| 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.
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