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St. Xavier's Academy Denison, Texas  "St. Xavier's Academy." Robinson, Frank M., comp. Industrial Denison. [N.p.]: Means-Moore Co., 1901. p.78 In 1901, a new four-story brick structure was dedicated and served until the school closed in 1968. Popularly called "St. Xavier's" or "the Convent," this large, imposing building contained residential quarters for the nuns who taught at the school, spaces for boarding students, classrooms and other educational spaces, dining room, auditorium, and other facilities. With its grounds, St. Xavier's covered one full city block, bounded by West Sears Street, North Rusk Avenue, West Morton Street, and North Burnett Avenue. Here is a description written about 1908 : "St. Xavier's Academy, a Catholic boarding school, has had a large patronage from Texas and Oklahoma for many years, and the new four-story pressed brick building on their property gives them one of the most extensive and complete institutions of the character in the state." Source : "Denison, the Texas Gateway : A Busy, Progressive City with Golden Opportunities" (N.p.: N.d. [ca, 1908]), p.2The school closed in 1968, and St. Patrick's Catholic Church purchased the site from the Sisters of St. Mary. The parish began demolition of the academy buildings late in December of 1970. Demolition contractor was B. T. Wright of Bonham, Texas. Some time following completion of the demolition of St. Xavier's, the parish erected a one-story brick structure for youth activities on the now-empty block of land where St. Xavier's had stood. However, Denison has not had a Catholic school since the closing of St. Xavier's Academy.  St. Xavier's Academy Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |