History
History of Saint Stanislaus
Founded in 1854 by the Brothers of Sacred Heart, Saint Stanislaus is the oldest institution of learning on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Chartered in 1870 as St. Stanislaus College, the school became college preparatory in 1923.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS 1854 – 1870
Brother Athanasius Faugier, one of the original missionaries to America in 1847, took charge of the Brothers’ community in Shieldsboro (which later became Bay St. Louis), Mississippi, in December 1855. In October 1858, he purchased the original property and building for just under $8,000.
Glowing Reputation 1870 – 1903
Saint Stanislaus Commercial College, as the Brothers’ school became known, had already built a solid reputation as an outstanding institution. The college produced exceptional graduating classes and received excellent press coverage from the local media.
Bold Adaptations 1903 – 1923
Brother Felix, faced with construction costs of the new buildings, turned to the alumni for financial assistance. It was the first time the alumni had been asked for a donation.
School of Character 1923 – 1948
After winning the Southern Catholic Conference, the SSC basketball team boarded a train to Chicago to play a 32-team national tournament. The Rock-A-Chaws lost in the finals to Marquette 25 to 19. They did walk away with the trophy for the best sportsmanship team.
Capital Improvements 1948 – 1978
Brother Peter started Camp Stanislaus in 1928 to create fun and character formation, setting its high standards and making it the most sought-after camp in the South. Thirty Brothers supervised 200 boys at the summer camp in 1953.
Sharing the Charism 1978 – 1996
Brother Aquin Gauthier, alumni director in 1988, declared that year’s reunion in New Orleans “a great success.” About 460 SSC grads gathered at the Jefferson-Orleans to celebrate and reminisce. Some traveled great distances, even from Mexico for the event.
New Millennium 1996 – 2004
In 1998, SSC computer science instructor Mr. Bill Jennings put SSC on the world wide web at ststan.com. The website, under the direction of Brother Charles Schilling since 1999, has expanded to include many features of SSC.
Renewal 2004 – 2021
Saint Stanislaus has renovated most of its campus buildings since 2005, including renovating its famous 1,000-foot fishing pier, a new band hall a new cafeteria (2010), a new STEM lab (2021), and making many other improvements.