St. Martin De Porres History

Patron
St Martin de Porres School is named for the Afro-Peruvian Dominican brother whose life of prayerful service to the poor and sick is a role model for Christian discipleship revered around the world. Martin was born December 9, 1579 in Lima, Peru, died November 3, 1639, became Blessed Martin de Porres in 1837, and St Martin de Porres in 1962 in a declaration from Pope John XXIII.
Short History
Our school was founded in September 14, 1936, a week after Mother Samuel, prioress-general of the Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, Dominican Sisters sent three teaching members of her congregation to Columbia. A year earlier, Father Weiland, a Dominican from St Joseph's province, had come to Columbia in response to a call from the city's African American Roman Catholics to the Order of Preachers to found Blessed Martin de Porres Mission. For most of our almost sixty plus years' history, Sinsinawa Dominican sisters have served the school and parish in a variety of capacities, including principals, teachers, directors of religious education and pastoral associates. Originally, the school, church, and rectory were all contained in a large wooden house at the corner of Hampton and Oak, site of the current parish/school office. In 1954, construction began on our present school quarters which span the entire property from Hampton to Taylor Streets. In the early years, the school provided education through the eighth grade.