Former School Will Be                                      Sold To Draper Corp.                                           Hopedale Special Town Meeting                                          O.Ks Article By Unanimous Vote                                           Small House To Go With School                                                 Building to Be Remodeled                                                  And Presented to Bishop HOPEDALE, June 25 [1935] - The former Hopedale High School building on Hopedale Street today at a special town meeting was unanimously voted to be sold by the selectmen to the Draper Corp. for the minimum price of $100, in order that the corporation may present the building, remodeled, to the Roman Catholic bishop of Springfield for  parish purposes. The meeting was attended by 19 voters and lasted about 10 minutes.    Following the election of C. Fred Butterworth as moderator, article 2 was immediately taken up and voted. The article: To see if the Town will vote to sell and convey to the Draper Corp. and cause to be executed a proper deed of that tract of land on the easterly side of Hopedale Street in Hopedale, formerly used for school purposes, and the sewer bed and sewer lines for the same, being the premises conveyed Hopedale Machine Company to the Town of Hopedale by deed recorded with Worcester District Deeds, the premises conveyed William F. Draper, et. al. to the Town of Hopedale by deed recorded with Worcester District Deeds, or take any other action with relation to the foregoing.    Last week announcement was made by the Draper Corp. officials of the plans to turn over the property to the bishop for parish purposes and by this will enable Hopedale residents of Catholic faith to have a church of their own in the near future. The new church will serve Catholic residents of Hopedale, Mendon and adjacent territory.    The school was constructed in 1887 and the first class to graduate was in the following year. Until a few years ago the building was used as the Hopedale High School.    When the property is turned over to the bishop a small house, situated near the school and which has been in the possession of the Draper Corp. many years, will also be included in the transfer. Milford Daily News                                      Hopedale Church                                         Presented Gifts                                            Mr. and Mrs. B.H.B. Draper                                                  Give Beautiful Altar HOPEDALE, December 26 [1936] - Rev. John P Donahue, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, announced at all masses Christmas morning that two gifts had been made to the parish. One was a beautiful altar, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. B.H. Bristow Draper, and the other a holy water fount, made and presented by Nerrino A. Cirioni, 183 Mendon Street.    The altar of oak, matching in tone the main altar, with antique gold candle sticks, occupies a niche on the east side of the auditorium. The background of tapestry in scarlet and gold enhances its beauty and casts a warm glow over the life size statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Gold leaf, used with infinite artistry on the oak, dignifies its sim- End of clipping - Milford Daily News    The old high school, shown in a post card picture below, served as Sacred Heart Church until 1964, when the present church was built.  It was razed in 1987. While it was a church, it was painted white. The stained glass windows shown on this page are in the new church.     Buildings, Churches, Town Departments Menu                Don McGrath's memories of the early days of Sacred Heart Church                  Thrift Shop                 Now and Then at the Old High School/Sacred Heart Church                  HOME

Postcard of the building when it was Hopedale High School

The three pictures above show the building as it looked when it was Sacred Heart Church. However, as you can see in the one immediately above, the photos were taken after the new church was built. Thanks to Jack Ghiringhelli for sending them.