Gone but not forgotten. That’s the feeling you get standing before the spot where Bishop Kearney High School once stood. Bishop Kearney High School wasn’t just a building. It was a beacon for young women in Bensonhurst for nearly six decades.
From 1961 to 2019 its doors welcomed generations of students. Bishop Kearney provided a top-notch education. It was a place where young women learned not only academics but also faith and community. The school was named after Bishop Raymond A Kearney. He was an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn. He served from 1935 until his death in 1956.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph played a vital role in the school’s history. They administered and staffed the school for many years. In fact they even purchased the school in 1973 when the Henry Hald Association dissolved. They then incorporated it as Bishop Kearney High School. The school had a long and distinguished list of administrators. Sister Letitia Maria Flanagan was one of the first. Dr Margaret Minson served as head of school in later years.
Bishop Kearney wasn’t just about academics. It had a thriving athletics program. Students participated in basketball cheerleading golf soccer softball step swimming tennis track and volleyball. The school’s mascot was a tiger. Its rival was Fontbonne Hall Academy.
Though the building is gone Bishop Kearney’s legacy lives on. The corner of Bay Parkway and 61st Street was renamed Bishop Kearney Way. This was a fitting tribute to the school and the countless lives it touched. The school’s closure in 2019 was sad. But its memory remains vivid in the hearts of its alumnae and the community. The spirit of Bishop Kearney High School endures. Its impact on the lives of its students continues to shape the future.