McMenamins Old St. Francis School Celebrates 86 Years

Happy 86th birthday to McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend, Oregon! In 1936, St. Francis School was established as the first parochial school in Central Oregon. For 64 years, the school provided Catholic education from Kindergarten through 8th grade at this location. Then in 2000, the school community moved to a newly built modern campus in northeast Bend. Three years later, McMenamins did their “presto-change-o” on the old school building and Old St. Francis was reborn with a new mission: To deliver the fun…and the beer!

Old St. Francis School incorporates the history and stories of former students, teachers, and parish members that made up the vibrant community. Our talented team of artists spun these memories into visual magic featured in artwork throughout the bars, brewery, guest rooms, soaking pool, theater, and more.

This chalkboard mural by artist Eona Skelton, completed in 2016, is a sampler of some of the most colorful characters from St. Francis School’s history and the community of Bend. There is so much to explore, so we won’t give away exactly where you can find this particular chalk creation. We’ll leave that for you to find! The following descriptions are a key to the people and places featured in Eona’s bright chalk drawing.

Father Luke Sheehan stands in the center of the painting. He was born in 1873 in Cork City, Ireland and as a young man, he was ordained as a Capuchin Franciscan priest. After traveling the world as a missionary, he was called to Bend in 1910 to establish the St. Francis parish. He founded St. Charles Hospital (the first in Bend), and in the last year of his life, he saw the completion of St. Francis School in 1936. His nephew, Father Dominic O’Connor, was also instrumental in founding the Catholic community in Bend. Father Luke’s Foundation Room at McMenamins Old St. Francis is named for him.

On the right side of the picture, the Sisters of St. Francis are framed by the towering peaks of the Cascade mountain range, enjoying a field day and a baseball game together. These teacher-nus led their students on hiking trips through the picturesque valley to experience the glory of nature.

Circling clockwise, we see altar boys preparing for mass at St. Francis Church. To the right of them is Sister Kathleen Hepner. She taught sixth grade from 1979-1982, and again from 1997-2008 (by then at the school’s new location). She was the last nun to teach at St. Francis School.

Next is “Yellow Submarine” from Mrs. O’Rourke’s 5th grade classroom. She created a quirky and fun reading spot for her students, who cozied up with a book in an old bathtub named for the famous Beatles’ song.

Circling left, these children are dressed as daisies for a school performance, just one example of the lively activities and programs that St. Francis School offered their students.

In the lower center of the painting, Sister Jane Hibbard is smiling with her guitar. She’s releasing monarch butterflies at the school’s annual Feast of St. Francis celebration. Bishop Connolly, in his white vestments, stands next to her, as he communes with the butterflies at their freeing ceremony.

Sister Jane started out teaching third-grade and became the principal of St. Francis School in 1976. She remained with the school for ten years. Sister Jane was an important leader not just for the school, but also for the Oregon Province of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Sister Jane was given an honorary doctorate of public service by the University of Portland in 1993.

Floating above Jane is the first car given to the St. Francis nuns: a 1968 Rambler Ambassador station wagon. Sister Jane was the main driver and faithfully got the Sisters to-and-fro, even in the ice and snow! Father Brian McKenna, in his brown robes, aids in the blessing ceremony of their new vehicle.

Standing in the upper left-hand corner, in her fanciest dress, hat and parasol, is Klondike Kate – one of the most famous residents of Bend, during the early days of “Wild West” entertainment. Born Kathleen Eloise Rockwell, she was a dancehall girl-turned-vaudeville-star during the Klondike gold rush in the late 1890s. She performed in saloons and opera houses, charming miners in her elaborate, gorgeous gowns. Next to her is a rendering of the Orpheum Theater in Dawson City, the center of the Yukon territory. Kate and her partner, Alexander Pantages, owned the Orpheum together and had a rocky, drama-filled love affair.

Kate moved to Bend (without Alexander) in 1917 and she was affectionately nicknamed “Aunt Kate” by locals. She was known for her generosity and dedication to charitable causes. St. Francis student Betty Hall knew Klondike Kate personally. Kate was a friend of Betty’s mother. She remembers “Aunt Kate” stopping door-to-door, gathering clothing and food items to donate to the less fortunate.

Near Kate’s parasol, is the Museum of Wonders, which was a roadside attraction popular in the 1940s, just off Highway 97 in Bend. The sign boasted “rocks, minerals, Indian relics, and agate cutting.” No doubt the unique geology of the region was a draw for tourists, then as it is now.

 

The swan represents the Bend Water Pageant, which took place on Mirror Pond in Drake Park, every Fourth of July from 1933 until 1965. Illuminated floats shaped like large swans carried young ladies in elegant costumes through a rainbow archway on the water. This floating parade was a community-wide effort that attracted thousands of visitors to Bend every summer for decades.

 

A visit to McMenamins Old St. Francis School is a fun dive into history. Go on a little scavenger hunt and see if you can find these historic figures and landmarks (and many more!) in the abundant paintings, mosaics, photos, and even in stained glass windows created especially for Old St. Francis School. There’s so much to discover!