The History of
St. Joseph Academy/Maria High School:
A Pictorial Timeline

1922

St. Joseph Academy opens the doors to young girls at the first Catholic, private high school in the area on September 6, 1922. Enrollment is 27 students. The Reverend Mother M. Felicia is the first Mother General; the first principal is Sr. M. Alexia.

1923

St. Joseph Academy is accredited with the Catholic University of Washington.

1926

First Commencement Exercises are held.

1927

Chemical laboratory is equipped, and Chemistry is introduced.

1928

St. Joseph Academy becomes accredited by the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

1929

The first school paper, "The Pines Echo" is published.

1931

St. Joseph Academy becomes a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

1932

* Enrollment is 115 students.
* Printing press is purchased.

1933

First retreat is conducted by Rev. W. Herbst, S.D.S.

1935

First annual forensic contest is held.

1936

First Sodality Banquet is held.

1939

Automatic Program clock is installed.

1940

Biology laboratory is equipped and Biology is introduced.

1941

First Senior Prom is held.

1942

Drum and Bugle Corps is introduced.

1943

Sr. Mary Angelica becomes the second principal.

1947

The twenty-fifth anniversary is observed with special events for students and alumnae. Sr. Mary Seraphica is recognized for her years of service as she has been on staff since the opening date till present.

1948

* Enrollment is 202 students.
* St. Joseph Alumnae Association is formed on January 25, 1948.
* Senior Class Play "Cinderella of Loreland" is performed.

1954

* St. Joseph's Academy is renamed Maria High School, at the request of Bishop Treacy in honor of the Marian Year.
* The Sisters of St. Joseph continue to maintain the cost the school since its beginning with no aid from area parishes or the diocese.

1955

Sister Mary Amofilia (Sister Regina Klimczak) serves as principal until 1958.

1956

Enrollment continues to grow and it becomes obvious a new and bigger building is in need. Ground breaking for this new school takes place across the street from the convent in March 1956.

1957

The new building is completed and dedicated. It will accommodate 500 students. The cost of the building is $1,050,000. The Sisters received $200,000 in contributions from the community, borrowed $350,000 and used money reserved for a new chapel to fund their new school, as they felt the need for a new high school was greatest at that time.

1958

Sister Mary Adalbert (Sister Adalbert Stal) serves as principal until 1965.

1965

Sister Mary Roselite (Sister Roselite Pomis) serves as principal until 1967.

1967

Sister Mary Roselle (Sister Roselle Konkol) serves as principal until 1970.

1969

* Enrollment is 390 students.
* The Sisters face a difficulty in staffing the school. They can no longer staff the school entirely using only Sisters as their faculty. Two lay teachers are currently on staff, and they cannot afford to hire more. The Sisters investigate whether area parishes would help subsidize Maria, but pastors agree they will only subsidize one diocesan high school. At that time Pacelli, the boys high school, was operating with parish subsidy. The idea for a new co-educational Catholic High School is presented.

1970

* The Sisters estimate during the last 13 years, they have contributed $2,702,000 of their own funds and interest on those funds, as well as through contributed staff salaries. Financial and personnel problems are evident, as well as the need to care for their aging Sisters.
* Pacelli High School is filled beyond capacity. The Christian Brothers also face the problem of not fully being capable of staffing the school in light of a shortage of teaching Brothers.
* Pacelli rents the Maria building for $50,000 for the '70-71 and '71-72 school year, and takes responsibility for both schools. This merger requires subsidy by area parishes for both boys and girls schooling. The enrollment is 700 students.

1971

* Enrollment is 666 students.
* Pacelli is facing a $26,000 budget deficit. In light of this crisis, the Catholic Board of Education determines that it is not feasible to maintain two separate buildings.
* Convinced that the Maria building will serve as the better location, and keeping in consideration the projected studies of decreasing numbers of enrollment in future years, it is agreed that the Maria building is big enough to handle the current combined enrollment of boys and girls.
* The YMCA is looking for a suitable building, and agrees to purchase the Pacelli building with the agreement that the school will still use the gymnasium and wood working shops. The YMCA purchases the building for $350,000.

1972

* The Sisters of St. Joseph are paid $350,000 from the Diocese for the Maria building, plus $100,000 for two years rent.
* Maria becomes the new single-campus Pacelli Coed High School.