High atop a Queens hill stands The Mary Louis Academy. Its story begins not with bricks and mortar but with a dream. A dream held by Mother Mary Louis Crummey. She envisioned an academy for young women a place where faith and learning would flourish.
The Mary Louis Academy wasn’t built overnight. It took shape in 1936 thanks to the Sisters of St Joseph. Mother Mary Louis herself played a pivotal role. While on a train she spotted the perfect site the Rose Crest estate. Ironically she passed away before seeing her dream realized. Yet her vision lived on. Archbishop Thomas Molloy secured the land. The Sisters acquired it.
The original building a Mediterranean Revival mansion became the convent. The Academy’s main building a Collegiate Gothic masterpiece designed by Henry Murphy followed. Think Sterling Law Building at Yale. Construction lasted two years. It opened its doors on October 16 1938. A fascinating detail The builder’s daughter Mary Louis Nelson became the Academy’s first prospective student graduating in 1955.
Fifteen young women started the school. They were taught by eight Sisters. Initially classes were held in the mansion’s parlor. The school expanded rapidly. A kindergarten was added but later closed. Wings were added to the mansion. A chapel a refectory and eventually much more. The Mary Louis Academy also embraced change. Throughout the decades it adapted its curriculum. It added modern facilities like a computer lab. It even had a home economics complex later repurposed into classrooms.
Today The Mary Louis Academy is a thriving institution. It boasts a large campus a beautiful butterfly garden and numerous academic programs. The Academy maintains its strong Catholic identity. It continues to nurture young women preparing them for college and beyond. Wexford Terrace even got renamed Mother Mary Louis Way a testament to the Academy’s enduring legacy. The Mary Louis Academy. A testament to a dream a hilltop and the power of faith.