not answer the door. Kuhns was jailed on $350 bail.

Jason A. Klinkbeil, 24, of Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Klinkbeil was taken into custody by State Police at 8:15 p.m., Saturday, at 80 South St., Village of Le Roy. No further details released.

Will Greek yogurt mean a boom for local dairy farmers? Marwa Eltagouri takes a look at that question for the Buffalo News.

Local dairy farmers Gordon Offhaus and Dale Stein are featured.

In order to keep up with the Greek yogurt demand, it is estimated that milk produced by Western New York farmers must increase by 15 percent over the next four to five years, said Dave Dean Norton, president of the New York State Farm Bureau.

Since there isn't enough milk in the state right now to feed the Alpina Foods and PepsiCo plants, the plants will have to pay additional costs to freight the milk in from another state, likely Michigan, said Stein, the farmer from Le Roy.

The article is full of useful information to know if this segment of the local economy is important to you.

Le Roy's Holy Family School closed its doors for the last time a couple of weeks ago, but the school will long be remembered for the outstanding staff and students who graced its hallways and classrooms, for the positive community atmosphere it enjoyed, and for what it meant to local families during its 123-year history.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Hansen

There were 10 students in the final graduating class of the school at 46 Lake St., which was attached to Our Lady of Mercy Parish and served pupils in pre-K through eighth-grade. Students came not only from Le Roy, but also from elsewhere in Genesee County as well as Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties.

Photo courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society

The school has seen a lot of changes -- including a change in its name -- since it was first staffed by the Sisters of Mercy more than 120 years ago (see the  timeline of milestones at the end of this story). Throughout all of these changes, its tradition of academic excellence and thriving school family remained much the same.

People who were part of the Holy Family community are filled with sadness, but also with fond memories and hope for the future.

Here are some stories that give an idea of just how special a place Holy Family was:

Michael Ficarella

Michael Ficarella, of Batavia, was hired as a sixth- through eighth-grade teacher at Holy Family School for the 2011-2012 school year. It was his first full-time teaching job.

"I couldn't have picked a better school to start (teaching)," Ficarella said.

He talked about the supportive team of teachers who welcomed and helped him throughout the year.

"From real early on, they were always coming by my room to see how I was doing, offering pointers on how to make this or that lesson better or how to make the classroom run smoother, etcetera."

In addition to teaching science and social studies, Ficarella also worked with younger students in the school's after-school program. During his brief time at Holy Family, he got to know a lot of kids.

"The students were great," he said. "They were well-mannered, very eager to learn and took pride in their school."

He mentioned the eighth-grade field trip to Washington, D.C., on which the kids were "phenomenal."

Despite losing his job his first year teaching, Ficarella said he is "absolutely 100 percent" glad of the experience and has no regrets.

The Hansen Family

Photo courtesy of Kelly Hansen

One of Ficarella's students was Alex Hansen, who was part of Holy Family School's final graduating class. He attended the school from kindergarten through eighth-grade.

"(The graduation) was bittersweet," said Kelly Hansen, Alex's mother. "What we were witnessing was never to take place at Holy Family School ever again."

"There were many 'lasts' over the past few months. It was very difficult for everyone as the adults tried to make the last days of school the best they could possibly be."

Hansen said that the decision she and her husband made to send Alex to Holy Family was "curious to some because we live in Batavia."

"The answer is never an easy one," she said, "but it always contains the same elements. The high test scores, great word-of-mouth, a place where God could be mentioned without fear of ridicule, not to mention a stellar reputation within the community for more than one hundred years."

She and her husband were also impressed with the parish to which the school was connected, which was called St. Peter's at the time.

"I'm not sure there would be a way to calculate the grand sum from the parish that has kept the school afloat for 123 years," she said.

Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Mercy Parish Secretary Sue Bobo

Of course, the school environment was also a major factor in the decision.

"We were impressed with what we saw the day we first visited," Hansen said. "Children holding the door for us as we came and went, walking down the halls and having students greet us without an adult to prompt them, students standing and greeting adults as they entered a classroom -- all this left us knowing that we were making the right decision for our family."

Second-grade teacher Patty Page is pictured with her granddaughter at a Halloween party at Holy Family School. Photo courtesy of Sue Bobo.

As for the teachers, their "commendable dedication" has left an impression on Hansen.

"Many teachers at (Holy Family School) have taught for 20 or more years," she said. "Catholic school teachers are state certified yet make a small fraction of what their public school counterparts do. They clearly are not in their chosen profession for the money -- it is something they do because they love it."

She sees this as part of a pattern of sacrifices that everyone involved in the Catholic school system makes for what they consider the greater good.

"Most families who choose to send their children to a Catholic school quietly go without things other families take for granted so that their children may reap the abundant benefits," she said.

"We’ve had the same car over the course of all nine years (of Alex attending Holy Family School). It is a bit rustier and a lot noisier. It has driven from Batavia to Le Roy hundreds of times, often carrying multiple students to one event or another."

"To pay for education that could otherwise be obtained for free at a public school is a bizarre choice to some," she said. "But for us it was the only option we could imagine. Anyone familiar with Catholic education knows about the sacrifices made in order for it to be possible."

The Winters Family

Photo courtesy of Bryan Winters

When first-grader Anna Rose Winters learned that her school would be closing, she was very sad. But then the first question that came out of her mouth was: "What are the uniforms like at St. Joe's?"

Anna Rose, like other Holy Family students, will attend St. Joseph School in Batavia in the fall.

"She went through the normal grief stages," said her father, Bryan Winters. "There were tears, but then she very quickly started to incorporate St. Joe's."

Winters was on Holy Family School's Finance Committee for several months, which put Anna Rose in a "unique situation."

"She's a smart kid -- she could read the writing on the wall," he said. "We were honest with her from the beginning that her school could close, but we'd try our best."

And try they did. According to Winters, who makes his living raising money for the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, the committees formed by parents to help save the school "were doing all the right things."

"It's remarkable how much money we were able to raise with the time constraint," he said. "But there were a lot of needs-based scholarships (and other expenses that could not be met with the current student enrollment)."

Like his daughter, Winters also went through the grieving process. But he has a "very great feeling" about St. Joe's and is optimistic about Anna Rose's future.

"(Of course), there are families who have been at Holy Family for three or four generations," he said. "Their grieving process is probably longer, and that's understandable. But I need to think of the best interests of my daughter. We're going to get fully involved in St. Joe's."

Bryan and Kate Winters moved to Le Roy from Monroe County a few years ago. Holy Family School was the main reason for their move.

Having just started a family, they wanted to move to the country to give their kids (they have two younger children in addition to Anna Rose) some "breathing room." But they also wanted to make sure the kids received a Catholic education.

"We looked around Western New York and the Finger Lakes region," Winters said. "We toured different schools in Livingston and Monroe counties, and even some in Erie County."

They were very selective in their search, because everything in their lives is a "distant second to our kids."

When they went to an open house at Holy Family, "that sealed the deal."

"That was where we knew we felt at home (at Holy Family)," Winters said. "We learned about the different programs and the curriculum -- they had a very rigorous program. We liked the student-teacher ratio. It was primarily for that reason that we moved to Le Roy."

With three years as a Holy Family parent under his belt, Winters still sings the school's praises loudly.

"It blows my mind that there were people around here who didn't send their kids to Holy Family," he said. "They must not have known what we had there."

Pictured Principal Kevin Robertson with Mrs. Page's second-grade class. Photo courtesy of Sue Bobo.

Like Ficarella and Hansen, he touted the supportive atmosphere the school offered.

"We could call or email any time, and (the issue) was taken care of," he said. "There was a real family feel, whether it was students with teachers or families with teachers. It was an open community."

Part of this openness was the teachers' willingness to share personal stories with their students.

"Every once in a while Anna Rose would share a story at dinner about a teacher's dog, or about Mrs. So-and-So's son getting into a certain college," Winters said. "The fact that these teachers would recognize (for example) that a first-grader wants to hear stories about a dog means a lot. It goes back to that feeling of family."

Winters' wife is a teacher, so the two of them "have a pretty good pulse on what a good teacher is."

"And these teachers -- they had it," he said.

And the students weren't bad, either.

"The Holy Family slogan was 'Teaching Tomorrow's Leaders,' and I think that's what they were doing," Winters said.

He commented on how the kids would hold doors for people and demonstrate politeness in other ways.

"All that stuff goes above and beyond two plus two," he said. "It was about more than just standardized testing; the focus was on growing the student as a person. It was built into the curriculum."

Anna Rose is excited about going to St. Joe's, but she and her family will always have fond memories of Holy Family School.

STORY CONTINUES after the jump (click the headline to read more):

A Brief History in Pictures

Holy Family's original name was St. Peter's School, after the church with which it was affiliated (St. Peter's Church became Our Lady of Mercy Parish in 2008). The school was placed in the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, who lived in Batavia and commuted every day by train the first year.

A photo of St. Peter's academic department in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society, originally published in the Le Roy Gazette.

St. Peter's grew significantly between its founding in 1889 and 1955, when it was expanded to serve the children of both Catholic parishes in Le Roy (the other one being St. Joseph's Church). At that point, it was renamed "Holy Family School."

Note: Unless otherwise specified, all of the following were published in the Batavia Daily News and obtained courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society:

Photo published in the Holy Family School Newsletter

Over the years, Holy Family slowly made the transition from a parochial school to a regional school. Hansen said that by the time it closed, "only 40 percent of the students were from Le Roy, with remaining students coming from Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties."

Regional schools have different requirements than parochial schools, including, according to Hansen, a "suggested class size (of) 20-25 students per grade level."

Take that, the fact that the school was staffed by state certified teachers instead of religious sisters receiving a modest stipend (which kept tuition costs low), and the population decrease in our area, and you get a good idea of the reason for Holy Family School's closure.

For more information on Holy Family School's history, please see the timeline at the bottom of this story.

Here are some pictures of the school through the years, courtesy of Sue Bobo and the Le Roy Historical Society:

Graduating class of 1957

Graduating class of 1965

Graduating class of 1978

Thank you to the interviewees, Sue Bobo and the Le Roy Historical Society for the information and pictures.

Timeline: Holy Family School:

• 1849 -- Rev. Edward Dillon founds St. Peter's Catholic Church in Le Roy.
• 1852 -- Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald, Rev. Dillon's successor as pastor, begins collecting funds to enlarge parish in response to rapid membership growth.
• 1857 -- Temporary parish school established by Rev. James McGlew in the church basement.        
• July 1889 -- Work is begun on new school behind St. Peter's Church (now called "the annex").
• Sept. 2, 1889 -- St. Peter's School opens, with the Sisters of Mercy recruited to teach.
• Early 1900s -- St. Peter's School has enrollment of 260 students.
• Feb. 14, 1907 -- Most Rev. Charles H. Colton, bishop of Buffalo, administers Sacrament of Confirmation in Le Roy; large number of Italian-American residents ask for their own "National" (or ethnic) parish.
• Feb. 16, 1907 -- Bishop Colton sends Rev. Joseph A. Gambino to establish St. Joseph's Church.
• 1913 -- Significant improvements to St. Peter's Church and School.
• 1955 -- St. Joseph's and St. Peter's unite to build a new school building to serve all Catholic children in Le Roy. Upon completion, St. Peter's School is renamed Holy Family School.
• Sept. 23, 1956 -- Holy Family School is officially dedicated by Most Rev. Leo R. Smith, an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo.
• 1965 -- Gymnasium is built in the school.
• 1989 -- Holy Family School is run mostly by laypeople rather than nuns.
• 1993 -- Barbara McVean becomes the first layperson to serve as principal of Holy Family School.
• 1990s -- 2000s -- Holy Family School begins to serve students from other communities as neighboring Catholic schools close.  Children from elsewhere in Genesee County as well as from Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties attend the school.
• 2008 -- St. Joseph's and St. Peter's merge as Our Lady of Mercy Parish.
• 2009 -- 2010 -- Under diocesan plan, Holy Family School transitions from parochial to regional school.
• 2011 -- Parents establish the Holy Family School Finance/Fund Raising Committee to try saving the school from closure.
• 2012 -- Holy Family School closes in spite of valiant student, parent and teacher efforts.
• June 8, 2012 -- The Holy Family School Choir performs for the last time in public at the Le Roy Bicentennial Celebration; receives standing ovation.

Previous coverage of Holy Family School:

Mancuso's hosts Holy Family School, of Le Roy, for Catholic Schools Week

Pictures: Holy Family and St. Joe's kids

Students at Holy Family learning and having fun with art

Ashley R. Keene, 24, of 244 Liberty St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Keene is accused of providing bath salts to a juvenile to snort.

Chad E. Merle, 31, of 3225 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged criminal contempt, 1st. Merle is accused of sending multiple text messages to a person protected from contact by a court order.

Jamie E. Andrews, 19, of 15 School St., Batavia, is charged with harassment,1st. Andrews is accused of continually following around her ex-boyfriend and driving by his house repeatedly for no legitimate purpose. Andrews was previously arrested by Batavia PD for allegedly harassing her ex-boyfriend.

Valerie Marie Covill, 23, of Oaklawn Drive, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and unlawful possession of marijuana. Covill was charged following a one-vehicle accident at 12:014 a.m., June 28, at 3064 Galloway Road, Batavia. The accident was investigated by Deputy James Diehl and Deputy Matthew Fleming.

Peter James Przybyl, 19, of Peachy Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and unreasonable speed on a curve. Przybyl was arrested following a motor-vehicle accident at 3:10 a.m., Saturday, on Route 19, Bergen. The accident was investigated by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

Kelly Elizabeth Howard, 19, of Judge Road, Oakfield, is charged with two counts of petit larceny. Howard was allegedly observed by loss prevention at Target shoplifting June 8 and July 16. Howard allegedly stole merchandise worth $64.60.

Quentin Israel Humphrey, 20, of East Bethany Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. Humphrey is accused of hosting an underage drinking party.

Justin Baehr, 21, of Linwood Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and unlawful possession of marijuana. Baehr was observed early Sunday morning allegedly driving erratically, swerving in and out of his lane on West Main Street, Village of Le Roy, and operating with a loud exhaust. During the traffic stop, officers allegedly found marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia and other apparent drug paraphernalia. Additional drug charges possible pending the outcome of lab tests.

Michael Perdue, 49, of West Broad Street, Rochester, and Jeffrey L. Hayes, 47, of Meadow Circle, Avon, are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Perdue was allegedly operating a vehicle at 4:46 p.m., Sunday, on Route 237 in Byron. Perdue was stopped for allegedly speeding. An ID check revealed Perdue allegedly has 13 prior suspensions on his driving record. Hayes was allegedly found in possession of a crack pipe with residue. Perdue was stopped by Deputy Brad Mazur, who was assisted at the scene by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Matthew James Pietrzykowski, 19, of Bethany Center Road, East Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. Pietrzykowski was taken into custody following a report of a vehicle in a dith at 1:15 a.m., Sunday, in the area of 3630 Broadway, Alexander. The accident was investigated by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Nicholas A. Antonucci, 25, of 4192 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with burglary, 2nd, grand larceny, 3rd, and grand larceny, 4th. Antonucci is accused of stealing a shotgun from a residence in the Town of Gainesville and of stealing a dirt bike from a residence in the Town of Covington. The shotgun was reportedly recovered in Batavia. Antonucci was already in the Wyoming County Jail on $100,000 bail charged with other burglaries and thefts. On each of the new charges, $50,000 was added to Antonucci's bail.

Jordan Kyle Prentice, 21, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with DWAI, unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to keep right and driving left of pavement marking. Prentice was stopped at 12:42 p.m., June 22, on Judge Road, Alabama, by Sgt. Tom Sanfratello for allegedly driving down the middle of the road. Prentice is accused of driving under the influence of marijuana.

Bradley Micheal Crandall, 44, of Lake Street, Le Roy. Crandall is accused of stealing cans of beer from Tops in Le Roy. He was apprehended after a short foot chase by a store employee.

John Arthur Smith, 45, West Bergen Road, Le Roy, is charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Smith is accused of interfering with an investigation into a domestic incident. He allegedly pushed a deputy's arm away several times as the deputy attempted to place him into custody.

Sarah P. Nichols, 29, of 112 Ellsworth Ave., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Nichols is accused of stealing $50 from the cash drawer at her place of employment on West Main Street.

Lucas George Yauchzee, 22, of West Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Yauchzee is accused of grabbing another person by the arms and pushing that person backwards during an argument.

Christine M. Krug-Leach, 45, of 703 W. Ferry St., Buffalo, is charged with DWI, DWAI and refusal to submit to breath test. Krug-Leach was stopped at 11:11 p.m. on West Main Street, Le Roy, by Le Roy PD following a report of an erratic driver.

Matthew R. Mancini, 26, of Bedford, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from lane unsafely. Mancini was stopped at 11 p.m., Tuesday, in the Village of Alexander by State Police.

Scott Sullivan, 32, of Darien, is charged with a traffic device violation (sign). Sullivan was issued an appearance ticket by State Police on Wednesday morning.

Matthew S. Ryan, 29, of Chittenango, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Ryan was detained by State Police in Darien at 7 p.m., Tuesday.

A dryer fire is reported at a mobile home on Lake Street, Le Roy.

A Le Roy PD officer reports smoke in the residence.

The occupants are out of the home.

Le Roy Fire Department is responding with mutual aid from Bergen.

UPDATE 12:26 a.m.: Pavilion firefighters are asked to stand by at Le Roy's hall.  The fire is knocked down. Fans requested.

UPDATE 12:35 a.m.: Fire contained to the dryer. No extension. The fire is out.

UPDATE 12:48 a.m.: Bergen back in service.

UPDATE 1:06 a.m.: Pavilion back in service.