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Tuesday Afternoon, July 29, 1958
STANISLAUS
panoramic view of the oldest institution in Bay St. Louis, showing the extent of its
nearly a mile deep grounds, its beautiful buildings and the overhead walk to its famous swimming, boating and fishing pier.
St: Stanislaus School For Boys
*
;ln Its 3,000-Capacity Athletic Stadium Will Be : Presented the Bay St. Louis Centennial Pageant
Founded and conducted by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, who dedicate their lives to the education of youth,. < 104-year-old St. Stanislaus has survived hurricanes, wars, epidemics and almost total destruction of its buildings by fire. Today its cross crowned domes facing the Gulf of Mexico guide you to an educational institu-t’oii (also famous for its athletics) whose grounds and facilities ex-extend almost a mile in depth.
The story of St. Stanislaus goes back to that indefatigable Father Buteux, the first permanent Catholic priest of Bay St. Louis who, cs soon as he had firmly established Our Lady of the Gulf Church,
again. They were Brothers Basile and Aloysius, who came as teachers, and Brother Leo, as cook. They lived at the presbytery and received as compensation for their .eaching duties only $18 a month. The names of these three patient pioneer Brothers are now forgotten, but it was they who with their efforts and understanding laid the foundation of the present day recognized and respected St. Stanislaus Boys School whose average annual enrollment of 500 pupils come from all states of the Union, from Central America and the West Indies.
But Father Buteux had ambitions for a greater school, a
which Father Buteux raised and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart supplied the other half.
FRAME BUILDING
turned his energy and attention to;|joarding school for boys at Bay St.
the education of his flock.
His first tiny school opened in a , modest two room frame building back of the Church in 1852 in
Louis, so he made a trip to Paris direct to the Superior General of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and boldly asked for financial help
charge of the Christian Brothers, jand more teachers. He must have but hardly had it got under way ?!eaded his cause eloquently be-
when the raging yellow fever epi demic of 1853 that swept New Orleans and the Coast forced it to close and claimed as victims practically its entire'teaching staff.
INDUCED BROTHERS TO START SCHOOL
Undaunted Father Buteux visit-, ed Mobil#, in 1854 and induced , tjireeof the Brothers of the Sacred Heart to return with him to Bay b»ijUmui; apd start syfrqql *» | ""
cause four more Brothers sailed immediately from France and Father Buteux carried back with him the financial assistance to buy halu of the necessary land upon which to build a school,
TJie site selected was just 1Q0 yards south of Our Lady of the Gulf Church — a beautiful site that faced che Gulf of Mexico with 140 feet frontage. The total cost of the property', w^s $4,000, one half pf
At first the school was a 2Vi-story frame building with galleries on iwo sides, practically built by the Brothers with their sleeves rolled up assisted by a few laborers. The school building itself cost $3,800 and was named St. Stanislaus, in honor of the patron saint of Father Buteux.
Its policy from the beginning has been to accept both boarders and day students. And as such a school it prospered from the beginning, finding it necessary to add an additional building in 1859, which provided two dining rooms, a community room, a director’s room, a chapel and dormitory.
Lacking food and the transportation for the boarders during the War Between the States St. Stanislaus closed down for the 1362-63 school year. Two Brothers were left in charge and the rest went to New Orleans where they opened the Annunciation Parish School for the duration. In July 1865, three months after the close of hostilities St. Stanislaus again re-opened and has never ceased functioning since, although in 1903 it came close to being burned out of existence.
FIRE P’ISASTER
fire completely destroyed most of the buildings, leaving only the kitchen and dining rooms. But within less than a month the decision was made to rebuild and one year later on the anniversary of the fire the new St. Stanislaus was ready for occupancy.
Since then St. Stanislaus has steadily added new buildings and facilities — the present gymnasium 1925, the Chapel building in 1929 with its large study hall and science rooms, the modern dining halls and kitchen in 1949, and the shower rooms, dressing rooms and toilet facilities completely rebuilt just five years ago in 1953.
In the years of its formation it was called a college and was orig-: tuition, SP inally empowered to grant degrees, but since 1922 it has restricted its runctions to the training of boys in the upper grammar grades and
Bay ( Provi A Pc
Percival S acre home ai Bay Citrus G ing the bead vard in Wavi the Coast car lemons and over a half practically e orange trees
Mr. Stern, enties, came present Wav 1944 and, altl ateur at citn ed 26 orange for private sumption in
However, 1 terested in 1 studying the erature that planting and His most imi that the prop smudge fires whenever t warned of aj Actually how to take thes nights in the of them occi two years. ENLARGED In 1953 Mr large his fe\ pacity and v the Louisians ricultural Ex the cooperati ty agent, H 1954 he proc trees, includi satsumas, k mons and g) and white.
Bay Citrus mental proje prove that v
high school. In this it has attained i best indicati
■ and insects, tion against freezes the C encing the 1 fruit can be
a national reputation.
MANY ATHLETES
It is equally famous for its physical education program and athletics. Two of the gridiron’s Rreatest — “Doc” Blanchard of West Point and Marchmont Schwartz of Notre Dame were St. Stanislaus graduates. Also, while at St. Stanislaus Henry Zeke Eonura established the international javelin throwing record. Later he went on to play professional baseball with the Chicago White Sox. He is now retired and living in New Orleans.
In the summer the school’s facilities and its 1,500-foot swimming and fishing pier become Camp Stanislaus where a capacity of 225 campers, under the guidance of 42 counsellors, build body and character during the .summer camp sea-
son that runs from June 22 to July On that night of June 31, 1903/ 26,
his experimc four most r* which went Mr. Stern )< out of his ei
Mr, Stern a year beca ture of the s tesian well < rigates his e ty-four lines rows at a t can be irrif Mr. Stem sa ter hits the you can aim ing.
WOOD IN R1
In Novemfc placed in pr fifty feet al< can be proi the tempera! from the we«
woo4 piles ai
tires because
and HAPPY CELEBRATION
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BSL 1950 To 1969 Eagle-Souvenire-Centennial-Edition-(08)
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