Though it boasted a number of distinguished alumni, St. Bonaventure Lyceum is ignored in most modern discussions of notable Terre Haute educational institutions.

Situated on the northwest corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, it was a boys grade school and college preparatory school, referred to locally as "St. Bonaventure College."

It opened in September 1872 - 130 years ago - with 212 students, but survived only four years.

During its initial year of existence, the student body included a number of boys who attained considerable prominence.

Composer Paul Dresser, major league baseball player Billy Nelson, vaudeville star Billy Link, Terre Haute mayors James Lyons and Louis Gerhardt, Vigo County Sheriff John B. Walsh, Terre Haute chief of detectives William Dwyer and Vigo County Clerk James F. Joyce were among the pupils.

St. Bonaventure was founded by the Franciscan order of the Roman Catholic church a few months after it was awarded the responsibility for St. Joseph's Church.

Desirous of establishing a high quality preparatory school for young men, the Franciscans approached the Sisters of Providence, which had been operating St. Vincent's Academy, a nondenominational girls grade school and high school, in the building immediately south of the church since 1849.

St. Vincent's Academy was popular and overcrowded so relocation to a larger facility seemed appropriate. In April 1872, Terre Haute railroad magnate William D. Griswold agreed to sell his mansion and stables on acreage surrounded by Fourth, Fifth, Crawford and Deming streets to the Sisters for $25,000, about half its appraised value.

The Sisters converted the former Griswold residence into St. Joseph's High School and transformed the stables into a grade school. The Sisters transferred title of the St. Vincent's Academy building to the Franciscans Fathers for $10,000 in June.

When a number of St. Bonaventure alumni gathered to reminisce about their school days in April 1909, Nicholas Reuter was selected by the group as the school's most distinguished alumnus.

Then known as the Most Reverend Dominic Reuter, he was the first American to serve as Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, the Franciscan order founded in 1209 by St. Francis of Assisi.

After matriculating from St. Bonavanture, Friar Reuter earned doctorates in philosophy and theology and, during World War I, headed the Vatican office for war prisoners.

According to Sheriff Walsh, St. Bonaventure Lyceum "was, without a doubt, the best school Terre Haute ever had."

Brother Anslem Quetz, described as "a very athletic man," is credited for being the inspiration for the early success of the school.

Though managed by priests and brothers, St. Bonaventure "was not a religious school," Patrick B. Walsh, president of the board of works of Terre Haute, elaborated. "Several teachers were Protestants and no more than two-thirds of the students were Catholics.

"Professor Frey was . . . a Protestant and one of the best teachers in the school," he added. "He had an ungovernable temper . . . and took particular delight in whaling the life out of all of the boys, especially me. But there never lived a bigger-hearted man. Outside of the school room, Professor Frey was a brother to the boys."

"The instruction was thorough and the influence upon the boys was ennobling," Mayor Lyons offered. "We had lots of recreation and no end of fun, all of which goes to make school life interesting and valuable to a boy."

Particularly memorable were the chaperoned trips to Early's Grove, east of Third Street between Fourth and Eighth avenues. "That was our old picnic grounds and where we went to hunt squirrels," Joyce recalled. "It seemed a long way out in the country then."

In late June of each year, students of St. Bonaventure presented an entertainment extravaganza before a packed house at Dowling Hall on North Sixth Street.

Local alumni recalled the dancing of James and Joe Brennan and John Horrigan, the voice of future Terre Haute jeweler Otto Statz, and the comedy of Dresser, Link, Reuter, Timothy Ring, James Mahare, James McNellis, James Downey and Beno Lehner.

Lehner later was pastor at St. Joseph's Church before being transferred to Utica. N.Y. Anthony Zoller, another alum, became a pastor at St. Benedict's Church.

Ernest Bleemel, whose father owned a flour and feed store at Ninth and Poplar streets, was among the students listed in the school's 1872-73 catalogue.

Beginning in 1873-74, the Franciscans had difficulty finding enough grade school teachers to staff St. Bonaventure and received assistance from the Sisters of Providence. The Sisters, meanwhile, were receiving complaints from parishioners who did not want to send their young children to attend school in a building once occupied by horses and cattle.

The enrollment at St. Bonaventure Lyceum began to decline in 1874-75 and the Franciscans closed the school for the final time in June 1876.

The Sisters of Providence sold the former Griswold estate to hardware dealer William Shryer on Jan. 22, 1877, for $15,000, and reacquired the school at Fifth and Walnut streets from the Franciscans.

It was the site of St. Joseph's High School for Girls until 1939.