MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Ketchings

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING CATHEDRAL SCHOOL IN NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, ON ITS 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

WHEREAS, Cathedral School in Natchez, Mississippi, officially began a year-long commemoration of 150 years of Catholic education in Natchez with a special liturgy at St. Mary Catholic Church celebrated by the Most Reverend Bishop William Houck of the Diocese of Jackson; and

WHEREAS, this 150th birthday party continued with a Sesquicentennial Gala at the Natchez City Auditorium where hundreds of friends, faculty, clergy, parents and alumni of Cathedral School came to celebrate with a reception on the former site of many Cathedral varsity basketball games of the 1940's and 1950's; and

WHEREAS, on January 30, 1847, the Daughters of Charity opened St. Mary's Orphan Asylum which included a free school for girls and was the beginning of St. Joseph's School for Girls; and

WHEREAS, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, in 1865, opened D'Evereux Hall Orphanage and, paralleling the work of the Daughters of Charity, taught their boys and other young men of the community at what was soon known as Cathedral School for Boys; and

WHEREAS, in 1935, the two schools combined and, in 1975, Cathedral School was awarded full membership in the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the highest regional affiliation awarded; and

WHEREAS, over the past 150 years Cathedral School has produced over 1,800 alumni in many various fields of endeavor, including nationally recognized editors, engineers, educators, athletes, religious leaders, captains of industry and just plain good American citizens; and

WHEREAS, Cathedral School has always been known for its strong history of academics and athletics as demonstrated by numerous awards, scholarships, district and state championships, with the latest being the receipt of the prestigious Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., Scholarship by a current Cathedral senior; and

WHEREAS, none of this would have been possible were it not for the hundreds of past faculty and staff, parents and benefactors, and thousands of voluntary hours of sweat and love provided by all the family and friends of Cathedral School through the years, which has gone into making Cathedral, "One School--One Family, 1847-1997":

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend Cathedral School for 150 years of outstanding and dedicated service to the youth of our state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be furnished to Cathedral School and to members of the Capitol Press Corps.