As we get older, many of us go to great pains to hide — or even lie about — our age. But one venerable Santa Fe institution is publicly celebrating its sesquicentennial birthday next weekend.

St. Michael's High School, founded as a boys' school in 1859 at the behest of New Mexico archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy, hosts an array of events, including a homecoming football game, a birthday bash and a combination Mass/coffee reception starting Friday. All events are open to the public — for a fee.

"The birthday events are a reaffirmation that we are a family and will continue to be for another 150 years," said Principal Bill Armijo, a 1984 St. Michael's grad. "The sense of community, nurturing and care has not changed since I graduated, though there were more brothers teaching at St. Mike's when I was there."

The school opened under the direction of four French Christian Brothers: Hilarien, Gondulph, Geramius and Galmier Joseph. By 1870, the school was in financial trouble and in danger of closing — until Brother Botulph (Peter) Schneider came on board as director, instilling a fresh sense of direction and energy into the school. Schneider inspired student recruitment and expanded the school's programs and buildings, creating a three-story structure on Old Santa Fe Trail in 1878 (which still exists as the Lamy Building; the top story was destroyed in a 1926 fire) and a second building in the late 1880s (now the Lew Wallace Building).

The spiritual and academic training program remains based in the Christian Brothers' Lasallian tradition, which Armijo described as "quality education, an inclusive community, grace in the presence of God, respect for all, and service for the poor and social justice."

When the Loretto Sisters decided to close the Loretto Academy for Girls in the mid-1960s, St. Michael's went co-educational, relocating to its current home on Siringo Road in 1967. Change was inevitable, and as various Christian Brothers instructors retired, they were often replaced by lay teachers. Today, Armijo said, only three Christian Brothers remain at St. Michael's.

Likewise, last year the school adopted a president/principal model of leadership, with Armjio's work complemented by a new president and CEO, Saundra Johnson Austin.

In a telephone interview, Austin said one of her goals is to market St. Michael's as an inclusive private school. "I believe there is a perception that individuals who come to our school are part of legacy families," she said, referring to the generations of students who graduate from St. Michael's as part of a familial tradition. "We want to let others know that this can be a school of choice, along with the rest of the private schools in the community."

To that end, St. Michael's is hosting an open house for prospective students at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Edward "Gonzo" Gonzales, Class of '55, expects to attend all the birthday events. He still recalls with delight the school's 100th birthday party back in 1959, when singer Frankie Laine provided the entertainment.

"We had — and still have — a lot of spirit," Gonzales said of St. Michael's students. "There's something very magical that happens to you when you attend that school. Our family was a very firm believer in the education that we were getting there." (All of his five brothers attended St. Michael's, while his six sisters attended the Loretto Academy.)

Still, Gonzales — who got the nickname "Gonzo" while working as a paper boy for The Santa Fe New Mexican — admitted he was a bit of a wild student at St. Michael's. "I didn't do much paying attention. I got in a lot of trouble at school." The discipline, he recalled, was strict, but not severe.

His classmate, Eleuterio E.J. Martinez Jr. (son of the man whom the local public elementary school is named for), also has fond memories of St. Michael's.

"You were taught to respect your parents and your fellow students," he said in a phone interview. "Most of the teachers were brothers then — that's changed. But they were very good teachers, especially in English and speech and drama and bookkeeping. They prepared me very well for college." Contrary to a long-held myth, students were not banned from speaking Spanish on the school grounds, he said.

Still, like Gonzales, Martinez was capable of misbehaving. "You know how people like to shine up their pennies and nickels and dimes?" he said. "Well, a group of us snuck into the chemistry lab and stole some mercury to shine them up. We got caught and got in trouble. We had to pay back what we stole. If you misbehaved, there were consequences; you got paddled if you deserved it." He admits that, in this case, he deserved it.

As St. Michael's gears up for this weekend's celebration, Armijo emphasized the school's continued loyalty to the founding brothers' spirit and mission.

"People continue to want and need Catholic identity and faith-based education," he said. "The ability to have prayer in the classroom, school Masses, and a balance of academic programming offers Santa Feans the knowledge that the values they have at home are supported by St. Michael's School."

IF YOU GO

St. Michael's High School 150th anniversary celebration:

• Homecoming Bash & Birthday Party, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Spa, 30 Buffalo Thunder Trail, 15 minutes north of Santa Fe off U.S. 84/285.

• Homecoming football game, 1:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Michael's High School, 100 Siringo Road, $5.

• 150th Birthday Party, 6 p.m.-midnight Saturday at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Spa; $150 ticket Includes dinner, entertainment and a silent auction as well as admission to Friday's homecoming bash; proceeds benefit St. Michael's High School.
• Closing Mass and coffee reception Sunday at St. Michael's High School, free.

• For more information, call 988-2264.