Editing Irwin T Catharine (section)

== Cathedral of Learning Schools ==

The monumental high schools Catharine designed during the 1920s and 1930s earned the nickname "cathedrals of learning" for their Gothic forms and civic presence. Ben Franklin High School (1927), Simon Gratz High School (1927), Germantown High School (1915, additions by Catharine), and South Philadelphia High School (1928) demonstrated how public schools could achieve grandeur previously reserved for private institutions. These buildings' towers, Gothic arches, and elaborate ornament expressed confidence in public education's mission and the city's willingness to invest in facilities for all students.<ref name="gallery"/>

The cathedral schools typically featured H-shaped or E-shaped plans that maximized natural light and ventilation while creating courtyards for outdoor activities. Central towers provided orientation and vertical emphasis. Gothic details—pointed arches, tracery, buttresses—decorated facades while maintaining consistency with functional requirements. Interiors featured generous corridors, substantial auditoriums, and specialized facilities for vocational as well as academic programs. The buildings' quality of construction ensured durability that keeps many in active use nearly a century after completion.<ref name="cutler"/>