“From the Archives” — The Xaverian Brothers’ School

As Saint Mary parish grew at the turn of the 20th century, enrollment in Saint Mary’s Academy, the former parish parochial school on South Royal Street, increased corresponding- ly. In 1915, the new pastor, Father Louis Smet, realized the school was becoming overcrowd- ed. To ease the situation, he invited the Xaverian Brothers to open a parochial school for boys. (The Xaverian Brothers, or Congregation of Saint Francis Xavier, were founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium, in 1839.) Father Smet purchased the Bryant House in the 400 block of North Washington Street and the Brothers’ School opened in 1919. The first two floors of the house were used for classrooms, and the brothers lived on the two top floors. As enrollment grew, Father Smet purchased the adjoining Brockett House as a residence for the brothers. The Bryant House was then devoted to academic purposes. In 1930, the school’s enroll- ment was 154 students, taught by four brothers. Brother Patricius, was the first principal; he was succeeded by Brother Pacomius.

The school operated until 1934. Boys attended the parochial school on Royal Street until the third grade; they then continued their education through 10th grade at the Xaverian Brothers’ School. Tuition was $2 a month for the fourth and fifth grades, $2.50 for the sixth and seventh grades, and $3 a month for the upper grades!

During the Depression, it became too expensive for the parish to maintain two separate schools and then- pastor Father Thomas Rankin closed the Brothers’ School.