A Comprehensive History of Christian Brothers College High School

Introduction: Rooted in Tradition, Focused on the Future

Christian Brothers College High School (CBC High School) stands as a Lasallian Catholic college-preparatory institution for young men in Town and Country, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Rooted in a rich history that spans over a century and a half, CBC is owned and operated by the De La Salle Brothers within the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Its mission remains faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the charism of St. John Baptist de La Salle educational service to the poor and salvation of all.

The Early Years: From St. Joseph to St. Louis

The story of Christian Brothers College begins not in St. Louis, but in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1858. However, the outbreak of the Civil War disrupted the school's initial plans. The building was repurposed, serving at times as a hospital for Union troops and at others as a barracks. According to Christian Brothers graduate Bob Slater, soldiers "actually rode their horses inside the school."

The first classes were eventually held in 1867. In 1881, the College was reincorporated, granting the school more autonomy in curriculum development and management. By 1865, the institution had evolved into a largely commercial college, earning a reputation as one of the finest schools in the West. This academic excellence attracted students from across the United States and Mexico.

Academic Evolution: From Commercial College to College Preparatory

By 1921, the popularity of commercial colleges was waning, prompting Christian Brothers College to transition into a high school. In September of that year, high school courses were introduced to incoming students, while commercial courses became electives. By 1923, the conversion was complete, and the school began graduating high school students in 1925. In May 1927, the cornerstone of "The Shack," as the original school building was known, was transferred to a new location, becoming the cornerstone of the new Christian Brothers High School. Notably, the land on which the school was built had once been owned by the Ku Klux Klan.

The school was founded in 1850 under the name "St. Joseph's Academy" by three French-speaking Christian Brothers who had come to St. Louis the previous year from Montreal, Canada. In 1851, the school moved from its original location at 16th and Market Street to 8th and Cerre Street in downtown St. Louis.

In 1882, due to lack of space, the school moved to the "Cote Brilliante" campus in north St. Louis. On October 5, 1916, a fire destroyed the school, killing seven firemen, two sick Brothers, and a nurse. For several years, the brothers taught in parochial schools until a new "Christian Brothers College High School" was built at University Lane and Clayton Road in Clayton, Missouri.

Athletics and Integration: Breaking Barriers

Christian Brothers College became a major force in athletics during the 1930s. Under coach Everett Shelton, the Golden Eagles excelled in city basketball. A significant moment in the school's history occurred in 1951 when Christian Brothers broke the color barrier among city schools, predating the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The Christian Brothers team played the all-black Bartlett High School Panthers despite warnings from school district officials about potential expulsion from the all-white city league. The game, played at Bartlett to a full house, saw Christian Brothers emerge victorious. The threatened expulsion never materialized.

The Summer Olympic Games were held in St. Louis in 1904, the first Olympics to feature a competitive soccer (association football) tournament and to award medals in the sport. Concerns regarding team travel from Europe, and a lack of amateur players of the sport, were addressed when the Cadets of Christian Brothers College were invited to represent the United States in the association football tournament of the 1904 Summer Olympic Games. The only other entrant in the competition were the then-champions of Canada, from Galt, Ontario. The tournament was held in Francis Olympic Field in mid-November. The Canadians easily won the gold medal, but Christian Brothers College came in second, and each member of the team was awarded a silver medal. Those remain the only Olympic medals awarded to a school or college. The second-place finish remains the best result achieved by a United States men's soccer team at the Olympic Games. The 11 members of the school team included three brothers, John, Thomas, and Charles January, and the youngest of the siblings was just 16 years old at the time.

A Move Westward and Continued Growth

CBC long hosted an Army JROTC program; students were required to participate. In 1998, the CBC Board of Directors announced the school would move eight miles westward to a new campus in West St. Louis County. The current campus is located near the northwest corner at the interchange of Interstate 64 in Missouri and Interstate 270 (Missouri-Illinois). The first academic year at the new location was 2003-04.

Academics and Extracurricular Activities

CBC offers a college preparatory curriculum designed to prepare all students, with varying abilities, for college and for life. This includes a four-year program in Religion, English, Science, Math, Social Studies, Spanish and French; electives in Religion, English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Fine & Performing Arts, and Business. 50 different college credit courses are offered in Math, Science, Social Studies, English, Theater and Religion through the 1818 Program at St. Louis University, the ACC Program at the University of Missouri-St. More than 150 hours of Advanced Placement and college credit are available to CBC students. Last year, over 4,000 hours of college credit were earned by CBC students. College credit courses offered through St. Christian Brothers University is a Catholic university in the student-centered tradition of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

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In January 2006, CBC announced plans to begin drug testing all students during the 2007-08 academic year. The school became the first private school in the West St. Louis County area to implement such a policy.

The Cerre Players, headed by Peter Banholzer, are noted for performance-plays and musicals that have included High School Musical On Stage!, A Few Good Men, Urinetown, Les Miserables, Footloose, Jesus Christ Superstar, Beauty and the Beast, Crazy for You, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Oklahoma!, and Sweeney Todd. The CBC Music Program, informally called the "Band of Brothers", primarily plays jazz and rock-style music. The choral groups include "The Cadet Chorus" and the premier group "Brothers in Harmony". The CBC Drum-line is noted for novelty cadences like "Canosaurus" and "High Voltage". The Band of Brothers, Brothers in Harmony, and the Drum-line are CBC's primary performing and touring groups.

The Cadets: Team Names and Athletic Achievements

The team name from the inception of inter-collegiate athletics at CBC until 1916 was the Collegians. The team was known as the Hi-Pointers during the early years on Clayton Road through the 1950s; the name derives from the Hi-Pointe neighborhood near Clayton, where CBC was located from 1922 to 2003. The team was unofficially renamed the "Cadets" by the students when CBC began mandatory JROTC training in the 1930s. The name became official in 1958 and the Cadets logo was created in 1993 by Jason Buford (class of 1994).

CBC has been named Athletic Program of the Year by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch four times since 2010.

Christian Brothers College High School offers 19 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Diving, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

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The Campus: Facilities and Location

Prominently viewed off of I-64, on the Town and Country campus, is W. Michael Ross Stadium, a 3,000 seat multi-purpose stadium hosting football, soccer, lacrosse, and ultimate. Carved into the southern hill of the campus, Ross Stadium is known for its dusk time shadows and sun rays during early season football games. It also prominently features a rock "CBC" on the grandstand hillside, similar to the University of Missouri "M". A. Spinelli 86' Field at W. Spinelli Field in 2012 became a "Championship Field". CBC offers top-ranked facilities in St. Louis.

Core Values and Admission

The history of the Christian Brothers in St. Joseph includes community, discipline, and progress. Slater said he has never met a Christian Brothers graduate who did not appreciate the school's discipline and atmosphere. Admission is based on the student’s desire for an education based on the philosophy of the Christian Brothers, his grades and standardized test scores from grade school, and a personal interview. Interested students should apply by December 1st of their 8th grade year.

Christian Brothers College is a Catholic, Lasallian high school committed to the academic, spiritual and moral development of every young man. Our faith-filled and inclusive community prepares students from all backgrounds for success in college and for lives of leadership and service. Christian Brothers College High School will create positive change in our community and world through the lives of our graduates: young men who are guided by faith, strengthened by intellect, committed to justice, and prepared to lead and serve.

Notable Alumni

CBC boasts a distinguished alumni network, including figures in sports, politics, and other fields:

Joseph M. Darst, former mayor of St. Louis.
William L. Ewing, mayor of St. Louis.
Harold A. Philip McRae, NHL player with St. Louis Blues.
Mike Shannon, Major League Baseball player for St. Louis Cardinals.
Joe Vitale, retired NHL player and current radio color analyst for the St. Louis Blues.
Zach Bauer, professional soccer player with AC St. Louis.
A. J. Daryl Doran, indoor soccer player, jersey retired by St. Louis Steamers.

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