History

Since 1846, when St. Mary and Martha Church taught about 50 students staffed by lay teachers, Catholic schools have served the Lafayette Community.

In 1853 German speaking Catholics purchased a lot on North 10th Street between Man and Ferry Streets for a church, school, and dwelling house. In 1866, the congregation converted their old church into a school when the present day St. Boniface Church was built. 12 students who spoke German attended the school. By 1898, they served 270 students over 4 grades. Tuition was 50 cents a month.  

In 1862, Bishop Luers dedicated St. Ignatius Academy for Young Ladies. Located on the south side of Columbia Street between 11th and 12th Streets, this was in use until 1936 and was torn down in 1956. According to the Lafayette City Directory from 1869, Sister Eugenie and six assistants from the Sisters of Providence taught boarders and day students. This eventually became St. Mary Cathedral School. 

Brothers of the Holy Cross constructed and paid for St. Mary’s Select School for Boys on the North Side of Brown Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets in 1867. Tuition was $5 per quarter. 

In 1896 St. Lawrence Elementary School opened educating Catholic students on Lafayette’s North End. In its first year 100 students attended classes. The chapel was located upstairs!

And in 1923, St. Ann School was constructed at a cost of $82,000. The school eventually closed in 1968. 

In 1957, Central Catholic the first Catholic co-ed high school in Lafayette opened on the South Side of Lafayette.  

In 2020 St. Francis Early Learning Academy opened for the fall semester, forming the fifth LCSS school.