St. Joseph High School traces its origins to the year 1868. In 1866, Father Augustine Gardet, pastor of St. Mary's, brought the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament to Victoria to establish Nazareth Academy as a girls' school. In 1868 he organized St. Joseph's Institute for Boys. Father Lawrence Wyer continued this work and even attached a seminary to the school in 1884, but with his death in 1902, the school was unable to continue.
Four years later the Superior of the Brothers of Mary was persuaded to send three Brothers to Victoria to re-open St. Joseph College. With Brother John Garvin, S.M. as principal, the school re-opened in 1906 with 40 boys on opening day. However, by the end of the year there were 124 students.
In 1935, a number of prominent Victorians formed a non-profit corporation to operate St. Joseph College. The first major goal of this group was to establish a new campus. In 1937, the school was moved to its present site on Red River with the completion of a new school building.
The Brothers of Mary continued to administer and staff the school until the Spring of 1970. At this time the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and the Board of Directors of St. Joseph Schools, Inc. worked out a plan in which the Sisters would assume administration of St. Joseph, with Nazareth Academy and St. Joseph sharing facilities. In 1975, Nazareth Academy became a co-educational school for grades kindergarten through 8 and St. Joseph became a co-educational high school for grades 9 through 12.
Principals of St. Joseph High School
2022-present Megan Schott
2019-2022 John H. Gilley IV '03 (President)
2016-2019 Thomas M. Maj
2011-2016 William H. McArdle, Jr.
2009-2011 Anthony E. Winstead
2002-2009 William H. McArdle, Jr.
1985-2002 Sister Emille Eilers, IWBS
1980-1985 Sister Alberta Novosad, IWBS
1977-1980 Sister Mildred Tuchard, IWBS
1970-1977 Sister Alberta Novosad, IWBS
1969-1970 Brother John Kurz, SM
1966-1969 Brother Ralph Krull, SM
1964-1966 Brother Michael Brangan, SM
1958-1964 Brother William Callahan, SM
1952-1958 Brother John Kurz, SM
1949-1952 Brother Leo Rothermick, SM
1946-1949 Brother Lawrence Gonner, SM
1940-1946 Brother Gerard Busch, SM
1938-1940 Brother Vincent Brand, SM
1931-1938 Brother Frank Britz, SM
1927-1931 Brother Herbert Leles, SM
1915-1927 Brother Charles Hubert, SM
1913-1915 Brother John Ryan, SM
1907-1913 Brother Louis Hubert, SM
1906-1907 Brother John Garvin, SM
1894-1902 Mr. LB Hofer
1882-1891 Mr. LB Hofer
1880-1882 Mr. WC Burcham
1880-1902 Reverend Lawrence Wyer, Director of College and Seminary
1876-1880 Professor TJ Stratton
1868-1876 Reverend Augustine Gardet, Director, assisted by Professor Allen