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.

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.

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. 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.

alt=Leonard theater and back field|center|thumb|280x280px|Back view of the Leonard Theater and the Rowen Athletic Field

Autumn

  • Baseball (autumn varsity)
  • Bowling (junior varsity, varsity)
  • Cross country (freshmen, varsity)
  • Football (freshmen, junior varsity, varsity)
  • Swimming and diving (freshmen only)
  • Soccer (junior varsity, varsity)

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)
  • 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

  • Robert Abplanalp (1939) – inventor of the aerosol valve; founder of the Precision Valve Corporation
  • Anthony J. Alvarado (1960) - former New York City Schools Chancellor
  • Joseph Bastianich (1985) – winemaker; restaurateur; judge on the television series MasterChef
  • Arthur Daley (1922) – The New York Times sports columnist; Pulitzer Prize winner for journalism
  • Landon Dais (1999) - politician
  • Patrick F. Dealy, SJ (1846) – 11th President of Fordham University, 1882–1885
  • Ralph DeNunzio (1949) - former chairman, New York Stock Exchange; Kidder, Peabody & Company
  • Carmine DeSapio (1927) – Secretary of State of New York 1955–1959; Grand Sachem of Tammany Hall 1954–1961
  • Joseph J. DioGuardi (1958) – U.S. Congressman
  • Jorge I. Domínguez (1963) – scholar and professor, Harvard University
  • Joey Fallon (1959) – child actor and New York City politician
  • Richard Foerster (1967) – poet
  • Pete Fornatale (1963) – disk jockey; music historian
  • Frankie Frisch (1916) – Major League Baseball Hall of Famer; known as "The Fordham Flash"
  • Robert Hackett (1977) – silver medalist in Swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics
  • George Jackson (1976) – film director and producer
  • John La Farge (1852) – artist; stained-glass innovator
  • John Liscio (1967) – financial analyst and journalist
  • Gerald W. Lynch (1954) – former president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • Walter A. Lynch (1911) – congressman from 22nd District of New York, 1940–1951; 1950 nominee for Governor of New York
  • Juan Tomas Macmanus (1867) – banker, Senator in Mexico from Chihuahua
  • Francis J. McCaffrey (1935) – lawyer and politician
  • Horace McKenna, S.J. (1916) – founder of S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat); advocate of the Sursum Corda Cooperative
  • Larry Miggins (1943) – former professional baseball player
  • John Purroy Mitchel (1894) – 95th Mayor of New York City
  • Colman Mockler (1947) – CEO of the Gillette Company, 1975–1991
  • Joseph H. Moglia (1967) – CEO of TD Ameritrade
  • Donnie Walsh (1958) – president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks; former general manager for the Indiana Pacers
  • Edward J. Walsh (1908) – lawyer and politician
  • James Joseph Walsh (1881) - physician and author
  • Ray Walsh (1934) - general manager and vice president, New York Giants
  • Malcolm Wilson (1929) – Lieutenant Governor of New York; Governor of New York

Notable faculty

  • Timothy Healy, S.J.; Faculty 1950s
  • John Cardinal McCloskey; Rector of Fordham 1841–43
  • Martin Joseph Neylon, S.J.; Faculty 1944–46
  • William O'Malley, S.J.; Faculty 1986–2012
  • Heiner Wilmer, S.C.J.; Faculty 1997–98

Notable trustees

  • J. Peter Grace

See also

  • List of Jesuit sites
  • List of Jesuit secondary schools

References