Fordham Preparatory School

Fordham Preparatory School (also known as Fordham Prep) is an American private, Jesuit, boys' college-preparatory school located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University in the Bronx, a borough of New York City.

Fordham Preparatory School
Praeparatoria Fordhamensis
Address
441 East Fordham Road

Rose Hill, Bronx

Bronx, New York
10458

United States
Coordinates40°51′41″N 73°53′09″W
Information
TypePrivate secondary college-preparatory school
MottoAmor et Conscia Virtus
(Love and Conscious Virtue)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic (Society of Jesus)
Established1841 (1841)
FounderArchbishop John Joseph Hughes
PresidentMr. Anthony Day
HeadmasterDr. Joseph A. Petriello '98
Teaching staff79
Grades9–12
GenderBoys
Student to teacher ratio11:1
Color(s)    Maroon and white
Fight song"The Ram"[1]
NicknameRams
PublicationLabyrinth (Literary Magazine) Ramview (Alumni Magazine)
NewspaperRampart
YearbookRamkin
AffiliationSociety of Jesus (Jesuits)
Websitefordhamprep.org

Shea Hall & The Leonard Theatre

From its founding in 1841 until 1970, the school was under the direction of the university.[2]

History

Fordham Preparatory School was established in 1841 by bishop John Hughes, later Archbishop of New York, as the Second Division of St. John's College, on the Feast of St. John the Baptist. In 1846, the Society of Jesus was chosen to preside over the institution. The Second Division's curriculum consisted of four years of study in Latin, Greek, grammar, literature, history, geography, mathematics and religion, followed by three years of study in the First Division (equivalent to present-day Fordham University). The degree of Artium Baccalaureus was awarded for completion of both curricula. The Second Division was a boarding school from its founding until 1920, when it ceased boarding operations and assumed its present form as a day school.[3] St. John's College was re-chartered under its current name of Fordham University in 1907, and the school officially became known as Fordham Preparatory School in 1937, having been unofficially known as "Fordham Prep" for some years prior. In 1970, Fordham Preparatory School formally separated from the university, establishing itself as an independent preparatory school with its own administration, endowment, and Board of Trustees.[2]

Fordham Preparatory School was originally housed in a wing of the Fordham University Administration Building, since demolished. In 1890, the school was relocated to the recently constructed Hughes Hall, originally called Second Division Hall or Junior Hall. Hughes Hall now houses the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business. After formally separating with the university, the Prep moved to then-new Shea Hall in 1972, erected on what were once fields at the northwestern corner of the campus. Rising construction costs, coupled with the recent separation from the university, brought the Prep into poor financial standing by the early 1970s. Generous donations by alumni, including those of aerosol-valve inventor and 1939 alumnus Robert Abplanalp, and a series of benefit concerts given by entertainers such as Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, were instrumental in funding the expansion to Shea Hall. By the end of the decade, however, the school still remained burdened by the immensity of its debt, which was subsequently reduced after the failure of its mortgage-holder, Franklin National Bank, and a compromise bartered by 1929 alumnus and former Governor of New York Malcolm Wilson.[3] A second building, Maloney Hall, was completed in 1991 to form the present iteration of the Prep grounds.[3]

Early view of the grounds.
Hughes Hall, the second home of Fordham Preparatory School, from 1890 to 1972.

Academics

Fordham Preparatory School instructs students in a classical liberal arts curriculum, in the disciplines of classical languages, English, history, mathematics, modern languages, science, theology, and fine arts. Students are given the option to study Latin or Ancient Greek freshman year, after which they may also begin studying French, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish. Most subjects typically require four years of study.[3]

There are twenty-four Advanced Placement courses offered, in addition to a variety of advanced courses in other disciplines. Certain students are also invited to take courses at Fordham University.

The Leonard Theatre

Constructed in 1991 as part of the Maloney Hall addition, The Leonard Theatre is a one-thousand seat performing arts venue. In addition to hosting Fordham Prep Dramatic Society productions and other performances and assemblies, the theatre has hosted the MSNBC news program Hardball with Chris Matthews twice, and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan in concert.

Administration

Presidents

(Since creation of position in 1975.)

  • Rev. Eugene O'Brien, SJ (1975–1980)
  • Rev. Edward Maloney, SJ (1980–1996)
  • Rev. Joseph Parkes, SJ (1996–2004)
  • Rev. Kenneth Boller, SJ (2004–2013)
  • Rev. Christopher J. Devron, SJ (2013–2022)
  • Mr. Brian Carney (Interim President, 2022–2023)
  • Mr. Anthony Day (2023– )

Headmasters/Principals

(Since separation from the university in 1970.)

Title changed from headmaster to principal in 1999.

  • Rev. Eugene O'Brien, SJ (1960–1975)
  • Dr. Bernard Bouillette, PhD (1975–1982)
  • Dr. Cornelius F. McCarthy, PhD '53 (1982–1994)
  • Mr. Robert Gomprecht '65 (1994–2015)
  • Mr. Brian Carney (Interim Principal, 2015–2016)
  • Dr. Joseph Petriello, PhD '98 (2016– )

Athletics

The school has teams that participate in eighteen different sports, with forty teams altogether.[4] The athletic facilities include Fordham Prep's own playing fields and running track, the university's adjacent fields and tennis courts, and some other facilities, such as the boathouse located in nearby New Rochelle.

The 1904 football team.

Autumn
  • Baseball (autumn varsity)
  • Bowling (varsity)
  • Crew (freshmen, lightweight, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Cross country (freshmen, varsity)
  • Football (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Swimming and diving (freshmen only)
The Fordham ram.

Winter
  • Basketball (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Ice hockey (junior varsity, varsity)
  • Squash (varsity)
  • Swimming and diving (varsity only)
  • Indoor track and field (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Wrestling (junior varsity, varsity)

Spring
  • Baseball (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Crew (freshmen, lightweight, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Golf (varsity)
  • Lacrosse (junior varsity, varsity)
  • Rugby (junior varsity, varsity)
  • Tennis (junior varsity, varsity)
  • Track and field (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Volleyball (varsity)

Notable alumni
Vin Scully '44

Notable faculty

See also

References
  1. "Hall of Honor: J. Ignatius Coveney". Fordham Preparatory School. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Staff (July 4, 1970). "Fordham Prep Ends Tie to University". The New York Times. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  3. Holbrook, Francis X.; Stellwag, August A. (1990). When September Comes... A History of Fordham Preparatory School 1841-1991. MacNaughton Einson.
  4. "Fordham Prep Athletics". Fordham Preparatory School. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  5. "Hall of Honor Inductee List". Fordhamprep.org. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019.
  6. Fischer, Heinz Dietrich; Fischer, Erika J. (2002). Complete Biographical Encyclopedia of Pulitzer Prize Winners, 1917–2000. Munich: K.G. Saur. p. 51. ISBN 9783598301865.
  7. Staff (August 10, 2004). "Carmine de Sapio, Village Native Son Who Ran Tammany". amNewYork. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  8. "DioGuardi, Joseph J. – Biographical Information". Bioguide.Congress.gov.
  9. Sassi, Janet (April 26, 2012). "Fordham Mourns Passing of Pete Fornatale". Fordham News. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  10. Romig, Walter, ed. (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who, 1946—1947. Vol. 7. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig. p. 176. OCLC 174071223. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019 – via Google Books.
  11. cite web | https://nikeoutdoornationals.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=14188&do=videos&video_id=331989 | title=Myles Hogan 1st Place Boys 2-Mile Nike Outdoor Nationals
  12. "Boston University bio". GoTerriers.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015.
  13. McCarthy, Peggy (March 16, 1997). "A New York Irishman, and Flaunting It". The New York Times. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  14. "Ryan Meara Fordham University Soccer Profile".
  15. Walder, Seth; Abramson, Mitch (June 5, 2012). "Fordham Prep Shortstop Andrew Velazquez Selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Seventh Round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  16. Benbow, Dana Hunsinger (February 11, 2018). "Pacers' Donnie Walsh: 'All He's Ever Wanted to Do Is Basketball'". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  17. "Cameron Young PGA TOUR Profile - News, Stats, and Videos".
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