Perryville already had a Catholic church and parish: St. Mary's of the Assumption.

However, due to cultural and linguistic reasons, a second separate parish was established for the German-speaking community and their descendants.

The Precious Blood Sisters, a German Catholic female order, were the first to open a school for these children in 1887.

Later, the Ursulines, another female order, replaced the Precious Blood Sisters and opened a boarding school for the girls of St. Boniface Parish.

The boys are believed to have been educated at the Seminary school at St. Mary's of the Barrens.