School by the River: Ursuline Academy to Southwest School of Art and Craft, 1851-2001

When seven women of the Order of Saint Ursula and one priest arrived in frontier San Antonio, Texas in 1851 to establish a school for girls, none could predict the dramatic future facing the tranquil campus that rose on the banks of the San Antonio River. By 1970, the Ursuline Academy had moved away. Then two other groups of determined women--the San Antonio Conservation Society and the Southwest Craft Center--closed ranks to rescue the architecturally significant landmark buildings from certain destruction. Now, as the Southwest School of Art and Craft, education, historic preservation and artistic invention merge as lifelong learning and the tradition of excellence continue in this unique place. School by the River includes 145 historical and contemporary illustrations lavishly displayed.