Atlanta Catholic Centennial

Rev. Father O. N. Jackson, the first pastor of St. Anthony's Church applied for teachers in 1917 and Rt. Rev. Bishop Keiley urged the Sisters of St. Joseph to take charge of this school. The undertaking was accepted and Sister M. Genevieve and Sister M. Ambrose were given the assignment.

At the time the Sisters of St. Joseph took charge of this school in September, 1917, there was no convent building in St. Anthony's Parish. The two teachers lived at the Sacred Heart Convent at 330 Courtland Street and went back and forth on the street cars to the school which was then at 651 Ashby Street, S. W.

Appreciating the difficulties under which the Sisters labored, living in one part of the city and teaching in another part; seeing the crowded conditions in the school, and foreseeing the needs of larger space for future expansion; a loyal and devoted member and benefactor of St. Anthony's Parish, Miss Hannah Kuh, purchased and gave to the parish a spacious residence building on a large and beautiful lot, located on Gordon Street and adjoining Howell Park, to be used as a school and convent.

With a few alterations part of the first floor provided ample space for the school. The second floor was used as the living quarters for the nuns. Sister M. Alphonsa was appointed the first Superior. She had two assistants, Sister M. Ambrose, who taught the third and fourth grades, and Sister M. Dorothy, who taught the first and second grades. Mother Alphonsa taught the fifth and sixth grades. There were six grades taught the first year in the new school, 1918-1919.

Mother Alphonsa remained Superior until 1924 when she was succeeded by Sister M. Immaculata, who was Superior until 1927, when she had to leave on account of bad health. Sister Alphonsa returned and remained Superior until 1931. This parish was saddened by the death of Sister Alphonsa on October 11, 1936, at the Sacred Heart Convent. Sister M. Magdalen was appointed Superior in 1931, and remained here for six years until 1937. During her stay at St. Anthony's Sister Magdalen celebrated her Golden Jubilee as a professed nun on February 2, 1935. She is now at St. Francis Xavier School, Brunswick, Georgia. In 1937, Sister Mary Caroline, the present Superior and Principal, was appointed. Sister Mary Caroline came here from St. Louis, Missouri.

The continued growth in members of St. Anthony's Parish brought the need of a larger school to accommodate the increased number of pupils. During the pastorate of Rev. Father Harry F. Clark, later Monsignor, this need became acute. He began planning for a new school and a new convent. In July, 1933, the old school building was demolished and the erection of the present handsome fireproof school begun. It was finished in January, 1934, and was dedicated by Most Rev. Michael J. Keyes, Bishop of Savannah, on February 11, 1934.

During the construction of the new school, temporary class rooms were constructed and used in the basement of the church. After the school was dedicated the new school was first used on February 12, 1934.

Several years before the construction of the new school, a well constructed sixteen-room house on a large lot adjoining the school property was purchased by Father Clark. In the summer of 1933 this building was refinished inside to meet the modest and simple requirements of a convent.

It was ready for the use of the nuns when they returned for the opening of school in September. In January, 1934, one of the large rooms was remodeled and furnished to make a beautiful chapel. This convent was dedicated on the same day as the school. It is the present home of the Sisters in this parish. The building is located about forty feet from the school. The street number is 953 Gordon, S. W.

St. Anthony's Parochial School is located at number 963 Gordon Street, S. W. It contains eight standard classrooms that are fully equipped in every detail. There is also space for three additional classrooms in which no equipment has been installed. There is an office for the principal, girls' toilet, boys' toilet, wide corridors and stairs and four entrances. A conduit system for the future installation of radio equipment centering in the principal's office and with extensions to each classroom is a feature of the construction.

The school course consists of nine grades, grammar and junior high. From 1919 to 1932, St. Anthony's School had seven grades. In the fall of 1932 an eighth grade was started. In the following year, 1933, a ninth grade was started and the first class graduated from the Junior High course in May, 1934.

The present faculty at St. Anthony's Parochial School is: Sister Mary Caroline, Superior and Principal, ninth grade; Sister M. Felice, seventh and eighth grades; Sister M. Grace Marie, third and fourth grades; Sister M. Josephine, fifth and sixth grades; Sister Mary Edward, first and second grades.

Sisters who have taught at St. Anthony's besides those already mentioned are: Sister M. Dorothy, who taught the first and second grades from 1918 to 1931; Sisters M. Anthony, Mary Louis, Rita, Raphael, Alice Joseph, Bernadine, Philomena, Aurelia, Angela, Josephine, Augustine, Bernadette, Grace Marie, Mary Bernard. St. Anthony's children have been benefited by the teaching of these unselfish women.

Sisters, like other people, sometimes get sick. On several occasions, when due to illness the teachers needed assistance with the school work, some of the ladies who were not Sisters have offered their assistance. Miss Rose Moran has assisted with the teaching at St. Anthony's, and a number of years ago when Sister Dorothy was operated upon, Miss Regina Keith, now Mrs. Ernest Ray taught in her place for six weeks.

Sister Mary Marcella of the Sisters of St. Joseph was formerly a pupil of St. Anthony's School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Meyer of this parish. Another Sister now a member of the Sisters of St. Francis was a pupil in St. Anthony's School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Frenke, former members of St. Anthony's parish, who now live in Kentucky. Two daughters of Mrs. J. J. O'Donnell, who are now Sister Lillian Josephine and Sister Imelda Marie, were pupils of St. Anthony's first school.