St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School celebrates over 125 years of tradition, pride and spirit. The school, also known as SACBS, is adjacent to the historic St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica located in the heart of downtown Beaumont. Founded in 1895 as Our Lady of Perpetual Help and in 1925 became one of the first Catholic schools in the state to be accredited by the Texas Education Agency. In 1999, St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

In 1895, the Reverend M. P. McSorley became the first full time resident priest in what was then known as St. Louis Church. On September 1, 1895, Mother Pauline and Sister Augustine of the Dominican Order came to St. Louis Parish to open St. Louis’ Parochial School. The school was opened in the former rectory with 13 students and four Sisters.

A larger school was built in 1896 on the corner of Jefferson and Forsythe Streets. The school was called Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent School. The school continued to grow to the extent that classes were held on the first two floors and the Sisters lived on the third floor.

In 1901, the oil boom struck Beaumont with the Lucas Gusher at Spindletop Oil Field. The small St. Louis Church soon became inadequate to serve the growing community. In 1907, the present St. Anthony Cathedral Church was built in honor of St. Anthony of Padua. The first high school class was added to the grammar school.

By 1917, the increase in the number of students attending St. Anthony School was so great that a new school had to be built. This new stucco building was open for classes on September 16, 1918 and had an enrollment of 288 students and a faculty of nine Sisters.

The student population continued to increase, and in 1953, a new two-story brick building was built on the corner of Forsythe and Jefferson streets. This is the present day location of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School.

A gym was built and dedicated in 1995 in celebration of the centennial of the school and Catholic education in the Diocese of Beaumont. The school consists of a main two-story brick building, a separate cafeteria, technology lab, Early Childhood Development Center, gymnasium, playground, and a softball field.

As the St. Anthony graduates process before the magnificent Basilica altar, they and their families are certain they are filled with the strengths needed to fulfill their dreams. The essentials of faith, commitment to community and service, academic excellence, and gratitude have deeply rooted in their character. The small class size has allowed them to truly come to know their fellow classmates and establish lasting friendships that enrich them. It has allowed them to receive individual guidance and recognition from their teachers in a deeply intimate and caring relationship coupled with academic excellence. It has given them the opportunity to participate in sports, plays, music, to find their hidden talents, talents that might not have been discovered and nourished in a larger impersonal environment.

They are bound in communion with their faith, their memories, families, and each other. They are anchored in conviction of character that will sustain them through the murky waters of adversity, and they will become the leaders of their generation. They will become the 1nentors of those seeking clarity of vision and sincerity of character. As they receive their diplomas and pass into a new and exciting phase of their lives, they remain proud, grounded in the traditions of the Catholic experience, and ignited by the spirit of wonder. They are well prepared for the challenges of high school and the challenges beyond. They are the graduates of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School.