In October 2015, we came across a very rare 1878 Commencement Program on EBay for St. Agnes Academy and La Salette Academy.  Only one Commencement Program for the Memphis  Male and Female High Schools of 1875  is known to be older.  So after our winning bid, it was natural that the Commencement Program be featured on the Historic-Memphis.com website, along with the histories of St. Agnes Academy, and the previously unknown La Salette Academy.  To add to this discovery, we also located the newspaper review of this commencement in the 1878  Memphis Daily Appeal.

St. Agnes Academy "for young ladies" was founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1851.  The founding Sisters were Magdalen Clark, Catherine McCormack, Vincentia Fitzpatrick, Ann Simpson, Sr. Lucy Harper, and Emily Thorpe.  The school was located in the Memphis suburbs at 697 Vance  Street at Orleans, about 1 1/4 mile from city center.  On opening day there were 20 boarders and about 15 day-students.  By the time the school year ended, the enrollment had increased to more that 50.  The school followed Catholic principles but was not run by the Mem[his diocese.

The school was a popular choice.  In the fall of 1867 and again in 1873, Memphis was overwhelmed by yellow fever epidemics.  During these times, many of the Dominican Sisters died rendering service to the sick of the city.   In May of 1878 the Academy burned.  It was quickly rebuilt and almost ready by the Fall term.  But that term coincided with the worst Yellow Fever epidemic of all.  However, the school recovered.

The expanding St. Agnes Academy

1870 Ad

1872 Ad

1876 Ad

1878 Fire!

1878 Daily Appeal  ..

1878 New Building      

1879 Opening after Fever....

Vance - Orleans today...

Memphis History

Sisters Memorial

1890

1883 Review

1947

1947 Chapel

1947 Library

After 100 years at Vance and Orleans, St. Agnes Academy moved to its present site on Walnut Grove Road in 1951.  In 1956 a new building was added, the St. Dominic school for boys.   The present school has kindergarten education for boys and girls ages 3 to 5, single-sex classes for girls and boys, grades one to six, coordinated junior high classes for boys and girls, grades 7 and 8, and college preparatory education for girls from grades nine through twelve.

SAA-SDS Seal

St. Agnes - today...

Students at St. Agnes were, and are "imbued with Catholic principles and Dominican spirituality, which stress truth in word and action, the value of study and sharing knowledge with others, the necessity of combining contemplation with action, and the commitment to the Four Pillars of Study, Prayer, Community, and Service."

St. Agnes  - Vintage

By 1867, St. Agnes had become very successful and its building was so over-crowded that another Catholic girl's school was opened at 178 Third Street.  It was originally named "St. Agnes Day School" but later changed to "La Salette Academy".  La Salette also grew rapidly.  During the 1873 and 1878 yellow fever epidemics, the La Salette building was used as a hospital and several Sisters succumbed to the Fever.  After the epidemic was over, La Salette reopened and continued for about 12 more years.  It closed around 1893 because St. Agnes, with its new wing additions, was now able to accommodate more pupils.  In 1901, La Salette's building became an early home of the Nineteenth Century Club.  In 1905, the revised Memphis numbering system changed the address to 174 N. 3rd Street.

La Salette Academy

1867 Announcement

1867 Ad

1871 Announcement

1871 Announcement

1871 Ad

Clara Conway was educated at St. Agnes Academy and began a successful career as a teacher in the public schools.  By 1877 she left this position to open her own school - a high grade school for girls.  She believed her school would make women economically independent and to do this, she knew a solid education was necessary.  Conway became one of the most prominent figures in education in the South and her school held a unique place in the region as a major preparatory school for young women. 

Clara Conway Institute

The Clara Conway Institute had a fine reference library, a well-equipped gymnasium, a science lab, and a complete arts studio.  There were courses in voice, piano, theory, and public speaking.  Over the years Conway won the friendship of famous artists, musicians, authors and scientists.   Graduates from her school were readily admitted to Vassar and Wellesley - without examination.   Her school closed in 1893.  There was a pergola dedicated to Clara Conway in Overton Park in 1908, but it was destroyed during a heavy windstorm in 1936.   Sacred Heart took over the Conway building on Poplar.

1926 Yearbook

1967-68