Cathedral High School (Boston, Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Cathedral High School is a Roman Catholic
high school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
.
The school was constructed under the leadership of William Cardinal O’Connell, the Archbishop of Boston, from funds donated by the estate of Mary C. Keith of the Keith Orpheum Theater fame.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph assumed responsibility for educating the students of CHS. For many years, the Sisters constituted the entire teaching staff. Over the years the Sisters of Saint Joseph have been joined in their mission by other religious communities: The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Franciscan Sisters and School Sisters of Notre Dame. Presently, the faculty and staff of CHS are mostly lay men and women.
The school was originally opened in Boston’s South End primarily to educate the sons and daughters of the new immigrant community in Boston, many of whom struggled to get by economically. Today, the school still serves this community, although the ethnic and racial profile of CHS has become more diverse, reflecting the greater diversity of Boston.
CHS expanded the work of Cathedral Grammar School as an experimental school in which new teaching methods were tried. Whenever these programs were successful, they became part of the curriculum for the entire parochial school system. Most notable was Cathedral’s music program. The Sanctuary Schola was a program started at the grammar school. The success of this program attracted visits from famed musicians across the country. The Schola provided a youth choir for the Cathedral of the Holy Cross; with the opening of the High School, this group began to include older members from CHS.
During the decade of the thirties, about twenty-two percent of Cathedral High School graduates continued their education, a figure which has grown in recent years to one hundred percent.
During the period before World War II, classes were in many ways typical of those of most Catholic schools. The student body was composed of mostly white Catholic students who belonged to a few ethnic groups in Boston. Classes were large, and students wore uniforms.
Cathedral’s enrollment had risen quickly in the 1930s, reaching one-hundred-and-fifty by the time the initial class graduated in 1931.Growth in enrollment was considerably more rapid in the years immediately following the war, when Cathedral High School more than doubled its enrollment from just over three-hundred students to seven hundred, and built the newer wing which runs parallel to Washington Street, perpendicular to the original building on Union Park Street. The school population continued to grow until it exceeded eight hundred in the 1960s.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the evolution of Cathedral High School as it exists today. One such factor was that during the 1950s CHS became one of the Central Catholic High Schools of the Archdiocese of Boston. The Archdiocese at that time decided to centralize certain administrative aspects of some of its high schools, each of which already served a community much wider than a single parish. They provided a cooperative organization, which schools could use for the exchange of ideas and for mutual support.
Another dynamic had to do with changes in the population of Boston in the 1960s; it had become much more diverse. The traditional immigrant groups that Cathedral High School had served in the city were migrating to the suburbs, many having moved well beyond the reasonably definable geographic area, which could be served by CHS. The outlook of the Church had broadened; many people in the service of the Catholic Church had a sense that it was necessary to actively reach out to a larger community. Thus, began a special effort by CHS to encourage and recruit more students from the ethnic and racial groups who now lived near to the school, yet had never made up a large part of the student body. Much time was spent establishing a tradition of multi-cultural awareness and providing for this cultural diversity within the curriculum.
With the changing school population, the Archdiocese provided a supplementary subsidy to those high schools that provided a Catholic education to urban youth. Cathedral High School’s efforts to attract a student population who reflect the wider community of Boston’s inner city and the nearby urban area have been successful. Today African-American students make up the largest percentage of Cathedral High School’s population; this includes a large number representing the immigrant Caribbean community. A recently growing number of students has come to CHS from the Hispanic community. Current students also represent the countries of Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Cathedral High School, like most schools in America, was affected by the changes in educational philosophy in the 1970s. A less structured school environment brought about a more open campus. In the late 1970s, the school made some significant changes in its curriculum. Revisions in the requirements for graduation were articulated and implemented for the College Preparatory program of studies; and a program was laid out for the students who were bound for general employment upon graduation. Other changes included: the purchase of electric typewriters and computers to enhance the Business Program, a new course in drafting and architectural drawing was added, a Special Needs Program was instituted, as were Title I reading classes to serve those students whose competency was below high school level. There was also a bilingual Spanish-English program, which was established to serve the influx of native Spanish-speaking students entering CHS at that time. Also, a Health Coordinator was hired, enabling CHS to provide health education in addition to health services. Finally, during this period, the school library was reopened.
It was during this period that it seemed CHS might not be able to survive. However, Cardinal Medeiros, then Archbishop of Boston, gave CHS new hope. He was particularly supportive of the possibilities of a school that could insure an excellent education along with providing the experience of diversity. In that time of racial polarization around the issue of busing, CHS offered a prime example of a Catholic school where different racial groups could come together voluntarily and harmoniously for a common purpose. Cathedral High School not only survived, but also came to prove that diversity is an asset to the educational process. In addition to the business and technical programs that were added to meet the needs of students not bound for college, the academic program was strengthened by the addition of writing courses and more math offerings. Finally, it was during this decade that the school’s discipline system was restructured around the highly successful Planning Center, which provided a place for students to talk about problem behavior and examine alternatives in a supportive environment.
The expanding number of new immigrant students who came to our school in the 1980s called for new programs to help them make the transition to the regular academic program. The largest groups of new immigrants came to CHS from Southeast Asia and Haiti, while a significant number of others came from Spanish speaking countries. In response to this need, CHS created English as a Second Language Program. A program to support students and families in the resettlement struggle was initiated as well. During the eighties, Cathedral High School enrolled students from more than thirty countries, and for some forty-four percent of them English was not their primary language.
In the 1990s the “information highway” drove change at CHS. The library was refurbished with a Power Macintosh network of twenty-five computers and a direct connection to the internet. Students and teachers began to use the internet for both research and educational purposes, and classes began to use web site and CD-ROMs to supplement their use of printed textbooks. The print side of the library was also overhauled, with grant monies pursued in order to replace all of the outdated print materials with new, updated, and relevant books, including the perennial classics. The library catalog became automated so that students could search for books using the library computers.
Until 1995 CHS continued to offer a three-pronged academic program of studies: College Preparatory, Business, and General Employment. However, the faculty and staff decided to launch only a College Preparatory program of studies due to the ever-changing competitive job market. New curricula and course requirements were prepared to accommodate the change.
During the 1998-1999 school year, two developments marked a watershed in Cathedral High School’s technological capabilities. First, the receipt of government subsidies through the “erate” program brought a school-wide network to the building. Direct, high-speed access to the internet became available in every office and classroom. The second development was that Boston Catholic Television (BCTV), a non-profit organization committed to serving Catholic institutions, chose CHS to be one of five recipients of a microwave dish that receives both internet data and video. BCTV also installed a smaller building-wide data network as well as a video network to distribute such reception throughout the school. With these two networks in place, each classroom was able to connect six to eight computers directly to the internet and receive educational video served from the BCTV headquarters.
At the dawn of the 21st Century, Cathedral High School expanded its technological capabilities, governance structure, and academic program. As a result of the generous donations by benefactors, a Language Laboratory was constructed, housing twenty-five computers, a teacher workstation, and video editing equipment. Because faculty instituted a technology curriculum, CHS purchased video cameras and editing equipment. Currently, faculty and staff use the following software: GradeQ and computers uick, Raiser’s Edge, and Administrator’s Plus. To enhance communication, CHS recently initiated the use of Edline and Naviance, learning community management systems, which give administration, faculty, staff, students and parents more communication capability.
In 2002, Cathedral High School developed and expanded its academic program. As a result of testing data, CHS decided to run two supportive freshmen programs: the Sean McDonough Program, a two-week summer skills program, and the Winter Literacy Program. Further testing data also suggested the need for a reading curriculum for freshmen. A committee of faculty and staff conducted action research to determine the present reading curriculum, which guides the teaching of reading strategies within the various disciplines. In 2003 the CHS faculty and staff developed a technology curriculum ensuring that all students would be taught technology skills in context in various disciplines, thereby ensuring immediate student application of the learned skills.
Prior to 2004, Cathedral High School, as well as other Central Catholic High Schools, had been governed by a Boston Catholic Archdiocesan Board of Trustees, ACHS, Inc. However, in 2004 CHS became a private Catholic school governed by a newly appointed Board of Trustees. In 2008, another change in governance took place; this time on the local level. The school changed from the traditional principal model to the current Headmaster/Principal model.
The CHS Board in conjunction with a committee representing the faculty and staff developed a five-year strategic plan, which outlines goals to increase enrollment, expand courses, and refurbish and expand the school facilities. As a result of Trustees efforts, CHS purchased a new boiler and began construction of the school’s first gymnasium in the spring of 2006. To fund the much-needed overhaul of the school, the Trustees initiated a Capital Campaign. As a result, a new roof, hallway and stairwell floor coverings, and new bathroom facilities were installed. During the summer of 2009, further facility renewal took place: three integrated science laboratories were constructed, replacing two ancient labs; the cafeteria was painted and a new floor installed; and new furniture has replaced old furniture in classrooms and the cafeteria.
Of special notice, CHS is most proud of its addition in 2006 of a new, first ever, state-of-the-art gymnasium. This three-year old gymnasium has offered much opportunity to students, faculty, staff, alumni, the Archdiocese of Boston, and the school’s larger community. During the 2005-2006 school year, faculty and staff developed a physical education curriculum and a new school schedule to accommodate use of the gymnasium.
It was also in 2003 that CHS began to offer Honors level courses in English and Mathematics. Throughout the years that followed, Honors level courses were offered in almost all disciplines. As a result of a parent/student survey, CHS added a Latin I course offering to its World Languages Department in 2008. CHS also offered Advanced Placement Calculus in that same year. Presently, there are plans to offer Advanced Placement U.S. History and Advanced Placement English Literature during the 2009-2010 school year. Based on interest and need, more Advanced Placement courses will be added in the future.
Cathedral High School, Inc. is poised to continue its mission for years to come. We remain unwavering in our commitment as an urban, co-educational, multi-cultural, private Catholic, college-preparatory learning community committed to excellence.
State Championship, defending their 2006 title. They came close again in 2008 but was defeated by Avon in the Sectional Finals. On March 9, 2009 the Boys basketball team won the Division IV State Championship for the 3rd time in 4 years against cross-city rival, North Cambridge Catholic by a score of 67-65. The team returned to the State Championship game again in 2010, but was defeated handily by another cross-city rival, New Mission.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
high school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
.
Background
The doors of Cathedral High School first opened on September 14, 1926 with an initial class of 44 students: twenty-one girls and twenty-three boys. The school’s stated mission was “to develop students spiritually, intellectually and socially, and to train Catholic leaders.” While the mission has been refined, it still reflects the vision of the founders.The school was constructed under the leadership of William Cardinal O’Connell, the Archbishop of Boston, from funds donated by the estate of Mary C. Keith of the Keith Orpheum Theater fame.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph assumed responsibility for educating the students of CHS. For many years, the Sisters constituted the entire teaching staff. Over the years the Sisters of Saint Joseph have been joined in their mission by other religious communities: The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Franciscan Sisters and School Sisters of Notre Dame. Presently, the faculty and staff of CHS are mostly lay men and women.
The school was originally opened in Boston’s South End primarily to educate the sons and daughters of the new immigrant community in Boston, many of whom struggled to get by economically. Today, the school still serves this community, although the ethnic and racial profile of CHS has become more diverse, reflecting the greater diversity of Boston.
CHS expanded the work of Cathedral Grammar School as an experimental school in which new teaching methods were tried. Whenever these programs were successful, they became part of the curriculum for the entire parochial school system. Most notable was Cathedral’s music program. The Sanctuary Schola was a program started at the grammar school. The success of this program attracted visits from famed musicians across the country. The Schola provided a youth choir for the Cathedral of the Holy Cross; with the opening of the High School, this group began to include older members from CHS.
During the decade of the thirties, about twenty-two percent of Cathedral High School graduates continued their education, a figure which has grown in recent years to one hundred percent.
During the period before World War II, classes were in many ways typical of those of most Catholic schools. The student body was composed of mostly white Catholic students who belonged to a few ethnic groups in Boston. Classes were large, and students wore uniforms.
Cathedral’s enrollment had risen quickly in the 1930s, reaching one-hundred-and-fifty by the time the initial class graduated in 1931.Growth in enrollment was considerably more rapid in the years immediately following the war, when Cathedral High School more than doubled its enrollment from just over three-hundred students to seven hundred, and built the newer wing which runs parallel to Washington Street, perpendicular to the original building on Union Park Street. The school population continued to grow until it exceeded eight hundred in the 1960s.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the evolution of Cathedral High School as it exists today. One such factor was that during the 1950s CHS became one of the Central Catholic High Schools of the Archdiocese of Boston. The Archdiocese at that time decided to centralize certain administrative aspects of some of its high schools, each of which already served a community much wider than a single parish. They provided a cooperative organization, which schools could use for the exchange of ideas and for mutual support.
Another dynamic had to do with changes in the population of Boston in the 1960s; it had become much more diverse. The traditional immigrant groups that Cathedral High School had served in the city were migrating to the suburbs, many having moved well beyond the reasonably definable geographic area, which could be served by CHS. The outlook of the Church had broadened; many people in the service of the Catholic Church had a sense that it was necessary to actively reach out to a larger community. Thus, began a special effort by CHS to encourage and recruit more students from the ethnic and racial groups who now lived near to the school, yet had never made up a large part of the student body. Much time was spent establishing a tradition of multi-cultural awareness and providing for this cultural diversity within the curriculum.
With the changing school population, the Archdiocese provided a supplementary subsidy to those high schools that provided a Catholic education to urban youth. Cathedral High School’s efforts to attract a student population who reflect the wider community of Boston’s inner city and the nearby urban area have been successful. Today African-American students make up the largest percentage of Cathedral High School’s population; this includes a large number representing the immigrant Caribbean community. A recently growing number of students has come to CHS from the Hispanic community. Current students also represent the countries of Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Cathedral High School, like most schools in America, was affected by the changes in educational philosophy in the 1970s. A less structured school environment brought about a more open campus. In the late 1970s, the school made some significant changes in its curriculum. Revisions in the requirements for graduation were articulated and implemented for the College Preparatory program of studies; and a program was laid out for the students who were bound for general employment upon graduation. Other changes included: the purchase of electric typewriters and computers to enhance the Business Program, a new course in drafting and architectural drawing was added, a Special Needs Program was instituted, as were Title I reading classes to serve those students whose competency was below high school level. There was also a bilingual Spanish-English program, which was established to serve the influx of native Spanish-speaking students entering CHS at that time. Also, a Health Coordinator was hired, enabling CHS to provide health education in addition to health services. Finally, during this period, the school library was reopened.
It was during this period that it seemed CHS might not be able to survive. However, Cardinal Medeiros, then Archbishop of Boston, gave CHS new hope. He was particularly supportive of the possibilities of a school that could insure an excellent education along with providing the experience of diversity. In that time of racial polarization around the issue of busing, CHS offered a prime example of a Catholic school where different racial groups could come together voluntarily and harmoniously for a common purpose. Cathedral High School not only survived, but also came to prove that diversity is an asset to the educational process. In addition to the business and technical programs that were added to meet the needs of students not bound for college, the academic program was strengthened by the addition of writing courses and more math offerings. Finally, it was during this decade that the school’s discipline system was restructured around the highly successful Planning Center, which provided a place for students to talk about problem behavior and examine alternatives in a supportive environment.
The expanding number of new immigrant students who came to our school in the 1980s called for new programs to help them make the transition to the regular academic program. The largest groups of new immigrants came to CHS from Southeast Asia and Haiti, while a significant number of others came from Spanish speaking countries. In response to this need, CHS created English as a Second Language Program. A program to support students and families in the resettlement struggle was initiated as well. During the eighties, Cathedral High School enrolled students from more than thirty countries, and for some forty-four percent of them English was not their primary language.
In the 1990s the “information highway” drove change at CHS. The library was refurbished with a Power Macintosh network of twenty-five computers and a direct connection to the internet. Students and teachers began to use the internet for both research and educational purposes, and classes began to use web site and CD-ROMs to supplement their use of printed textbooks. The print side of the library was also overhauled, with grant monies pursued in order to replace all of the outdated print materials with new, updated, and relevant books, including the perennial classics. The library catalog became automated so that students could search for books using the library computers.
Until 1995 CHS continued to offer a three-pronged academic program of studies: College Preparatory, Business, and General Employment. However, the faculty and staff decided to launch only a College Preparatory program of studies due to the ever-changing competitive job market. New curricula and course requirements were prepared to accommodate the change.
During the 1998-1999 school year, two developments marked a watershed in Cathedral High School’s technological capabilities. First, the receipt of government subsidies through the “erate” program brought a school-wide network to the building. Direct, high-speed access to the internet became available in every office and classroom. The second development was that Boston Catholic Television (BCTV), a non-profit organization committed to serving Catholic institutions, chose CHS to be one of five recipients of a microwave dish that receives both internet data and video. BCTV also installed a smaller building-wide data network as well as a video network to distribute such reception throughout the school. With these two networks in place, each classroom was able to connect six to eight computers directly to the internet and receive educational video served from the BCTV headquarters.
At the dawn of the 21st Century, Cathedral High School expanded its technological capabilities, governance structure, and academic program. As a result of the generous donations by benefactors, a Language Laboratory was constructed, housing twenty-five computers, a teacher workstation, and video editing equipment. Because faculty instituted a technology curriculum, CHS purchased video cameras and editing equipment. Currently, faculty and staff use the following software: GradeQ and computers uick, Raiser’s Edge, and Administrator’s Plus. To enhance communication, CHS recently initiated the use of Edline and Naviance, learning community management systems, which give administration, faculty, staff, students and parents more communication capability.
In 2002, Cathedral High School developed and expanded its academic program. As a result of testing data, CHS decided to run two supportive freshmen programs: the Sean McDonough Program, a two-week summer skills program, and the Winter Literacy Program. Further testing data also suggested the need for a reading curriculum for freshmen. A committee of faculty and staff conducted action research to determine the present reading curriculum, which guides the teaching of reading strategies within the various disciplines. In 2003 the CHS faculty and staff developed a technology curriculum ensuring that all students would be taught technology skills in context in various disciplines, thereby ensuring immediate student application of the learned skills.
Prior to 2004, Cathedral High School, as well as other Central Catholic High Schools, had been governed by a Boston Catholic Archdiocesan Board of Trustees, ACHS, Inc. However, in 2004 CHS became a private Catholic school governed by a newly appointed Board of Trustees. In 2008, another change in governance took place; this time on the local level. The school changed from the traditional principal model to the current Headmaster/Principal model.
The CHS Board in conjunction with a committee representing the faculty and staff developed a five-year strategic plan, which outlines goals to increase enrollment, expand courses, and refurbish and expand the school facilities. As a result of Trustees efforts, CHS purchased a new boiler and began construction of the school’s first gymnasium in the spring of 2006. To fund the much-needed overhaul of the school, the Trustees initiated a Capital Campaign. As a result, a new roof, hallway and stairwell floor coverings, and new bathroom facilities were installed. During the summer of 2009, further facility renewal took place: three integrated science laboratories were constructed, replacing two ancient labs; the cafeteria was painted and a new floor installed; and new furniture has replaced old furniture in classrooms and the cafeteria.
Of special notice, CHS is most proud of its addition in 2006 of a new, first ever, state-of-the-art gymnasium. This three-year old gymnasium has offered much opportunity to students, faculty, staff, alumni, the Archdiocese of Boston, and the school’s larger community. During the 2005-2006 school year, faculty and staff developed a physical education curriculum and a new school schedule to accommodate use of the gymnasium.
It was also in 2003 that CHS began to offer Honors level courses in English and Mathematics. Throughout the years that followed, Honors level courses were offered in almost all disciplines. As a result of a parent/student survey, CHS added a Latin I course offering to its World Languages Department in 2008. CHS also offered Advanced Placement Calculus in that same year. Presently, there are plans to offer Advanced Placement U.S. History and Advanced Placement English Literature during the 2009-2010 school year. Based on interest and need, more Advanced Placement courses will be added in the future.
Cathedral High School, Inc. is poised to continue its mission for years to come. We remain unwavering in our commitment as an urban, co-educational, multi-cultural, private Catholic, college-preparatory learning community committed to excellence.
Athletics
The Boys basketball team has established itself as a state basketball powerhouse by appearing in 4 Division IV State Championship games in 5 years (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). Cathedral won the 2007 Division IV Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
State Championship, defending their 2006 title. They came close again in 2008 but was defeated by Avon in the Sectional Finals. On March 9, 2009 the Boys basketball team won the Division IV State Championship for the 3rd time in 4 years against cross-city rival, North Cambridge Catholic by a score of 67-65. The team returned to the State Championship game again in 2010, but was defeated handily by another cross-city rival, New Mission.
- 2006: Cathedral - 51 Ipswich - 49
- 2007: Cathedral - 55 Savio Prep - 52
- 2009: Cathedral - 67 N. Cambridge Catholic - 65
- 2010: Cathedral - 47 New Mission - 75