Side A: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School is the oldest continuously operating, public or private, high school in Akron. With roots extending to the late 19th century, St. Mary High School graduated its first three students in 1901. St. Vincent High School opened in September 1907 in an effort to extend educational offerings beyond the eighth grade. The first class, comprising four students, graduated in 1910. The two schools merged in late 1972 to become a single co-educational college preparatory high school. “In the spirit of the Gospel, we are committed to educate the whole person,” the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School mission statement pledges, “to lead and to serve, enlightening the mind, developing the body, touching the heart and inspiring the soul.”
Side B: Religious orders were instrumental in the success of Akron’s early Catholic education. The Rev. Thomas Francis Mahar, D.D., who served Akron from August 1880 to October 1914 as pastor of St. Vincent Parish, was directly responsible for the formation of both St. Mary and St. Vincent High Schools. Sisters from the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Dominican orders were instrumental in diocesan teaching. St. Mary High School was taught by the Immaculate Heart of Mary nuns for 58 years. The same order sent sisters from Monroe, Michigan, to open St. Vincent High School in September 1907. They were replaced by Dominicans in 1939. St. Vincent-St. Mary High School continues to honor the tradition of academic excellence, character formation, and social responsibility bestowed by these early educators.
Sponsors: William G. Pomeroy Foundation, St. Vincent-St. Mary Alumni Association, St. Vincent Class of 1971, Ohio History Connection
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