Laneri High School (1921—1962)

Mar 13
3 min read

Founded by John B. Laneri

Giovanni “John” Battista Laneri was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1858. At the age of 15, he immigrated to the United States with his younger brother, George, arriving at the port of New Orleans in 1873. He later moved to Marshall, Texas, where he worked in banking and at a local hotel. In 1882, John relocated to Fort Worth, where he became the general manager of a lunch counter at the Texas & Pacific Railroad Depot. By age 24, he was already a successful businessman in the growing city.

John soon partnered with fellow Italian immigrant Louis Bicocchi, who owned a small grocery and liquor store. Louis wanted to bring macaroni to Fort Worth but needed a pasta machine. John provided the funds, and in 1899, they founded the Fort Worth Macaroni Company, with John serving as president. The company thrived, and their “Vesuvio” brand macaroni became a popular product throughout the Southwest, aided by a strategic location near the railroad at Daggett and Victory Streets. By 1904, Laneri had accumulated a sizable fortune and built a red-brick mansion on South Jennings Avenue, which is now on the Fort Worth historic homes registry. The Fort Worth Macaroni Company was renamed O.B. Macaroni in 1959 and later became Our Best Macaroni. John's nephew, Louis Laneri, joined the company in 1907 from New York, and his sons John and Carlos joined in the 1930s, ensuring the company remained in the family until it closed in 2009.

In 1895, John married Nannie Graves (1871–1918). The couple had no children. Deeply devout, Laneri became a generous benefactor to the Catholic Church. He donated the Carrara marble main altar, side altars, communion rail, stained glass windows, and a pipe organ to St. Mary’s Parish. He also gifted the Stations of the Cross to St. Patrick Cathedral and a stained glass window of St. Michael the Archangel to the chapel at Our Lady of Victory Academy.

Following Nannie’s death in 1918, John wanted to create a lasting tribute to her. He approached Bishop Joseph Lynch of Dallas in 1921 with the wish to build an all-boys Catholic high school in Fort Worth. Though the bishop initially preferred Dallas, John insisted that the school be built in Fort Worth. That same year, Laneri High School opened at 1400 Hemphill Street with grades five through nine, eventually expanding through grade twelve. It opened with an enrollment of 67 boys. Click here to view the Letter from the Diocese of Dallas

The school was founded to form Catholic, educated, and just young men, instilling in them devotion to God, country, family, and community. Initially staffed by Vincentian Brothers (1921–1928), the school came under the direction of Benedictine priests (1928-1962) from Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas starting in 1928. Laneri also endowed the school to the Diocese of Dallas to ensure its long-term sustainability and that no student would be turned away due to financial hardship. In 1949, tuition was just $63 a year, with $12 for books. Scholarships and sponsorships helped make education accessible for all.

In 1928, the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur began teaching grades 1—8 in four classrooms on Laneri’s second floor under the name St. Mary’s Elementary School. In 1948, St. Mary of the Assumption parish built their own grade school on their property.

The Benedictine priests continued leading the school until its closure in 1962, with six priests serving as headmasters over the years. Notable clergy associated with Laneri included Monsignor Robert Wilson, Father Robert McGill, Monsignor Joseph Scantlin, Father Bob Strittmater, and Father Roman Widacki.

John Laneri remarried to Elizabeth Sullivan (1877–1955) later in life. He passed away in 1935, but his legacy endured. In 1962, Laneri High School closed its doors, and its boys—along with the girls from Our Lady of Victory High School, which had closed the previous year—were transferred to the newly established Nolan Catholic High School, which opened in 1961 as part of a diocesan effort to consolidate Catholic secondary education in Fort Worth.

Over its 41-year history, Laneri High School has produced many outstanding Catholic men and priests who served the Fort Worth community. John B. Laneri's unwavering faith, business success, and dedication to Catholic education remain a profound and lasting testament to his vision and devotion.