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St. Mary's Catholic Church was officially organized in West in 1892. Because parents wanted a Catholic education for their children, Father F. G. Sebik wrote to Reverend Mother Florence, Superior General of the Sisters of Divine Providence, headquartered in Castroville. She soon sent Sister M. Pelagia and three other nuns to teach West's 132 Catholic children. The first school structure included three classrooms and living quarters for the sisters. As enrollment grew the Sisters began to accept boarding students. Interest was so high that by 1909 they were forced to turn boarders away. A new brick schoolhouse with six classrooms and an auditorium erected in 1917 accommodated more students. By 1928 seven nuns were teaching at the school. Facilities continued to change as enrollment increased and more sisters arrived. Extracurricular programs with the West public schools ensured that St. Mary's students participated in a variety of activities. The school was fully accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference in 1967. With the economic and social changes of the second half of the 20th century, the number of Sisters able to teach for a stipend instead of a salary decreased and the cost of a Catholic education increased. Enrollment gradually declined over the next decades. The last Sister of Divine Providence left the school in 1984, leaving a legacy of the Catholic educational tradition in West. Parent-teacher initiatives and development ensured the survival of St. Mary's, which continues to serve the community. (1999) |
