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Porches are a significant reflection of American life, starting in the Victorian era. Neither Irish, French nor German houses had porches at the time the Academy was built. The creation of a porch for a school in this era is an attempt to create…

Although the Academy was built in the new Federal style of the era, visitors may notice the Irish country houses of Father Maxwell's youth provided inspiration as well. The hiring of Trustee, William Shannon, as builder and architect was a natural…

Builder William Shannon's contract read, "There are to be two inside partition walls of stone from the foundation to the top, one foot thick. One chimney in each end, with two fireplaces in each chimney, said chimney to go up with said building, the…