Administrators announced they are closing St. Vincent De Paul in East Haven and St. Gabriel's in Milford, citing low enrollment in these changing communities.
"It's been here as long as I`ve been here," said Marguerite Dudek of East Haven
The closing of a school is never a good thing, not for the teacher, not for the community and certainly not for the students.
"It has been in town for a long time," said Dudek. "It is a landmark. It is kind of sad."
St. Vincent's is home to 89 students, which is only a third of what the school can accommodate.
Janet Brangaccio's grandkids went to St. Gabriel's. In fact, her family has lived a stone's throw from the school and the church for over 100 years.
"The families just go away," she said. "They grow up and they just move. When I was young families just stayed.
At the Village Inn Restaurant in East Haven, coffee talk was about these changes.
"It will be a loss," said Joann Esposito of East Haven "St. Vincent De Paul is a wonderful community."
"It is kind of sad for the kids who are just starting out, whose parents are thinking their kids are set for the next few years," said Dudek.
While the school closings left communities reminiscing, it also raised some unanswered question, mainly about the students and where they're going to get their education.
"They`ll have to be bused someplace else or they`re have to go to public school," said Esposito.
"If you`re a working parent, which most of us are," said Brangaccio. "That means you`ll have to go all the way across town to another place - and that`s if they have room for you."
"I think the church is going to feel it," said Dudek. "The Catholic community is going to feel it."
"I`m sure it`s devastating to them," said Brangaccio.
