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History

Since 1909, Cardinal Gibbons High School has formed men and women of faith, service, and leadership.

But our history in the Raleigh community extends well beyond the first day we opened our doors.

We invite you to explore our past while helping us shape our future.

1900

1909

Fr. Thomas Griffin and four Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, New York, open the doors of the Pulaski-Cowper Mansion to students of the new Sacred Heart Academy. Approximately 50 first through ninth-grade students attended school on the lower level. The upper level served as a convent and dormitory.

  • 1909
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1910

1930

1940

1950

1953

Bishop Vincent S. Waters decreed that all discrimination in Catholic parishes, programs, and institutions should cease.

  • 1953
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1959

Groundbreaking a gymnasium on the grounds of Nazareth Orphanage on Western Blvd. The building was a joint project between three Catholic parishes in Raleigh (Sacred Heart, St. Monica, and Our Lady of Lourdes).

  • 1959
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1960

1962

Cathedral Latin High School reopens as a dedicated high school with a new building on Western Blvd intended to accommodate 250 students in grades 9-12. 

  • 1962
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1970

1971

The Dominican Sisters, who helped Gibbons thrive in the 1960s, can no longer serve the school as educators, as the order’s mission changes from education to mission and social justice.

  • 1971
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1972

The school reopened in September, under the leadership of Principal Sister Mary Teresita, and the Sisters of Notre Dame, welcoming 92 students.

  • 1972
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1980

1980s

Parental support and involvement were at record levels as Catholic parents who had migrated to Raleigh from New York and the Midwest sought high-quality education for their children, based around a Catholic identity; many parents volunteered to improve the school and make needed repairs on the weekends.

  • 1980s
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1990

1990s

Now a college prep school, Gibbons pursued new ways to offer rigorous academic experiences to prepare students for future success.

  • 1990s
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1996

Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn were brought on board after many years of tumultuous leadership and constantly changing principal.

  • 1996
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2000