The History of Holy Family Cathedral School

We believe that every facet of life is important spiritual, physical, intellectual, and emotional.

We believe that every child is unique and valuable because his life comes from God.

We believe that one of the purposes of life is to improve the life and all people everywhere.

We believe that if we have helped a child to become more human, less racist, more able to believe in the ultimate value of life, more helpful - then we have prepared him/her for life.

-Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange

On Sunday, March 13, 1949, Bishop Timothy Manning turned over the first spadeful of earth in the official ground breaking ceremonies of Holy Family Cathedral School. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange were given charge of teaching in the school.

By August, 1949, the school was completed and opened with an enrollment of 225 students. Sister Mary Barbara, the principal, was assisted by four other sisters as well as two lay teachers. The original unit consisted of eight grades in four classrooms and a kindergarten held in the hall.

By September, 1953, a four room addition had been constructed making eight classrooms with an enrollment of 275. In 1960, the school had two rooms for each grade with a peak enrollment of 880 students, 55 students to a room. The peak years continued to 1964. During the years 1966-74, the enrollment declined to 30-35 students per room.

In 1976, Holy Family was chosen as the Cathedral for the Diocese of Orange. Bishop William Johnson was installed as the first bishop of Orange on June 18, 1976. After the death of Bishop Johnson in 1981, Bishop Norman F. McFarland was appointed as head of the diocese. He continues to serve in that capacity.

The trend of low enrollment in the first grade continued until 1977 when registrations increased and two first grades were opened. In 1980-81 the Parish Center, which houses the school office and faculty room was constructed. Over the next several years the census gradually climbed to a peak of 498 in 1983.

Enrollment dropped to 357 by 1988 due to the continuing "downsizing" of the school. A kindergarten program was developed that year and twenty-nine students were enrolled. An extended day program was established on the school grounds. A second kindergarten and first grade were opened in September of 1989. Through parish support, the primary classrooms were renovated during the summer of 1989 with new carpeting, wall coverings, bulletin boards, mini-blinds, whiteboards, chalkboards, and air conditioning.

By 1992 the number of students had reached 448. Stanchions were placed on the blacktop during school hours to provide extra safety for the children. In the summer of 1992, the intermediate and middle school classrooms were remodeled. The rooms were painted, new carpeting was laid, and cabinets, new countertops, air-conditioning units, mini-blinds, and whiteboards were installed.

During the 1994-95 year a lunch room was constructed to provide our students with a daily lunch menu and after school snacks. New playground equipment was purchased and the playground area was upgraded to meet safety standards.

The census increase continued and it became apparent that additional classrooms were needed. In the summer of 1995, three classrooms were constructed in the second story of the Parish Center. Two fourth grade classrooms and one fifth grade was placed upstairs.

A health room staffed with an L.V.N. was opened in September 1995 and the school office underwent a minor remodel in November. Presently, Holy Family Cathedral School has a registered nurse and an L.V.N. who share the responsibilities of staffing the health room.

Enrollment as of September 2005 was 540.

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