Marquette Catholic High School

The History of Marquette Catholic High School                      
The following is condensed with permission from 1986, copyright by Patricia Gruse Harris ‘52.

Beginnings
On June 27, 1886, the day of the corner stone laying, the newspaper said "a gala day in the history of Catholic churches in the city." The bell was placed in the tower of the new St. Mary's School at 10th and Buffalo Streets; that was the beginning of St. Mary's/Marquette High School more than 100 years ago.

On November 2, 1886, the students, 80 in all, moved into their new classroom, which included a high school department. Enrollment continued to grow from 250 students taught by six sisters to 440 including the high school by 1896. Many of the students remained for only one, two or three years and would then leave high school to go to work. However, in June 1894 two students completed four years of study, thus becoming the first graduates of St. Mary's High School.

The Twenties
By 1921 enrollment had reached 544, in both the grade school and the high school. The large classes could no longer be accommodated in the school. The old convent situated just behind the school building was remodeled and fitted for classrooms, and the high school moved into those quarters. By 1925, Marquette Hall, which had been erected in 1914 as the parish hall, was being used very little. It was decided to convert it into the high school. In September 1925 the entire high school department, 102 students, moved into the second floor of Marquette Hall.

On May 4, 1928, the high school received accreditation from the Indiana Superintendent of Schools, thus becoming the first four-year accredited Catholic high school in the Diocese of Gary.

October 1937 brought about two 'firsts"--school uniforms and a school newspaper, The Marquette. The name Immaculata was chosen in November of the same year for the annual yearbook, a name which continued until 1968. The school club activities in the 1930's included Girls' Glee Club, Latin Club, Debating Teams and Oratorical Contests.

A classroom which had been the balcony of the auditorium, on the third floor, became known as "Little America." Those who had classes there were certainly removed from the rest of the school and, as some said, removed from the heat as well. Classes were held in "Little America" until the mid 1940's.

In the fall of 1934, it was announced that the third floor of Marquette Hall would be turned into a gymnasium. With the 13 new facilities available, a boys' basketball team was formed. By 1945 the athletic program produced almost 100% participation from the student body. Also in 1945 Msgr. Vurpillat announced the erection of a new Catholic high school, gymnasium and social hall in the near future. However, the project was dropped for one reason or another but was revived again in 1949. On January 30, 1954, contracts were signed for the construction of a new parish high school.

The New School
In 1955 the present high school was completed. March 25, 1955, was moving day for students and faculty. As the convent archives stated: "Perhaps the happiest day ever known to both the faculty and students of the high school took place today when we all moved into our new high school." The next week the renovation of Marquette Hall began. It was completed on April 13, 1956. Located in the lobby of Marquette Hall stands the statue of Father Marquette, which was formerly outside the front of the building.

Dual Education
In December 1966 a plan for a dual system of education was proposed. Both the Michigan City School and Diocesan School authorities had purchased property adjacent to each other on Pahs Road, the site of Michigan City High School. Eighty percent of the families voting in December 1966 favored the program.

Meanwhile the cost of operating the high school by St. Mary's parish alone was becoming prohibitive. As a result it was decided that beginning with the school year 1968-1969, St. Mary's High School would become a city-wide catholic high school named Marquette High School. It was felt this would aid in the transition to the dual enrollment school scheduled to begin in 1971. Therefore, the commencement exercises on June 2, 1968 became the final commencement of St. Mary's High School.
The beginning of the end of the dual enrollment plan began on April 25, 1969. On that day, Mother Verda Clare, Provincial Superior of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, advised that they could not supply sisters for the dual enrollment school. On July 8, 1970, the Marquette School Commission was dissolved.

Finally, on September 30, the plans for Marquette High School as a dual enrollment school were dropped. Thus, this unique proposal never came to be and Marquette High School continues today as a city-wide Catholic high school at its present site.

The 70's
Another crisis arose in 1971 which threatened the continuance of Marquette High School. Costs were escalating and enrollment decreasing, and there were fewer religious educators available to teach in the high school. This resulted in increasing demands on parish and diocesan funds. This crisis united the parents and lay persons into action to prevent the closing of Marquette High School.

The Marquette High School Finance Committee was organized to develop a plan presented by the committee to subsidize tuition. The plan included a four-year fund drive, and those efforts raised $225,000.00. The program helped put the school on a sounder financial basis while increasing enrollment.

Marquette High School holds a first class certification from the state of Indiana and offers a complete college curriculum. For those students not contemplating college after graduation, there is the opportunity for a share time program while attending Marquette; courses in the practical arts are available through the Michigan City Public Schools.

Marquette High School, the oldest Catholic high school in the Diocese of Gary, is dedicated to the goal of providing its students with a solid education in a thoroughly Christian atmosphere. The Marquette Foundation, the successor to the Marquette Finance Committee, began in 1977 to provide a long-range source of income toward operating costs of the school. The cost of education has risen sharply in recent years. In order to keep tuition within an affordable range, the Marquette Foundation endowment fund subsidizes students through scholarships and provides the school with additional funding.

In the 1995-1996 school year, Marquette received full accreditation standing after undergoing the Indiana Department of Education's PBA process.

The Present and the Future
As a result of the process the school developed a five year school improvement plan which the school continues to implement. Recent improvements at the school facility were the installation of a state of the art twenty-eight station computer lab. In addition numerous athletic events can now be conducted at the Marquette Athletic Complex on Pahs Road, including baseball, softball, soccer and cross country.

Marquette High School is a vital part of Michigan City as it has been for over one hundred years. It gives everyone, regardless of religious beliefs, a choice in education. It is certainly a symbol of "Unity through Catholic Education" as students from all the Catholic parishes and from other faiths make Marquette their choice for high school.

The bell placed in the tower of St. Mary's/Marquette High School over 100 years ago has truly” Rung for Freedom of Education."