O'Hara Catholic School

The O'Hara Catholic School in Eugene, Oregon, United States, was established in 1889. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.O'Hara Catholic School is a school of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church. It is a preschool through 8th grade school. It is accredited through Western Catholic Education Association.HistoryFr. Francis S. Beck (pastor from 1887-1894) saw the need to establish a Catholic school in the Eugene area. He arranged for some Benedictine Sisters from Mt. Angel to run a school in Eugene from a "four-room building which faced Willamette Street." The sisters arrived in 1889. The school was called the "Academy of Our Lady of Victory" - affectionately known as St. Mary School. Later in 1895, the Sisters of Mercy took over for the school. During Fr. John A. Moran's time as pastor (from 1911-1920), the Sisters of Mercy took over the Eugene General Hospital on College Hill in 1912. Consequently, Fr. Moran arranged to have six Sisters of the Holy Names come to run the school in 1916.In 1919, Fr. Moran had purchased property in the West 11th Avenue block between Charnelton and Lincoln streets. Later, Fr. Edwin V. O'Hara (pastor from 1920-1929) would move the Holy Names sisters in 1921 to the house at 1116 Charnelton St., which is currently part of the Poole-Larsen Funeral Chapel. The school building was moved to northeast corner of 11th and Lincoln.