Bethlehem Academy is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

, Roman Catholic High School established in 1865 in

Faribault, Minnesota Faribault ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 24,453 at the 2020 census. Faribault is approximately south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highwa ...

by the Sisters of St Dominic. It is located in the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by an archbishop who administers the archdiocese from the cities of Minneapolis–S ...

. It serves 244 students from grades 6 to 12. It is the oldest Catholic high school in Minnesota.

History

In 1865, the Murphy family left New York for California. En-route they stopped in Faribault, Minnesota due to the threat of conflict with Native Americans along the route. After most of the family died, Catherine Murphy's dying request was to provide for a Catholic education for the children. In response, Bethlehem Academy was founded by nuns from St Clara's Academy in Wisconsin. The school opened inside the convent, then moved to a home in 1896. The bottom story consisted of four rooms, including the school room on the first floor with two dormitories and a chapel upstairs. In 1874 a new site was purchased, and a new three-story brick building was opened on June 1, 1876. In 1900 the North wing was added, and a three-story South wing was opened in 1908. In 2014 the school celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Athletics

Bethlehem Academy has an athletic program. Bethlehem Academy has a total of 7 Minnesota Class A Volleyball State Championships (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014). In 2012 they were the Minnesota Class A State Runner up, losing 14–20 to Mahnomen High School in Prep Bowl XXXI. In 2018, coach Franz Boelter was fired for mistreating athletes emotionally. At the time he had coached the volleyball team to seven state championships and was the ninth-winningest coach in Minnesota high school history.

External links

School Website

Minnesota State High School League

Notes and references

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Private middle schools in Minnesota Schools in Rice County, Minnesota Educational institutions established in 1865 Buildings and structures in Faribault, Minnesota {{Minnesota-school-stub