The year was 1921 and Queens Village was but a small community, sparsely settled and boasting only a dozen stores sprinkled here and there. An invitation to oust a “ROMAN” teacher from Public School 33 was the acorn for St. Anne’s Council.
Into one of these stores ambled Bro. William J. Bergin, a member of Loyola Council, No. 477, Brooklyn and just a newcomer to the Village. A fellow resident, after greeting him, asked him to attend a meeting that evening—-“to get rid of a Roman teaching in Public School 33.” Bro. Bergin attended—-with several other “Romans” —-and the teacher remained in the school. Before that meeting was over Bro. Bergin foresaw the need of a Catholic organization of lay-men to combat such bigotry and to defend the Church and its faithful adherents.
On January 21, 1922, Bro Bergin invited several men to his home on 219th Street to discuss the possibility of forming a Knights of Columbus Council in the Village. After a lengthy and thorough meeting, it was decided to form a Columbian Club. Membership was restricted to Knights of Columbus.
On October 24, 1922, “The Reverend F. W. Dotzauer, Pastor of St. Joachim and Anne’s R. C. Church in Queens Village, gave his approval and endorsement for the formation of a Knights of Columbus and made a public announcement to the same.
On January 7, 1923, a bitter cold day, 103 charter members traveled to the Nassau Hotel in Long Beach, L.I.. During the course of that day those members received the honors of full Knight Hood and St. Anne’s Council was formed. Over the past 92 years, St. Anne’s has been an involved organization in the areas of Bellaire, Queens Village, Bellerose, Floral Park and Glen Oaks.
