The Institute Catholique des Orphelins Indigent, also known as the Catholic Institute for Indigent Orphans, was a school founded in the Faubourg Marigny in 1848 dedicated to providing an education to children of color. Run by a board of directors and dedicated volunteers and instructors, the school remained under the leadership of lay people of color until 1915. The school was initially financed from a trust established in the will of Madame Marie Justine Cirnaire Couvent, the Widow Bernard Couvent, a philanthropic free woman of color, who was born in Guinea. Although she was a former slave and could not read and write, Madame Couvent understood the importance of receiving an education.
Some of the illustrious teachers and principals of the schools were Felicie Coulon Cailloux, wife of patriot Andre Cailloux; the poet Armand Lanusse, journalist and linguist Paul Trevigne, and mathematician Louis Nelson Foucher.
In 1893, when the Creole of color philanthropist, Thomy Lafon, died, he left a substantial sum to the school in his will for the construction of a new building. That school was destroyed by the disastrous Hurricane of 1915. Lacking money to rebuild the school quickly, the Board of Directors agreed to terms proposed by Saint Katharine Drexel, the foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and Xavier University. She offered to build and operate a new school on the site, under the name St. Louis School (attached to the newly-formed Holy Redeemer Parish), on the condition that it would be operated by a religious community. The Sisters of the Holy Ghost of San Antonio, Texas agreed to staff the school, which they did for several decades.
Among its more well known alumni are Ernest “Dutch” Morial, the first mayor of color in New Orleans, and Keith Weldon Medley, author of We As Freemen: Plessy v. Ferguson.
From 1993-2006, the school was used as the Bishop Harold Perry School for Boys. It is now home to the Saint Gerard Majella Alternative School.
Photograph Source: Dedication Booklet, Saint Louis School, 1917.
Jari Honora
My husband is a descendent of Alphonse Hopkins and I am researching the Hopkins line. Alphonse was born Aug 3, 1887; died Mar 1, 1969. He married Venancia Molina in New Orleans. I will be glad to share all the info I have on this family, but need to learn more first. Any ideas?
I am looking for information on the French Creole family of Alphonse Hopkins (1887-1969) of Orleans Parish, New Orleans.
Mrs. Hopkins, thank you for reading CreoleGen and for commenting. Alphonse Hopkins was the son of Magner Hopkins and Julia Baker. His parents were not married until 10 May 1921, some thirty or forty years after their children were born. Julia Baker’s parents were Charles and Laura Baker.
Alphonse had siblings named Louis and Bertha.
Magner Hopkins’ parents were Edward Byrne Hopkins and Caledonia Wilson. Magner had a sister named Marie Odile Hopkins.
Thank you SO MUCH. This is wonderful information. There is a bit of confusion as to Julia’s last name…sometimes it is Camel, sometimes Comack but now I know she was Baker. I have her death certificate but nothing on Magner’s place or time of death. One day I would like to come to New Orleans and do research and walk where they all walked.
Have a wonderful day.
Dear Jari…. I am having trouble finding Magner Hopkins and his family. Do you have any more info (dates, places) on his folks, Edward Byrne and Caledonia Wilson? Magner seems to have disappeared after 1899, too. I’d be happy to pay for your time researching. Just let me know what you charge and the time. Thanks.
This family was lost to us for many years and now we are connecting again with them.
Hi Mrs. Hopkins,
I sent an email to your email address. Thanks.
HELLO. JARI, Your email didn’t come through. Could you resend it, please. Thanks. I am excited about finding Edward Byrne and Caledonia. It’s really a breakthrough. Thank you so much.
Hello. How do I go about hiring a researcher to find my family? Do I send $10.00 to start and all the info I have..and where should I send it? Thanks for your help. My family was lost for so long and now I am reconnecting. Wonderful.
Thanks so much. I just got your message today. I would like to hire a researcher to find out a little more about the Hopkins… This is the first I’ve heard of Edward and Caledonia! Exciting. When I get a little more done on this family, I would like to send you a copy of it all with the photos for your archives. Thanks for your assistance.
My maternal great-grandfather was Louis J Joubert. A few years ago I was in New Orleans researching my family history and came home to California with a treasure trove of information on L.J. Joubert including his involvement with the Couvent School. I also learned that my grandmother, Pansy Joubert served as Principal of the school in the early1900’s.
Today a friend sent me this photo of the Board of Directors of the Couvent School taken in 1917. To my great surprise, there he was dead-center in the first row. He also told me that L.J. Joubert had served on the board for over 30 years.
With all this said, I am so grateful to learn about your website.
If you have any more information on his involvement with the school, I would be very grateful if you would pass in on to me.
Thank you.
I am the great grand daughter of George H. Doyle, one of the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Marie Couvent School. He is standing in the back row on the left in this photo. He was also a plasterer by trade, he headed up the Plasterer’s Union when there was none for people of color, a police officer for the New Orleans Police Department, and appointed by President Howard Taft as a U.S Federal Marshal. I am very proud of all of his accomplishments, and I wish I had been able to meet him. He was the father of my paternal grandmother, Marie Gertrude Doyle Colis, and the grandfather of my father, Joseph Walbert Colis.
I am trying to learn more about Louis Andre Martinet. I think it is possible he was a student there around 1860. Are there lists of students from the late1850s and the 1860s?
He was also very supportive of education so he may have been involved with the school as an volunteer or director. Are there lists of pre-1917 Board of Directors available?
Is anybody out there related to Armand Lanusse?
I went to Holy Redeemer, graduated in 1968. Later I coached and mentored at Bishop Perry. Unfortunately, the building is up for sale. What a travesty.