Catliotic Educational, Endeavors
Both the girls' and boys' schools grew rapidly. By 1885 a new and more adequate building was put up to accommodate the girl boarding students and girls' classes, and the following year the Sacred Heart Academy for girls in Marshall obtained a charter from the State that authorized it to grant secondary school diplomas. Growt/1- and Development. After a visit by the Superior General, Mother M. Perpetua, in 1904, the Sisters acquired title to the school prop- erty, formerly belonging to the Parish. In 191 I the building that housed the girls' school was moved to East Grand Street, opposite St. Joseph's Church and given over to St. Joseph's School for boys. It continued in use until 1930. At the same time a new building was erected for the girls' Academy. This was formally dedicated on November 5, 1911 by Bishop Patrick Lynch of Dallas, and the Reverend J. B. Boland, President of St. Edward's University in Austin, attended the ceremony. St. Joseph's was the parish school for boys in charge of the Sisters of Holy Cross, and St. Mary's Academy was a private school for girls until 1930, when the grade students of St. Joseph's were admitted in acord with an arrangement made with the Pastor. Bigotry Outburst. The middle teens (1913-1918) saw an outbreak of bigotry in Marshall that almost caused the Sisters of Holy Cross to give up their work. Prejudice was steadily fanned into conflagration. Threats of destroying the Convent and Academy were rife and the Sisters came to fear for their lives. Non-Catholics withdrew their children from the Acad- emy; old friends and supporters of the splendid work of the Sisters-non- Catholics-ceased to help them. The climax was reached when it was an- nounced that Annie Lowery, the fanatic pseudo ex-nun, would preach in Marshall. Circumspectly, the Academy was closed that day and the Sisters and their friends prayed that nothing would happen. The next day, it was learned that Annie Lowery had changed her plans at the last minute and had not come. 75 The danger of a likely incident had been avoided partly by earnest prayer. Slowly, animosity died down in the post World War I years and by 1920 practically disappeared. St. Mary's Academy has made rapid progress, maintained the highest standards and won the respect and tnist of every- body in Marshall. It received full affiliation from the University of Texas in 1935. It has a particularly strong commercial department which is open to both regular students and special adult students who desire a business course certificate. 7SCahill, n'fJ. cit., 1 6.
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