Atlanta Catholic Centennial

Teachers in Catholic schools in Atlanta merge from religious to lay teachers and vice versa to the extent that it is rather difficult to entirely separate one from the other. There have been a number of Catholic schools, both parochial and others, taught by lay teachers. Lay teachers have assisted in teaching in schools operated by religious orders and other schools have been taught entirely by religious orders. Religious orders of nuns who have conducted schools in Atlanta are: Sisters of Mercy; Sisters of St. Joseph; Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart. Religious orders of priests engaged in educational work as a special vocation: Society of Mary.

Early teachers

In the days when Terminus was located, all of North Georgia was mission territory. Speaking of the early missionary days in Georgia and South Carolina, Rev. Father J. J. O'Connell says: “The clergymen became schoolteachers, even when the attendance was scarcely a half-dozen. Churches, schools, academies were established where needed, or wherever there was a prospect of patronage. In the ranks of the clergy was never found a money grabber. There never lived since the early ages a more detached body of men. They were homeless, penniless, often hungry and sick, and naked and unfriended.” Further on Father O'Connell says it was generally with the Irish laborers that the priest found his accommodations. The first Catholics of this city were Irish laborers, so it is reasonable to believe that the first Catholic schools teachers were missionary priests.

The first Catholic lay school teacher who came to Atlanta of whom we have record was Mrs. Terence Doonan. Mrs. Doonan's residence in Atlanta began in 1846 when her husband moved here from Augusta, Georgia. Mrs. Doonan before her marriage was Ellen Barry. She and her sister, Elizabeth Barry, taught a school in Augusta before the Doonans located in Atlanta. Elizabeth Barry afterwards became Sister Isadore. In later years, after the War Between the States, Mrs. Doonan's daughters, Mary and Annie, assisted her in teaching their school. The Doonan school, at that time, was conducted in their home, which was located on the north corner of Whitehall and Garnett Streets. Mr. Doonan owned a greenhouse which was located on the corner and the house was a one-story wooden residence set back a considerable distance from Whitehall Street. Mrs. Doonan's daughter, Mary, married Mr. Charles Madden. Mrs. Mary Madden afterwards was organist at the Immaculate Conception Church for fifty years. Mrs. Doonan's daughter, Annie, entered the religious life in Baltimore, Maryland. She became a Visitation nun.

An early Catholic school was one taught by Mrs. Peavy in the sacristy of the first Immaculate Conception Church. She was succeeded in the work of teaching these classes by Miss Mittie Odena and Miss Louise Odena.

Adjoining the present Immaculate Conception Church property on Centrals Avenue, S. W., is a building known as the Red Men's Wigwam. Under present numbering system it is 160 Central Avenue, S. W. Since it was originally constructed this building has been altered and additions made to it several times, but the original building is still contained in the structure. The first building was a two-story brick building, almost square in construction, and was built on the west corner of the original Immaculate Conception Church property. It was built by Rev. Father Thomas O'Reilly, who became pastor of the Immaculate Conception parish in 1861. It was built for a Catholic School and was used as such until it was sold in 1901. Even today the outline of the original building can be easily traced by the difference in design, in material and in construction. The original window openings with their stone lintels are clearly recognizable though some have been filled in with brick. The difference in brick used in third floor walls is easily distinguished from those used in first and second floor walls. The store fronts that have been added on the street side and the comparatively new three-story addition in rear are of entirely different construction from the old building. The original building contained eight rooms.

In this building a Catholic school was taught by a number of lay school teachers, among whom were Professor P. D. Whelan, Professor T. S. Gillespie and Mrs. McKeon. This school was for both boys and girls.