The records of Sacred Heart parish at St. Vincent, Union
County show that the Rev. Stephen Baden
was the first priest to visit the Catholic population in southwestern
Kentucky. The first sermon was preached
at the courthouse in Morganfield and the church was permanently established in
1819. In 1820 the Sisters of Charity established a school that became St.
Vincent Academy.[1]
Many students who lived at a distance as well as many who
lived in the surrounding area attended St. Vincent Academy. In 1891 the
school celebrated the 71st annual commencement. Special trains were run to
bring the large crowd to the exercises at St. Vincent.
Instead of
the usual essays and programs, the operetta, "Author With the Poets"
was the main event of entertainment. Taking part in the operetta were the
following students: Mary B. Pike, Julia and Mary Wheatly, Ruth Shoemaker, Alma
Mott, Lucy Mattingly, Mary and Christine Clements, Lena Wathen, Alice Kelley,
Etta Davis, Katherine Elam, Florence Walker, Ida Willett, Hettie Dyer, Ruby
Byrd, Mary Leonard, Anna Cambron, Lue Wilson and Addie Hayden.[2]
Diplomas that
year were granted to Mary Pike, of Uniontown; Alma Mott, of Princeton; Ruth
Shoemaker, of Morganfield; Julia Wheatley and Lucy Mattingly, of Waverly.[3]
A newspaper
advertisement from 1913 shows that the school had "modern equipment,
music, drawing and painting; shorthand and typewriting taught to the best
improved methods."[4]
In 1920, St.
Vincent Academy celebrated its centennial for three days in June. Several women were to attend and celebrate
their 50th anniversary of their graduation, including Mrs. M.R. Waller and Mrs. J.G. Taylor.
Another graduate who was to attend was Mrs. B.M. Mart, of Morganfield.[5]
St. Vincent
Academy operated a boarding school until about 1964. By
March 1967, the faculty of St. Vincent's was planning the final days of the
school. There were no longer enough
teachers to continue operating the high school and it was decided to close the
school, leaving St. Vincent Academy parish (grade) school open. At that time, there were 265
students (63 students in the senior class) at St. Vincent High School and 85
parish school students. [6]
On the 5th
of December 1867, the buildings and land were auctioned off, bringing a total of $170,000. The administration
building and other structures on a 10-acre plat were purchased for $17,500 by
three men from Henderson, Kentucky. The land was sold to others, probably for
farming.[7]
Paducah Sun-Democrat
30 July 1913, p. 7
[1]
"Few Pastors at Union Parish," Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, Mon., 7 Mar 1938, p. 6.
[2]
"St. Vincent's Academy, The Seventy-First Commencement Celebrated with
Appropriate Exercises," Louisville Courier-Journal,
Thurs., 18 Jun 1891, p. 2.
[3]
Ibid.
[4]
"St. Vincent's Academy, Union County, Ky," Paducah Sun-Democrat, Wed., 30 Jul 1913, p. 7.
[5]
"Observe Centennial of St. Vincent Academy, Owensboro Messenger, Sun., 23 May 1920, p . 1.
[6]
"High School of Academy Founded in 1820 Is In Its Last Days," Paducah
Sun, Fri., 3 Mar 1967, p. 21.
[7]
"St. Vincent Academy Sold For $170,000 At Auction," Evansville Courier, 6 Dec 1967, p. 12.
Published 17 Jan 2019, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/
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