St. Mary's Academy (Portland, Oregon)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Academy is a Roman Catholic high school located in Portland, Oregon
. It was founded by twelve sisters from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
in 1859. It is an all-girls' school with approximately 630 students from all over northern Oregon and southwestern Washington. It is Oregon's only remaining continually operating secondary single-gender school.
in 1859, on the request of archbishop François Norbert Blanchet. Only two of the sisters spoke English
; the others spoke French
. They traveled from Montreal
to New York City
, then on the Star of the West
to Panama
, then overland by rail, then by the Golden Age to San Francisco, then by the Northern to Fort Vancouver
. The ship was given a cannon salute, as Winfield Scott
and staff were on the ship. Blanchet had established a school on property he purchased from Daniel H. Lownsdale
in 1857. The property had a two-story house, which became the school. St. Mary's opened in the same location with six students (three Catholic, two Jewish, one Protestant) on Monday, November 7, 1859, 17 days after they reached Portland.
A Sequoia
, planted in 1870, was brought by the Sister Superior after a visit to California
. The school had 250 girls in attendance by 1871. In 1889, the Lownsdale house was demolished and a four-story building designed by Otto Kleeman
was built. Marylhurst University
, originally part of the downtown school, moved out in 1930.
The Kleeman building was inadequate for the students by the 1960s. The school expanded across 5th avenue, one block to the north, building a two-story brick building that is "strictly functional.... [with] no architectural pretensions". The Kleeman building was sold to a developer for $705,000 and demolished in 1970. A public parking lot currently is on that site, although the original stone wall surrounding the building was demolished by the current owner in 2010.
, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States. It also received the KATU Super School of the Year Award in 2006.
St. Mary's has been accredited through the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools
since 1955.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. It was founded by twelve sisters from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary is a teaching order founded at Longueuil, Québec, Canada in 1843 by Blessed Mother Marie-Rose for the Christian education of young girls.Their motto is: "Jésus et Marie, Ma Force et Ma Gloire" .Since 1843, the...
in 1859. It is an all-girls' school with approximately 630 students from all over northern Oregon and southwestern Washington. It is Oregon's only remaining continually operating secondary single-gender school.
History
St. Mary's was founded by twelve sisters from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and MarySisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary is a teaching order founded at Longueuil, Québec, Canada in 1843 by Blessed Mother Marie-Rose for the Christian education of young girls.Their motto is: "Jésus et Marie, Ma Force et Ma Gloire" .Since 1843, the...
in 1859, on the request of archbishop François Norbert Blanchet. Only two of the sisters spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
; the others spoke French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. They traveled from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, then on the Star of the West
Star of the West
The Star of the West was a civilian steamship hired by the United States government to transport military supplies and reinforcements to the garrison of Fort Sumter, but was fired on by Confederates in its effort to do so at the dawning of the American Civil War...
to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, then overland by rail, then by the Golden Age to San Francisco, then by the Northern to Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
. The ship was given a cannon salute, as Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
and staff were on the ship. Blanchet had established a school on property he purchased from Daniel H. Lownsdale
Daniel H. Lownsdale
Daniel Lownsdale was one of the founders of Portland, Oregon, United States.Coming from Kentucky sometime before 1845, Lownsdale established the first tannery near the current location of Jeld-Wen Field just west of downtown. He served as a member of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon in 1846...
in 1857. The property had a two-story house, which became the school. St. Mary's opened in the same location with six students (three Catholic, two Jewish, one Protestant) on Monday, November 7, 1859, 17 days after they reached Portland.
A Sequoia
Sequoia
Sequoia sempervirens is the sole living species of the genus Sequoia in the cypress family Cupressaceae . Common names include coast redwood, California redwood, and giant redwood. It is an evergreen, long-lived, monoecious tree living 12001800 years or more...
, planted in 1870, was brought by the Sister Superior after a visit to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The school had 250 girls in attendance by 1871. In 1889, the Lownsdale house was demolished and a four-story building designed by Otto Kleeman
Otto Kleeman
Otto Karl Kleeman was a German born architect in Portland Oregon. His work included the design for Portland's Hotel Arminius and St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church & Rectory....
was built. Marylhurst University
Marylhurst University
Marylhurst University is a private Catholic liberal arts university located in Marylhurst, Oregon, United States, nine miles south of Portland on the Willamette River. It is among the oldest collegiate degree-granting institutions in Oregon, awarding its first degree in 1897...
, originally part of the downtown school, moved out in 1930.
The Kleeman building was inadequate for the students by the 1960s. The school expanded across 5th avenue, one block to the north, building a two-story brick building that is "strictly functional.... [with] no architectural pretensions". The Kleeman building was sold to a developer for $705,000 and demolished in 1970. A public parking lot currently is on that site, although the original stone wall surrounding the building was demolished by the current owner in 2010.
Academics
In 1984, 1989, and 1998, St. Mary's Academy was honored in the Blue Ribbon Schools ProgramBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States. It also received the KATU Super School of the Year Award in 2006.
St. Mary's has been accredited through the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools
Northwest Association of Accredited Schools
The Northwest Accreditation Commission , formerly named the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, is an organization based in Boise, Idaho which accredits a variety of schools, including K-12, elementary, middle, and high schools; schools offering distance education; non-degree-granting...
since 1955.
Mascot
St. Mary's Blues came from when parents would shout "Go Blue" at sports events, because of the blue uniforms, which they don't have anymore. Since then, they have adopted the name St. Mary's Blues, and changed their colors from red and white to blue and white. The mascot costume has evolved over time. The first mascot was hand-made by a determined student in the 70s or 80s. The current mascot costume is a professionally made eighth note named "Ella". The 2005-2007 ASB are responsible for its existence.Notable alumnae
- Mary F. SammonsMary F. SammonsMary F. Sammons is an American businessperson from Portland, Oregon. She is the president and chief executive officer of Rite Aid Corporation. She formerly was the president and chief executive officer of Fred Meyer. She graduated from Marylhurst College and St. Mary's Academy...
, chairman and CEO of Rite AidRite AidRite Aid is a drugstore chain in the United States and a Fortune 500 company headquartered in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, near Camp Hill. Rite Aid is the largest drugstore chain on the East Coast and the third largest drugstore chain in the U.S.... - Anna J. BrownAnna J. BrownAnna J. Brown is a United States federal judge in the state of Oregon. A Portland native, she serves on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.-Early life:...
, federal judge - Da'Love WoodsDa'Love WoodsDa'Love Woods is an American professional basketball player, in Europe. At 1.65 m in height, she plays at the point guard position.-College career:...
, professional basketball player