Father Luke, seated second in on the right, and Father Dominic O'Connor, with beard, center, gather with other clergy in the St. Francis friary to mark Father Luke's quarter century of service at his Central Oregon "mission."
An early photographic portrait of Father Luke Sheehan, founder of the St. Francis parish, St. Francis Church, St. Charles Hospital, and St. Francis School.
On a sunny day in the late 1930s, one of the earliest groups of St. Francis students line up in front of the school, along with the teachers and parish priests.
The original St. Francis teachers were a hardy bunch. Here they are, around 1936, wielding an ax, not for corporal punishment, but for home heating fuel. The original convent, visible in the background, was an old residence located on the hill just a couple blocks from the school.
This early 1930s photo captures Father Luke Sheehan, left, in a rare moment of relaxation. He and an unknown man are seen here on an outing in the mountains outside of Bend.
Father Dominic O'Connor was an Irish hero, banished from Ireland by the British government, who came to aid Father Luke in building up the St. Francis parish in and around Bend.
Father Luke Sheehan, the guiding force in establishing of St. Francis Church and school, and St. Charles Hospital, is shown here in the mid 1930s, walking from the Church to the hospital. Franklin Avenue can be seen in the background.
The legacy of Father Luke-St. Francis Church, St. Charles Hospital and St. Francis School-is illustrated in this article, published soon after his death in 1937.
Mike Breen was one of St. Francis School's original students in 1936. He left a life herding sheep with his father, and living in a tent on the high plains, to living in a boarding house in Bend and attending school. It wasn't always a perfect fit for either Mike or the school.
The St. Francis School stands out amidst snow and parked cars, late 1940s.
Knights of the Altar from the late 1940s pose at the front of the school.
The 1948 All-City Champion Saints pose on Troy Field, with St. Francis School visible in the background.
The school's 1948 boys basketball team. Looks like shoe styles were in a transitional phase.
The 1948 championship football team is awarded its trophy by the School District athletic director.
St. Francis School students stand with their best smiles forward for this 1947 shot.
The city football champs of 1948 stand in front of their trophies, 1948.
Troy Field was a popular year-round spot. For most of the warmer months, the open lot was used for St. Francis School athletics. During the winter it flooded to become a skater's paradise. The school is visible just beyond the ice.
All smiles in Sister Miriam Jude's 7th- and 8th-grade class of 1950.
Cameron Healy, sporting his St. Francis School uniform, stands in front of the old convent on Franklin Avenue, near Lava Road.
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day at St. Francis School, around 1950.
Bishop Leipzig blesses two new classrooms of St. Francis School, 1953.
The recently completed classrooms at St. Francis School are blessed by Bishop Leipzig, 1953.
Teachers, students, parents, clergy and the Bishop congregate in January 1953 to bless the school's addition of two classrooms.
Interesting lighting and angles are featured in this 1953 photo of the playground on the north side of St. Francis School.
The school playground in the 1950s sported swings, teeter-totter, a less-than-regulation-height basketball hoop and lots of dirt. The back wall belongs to the Cascade Bowl, a popular family spot for bowling.
Lava Road looking north to the old St. Charles Hospital (now the site of a hotel). The houses at left were preserved as part of McMenamins Old St. Francis School. The boy with the big bike is one of Rollie Anderson's sons. The Andersons lived in one of the Lava Road houses.
The St. Francis Saints of the gridiron. Coach Vince Ginna stands with his team on Troy Field, just south of the school.
The new convent is open for the inspection of parishioners, 1959. This building still stands just beyond the northeast corner of McMenamins' Old St. Francis School grounds.
St. Francis School around 1950.
St. Francis School's graduating class of 1963 looking sharp.
Sister Sebastian's 7th grade class photo, 1960-61.
Coach Bob Wyatt's 1961-62 "A-squad" appears to have a couple cut-ups. Check out those great Chuck Taylor high tops!
Batter up! Teachers from St. Francis convene for fun and relaxation with school families and friends at the ranch of longtime parishioners, the Arbows.
Julie Andrews and Sound of Music come to mind after looking at this view of the Sisters of St. Francis School ascending a snow-capped mountain outside of Bend, along with the Norris family, students of the school and members of the St. Francis parish.
St. Francis School teachers and the Norris family enjoy some time in the sun during a mountain excursion outside of Bend.
Climb every mountain: St. Francis parishioners, the Norris family, took periodic mountain hikes with the Sisters during the 1960s.
In full habit and sneakers, this St. Francis School teacher takes a breather amidst a mountain hike in the 1960s.
Several St. Francis School teachers looked forward to opportunities to get out of town, especially for outdoor excursions, and the Norris family was great about providing transportation and company. This outing is in the mountains outside of Bend.
Bishop Leipzig and clergy from the St. Francis perform a blessing ceremony of the school's 4-classroom expansion, 1961.
The Sisters take the maiden voyage in their first car, 1968.
Father Brian McKenna, left, aids in the blessing ceremony of the Sisters' 1968 Rambler Ambassador wagon.
The Sisters of St. Francis accept the keys and prepare for an excursion in the first car made available solely for their use. The vehicle, a new 1968 Rambler wagon, awaits behind them.
A ghoul gets a chuckle from Sister Jane. Teacher and principal, Sister Jane Hibbard is the target of Walt Norris, a longtime St. Francis parishioner, who is appropriately decked out for Halloween.
The St. Francis faculty poses for the camera on a cold night in 1962 on the steps of the St. Francis Church.
Bishop Connolly attends St. Francis School's butterfly freeing ceremony on the Feast of St. Francis Day, 1979.
Bishop Connolly looks over the St. Francis kids at play during a visit to the school in 1975.
Older St. Francis students gather on the school's front steps with Bishop Connolly, 1975.
Uniforms and habits have long become a thing of the past by the time of this 1978 photo of Sister Farroel's 6th grade class.
Bishop Connolly stands behind a class of St. Francis youngsters and next to a portrait of St. Francis, 1975.
The end of a school day, 1980s.
One of the best-remembered features of Mrs. O'Rourke's 5th grade classroom was the favorite reading place, an old bathtub dubbed the yellow submarine.
Father Brian McKenna leads a busload of St. Francis School 5th graders to Mt Bachelor as part of the school's ski program, 1993.
A priest visits a St. Francis School class, 1990s.
Recess at St. Francis School, 1997.
Throwing the ‘Hail Mary,' at recess in 1997.
This house was leased in 1936 to serve as the first convent for St. Francis school's original faculty. It still stands on the hill just behind the school and not far from the St. Francis Church. This photo was taken in 2004.
McMenamins' 2004 renovation of the school property included work on several houses on Lava Street and reimagining the grounds.
The old classrooms begin their transformation into hotel rooms in 2004.
This lime green cinder block garage was reincarnated in 2004 as O'Kane's pub, central gathering point on the back of the property.
Delores Frieberg, the first school secretary, in 2004, on the steps of the school where she worked for so many years.
