William Cullen McBride High School


William Cullen McBride High School was a Catholic college preparatory school for boys in St. Louis, Missouri. Operated by the Society of Mary within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, the school opened in 1925 and served approximately 7,500 students before closing in 1971.

History

Originally founded in 1911 as Kenrick Catholic Boy's High School, the school moved to its new location at 1909 North Kingshighway in 1925, changing its name to William Cullen McBride High School in honor of its benefactor the prominent St. Louis businessman and philanthropist.
The $250,000 limestone structure at Kingshighway and Cote Brilliante opened with public tours and a basketball exhibition in January 1925. The facility became a landmark for Catholic secondary education in north St. Louis and remained in use until the school’s closure nearly five decades later.
The school was named for William Cullen McBride, founder of W. C. McBride, Inc., a St. Louis oil company established in the late nineteenth century which exists today as Orthwein Energy, headquartered in Oklahoma City.
In May 1970 the Globe-Democrat reported that the Marianist order staffing McBride would be reassigned as part of a system-wide reorganization by Archbishop Carberry, foreshadowing the school’s closure the following year. The decision to close was announced in January 1971 and covered extensively in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Academics and student life

In 1957 McBride was one of two high schoolls selected to pilot an Archdiocesan program for gifted students introducing college-level coursework. Community events such as the annual father-son banquet and a 25th-anniversary celebration in 1928 reflected the school’s close ties with St. Louis families and alumni.

Athletics

McBride became widely recognized as a powerhouse in interscholastic sports, producing championship teams, and collegiate and professional athletes across multiple sports. Its basketball and football programs were regularly covered by city newspapers, and the school’s competitive spirit was cited as emblematic of its community identity.

Legacy

After the school’s closure, former students organized the McBride Alumni Association, which continues to hold reunions and support scholarships within the archdiocese. In 2024, the association published Men of McBride: Stories of Character, Commitment, and Contribution, a collection of alumni profiles and reflections.

Notable alumni