• August 27, 1897 - Xaverian Brothers opened the (then called) Cathedral High School for boys ages 8 through high school. It was opened under the guidance of Bishop Donahue with approximately 300 young men attending. Military procedures were followed and the boys became known as the “Cadets” performing around the Wheeling holidays for special events. Brother Angelus, C.F.X. was the first Principal.
• 1922 - Under the direction of Bishop Swint the school discontinued the military aspect as the cost became a hardship for families.
• 1923 - Sisters of St. Joseph took over teaching boys in grades 1-6 while the Brothers continued to teach the upper levels. · School name was changed from Cathedral High School to Central High School.
• 1923 - School name was changed from Cathedral High School to Central High School.
• 1925 - 525 Students, 9 Brothers, 9 Sisters, and 1 Lay Teacher made up the school. Sister Perpetua Hurley, SSJ, was the first principal of grades 1-6.
• 1933 - The Xaverian Brothers leave Wheeling and the Marist Brothers of Poughkeepsie, NY begin teaching duties.
• 1933 - Brother Paul FMS became Principal.
• 1937 - Gymnasium, 6 classrooms for the high school added at a cost of $75,000.00
• 1939 - 361 elementary students, 408 high school students
• 1950 - 391 elementary students, 420 high school students
• 1955 - Blessed Martin School on 13th Street closed and the children from that school joined with the Cathedral school.
• 1960 - Enrollment continued to increase and a new Central Catholic High School was built. Cathedral Grade school then occupied the entire 1896/1936 building.
• 1970 - Decrease in enrollment due to the outflux of the local population. This decline continued through 1980.
• 1972 - Extensive renovations of the 1937 building were made and the second and third floors of the 1896 building were closed to students.
• 1975 - First Catholic Kindergarten in the area was opened under the Priest’s sacristy in the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
• 1981 - St. Ladislaus & St. Alphonsus Catholic schools merged and were called Wheeling Catholic Consolidated.
• 1985 - School enrollment continued to drop at Cathedral Parish School therefore Wheeling Catholic Consolidated and Cathedral Parish School joined with Cathedral Parish School taking students K-3 and Wheeling Consolidated School taking students in the upper grades.
• 1988 - Wheeling Catholic Consolidated School closed and Wheeling Catholic Elementary School for grades K-8 became the new center city school.
• January 9, 1997 - Listed on the National Register of Historic Places United States Department of the Interior
• 2004 - Renovation of the 2nd & 3rd floors of the 1896 building was completed. The second floor was opened for the Intermediate grades, Library, Advancement Office, Family Support Center, Guidance and Social Worker Offices, a tutoring room, and a workroom for teachers. With the installation of the elevator and ramps, both buildings became compliant with the ADA.

The 1896 Structure is a Victorian Gothic Structure . . .

It is a fine example of Victorian Gothic, a revival style of architecture popular at this time for educational, ecclesiastic, and other public buildings such as firehouses, opera houses, and libraries. The three-story brick school rests upon a large rusticated sandstone base which continues around the building and defines the central entrance. The arched stone entrance forms the base of a square bell tower which extrudes slightly from the middle of the building. Gothic Revival-style elements include the tower with its pyramidal roof, as well as the arched windows on the first and second floors and the bands of stone that run horizontally across the front façade. The original cost of the building was $25,000.00. The school has an addition on the north side constructed in 1937-1939 to accommodate a gymnasium and additional classrooms.

Our Logo History

This logo was designed as a result of one of the faculty/staff gathering and prayer service, facilitated by Father Larry Dorsch, then designated Pastor of Wheeling Catholic Elementary School. Mrs. Libby Reasbeck, friend of the school, designed the graphic.

The meaning: As our Father God holds us in the palm of His hands, may we the Wheeling Community hold the families in the palms of our hands.