Atlanta Catholic Centennial

In 1884 a school was opened by the Sisters of Mercy in the newly established parish of Sts. Peter and Paul. The first school conducted by the Sisters in this parish was taught in a house which served both as rectory and school house. It was located on an elevated lot on the east corner of Marietta and Alexander Streets. It was directly across the street from the present Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing building at Jones Avenue and Marietta Street.

Sister M. Athanasius was the first Superior in charge of this school. She was assisted by Sister M. Leo. The Sisters at first lived at the convent on Loyd Street and went back and forth every day to teach. Some years later a Convent building was fitted up on Luckie Street (Luckie Street is the first street east of Marietta) and the Sisters were more conveniently situated for teaching the children. As the school children increased in numbers it was necessary to have more teachers. The number of Sisters at one time was six under the charge of Sister Mary Veronica, Mother Superior. The Convent and school were named the Sacred Heart by Most Rev. William H. Gross, Bishop of Savannah. This school was really the beginning of the present Sacred Heart School on Courtland Street.

We are fortunate in having a picture of the first class of school children in the old Sts. Peter and Paul parish. The picture also shows the original school building. The building served as a combination rectory and school building. It was a two-story wooden frame building with the chimneys at each end and built on the outside of structure. It had none of the modern conveniences, not even a bathroom. Electricity was not in use. Note a gas lamp used for street lighting. The upstairs was used as rectory and the ground floor as a school house. The school children are shown, some standing, some seated on the terrace and steps. Sisters Athanasius and Leo are shown standing on porch just in front of door. Father P. H. McMahon, the first pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul parish, is shown standing in front of large tree at extreme right of picture. On the same side of rectory that Father McMahon is standing, and only a short distance away, Sts. Peter and Paul church stood. It was a building about forty by sixty feet and seated three hundred people.

As the number of school children increased it was found necessary to fit up a separate school house. This was done. The new school faced Alexander Street and was directly in rear of rectory, or building shown in picture. About one hundred and twenty-five children attended this school.

Sts. Peter and Paul parish and school were discontinued with the establishment of the Sacred Heart parish. This parish included practically all of the old Sts. Peter and Paul parish and a large part of Immaculate Conception parish.