Lakewood Lore

Cows once grazed where young men now are raised

Construction of St. Edward High School at 13500 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood began 43 years ago on what was once a cow pasture.

Early this century, cattle trains coming in from western states over what is now the Norfolk Southern roadbed would stop there to let their animals rest and feed before continuing to eastern markets.

The St. Ed site, extending from Nicholson west to Giel and from Detroit north to the railroad tracks, also was a kid’s delight, according to John Butler Jr., who grew up in the neighborhood, graduated from the school in 1954 and is now its public relations director.

“It was a great place for us to build tree houses and forts and to play war,” he said with a tug of nostalgia.

“The property at the time was owned by the Nickel Plate Road, and one of the railroad’s guards, stationed at the Nicholson crossing, was supposed to keep us out of the pasture, but didn’t.”

St. Ed’s was founded as an educational facility of the Holy Cross Order of Notre Dame, Ind., and construction began in 1949 when Cleveland Archbishop Edward F. Hoban evinced an interest in opening a Catholic high school in Lakewood.

The 159 students of the first graduating class in 1953 spent their first two years studying at the former St. Theresa’s Academy on Detroit at Robinwood, while St. Ed’s was being built.

Butler, a member of the second graduation class, recalled there was still considerable work to be done at St. Ed’s in 1951 when he transferred there from temporary freshman classroom quarters in the basement of St. James School on Detroit at Granger.

Butler, namesake son of a widely known local attorney who celebrated his 87th birthday this month, joined the staff of St. Ed’s last January after completing a career with Ohio Bell Telephone Co., where he served as director of corporate communications.

First principal of the school was the late Holy Cross Brother John William. Since 1988, Brother James Spooner has headed the institution as president and principal. (When dealing in his official capacity with the board of trustees, he is the president; for day-to-day operations at the school, he is the principal.)

Brother Spooner is the eighth principal and an alumnus as well, having graduated there in 1964.

Originally, most of St. Ed’s teachers were Holy Cross brothers. Today there are also a substantial number of lay persons on the faculty. The brothers live on the grounds, in a home attached to the school.

St. Ed’s has high standards. Each applicant is carefully screened and must pass an entrance examination.

“We are not interested in young men with bad records,” Butler said. “We have zero drug problems. Discipline is the secret. In this school, we have no concern about opening a locker to search its contents.

Students must wear shirt, collar and tie -- no jeans, earrings or long hair. Our dress code makes for a business-like atmosphere. After all, education is serious business.

“No profanity, either, or students go to detention, which means stay after school,” he added.

St. Ed’s is strictly a boys’ school and has no intention of changing, according to Butler. It draws from numerous westerly suburbs plus Cleveland’s intercity. Tuition is $3,500 a year, but about 35 percent of the students are receiving some form of financial aid.

In the ‘70s, enrollment climbed as high as 1,700. Right now, however, it is a little less than 1,000. “And that’s kind of where we’d like it to stay,” Butler commented.

The school has an enviable reputation in sports, especially wrestling and ice hockey. In 1992, it won the state wrestling championship for the 12th time in 15 years and then went on to take the national title. It now has the distinction of being best for eight times in 15 years.

Last year it also won the Ohio hockey championship, and it currently holds the record of being the only high school to capture this crown four times (‘85, ‘36, ‘90 and ‘92).

Besides its athletic prowess, St. Ed’s scores well academically. In 1991, its yearbook took first place in the annual Columbia University Scholastic Contest for the third time in four years. Also, “Flight,” its literary magazine of student poems, essays and other writings, was the recipient of Columbia’s Medalist Award for the 13th time in 23 competitions.

This article appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post May 21, 1992. Reprinted with permission.

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