Mount St. Mary Academy
Mount St. Mary Academy is a private, Catholic high school established in Little Rock in 1851 by the Sisters of Mercy of the Diocese of Little Rock. The school is the oldest continuously operating private educational institution in the state of Arkansas.
Mount St. Mary was established at the corner of Seventh and Louisiana streets in downtown Little Rock, and the first class had thirty-five boys and girls. The school moved to its current home in Pulaski Heights in 1908. In that same year the institution became and exclusively girl's grammar and high school. Mount St. Mary Convent was also established at the site.
A boarding facility on the site was closed in 1970, and the elementary closed in 1975. The convent was removed in 1982. The school began offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in 2000.
The mission of Mount St. Mary Academy is based on the statement of Catherine McAuley who was the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. She said, "No work of charity can be more productive of good to society... than the careful instruction of women."
Both Catholic and non-Catholic girls are welcomed to attend the school. However, the tuition for non-Catholic students is just over $500 more than that of Catholic students. It costs approximately $7,210 for a Catholic girl to attend. In contrast, it costs approximately $7,790 for a non-Catholic student. More detailed information about tuition and a full-length history about the founding and charity work of the academy can be found at their website.
The address of Mount St. Mary Academy is 3224 Kavanaugh Boulevard.
References
- Gwen Moritz, "Oldest Arkansas Companies," Arkansas Business, September 24, 2007.
