Bellarmine College Preparatory history

Access articles from 1,480 publications, scholarly journals and reference materials, as well as historic newspapers dating back to 1877.

1893 Mother Thomasina, a Dominican nun, founded Aquinas Academy for girls.

1912 St Leo's Grammar and High School for boys was founded by the Jesuits; Fr.

1922 Philomathea, Bellarmine's still vital Mother's Club, was founded at St Leo High School and moved to Bellarmine when the girls transferred.

1928 Bellarmine was founded as a boys' high school by Fr.

1929 First Bellarmine graduating class of 19 students received diplomas.

1930 Jesuit faculty residence and athletic fields created on campus.

1943 Second major fund drive conducted, raising $40,000 to retire initial indebtedness.

1945 Following World War II, poplar trees were planted near Memorial Field to commemorate former Bellarmine students who died in the war.

1947 Bellarmine wins its first Tacoma City League football championship.

1958 Booster Gym completed and dedicated.

1971 The Lions win their first City League football championship in 25 years.

1974 Bellarmine became the first Jesuit high school in the country to become co-ed, merging with Aquinas and St Leo's schools on the Bellarmine campus.

1985 Newly created Orell Library was dedicated.

1987 "Old Main", now called Bellarmine Hall, was upgraded to include earthquake safety reinforcement and renovation of McAstocker Theater (the original gym).

1991 For the first time, applicants to Bellarmine exceeded capacity (925).

1993 Heritage II, a capital campaign, implemented to raise funds for two baseball fields, two softball fields, six tennis courts, a commons area in the center of campus and increase endowment.

1996 Bellarmine's first lay president, Jack Peterson, was installed on St Robert Bellarmine Day.

2002 Construction began for the remodeling and addition of 18,000 sq. ft. to Snyder Hall, the science and math building.

2008 It's Game Time Capital Campaign begins to raise money for a new gym complex.

In 2011, the Lorry I. Lokey Academic Center was completed after a $15 million gift from the family of the philanthropist and founder of Business Wire.

2012 Bellarmine's financial aid program reaches over a third of the students, the school wins its first state volleyball championship and state-of-the-art home bleachers are built for Memorial Field.