Verbum Dei's History

Located in Watts, Verbum Dei is a Los Angeles Archdiocesan four-year college preparatory school for boys. Cardinal James McIntyre invited the Missionaries of the Society of the Divine Word to participate in the planning and development of an all-male high school in the area. The school, named for the Society of the Divine Word, opened in September of 1962 in the facilities of the now-defunct St. Leo’s Parish on Imperial Boulevard. During that year the present site was acquired and construction began. The school moved to its present 11100 Central Avenue site the next year.

From the early 1960’s, population shifts in this area were characterized by significant movement away from these older neighborhoods by upwardly mobile working people due to suburbanization. In 1965, the area was severely damaged by the Watts riots and subsequently abandoned by many institutions and businesses that were previously a part of this once thriving community. Watts never fully recovered from the emotional and economic devastation of the riots. The result was a sharp increase in the poverty level and a disproportionate amount of single-headed households that continues to this day. Despite these enormous problems, throughout the 60’s and 70’s Verbum Dei High School continued to thrive and succeeded in offering a college preparatory education to young men from a traditionally under-educated segment of the population, primarily African American students. Nationally today, 36% of African American adults and 26% of Hispanic adults have a high school diploma.

During the 80’s, the area around Verbum Dei continued to decline. Dependency on government assistance increased due to the lack of jobs coupled with the devastating effects of the crack epidemic of the 80’s, which hit hardest in poor African American communities. Gang violence soared and became more violent due to the fight to control the drug trade. And incarceration rates jumped dramatically as the legislature responded with harsh mandatory sentences specifically for drug offenses. Finally, this downward spiral culminated in the 1992 L.A Riots after the Rodney King trial, which further decimated Watts. Yet Verbum Dei continued to serve its community well and to provide a stable academic environment for its students.

During the 90’s, Verbum Dei experienced an enrollment decline and administrative instability. The deteriorating older homes, apartment houses, and government housing were increasingly becoming occupied by poorer, often unemployed individuals, many of whom were recent Latino immigrants. The African American population remaining in the area was poorer and less likely to attend Catholic secondary schools. Many in the Latino population desired a Catholic education, but were unable to afford the relatively low tuition. Concurrently, the school endured a difficult transition from religious leadership (staffing by the Missionaries of the Society of the Divine Word) to lay leadership and the inherent increased costs of staffing a school with a predominately lay faculty. This transition resulted in a series of short-term principals, which created internal problems, instability, poor public relations, and a decline in enrollment, its performance and its credibility.

Fortunately during these transition years, Verbum Dei received financial help and attention. In 1993 a development Consortium was created and initially funded by he LA Archdiocese’s Education Foundation to raise development monies for Verbum Dei and two Catholic girls high schools in the community. In 1994-1995, with a $4.7 million gift from John and Dorothy Shea and the extended Shea family, improvements—including a new library, cafeteria, multipurpose center, gym, football field, and computer lab—were built nearly doubling the size of Verbum Dei. The Archdiocese also continued its financial support with an annual subsidy of $250,000 and waived and absorbed the debts that Consortium schools incurred. The Consortium raised monies through grants and individual donations from 1993-1998. Unfortunately, the Consortium ended when one of the girls school closed and was consolidated with the other. Although successful, the Consortium was hampered by the continuing administrative and financial difficulties of all three schools.

In the spring of 2000, Cardinal Mahony asked the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order) for help with Verbum Dei High School. The Jesuits agreed to enter into a partnership with the Archdiocese and with the dedicated lay faculty of Verbum Dei. In the fall of 2000, The California Province of the Society of Jesus sent a contingent of six Jesuits to Verbum Dei including one to serve as president.

History of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)