Bishop England High School
Encyclopedia
Bishop England High School is the largest diocesan Catholic four-year high school in South Carolina
. Until 1998, the school was located on Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston.It is now located on Daniel Island
in the city of Charleston
. The diocesian school was founded in 1915 and was named for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
's first bishop, John England.
By the spring of 1916, a growing student enrollment made larger quarters imperative. The main building housed the senior high school, while an annex was converted into a biology lab and a seventh grade classroom. The school offered two courses of study: college preparatory and business.
With the Catholic community of Charleston increasing, a drive was initiated to raise $50,000.00 for a new school building to replace the one being used. The drive was a huge success, and ground was broken on July 5, 1921. The school was opened on February 18, 1922. During construction the high school operated in a former Catholic school for boys, the Central School on George Street. By 1940, 25 years after its inception, the school's enrollment had reached 318 students, and the faculty had nearly doubled.
In 1947, the school's first Rector Monsignor O'Brien retired after having served 32 years, and he was followed by former Bishop England student, Rev. Msgr. John L. Manning.
The Catholic community of Charleston sponsored two expansion drives for the high school in the late 1940s; two new buildings were added to the campus. In 1947 the west wing (which housed an auditorium, science laboratory, and offices) was built, and in 1948 the east wing, which was the Father O'Brien gymnasium, was built. Additional land was acquired in 1957, and a two-story annex was constructed, providing eight new classrooms and additional office space.
In June 1959, the Rev. Fr. William J. Croghan, B.E. class of 1940, was appointed as the third Rector of Bishop England. By 1960 the faculty had grown to 31 members, and 740 students were enrolled. Additional property was purchased in 1963 and in 1964 on Coming Street, Calhoun Street, and Pitt Street; this property would provide classrooms, living quarters for teachers, a maintenance shop, facilities for the school nurse, and a schoolyard. The 1964 school year began with a new Rector, the Rev. Robert J. Kelly, and enrollment grew to nearly 800 students. Because of overcrowding between 1966 and 1968, freshman classes were conducted in the old St. Patrick's School on St. Phillip Street.
Bishop England integrated in 1964; in 1968, it merged with Immaculate Conception High School. The student body numbered 850 students with 250 freshmen. The former Immaculate Conception School building on Coming Street became the Bishop England Freshman Building.
Nicholas J. Theos became principal in 1973. He established the BEHS endowment fund in 1985, which quickly grew to one million dollars. In 1990, Rev. Msgr. Lawrence B. McInerny became the third B.E. graduate named as Rector of the school.
In 1976, a former church building at 172 Calhoun Street was purchased from the College of Charleston. Occupancy took place in 1977 and housed the freshmen..jpg)
In 1993, four modular units (eight rooms) were added to accommodate increasing enrollment, providing four classrooms, a conference room, and a chapel where Mass was celebrated. Enrollment in 1995 was 805, the largest of any private high school in the state. In September 1995, Bishop Thompson officially announced that the school was moving to Daniel Island and its current property would be sold to the College of Charleston. The Daniel Island Development Company, which was partially owned by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, donated 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) of land for the new school. To help offset the cost of the new school, a campus campaign was kicked off in January 1997 with a goal of $2.5 million. Construction began in 1996, and Bishop Thompson blessed the ground at the site of the new Bishop England High School in June 1997. In 1998 Mr. Theos retired after 25 years of service to Bishop England. Mr. David Held who was serving as associate principal since 1997 then became the new principal. With the help of students, faculty, and volunteers, the school was moved to the new campus on Daniel Island in the summer of 1998. In the fall of 2010, it was announced that Michael C. Bolchoz would assume the position of Principal at Bishop England. Mr. Bolchoz is a member of the Graduating Class of 1983 from the same and had previously servered as Assistant Principal of the Cardinal Newman School in Columbia, SC.
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Bishop England offers a variety of clubs and activities throughout the year. They include:
Bishop England's biggest rivals in basketball and football are the Porter-Gaud Cyclones and the Wando High School Warriors. However, after the 2008 incident where a 15 year old Porter-Gaud student was assaulted by three Bishop England Football players on the catholic school's campus, any football games between the two schools are forbidden.
Fall Sports: Volleyball, Football, Girls' Tennis, Swimming, Cross Country, Sailing, Cheerleading
Winter Sports: Wrestling, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Cheerleading
Spring Sports: Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Track, Boys' Tennis, Golf, Boys' Lacrosse, Girls' Lacrosse
," starring Jodi Foster, were filmed inside the buildings from the school's former location at Calhoun Street.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Until 1998, the school was located on Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston.It is now located on Daniel Island
Daniel Island
Daniel Island is a island located in the City of Charleston, South Carolina . It is located in Berkely County and situated between the Cooper and Wando Rivers...
in the city of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. The diocesian school was founded in 1915 and was named for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire state of South Carolina, with Charleston as its see city. Currently, the diocese consists of 92 parishes and 24 missions...
's first bishop, John England.
History
On September 22, 1915, Catholic High School opened its doors as a department of the Cathedral School on Queen Street. The Reverend Msgr. Joseph L. O'Brien organized the new school with the cooperation of the Reverend James J. May. At that time there were 67 students enrolled in four grade levels: seventh, ninth, tenth, and eleventh. That first faculty consisted of three diocesan priests and three Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy (O.L.M.).By the spring of 1916, a growing student enrollment made larger quarters imperative. The main building housed the senior high school, while an annex was converted into a biology lab and a seventh grade classroom. The school offered two courses of study: college preparatory and business.
With the Catholic community of Charleston increasing, a drive was initiated to raise $50,000.00 for a new school building to replace the one being used. The drive was a huge success, and ground was broken on July 5, 1921. The school was opened on February 18, 1922. During construction the high school operated in a former Catholic school for boys, the Central School on George Street. By 1940, 25 years after its inception, the school's enrollment had reached 318 students, and the faculty had nearly doubled.
In 1947, the school's first Rector Monsignor O'Brien retired after having served 32 years, and he was followed by former Bishop England student, Rev. Msgr. John L. Manning.
The Catholic community of Charleston sponsored two expansion drives for the high school in the late 1940s; two new buildings were added to the campus. In 1947 the west wing (which housed an auditorium, science laboratory, and offices) was built, and in 1948 the east wing, which was the Father O'Brien gymnasium, was built. Additional land was acquired in 1957, and a two-story annex was constructed, providing eight new classrooms and additional office space.
In June 1959, the Rev. Fr. William J. Croghan, B.E. class of 1940, was appointed as the third Rector of Bishop England. By 1960 the faculty had grown to 31 members, and 740 students were enrolled. Additional property was purchased in 1963 and in 1964 on Coming Street, Calhoun Street, and Pitt Street; this property would provide classrooms, living quarters for teachers, a maintenance shop, facilities for the school nurse, and a schoolyard. The 1964 school year began with a new Rector, the Rev. Robert J. Kelly, and enrollment grew to nearly 800 students. Because of overcrowding between 1966 and 1968, freshman classes were conducted in the old St. Patrick's School on St. Phillip Street.
Bishop England integrated in 1964; in 1968, it merged with Immaculate Conception High School. The student body numbered 850 students with 250 freshmen. The former Immaculate Conception School building on Coming Street became the Bishop England Freshman Building.
Nicholas J. Theos became principal in 1973. He established the BEHS endowment fund in 1985, which quickly grew to one million dollars. In 1990, Rev. Msgr. Lawrence B. McInerny became the third B.E. graduate named as Rector of the school.
In 1976, a former church building at 172 Calhoun Street was purchased from the College of Charleston. Occupancy took place in 1977 and housed the freshmen.
Academics
Bishop England offers three levels of courses, including Honors level courses for most subjects. Students are required to take four years of Theology, Mathematics, and English. Bishop England also offers twelve AP (Advanced Placement) courses:- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature
- AP Calculus (AB and BC)
- AP Spanish
- AP Biology 2
- AP U.S. History
- AP U.S Government & Politics
- AP Studio Art
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Macroeconomics
- AP French
Clubs and activities
- Student Government
- Class Board
- Senior
- Junior
- Sophomore
- Freshman
- BEHS Ambassadors
- B-Hive Newspaper
- Campus Ministry/Retreat Team
- Music Ministry
- CSMC
- Dance Team
- Drama Club
- French Club
- Habitat for Humanity
- Intramurals
- Key Club
- Library Council
- Literary Magazine
- Model UN
- Mu Alpha Theta
- National Honor Society
- Ping Pong Club
- Photojournalism
- Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (National Spanish Honor Society)
- Spanish Club
- Speech and Debate
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Band of Buddies
- Science Club
- Youth in Government
Athletics
The athletic program at Bishop England is one of the top in the country. In 2005 the Bishop England sports program was named number one in the state by Sports Illustrated Magazine, regardless of size. Many teams including volleyball, soccer, golf and girl's track have won several state championships in a row.Bishop England's biggest rivals in basketball and football are the Porter-Gaud Cyclones and the Wando High School Warriors. However, after the 2008 incident where a 15 year old Porter-Gaud student was assaulted by three Bishop England Football players on the catholic school's campus, any football games between the two schools are forbidden.
Fall Sports: Volleyball, Football, Girls' Tennis, Swimming, Cross Country, Sailing, Cheerleading
Winter Sports: Wrestling, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Cheerleading
Spring Sports: Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Track, Boys' Tennis, Golf, Boys' Lacrosse, Girls' Lacrosse
Politics
- Joseph P. Riley, Jr.Joseph P. Riley, Jr.Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is an American politician who is the long-time Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the longest serving mayor in the United States that is still living and in office.-Biography:...
- (Class of 1948) - Mayor of Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South CarolinaCharleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
since 1975 - Thomas F. HartnettThomas F. HartnettThomas Forbes "Tommy" Hartnett was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.Hartnett was born in Charleston. He graduated from Bishop England High School in Charleston in 1960...
- (Class of 1960) - U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, member of South Carolina House of RepresentativesSouth Carolina House of RepresentativesThe South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
, and South Carolina SenateSouth Carolina SenateThe South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives...
.
TV, Film, and Media
- Dorothea Benton Frank - (Class of 1969) - AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of numerous books set in the South Carolina LowcountrySouth Carolina LowcountryThe Lowcountry is a geographic and cultural region located along South Carolina's coast. The region includes the South Carolina Sea Islands...
. - Thomas GibsonThomas GibsonThomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
- (Class of 1980) - AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. - Vanessa MinnilloVanessa MinnilloVanessa Joy Lachey is an-American television personality, television host, model, and actress. A former Miss Teen USA, she has been a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and a host of Total Request Live on MTV...
- (Class of 1998) - Miss Teen USA 1998Miss Teen USA 1998Miss Teen USA 1998, the 16th Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from Shreveport, Louisiana on 17 August 1998. At the conclusion of the final competition, Vanessa Minnillo of South Carolina was crowned by outgoing queen Shelly Moore of Tennessee....
, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television personality, television host, model, and actress.
Athletics
- Tom Lavelle - (Class of 1960) - 1964 NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Draft Pick by the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Varsity Basketball Coach at Bishop England from 1977-1997. Inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1996 and South Carolina Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010. - Temoc SuarezTemoc SuarezCuauhtemoc “Temoc” Suarez was a U.S. soccer player who spent three seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the National Professional Soccer League and five in the USL First Division. He is the director/owner of Suarez Soccer School in Charleston, SC...
- (Class of 1992) - a U.S. soccer player who spent three seasons in Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, two in the National Professional Soccer League and five in the USL First DivisionUSL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. - Drew MeyerDrew MeyerDrew Edward Meyer is a Major League Baseball player in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. Meyer made his major league debut on April 21, , for the Texas Rangers in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
- (Class of 1999) - Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player for the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
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Film/Television
Portions of the film "The Dangerous Lives of Altar BoysThe Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys is a 2002 independent comedy-drama film directed by Peter Care. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, Jodie Foster, and Vincent D'Onofrio...
," starring Jodi Foster, were filmed inside the buildings from the school's former location at Calhoun Street.