After having established the parish of St. Anthony of Padua on the east side of the Black River in the northern most section of the City of Lorain, this Catholic community determined to further enrich their community with a school. In August of 1924, a contract was signed for the construction of a school which would also serve as a temporary church. Just one week later, with God’s blessing, ground was broken. A ceremony for the laying of a cornerstone took place October 12, 1924.
At the request of Fr. Isadore Rafferty, OFM, Conv., the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis Minor Conventuals (OSFMC) from Syracuse New York, came to Lorain in August of 1925. They were filled with love and devotion to teach at St. Anthony of Padua School, which opened in the fall of 1925. The first Faculty included Sister Mary Raphael (Superior), Sister Mary Euphrasia, Sister Mary Arcadia, and Sister Mary Patricia.
An Altar was erected in the school building, and on October 18, 1925, dedication ceremonies were conducted by Bishop Schrembs.
The first graduation took place in June of 1928. A census taken that year listed 180 families in the parish which amounted to about 600 people. The school enrollment in 1928 was 160 boys and girls.
The teaching sisters had lived in rented houses at the founding of the school. It was in 1940, that plans for a new permanent convent were finally drawn up, and a fun drive was started, which realized $11,000.00 for construction of the new convent which was located directly behind the school building.
In 1938, Fr. Ambrose Finnegan, OFM, Conv. Came to St. Anthony’s and it was during his tenure that a physical education course was established in the school for boys. In 1940, the Franciscan Cord Bearers was formed with children in grades 5 through eight becoming the Cordeliers. The Cordeliers is an organization which is dedicated to advance the youth in the ideals of St. Francis.
In 1951, excavation began for a new school annex and a new convent. This annex was to include four more classrooms and a social hall. The addition of these four new classrooms helped St. Anthony’s to accept students in greater numbers into the school. The new convent was built between the school and the church to house the sisters after their former convent sustained structural damage from the waters of Lake Erie.
Due to the declining number of Sisters in their order, it became necessary in 1987 for the remaining Sisters to leave St. Anthony School and return to their motherhouse in Syracuse. The school was turned over to lay leadership, but the sisters had left their mark. They had instilled in the school and the parish community, the Franciscan charism - a joy in living out justice, peace, and service in the spirit of poverty.