Vintage Photos and News

Note: Additional news items and photos are available under individual school name as available

The Roman Catholic High School

Catholic Girls High School

Catholic Girls High is said to be the example followed by most other Catholic girls high schools in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast area. It is still in operation today and this link features vintage photos of the school.

Central Catholic High School, Pittsburgh

Central Catholic High School is an-all boys high school begun in 1927. It is still in operation today. Here are vintage photos of the school.

Mount Alvernia High School is an all-girls school conducted by the Sisters of St. Francis of Millvale since 1936. It is located in Pittsburgh. Its present website is located here.

Notre Dame High School for Girls Moylan, Rose Valley

Our high school opened as a private boarding school just outside of Philadelphia in 1929. It became a diocesan high school for girls in 1935. I am not sure of when it closed, the 70's, maybe.
We have a very strong alumnae from the class of 1957 who just had our 50th Reunion last October. For several years we had an all class summer get together at the Jersey shore that we called Dames at the Dunes.

Submitted by Anne Costello Adelmann

Diocese of Pittsburgh

Annunciation High School Closed 1959
Bishop Boyle High School 1962-1987
Bishop's Latin High School Closed 1973
Divine Providence High School 1927-1983
Divine Redeemer Academy 1932-1970
Domenec High School Closed 1973
Elizabeth Seton High School 1941 - 1979
Fontbonne Academy 1961-1978
Gilmary High School Closed 1977
Hilltop Catholic High School 1970-1983
Holy Cross High School (South Side) 1928-1947
Holy Ghost Academy Closed in 1939
Holy Innocents High School 1955-1973
Holy Rosary High School Closed in 1948
Immaculate Conception High School 1917-1989
Lawrenceville Catholic High School Closed in 1986
Mon Valley Catholic High School 1958-1989
Mon Yough High School Closed in 1972
Mount Assisi Academy Closed in 1966
Mount Gallitzen High School Closed in 1967
Mount Nazareth High School Closed in 1971
Our Lady of Mercy Academy 1844 -1979
Sacred Heart High School 1913-1989
St. Adalbert High School 1945-1969
St. Anselm High School Closed in 1978
St. Augustine High School Closed in 1969
St. Basil High School Closed in 1978
St. Benedict Academy 1935-1985
St. Canice High School Closed in 1970
St. Casimir High School 1938-1969
St. Elizabeth High School 1959-1983
St. Francis Academy (Whitehall) 1929-1991
St. Francis de Sales High School Closed in 1971
St. George High School Closed in 1970
St. James High School (West End) 1950-1962
St. John the Baptist High School 1924-1968
St. Justin High School 1928-1974
St. Lawrence O'Toole High School 1927-1967
St. Luke High School Closed in 1962
St. Martin High School 1919-1960
St. Mary (Webster Avenue) 1933-1950
St. Mary High School ( Sharpsburg) 1904-1974
St. Mary Help of Christians High School 1914-1975
St. Mary of the Mount High School 1909-1980
St. Michael High School 1935-1969
St. Paul Cathedral High School 1913-1989
St. Peter High School (McKeesport) 1931-1970
St. Peter High School (North Side) Closed in 1973
St. Raphael High School Closed in 1973
St. Rosalia High School Closed in 1971
St. Thomas High School 1904-1984. First Catholic high school in the diocese
St. Veronica High School Closed in 1967
St. Xavier Academy Closed in 1969
South Catholic High School 1845-1972
South Side Catholic High School 1956-1979
Ursuline Academy Closed in 1981
Villa Maria High School Closed in 1989

Diocese of Erie

St. Benedict Academy which was operated by the Benedictine Sisters closed in the 1980's as well as St. Mark Seminary High School and St. John Kanty Prep. There are now regional high schools in the diocese and one of them, Bradford Central Christian, closed in June 2000.

Below are parish high schools that are now closed

St. Bernard, Bradford -- 1960
St. Francis, Clearfield -- 1985
St. Adrian, Delancey -- 1955
St. Catherine, DuBois -- 1961
St. Agatha, Meadville -- 1950's
Immaculate Conception, Clarion -- 1965
St. Joseph, Lucinda -- 1976
St. Joseph, Oil City -- 1962
St. Patrick, Franklin -- 1952
St. Michael, Greenville, 1965
St. Mary's, St. Marys -- 1960
St. Cosmas and Damian, Punxsutawney -- 1967
St. Gregory, North East -- 1968

In the 1960's regional high schools replaced most of the parish high schools except St. Francis, Clearfield, Immaculate Conception, Clarion and St. Joseph, Lucinda.

In 2007, Bishop Trautman renamed the regional high schools still functioning which include Elk County Catholic, DuBois Central Catholic, Kennedy Catholic (Sharon) and Venango Catholic (Oil City.)

 Pennsylvania Catholic School Trivia

* Every Pennsylvania Bishop, Archbishop, or Cardinal-Archbishop before 1961 has had a secondary school named in his honor.

* Through the work of St. John Neumann the first unified system of Catholic schools under a diocesan board began in the city of Philadelphia in 1852.

* Philadelphia is site of the first free Catholic high school for boys, and girls, in the United States. The "Roman Catholic High School for Boys" was founded for the education of boys in 1890 (referred to as "Roman Catholic," occasionally as "Catholic High," or most commonly as "Roman"). The "Catholic Girls High School" was founded in 1911. Mrs. Mary McMichan, one of the schools founders, requested in her last will that the school be renamed in honor of her brother. The school became "John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School" after her death. Both schools are still in existence.

* Due to the beatification and sainthood of Bishop Neumann and a later school merger, Saint John Neumann and St. Maria Goretti High School has had more name changes than any other diocesan high school. Its previous names include: South Catholic High School, Bishop John Neumann High School, Blessed John Neumann High School, and St. John Neumann High School.

In January 2007, Bishop Joseph F Martino announced the formation of a central Catholic high school for Luzerne County. The school is a consolidation of four high schools: Bishop O'Reilly (Kingston), Bishop Hoban (Wilkes-Barre), Seton Catholic (Pittston), and Bishop Hafey (Hazleton) and will be located in the building that has housed Bishop Hoban since 1972. The school opened on July 1, 2007. O'Reilly (Kingston), Bishop Hoban (Wilkes-Barre), Seton Catholic (Pittston), and Bishop Hafey (Hazleton) closed