The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-23
CRET|h HIGH SCHOOL

THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS CAME
TO ST. PAUL IN 1871-TAUGHT IN |
THE CATHEDRAL, ASSUMPTION
AND ST. MARY'S PARISHES
cRETiN HIGH SCHOOL OPENED
IN 18e9-PREsENT CURRICULUM
RESTRICTED TO FOUR-YEAR |
HIGH SCHOOL CoURsEs-THls
YEARS ENROLMENT 425.
Cretin High School is the out |
growth of the old Cathedral parish |
school for boys, conducted by the
Christian Brothers at the corner of |
Sixth and Wabasha streets, on the |
present site of Schuneman & Evans |
department store.
In answer to the earnest solicita- |
tion of the Right Reverend Bishop
Grace and the great Archbishop Ire
land, then Rector of the Cathedral I
| parish, the first community of Chris
tian Brothers in st. Paul was estab-
lished on November 6, 1871. Two
members comprised the original colo
ny, Brothers Jucondian and Porphy-
rus. A few days after their arrival
those pioneers began their labor Of
love in the Cathedral school,
During the vacation following the
opening year two Brothers were added
| to the teaching staff, while fifth ar
rived to take charge of the domestic |
affairs of the community. The work of |
the school was rapidly passing through |
the incipiept stage and it already
| seemed destined to spread and fruc-
tify.
The dawn of the second year saw
large increase in the attendance Of
the school, two hundred and fifty
names being inscribed in the regis
ter. The Brothers themselves had
gained such reputation as teachers
that neighboring parishes and towns
now sought their services. So insis-
! tent was the claim that in 1875 two
Brothers were added to the little COM
munity and assigned to conduct class
es in the Assumption school, while
in 1876 two more disciples of st. de la
|
| st. Mary's parish school.
On December 81, 1875, Father Ire
land was elected to the episcopacy.
Since he was SO largely instrumental
in bringing the Brothers to ST. Paul
he now went to uncommon incon-
venience in aiding and encouraging
their work even though burdened
with the cares of the diocese. He
continued his visits to the school and
even examined the pupils. Then, as
in later years, did this luminary of the
American Church prove himself the
true friend of the Brothers and their
work-the friend and admirer who
did not hesitate to say, eff there are
two things of which l am justly
proud they are that I brought the
Christian Brothers to st. Paul and
Minneapolis. They have proved most
valued auxiliaries of the diocese,
whose labors for the education of
Catholic youth have given such pre-.
cious results"
From 1876 to 1854 the mission of
the Brothers in st. Paul was marked
by a healthy development. However,
in 1882, because of an insufficiency in
the number of Brothers in the ST
Louis province, their superiors found
it necessary to withdraw the Brothers
from the Assumption School.
In 1884 Brother Emery, we'll known
to many of St. Pauls most prominent
II oil oc y,
Cathedral School and for fifteen years
following he guided the destinies of
the Brothers in st. Paul.
About this time the Worlds Cot
ton and Industrial Exposition" was
being organized at New Orleans. Edu-
cational bodies and institutions of all
nations were invited to exhibit spe-
cimens of their methodology and
school work. Accordingly, the Broth
ers in st. Paul forwarded various ex-
amples of the work of their students.
The Exposition awarded them Dip
Iona for excellence in school work
over many competitors.
From 1884 to 1889 the work of the
Cathedral and st. Mary's school was
maintained by the Brothers in their
humble, yet efficient manner.
The old school building at Sixth
and Wabasha streets had now out
lived its period of usefulness. Be
sides being entirely too antiquated it
was now too small to accommodate
the number of boys who daily sought
knowledge within it's walls. So, in
July, principally through the efforts
of Archbishop Ireland, Monsignor
Ravoux, and Father Stanley, at that
time Rector of the Cathedral parish
and later Bishop Of Fargo, the cree.
ton of the present Cretin School
building, at Sixth street and Main
avenue, was begun. The structure
was blessed on Sunday, March g.