History


1929-1930 Faculty

Mercyhurst Seminary/Preparatory School traces its heritage to the foundress of the Sister of Mercy, Catherine McAuley.  Catherine was born in 1778 into a financially secure family.  Her father James, a devout Catholic, taught  the fundamentals of faith by his good example of  reaching out to the poor.  Catherine's comfortable life changed drastically after the death of her parents.  She was sent to live with a Protestant family where she experienced poverty firsthand.  She was able to retain her strong Catholic beliefs through her own strong will and the role modeling of her father. 

As chance would have it, Catherine accepted a position to serve as nurse companion to Mrs. Catherine Callaghan.  The Callaghan's were Quakers and  encouraged service to the poor.  Catherine was free to practice her faith, thus fertilizing the seeds planted by her father.  The Callaghan's adopted Catherine as their daughter and eventually converted to Catholicism.  Upon their death, she inherited the equivalent of $1,000,000.

Catherine continued her service to the needy while studying educational methods.  She opened the House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland in 1831 with the goals of spiritual advancement, and service to the poor, sick and uneducated.  Two hundred girls were enrolled in the school its first year with 12 women living and working in the building.  The women began to call each other "sister" and were encouraged to begin a religious order.  Catherine began her novitiate at the age of 52.  In 1831, three novices professed their vows, thus giving birth to the Sisters of Mercy.

Within the 10 years of beginning her order and her death, Catherine McAuley established a total of  nine convents in Ireland and England.  She died in 1841 and was laid to rest in the ground with the poor.

Sisters of Mercy came to the United States in 1842 at the request of Bishop Michael O'Connor of Pittsburgh.  While the sisters were en route from Ireland to the United Sates, they met Tobias Mullen, a seminarian.  This chance meeting affected the education of young women years later.  Tobias Mullen was later named Bishop and invited the Sisters of Mercy to the Erie Diocese in 1870 since he saw a need for Catholic education.  In 1871, they opened Saint Joseph Academy, a private school for girls in Titusville, Pennsylvania.  By the 1920's, the order and the school were growing rapidly, so the sisters set their sights on opening a school in Erie.  

Bishop John Mark Gannon suggested to Mother M. Borgia Egan, the Superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Titusville, that she  raise $150,000 and come to Erie to found a school in 1921.  Mother Borgia purchased 75 acres of farmland in remote southeast Erie.  Mercyhurst Seminary, an educational institution for college, high school, and grade school women opened in 1926.  Hurst is old English for wooded hilltop and seminary in Latin means a place where seeds are planted to grow.  The Seminary was located on the first floor of Egan Hall giving some 50 students total access to the facility.  One lower grade was dropped each year until all students were graduated from eighth grade, leaving the seminary a high school and college institution.

When the Seminary was only three years old, the Great Depression hit the country.   The school needed a fundraising project.  According to Margaret McMahon, a 1933 Mercyhurst Seminary graduate, "The nuns produced and directed three musical comedies with college girls taking the main speaking and singing parts and the rest of the girls dancing and singing.  The plays were three nights each year at a different theatre.  I believe the Erie people were tired of all the sadness and enjoyed the live theatre."

Although Mercyhurst Seminary and Mercyhurst College originally shared the same facilities, plans for a separate building were set in motion in 1952. The Sisters, acting on a Middle States Association recommendation, broke ground on East Grandview Boulevard. The new building, now called Mercyhurst Preparatory School, opened its doors in 1963 to 170 women.

In 1974 Mercyhurst became coed, providing a private school alternative that had not been previously available to young people in Erie. In 1993 a building expansion program was begun, resulting in the addition of a new wing, including athletic facilities, offices, and a new auditorium. As the building expanded, so did Mercyhurst's eye toward innovation with several new programs.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded MPS the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award in 1993 and again in 1998.

 

 

 

1778

Catherine McAuley is born in Dublin, Ireland in 1778.  Her compassion for the poor and strong conviction in the Catholic faith guides her to use her inheritance money to help poor women and children.  She leases property on Baggot Street in Dublin and opens the House of Mercy on September 24, 1827, on the feast of Our Lady of Mercy.

1831

 

The Archbishop of Dublin along with friends of Catherine encourages the women of the House of Mercy to establish a religious congregation.  Three novices profess their vows on December 12, 1831, thus giving birth to the Sisters of Mercy.  Their principal aims are to "educate poor girls, to lodge and maintain poor young women who are in danger.and to visit the sick poor."  Catherine is 52 years old at the time.

  1831-1842

In the ten years between founding the order and her death, Catherine establishes nine Convents of Mercy.

After 1841

Foundations are soon established in Newfoundland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Perth, and Auckland, where the sisters work with both the immigrant and native people, educating and helping the needy.

1921

Bishop John Mark Gannon suggests to Mother M. Borgia Egan, the Superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Titusville, that she "raise $150,000 and come to Erie to found a school."

1871-1926

St. Joseph private girls academy, conducted by the Sisters of Mercy in Titusville, Pennsylvania, is one of the first Catholic private academies approved by the Department of Public Instruction in Harrisburg.

1926

Under the name of Mercyhurst Seminary, the girls academy moves to Erie, occupying the first floor of Mercyhurst College building, located on East 38th Street in Glenwood Hills.  Seminary students number in the 50’s.

1927

This college preparatory school for girls receives accreditation by the Department of Public Instruction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

1928

The Hurst Howl, the first student newspaper, is initiated.   Because the name is considered to radical by the faculty, it is soon changed to Hurst Hum.

1932

Mercyhurst Seminary receives initial accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

1942

Enrollment becomes stable at 100 girls.  Field hockey is a popular sport.  School colors and uniforms are blue and white.

1952

Middle States recommends a separate building for the high school since facilities at Mercyhurst College are inadequate for the growing Seminary.

1961

Sisters of Mercy decide to construct a college preparatory school on East Grandview Boulevard.

1963

In the fall, Mercyhurst Preparatory School for girls on East Grandview Boulevard opens it doors to a record enrollment of 170 students.

1964

On May 3, dedication ceremonies for the new high school are held by Auxiliary Bishop Edward P. McManaman of the Erie diocese.

1971

Sisters of Mercy celebrate their one hundred years in education in northwestern Pennsylvania by initiating an innovative modular system at Mercyhurst Prep.  School colors are changed to green and white.

1974

Mercyhurst Prep becomes Erie’s only Catholic coeducational high school.

1978
Sr. Maura Smith accepts responsibilities as principal of MPS.

1979

Crew and Children’s Theatre Ensemble are established.

1982

MPS is reaccredited by the Middle Atlantic States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

1984

MPS celebrates its tenth year of coeducation.  Campus Ministry program begins.  MPS joins the Metro League providing interscholastic competition for boys and girls.

1985

Enrollment reaches an all-time record high of 710 students.

1986

Girls' basketball team captures Pennsylvania AAA championship crown, a first for any Erie's girls' team.  School celebrates 60th anniversary.

1987

Administrative structure changes to include president and principal.  Sr.JoAnne Courneen and Mrs. Anita Squeglia become heads of new administration.

1988
The twenty-fifth year as Mercyhurst Preparatory School in the new building on the hill is celebrated.  Dress uniform, including ties for both boys and girls is adopted.

1991

Girls basketball team wins the AAA state basketball championship.  Boy’s basketball wins the AA state basketball championship.  Girl’s soccer team captures D-10 title.

1992

The 8 block, A/B day schedule is adopted.  Reaccreditations is awarded with a glowing report from Middle States Association.

1993

MPS is awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon School award from U.S. Dept. of     Education. The new building and renovation project is completed at a cost of 3.7 million dollars.  Enrollment reaches 780.

1994

Enrollment reaches 800.  IBM computer lab opened.  Girls' basketball team claims Metro and District 10 AAAA championships.

1995

“Nunsense" earns state and national honors.  School begins participation in the Academic Sports League.  Girl’s tennis team become D-10 champs.

1996

Georgia Johnson becomes president and Edward Zenewicz becomes                 principal.  School begins with a record enrollment of 846 students.  School        celebrates 70 years of education in the tradition of Mercy

1997

MPS earns US Department of Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award for the second time.  David Fries `97, IB Diploma holder, attends Harvard University.

1998

Mercyhurst Prep is reaccredited by Middle States Association.  Margaret Aste is named new principal.

1999

Angie Potthoff `92 is named Erie‘s top athlete, Bill Bengel is named highest rated high school coach of female teams of the century in the Times News Best of the Century series.  Mary Ann Roberts Fessler `50, Teresa Szumigala `91 and Kelly Erven Masler `87 are named sixth, seventh and eighth in the top 12 female athletes; Barb Filutze, MPS cross-country coach, named to ninth place; Kelso Brophy `88, Veronica Sansom `88, Lisa Maxson Beery `86, Sue Heidt Koonmen `86, Eric Hicks `94, Kyle Horton `92, and Ron Palombi Jr. `80 named best of the century athletes from MPS.  Karolina Dmochowska `99, IB Diploma holder, attends Harvard University.

2000

Our Lady of Mercy Chapel is redesigned and redecorated.  Football team claims Metro AA/AAA championship.  Tennis team captures state doubles championship.

2001

Mercyhurst Prep celebrates its 75th Anniversary.  Students and chaperones travel to Baltimore for the 1st Mission Trip.
2002
Sr. Mary Ann Bader, RSM is named president.  Bill Bengel is named to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.  MPS becomes the 3rd school in the country to acquire rights to perform Les Miserables.
2003

MPS receives Middle States reaccreditation.  Girl’s tennis team are Metro League champions for 3rd year in a row.  Taylor Baker `03, is named Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA.
2004
Girls Basketball Team captures the PIAA AAAA State Title. Crew celebrates its 25th anniversary.  $3,000,000 Capital Campaign is announced. McAuley Scholars' classes for qualifying 8th grade students begin.
2005

Mercyhurst Prep forms an educational partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).  Ms. Margaret Aste, principal, is named a Dynamic Dozen Woman. Girls Basketball claims AAA state championship, making Erie history with back to back titles. “Shoah Project” (a book of Sacred Stories and a video dealing with survivors of the Holocaust) debuts.
2006
MPS celebrates its 80th Anniversay. Aggressive Institutional Advancement Program begins.
2007
MPS reaches three year, $3,000,000 Capital Campaign goal.  New Science wing is dedicated.  High IB scores are achieved.  Speech and Debate claims National 2nd place.