Mercy High School (San Francisco) - History

History

The Mission of Mercy High School, San Francisco, a Catholic high school, is to educate young women for their expanding roles in society. This education must be formative, not only imparting fundamental skills and knowledge, but also encouraging the development of values that will guide them in all their lives.

Mercy High School strives to provide a Christian environment where the following values can be nurtured: love of God, self-esteem, intellectual integrity, independent thought, respect for human rights, compassion for others, dedication to teach, courage to act, and respect for the goods of the Earth.

In 1855, Mother Baptist Russell and the Sisters of Mercy opened a night school for adults on Vallejo Street, San Francisco. The late auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco James T. O'Dowd, who was then the Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools, requested that the Sisters of Mercy provide a secondary school for the Catholic girls in the Sunset, Lakeside, and Park Merced districts. As a result, Mercy High School was opened on September 3, 1952 with a class of 199 freshmen in a partially completed building. Nearly two years later, the original building was completed in 1954.

On June 11, 1956, a class of 173 seniors received diplomas and became the first graduating class of Mercy High School. The achievement of Mercy's first graduating class placed the high school on the list of secondary schools accredited by the University of California without delay. In 1958, Mercy High School became a charter member among schools accredited by the Western Catholic Education Association. In 1964, Mercy High School was accredited by the newly formed Secondary Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The school is also a member of the National Catholic Educational Association.

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