St. Vincent's Academy

St. Vincent's Academy
Address
207 East Liberty Street Savannah, Georgia 31401 United States
Coordinates	32°4′26″N 81°5′28″W / 32.07389°N 81.09111°W / 32.07389; -81.09111Coordinates: 32°4′26″N 81°5′28″W / 32.07389°N 81.09111°W / 32.07389; -81.09111
Information
Type	Private
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1845
Principal	Mary Anne Hogan
Faculty	23
Grades	9-12
Gender	Girls
Enrollment	356 (2007)
Color(s)	Blue and gold
Athletics conference	GHSA
Nickname	Saints
Accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Affiliation	National Catholic Educational Association[2]
Website	www.svaga.net

St. Vincent's Academy (SVA) is a private, Catholic, all-female high school located next to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Savannah, Georgia, United States. The school operates within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah and enrolls about 350 girls in grades 9-12.

History

St. Vincent's Academy was opened in June 1845 by the Sisters of Mercy as the Convent and Academy of Saint Vincent dePaul. Under the leadership of Mother Vincent Mahoney, the Sisters of Mercy from Charleston, South Carolina began the boarding school, an orphanage, a day school, and a free school. The St. Vincent's Convent became an independent Motherhouse within two years.

More than 20 schools, hospitals, and orphanages were founded throughout Georgia from the Motherhouse. A few early foundations that continue in service include St. Mary's Home, Savannah (1875), and St. Joseph's Hospital (1880).

Courses in the early curriculum included Penmanship, Astronomy, Composition of Fiction, Sacred and Profane History, Ancient Geography, Chronology, Mythology, and Embroidery.

Campus

Architect Charles B. Cluskey designed the convent and academy building in the Greek Revival style.

Student activities

Traditions

Catherine McAuley Awards

Each year, St. Vincent's Academy honors an alumna with the Catherine McAuley Award. The award is given to a person who exemplifies the attributes of Catherine McCauley and therefore exemplifies the ideals of St. Vincent's Academy while a student and throughout her life.

St. Vincent's Tour of Homes and Tea

Each October, St. Vincent's Academy presents St. Vincent's Annual Tour of Homes and Tea, a self-guided tour of the original 1845 convent building and eight private homes in Savannah’s Historic District. Proceeds from the Tour and Tea benefit the preservation and restoration of the convent.

Athletics

SVA sports include volleyball, softball, cross country, basketball, swimming, rifle, sailing, soccer, tennis, golf, and track. St. Vincent's is a member of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and currently competes in the AA classification. During the 2013-2014 school year, St. Vincent's qualified for state competition in nine sports.

Clubs and organizations

Club events are scheduled two times per month throughout the school year. Many of these clubs participate in activities beyond meeting times during school hours.

Notable alumni

The early history of St. Vincent's is intertwined with that of Savannah and the South. During the Civil War, eight-year-old Maggie Davis, whose father Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States of America, became a student at St. Vincent's. Her brother also came to the convent daily to recite his lessons.

See also

• National Catholic Educational Association

References

External links

• www.svaga.net - official website
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah