Photo From the Past – Education
Established in 1874 by the Catholic Church to serve the African American community, St. Joseph’s Academy was also called St. Joseph Convent or St. Joseph School. It was run by the Sisters of the Holy Family, who came to Opelousas from New Orleans. In 1920, when the new Holy Ghost Catholic Church was organized, the school’s name was changed to Holy Ghost Catholic School. In 1971, the school merged with the Academy of the Immaculate Conception to become Opelousas Catholic, operating in Opelousas today. St. Joseph’s School is pictured on Union Street in this photograph taken in c. 1915. (Carola Lillie Hartley collection)
