The oldest school in the U.S., founded in 1635, is the Boston Latin School in Massachusetts, and the oldest school in Louisiana was founded 92 years later.
The oldest, continuously-operating school in Louisiana, founded in 1727, is Ursuline Academy of New Orleans.
The academy was founded by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Ursula, making it the oldest operating school for girls and the oldest Catholic school in the U.S.
Ursuline Academy of New Orleans is the oldest continuously operating school in Louisiana
Ursuline Academy of New Orleans, located at 2635 State St., is a private, Catholic, all-girls elementary and high school that operates within the Archdiocese of New Orleans and under the trusteeship of the Ursuline Sisters of the New Orleans Community, and as a part of the Ursuline Central Province of North America.
The Ursuline Academy of New Orleans was established in 1727 by twelve Ursuline nuns from Rouen, France after King Louis XV commissioned the nuns to travel to New Orleans to establish a royal hospital.
"They were asked to come and staff the royal military hospital, they weren't asked to come and be educators and they were not a nursing order, but other orders who could've been nurses or would have been nurses said no... But, they also knew that, when they came, they were going to educate," says Ursuline Academy of New Orleans Director of Mission Integration Christy Zurcher.
When the nuns arrived in New Orleans, they found that the convent and hospital they were promised was not yet complete, however, in the meantime, they set out to establish a place dedicated to educating young women.
The nuns' journey and initial development of the institution was well documented by a novice nun, who's correspondence with her family via letters provides insight to those early days. In fact, these letters have been published in the book "Voices from an Early American Convent" by Emily Clark.
"One of the 12 on the ship from France was a novice, so she wasn't a fully professed sister yet. So, she still had permission to be in contact with her family. So, she wrote letters to her dad that are published in this book, and it's basically a play-by-play. The book gives great detail about encountering pirates, illness, weather or blood-sucking things that they didn't know were mosquitos," says Zurcher.
The Ursuline Sisters, the academy's early educators, believed that the education of women was essential to the development of a civilized, spiritual and just society.
After the institution's opening, the school not only began educating young women, but cared for displaced individuals and the poor. Since the school's beginning, it has been active in serving those in need.
"Throughout history, and their time here, they (Ursulines) never hesitated to take care of anyone... They have a very humble background," says Zurcher.

Today, and throughout history, the institution provides an environment for the learning and development of the whole person, based on a foundation of values drawn from the vision and philosophy of Saint Angela Merici, founder of the Ursuline Order, according to Ursuline Academy.
"The Ursuline Method of Education was written based on St. Angela, but, historically, it's always been this nurturing approach, from the start of her company, through the sisters and now," says Zurcher.
St. Angela Merici founded the Company of St. Ursula in Brescia, Italy, in 1535 and, in 1612, the Order of St. Ursula began in Paris. St. Angela challenged the conventional limits imposed on women during this time, and created a new way for them to lead active, independent lives within their communities.
"St. Angela's teachings influenced our core values as an academy and, most certainly our motto. Our academy motto is 'Serviam,' 'I will serve.' St. Angela believed and wrote and spoke about the fact that we, as human beings, have a greater need to be of service to our fellow humans, than to be served," says Ursuline Academy of New Orleans President Laurie Leiva.
After St. Angela died on Jan. 27, 1540, the Company of Saint Ursula spread rapidly, with communities and schools now established within six continents and over 30 countries.
Since its beginning, Ursuline Academy of New Orleans holds many U.S. firsts, including the first female pharmacist, first woman to contribute a book of literary merit, first convent, first free school and first retreat center for ladies, first classes for female African-American slaves, free women of color and Native Americans, as well as the first center of social welfare in the Mississippi Valley, first boarding school in Louisiana and the first school of music in New Orleans, says Ursuline Academy.
In 2027, Ursuline Academy will celebrate is 300th anniversary, making the class of 2026-2027 the 300th graduating class.
"We'll be celebrating 2027 soon, so next (school) year will mark the 300th year of Ursuline Education in New Orleans. So, we are older than the country," says Leiva.
Today, the school is currently located on an 11-acre campus and serves a total of approximately 500 students, which includes those from nursery-age to those enrolled in high school.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: What is the oldest school in Louisiana? New Orleans school dates to 1727
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