Cathedral Chapel School History

School History

Cathedral Chapel School opened on September 8, 1930. Twenty-eight students comprised the first graduating class. When the school was built, two rooms were specifically designed for music, and piano lessons were given outside school hours for $1.00 per hour. The monthly tuition was $2.00 per month for the oldest child and $1.00 for additional children in the family. The cafeteria, which opened on the second day of each school year, served hot lunch items for five cents each.

There were ten sisters of the Immaculate Heart community on the faculty who commuted from the Hollywood Motherhouse in Mr. Henry?s mortuary limousine which he graciously lent to them. Eventually the sisters moved to an apartment complex adjacent to the school. The building contained sixteen apartments. In 1935 after extensive remodeling, the site became the sisters? permanent residence.

Monsignor Dolan, the pastor, made arrangements with a cab company to transport students to and from school in taxicabs. School opened each morning with the raising of the flag as the cab drivers stood at attention with their students. At three o?clock, the taxis would line up to take the students home. The Mother?s Club purchased two school buses, which were rented for student transportation in 1940, in 1948. These buses made their last run in June of 1972.

In successive years many other improvements were made to the school plant. The schoolyard was paved for the first time in 1936. Automatic bells and a fire alarm system were installed in 1954. The auditorium was completely refurbished in 1958. Paramount Studios installed new stage curtains and window drapes. An electrical panel was obtained which included a dimmer system, border lights, automatic record players, and microphones.

In 1968, the Sisters of Saint Louis replaced the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart as teachers in the school. The Sisters of St. Louis lived in the convent from 1968-1987. When they moved in 1987, the Guadalupana Missionaries of the Holy Spirit were invited by Cardinal Roger Mahony to use the facilities as their novitiate. In 1994, Cathedral Chapel Parish sold the convent to the Guadalupana sisters.

Beginning in 1973, Cathedral Chapel School was under the guidance and support of a new pastor, Reverend Earl G. Walker, a graduate of Cathedral Chapel School, the sisters, lay faculty and students worked together to carry on the school?s traditions.

In 1986, the last religious principal served the school community. The first lay principal assumed the administration of the school in September 1987. At the present time, Cathedral Chapel continues to be a viable model of Catholic education under lay leadership.

Reverend Walker retired in 1998 and was replaced by Reverend Charles Schwehr, who has continues to work with the school and parish to provide support and guidance. The students, parents, and parish of Cathedral Chapel strive to maintain values and to live in service to others as members of a faith community.

In recent years, annual maintenance repairs have included interior and exterior painting, resurfacing of the playground, new playground equipment, replacement of stage curtains and window coverings, carpeting 1st floor classrooms and the upper hallway and stairs, replacing lower hall carpeting with linoleum, installing additional lighting, electrical outlets and ceiling fans, updating the circuit breakers, updating the bell system and the auditorium sound system, and an installing an intercom system throughout the school. In preparation for the 21st century, the technology curriculum was advanced by updating the internet connection to DSL in the computer lab and connecting classroom computers and televisions for interactive internet lessons and research.

At present, the staff consists of a lay principal who was appointed in 2003, eleven fulltime lay teachers, a computer teacher, a music teacher and an art teacher, four teacher aides, an office manager, a part-time office assistant, a health coordinator, an Extended Day Care Director ,five EDC supervisors and a school custodian. Two onsite school counselors were added to the school program in 2003 through Outreach Concern Counseling.

CCS Staff