To spot the Cathedral School for Boys, look for a stately building next to the grand, towering walls of Grace Cathedral-it often features school crests, like the one you see here, which shows red and gold shields with symbolic icons.
Alright! Picture yourself standing right outside an institution where tradition, laughter, and a little bit of boyish mischief blend together. Welcome to the Cathedral School for Boys-a cornerstone of Nob Hill since 1957, nestled right against the magnificent Grace Cathedral. Let’s imagine what it was like back in the school’s very first days: the smell of musty stone from the crypt below the cathedral, quiet except for the echo of footsteps on old tiled floors, and just ten wide-eyed boys in fourth and fifth grade, perhaps a little nervous and a little excited.
At that time, Dean C. Julian Bartlett and a handful of local families had a vision-a school that wasn’t just a copy of other boys’ schools around the city, but something new, daring, and, well, a bit more musical! You see, the school was partly dreamed up as a source of talented young voices for the cathedral’s choir. Imagine the thrill of those boys, their voices mixing with the deep notes of the men’s choir during early morning rehearsals. It all started tucked within the cathedral’s offices and crypt-a location so unique, even Harry Potter might have felt at home there.
But adventure was always on the timetable. By 1962, the school had expanded to include first through eighth grades, eventually welcoming the youngest boys in Kindergarten by 1972. Here’s a funny visual: imagine dozens of young boys in neatly pressed gray slacks and blue Oxford shirts, prowling the halls and practicing their “serious faces” for assembly. And yes, the older boys add a school-issued tie-very dapper indeed. On special days, blazers with the embroidered school crest appear, turning students into a sea of navy blue, red, and gold. There’s no secret handshake-just “Minds, Hearts, Hands, Voices” as their motto, though I wouldn’t rule out the occasional secret lunchroom snack swap.
The school’s building, just to your left, didn’t always look this way. Construction began in 1965 on the northwest corner of the cathedral’s close, and by September 1966, the boys had a proper place to stretch their brains and maybe, on occasion, a few mischievous muscles. Inside, it’s been updated several times, most recently in 2021, when the Learning Commons opened-imagine the buzz of busy minds and the excitement of brand-new classrooms!
Cathedral School is small but mighty-with only about 265 students and 60 faculty and staff, it feels more like a big family. Boys enter mostly in Kindergarten, but new faces join in fifth and sixth grades, just as the classes expand and the friendly chaos grows. Uniforms are mandatory, but individuality always finds a way-maybe a shoelace here, a creative hairdo there.
And there’s never a dull moment. Athletics are a huge part of life here: soccer goals thud in the fall, basketballs bounce in winter, and baseballs zip by each spring. The school’s sports mascot, Forbes the Hawk, may not literally swoop down from the cathedral roof-but he is always watching over games for that extra burst of team spirit.
Music and drama echo through the years, harkening back to the days the school provided choristers for Grace Cathedral. Every student, from tiny kindergartners to seasoned eighth graders, gets a turn in the spotlight, whether it’s a drama performance, a music lesson, or the beloved Field Foundation Public Speaking Competition each year. Imagine the nervous energy, the recited lines, and the proud applause! Second graders even get a special shot at something magical-auditioning for the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, a tradition that’s rare in the entire country.
Over those decades, Cathedral School for Boys has produced more than good students-it’s turned out actors like Leland Orser, authors like Sean Wilsey, and even ambassadors and federal judges. Not bad for a place that started in a crypt, right?
For a final bit of fun history-October 14, 2006, was declared “Cathedral School for Boys Day” by Mayor Gavin Newsom. If you listen closely, you might just hear the echo of cheers and laughter still ringing through the neighborhood. Now that’s a mark of a truly special school!
Ready to delve deeper into the campus, students or the athletics? Join me in the chat section for an enriching discussion.
