Founded in 1915 Bishop England High School stands proudly. It began as Catholic High School a department of the Cathedral School on Queen Street. Seventy-four students filled four grade levels. Three diocesan priests and three Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy formed the faculty.
Quickly outgrowing its initial space the school relocated. It found a home in a building used by the Cenacle Sisters. This served as a temporary location until 1919. The main building housed the high school. An annex became a biology lab and a seventh-grade classroom. The curriculum included college prep and business tracks.
Charleston’s growing Catholic community fueled a fundraising drive. The goal was $50000 to build a new school. The drive exceeded expectations raising $60000. Construction started July 5 1921. The school opened February 18 1922 at 203 Calhoun Street. By 1940 enrollment reached 318 students. The faculty nearly doubled.
Monsignor O’Brien the school’s first rector retired in 1947 after 32 years of service. He was succeeded by Bishop England alumnus Monsignor John L Manning. Two expansion drives added a west wing and the Father O’Brien gymnasium. More land was acquired in 1957 leading to an eight-classroom annex.
Further expansion followed. The school integrated in 1964. A merger with Immaculate Conception High School occurred in 1968. This increased the student body to 850. Overcrowding necessitated using St Patrick’s School for freshman classes.
In 1973 Nicholas J Theos became principal. He established the Bishop England Endowment Fund in 1985. A former church building housed freshmen starting in 1977. Modular units added space in 1993. By 1995 Bishop England was South Carolina’s largest private high school.
The school moved to Daniel Island in 1998. The Daniel Island Development Company donated 40 acres. The move marked a new chapter in the school’s history. Today Bishop England continues its legacy. It’s a testament to faith education and community. It stands as a prominent institution in Charleston’s rich history.