St. Joseph's Preparatory School
| Saint Joseph's Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
1733 W. Girard Avenue , Pennsylvania 19130 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private All-Male Secondary |
| Motto | Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the greater glory of God) |
| Established | 1851 |
| President | Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. |
| Principal | Michael Gomez |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 931 |
| Color(s) | Crimson and Gray |
| Mascot | The Hawk |
| Song | Swing On Along With the Crimson |
| Information | 215.978.1950 |
| Tuition | $13,600 |
| Website | http://www.sjprep.org/ |
Saint Joseph's Preparatory School and founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1851, is a Catholic, urban, college preparatory school for young men operated by the Society of Jesus.
St. Joseph’s College opened in the buildings of St. Joseph’s Parish off Willings Alley, just a few blocks from Independence Hall. A permanent church had replaced the old Chapel attached to the Jesuit Residence. On September 15, 1851, ninety-five students greeted Rev. Felix Barbelin, the first president of St. Joseph’s College, for their first day of class. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania chartered the school, and it was incorporated as "The St. Joseph's College In The City of Philadelphia" on January 29, 1852.
In 1876, the land that is now St. Joseph's Prep was open country near the Centennial Exposition in Fairmount Park. Around this time, the Jesuits of the Maryland Province were planning to open another parish in a part of the city more conducive to operating a college. The Girard area seemed like a natural location because it was a blossoming suburb with Girard College, Eastern State Penitentiary, a hospital and a reservoir nearby. Father Barbelin found an undeveloped block between 17th and 18th Streets and bounded on the north and south by Thompson and Stiles Streets.
The Prep's school building, having housed students for nearly 75 years, was almost completely destroyed by fire on the night of January 30, 1966. After fierce debate over the location and construction of a new school building -- which included plans to relocate outside the city limits -- a rebuilt Prep, with modern (and fireproof) flourishes, opened in 1969 at the same location. In the early 1990s the school purchased the Gesu Church (named for the Society of Jesus' original church in Rome) from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It now serves as the school's chapel. St. Joseph's was one of several religiously-affiliated secondary institutions in the Delaware Valley marked for changes in the early 1990s (at one point, the administration strongly considered a move from single-sex to co-educational classrooms due to low enrollment). However, in subsequent years, both admissions and enrollment have skyrocketed, ensuring the Prep's place as a vital institution preparing young men for the challenges of the future.
Students who attend are trained in the ratio studiorum, a plan of education which is a staple of all Jesuit institutions, that seeks to produce a well-rounded person, both mentally and spiritually.
The school boasts a competitive academic program as well as nationally ranked athletic teams, with many of its graduates advancing to some of the country's best colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross, University of Notre Dame, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, Boston College, Brown University and Princeton University. The school draws students from the city of Philadelphia, its surrounding Pennsylvania counties, and southern New Jersey. The Prep has a long-standing rivalry with LaSalle College High School, a Philadelphia Catholic League counterpart, extending to numerous Thanksgiving Day football games over the past 20 years. It continues to place great importance on community service, and is a valued neighbor in its North Philadelphia location.
Notable alumni
- Robert L. Barchi — president of Thomas Jefferson University (1964)
- Tony Braithwaite — Barrymore Award-winning actor (1989)
- Tom Burgoyne — world-famous Phillie Phanatic (1983)
- A. Bruce Crawley — chairman of the Philadelphia African-American Chamber of Commerce (1963)
- John J. Dougherty — chairman of Philadelphia's Redevelopment Authority, union leader, expected mayoral candidate in 2007 (1978)
- John Foley — Catholic archbishop, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (1953)
- Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach — acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
- Vincent Fumo — Pennsylvania state senator (1960)
- Rich Gannon — professional football player (1983)
- Henry Gibson — star of Laugh-In (1953)
- Matt Guokas — former Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic head coach (1962)
- Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. — former Secretary of State (1942)
- Victor Hobson — New York Jets linebacker (1998)
- James F. Kenney — Philadelphia City Councilman (D) (1976)
- Phil Martelli — Saint Joseph's University head basketball coach (1972)
- James T. McDermott, Jr. — president of Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (1973)
- Rob McElhenney — creator and star of the TV show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (1995)
- Jim McKay (James McManus) — ABC Sports anchorman; contributor of services to 2006 FIFA World Cup (1939)
- Michael Nutter — Philadelphia City Councilman (D), expected mayoral candidate in 2007 (1975)
- Brian J. O'Neill — Phiadelphia City Councilman (R) (1967)
- Joseph C. Stinson — Hollywood screenwriter, wrote the third Dirty Harry movie Sudden Impact, coined "Go ahead, make my day!" (1965)
References
- "St. Joe's Prep College Information". sjprep.org.
- Twyman, Anthony S., "Prepped for Politics". Philadelphia Inquirer. 23 November 2005.
