Bishop Canevin High School is a
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
-inspired high school in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, United States. The school is located in the
East Carnegie neighborhood of the city.
History
In 1958, Bishop
John Dearden
John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969. He previously served as Bishop of Pittsb ...
, Bishop of Pittsburgh, announced plans for a brand new coinstitutional diocesan high school to serve the Chartiers Valley on Morange Road, next to St. Paul Orphanage, which is now
St. Paul Seminary. The school was to be named Chartiers Catholic High School. The name was changed soon after to recognize former Bishop of Pittsburgh
Regis Canevin
John Francis Regis Canevin (June 5, 1853 – March 22, 1927) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from 1904 to 1921.
Biography
Early life
Regis Canevin was born at ...
. Father Leo G. Henry was then named the first headmaster. Canevin High School opened to 435 boys and girls on September 10, 1959; in June 1963, 303 students graduated. Construction on the building was not yet finished, and would not for at least another six months. The faculty was made up of priests, five communities of nuns, and a small number of laypeople. Since it was a coinstitutional school, there were different faculties and facilities for the boys and girls. However, there was one administration and the boys and girls were free to mix in a few locations, such as the science labs and the library; Latin 3-4 and one of the advanced math classes were coeducatonal due to the small class sizes. The band/orchestra was also coed Remnants of this system can be found in the numbering patterns for the rooms (G101 for first floor Girl's wing and B101 for first floor Boy's wing). Tuition was free to the students, as long as they were a member of the 21 parishes which made up the Canevin district. In 1961, the diocese signed a contract with the Immaculate Conception Province of the
Order of Friars Minor Conventual
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites.
Dating back to ...
to take over the administration and boy's faculty. Sent to Canevin were an original group of 8 friars, led by Fr. Gervase M. Beyer, O.F.M. Conv. They were soon supplanted with more friars from Trenton Catholic High School, which had recently closed. After the 1962 school year, Fr. Gervase became headmaster and oversaw the first Middle States Accreditation of Canevin in 1965. The 70s saw several headmasters. In 1969, Fr. Gervase left Canevin and was replaced by Fr. Canice Connors O.F.M. Conv. Under his guidance, Canevin became fully coeducational, and boys and girls began to have classes together. After Fr. Canice, Fr. Julian Zambanini O.F.M. Conv. became headmaster; followed by Fr. Robert Sochor, O.F.M Conv. After Fr. Robert, the Diocese of Pittsburgh assumed responsibility for the administration of the school from the friars. At that time, Fr. Donald Sotak became headmaster. After the 1978-79 school year, Mr. John Maurer became headmaster, the first lay headmaster of any Pittsburgh Diocesan high School. Mr. Maurer guided the school through its 25th anniversary in 1984. However, in 1980, he was given the difficult task of saying goodbye to the Franciscans that had served the school for 19 years as they moved on to other duties. In 1987, after hearing accounts of the common misconception that Canevin was a public school, Mr. Maurer changed the name of the school to Canevin Catholic High School. During his tenure as Principal, Mr. Kenneth Sinagra, changed the name of the school to Bishop Canevin High School, to honor the school’s namesake, Bishop Regis Canevin, Pittsburgh’s first “native-born” Bishop.
Notable alumni
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Tom Clements
Thomas Albert Clements (born June 18, 1953) is an American football coach and a former Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He also served as a ...
‘71
*
Anita Astorino Kulik
Anita Astorino Kulik (born May 5, 1964) is an American politician who has served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 45th district since 2017. Kulik attended Bishop Canevin High School
Bishop Canevin High School is a Jesuit- ...
‘82
*
Dan Deasy
Daniel Deasy is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Deasy graduated from Bishop Canevin High School and attended the University of Pittsburgh. He worked as a foreman for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Works be ...
‘84
*
Jim Bolla
James Daniel Bolla Jr. (March 27, 1952October 21, 2022) was an American college basketball coach. He was the head women's basketball coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 1982 to 1996, with his 300 games won the most in the team's h ...
‘70
*
Jesse Joyce
Jesse Joyce (born September 24, 1978) is an American stand-up comedian, Emmy Nominated and WGA Award winning writer.
Joyce has made many television appearances, including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's @midnight with Chris Hardwick, Comed ...
’96
*
Matthew Stocke
Matthew Stocke (born December 21, 1971) is an American stage and television actor. His hometown is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He moved to New York City in 1996 as he began his professional career and educational company. He graduated from the Carne ...
‘90
Notable faculty
*
Notes and references
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High schools in Pittsburgh
Catholic secondary schools in Pennsylvania
Educational institutions established in 1959
1959 establishments in Pennsylvania