The Old Academy
Sketch of the Old Academy
Perched atop the highest hill overlooking the historic town of Sainte Geneviève, Missouri still stands the first school and community home of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in America. Erected in 1808 as Sainte Geneviève Academy, the first publically chartered school west of the Mississippi River, the beautiful limestone Federalist-style mansion today serves as a private residence and houses a small, private museum.
Under the direction of Father James Maxwell, Vicar General of the Bishop of Louisiana and parish priest of Ste. Genevieve, Sainte Genevieve Academy was chartered on June 21, 1808. The first Board of Trustees awarded Mr. William Shannon the contract to build the Old Academy.
Sainte Genevieve Academy
In 1808, William Shannon, an Irishman, a Trustee of the Academy, and a builder by trade, was hired as the architect and builder of the Academy. While his contract specified the layout and the materials used, there were no architectural drawings and Shannon esentially built it from memory. His design represents an Irish manor house.
Detail of the Limestone Facade
A lot of effort and faith went into the creation of the Academy. The size and quality for the era was considered outstanding. The blue limestone on this facade, which was rare, unique and 3' thick, was salvaged from the abandoned Ruins of Fort de Chartres and re-purposed for the Academy.
Early Print of Sainte Genevieve
In the early 19th century, there were few stone buildings. The Catholic Church and most of the town residences were all constructed out of wood. Few structures in the early 1800s could have compared to the Academy in size and quality of construction. This large stone manor house perched on the most prominent hill above the town spoke volumes above the importance of education. The higher elevation also made the Academy a healthier place, void of disease and mosquitos that lerked down below.
Edward Mann Butler
By 1810, the building was ready and Daniel Barry was appointed the first instructor to teach at the Academy. Two years later, Mann Butler, the historian of Kentucky, was appointed principal-teacher. In 1814, upon the untimely death of Father James Maxwell, the priest responsible for organizing Sainte Genevieve Academy, Mann Butler returned to Kentucky and the School closed. It remained empty until January 1819, when the Christian Brothers arrived and re-opened the Academy.
Classes were held in the two first-floor rooms, each equipped with a fireplace. The staircase led to the second floor, which mirrors the first and housed two additional classrooms. The second floor windows, which provided excellent natural light, in the 1800s, featured a clear view of the Mississippi River.
One of the original first-floor classrooms. Today it serves as a sitting room.
Original Regency Fireplace
A detail of the first-floor classroom.
Notice the Asymmetrical Window Line. Mr. Shannon built the Academy without any architectural drawings.
Original Interior Entryway Door
Original Georgian Staircase.
Original First-Floor Classroom. Today it serves as a living room.
Original American Red Oak Flooring
Original Skeleton Key to the Brothers Entrance
The Brothers chose to live in the Academy rather than add extra economic stress in demanding a separate rectory. Their community residence was located on the basement level, the warmest part of an uninsulated house in the early 1800s. The entrance was located underneath the porch.
Cooking was done in a large fireplace, which was the natural method at the that time. They had a small stove for heating, but no actual kitchen, per se. There was no indoor plumbing, but the Brothers had a cistern and an outhouse.
The original Brothers' community residence. Today it serves as a rec room.
Brothers' Community Residence
Brothers' Community Residence
Brothers' Original Entryway
Original Sash Window
Original Wood Beam and Stone Wall
Original Wood Beams with Hacket Marks
Original Brick Flooring
Small Private Museum
Today, part of the basement level has been converted into a private museum housing early American materials in general and historical objects related to the state of Missouri and Sainte Genevieve in particular.
Abandoned Academy
In 1814, the three Christian Brothers were given new orders by the Bishop. Brother Antonin was to remain at Sainte Genevieve, Brother Fulgence was sent to New Orleans and Brother Aubin was sent to the Barrens. All three subsequently left the Institute. The Academy was shuttered.
Firmin A. Rozier
Around 1849, Firmin A. Rozier, a banker, writer and one of Sainte Genevieve's most prominent citizens, acquired the Academy and reorganized the school. He added a brick addition, where his family lived, and reopened the school in 1853. It flourished until 1861 when the Civil War intervened and the Academy closed. In 1934 the Academy was sold to the Sainte Genevieve Board of Education. The Rozier family continued to live in the Old Academy until their deaths in the 1940s when the school district took it over.
Two-story addition today.
Rozier's two-story brick addition stands fifty feet wide by twenty-five feet high. Initially created as a classroom wing, Rozier converted the lower level into a dining room, sitting room and bathroom adding a large central chimney. The second floor rear wing was similarly altered to serve as a bedroom and large, private library for the General. The original 1808 rooms were never altered.
Under Restoration, 1997
Under Restoration, 1997
Under Restoration, 1997
Under Restoration, 1997
For several years the Old Academy remained vacant and it fell into a state of near collapse. In 1991, the Board of Education donated it to the State of Missouri. The State put it up for sale and in 1994 Mr. Timothy Conley bought the property. Mr. Conley meticulously restored the Old Academy from 1994 to 1999.
The Old Academy, 2018
