History
Turning Hurt into Hope since 1949
The pilot program began as a single cottage in a residential area of Menlo Park, 40 miles south of San Francisco, while the search began and funds were raised for a permanent location. The former Morris Ranch, located in the scenic Valley of the Moon, eventually was chosen. Groundbreaking took place in September, 1948; fifteen months later, Father O’Connor, Father Thomas F. Regan and social worker, John J. Guillaumin, along with 25 boys, were transferred from Menlo Park to their new home in Sonoma.
The facility was named for Edward Joseph Hanna (1860-1944), the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Archbishop Hanna was well known for his accomplishments while in San Francisco and was recognized as a "friend of mankind." His special interest was in charitable projects; he founded the Little Children’s Aid and the Associated Catholic Charities programs.
The new campus consisted of a chapel, three cottages (Rosary Hill, Mt. Carmel and Loretto), an office, dining room, gymnasium, swimming pool, convent and four classrooms. Four more classrooms, a woodshop, trade school, dental office and infirmary were added in 1955, along with three more cottages -- St. Joseph, Notre Dame and Mt. Alverno.
Construction of the cottages was provided by free labor from the San Francisco building trades. At that time, Hanna Center housed 120 boys, consisting of private placements and wards of the courts. There were twenty boys and two counselors assigned to each of the six cottages.
A 1979 state ruling regulated childcare and limited the occupancy of the cottages to twelve boys and required one counselor for every six youngsters. In 1990, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, who taught at our school, retired. Hanna converted the convent into a seventh cottage, St. Francis.
Monsignor O’Connor continued as Director until 1972, when Monsignor James E. Pulskamp was appointed Director of the Center.
Monsignor Pulskamp was named Chancellor of the Santa Rosa Diocese in January of 1984, and Father John Crews, Ed.D., was appointed Director on July 1, 1984 and continues to serve in that capacity today.
In July of 1986, a group home, Father O’Connor House, opened its doors to twelve boys. They attended high school off campus and learned skills which helped them become independent and self-reliant. The boys were taught how to prepare meals, budget money, seek employment, and ready themselves for adulthood. A second group home, Father Flanagan House, was completed in the spring of 1995.
A third group home, St. Anne, and a new school wing, including a computer center, opened in 2002. Today, Hanna Boys Center has a full-time enrollment of 119 boys.
Reopening of St. Francis Cottage
St. Francis cottage was originally a convent, the home of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi who dedicated 50 years of service to Hanna Boys Center and the boys in our care. When the last of the sisters retired, the convent was closed. The sisters asked that the convent be converted into a cottage for the boys so that their legacy of care, devotion and spiritual healing be continued for many more years to come. Renovations were done to transform the little convent into a cottage to house 11 boys.
On Sunday, January 29, 2006, the convent was reopened as a cottage for boys and rededicated and named in honor of the sisters who served here for so many years. This additional housing has allowed Hanna to increase the number of boys that are learning, healing and growing here. The cottage still contains the original convent Chapel and the boys selected to live in the cottage find the Chapel a source of reflection, peace and spiritual comfort.
2008 Father Crews 25th Anniversary
25 Years of Leadership
“Every Hanna boy is a winner – and every Hanna boy is a gift from God.” That has been the motto of Father John S. Crews for 25 years. As Executive Director, he has devoted his heart and soul to the young residents in his care. Father Crews can often be found walking through the Hanna campus with a trail of boys following him. A chorus of “Father...Father” can be heard wherever he goes, as the boys vie for his attention. Calmly, he listens to each one, offering advice and encouragement where needed. He is totally committed to each and every boy at the Center: a daunting task that he manages without apparent effort, but will admit it’s not always easy. “Children are amazingly resilient, gracious and fair, and often maintain a larger perspective than adults,” says Father Crews. “When you’re around them, you can’t have much of an ego. They are not impressed by titles or power”.
Before coming to Hanna, Father Crews had worked as a pastor and for a short time as principal at both Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa and St. Bernard High School in Eureka. He was also a Naval Reserve Chaplain. In 1982, he requested to serve on active duty. However, the Santa Rosa Bishop advised him that the right place for him was in education. He came to Hanna in 1984 as Assistant Director. After six months, he took over the reins as Executive Director and began the challenges of leading the Center into the 21st century.
The needs of young people are constantly changing given the violence, gangs, and drug abuse that are all now common in their everyday off-campus lives. Over the years, Father Crews has adjusted the program to fit the needs of the boys. In 1984 the Hanna School taught grades 5-10. Today, Archbishop Hanna High School is an accredited Catholic High School that teaches grades 8-12. During his time as director, he has always looked ahead. He has increased enrollment, built three on-campus group homes, and developed a Follow-On Care program that includes a Scholarship Program for Hanna alumni. Hanna’s Treatment Program has also evolved to include parenting classes for both the parents of the boys and the community.
Father Crews has expanded the Center’s community involvement in many ways. Hanna is host to over 66 local groups and organizations who use the campus facilities for sports, meetings and other activities. To teach the boys to give back to the community, every boy donates time each month volunteering. They have coached Special Olympic teams, cleared hiking trails and much more. At Christmas, the boys go to the homeless shelter and throw a party for all of the children and their families. The boys sing carols then give presents to every single child. “What makes it so gripping is to watch the connection our boys make with those younger children. I know at least three of our boys were homeless themselves at one point in their lives. It is a heart-to-heart connection,” said Father Crews.
“Throughout the years, Hanna Boys Center has remained true to its original vision, with clear guidelines and consistent fair boundaries. I am proud to be a part of this extraordinary institution.” – Father John S. Crews, Executive Director.