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Founded in 1960, St. Richard's School opened its doors to a preschool and kindergarten class of sixteen students during the 1960-1961 school year. Designed to attract and educate children in the surrounding neighborhood, many initial students actually came to St. Richard's from the parish of Trinity Church. The initial feasibility study intended that St. Richard's School would add a grade every year through the fifth grade. In fact, in 1966, a sixth grade was added to the school. Each teacher was interviewed and selected by Father Ernest Lynch during trips to England, resulting in six teachers from England, one from the Netherlands, the French teacher from France, and two Americans. The School remained an elementary school for the next twenty years. By the fall of 1986, St. Richard's School added a full-day pre-Kindergarten program, and in 1987 and 1988, a seventh and eighth grade were added to the school. At this point, enrollment reached approximately 200 students. Today, St. Richard's School is home to a full and a half-day 3-year old program, a full and a half-day 4-year old program, and two classes each of Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Class sizes of 15 to 20 students per class enable teachers to apply flexible learning styles to meet the needs of his/her students. While St. Richard's School thrives on enthusiastic and innovative teaching, today's students fondly celebrate many traditions initiated by the original children of St. Richard's School. Armed with public speaking skills, advanced study habits, civic responsibility, academic achievement and a love of learning, St. Richard's Alumni meet success with distinction in today's global environment.
One might think that Matt Butler is a bookworm by looking at his academic achievements. The awards and recognition that he has received are extensive and impressive, but they don't begin to convey the personality of Matt Butler. As a young boy, Matt began collecting hand-painted metal toy soldiers, authentic representations of soldiers during the British Empire in India and during WWI. His collection now resides in a beautiful 6-shelf glass cabinet with entire regiments represented. His love for history grew, and he enjoyed learning American History in Dr. Jim Fadely's 8th grade American History class. He also served as a page for State Senator Teresa Lubbers (with classmate John Hammond) that same year. He recalls, “So many state representatives and senators made compliments about our school uniform and how it must reflect on where we went to school.” Matt has many fond memories of his experiences at St. Richard's School. “Playing backboard dodge ball and intramural basketball with Mr. Sherrill and Ms. Peoni was a blast for a middle school boy. The supervised free time in the middle school allowed us to play chess, talk, work on the yearbook or the school newspaper, and socialize. This prepared me for Brebeuf's system of Personal Responsibility Time (PRT's). The 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. was also a memorable experience.” For a teenager already fascinated with history, these opportunities provided the basis for what will become Matt's life work. Finally, Matt looks back “…with a strong sense of nostalgia for all the ceremonies we had in Chapel, particularly Lessons and Carols.” Matt stays in close contact with friends he made at St. Richard's School, especially John Hammond, Jake Corbin, and Matt Woods-Koppitch. He is a regular guest at the annual SRS Alumni Reunion at Christmastime (December 17th this year). He is shown here with his good friend, Baron, who followed in the footsteps of another longtime friend, Duke, a German Shepherd who passed away a few years ago. Matt loves Purdue and Colts football, and he intends to adopt United Kingdom ‘football,' as well as Formula 1 and Rugby when he begins at Cambridge this October. He speaks Spanish on an intermediate level, but is fluent in German. He is also a member of Delta Chi Fraternity and served as its Treasurer during his junior year at Purdue University. Email Matt at mesbutler@wmalumni.com to wish him well as he pursues a PhD in History from Girton College, University of Cambridge. St. Richard's School is proud that Matt continues to build upon the classic curriculum he received at SRS and will expand his understanding of how historical global events impact present-day life. To update personal information, please email Melinda Fisher at mfisher@strichardsschool.org. |
Matthew Butler