Saint Louis University High School

Saint Louis
Kings Oak, St. Louis
St. Louis University High School (SLUH), a Jesuit Catholic high school for boys founded in 1818, is the oldest secondary educational institution in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River, and one of the largest private high schools in Missouri. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis.

History

SLUH was founded in 1818 by the bishop of St. Louis, Bishop Dubourg,[1] as a Latin school for boys known as St. Louis Academy. Classes were held in a one-story house owned by Madame Alvarez on the northwest corner of Third and Market Street. It quickly grew to include a college division, and the college was granted university status in 1832. The high school retained the identity of St. Louis Academy on the university campus until 1924 when it moved to its own facilities and incorporated separately under the name of St. Louis University High School. The school's new home, on Oakland Avenue, was a gift of Anna Backer in memory of her late husband and alumnus George Backer. That facility, also known as Backer Memorial, has grown considerably over the years and remains the school's home.[2] SLUH has been successful in its city location while many other private high schools have followed population moves to the western suburbs.[3]

In 1984, Paul Owens became the school's first lay principal, and in 2005, David J. Laughlin was hired as the school's first lay president.

In 2013, SLUH was ranked as the top-scoring organization in the mid-size employer category of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's survey of Top Workplaces.[4] Academics

Since the school is part of the Jesuit network that consists of 59 high schools and 28 colleges and universities in the United States, SLUH provides an education infused with the tradition and philosophy of St. Ignatius of Loyola.[5] Theology and philosophy classes are conducted daily.

According to figures released on SLUH's website in 2011, the median ACT score for SLUH students is over 30.[6] By composite score, it ranks among the top seven per cent of schools in the United States. Over 50% of SLUH's class of 2011 achieved a score of 30 or higher on the ACT. Among St. Louis and St. Louis area high schools with a total enrollment of over 600, it had the highest scores in 2012.[7] Since 2005 a total of 31 students have received a 36, the highest score possible.[8] Four members of the class of 2012 achieved this score, along with five members of the class of 2013, and two members of the class of 2014.

In September 2010, 23 students from SLUH were named National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists, exceeding the number of semifinalists at any other school in Missouri.[9] In 2011, 17 students were named National Merit Semifinalists, while 28 were named National Merit Commended Scholars. In 2012, SLUH surpassed its 2010 performance: 25 students were named National Merit Semifinalists, while 29 were named National Merit Commended Scholars.[10]

Advanced Placement (AP) courses have been offered through SLUH for half a century. AP courses are now offered for 22 disciplines. In 2010, 345 students took 790 AP exams. Eighty-seven percent scored a 3, 4 or 5, grades that qualify them for college credit.[6]

SLUH has also performed well in the Presidential Scholars Program. In 2007, for example, three of Missouri's ten semifinalists were from SLUH. One of Missouri's two recipients, Daniel Viox, was among the three.[11] In 2012 one of Missouri's ten semifinalists was from SLUH. [12][13]

The humanities receive a strong emphasis within SLUH's curriculum, as evidenced in the language department that has offered four-year programs in Russian and Chinese since 1964.[14] In 1997 a student exchange program with the Nanjing Foreign Language School was established. [15]Since 2011 SLUH has sponsored a Confucius Classroom which is a subdivision of Webster University's Confucius Institute. [16] In 1999 educational exchange programs for the study of Russian language and culture were established with schools--gymnasium (school)--in St. Petersburgh. [17][18] In keeping with its strong Jesuit Catholic heritage, courses in Latin and Greek are offered, as are the popular choices of French and Spanish. SLUH also has strong programs in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences, fine arts, and literature.[19][20]

Virtually all SLUH students immediately enter colleges or universities upon graduation. Members of the Class of 2011 were accepted at 203 different colleges and universities and will be attending 72 different colleges and universities throughout the United States. These students accepted over 300 scholarships totaling nearly $2 million.[21] Facilities

Since the original building was completed in 1924, the campus has expanded several times. The first major addition was completed in 1944, when a new wing was added to the Jesuit residence. In 1945, a basement was excavated under the main building, which was used to create a recreation room. Using investment gains in the Backer Endowment Fund, the school completed a major expansion in 1956 which included locker rooms, music facilities and the Backer Gymnasium. This gym replaced the original gym in the main building, which became an auditorium. A new library, which was later named for long-time history teacher Dr. James Robinson, was completed in time for the start of the 1971 academic year.

In 1978 under the leadership of Fr. Thomas Cummings, S.J., the school began soliciting funds for the "Triple E" program (standing for "Education, Endowment, and Expansion"), which helped to remodel the interior of the school, build the endowment and erect an upper field, faculty parking lot and the current football stadium on the Oakland Avenue side of the school.

In 1992, the Jesuit community moved out of the front wing of the school due to the declining number of priests. The Jesuit Wing was then renovated creating new Theology and Fine Arts classrooms as well as new office space for the school administrators. Today the SLUH Jesuit community resides in two houses in the neighborhood adjacent to the school's campus.

1996 saw a major renovation of the interior of the original building, including new HVAC systems, electrical updates, energy-efficient windows and additional classrooms. Also completed in 1996 was a new Fine Arts complex which included the Joseph Schulte Theater, a dance studio and two new music classrooms. The theater was named for long-time SLUH drama teacher and St. Louis theatre figure F. Joseph Schulte. The Schulte Theater has 356 permanent seats, and the capacity is expandable to 610 when the additional 254 bleacher seats in the balcony-like loge section are utilized. The theater is often rented to outside groups to perform plays and other functions.

In 2001, the basement rec room was named the "Fr. Hagan Rec Room" to honor Martin Hagan, S.J., a retired priest who spent more than 40 years on the SLUH faculty and was a longtime supervisor of the recreation room and the rifle coach. The Fr. Hagan Rec Room includes over 20 billiard tables and also contains foosball, ping pong, bumper pool, and shuffle board. The Fr. Hagan Rec Room is a favorite hang out for students, especially freshmen. The SLUH Rifle Range is right next door to the Rec Room, and the Pettit Fitness Center and Weight Room is across the hall.