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EIGHTEEN
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMENS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 23, 1952
Immaculate Conception Academy
In Atlanta Has Been Conducted by
The Sisters of Mercy Since 1866
ATLANTA, Ga. — Could we but
turn back the pages of the Cath
olic history of Georgia for almost
a hundred years we would see the
neucleus of the present Immacu
late Conception Academy which
has just been completed here.
Back in the pioneer days of
Catholicity in Atlanta, before
Father Thomas O’Reilly, famed
during the War Between the
States, was appointed pastor of the
Immaculate Conception Church in
Atlanta, a Mrs. Peavy was holding
classes in the sacristy of the old
church. She was succeeded by Miss
Mattie Odena and Miss Louise
Odena.
Then, in 1861, when Father
O’Reilly was made pastor of the
parish in Atlanta, he built the
original Immaculate Conception
Academy, which still stands facing
Central Avenue. Very few altera
tions have been found necessary
on the old building which has long
since passed from its original use.
It is now known as the Red Men’s
Wigwam.
The academy, which was at
tended by both boys and girls was
first conducted by lay teachers,
including Professor P. D. Whelan,
T. C. Gillespie and Mrs. McKeon.
During the closing days of 1866
the Sisters of Mercy took over the
academy and began teaching there
on December 11, 1866. Mother M.
Vincent Mahoney was the first su
perior. The other members of the
faculty ware Sister M. Jane Fran
ces, Sister M. Stanislaus and Sis
ter M. Angela. They conducted
both a day school and a boarding
school.
In 1901, the Sisters realized
that Central Avenue was no longer
a desirable location for a boarding
school, bought the old Marsh man
sion on Washington street, and by
1902 the academy was occupying
that site.
The senior high school was clos
ed in 1918, but the boarding school
continued until 1924. By this time,
the Diocese of Savannah had
launched its parochial school pro
gram and the Sisters of Mercy,
who had their Motherhouse in
Savannah, changed the status of
their academies to parochial
grammar schools.
When Father Joseph E. Moylan,
now Monsignor Moylan and Vicar
General of the Diocese of Savan-
nah-Atlanta, was appointed pastor
of the Immaculate Conception
Church in Atlanta, he added a
ninth grade to the parish school
to give the boys and girls an op
portunity of having their first
year of high school under the
Sisters. In 1948, the ninth grade
was discarded. By this time more
of the parishoners were financially
able to send their children to the
local Catholic high schools.
Very little improvement had
been made on the old frame build
ing of the academy for twenty
years and it had become to be
regarded as a fire hazard.
Two years the project of a new
school began to assume form.
Father Joseph R. Smith, then pas
tor of the Immaculate Conception
Church, purchased property ad
joining the church and rectory and
plans for a new school building
were executed by N. J. Pascullis,
Macon architect. Sheridan and
Punaro, a firm of contractors in
Macon, were awarded the contract,
and the construction of the new
school was begun on the site of a
former warehouse, facing Hunter
street.
Father Smith has since been ap
pointed pastor of St. Anthony’s
Church in Atlanta, and the new
school was completed with Mon
signor James J. Grady as pastor
of the Immaculate Conception
Church.
Classes were first held in the
new school after the Christmas
holidays, and plans are now being
made to convert a portion of the
new building into a convent for
the Sisters.
The present building has six ex
tra large class rooms, an assembly
hall, a first aid room, and a li
brary. It has the latest lighting
and heating equipment and is fire
proof throughout. The site is con
venient to bus lines.
Sister Mary Michael, R. S. M.,
is principal of the school, and the
faculty includes Sister Mary Mer
cedes, R. S. M., Sister Mary Ke
vin, R. S. M., and Sister M. Stan
islaus, R. S. M.
Volunteer Workers in Atlanta
Soliciting Contributions to
St. Joseph's Infirmary Fund
ATLANTA, Ga.—Chairman John
A. Sibley of the initial gifts com
mittee reports that a number of
substantial contributions have been
made through the volunteer work
ers who are seeking to raise a fund
of $2,000,000 needed to complete
the 150-bed addition now under
construction at St. Joseph’s In
firmary.
Among the large donors and
their gifts are Ben J. Massell, $10,-
000; Carlos H. Mason, $6,500; the
Whitehead Foundation, $35,000; W.
R, Sullivan, $18,000; Fulton Na
tional Bank, $4,000; First National
Bank, $11,000; Trust Company of
Georgia, $5,000; Esmond Brady,
$10,000.
Mr, and Mrs. J. J. Nicholson,
$10,000; Citizens & Southern Na
tional Bank, $6,000; Dinkier Hotels,
$7,000; Hughes Spalding and fam
ily, $10,000; Arthur Harris, Sr.,
and Arthur Harris, Jr., $5,000; Lou
Aronstam, $5,000; Gate City Table
Company, $1,000. There were also
anonymous gifts of $25,000 and
$15,000 and the doctors committee
has received $55,000 from the hos
pital staff.
Section chairman serving on the
business and industry committee
which is headed by Robert Trout
man, Jr., Earl Mann and Frank
Wilson, are Dowdell Brown, Wil
liam Brand, Dwight Hollowell, W.
W. Burns; Clyde E. Turner, R. D.
Hudson, Ralph W. Didschuneit, J.
P. Carolan, C. L. Huxford, Hamil
ton Lokey and Brandon Morris.
Division leaders include J. T.
McCusker, W. G. Carson, Arthur
Strain, G. D. Jackson, W. J. Trun-
key, Frank Morrison, II, Eugene E.
Brooks, George Griffeth, Albert
Boykin, Duncan Peek, Pete Lati
mer, Francis Jones, Edward Dor
sey, John K. Calhoun, James C.
Hill, Henry D. Furniss, Felix de
Golian, Jr., T, L. Moore, M. H.
Peabody, J. R. Anthony, Frank
Oerting.
Francis Wilkerson, W. C. Turner,
James D’Arey, C. H. Meyer, Jr.,
J.; C. Sulcer, M. V. Gisi, Henry D.
Heery, G. H. Bartlett, T. E. Dicks,
L, J. Linane, Louis A. Schnurr,
Joseph McKeaney, J. W. Wilson,
Jr., John M. Harrison, Jr., S. V.
Kane, J. Clayton Burke, Tom Field,
M. J. Maguire, Luther Campbell,
Frank Player, J. A. Luczak, R. E.
Callahan, J. C. Shumate, Charles
Cowan, John M. Cooper, F. C.
Moroy, Mrs. S. W. Anding, Mrs. W.
L. Hammock.
Some 1,500 workers are assisting
the committee in soliciting on be
half of the building fund.
St. Joseph's School
In Macon Presented
U. S. Flag by K. of C.
MACON, Ga. — Macon Council
No. 925, Knights of Columbus, has
presented an American Flag to St.
Joseph’s School. The presentation
was made by N. J. Camerio, grand
knight of the council, assisted by
John J. McCreary, Past state
deputy, and Robert E. McCrary,
president of the Macon Branch of
the Catholic Laymen’s Association
of Georgia.
Andrew Bunch, patrol captain at
St. Joseph’s, accepted the flag on
behalf of the Sister Martina
Joseph, R. S. M., principal of the
school, the other teachers and the
pupils.
The presentation ceremony con
cluded with the recitation of the
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
and the singing of the Star Spangl
ed Banner.
Best Wishes to
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY
THOMPSON’S RESTAURANT
Washington and Hunter Streets, Atlanta, Ga.
NEW SCHOOL IN ATLANTA—Pictured above is the Immaculate Conception Academy, conducted by
the Sisters of Mercy, in Atlanta, Georgia, which has just been completed. Plans for the new school
were executed by N. J. Pascullis, Macon architect, and Sheridan and Punaro, of Macon, were the build
ers.—(Photo by Van Buren Colley.)
Julian Fine, Savannah
Belmont Abbey College
Advisory Board Member
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Julian S.
Fine, prominent Savannah attor
ney, has been appointed to the Ad
visory Board of Belmont Abbey
College. The board was formed
last summer and was designed to
work in a counseling capacity re
garding the expansion program
planned by the college.
Mr. Fine, a graduate of the class
of 1931, was notified of his appoint
ment of the Right Reverend Vin
cent G. Taylor, O. S. B., D. D., Ab
bot-Ordinary of Belmont and presi
dent of the college.
Other members of the board
from Georgia are Julian Sipple, of
Savannah, and Bernard Doris, Au
gusta.
AN ORGANIZED MOVEMENT
is attempting to secure through the
Unied States Supreme Court the
establishment of atheism as the
nation’s religion, Luther Allen
Weigle, dean emeritus of Yale Uni
versity divinity school, warned 400
ministers at the fourth annual
Southern California Ministers’
Convocation.
Congratulations to
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY
W. Q. BAKER
RULING—BINDING
185 Memorial Drive, S. W. Atlanta, Ga.
TOM R. SHARPE
PAINTING CONTRACTOR
65 Fourth St., N. W., Atlanta, Ga.
AT-3821 — Residence Phone CR-8701
Heating and Plumbing in Immaculate Conception Academy by
GILLOOLY COMPANY
MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Congratulations
To
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY
MoCALLEY DRIVEWAY COMPANY
1506 Spring Street
Atlanta, Georgia
Congratulations
—TO—
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ACADEMY
AUTOMOBILE GLASS COMPANY
656 Spring St. N. W.
Atlanta, Georgia