The first thing visitors see when they step into the main hallway of Dallas’ Bishop Lynch High School is the sparkling detail, ornate needlework, and intricate design on the rare robes and vestments of Bishop Patrick Joseph Lynch. They are on display for all to admire, making the hallway seem almost museum-like.

“I mean, how cool is it that we get to have these,” said Kristin Mannari, director of communications at Bishop Lynch.

Bishop Lynch High School, founded in 1963, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with plenty of events and attractions to commemorate this special time. Located on Ferguson Road, Bishop Lynch is the largest private co-educational school in the southwest with over 1,100 students. It is named for Bishop Lynch, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Dallas from 1911 to 1954.

According to Mannari, the vestments worn by Bishop Lynch are so old and precious that they can only stay on display for the fall semester.

Take a few more steps down the hall and you are greeted by hundreds of other novelties on display. “We also have old school yearbooks, commencement brochures, old letterman jackets, trophies, and lots of other items from our history here,” said Mannari.

Students, parents, teachers, and alumni fill the halls each day to see the items that the school has in place to celebrate the past five decades. “Everything mentions the 50th anniversary. All over Dallas, everyone knows all about it,” said Megan Boston, a junior at the school.

Bishop Lynch recently broke ground on a 44,000-square-foot facility that will include a performance gym that has accommodations for art, band, dance, and classroom. The expansion will cost $20 million and will expand the high school by 86,000–square-feet. Funds are being raised for this new addition by the Veritas: From Generation to Generation Campaign, and it is expected to be completed in time for the 2014 graduation ceremony. The gymnasium will seat more than 1,500 people.

“All the construction on campus makes it easy to see that Bishop Lynch High School is here to stay, and everyone is looking forward to the future as well as remembering the history that makes us who we are as a community,” said LK Pierotti, the 50th anniversary coordinator for Bishop Lynch.

The Friars have received over 60 TAPP division athletic state championship titles in their 50 years, and in 2011, students performed over 38,000 community service hours and received over $17.5 million in scholarships. The Catholic school is pulling out all the stops to make this year a special one.

“I see students and teachers alike wearing their 50th anniversary shirts around and really embracing what this year is all about,” said Pierotti.

Multiple activities and events, including golf tournaments, alumni sock-hops, a Blackfriar Reunion Show, choir concerts, and reunions have been planned.

“We have been rehearsing the Blackfriar Reunion Show since July and it is humbling to know that there was something that was so important to them during high school that they are willing to join us to put together this show,” said Kit Sawyer, a fine arts teacher at Bishop Lynch.

Sawyer believes that this reunion show shows the students that no matter the age of a Bishop Lynch graduate, they all share a special history.

“If we can touch each member of our Bishop Lynch family in some small way throughout this year, I think we can call it a success,” Pierotti said.

Students at Bishop Lynch have made it their goal this year to use the celebration to better the community, and to expand their outreach in the Dallas area. They appeared on WFAA’s Daybreak on Sept. 13 to kick off a field day full of events.

“Student clubs and activities are seeking innovative ways to incorporate the celebration of the 50th anniversary into the everyday life of the school especially in the opportunity to provide service both inside and outside the walls of the school,” Chris Rebuck, dean of students, said.

Allison Ganter, a senior at Bishop Lynch, thought that appearing on Daybreak was the most exciting event yet and is grateful that his graduating class gets to take part in the celebration.

“The best part about experiencing the 50th anniversary is that my class is the senior class of the historic 50th year and that we get to experience these events as seniors,” said Ganter.

Katie Ballard is a junior at Southern Methodist University studying journalism and sport management. She can be reached at [email protected].