▁Father ▁Frank ▁Gi ri , ▁the ▁parish ▁purchased ▁the ▁Wil mer ▁Avenue ▁School ▁building ▁on ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁Wil mer ▁and ▁ 1 5 th , ▁and ▁after ▁extensive ▁renov ations , ▁opened ▁its ▁doors ▁to ▁eight y ▁students ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁The ▁school ▁originally ▁offered ▁gr ades ▁one ▁through ▁four ▁and ▁was ▁run ▁by ▁four ▁Bened ict ine ▁sister s : ▁Sr . ▁H ilde gar de , ▁Sr . ▁R ita , ▁Sr . ▁Lor etta , ▁and ▁" l ittle " ▁Sr . ▁Car mel ita ▁as ▁she ▁was ▁known . ▁An ▁additional ▁grade ▁was ▁added ▁each ▁academic ▁year ▁until ▁the ▁school ▁offered ▁gr ades ▁one ▁through ▁eight . ▁ ▁Based ▁on ▁the ▁increased ▁demand ▁for ▁Catholic ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁a ▁campaign ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁by ▁Father ▁Gi ri ▁and ▁Sac red ▁Heart ▁parish ion ers ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁school ▁on ▁a ▁ 1 4 - acre ▁plot ▁on ▁Mc Call ▁Drive . ▁The ▁new ▁school , ▁now ▁called ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁Catholic , ▁opened ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁academic ▁year , ▁and ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁operation , ▁served ▁over ▁ 1 8 0 ▁students . ▁ ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁school ▁allocated ▁roughly ▁ten ▁percent ▁of ▁their ▁en roll ment ▁for ▁non - C athol ics . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁experienced ▁some ▁significant