MONTREAL - When St. John Bosco School in Ville Emard opened its doors on Hamilton St. in Ville Emard, Del Shannon's Runaway was topping the charts and Roger Maris was swatting his record 61 homers.
Now after just over 50 years, the school has closed its doors forever.
The school's past also filled up most of Daniel Hutchison's young life. The pupil has attended the school since kindergarten.
Now he'll have to find another school to attend Grade 5.
"It's kind of sad that the school's closing, everyone's going to have to change schools," said pupil Daniel Hutchison.
When the EMSB decided to close St John Bosco last January, the hope was that many of the students would transfer to St. Gabriel's in Point St. Charles, a school 6.1 kilometers to the east.
Many might do that, but some parents don't embrace that option.
"I thought it was too far away and I was looking for a little bit more convenience but I wanted a good school also," said parent Brian Hutchison.
And others also wanted something closer to home.
"I'm at the border of Lasalle and I went to see the school and I just didn't think it was a good fit for my son," said parent Mary Prattico.
The school gave each departing child a memory book containing photos of the good times.
They also received a school t-shirt. One student, Nicholas St. Maurice was seen getting everybody's signature on his.
"Because it's a good way to remember all my friends if I miss them," he said.
It has been an emotional time for the principal.
"I'm sad for the community. I'm sad to say goodbye. They're all going all different places and it's a tough day but it's a beautiful day because we value what we've done here," said St. John Bosco Principal Katherine Snow.
Some students couldn't help but reminisce about the good times.
"When I was in Grade 2 we had Monsieur Harvey. He was a good teacher. In grade three we had Miss Daniella. She was good and then we had Mr. Harvey again," said grade six student Nicholas St-Maurice.
And now such memories are all that remain of the school.
