Williams County History (May 31, 2007): St. Joseph Catholic School in Blakeslee closed. The first St. Joseph parish school was organized in 1874 but was discontinued circa 1884 due to lack of nuns, students and funds. In 1920, a one-story, two-room wooden frame school building was constructed east of the church rectory. In 1960, the existing one-story brick school was completed on the east side of Washington Street at a cost of approximately $170,000. The structure housed four classrooms for grades 1-8, an office and hall. In the late 1960s, approximately 150 students were enrolled at St. Joseph Catholic School. Over time, enrollment declined, and 24 students were enrolled during the school’s final academic year. The last classes were held at St. Joseph Catholic School on May 31, 2007, ending 87 years of operation. This February 3, 2017, photo of St. Joseph Catholic School is from the Kevin Maynard collection.