Founded August 22, 1879

The first Catholic Church in Helena was built between Columbia and Franklin Streets and Porter and Perry Streets. An anti-Catholic group, called the "Know Nothings" burned the church in 1854. In 1856 a new frame church was built.

Right Reverend Andrew Byrne, first Bishop of Arkansas wanted to establish Irish colonies and there was a large Irish movement to Arkansas. Many of these Irishmen were from well-to-do families and wanted their children to have a Catholic education.

Bishop Byrne requested the Sisters of Mercy establish an educational facility in Helena and 1857 four sisters of Mercy arrived in Helena to open a convent and day school. To accommodate the Sisters, the Bishop purchased 10 acres in Helena for $10,000. This purchase included the home of Col. Henry L. Biscoe. (Col. Biscoe, one of the early State Legislators, helped write the State's 1834 Constitution and helped Arkansas obtain statehood.) The home provided a splendid view of the Mississippi River and was surrounded by gardens, orchards, and vine arbors. At the time Helena was considered the garden spot of Arkansas and on July 18, 1858 Rev. Patrick Behan came here as the first resident priest.

Shortly after the school opened, Bishop Byrne helped the Sisters establish a boarding school called St. Catherine's Academy. However, the Civil War curtailed plans for expansion.

During the Civil War the school was used as a hospital for the Blue and Gray. The Sisters nursed the wounded and comforted the dying. Many were buried on a hill that bordered on what then was school property.

The closing of the war was also the closing of the school. The school operated at a marginal profit before the war. After the war many families were scattered and some planters had their land confiscated and were so poor they left the area in search of work. In 1868 the doors closed on St. Catherine's Academy and Sisters returned to Little Rock.

Fourteen years after the Civil War, Right Reverend Fitzgerald, Bishop of the Little Rock Diocese, comprising of the whole state of Arkansas, made an appeal to the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky for a community of Sisters.

On August 22, 1879 six Sisters arrived in Helena. They were Sisters Dominica, Nina, Etienne, Emerita, and Symphorosa under the leadership of their Superior, Sister Estelle. The Pastor, Reverend J. M. Boetzkes, had been anxiously awaiting their arrival. The destruction that befell the Southern states during the Civil War was still very evident and religion was at a low ebb. The attendance at Mass on the first Sunday after the Sisters' arrival consisted of them and Father's hired man, Tom. Father assured them that with their help, the Church would soon be filled.

In September 1879, a school was opened, occupying the old St. Catherine Academy building, under the name and patronage of the Sacred Heart. The original buildings comprising the Sacred Heart Academy and Convent was one eight-room building.

Catholics and non-Catholics flocked to Sacred Heart Academy. No exact record of enrollment is on hand, yet it is believed that the average attendance in the early days was fifty-day students and twenty boarders.

During her term, Sister Estelle made many improvements, including the building of two classrooms and two large dormitories for the boarders.

In 1887, Sister Crescentia succeeded Sister Estelle as Superior. Sister Crescentia was Superior for only one year, yet she is responsible for the erection of the picturesque and useful colonnades joining the various outlying buildings with the main building. Father Boetzkes built the original structure of St. Mary's Church of Helena during Sister Crescentia's term as Superior.

Sister Carmelite's administration followed, from 1888 to 1895. She too made many improvements to the school. A kitchen, laundry, and dairy were some of her contributions.

After the death of Father Boetzkes, the Reverend Father O'Reilly came to St. Mary's and was pastor for three years. Due to Father O'Reilly's energy the old wooden church was located behind the new one and the old church was used as the rectory.

From 1894 to 1901 Father Mazaret served as pastor. He is responsible for paying off the heavy debt on the church. Father Mazaret installed the first electric lights. He planned their installation so that they could be first used at Midnight Mass on Christmas, as a practical reminder that this was the hour when the "Light that illumineth every man came unto His own."

Sister Evangelista was the next Mother Superior and held the job for ten years. Next came Sisters Geraldine, Mary Lawrence, and Emiliana, one after another in 1905-1906-1907.

Sister Geraldine was a woman noted for her executive ability. Sister Emilians in her first term as Superior did many improvements and repairs. For three years she published everything of interest that went on at the school and interest in the school flourished.

Sister Emiliana's term was followed by Sister Columba in 1910, one of the most learned and capable school workers of the Nazareth Community. She labored untiringly to promote the cause of education. However, after four years, it was decided to recall the Helena Council to Nazareth and close the school. But after further consideration, the Nazareth council re-assumed maintaining the school and sent sister Emiliana to take charge again.

Sister Emiliana set about to transform Sacred Heart Academy. She arrived early in September to reopen the school as usual, but many pupils did not return because of the rumors that the school was permanently closed. She tried to get the word out that the school had reopened but still the student number was very limited during that school term.

The Reverend P. J. Higgins succeeded Reverend Michael Enright as Pastor of St. Mary's Church. The interest in Catholicism increased in 1915 when Right Reverend Bishop J. B. Morris of Little Rock came to Helena for Confirmation. The growth of the school demonstrated the necessity of larger accommodations. An appeal was made to the Mother House for permission to build but the request was denied. The Sisters continued to work at improving the standards and activities of the school. The pupils that exhibited the caliber of their training presented public programs. Little by little, confidence grew and in December 1915, the Hospital Association requested the Sisters to take charge of the City Hospital. However, due to the liabilities connected with the endeavor, the Nazareth Mother House refused to allow the Sisters to take on this project.

In May 1916, the Sisters were given permission by the Mother House to assume a building debt. The Sisters immediately began a successful campaign to raise funds. In February 1917, ground was broken and on May 24^th the cornerstone was placed beside spot where the Bishop of Little Rock who was laid to rest in the Sacred Heart garden area. In 1918 the Bishop, showing his great appreciation for the Nazareth Sisters, conducted a ceremony for the lying of the cornerstone of the new Sacred Heart Academy.

Because of wartime, the school building was not completed until November. The formal opening of the new building was not held until the following December on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

However, the following fall a terrible influenza epidemic forced the closing of the school during October. Those able to be on duty were kept busy nursing the Sisters and the boarders who had contracted the disease. During this time, the faculty also sent two volunteers to nurse at St. Vincent's Infirmary, Little Rock.

In September 1916, Sacred Heart Academy introduced a Commercial Department in connection with the Academy. For years, Helena citizens had been anxious for such a school, since they had been forced to travel great distances for an education in business. This branch of the school flourished except during wartime when the 1917-1918 enrollment numbered eighty pupils. In its eight years, three hundred thirty-eight pupils received business instruction at the Sacred Heart Academy's Commercial Class.

On April 29, 1917, the Academy started the School Improvement Association (SIA). This organization was responsible for many improvements over the years; a set of sectional bookcases, a Victrola, a piano, electric fans for the auditorium, fifteen young trees for the Arkansas Street entrance, stereopticon slides, and the playground equipment. They also held an annual linen shower given for the Sisters. In 1917 this organization hosted a reception for the Mother General Rose on her first visit to the Helena convent. Mother Superior was very pleased with the work her Sisters had accomplished in Helena.

During "The World War" the Senior Class formed a very active Red Cross Unit and devoted all their spare time to plain sewing to provide "Our Boys" with necessities. They participated in numerous drives, rallies and contests of the time. May 19, 1918 a Red Cross Parade was held to raise funds for the Red Cross and Sacred Heart was highly praised for their showing in the parade. In April 1918, first place in a patriotic word list contest was awarded to Estelle Davis, a freshman at Sacred Heart Academy. This was no surprise to anyone since students of Helena's only Catholic school always-claimed awards in every contest.

In January 1919, the new building was bricked and due to many years of requests, a kindergarten was started.

In the Fall of 1919, with war-clouds passing, civic and social enterprises began. The Expression Class of Sacred Heart Academy staged a program entitled "All About Helena." The purpose was to raise funds by advertising the various businesses in Helena. This undertaking raised enough money to purchase a rubber covering for the stairs and corridor of the new building. Other public performances paid for the pipe organ installed in the chapel, the chairs for the auditorium, and stage curtain.

The Knight's of Columbus donated a durable flagpole to the school in 1919. Columbus Day, 1920 was selected as a suitable occasion for a formal celebration of its erection.

Upon the anniversary of the formal opening, the Sisters and pupils celebrated the Silver Jubilee of their loved and devoted Superior, Sister Emiliana. Reverend J. J. McGrath conducted the ceremony.

Toward the close of her second three-year term, Sister Emiliana's health failed and she was compelled to submit to change of residence. During the annual retreat of 1920, conducted at Sacred Heart Academy for the Southern Sisters of the community, work was sent to Nazareth asking for a replacement. On July 10, 1920, acting Superior, Sister Ursula arrived. Coming during the retreat and while Sister Emiliana was still present, those Sisters who were not previously acquainted with Sister Ursula did not even know that the new Superior was present. Sister Emiliana left her beloved Academy in August 1920.

Two new features marked the opening of school in September: the gymnasium and experimental department in science. The latter was due to the generous gifts of the Knights of Columbus and Mr. J. L. Solomon. Sister Ursula decided to use all funds on hand to reduce the large debt from the construction of the school. The money obtained from the sale of the lots of the upper section of the Arkansas Street frontage, earmarked for a new convent, was put toward the debt. Another lot of two remaining was sold in 1921.

The convent was in such shabby condition the Sisters moved into a renewed Community Room on October 7, 1920. This was a single feature with many improvements. Sister Ursula also took much interest in improving the farm and grounds. Playground equipment was installed in October 1921, and the devotional "Grotto of Lourdes", was erected about midway between the Church and School. The largest portion of the money used to erect the Grotto was a gift from the SIA.

In 1921 Reverend Pastor, Father McGrath became ill and soon was transferred to St. Vincent's Infirmary. The Reverend J. Van Oudenhoven remained in charge of St. Mary's from October 21, 1921 to January 1, 1922. On January 6, 1922, Reverend J. A. McQuaid became Pastor in Helena.

In 1922 the first boy, Elton Winfield, received an Academic Diploma. Until this time, Helena boys had no other accessible facility in which to acquire a Catholic high school education. However, because of political and religious factions in Helena, the 1922 enrollment was down in departments patronized by non-Catholics.

The number of boys attending the Academy had grown over the years so in October 1923 an all boys' choir was started. By the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the boys were trained to sing High Mass. Before that they presented a public operetta.

The Ignatian Knights, a unit of the Catholic Student's Mission Crusade was formed. This young unit was so zealous that they sent a representative, Bernard Cunningham, to the Convention held at Notre Dame University August 1923. Sacred Heart Academy and Subiaco College were the only schools in the southern States who sent delegates.

In 1934 construction was begun on a large brick church to replace the smaller 45-year-old church. Father Thomas J. Martin chose three virtually unknown people to design and build the medieval type early Christian Church we have today. Construction was completed in 1936.

Over the years, improved public school lowered the demand for a boarding school, and the last boarders graduated in mid 50's. In 1964 day student enrollment started to dwindle and increased costs of maintaining the building grounds continually plagued the school. So after more than 100 years of service to the community, the doors of Sacred Heart Academy were closed in May 1968 and the building sold and razed in 1973. However, the Sisters of Charity donated to St. Mary's Parish the land that is currently used as the church parking lot.

A parochial school, under the Sacred Heart Academy name, operated until 1973 in what is currently the St. Mary's Parish Hall, which is within the shadows of the now bygone relic.

The cornerstone, originally placed on the Sacred Heart Academy grounds in 1917, and railing that was on a second floor balcony of the school were secured by local St. Mary's parishioners as the building was being razed. This cornerstone has been placed on the grounds in front of the St. Mary's Parish Hall with a befitting Italian marble statue of the Sacred Heart. This sight was selected because many of the Academy's functions took place in this building. A dedication of the placement of the cornerstone and the Sacred Heart statue was held on August 15, 1999: the one hundred twentieth anniversary of the Sisters leaving Nazareth for Helena. The dedication was held in conjunction with a reunion attended by persons of all ages who were students at Sacred Heart Academy.