Saint Ignatius High School

Saint Ignatius High School is a private Roman Catholic, Jesuit high school under the Diocese of Cleveland, for young men, located in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. History Founded in 1886 by a German Jesuit on the invitation of Bishop Richard Gilmour, the school was originally a six-year secondary school based on the German Gymnasium that was to be attended after the completion of six years of grammar school. Separate four-year high school and college programs were formed in 1902, with the college changing its name to John Carroll University in 1923 and moving out of the Cleveland location to neighboring University Heights, Ohio in 1935. The words and music of St. Ignatius' alma mater were composed by the school's band director, Jack T. Hearns Sr., in August 1937. His band debuted the alma mater at halftime during a football game on October 1, 1937, replacing their customary "Victory March". In 1958, St. Ignatius gave St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati permission to adapt the song. Campus Saint Ignatius High School remains at its original location at 1911 West 30th Street. The campus includes the original structure, now known as the Main Building, which was completed between about 1891 and 1911 and is now a designated Cleveland Historic Landmark. On January 21, 1974, Saint Ignatius was added to the National Register of Historic Places.