A Survey of Catholic Secondary Education in Franklin County
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Vol. XXXII, No. 4 April 8: St. Julie Billiart April, 2007 Students in the library of St. Joseph’s Academy, 1952. A Survey of Catholic Secondary Education in Franklin County Catholic education in Franklin County education for boys, however, did not take a firm began with the elementary school at Holy Cross hold for many years. Parish in 1843 and has continued until the present A parish high school was begun at St. Patrick in a grand, unbroken tradition of individual and Parish in 1869, but today this would be called a combined parish schools. Secondary education, middle school, covering grades seven through on the other hand, had a much rockier beginning nine. Boys, in particular, did not take much and has taken several forms. Academies for girls advantage of this opportunity. The situation of were begun as private schools by Dominican the boys was described in 1876 after a letter in Sisters and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in the Catholic Columbian complained that no the 1860s and 1870s and continued into the report was made of an examination of the boys second half of the twentieth century. Secondary of St. Patrick’s High School: 121 “It is not true that the same care was not be felt. “Thus the limitiations of possible taken of the boys as of the girls, although we cooperation with, and dependence upon, secular are willing to admit that they cannot show the and state agencies were made apparent, and the same results; the cause, however, being not need of providing a truly Christian education, in the school, but in the pupils themselves, as even at great financial sacrifice, was brought we shall proceed to show: 1st. the boys, home to American Catholics. A natural corrollary generally, do not remain long enough at school of this was the realization that to safeguard the to complete any of their studies. 2d. They do children of worldly-minded Catholics it was not attend regularly during the time they do imperative that the Catholic School System, at remain. 3d. There are many cases of tardiness all levels, provide an educational program at least and truancy, which resist all efforts towards as good as, if not superior to, that offered at public amendment. It is a fact, patent to all who have expense. Hence, the crying need was for free any knowledge of the school, that as soon as schools sufficient to provide for the education of the boys arrive at a certain age, and have begun Catholic boys and girls at both elementary and to attain some proficiency, they leave school secondary levels—in short, a tremendous to go to work. There are some exceptions, expansion of school systems in every diocese in but this is the general rule... the United States.” (Fiftieth Anniversary of the “Many of the boys do not attend regularly; Principals and Teachers Meeting, 1903-1952, they are absent often, somethimes through Diocese of Columbus; “More than a Teachers’ necessity, but frequently for very insufficient Institute—” by Dr. Ann Bernardine Whitmer, p. reasons; many remain away weeks or months 19) at a time; others attend only during the winter Bishop Moeller was called to Cincinnati as months.... Archbishop and it was Bishop Hartley who in “It will be seen, from these circumstances, his first pastoral letter in September, 1904 called how difficult it has been to maintain discipline for the establishment of high schools for both and efficiency; nevertheless, those pupils who boys and girls. He asked the Dominicans to start have attended regularly have done well, and Aquinas College High School for boys, founded their parents, without exception, express in 1905. He founded a second school for boys, themselves well pleased with the progress and St. Charles Preparatory School, as part of his new standing of their children.” (Catholic seminary in 1923. Sacred Heart Parish Columbian, July 8, 1876) established a commercial school for girls in 1908 and in the 1910s and 1920s parish high schools Bishop Watterson saw clearly the spiritial were established at St. Mary, Holy Family, and malaise of uneducated young men, as well as the Holy Rosary parishes, to be followed in 1931 by physical dangers they encountered in industrial Our Lady of Victory. In addition, three parish jobs. He started a Catholic College for boys and schools at different times offered grade 9 or young men in the 1880s. This provided Catholic grades 9 and 10. These parish high schools from education for those who could pay, but not for the 1930s through the 1950s were educating some the ordinary, relatively poor parishioner. This 1,100 to 1,300 students each year. The parish school failed and Watterson never was able to high schools usually had a disproportionate remedy this situation. number of female students, because of the large It was during Bishop Moeller’s short tenure numbers of boys who attended Aquinas. The in this diocese, from 1900 to 1903, that the full student bodies of St. Mary of the Springs impact of the Papal documents Tolerari potest Academy, St. Joseph Academy, Aquinas High (1893) and the Testem benevolentiae began to School, and St. Charles Preparatory School 122 generally totalled between 1,000 and 1,400 in this principal of Bishop Watterson, the first of these era. All of these schools were staffed primarily schools in Columbus, and was building by religious sisters and religious and diocesan supervisor for the rest of the schools. As a result priests. of these decisions, along with the decline in Monsignor John J. Murphy, diocesan vocations among the religious orders, the 1950s superintendent of schools from 1909 until 1947, and 1960s saw the replacement of the religious served as mediator between state and local order and parish high schools by the consolidated authorities and the parish schools. When diocesan high schools. The consolidated schools questions were raised concerning the admission originally were staffed by religious sisters with of parochial high school students into college priests as principals and teachers of religion and without undergoing examinations, he carried on a few other courses. As religious vocations the negotiations to ensure the certification of dwindled, these staffs were replaced, at greater every high school within the diocese. During cost, by lay teachers. Increasing costs, the Great Depression, when the state legialature compounded with declining enrollment, caused created a fund to assist high schools, he worked one of these schools, Father Wehrle Memorial, tirelessly but unsuccessfully to obtain a portion to close in 1991. of that fund for the Catholic high schools. Four consolidated high schools, named for By 1950 the parish-based high schools were St. Francis de Sales, patron of the diocese, and not able to provide the facilities, experiences, and bishops Watterson, Hartley, and Ready, together opportunities that could be found in larger with St. Charles Preparatory School, today are institutions. Increasing enrollments of the baby- providing a Catholic education at the secondary boom generation in the early primary grades level to some 3,750 students in Franklin County. indicated that additional planning of secondary schools was necessary. The loyalty of Catholic ACADEMIES FOR GIRLS parents to religious-centered education was demonstrated by the fact that over 90 per cent of St. Mary of the Springs Academy, 1868-1966 the graduates of parochial grade schools St. Mary’s Academy, founded in Somerset continued their education in Catholic high in 1830, was moved to Shepherd, northeast of schools. (Bishop Watterson High School history, Columbus, in 1868 and was renamed St. Mary’s probably written by Msgr. Spiers.) of the Springs. Theodore Leonard of Columbus That year Bishop Ready had several possible offered the Sisters a piece of land and assistance patterns for the future of Catholic secondary in building. The academy initially had ninety education in the diocese drawn up. Many choices students and the first graduating class in 1869 were examined: vocational vs. classical courses; had two members. Over the years the academy co-educational vs. separate schools; methods of and convent building were expanded by adding staffing and administration; state requirements two new stories and a rear section. Classes of regarding curricula and accreditation. The idea between 40 and 60 were the norm at this school of centralized high schools started in the parishes, in the 20th century. in Steubenville (when it still was part of this In July 1964 the Sisters announced its diocese) and by 1952 was also in place in closing. The last class of 55 was graduated in Chillicothe, Zanesville, and Portsmouth. From June, 1966. To continue the Sisters would have the options offered, Bishop Ready chose to had to invest in new equipment and facilities, continue the use of this model of the central, co- which they did not think was justified in view of educational school. Monsignor Ed Spiers was the new diocesan high school system. This the architect of this school system, became allowed them to accomodate the expanding needs 123 of the associated college. From 1894 through willing to compromise the quality of the 1966 there were 1,930 graduates of the Academy. education they offered. The last graduates were Records of earlier years are incomplete, but it is those of June, 1977. Students who completed estimated that the number of graduates from 1868 grades 7 through 11 that year had to transfer to through 1966 was about two thousand. other schools to complete their education. The Academy had 2,480 graduates. Its building now Sacred Heart Academy, 1873-1879 is used by Franklin University. The academy of the Dominican Sisters of the Sacred Heart was opened as a “select school COLLEGES and HIGH SCHOOLS of high culture for young ladies” in January, 1874, FOR BOYS at the request of Bishop Rosecrans.