[Historic Marker Application: St. Anthony Catholic School] Page: 1 of 27

                                
Texas Historical Commission staff (BB), 7/8/2008
27" x 42" Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Marker with post
Bexar County (Job #08BX02)Subject (Atlas) UTM: 14 000000E 0000000N
Location: San Antonio, 205 West Huisache
ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
IN EARLY 1907, RESIDENTS OF THE LAUREL HEIGHTS AREA PETITIONED THE
SISTERS OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, A FRENCH RELIGIOUS ORDER, TO OPEN A
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. THE ORDER ALREADY OPERATED FOUR LOCAL
SCHOOLS AND MANY MORE THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND ADJOINING STATES. IN
APRIL 1907, THE SISTERS PURCHASED LAND FROM ELEANOR STRIBLING.
SISTERS ST. STANISLAUS, DIGNA, FIDELIS AND NORBERT CONDUCTED SCHOOL
IN RENTED HOUSES WHILE PLANNING FOR A PERMANENT SCHOOLHOUSE.
PROMINENT LOCAL ARCHITECT FREDERICK GAENSLEN DESIGNED THE
CLASSICAL REVIVAL BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1909. GAENSLEN STUDIED AT ST.
MARY'S COLLEGE AND THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND
IN TEXAS HE HAD MANY COMMISSIONS FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND
RELATED ORDERS. THE EIGHT-CLASSROOM BUFF BRICK BUILDING WAS
MODELED AFTER THE ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY BUILDING IN DALLAS. AN ENTRY
PORTICO DOMINATES THE MAIN ELEVATION, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES ARCHED
WINDOWS AND PILASTERS. IN THE BRICK PARAPET, PROJECTING GABLES WITH
DECORATIVE FRIEZES FLANK A RAISED CENTRAL ARCHED NICHE, WHICH HOLDS
A STATUE OF ST. ANTHONY AND IS TOPPED WITH A STONE CROSS.
LOCAL PATRONS AND THE ST. ANTHONY SEMINARY SUPPORTED THE SCHOOL
IN ITS EARLY YEARS, AND THE CURRICULUM AND FACILITIES EXPANDED AS
ENROLLMENT GREW. THOUGH IT WAS SOLELY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR
MUCH OF ITS HISTORY, ST. ANTHONY ALSO INCLUDED A HIGH SCHOOL AND
BOARDING SCHOOL IN PRIOR YEARS. ENROLLMENT DECLINED IN THE 1970s,
AND THE SISTERS ANNOUNCED THE SCHOOL'S INTENDED CLOSING IN 1985.
CONCERNED PARENTS AND ALUMNI ORGANIZED A NONPROFIT GROUP TO
PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND CONTINUE THE SCHOOL. CLASSES RESUMED
ON SCHEDULE, AND THE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO OPERATE A CENTURY AFTER
ITS FOUNDING.
RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK - 2008

MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS