History of St.
Peter’s School
Reverend John M. Lucey, who could be called the “Father of Roman Catholicism
in Pine Bluff,” was the driving force behind the establishment of St. Peter’s Catholic School. In 1889, a two-story
frame building was completed and the Colored Industrial Institute began with an enrollment of 140 pupils. St. Peter’s
was the first school founded for black children in Arkansas and was staffed by the Sisters of Charity from Nazareth, Kentucky
who also staffed Annunciation Academy at St. Joseph’s Parish in Pine Bluff. These sisters withdrew from St. Peter’s
in 1901. Other communities who have staffed St. Peter’s are:
1901-1913 Sisters of the Holy Family
from New Orleans, Louisiana
1913-1927
Sisters of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate from
San Antonio, Texas
1928-1975 Sisters of the Holy Spirit from
Techny, Illinois
1984-2004
School Sisters of Notre Dame from Dallas, Texas
2006- Daughters of Charity, Gould, Arkansas (St. Louis, Missouri)
After only 8 years
of operation, the Colored Industrial Institute outgrew its small frame building. A three story, red-brick building was completed
for the start of the 1898 school year. The school used this structure until it was torn down in 1963.
Father
Joseph Kehrer, SVD, known as the carpenter priest, built the present school, rectory, convent, and cafeteria between the years
of 1960-63. The Sisters of the Holy Spirit from Techny, Illinois staffed the school from 1928 to 1975, when they were recalled
to their Motherhouse. In 1975, the school was forced to close.
In 1984, the School Sisters of Notre Dame from
Dallas, Texas, responded to the pleas of the pastor, Father Clement Mathis, SVD, to reopen the school. Father Tom Mulally,
SVD priest, and the School Sisters of Notre Dame worked in close unison to help the school to provide underprivileged children
a quality education.
In 1997, Father Bernard Keller, SVD, continued in the mission to provide a quality
education to the underprivileged youth of Pine Bluff. Special emphasis was placed on helping our Black and Hispanic Catholic
youth. Father Keller worked diligently in his mission to serve the Pine Bluff community until his unexpected death on April
10, 2003. The entire school mourned for him, but was strengthened in knowing he was with our Lord.
In July of
2003, Father Donald Murrin, SVD stepped in to continue with the mission of Catholic education in Pine Bluff. An enthusiastic
educator, Fr. Murrin teaches phonics in the kindergarten class and reads to the children in several grades.
St.
Peter’s currently maintains an average enrollment of 80-90 students. The school has Kindergarten 4 & 5 through 6th
grade. Specialty classes include Art, Music, Religion, Spanish, Physical Education, and Library for all grades.
St. Peter’s
has a history of 120 years of service in Pine Bluff. By its emphasis on spiritual as well as scholarly growth, the school
has a record of service that is unique in Black History and outstanding for Catholic schools in Arkansas. Our school motto
is “Where Faith and Knowledge Meet”, and in 2007, the students voted to have the Golden Eagle as our mascot.
Courage, intelligence, heart, and perseverance are a few of the qualities represented by our new mascot. For 2009-10, a Parent
Center will feature workshops for parents and ongoing programs to help parents assist students in achieving their educational
goals. Both the PTO and the Parent Center plan to focus on Reading and improving Literacy in the coming year: "Helping
Our Children to Become Good Readers!" 
