It opened in the fall of 1958 in a rapidly expanding area close to what was then the north city limits of Evansville.
The generations immense size brought them economic powers, rises in electronic mass media, and a high level of education.
[1] In 1956 the decision was made to open the third catholic high school in Evansville, Rex Mundi.
Rex Mundi was constructed by Virgil Miller, who was also responsible for planning other schools within the diocese.
An outstanding strength of the school was its mathematics department, headed up by Franciscan Sister Theresa Marie.
Under her guidance the school captured medals in state math competitions for several years, beginning soon after Rex Mundi opened.
Graduating in the class of 1963, basketball team captain Bob Griese went on to fame in college and professional football.
(A diocese- wide rule book for Catholic high school students forbade dating before the age of 16 and bringing a non-Catholic boyfriend or girlfriend to school dances; infractions of these rules often resulted in calls to parents.)
Other rules were typical of schools of the time and included proscription of talking in class, disobeying direct orders from teachers, etc.
A visit to Father Meny for disciplinary action was a serious matter at Rex Mundi High School in the early years.
The decision process of whether to close Rex Mundi or Mater Dei was contemplated for three months before a conclusion was finally made.
If the Rex Mundi students chose to continue in the Catholic high school system, their options were either be transferred to Mater Dei or Reitz Memorial.
[7] They began visiting Mater Dei and Reitz Memorial high schools to become acquainted with future classmates and teachers.
March 22, 1975, George Utley, director of Ivy Tech, purchased the old Rex Mundi convent for $1.5 million for the state.