In that year, St. Thomas Aquinas parish was established and shortly thereafter the first Catholic school in Zanesville began holding classes in the church basement. A short time later, a separate building was erected and, in 1853, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary's of the Springs, Columbus, Ohio, established the St. Columbia Female Academy.

The students of St. Thomas School were taught at different times by men and women, the Holy Cross Brothers of Notre Dame, Indiana, and the Dominican Sisters of the Springs. In 1873, the Sisters closed their academy permanently and took over the task of instruction at St. Thomas Parish School.

Eleven years later, the St. Thomas curriculum was extended to include a one year course in bookkeeping in addition to the eight grades of elementary school. By 1887, the course was enlarged into a complete two year high school. A third year course was added in 1897 and in 1914, the school instituted a complete four year program. It was at this time that the present St. Thomas School building was constructed.

Meanwhile, shortly after the founding of St. Nicholas Parish by largely German immigrants in 1842, a new school of the "Schule Lehrertype" was opened by the new parish. In this school the teacher was also the church organist. The students were taught alternately by lay men and women as well as the Franciscan Sisters of Joliet, Illinois, until 1893. It was at this time that the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity from Alverno (Manitowoc) Wisconsin took charge of St. Nicholas School. In 1895, a two year high school program was inaugurated with the third and fourth years being added in 1905 and 1921 respectively.

In 1927, the current St. Nicholas School building was constructed under the pastor ship of Reverend Aloysius L. Leininger (the present day National Honor Society at Bishop Rosecrans bears his name). It was into this building that the consolidated parochial high schools, under the name of Bishop Rosecrans, moved after the union of the two schools.

At the time of the consolidation, there were 55 boys and 58 girls in St. Thomas High School and 89 boys and 82 girls in St. Nicholas High School. The first Rosecrans faculty of 1950 consisted of six Dominican and six Franciscan Sisters, the same sisters who had taught in the separate parochial high schools, one diocesan priest, Fr. Ambrose Freund, the first Principal, two Dominican fathers and a coach completed the faculty.

The generosity of the late Cora and Albert Rogge enabled the groundbreaking for the Catholic Youth Center in 1965, which served as the first part of a new high school building. A gymnasium, olympic-size pool, locker rooms, cafeteria and social hall, plus five classrooms were contained in the new structure. The academic wing of the school was erected in 1970-71 and it included much needed classrooms and lab facilities, a theater, and a chapel, as well as administrative offices. With the dedication of the new wing on May 23, 1971, the dream of a complete Catholic school facility in the Zanesville community became a reality.

It was in 1986 that the Bishop Rosecrans Foundation was established to secure the future of Catholic education in Zanesville. In addition, the Alumni Association established within this endowment a restricted fund for the purpose of financing scholarships for students. The physical plant of the building itself was modified to include a kitchen, a new computer lab, as well as remodeled locker rooms and weight rooms.

Bishop Rosecrans has been served by numerous priests and sisters during its fifty year history. After Father Freund, the school was led by seven diocesan priest principals: Fr. Robert Harwick; Msgr. Linus Dury; Fr. Richard Endres; Fr. Clement Durbin; Fr. Edward McFarland; Fr. Sam Durbin; and Fr. James Ogurchock. From 1972 - 1986, the school was led by two principals of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity: Sr. Carol Diederich and Sr. Adrianna Schouten. The sisters were followed by Fr. William Arnold, Mr. Mike Ross, Dr. Joseph Brannon,  David Morland, and the current principal Mr. Rick Smith.

As Bishop Rosecrans High School heads into the new millennium, its mission and challenge has not changed since 1950. The education of the student in the best religious and academic environment possible. Bishop Rosecrans strives to remain a leader in secondary education in Southeastern Ohio through a curriculum which emphasizes a rigorous course of study in the basics: Religion, English, Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences, and Foreign Languages.

Rosecrans alumni, who number over 3,300, have assumed leadership positions nationally and locally because of this strong academic background, whether they choose the college campus, business, or the armed forces after graduation. It is its commitment to excellence for students which separates Bishop Rosecrans from other area schools.

Bishop Rosecrans continues to enjoy broad community support in its efforts to educate the young people of Muskingum County. The two Catholic parishes, the local business community, as well as numerous parents, alumni and friends of the school are a base of moral and financial support year in and year out.

As Bishop Rosecrans heads into its fifth decade of service to the Church and the Zanesville community, this commitment to educational excellence and religious values will continue to be its sustaining motivation and purpose.