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Fordham Preparatory School

{{use mdy dates | date = November 2022}}

{{Use American English | date = November 2022}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Fordham Preparatory School

| native_name =

| latin_name = Divisio Secunda Fordhamensis

| seal_image = Fordham Preparatory School seal.svg

| image = Shea_Hall_FP_building.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = Shea Hall, the third and current home of Fordham Preparatory School. (2024)

| motto = Amor et Conscia Virtus

| motto_translation = Love and Conscious Virtue

| location = Rose Hill, Bronx

| streetaddress = 441 East Fordham Road

| city = Bronx, New York

| zipcode = 10458

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{coord|40|51|41|N|73|53|09|W|type:edu_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}

| district =

| authority =

| religion = Roman Catholic (Society of Jesus)

| affiliation = Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

| superintendent =

| trustee =

| founder = Archbishop John Joseph Hughes

| president = Mr. Anthony Day

| dean = Mr. Steven Pettus

| headmaster = Dr. Joseph A. Petriello '98

| chaplain = Fr. Jim Coughlin SJ

| teaching_staff = 79

| ratio = 12:1

| former_name = Second Division of St. John's College {{cite web |url=https://www.fordhamprep.org/about/history-tradition |publisher=Fordham Preparatory School |access-date=May 27, 2024 |title=History & Tradition - Fordham Preparatory School }}

| type = Private secondary college-preparatory school

| gender = Boys

| grades = 9–12

| slogan = Men for others

| song =

| fightsong = "The Ram"{{cite web |url=https://www.fordhamprep.org/page.cfm?p=5095 |title=Hall of Honor: J. Ignatius Coveney |publisher=Fordham Preparatory School |access-date=April 22, 2020}}

| rival = {{bulleted list | Xavier High School | Iona Preparatory School}}

| accreditation =

| nickname = Rams

| colors = {{color box|Maroon}} {{color box|White}} Maroon and white

| yearbook = Ramkin

| newspaper = Rampart

| publication = Labyrinth (Literary Magazine) Ramview (Alumni Magazine) Muse (Artistic Journal)

| established = {{start date and age|1841 | paren = y}}

| status =

| picture = WSTM Free Culture NYU 0077.jpg

| picture_caption = Entrance to the Leonard Theatre

| homepage = {{URL|fordhamprep.org}}

}}

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

From its founding in 1841 until 1970, the school was under the direction of Fordham University. In 1970, it separated from the university, establishing itself as an independent preparatory school with its own administration, endowment, and Board of Trustees.{{cite news | author = Staff |title=Fordham Prep Ends Tie to University |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/04/archives/fordham-prep-ends-tie-to-university.html |access-date= November 19, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=July 4, 1970}}

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, situated at Rose Hill in what was then known as the village of Fordham, New York.

In 1846, the Society of Jesus was invited 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.{{cite book |last1=Holbrook |first1=Francis X. |last2=Stellwag |first2=August A. |title=When September Comes... A History of Fordham Preparatory School 1841-1991 |date=1990 |publisher=MacNaughton Einson}}

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.

= Hughes Hall to present day =

File:St. John's College 1846.jpgFordham Preparatory School was originally housed in a wing of what is today Fordham University's Administration Building, now known as Cunniffe House. That Second Division Wing has long since been 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 from 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.

Maloney Hall, which comprises the Hall of Honor, the Leonard Theater, and the intramural gymnasium and fitness center, was completed in 1991 to form the present iteration of the Prep grounds.

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 either study Latin or Ancient Greek freshman year, after which they may continue or take a modern language such as French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish.

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. It is the home of the Fordham Prep Dramatic Society, which is among the oldest preparatory school theatre companies in the nation. The Leonard Theatre has hosted the MSNBC news program Hardball with Chris Matthews twice, and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan in concert.

Administration

= Presidents =

(Since the creation of the 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. Anthony Day (2023– )

File:Hughes Hall, Fordham University.jpg

= Headmasters/Principals =

(Since separation from the university in 1970.)

  • 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)
  • Dr. Joseph Petriello, PhD '98 (2016– )

Athletics

The school has teams that participate in eighteen different sports, with forty teams altogether.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fordhamprep.org/athletics/fp-rams/ram-sports-zone|title= Fordham Prep Athletics|publisher= Fordham Preparatory School|access-date= June 6, 2022}} The athletic facilities include Fordham Prep's playing fields and running track, the university's adjacent fields and tennis courts, and some other facilities, such as the crew team's boathouse located in nearby New Rochelle.

File:Fordham Preparatory School IMG 2108 HLG.png

= 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)

= 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

File:Dealy.gif 1846]]

File:Vin Scully, Dodgers announcer, at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida for Spring Training, 1985 (cropped) (cropped).jpg '44]]

= Notable faculty =

= Notable trustees =

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Fordham Preparatory School}}

  • {{Official website|http://www.fordhamprep.org/}}

{{Bronx Schools}}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York}}

{{Boys' schools in New York City}}

Category:Boys' schools in New York City

Category:Educational institutions established in 1841

Category:1841 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Jesuit high schools in the United States

Preparatory School

Category:Preparatory schools in New York (state)

Category:Preparatory schools in New York City

Category:Society of Jesus in New York (state)