PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA: PARKERSBURG CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

UPDATED: 1-26-2009

PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA: A VINTAGE PORTRAIT

PARKERSBURG CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Parkersburg's first Catholic primary school, St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, was established in 1923 in the former home of textile manufacturer W.A. Hersch at 810 Juliana Street, near the southeast corner of Ninth Street. It eventually expanded into Parkersburg Catholic High School. The institution, from first to twelfth grades, was staffed by Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus, whose convent was at 516 Thirteenth Street. In 1949, the house was torn down and replaced by a modern, half-million-dollar building, which still houses the grade school. Parkersburg Catholic High (home of the Crusaders) was moved to a newly-built facility at 3201 Fairview Avenue in 1959.

The original school in the former Hersch home at 810 Juliana Street.

The new Saint Francis Xavier School was built in 1950 at the corner of Juliana and Ninth.

History class in 1955: Sister Augusta Maria instructs juniors
Doris Smith, Gail Huddleston, Jim McNamara, and Jack Barrett.

In 1956, sophomore officers Erma Mae Fleming, Nancy Hile, Joyce
Heckler, and Richard "Dickie" Bird walk down Ninth Street.

Coach Hichael "Hike" Nedeff prepares the varsity starters of Parkersburg Catholic's first basketball team in 1952. Actually, in those days the school was still St. Xavier High. The name Parkersburg Catholic High School wasn't adopted until two years later, in the fall of 1954. (Courtesy of Roger Nedeff)

The varsity Crusaders cheerleaders in 1956 were senior Carie Ruth Garrity, sophomore
Barbara Kaltnecker, and juniors Sally Shipman, Patsy Kesterson, and Marsha Solomon.

The student council, 1963, in the gym of the new high school on Fairview Avenue.

Tina Tei, class of 1963.
(1945-1967)

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