From The Garland Daily News, January 1960

CATHOLIC FAMILIES HERE GROW FROM THREE TO 600

There are 600 Roman Catholic families in Garland at this time—and that is a far cry from the three people of Catholic faith in Garland in 1923.  Those three people attended Mass at Rowlett or Wylie.

Garland’s rapid growth soon saw an influx of Roman Catholic families, and the need for a church for them.  Father John Lavin, in 1943, arranged to use a theater building for regular Mass.  In 1944 the approximately 50 persons secured a house and lot at Avenue B and South Garland Avenue and remolded it into a chapel.

Father John Morse was appointed pastor in July 1949.  The debt was paid on the church property within a few years and by 1953 the 200 Catholic families were making plans to build a church school and auditorium.

Father Charles W. Smid, the present pastor, came to the Church of the Good Shepherd in 1954.  In September of that year, the parochial school opened, offering six grades.  An auditorium was built.

Today the school includes a kindergarten and eight grades taught by five sisters of the Holy Ghost Order and four lay teachers.

Of invaluable help to the school has been the Good Shepherd Parents-Teachers organization.  The initial meeting was held on June 30, 1954, with 62 parents in attendance.  Today the organization has more than doubled in size.  The purpose of the organization is to promote the spiritual, educational and physical welfare of the children of the parish and to bring into closer relationship the church, the home and the school.

Purchased by PTO for the school has been playground equipment, a movie projector, athletic and physical education equipment, shades for the auditorium, a set of encyclopedia and they have just completely redecorated the nuns’ quarters.

Mrs. Billie Burkhard is president of the Good Shepherd PTO for 1959-60.