An interview with Father John P. Smyth

Father John P. Smyth’s first assignment after he was ordained in 1962 was to Maryville Academy. He never left. Now, after 30 years as Maryville’s executive director, he has taken on an additional challenge: serving as a special assistant to advise the 66 Catholic schools that receive financial grants from the archdiocese. Those schools last year received $17.5 million in grants from the archdiocese and from the Big Shoulders Fund—an amount Smyth would like to cut in half. Since July 1, Smyth has visited 10 schools, mostly in the Logan Square and Humboldt Park neighborhoods, and been “pleasantly surprised” by what he has found.

Staff writer Michelle Martin conducted the interview.

Catholic New World: Can you give me a job description for your role with the grant schools?
Father John P. Smyth: It’s to examine the schools that are in financial trouble and see if I can bring a plan to help them financially. I’ve seen approximately 10 schools so far, and have been pleased with the great work that the pastors and principals are doing. They’re all committed to help save the Catholic schools, and they’re going to do all the work.

I really don’t like this term “grant schools.” They’re not on the welfare system or on the dole. If you look at those schools, if every kid paid the full rate, every school would be in the black. Yes, they need help, but they need help in scholarships. And if you put it that way, people will be more supportive. It’s more positive when you say, “We need money for our kids to go to school,” than “We need money because we’re deficit spending.” And we need to be positive.

CNW: When you go to look at a school, what are looking for?
FJS: The condition of the school physically. I’ve been pleased with all those I’ve seen. Then I try and bring in some kind of financial and business plan to each of them, to try and make the principals’ and the pastors’ jobs easier, so they can concentrate on educating the kids. They have a pretty difficult job out there. They need a lot of encouragement. And on a shoestring, they’re really doing a fantastic job. The test scores are better than the schools around them, much better. It shows the involvement of the parents, it shows the dedication of the teachers, their willingness to help the kids.

CNW: When you bring a business or financial plan, what does that include? Fund-raising? Cost-cutting?
FJS: I wanted to see if there was any excess staff. I struck out there. I haven’t found any. I think they’ve searched out as many grants and gifts as they can get. The fund-raising approach has to be unique. I think they’ve tried many things, and some are very successful. I would recommend more central buying, maybe a better way to collect tuition. You have to use a lot of ideas—creative ideas, old-fashioned ideas.

I just hope that when I leave [that] they’re better off than when I came.

The one problem that all the schools have is lack of money, and everybody thought it was deficit spending. But it’s not deficit spending—it’s reaching out to the poor, and that’s part of the mission of the church.

If you had to pay the tuition for a public school, it would be $9,000 or $10,000 a year. The Catholic schools are doing it—and doing a better job—for a fraction of the cost. I think there’s a few reasons for that: the faith training, the parental involvement and the dedication of the teachers, the education in a safe environment.
If God wants us in this business, he’ll help. I don’t think God prints money, but he’ll help us find a way.

CNW: Do you think that some of the pastors and principals are discouraged by the financial difficulties? Is part of your job to be a cheerleader?
FJS: They are discouraged—and I think the bishops in all the vicariates should be jumping up and down and patting the teachers and the principals on the back. They’re the ones doing the job. They’re the ones holding the whole ship.

I’m not an educator. I just know how to run Maryville. But from what I’ve seen, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. If I had any kids, I’d be happy to send them to these schools. I know they’d get a good education, a great education.

When you look at the test scores, how can you argue with them? I’ve read that 100 percent of kids who go to Catholic schools go on to high school, 95 percent of them go on to graduate and 85 percent march on to college. Catholic schools are a resounding success.

The leaders of the church should be extremely proud of the pastors and the administrators. Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right.

CNW: How did you get this job?
FJS: The cardinal gave it to me. I think it was the way I put Maryville together. Thirty years ago, they gave me the keys and said, “It’s sink or swim. We’re going to close the place in a year.”

Last year, we were the largest child-care agency in the country, with 16,500 kids in either short- or long-term care on 23 campuses, I’m happy to say with a fantastic staff. It took a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of energy. I’ve been here 38 years. I don’t know if I have 38 years for this project.

CNW: How long do you expect this job to take? How will you know if it’s a success?
FJS: I hope to be a quarter of the way through visiting the schools by September. It will take a year, maybe a little more, to examine all the schools. If we can cut the scholarships in half, we’ll be going in the right direction.

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