Salpointe Catholic High School - History

History

Salpointe Catholic High School is named for Arizona's first Bishop, Jean-Baptiste Salpointe, who worked as a missionary in the Arizona Territory from 1866 to 1885.

In the late 1940s, Tucson's parochial grammar schools had nine grades. The desire to build a Catholic high school for these graduates prompted the Diocese of Tucson to purchase the 40-acre (40-acre (160,000 m2)) Florence Addition. Salpointe Catholic High School began in 1950 as a modest school consisting of what is now the Farr Patio and cafeteria. On the first day of school Salpointe opened its doors to 100 students. At this time Tucson High School and Amphitheater High School were the only other high schools in Tucson. There were nine classrooms, a library and administrative offices. The first principal was Rev. Victor Stoner. He was followed by Rev. Edward Carscallen and Rev. George Dyke.

In the summer of 1952, Msgr. Francis Green, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, visited the Chancery Office in Chicago where he met Rev. Romaeus O'Brien, O. Carm. He mentioned that Bishop Daniel Gercke of Tucson was thinking about asking a religious order to operate Salpointe. In the spring of 1953, Msgr. Green made a formal request that the Carmelites come to Tucson. Rev. Joseph Bonaventure Gilmore, O. Carm., Provincial Counselor, and Rev. Kenneth Moore, O. Carm., Assistant Provincial, met with Msgr. Green, Msgr. Don Hughes, President of the Salpointe School Board, and other pastors. Fr. Gilmore became the first Carmelite Principal in the summer of 1953. In August, he wrote to Rev. Raphael Kieffer, O. Carm., Carmelite Provincial, asking that the two promised Carmelites arrive as soon as possible.

The day school opened, Fr. Frank Florian McCarthy, O. Carm., and Fr. Carl Pfister, O. Carm. arrived from Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago. The original faculty consisted of three Carmelites, six Sisters of St. Joseph, three Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, two Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and one Benedictine. Two laymen and one laywoman were also on the staff. On September 8, 1955, Bishop Gercke transferred ownership of the forty acres and buildings, then known as Salpointe High School, to the Carmelites for "$10.00 and other valuable considerations."

Much of Salpointe's early development (1954-1966) was due to the generosity of Helena S. Corcoran (with the support of her husband) who donated $8–$10 million for expansion of the Salpointe campus. Under her sponsorship, the school grew from 400 to 1,000 pupils, and the physical infrastructure that forms much of today's campus was established.