Cathedral High School - Chaparral Yearbook (El Paso, TX)

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f af. :ran fx ualf'Lw-w'f ' ' , ,.,wTm!,,,,:,...,,,. g. ee I H ' .. . r Zisggzas. 31 THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS IN TEXAS Galveston, Brownsville, El Paso,-to these widely separated communities of Texas has the educational activity of the Christian Brothers made its way. On January 9, 1861, the first Brothers to set foot in Texas sailed from New Or- leans. Brother Joakim of Mary with three other Brothers landed in Galveston to take charge of St. Mary's college. The College, built on a block of land donated by the city, had been founded in 1854 by Bishop Odin. The Oblate Fathers of Minor Conventuals had directed the school in succession before 1861. Shortly after the Brothers assumed charge of the school, the Civil War broke out. Trying days followed. The school even suffered from gunfire of the fleet since St. Mary's college was situated only a few blocks from the sea. Brother Ezekiel died during the war, on Oct. 13, 1864. In May 1867, the Brothers, acting on Medical advice, closed the school on account of the scourge of yellow fever. Brother Urban who succeeded Brother Joakim ar- rived in Sept. 1867 but, due to the violence of the epidemic, he was ordered to leave with the seven Brothers directing the school. They went to New Orleans and Pass Chris- tian, Miss., where four of them fell victims . - to the fever. The epidemic ended, but it had taken its toll of lives and Brothers could not be furnished for St. Mary's and thus ended the first attempt of the sons of St. DeLaSalle to found a school in Texas. When after the Jesuit Fathers in turn gave up St. Mary's college, years later, Odin high school was established in 1925. After the death of Monsignor Kirwin, the old Moody homestead was acquired and dedicated as Kirwin High School on Nov. 25, 1927. Three 'Ursuline and two Dominican Sisters taught the school until 1931. That same year six Brothers arrived. after an absence of sixty-four years, and took charge of the school. In Brother Arsenius, the first Principal, the school had-an able and inspiring Jleader. At present, seven Brothers under Brother Adelbert, Principal, direct a flourish- ing institution of over one hundred and fifty high school students. The history of the school in Brownsville does not show forth a happy final suc- cess like that of Galveston. The Oblate Fathers, despite the great poverty of their mission, earnestly requested Brothers. Their petition was finally granted and on Jan. 2, 1869 five Brothers led by Brother Noah arrived at Brownsville. Classes started on Feb. 1st but the number of pupils fell short beyond expectation. After hard work satisfactory results were obtained but the lack of sufficient means to run the school was such that the Brothers were obliged to withdraw in June 1870 to the great regret of the community. From hundreds of miles to the West of these foundations there came, in 1925, the call to the Christian Brothers to educate the sons of Texas. In September of that year Brother Ernest and two other Brothers assumed the direction of St. Patrick's High School which had been in operation for about two years under the Sisters of Loretto in the city of El Paso. After two years the school was affiliated with the Texas State Department of Education and its first graduation took place on May 29, 1927. Since then, the school has turned out every year in its graduating classes groups of Cathohc young men with a thorough training, intellectually and morally, who will be an .asset to the community and a source of pride to the cause of Catholic Education. In its progress, 'from a small beginning. Cathedral High School as it is called now, has been obliged to increase the number of Brothers in the Faculty to seven, while the num- ber of its students has gone over one hundred and sixty-five. PAGF FOURTEEN

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V 'THE M1ss1oNs or TEXAS i , Q The Missions, thirty nine in numberg were founded by Franciscans' in an effort of the Catholic Church to convert the Wild Indian tribes to the-'Christian faith, and they were also used by Spain as outposts and 'garrisons in the terr1tory. The olldesti mission standing LnfTe1ias, San Miguel del Svocorro, was built in 1652 near what is 'now El Paso. The m1ssion'Is1eta del Sur was built the following year near, the present site of Ysleta. ' .' Q V Slan Francisco de los Tejas, 'theiirstt mission of East Texas, was founded May 24, 1690. The Mission Sa.ntisiruo'Nombre de'Mar1a was erected nearby in the same year: Otherfxilsslons in that sectionof the State are: the niission of San Franci co de los Neches 'f1?165nin ,Gherokee County, Mission -Nuestra' seflormdeilos Dolores 117161, at the present site ofllaoeidoches. - , . - - , i 4 I. .,t. , The group. known ,as the 'San Antonio missionswere not begun. until 1718. The present Alamo, however, was not-built until 11544115 was .originally the chapel attached to San, Anton-iq dewalero, and possible to other, missions in the neighborhood. Mission San Jose yvSan 'de 'Aguayo was, built in 1720,Vand it .was ,Q one ofvthelxnany famous 'missions founded,by,,3Fat,her. Antonio MMgn.,1t took 'more than fifty, yegisxtq complete all' the buildings, fortlthe og1g1na1'.m1ss1on conslstednot only. of thelchapel, but quarters for the priests, soldiers, ai1dU1ndian ,gas,,1?iel1 as stables, garrisons, and other buildingsg San Jose is known as the queen vof ,aI1,,missionsf7Q , Two ,other famous 'missionsg which 'complete the San Antonio group, are M1BSi0U iNUE,Btf8 Sefiora rde'la-Purlsimalloncepcion -'de -Acunu and San Juan Capistrano! B'oth5offthese.,'ni!ss1ons were erefoted, about-'t'he,same, time as San Jose, .and both haveplayed an .important -F8156 Finn'-the early history of- Texas' as apart-:of Mexico. , ,f - . . h . ' , f- M j M. L . . ' V' I ' '1 , . .,r. Y., '- 1 V 4 4 ' ' , 1' F V . Y. V: f - A -W Y L . 'J2'S.f1Q 2!EalL2lzt.s,5f-as .mn l r .f.u,,t,o-riirfm

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