About Us - Owensboro Catholic High School
In June 1951, the equipment of St. Frances Academy High School moved to the new Diocesan High School building at 1524 Parrish Avenue. St. Frances Academy’s former student body attended Owensboro Catholic High School for the first time in September 1951.
The Sister faculty of the high school relocated from St. Frances to what is now known as Assumption Convent on August 15, 1951. The convent sleeping quarters were in the old Medley home on the west side of the school. The kitchen, dining room, community room, and chapel were in the school building until further expansion was necessary.
Sister Mary Auxilium was the Superior of the Sisters and Principal of the new school. The faculty consisted of 19 Sisters of Charity and four priests: Father Henry O'Bryan, Father George Hancock, Father Charles Fischer, and Father Charles Saffer. Since the inception of Owensboro Catholic High School, the Principals have been: Sister Mary Auxilium, S.C.N., Sister Joseph Mary, S.C.N., Sister Helen Constance, S.C.N., Rev. Henry O'Bryan, Rev. Gerald Calhoun, Rev. Edward Bradley, Joseph O'Bryan, and present administrator, Harold Staples.
The blessing of the new school began with a Pontifical Mass celebrated by Bishop Francis R. Cotton at 10:30 a.m. on September 12, and attended by diocesan priests, faculty, and 585 members of the student body. Open house for the public was held the following Sunday.
April 20, 1952, marked the beginning of an evaluation of the school program. The team consisted of Sister Margaret Gertrude, S.C.N., Sister Lucina, S.C.N., Sister Joseph Maria, O.S.U., Mr. Ligon, Mr. Godman, and Brother Marisa. Suggestions for improvement in the curriculum included the expansion of existing courses with the introduction of new ones. The permanent record system, the guidance program, library services, and the lunchroom program pleased the team.
In the first OCHS graduation, June 5, 1952, 103 seniors received diplomas in the exercises held at Memorial Recreation Center. On May 16, 2004, the fifty-second class graduated 164 students at the Sportscenter.
Enrollment grew steadily from 651 students in 1952; 702 in 1955; 820 in 1958; 879 in 1960 and 1122 in 1964. In 2004, the enrollment is approximately 530 and the student-teacher ratio averages approximately 19: 1.
In January 1955, Bishop Cotton held a meeting with pastors and Sister Mary Auxilium, deciding to extend the building, thus creating more classrooms and provide living quarters for the Sisters. On April 6, the Sisters moved to their temporary gym dormitory until the new wing was completed. The old Medley house was torn down and the current Hermitage wing took its place. The Sisters’ Convent became the third floor of that wing with a chapel on the second floor. The kitchen and dining room remained on the first floor of the building. The kitchen served also for the preparation of food for the school cafeteria, now Soenneker Hall. The new wing was ready on December 5.
In the mid 1990s, OCHS added a Wall of Remembrance outside the chapel, where those associated in any way with Catholic High may place a memorial plaque to a deceased loved one. At about the same time the Wall was erected, funds from the Doug Schaaf Memorial Fund purchased the Tree of Life located on the entrance wall of the main office. Leaves engraved with names on the tree are in remembrance of those who have memorial donations in their name.
In September 1958, Mr. Philip Hayden became the first lay faculty member. Over the next two years, five priests, 23 Sisters, and four lay men were added to the faculty. From then on, the number of lay teachers increased each year.
In 1960, a homeroom system began. In compliance with Bishop Cotton's directive, boys and girls were also in separate classes. Students did not change rooms; the teachers moved about the building. This system changed about 1962 when students began moving between classrooms and teachers remained in their own homerooms. Gradually classes and homerooms became mixed groups.
The school added another wing in 1964. This included space on the second floor for school offices, a student chapel, small gym, cafeteria, and classrooms. These classrooms were set aside for the religion department. Labs and more classrooms were placed on the first floor, enclosing the back of the school to create a courtyard.
In 1982 renovations to the locker room on the first floor, formerly the first cafeteria, created a 167-seat theater. Named Soenneker Hall in honor of Bishop Henry Soenneker, who blessed it on the opening night of its first performance, seat installation and stage funds were raised through an appeal to graduates. The hall continues to be a place of theater and of school and community gatherings.