Activities, Advantages, and Inequalities: The Theory and Practice of Sports, Arts, and Service in Catholic High Schools

Catholic schools have a particular tradition of excellence in the types of sports, arts, and service activities that have a prominent role in contemporary American education and youth culture. This paper considers ways that tradition may constitute a type of Catholic school advantage in two parts. First, the paper offers a brief social history of activities in Catholic education, suggesting that an emphasis on activities arose for reasons of both educational philosophy and practical need. Second, the paper draws on case studies of two Catholic high schools to explore ways that social history associates with contemporary practice, finding high participation rates and generally positive experiences. There are also indications, however, that developmental and educational experiences with activities vary meaningfully by socioeconomic context. Ultimately, the paper argues that the value of activities depends heavily on social context, suggesting that scholars and educators would do well to attend more carefully to the particular role activities play in Catholic schools.