St. Bede Academy
Encyclopedia
Saint Bede Academy is a private
, four-year, Catholic college-preparatory high school
located in Peru, Illinois
. The campus buildings and monastery
are situated on 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of wooded land. The monastery is home to 32 Benedictine
monks who have taken a vow of stability, meaning that they remain at Saint Bede Abbey for their lifetimes. The monks take an active role in the affairs and administration of the academy.
The school is accredited by the State of Illinois
, the North Central Association, and the Office of Catholic Education of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
.
boarding school
, remaining as such until 1973, at which time it became a coeducational institution.
In 1981, the boarding program ceased, and the former dormitory rooms were converted into additional class and office space. Prior to the boarding program's ending, it was not uncommon for parents to send their boys hundreds of miles to attend and live at St. Bede. Afterward, the Academy still drew a consistent number of students from the local area, though never enough to challenge the local public schools.
Due to interest from foreign students and alumni, St. Bede resumed its boarding program in a limited capacity in 2007. Currently, St. Bede houses up to six males and sixteen females in separate houses located on-campus. Both houses operate under the care of a married couple who live with and supervise the boarders.
The original school building is still in use, and it plainly shows its age on the inside. It has undergone numerous renovations since it was built over one hundred years ago, however none recently. The school's continued maintenance has always depended heavily on the monetary contributions of its over-7000 alumni and other donors. The school operates several fundraising events such as an annual auction and phone-a-thon to help bridge the difference between tuition and actual operating costs.
per academic year.
for football and the Tri-County Conference
for all other sports.
The main administrative office is located on the first floor. There are computer labs on the first and second floors. The art department takes up most of the third floor. The two main science labs and classrooms are located on the basement level. Lockers are located on the second and basement levels of the building. There is an underground tunnel that connects the main building with the gym, where physical education
classes are held.
The Abbey, like the Academy, was founded in 1890 by a group of six monks who were sent from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe
, Pennsylvania
to spread the Benedictine tradition. By 1910, the community of monks had grown large enough to become independent from St. Vincent's and thus elected their first abbot
. The population of monks peaked in the middle of the twentieth century, and has since declined to its current population of 32.
The current abbot is Philip Davey, OSB, who succeeded former abbot Claude Peifer, OSB, in June 2011. Abbot Peifer, likewise, succeeded Abbot Roger Corpus, OSB, in 2003.
, and conference rooms. The students use the Abbey Church for Eucharistic liturgies
, prayer services, penance
services, classes, plays, and meetings.
is a multilevel facility consisting of two large reading rooms on two levels joined by four levels of stacks. The theology
library consists of the upper reading room and the top level of the stacks. The academy library consists of the lower reading room and three levels of stacks. The academy collection totals 20,000 volumes and the monastery collection contains 19,000 volumes.
, located on the main floor of the school building, provides hot lunch and snack items daily to students. Students remain on campus during lunchtime. The refectory was renovated during the summer of 1997 to restore the original tin ceiling which had been covered over for years. Ceiling fan/light fixtures now hang to provide an atmosphere of former days at the Academy.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, four-year, Catholic college-preparatory high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Peru, Illinois
Peru, Illinois
Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. The campus buildings and monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
are situated on 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of wooded land. The monastery is home to 32 Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monks who have taken a vow of stability, meaning that they remain at Saint Bede Abbey for their lifetimes. The monks take an active role in the affairs and administration of the academy.
The school is accredited by the State of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the North Central Association, and the Office of Catholic Education of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
.
History
St. Bede Abbey and Academy were founded in 1890 by six monks tasked with establishing a Benedictine teaching institution where young men could receive a Catholic education. The school was dedicated on October 12, 1891 as an all-boysSingle-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, remaining as such until 1973, at which time it became a coeducational institution.
In 1981, the boarding program ceased, and the former dormitory rooms were converted into additional class and office space. Prior to the boarding program's ending, it was not uncommon for parents to send their boys hundreds of miles to attend and live at St. Bede. Afterward, the Academy still drew a consistent number of students from the local area, though never enough to challenge the local public schools.
Due to interest from foreign students and alumni, St. Bede resumed its boarding program in a limited capacity in 2007. Currently, St. Bede houses up to six males and sixteen females in separate houses located on-campus. Both houses operate under the care of a married couple who live with and supervise the boarders.
The original school building is still in use, and it plainly shows its age on the inside. It has undergone numerous renovations since it was built over one hundred years ago, however none recently. The school's continued maintenance has always depended heavily on the monetary contributions of its over-7000 alumni and other donors. The school operates several fundraising events such as an annual auction and phone-a-thon to help bridge the difference between tuition and actual operating costs.
Academic Life
The school operates on a fixed daily schedule of eight periods of forty-three minutes. Students are required to enroll in seven courses per semester. The school year is divided into two 18-week semesters. Additionally, students must garner at least 25 academic credits to graduate, as well as complete 25 hours of service workVolunteering
Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
per academic year.
Student profile
The student population is made up of approximately 300 students with a student-faculty ration of 15.1 and an average class size of 21.5. Approximately 98% of graduates go on to attend a post-secondary institution.Athletics
St. Bede competes in the Big Rivers ConferenceBig Rivers Conference (Illinois)
The Big Rivers Conference is a football-only high school athletic conference represented by 10 schools in the northwest and north-central portions of Illinois...
for football and the Tri-County Conference
Tri-County Conference (Illinois)
The Tri-County Conference is an affiliation of several small high schools in central Illinois. Current membership includes* Putnam County High School* Midland High School* Henry-Senachwine High School* Marquette High School* Roanoke-Benson High School...
for all other sports.
Boys sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track
- Weightlifting
- Wrestling
Girls sports
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cheerleading
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track
- Volleyball
- Weightlifting
Clubs and activities
- Abbey Mass Servers
- Band
- Caedmon Literary Magazine editors
- Chorus
- Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion
- Fall Theater: Provides opportunities for student actors to explore a variety of acting styles and nurture a love of the dramatic arts.
- Pep Club
- Prom Committee
- Student Government
- Scholastic Bowl
- Spanish Club
- Spring Musical
- "Stage Rats" - Stagehands
- Student Ambassadors: Share knowledge and experiences of St. Bede with grade school students and their parents.
- YearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
Club
Campus
The 200 acre (0.809372 km²) St. Bede campus includes the school, its attached monastery, a church, a football field with stands, a baseball field with stands, a basketball stadium/theater, the Saint Bede Abbey Press building, the boarding houses, and lots of open space, including an apple orchard.Facility
The school is a five-level brick building with dozens of classrooms and offices. The building can be perceived in halves, with the north half containing most of the classrooms and the south half containing most of the offices.The main administrative office is located on the first floor. There are computer labs on the first and second floors. The art department takes up most of the third floor. The two main science labs and classrooms are located on the basement level. Lockers are located on the second and basement levels of the building. There is an underground tunnel that connects the main building with the gym, where physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
classes are held.
Saint Bede Abbey
St. Bede Abbey, attached to the school, is the permanent residence of thirty-two monks who live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. The monks, many of whom actively participate in the everyday workings of the school, follow the gospel of Christ by serving God, the Church, and the community through daily prayer, both communal and private, serious work, quiet reflection, hospitality, and the renunciation of marriage, possessions, and pleasure.The Abbey, like the Academy, was founded in 1890 by a group of six monks who were sent from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to spread the Benedictine tradition. By 1910, the community of monks had grown large enough to become independent from St. Vincent's and thus elected their first abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
. The population of monks peaked in the middle of the twentieth century, and has since declined to its current population of 32.
The current abbot is Philip Davey, OSB, who succeeded former abbot Claude Peifer, OSB, in June 2011. Abbot Peifer, likewise, succeeded Abbot Roger Corpus, OSB, in 2003.
Abbey Church
The Abbey Church is a multi-purpose building containing a general assembly area, students' chapel, theater/lecture hall, lounge, kitchenetteKitchenette
A kitchenette is a small cooking area.In motel and hotel rooms, small apartments, college dormitories, or office buildings a kitchenette usually consists of a small refrigerator, a microwave oven or hotplate, and, less frequently, a sink...
, and conference rooms. The students use the Abbey Church for Eucharistic liturgies
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, prayer services, penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
services, classes, plays, and meetings.
Library
The St. Bede Academy libraryLibrary
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
is a multilevel facility consisting of two large reading rooms on two levels joined by four levels of stacks. The theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
library consists of the upper reading room and the top level of the stacks. The academy library consists of the lower reading room and three levels of stacks. The academy collection totals 20,000 volumes and the monastery collection contains 19,000 volumes.
Student refectory
The student refectoryRefectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, located on the main floor of the school building, provides hot lunch and snack items daily to students. Students remain on campus during lunchtime. The refectory was renovated during the summer of 1997 to restore the original tin ceiling which had been covered over for years. Ceiling fan/light fixtures now hang to provide an atmosphere of former days at the Academy.