The Cardinal Gibbons School, also referred to as Cardinal Gibbons, CG and most commonly as Gibbons, was a Roman Catholic high school and middle school for boys in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. A private institution for grades 6-12, Gibbons drew its enrollment from the neighborhoods of southwest Baltimore and the surrounding areas and counties, including as far as Carroll and Frederick counties.
Named in honor of Baltimore's most distinguished churchman, James Cardinal Gibbons, the school was established in 1962 by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Gibbons occupied the former site of St. Mary’s Industrial School, a reform school for boys, the alma mater of baseball hall of famer George Herman “Babe” Ruth. Following extensive renovations of the old St. Mary’s campus in the early 1960s, the Cardinal Gibbons School opened. The school grew to its peak enrollment of just over 1,000 students in the mid 1970s. In 1988, the school expanded its academic programs with the addition of a Middle School. The middle school program ceased operation following the 2009 academic school year. Due to economic strains on the Archdiocese, in addition to declining enrollment at Gibbons, it was announced the school would close following the conclusion of the 2009-2010 school year.
Gibbons was a college preparatory school, with core curriculum courses in literature, religious studies, mathematics, laboratory science, social sciences and history, fine arts, physical education, technology, and foreign language. Gibbons offered a variety of Advanced Placement courses, including joint courses with neighboring all-girls high school Seton Keough. Gibbons also offered dual enrollment courses with the Community College of Baltimore County. All students at Gibbons were held to academic integrity through the use of an honor code.
A long standing rivalry existed between Cardinal Gibbons and Mount Saint Joseph, due to close proximity and frequent meetings in playoffs and tournaments in basketball. The rivalry grew to include other sports and academics as well.
Currently, organizations have been established to attempt to reopen the school, but the status of the school still remains closed. The grounds are still unutilized for academics, with local schools and sport programs using the athletic facilities.
Read more about Cardinal Gibbons School: Academics, Past Principals
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