Saint Vincent's Academy

St. Vincent's Academy
46°35'4.71"N 112° 2'13.51"W

COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

St. Vincent's Academy was the Catholic High School for girls. Built in 1887-88, it stood on South Ewing across the street from the first St. John's Hospital, and on the site of the second (1939) St. John's. It was heavily damaged by the 1935 earthquakes and was pulled down. A new St. John's Hospital was built on the site in 1939.

Footprint of St. Vincent's

Circa 1892 Lithograph of St. Vincent's

LITHOGRAPH BY WARD BROS., COLUMBUS OHIO - COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

Class on the Front Steps, ca. 1906

The girl second row up, second from the right, is Marie Lupien (1898-1979). Photo courtesy of her nephew, David DeWolf. Click on class image to enlarge in a new window.

St. Vincent's Academy From Across S. Ewing St., 1920s

COLLECTION OF KENNON BAIRD

St. Vincent's, 1920s

COURTESY OF TOM KILMER

Ms. Sidney Armstong of Helena writes:

"St. Vincent's Academy was the Catholic high school for girls only. My mother (born in 1910), attended St. Vincent's. It had boarding students as well as day students. The boys went to St. Charles prep school, which was on the St. Charles College (now Carroll College) campus. In those days, a number of students did not go on beyond elementary school."

Thanks, Sidney!

An account of the 1935 earthquake which damaged St. Vincent's beyond repair, by former student Betty Sager:

"In 1935 I was a student at St. Vincent's Academy--that was the Catholic School that was condemned after the quake. I can still remember the scary feeling we all had at the time. We were in a dormitory on the 2nd floor. I remember looking out the window and everything was a bright blue color.

"You can imagine the panic of 50 or so girls. Sister said, "Now we will stay in our beds and say the rosary. Everyone settle down and lay quietly."

"When we were finally allowed to get out of bed, we put on our robes, and were led downstairs. A lot of the stairs were damaged so we had to slide down the banister. What fun! We spent the night on the lawn with many blankets.

"As the building was condemned (I'm not sure how many days passed), I was sent back to my family in Anaconda. I still get that panicky feeling when a train goes by or I feel another quake."

-From the excellent University of Utah Seismology website