Bethlehem Academy (Faribault, Minnesota)

Bethlehem Academy
Address
105 Third Avenue SW Faribault , (Rice County) , Minnesota 55021-6039 United States
Coordinates	44°17′19″N 93°16′21″W
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1865
NCES School ID	00701072
Principal	Tom Donlon
Grades	7–12
Enrollment	193 (2013)
Color(s)	Red and White
Athletics conference	Gopher Conference
Mascot	Cardinal
Team name	Cardinals
Accreditation	North Central Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Newspaper	Bethlehem Star
Yearbook	Veritas
Website	http://www.bacards.org

Bethlehem Academy is a private, Roman Catholic High School established in 1865 in Faribault, Minnesota by the Sisters of St Dominic.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. It serves 244 students from grades 6 to 12.[2][4][5][3][8] It is the oldest Catholic high school in Minnesota.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

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.[13][12]

In 2014 the school celebrated its 150th anniversary.[14]

Athletics

Bethlehem Academy has an athletic program.[15][9]

Bethlehem Academy has a total of 7 Minnesota Class A Volleyball State Championships (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014).[16]

In 2012 they were the Minnesota Class A State Runner up, losing 14–20 to Mahnomen High School in Prep Bowl XXXI.[17]

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.[18]

External links

• School Website
• Minnesota State High School League

Notes and references

1. NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
2. "Bethlehem Academy in Faribault, MN". Niche. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
3. "Bethlehem Academy". Private School Review. November 16, 2023.
4. "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for BETHLEHEM ACADEMY". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
5. "Bethlehem Academy". US News & World Report (Education).
6. "Bethlehem Academy | Schools | MSHSL". www.mshsl.org. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
7. "Staff Directory - Bethlehem Academy". sites.google.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
8. "Explore Bethlehem Academy in Faribault, MN". GreatSchools.org. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
9. "Bethlehem Academy (Faribault, MN) Sports - Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and more". www.maxpreps.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
10. Schreiber, Pauline. "1 Bethlehem Academy's 150th Anniversary" (PDF). Rice County Historical Society. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
11. "Bethlehem Academy. Its many advantages and attractions". Irish Standard. August 15, 1896. p. 5. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
12. "Fifty Golden Years". Catholic Bulletin. June 19, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
13. "Fifty Golden Years". Catholic Bulletin. June 19, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
14. Smith, Jerry (November 3, 2014). "Faribault Bethlehem Academy shares Founder's Day history". Faribault Daily News. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
15. Randleman, Mike (October 6, 2023). "Bethlehem Academy hands K-W football first loss". Southernminn.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
16. "State Tournament Championship Matches – 1974-2020" (PDF). www.mshsl.org. December 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
17. "Prep Bowl History".
18. Christensen, Joe (February 15, 2018). "Franz Boelter, 'major icon' in Minnesota coaching, denies mistreating student-athletes". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 7, 2023.