St. Xavier High School
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David Mueller
For more than 178 years St. Xavier High School's educational heritage - inspired by more than 450 years of Jesuit tradition - has been a warm, welcoming atmosphere of learning, friendship and spiritual affirmation. Young men from more than 100 grade schools throughout Greater Cincinnati come to St. X's 110-acre campus and leave to populate the world as men with a genuine sense of home and belonging.
The Jesuit ideal of cura personalis - care of the whole person - synthesizes mind, body and spirit in an academically rigorous college preparatory education. St. Xavier High School offers an intentional focus on the intellectual, physical, spiritual, expressive and interpersonal gifts of its students as conveyed in the teachings of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. St. Ignatius said an education devoted to the full development of each student would produce Christian leaders capable of seeing God in all things and answering God's call.
In its 170-year history, St. Xavier High School has produced several notable alumni in many fields. Prominent among them are…
Athletics George Ratterman (’44) – former Notre Dame and Cleveland Browns quarterback; Charley Wolf (’44) – former coach Cincinnati Royals NBA team;
Roderick Hinton; RHinton@stxavier.org
St. Xavier is a college preparatory school sharing in the Roman Catholic Church’s ministry of education with the special charism of the Society of Jesus. Education at St. Xavier is based on the following assumptions.
1.Well-rounded human beings best develop in a community whose members work together to help individuals develop their unique talents and grow in their responsible use of freedom.
2.In the lives of all individuals, God is present and active, drawing them by grace toward their ultimate goal, full redemption. God calls each individual to the fullest possible development of talents and the willingness to use them for others. The model of this way of life is Christ; the source of this life is the Spirit. Yet people are free to accept or reject God’s call. 3.Gifted young persons should especially strive for excellence – the magis – in all their endeavors so that they can become effective Christian leaders through whom the kingdom of God comes alive. Education at St. Xavier High School is dedicated to the full development of each student. Through all school programs – religious, academic, co-curricular, and athletic – the faculty and staff guide students to achieve the following objectives.
Intellectual Formation: Teachers help students develop the academic skills, habits of mind, and insights that will prepare them to become independent learners in college and throughout life. Learning calls for active participation rather than passive reception. The curriculum heeds the call of the Ratio Studiorum for ‘non multa, sed multum” – not just quantity, but depth of understanding which could lead to thorough mastery and the ability to apply learning to new situations. Students learn that academic accomplishment is not an end in itself but a means to see God present and working in all creation, to experience the joy of discovery, to prepare oneself to live as a man for others, and to build the Kingdom of God.
Affective Formation: Particular care is given to the development of the imagination, the affective, and the creative dimensions of each student in all courses of study. These dimensions enrich learning, offering ways to discover God through beauty.
Moral Formation: Intellectual and affective formation also provides a basis for the moral formation of the student. Greater knowledge and love of the good enable the student to act more wisely. In addition to specific courses in morality, the student is also shaped and challenged indirectly by the culture of the school. Teachers offer example; school policy offers a model; the academic, athletic, and co-curricular programs call upon the student to develop commitment and self-discipline, responsibility and perseverance. Moreover, the school provides enough freedom for students to make moral choices, yet enough accountability so that students face the consequences of their choices and actions.
Religious Formation: A Jesuit school as community offers individuals the opportunity to explore their faith response to God, recognizing that faith cannot be imposed. Yet the work of the school has two ultimate aims; worship of God at work in creation and redemption, and service to others. A religious dimension thus permeates the entire educational process.
The phrase "generation gap" as it applies to the St. Xavier alumni is a term more of place than of time.
The phrase “generation gap” as it applies to the St. Xavier alumni is a term more of place than of time.
“The good old days” for classes prior to 1960 revolve around an old building at Seventh and Sycamore, volleyball in the blacktop yard enclosed by a high iron fence, city noises and Memorial Hall. Classes after 1960 recall memories of a new, bright building in Finneytown, plenty of open spaces for sports, well-equipped labs, commuting by carpools and the Rainbow Room.
Bridging this gap, however, and welding these two generations together are important elements of the St. Xavier experience: the ideals of Jesuit education, the demanding academic program, the caring atmosphere, the good times, and even jug.
St. Xavier High School has passed through numerous stages in its 177-year history. The diocese of Cincinnati was only nine years old when Bishop Fenwick opened his school at Seventh and Sycamore Streets on October 17, 1831. He named the school the Athenaeum and placed it under the patronage of St. Francis Xavier. Eight years after Bishop Fenwick’s death, Bishop Purcell was finally able to persuade the Jesuit fathers to staff this school; and in 1840, Fr. John A. Elet, S.J. opened St. Xavier College to 76 students.
The fledgling college underwent hard times in the 1850s but recovered after the Civil War and grew steadily. When the college moved to its present Avondale site in 1919, St. Xavier High School and St. Xavier College were separated physically; but it was only in 1934 that St. Xavier High School became completely independent. Fr. A.J. Diersen S.J., was the first president.
In the 1940s and ‘50s it became more and more apparent buildings erected in the late 19th century were not going to be able to contain the growing enrollment, nor provide the type of facilities required for quality education. In 1954, Fr. John Benson S.J. began planning the new high school on North Bend Road. In 1960 the move from downtown to Finneytown was accomplished.
In the following years the “new” St. Xavier has seen its share of improvements, alterations, and additions. A four-hundred-seat chapel, new facilities for science and technology, a new and expanded music suite, an intramural gymnasium and wrestling room, and improvements to the Natatorium greeted the St. Xavier community when the 1999-2000 school year began.
Fr. Walter Deye, S.J. led the most recent expansion: renovated athletic facilities completed in September, 2003 and a theater, black box theater, visual arts studios, and renovated administrative and classroom areas completed in August, 2004, a new Wellness Center in and team building by the track stadium in 2008; ongoing commitment to technology like Smart Carts and internet access in the classroom, as well as 11 computer labs for students.
How much of a generation gap will be produced remains to be seen. Yet the traditions established at the “Old St. X” and the sparkling facilities of the “New New St. X” will hopefully still be reflected in the achievements of St. Xavier graduates as they continue the school’s proud heritage.
To assist young men in their formation as leaders and men for others through rigorous college preparation in the Jesuit tradition.
We Believe
That rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the school is an apostolic mission by:
•Naming Jesus Christ as the model for all human life
•Affirming the world as God’s creation and therefore good,but in need of redemption •Recognizing community as a context for redemption •Providing students with comprehensive instruction in Catholic beliefs and practice •Providing students with opportunities for spiritual formation through participation in the sacraments, prayer, retreats,service and other spiritual programs We Assist In the formation of students through Ignatian education by:
•Emphasizing the magis, excellence in every endeavor •Presenting a wide range of experiences among the academic disciplines •Energizing students to seek the truth, pursue dreams, confront issues; to live a faith which recognizes the obligation to work for justice in the world •Encouraging students to become leaders by example, showing love in deeds more than words, and by performing service to others •Insisting upon students’ increasing responsibility for their growth and education •Familiarizing students with Jesuit history and Ignatian principles of spirituality •Encouraging students to develop a sense of awe and appreciation for the mysteries of creation and human existence which they encounter in their studies •Helping students to learn by using the Ignatian method of Context-Experience-Reflection-Action-Evaluation
•Developing students as contemplatives in action who reflect on the human significance of what they have learned •Challenging students to become open to growth, religious,committed to doing justice, Intellectually competent, and loving We Use Ignatian methods of proceeding by:
•Exercising individual care and concern for the whole person •Building a spirit of community, collaboration, and collegiality among all constituents of the school •Engaging in regular reflection regarding objectives and programs
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