Cathedral High School (Los Angeles): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Private school in Los Angeles, California, United States}}

'''Cathedral High School''' is a private [[Catholicism|Catholic]] all boys school in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]]. It was founded by Archbishop [[John J. Cantwell]] as the first [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles|Los Angeles Archdiocesan]] [[high school]] for boys in the fall of [[1925]]. The [[Congregation_of_Christian_Brothers|Christian Brothers]] have operated Cathedral High School since its opening. Cathedral is located on the site of Old Calvary Cemetery just northeast of the L. A. Civic Center and in view of the new [[Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels]]. It is also close to [[Chinatown, Los Angeles, California|Chinatown]] and [[Dodger Stadium]].

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Cathedral High School

| logo =

| image = LA Cathedral HS.jpg

| caption = Cathedral High School entrance

| streetaddress = 1253 Bishops Road

| city = [[Los Angeles]]

| state = [[California]]

| zipcode = 90012

| country = USA

| coordinates = {{Coord|34|4|12|N|118|14|4|W|type:edu_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}

| religion = Roman Catholic

| oversight = [[Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools]]

| president = Martin Farfan

| principal = Arturo Lopez<ref name="principal">{{cite web|url=https://www.cathedralhighschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=139498&type=d&pREC_ID=staff |title=Cathedral High School |work=cathedralhighschool.org }}</ref>

| teaching_staff =

| ratio =

| type = [[Private school|Private]], [[Day school|Day]], [[University-preparatory school|College-prep]]

| gender = [[Single-sex education|Boys]]

| grades = [[ninth grade|9]]-[[Twelfth grade|12]]

| campus type = Urban

| athletics =

| colors = [[Royal Purple]] and [[White]] {{color box|#66023C}}{{color box|white}}

| conference = [[CIF Southern Section]]<br />[[Del Rey League]]

| nickname = Phantoms

| song = ''Hail Cathedral Hail''

| fightsong =

| motto = [[Signum Fidei]]

| motto_translation = "Sign of the Faith"

| accreditation = [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]]<ref name="WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools">{{cite web|url=http://www.acswasc.org/directory_search.cfm|title=WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools|access-date=2009-06-05|author=WASC-ACS|archive-date=2009-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814003439/http://www.acswasc.org/directory_search.cfm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

| rival =

| mascot =

| yearbook = ''The Chimes''

| publication =

| newspaper =

| established = {{start date and age|1925}}

| status =

| closed =

| enrollment =

| enrollment_as_of = 2

| footnotes = {{designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Los Angeles

| designation1_date = 1984

| designation1_number = 281

}}

| homepage = {{URL|http://www.cathedralhighschool.org}}

}}

'''Cathedral High School''' is a private, college preparatory [[Catholicism|Catholic]] all-boys school in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].

== Threatened closure ==

In July [[1984]], the [[Archdiocese of Los Angeles]] announced that the Cathedral High School property had been sold and that the school would close at the end of June [[1985]]. An effort was made by the leaders of the school, the Christian Brothers, student, parents, alumni, and friends to ask the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to change its decision. The appeal was based on the fact that Cathedral High School was fully enrolled, that the students came from highly Catholic neighborhoods in the oldest and poorest parishes and areas of the city, that the Brothers had committed personnel and financial resources to ensure the success of the school, and that the alumni now had the potential to be a major source of support for current and future students.

==History==

In December 1984, the Archdiocese announced a moratorium and that the school would continue to operate until June of 1987. In the summer of 1985, Bishop [[Roger Mahony]] of Stockton was named Archbishop of Los Angeles. In December 1985, Archbishop Mahony announced that the sale of the Cathedral property was null and void and that Cathedral High School would continue serving the young men of Los Angeles.

{{More citations needed section|date=July 2020}}

Cathedral High School was founded by Archbishop [[John Joseph Cantwell]] as the first [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles|Los Angeles Archdiocesan]] [[high school]] for boys in Fall 1925.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=History and Mission of Cathedral High School |url=https://www.cathedralhighschool.org/about/history.jsp |website=Cathedral High School}}</ref> The school was built on the site of [[Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles)#Old Calvary|old Calvary Cemetery]], where leading families of Los Angeles were buried until relocated at the turn of the 20th century. It is just northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

Cathedral was the first high school for boys established by the Archdiocese. The [[Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools|Christian Brothers]] have administered the school since its founding and In 1996, a historic agreement was reached with the Archdiocese allowing the school to operate as a private Lasallian institution. Cathedral's ___location allows for a view of the Los Angeles skyline and the new [[Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels]] and adjacent to [[Dodger Stadium]] in [[Chávez Ravine]] and [[Chinatown, Los Angeles, California]].The school was designated [[Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument]] number 281 in 1984.

== Current situation ==

The high school's current principal is Brother John Montgomery. The president is Martin Farfan (the first president of the school who is not a Christian Brother). Construction has begun on a new gymnasium. Once this project is completed, the school will focus on improving the classrooms as well as the older buildings on campus. The school focuses on college preparatory courses. Over 98 percent of the senior class of 2005 went on to college or university. Students take 7 classes in both semesters. The school has over 600 students currently enrolled.

The school athletics teams are nicknamed the Phantoms because of its ___location on the old cemetery.

==Extracurricular activities==

===Sports===

Cathedral currently focuses its sports program on [[American football|football]]. Cathedral football has a long history of success. The 2004 and 2005 seasons were successful under head coach Kevin Pearson. [[Basketball]] is also a popular sport on campus. Other sports include [[soccer]],[[[[[running]]]]|[[cross country]],]] [[track and field]], [[water polo]], [[swimming]], [[tennis]], [[golf]], and [[hockey]]. [[Intramural sports]] are also available.

===VisualCampus and performing artsrenovation===

Plans were announced in 2003 for a new building to house classrooms and the gym. The building was funded mainly by donations. Construction began in 2005 with the demolition of the old, sixty-five-year-old gym and was complete in 2007. The new building houses items from the previous building, including the old scoreboard and wood floor. In 2023, their old track and field had been replaced with new grass and rubber ahead of the upcoming 100th year anniversary.

Other than sports, the school has a very much improved visual and performing arts department. The most successful is the theatrical productions put on by the students and directed by Joseph Walsh. Girls from neighboring schools audition for the female roles. Recent successes include such musicals as ''[[Les Miserables (musical)|Les Miserables]]'', ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'', ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'', and ''[[Grease (musical)|Grease]]'' (performed at the [[Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center]]). Plays produced include ''[[Arsenic and Old Lace]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]'', [[Enter Laughing]], ''Big Mary'' and more.

==Filming==

The band program has also improved with the leadership of Brian Bartel. They perform concerts once each semester as well as at football and basketball games.

Cathedral High School has been the film ___location for a number of films, television shows, and music videos, due to its view of the Los Angeles skyline and character of its architecture, including the films ''[[City of Angels (film)|City of Angels]]'' (1998), ''[[All You've Got]]'' (2006), ''[[Be Somebody (2016 film)|Be Somebody]]'' (2016), North Hollywood (2021) the music video "[[I Do!!]]" by [[Toya (singer)|Toya]], and "[[Mesmerize (song)|Mesmerize]]" by [[Ja Rule]] featuring [[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]], a 2010 episode of ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]'',<ref>{{citation | title = The Dentist in the Ditch | work = [[Bones (TV series)|Bones]] | issue = 97 | date = 2010-01-28}}</ref> an episode of the Netflix series Lucifer, episodes of Bel-Air, among others. ''All You've Got'' used Cathedral's colors (purple and white) and name (Phantoms) for a volleyball team featured in the film.

==Notable alumni==

There are also many clubs to join, as well as the student government currently directed by Brother Jesus Lara, a graduate from Cathedral.

* [[Kent Carter (gridiron football)|Kent Carter]], American football [[linebacker]]

* [[Sal Castro]], American [[educator]] and [[activist]]<ref>[[XISPAS]] interview with Sal Castro, parts [http://www.xispas.com/opinion/sal1.htm one] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718131352/http://www.xispas.com/opinion/sal1.htm|date=July 18, 2011}} and [http://www.xispas.com/archives/castro/sal2.htm two] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602074911/http://www.xispas.com/archives/castro/sal2.htm|date=June 2, 2008}}</ref>

* [[Eric "Bobo" Correa]], percussionist and a member of the [[Beastie Boys]]

* [[Gary Finneran (American football)|Gary Finneran]], American football [[defensive end]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FinnGa20.htm|title=Gary Finneran NFL & AFL Football Statistics &#124; Pro-Football-Reference.com|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|access-date=2015-09-29}}</ref>

* [[Darryl Hickman]], American actor

* [[Dwayne Hickman]], American actor and director

* [[Isaiah Jewett]], [[2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Olympian]] in the 800 meters

*[[Xolo Maridueña]], American actor known for his roles in ''[[Cobra Kai]]'' and ''[[Blue Beetle (film)|Blue Beetle]]''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Alejandra |date=2023-08-20 |title='None of us are as strong as all of us.' Xolo Maridueña’s family, friends rally behind ‘Blue Beetle’ |url=https://www.latimes.com/delos/story/2023-08-20/blue-beetle-xolo-mariduena-family-friends |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

* [[Bobby McFerrin]], American jazz singer and songwriter

* [[Bob McMillen (athlete)|Bob McMillen]], [[1952 Summer Olympics|1952 Summer Olympic]] silver medalist in the men's [[Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 meters]]<ref>[https://archive.today/20070513105110/http://www.glendale.edu/halloffame/2005/mcmillen.html Glendale Community College Athletic Hall of Fame]</ref>

* [[Torry McTyer]], American football [[cornerback]]

* [[Ken Rudolph]], American baseball [[catcher]]<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rudolke01.shtml Ken Rudolph Stats]. ''Baseball-Reference''. Retrieved November 29, 2024.</ref>

* [[Antonio Villaraigosa]], served as 41st Mayor of Los Angeles (expelled in his Junior year)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/vil0bio-1 |title=Antonio Villaraigosa Biography - Academy of Achievement |publisher=Achievement.org |access-date=2014-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225094219/http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/vil0bio-1 |archive-date=2014-02-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* [[Bryce Young]], American football [[quarterback]], 2021 [[Heisman Trophy]] winner, selected as 1st pick in the [[2023 NFL draft]] by the [[Carolina Panthers]] (transferred to Mater Dei in his Sophomore year)

==References==

== Notable past students ==

{{reflist}}

*Los Angeles Mayor [[Antonio Villaraigosa]] (The mayor did not graduate from Cathedral but did attend for two years.) Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes and KABC Television News Reporter Henry Alfaro are Cathedral High School graduates.

==SourceExternal links==

*"History of{{official Cathedralwebsite High| School." [http://www.cathedralhighschool.org Cathedral High School]}}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles}}

[[Category:High schools in California]]

{{LAHMC}}

[[Category:Archdiocese of Los Angeles]]

{{LA County Private Schools}}

{{Boys' schools in California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Boys' schools in California]]

[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1925]]

[[Category:Lasallian schools in the United States]]

[[Category:Roman Catholic secondary schools in Los Angeles County, California]]

[[Category:High schools in Los Angeles]]

[[Category:Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments]]

[[Category:Chinatown, Los Angeles]]

[[Category:Catholic secondary schools in California]]

[[Category:1925 establishments in California]]