REV. PATRICK FERRON
(1926-1936)

In 1926 Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Cleveland Diocese bought approximately one and a quarter acres for the purpose of forming a parish. That property was on the northeast corner of Boardman Center, Boardman Road (now Market Street) and Poland Road (West Street, which later became State Route 224). On the grounds were a stately house and a garage.

Father Patrick J. Ferron was named the first pastor of St. Charles Church. The new parish was officially launched with the purchase of the land on November 4, the feast day of St. Charles. The parish included an estimated 200 families.

The first Mass was in the Boardman Town Hall on November 10, 1926. The house on the property served as the rectory and office. The parlor in the rectory was eventually converted to a chapel.

In 1927 the parish quickly outgrew the rectory and its small chapel. Plans were made to construct a church, which would also serve as the school. It would cost $15,000 to build, but the Cleveland Diocese only gave $5,000 for construction.

Being $10,000 short, male parishioners stepped in and constructed the new building. The men would go to work in the mills, only to come home, to go to St. Charles and build the church/school afterwards. They would work on the church till the late hours of the night. Up to 150 volunteers came at a time to build the new building. The church/school was built in one month’s time.

It was a large, roomy, frame structure, steam-heated and furnishes ample room for the 55 children attending the school and for church parties and socials.

Originally St. Charles students were to be bused in the mornings to the Boardman School (Center Intermediate School). The students would then walk to St. Charles School. In the afternoon, the procedure would be reversed and the students would walk back to the Boardman School to be transported home. The plan, however, was short lived. The students arrived for their first day of class without incident, but in the afternoon, they were not permitted to board the bus for their return home. A ruling made public school busing unavailable to parochial schools. Thus, beginning a dispute that would last for many years. The church purchased a Pierce-Arrow as an attempt to resolve the dilemma. The caretaker/custodian used the car to transport the students. The following year, the parish bought a bus and he continued his added duty as driver.

The St. Charles School had two classrooms. Sr. Mary Alice Ryan taught grades 1-4 in one and in the other, grades 5-8 were taught by Sr. Helen Wernet. They were nuns from the Ursuline Order in Youngstown.

Marked by the stock market crash of 1929, the St. Charles School lacked the necessary funds to stay open and in 1932, Fr. Ferron was forced to close its doors.