St. Mary's Hall (San Antonio, Texas)

Saint Mary's Hall is a private, college preparatory school in San Antonio, Texas. Saint Mary’s Hall admits students from Montessori to Form 12 .History1860 - 1889The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, under the leadership of several bishops, worked to establish schools at the parish level where the children of South Texas would be able to receive a “higher style of education” with "Godly training." The attempts to establish a school of this sort began as early as 1865 when an Episcopal school was opened. The school took on several names such as Saint Mary’s School for Girls, Saint Mary’s Episcopal School, Saint Mary’s School, and Saint Mary’s Academy Hall. Eventually, the school failed, but it left a strong need for a preparatory school.The quest to establish that school became very important to Bishop Robert Woodward Barnwell Elliott, the dynamic leader of the Missionary District of Western Texas of the Episcopal Church. In 1879, he led a movement to reestablish the school. His efforts would prove successful, and the school officially became known as Saint Mary’s Hall. The first official home of the school was located in the Wolfe Building at the corner of Navarro and Martin streets in downtown San Antonio, Texas.The reestablishment of Saint Mary’s Hall in 1879 came at a time when Texas farmers, cattle barons, and traders were prospering and able to support the school. Bishop Elliot capitalized on this and set out to hire a leader that would help turn the school into the best educational option available. He traveled east and began a search for a headmistress. He hired the first headmistress of the school, Miss Phillippa Stevenson (a graduate of a school in New Jersey also named Saint Mary’s Hall). She served as headmistress of Saint Mary’s Hall in Texas for a decade. By 1889, the school had an enrollment of 105 students.