Holy Savior Menard’s roots date back to 1884, when Father L. Menard became the eleventh pastor of St. Francis Xavier Commercial College and Catholic Church. On October 10, 1892, the works and prayers of Father Menard became a reality with the construction of the first school for boys in Alexandria. It was located on Second and Ogden Streets and was named the St. Francis Xavier Commercial College. In 1903, the school was rebuilt on the corner of Fourth and Beauregard Streets, next to the present St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. In 1915, the school was raised ten feet to provide a third floor and additional floor space to handle the increased enrollment.

Father Menard was also responsible for bringing the Sisters of Divine Providence and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart to Alexandria. The sisters taught at the St. Francis Xavier Girls Academy, founded in 1894, and later at Providence Academy, Providence Central, and currently at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Elementary School. The Brothers taught at the Commercial College and later at Menard Memorial High School.

In June 1922, the Elliot Street property between 19th and 20th Streets was acquired, and after thirty-one years, the St. Francis Xavier Commercial College ceased to exist, being renamed Menard Memorial, after Father Menard. Menard Memorial operated at the Elliot Street location as a school for boys until 1966.

In 1914, St. Francis Xavier transformed into Providence Academy for Girls and opened on the grounds of the present day Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church. In 1949, Providence Academy became Providence Central for girls in grades nine to twelve, and Our Lady of Prompt Succor for boys and girls in kindergarten to eighth grade.

In 1934, the Menard Memorial school colors were changed from purple and gold to green, gold, and white, and the mascot was changed from the bulldogs to the eagles.

The year 1966 marked the last year for the name “Menard Memorial.” In that year, the school combined with Providence Central to become Holy Savior Menard Central High School. The new facility at its present location on Coliseum Boulevard opened in the fall of 1967.

In 1988, in cooperation with Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the seventh and eighth grades were moved from Prompt Succor to Menard.

Holy Savior Menard is accredited by AdvancED and by the Louisiana State Department of Education. The School is affiliated with the National Catholic Educational Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Athletic teams participate under the auspices of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

Holy Savior Menard is intensely proud of its alumni. One of the school’s greatest assets is the achievements of its graduates. Many prominent leaders in the Central Louisiana area are among students nurtured through their crucial adolescent years by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the Sisters of Divine Providence, and the dedicated lay faculty and staff members at HSM.