Delbarton
The Magazine
Delbarton
Dear Friends of Delbar ton,
The arrival of any issue of Delbarton Magazine is like a visit from an old friend You have a strong sense of what to expect to read as an update. However, you never know what news or intriguing story we may have to tell!
The Fall 2024 issue of Delbar ton Magazine is no different In this first issue in our 86th year of Benedictine Catholic education at Delbar ton, you’ll see our vibrant campus life since we star ted the 2024-25 academic year You’ll also get a great review of the Class of 2024’s Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises and learn where they are now enrolled in colleges around the country
Year after year, seniors tell me about how mixed their feelings are about graduation They are certainly glad to be done with college applications, standardized admission tests, and most of the work element of senior year They are eager to strike out on their own and take the next step of independence from their parents. At the same time, they are genuinely sad about the end of their time as Delbarton students. Almost instinctively, in April and May, seniors spend almost all their free time on and off campus together Their annual mastery of Garden Wiffle-Ball is but one outward expression of this movement. They want to drink the last drop of the ‘Delbarton Experience’ before they disperse on Commencement Day. They take very seriously our core Delbarton belief that “here, we belong ”
To me, this instinctive coming together, this intensification of the brotherhood they have developed over the years, is a young man’s intuitive embrace of the Benedictine hallmarks of stability and community Each class builds its own distinctive common life, because each class is a unique gathering of minds, hearts, hopes and dreams Each class does so, however, within a framework of common experiences that they have
shared at Delbarton, and that all classes share, in our school’s distinctive culture, our Benedictine Catholic ‘way we do things here ’ Even as they graduate, seniors understand Delbarton as home in a way that was not likely as apparent to them when they began in 7th or 9th grade. As they continue to mature in age and wisdom, alumni also grow in that sense of Delbarton as home. The extraordinary enthusiasm of our alumni for Delbarton, in all manner of ways, is the best evidence of this truth
In this issue, you’ll learn about how that sense of home, of stable community as a safe place to grown was experienced by men who were boarding students at Delbarton. Our last boarder graduated forty years ago, in 1984, so that version of the Delbarton Experience is unknown to the majority of our now more than 5500 living alumni. Boarding at a school is an intense experience, as any former boarder can attest. When you read these men’s stories, you’ll quickly see that while their experiences were very different than those of our current students, the impact of living and learning at Delbarton nurtured in them the same embrace of Benedictine stability and community
Yours in Christ and St. Benedic t,
Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Headmaster
D e l b a r t o n l a
graduation graduation
2024
On June 2, the Long Green Line welcomed 138 new members as the Class of 2024 graduated from Delbarton. Later, graduates and their families enjoyed a reception in the Senior Garden...
“We all made the most out of our last moments together. We met each other, got to know one another, struggled through hard times together, then created unforgettable memories. Now we are left with inseparable bonds, not just as true friends, but as brothers. I am Green Wave til I die!”
Our three flag bearers were 2024-2025 student leaders Will Trafford ’25, current Student Body President Joseph Artiglere ’25 and Colin Galvin ’25. The trio led the procession into the Abbey Church at Commencement 2024
The Peter B Haas Award, established in memory of a 25year-old Marine pilot killed in Korea, is awarded for distinguished leadership within the school For his work in upholding the values of brotherhood and unity among his peers, and for his outstanding service in many areas of School life, the Peter B Haas Award was presented to 2023-2024 Student Body President Abdiel Perde ’24 (Williams College).
The Succisa Virescit Award is presented to a senior who has manifested love for life and for the school and has significantly grown through challenge as implied in the school’s motto, Succisa Virescit “cut down, he will grow up strong again.” The Succisa Virescit Award was presented to Edward Myronoff ’24 (Princeton University).
The James E Nugent Award, established in memory of a graduate of the class of 1969, is awarded to the Delbarton senior who best exemplifies the spirit of giving himself to others. This young man has distinguished himself among his peers for his unquestioned integrity and for self-forgetful service to his classmates, school and community The James E. Nugent Award was presented by Jim’s niece Catie Carter to Maximillian Orosz ’24 (Georgetown University).
The Bryan Bennett ’94 Award was established to honor the memory of a member of the class of 1994 who died at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 This award is for the “Quiet Hero,” a student who, like Bryan Bennett, has distinguished himself for his day-to-day work ethic, his consistent nobility, and his unfailing kindness, all of which have made him a model of steadfastness to his classmates and teachers. The recipient of this award is chosen by his classmates Bryan’s nephew Carlos O’Connor presented The Bryan Bennett Award to Ryan Trafford ’24 (The United States Naval Academy)
Our Commencement speaker was Charles ‘Chuck’ Smith ’63, middle, a successful marketing executive and a 2023 Delbarton Hall of Honor inductee After his speech, Smith received the Delbarton Medal from Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B, pictured here on right with Chuck Smith ’63 and Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B
The Brian E Fleury Award is awarded to an outstanding scholar-athlete who demonstrates the same passion for scholarship that he does for athletics This young man is the consummate team player, selfless in all his endeavors, and always putting the needs of others before his own. The Brian E. Fleury Award was Christian Zebrowski ’24 (Middlebury College).
The Paul Jermak Scholarship, established in memory of a graduate of the class of 2004, is awarded to a senior who best embodies Delbarton’s mission of educating the whole person in mind, body and spirit. The Paul Jermak Scholarship was presented by Paul’s mother Mrs. Eileen Jermak to Julian Osorio ’24 (Brown University).
“You may think that your story is just beginning, but you just completed the most important chapter.”
Commencement
Charles ’Chuck’ Smith ’63
“Mom and Dad, the best gift you ever gave me was to send me to Delbarton… Our class is strong. Our class is tough…Our class is simply the best group of young men that I am so privileged to call my brothers, each and every one of you.”
Class of 2024
Amherst College - 1
Bates College - 1
Bocconi University - 1
Boston College - 11
Bowdoin College - 1
Brown University - 1
Bucknell University - 4
Case Western Reserve University - 1
Cornell University - 2
Dartmouth College - 1
Duke University - 3
Emory University - 1
Fairfield University - 4
Fordham University - 2
Franklin & Marshall College - 1
Georgetown University - 6
Gettysburg College - 1
Hamilton College - 2
Harvard College - 1
Imperial College of London - 1
Indiana University - 1
Johns Hopkins University - 1
Kenyon College - 1
Lafayette College - 1
Lehigh University - 6
Loyola University Maryland - 2
Middlebury College - 2
Morehouse College - 1
New York University - 3
Northeastern University - 1
Northwestern University - 1
Penn State University - 1
Princeton University - 4
Providence College - 3
Purdue University - 2
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - 1
Rutgers University - 1
Seton Hall University - 1
St Andrews University - 1
Texas Christian University - 1
Tufts University - 2
Tulane University - 1
United States Naval Academy - 1
University of Chicago - 3
University of Denver - 1
University of Florida - 1
University of Miami - 1
University of Michigan - 1
University of Notre Dame - 6
University of Pennsylvania - 3
University of Richmond - 4
University of Southern California - 1
University of Virginia - 3
University of Wisconsin - 2
Villanova University - 7
Virginia Tech - 2
Wake Forest University - 10
Washington and Lee University - 1
Washington University in St. Louis - 1
Williams College - 2
Yale University - 2
2024 Homecoming
Delbar ton enjoyed spectacular weather at Homecoming 2024 which attracted a banner crowd for an enter taining day on campus…
DMG President Luz Johnson P ’21,’22,’25 and Vice President Dawn Hall P ’25,’25,’28 at Homecoming 2024 led an outstanding team of Homecoming volunteers.
Meet the Homecoming Queen: Heidi Williamson, who expertly supported chief event planner Craig Paris ’82, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni
From left, John Manahan ’19, Director of Events and Parent Engagement Erin Manahan P ’19, Matthew Bury ’19 and Advancement Associate Megan Bury P ’19,’20,’23
Alumni Board member Michael Johnson ’12 spotted at the Homecoming football game.
Homecoming Golf Outing
On Oc tober 3, Delbar ton alumni enjoyed 18 holes at New Jersey National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ where John Manning ’79 was the low scorer who took home the famed green blazer…
Green Wave Head Coach Dr. David Donovan greeted alumni and hosted a pick-up game at Ryan Family Field on Homecoming morning…
Alumni Soccer 2024
Hall of Honor Reception 2024
On October 4, 2024, the Delbarton Hall of Honor welcomed three new inductees, Perry Beneduce ’74, Troy Murphy ’98 and Dan Whalen, at the Hall of Honor Reception in the Fine Arts Center. Master of Ceremonies, former Alumni Association President John Ferramosca ’05, introduced each inductee and, in his closing prayer, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. noted the common thread of transformative Delbarton relationships and lessons that each inductee referenced in his remarks.
Perry Beneduce ’74
Perry, a native of New Jersey, graduated from Delbarton in Morristown, class of 1974, where he excelled both academically and athletically, serving as captain of the Delbarton Swim Team He went on to earn his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing, graduating cum laude from Ohio University, and a master’s in project management from George Washington University
Perry’s professional journey began with a distinguished 29-year career at AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Over 18 years in Operations Management and 11 years in Global Marketing and
Customer Satisfaction, he played a pivotal role in driving the success of these organizations Perry was also handpicked for the Executive Leadership Continuity Programs at both companies and completed the prestigious Wharton Executive Education program. After retiring from Lucent Technologies, Perry embarked on a new career in real estate by joining Diane Turton, Realtors. He currently holds the position of Executive Director for the Marketing, Leads, and Referrals Division, where he leads the company’s marketing strategies and business development efforts. As a vital member of the Diane Turton, Realtors Executive Leadership Team and the Broker/Manager of the
Spring Lake Office, Perry has been instrumental in establishing the company as a leading luxury real estate brokerage in New Jersey. His innovative marketing techniques and extensive industry expertise have earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and thought leader Perry is an appointed member of the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Executive Committee, an accolade that underscores his leadership and respected standing in the luxury real estate sector This committee is composed of esteemed professionals who provide leadership and guidance to the global real estate network
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Perry has shown unwavering dedication to Delbarton. For the past 50 years, he has served as a Class Representative and completed two terms as President of the Delbarton Alumni Association. Additionally, Perry is actively involved with the Monmouth Arts Association, where he is a board member and the President-Elect In this role, he helps shape the organization’s strategic vision and advocates for initiatives that support the arts in the region Perry’s commitment to cultural enrichment fuels his efforts to keep the arts a vital aspect of community life in New Jersey. Since 199 1, Perry has made his home in Sea Girt, New
Jersey, where he enjoys the coastal lifestyle and the close-knit community. In the winter months, he retreats to Windham, New York, where he indulges in skiing, finding balance and renewal between the serenity of the Jersey Shore and the excitement of the Catskills. This dual lifestyle allows Perry to fully embrace the best of both worlds year-round
Troy Murphy ’98
Troy Murphy is a former NBA player and entrepreneur. He is the founder and managing partner of Sweven Wealth.
Raised in New Jersey, Troy attended Delbarton School before accepting an athletic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame He played three seasons at Notre Dame and finished his career as a two-time consensus
Hall of Honor Members
1984
Jules G Spada ’48†
1985
Frank D. Visceglia ’60†
1986
Lee S. Trumbull ’58
1987
Rev. Manus Duffy, O.S.B. ’60†
Joseph K. Pagano ’63
W Norman Scott ’64
1988
Edward F Broderick ’50†
D Peter Keller ’65
1989
Edward J Dwyer ’64
John F. Sanfacon ’57
Louis P. Thebault†
1990
Daniel Foley ’50†
Carmine J. Galdieri II ’57†
Robert C. O’Mara ’60
1991
James M. Corroon ’57
Frank A. Delaney
Rev Giles P Hayes, O S B ’56†
1992
Rev Stephen W Findlay, O S B †
William F Sittmann ’67†
Joseph R McDonough ’68†
1993
Robert B. Collins ’56
William O. Regan†
1994
Brian T. Fitzgibbon ’74†
Rev. Kenneth H. Mayer, OSB†
William J. McFadden ’59
1995
Edward J Butera ’56
Harvey C. Jones, Jr. ’70
Skip Livera ’63†
1996
Kary W. Antholis ’80
Rev. Adrian McLaughlin, O.S.B.†
1997
Daniel T Scott ’62†
James E Nugent ’69†
W Michael Murphy, Jr ’67
1998
Kevin T Kenny ’78
Robert E. Mulcahy III†
Boyd A. Sands ’55
1999
Elizabeth T. &
John G. Gilfillan III†
Anthony M. Nugent ’74
Peter L O’Neill ’59†
2000
E Pat Brady ’70
David F. McBride ’65
Rev. Peter J. Meaney, O.S.B.†
2001
C. Sean Closkey ’85
Donald L. Criqui
Robert L Sheridan ’81
2002
Lawrence H McLernon ’57
J Craig Paris ’82
2003
John F Conner ’53
Hilda Maloney†
Bill Smith ’63
2004
Abbot Brian H. Clarke, O.S.B.†
Eugene “Doc” Doherty ’54†
J. Brian Thebault ’69
All-American, earning 1st team
Associated Press All-American honors following his sophomore and junior seasons. He became just the fifth player in Notre Dame history to score more than 2,000 career points and finished his career fifth on the all-time scoring list with 2,011 points Murphy is the only player to score more than 2,000 points and grab more than 900 rebounds (924) in 94 career games
Troy was selected 14th overall in the NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors
Following his time with the Warriors, Troy played for the Pacers, Nets, Celtics,
Lakers, and Mavericks totaling 12 seasons before retiring in 2012
In 2015 he was a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Legends Class and on January 23, 2016, became the eighth inductee into the Notre Dame Basketball Ring of Honor.
Following his athletic career, Troy graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Sociology from Columbia University School of General Studies in 2016. He serves as a member of the Columbia University School of General Studies Board of Visitors and was the
keynote speaker at Columbia University School of General Studies Class Day Ceremony in May 2024.
He is a patron of the New York City Ballet, the New York Botanical Garden, and a sponsor of the Jackson Hole Land Trust in addition to other nonprofit pursuits. Troy holds a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification, enjoys sailing, and is frequently traveling.
Dan Whalen
Former Delbarton Athletic Director and Varsity Basketball Head Coach Dan Whalen has been a key player for the Delbarton Athletic Department for 39 years, 32 as Varsity Basketball Head Coach and 16 as the Delbarton School Athletic Director
Dan started his career at Delbarton in August of 1985 as a Physical Education and Health Teacher and Freshman Football and Basketball coach He is primarily known as a basketball coach but through his career has coached many sports at all levels including freshman and varsity basketball, football, MS soccer, freshman lacrosse, varsity track, varsity baseball He was varsity golf head coach for 12 years.
In 2007, he was named Delbarton’s fourth Athletic Director. During his sixteen-year career as AD, Whalen managed seventeen sports programs and produced an impressive record of state, conference, divisional and county championships, continuing the legacy of his predecessors Bill Regan Sr. (1946-1987), John Kowalik (19871998) and Brian Fleury (1998-2007)
In 2023, Whalen stepped down from the Athletic Director role, Dr Tony Negrin became the fifth to lead the Green Wave program and credited Whalen for preparing him to lead Delbarton Athletics. “He has
developed such a strong and sustainable athletic program, one that continues to be the best in the state of New Jersey…I am beyond grateful for the relationship we have built, and look forward to continuing to learn from Dan.”
That year, Whalen also concluded his Varsity Basketball coaching tenure with an impressive 527-269 record during which he led Delbarton to six Morris County championships. “Delbarton is a great place to work and coach,’ says Whalen “I am most thankful for all the friendships I’ve gained in my roles here, people in the Delbarton community, Morris County and all over NJ I have worked with and coached against. It’s been an awesome journey and a lot of fun ”
Hall of Honor Members (Continued)
2005
Rt Reverend Thomas J Confroy, O S B †
Ronald P Mealey ’50
William J. Waldron III ’65
2006
Brian E. Fleury†
John P. “JP” Flynn ’86†
Richard L. Wade ’61
2007
Patrick Henry ’57
Richard W Herbst
George H Miller, Jr ’52†
2008
Michael A Ferguson ’88
John E Luke, Jr ’78
2009
James J. McGough ’49†
John C. Traynor ’79
Andrew W. Verhalen ’74
In spring 2022, with the opening of the new 32,000 square foot Pizzo Family Field House at Regan Stadium, Whalen next took on the role of overseeing the new facility which quickly evolved into an athletic campus centerpiece Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. has lauded Whalen’s career at Delbarton. “Dan Whalen has been an outstanding coach and role model for the young men of our basketball program. He has consistently prioritized the character formation of his players as equal in meaning to competitive success. We cannot thank him sufficiently for his sacrifices that have made our basketball program what it is.”
2010
James A Ferrante, Jr ’75
Keith D Kulper ’70
Rev Bruno A Ugliano, O S B †
2011
Kurt W. Krauss ’81
Peter Pizzi ’71
Anthony Passarelli†
2012
Thomas A. Caputo ’57
Thomas J Luby ’72
James G Petrucci ’82
2013
Martin S Flaherty ’77
Dr Roy Horton† Jon Krawczyk ’88
2014
Fr. Beatus Lucey, O.S.B.†
Taylor Price ’04
Michael J. Slattery ’59
2015
Wayne Gardiner
Derek J Maguire ’90
Frank D Visceglia ’85
2016
Stefan A Howells ’86
James J Maguire P’79, ’82, ’86†
Charles R Ruebling ’79
2017
Rich Darché ’72
Brian Hanlon ’87
Rudy Marchesi ’67
2018
Andrew Anselmi ’83, P’16
Fr Hilary O’Leary, O S B
2019
John J McNamara ’59
Robert E Farrell ’64
Brian J Ferriso ’84
George J Parros ’98
2020
Michael Rosenhaus ’80
Fr. Andrew Smith, O.S.B.
2021
Terrance J Rouse ’86
2022
Michael J D’Agostino '72
Bernard G D’Andrea ’57†
Fr Edward Seton Fittin, O S B ’82
2023
Br Paul Diveny, O S B
Charles ‘Chuck’ Smith, Jr ’63
2024
Perry Beneduce ’74
Troy Murphy ’98
Dan Whalen
Olympians in Paris:
Morgan Pearson ’11 and Jack Alexy ’21 at the 2024 Olympics
Two former Green Wave athletes represented the United States at the Olympic Games.
relay team of Jack Alexy ’21, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel took first place and won the first medal for the United States at the Olympic games in Paris
American triathletes Taylor Knibb, Morgan Pearson ’21, Taylor Spivey and Seth Rider earned silver medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris by taking second place after the 300-meter swim in the Seine, 7-kilometer bike, and a 1.8kilometer run
In June, Jack Alexy ’21, a rising star in swimming, and Morgan Pearson ’11, an elite triathlete, secured their places on the U.S. Olympic team, marking a significant milestone for them and their proud alma mater Even more impressively, both men exited Paris with medals.
Known for his prowess in 50m and 100m freestyle events, Alexy clinched a spot on the U S team with his second-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle Olympic trials and earned a spot on the 4x100 men’s relay team A member of the UC Berkeley Golden Bears swim team, he previously earned a silver medal at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships and continues to refine his skills. This summer, he was poised to make a significant impact during his Olympic debut. Morgan Pearson ’11 brought a diverse athletic background to the Olympic stage in 2024 Originally a standout high school and collegiate distance runner, Pearson transitioned to the role of triathlon athlete with remarkable success. He secured his second straight Olympic berth with a series of strong performances on the international triathlon circuit, including a first-place win at the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series in Yokohama, Japan. Balancing the
rigors of swimming, cycling, and running, Pearson has emerged as one of the top American triathletes and brought home a silver medal in the mixed relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
At the Paris Olympic Games, Alexy earned two medals, a gold in the 4x100 men’s freestyle relay and a silver in the 4x100 men’s medley relay Individually, competing against the world’s top swimmer, he swam to a 7th place finish in the 100m freestyle final Morgan Pearson too found his way to the Olympic podium, repeating as a silver medalist in the mixed relay event Pearson put the team in medal contention, successfully completing the 300-meter swim, 7-kilometer bike, and 1 8-kilometer run before teammate Taylor Knibb raced to a photo-finish second place time, earning USA the repeat silver medal
We congratulate our two alumni for their work, dedication and ultimate success as members of the 2024 United States Olympic team!
Iucation for the e are more lucrative teaching for Biochemistry degree cience. I teach at Delbarton, so I can help students embrace the synergy of science and faith, a belief that God has called on humanity to do good.
I became a Transcendentalist in 4th grade because of the sound of my name Since my mother owned a bookstore, I had to figure out who this “Thoreau” guy was, so I picked up his books. From the message of divinity permeating the natural world written about by Thoreau, I transitioned into Gandhi, Tolstoy and Dr King; and expanded my worldview with love, faith, truth, and desire to live a life of purpose and action.
Brian Theroux chairs the Delbarton Science Department Here he teaches 9th grade Biology students about the anatomy of the heart
Albert Einstein (Ideas and Opinion, 1954) wrote that great creative achievements were discovered by people “imbued with the truly religious conviction that this universe of ours is something perfect and susceptible to the rational striving for knowledge.”
Theroux writes, “When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wanted to inspire Americans to tackle the enormous challenges of racism and discrimination, he said “I have a dream.” He did NOT say “I keep having terrible nightmares!”
Growing up in Montana I spent most of my days outside exploring and nights inside reading But now, as a teacher and parent, I spend most of my days talking with kids and trying to get them to read My kids are awesome, but they have not embraced Emerson, Gandhi, and Tolstoy yet. And this is an example of a fundamental reason why I love teaching! What can I do to help prepare my kids for a deeper and more passionate involvement of the intellectual word of faith and reason? What are ways to help kids see the potential for a transcendent force to exert itself through thoughtful human action? This is why we have watched all the Star Wars and Marvel superhero movies together. This is also why I read with my kids.
Several years ago, I read Roald Dahl’s BFG with my kids, a story about a little girl and a giant who can place customized dreams into people’s heads to generate change in the world (to stop other giants from gobbling up human-beans) What a wonderful idea, to be able to help other people dream of a better world. There is additional depth to Dahl’s book The BFG is dedicated “To Olivia.” Olivia was Dahl’s daughter, who died of measles when she was seven years old, just before the BFG was written.
With the popularity of his book, Dahl was able to draw peoples’ attention to the possibility (his dream) of preventing measles from destroying human beings. He became a strong advocate for immunization.
Dahl’s messages are of enduring importance People need to understand the power of dreams and the power of biology to transform the practice of medicine, the societal costs of misunderstanding is too great. This is why I teach. I teach biology so people can know the power of science to improve human health Vaccination is only one example. Vaccination is also a well-documented example of the influence of fake news in society and the ability of fear to supersede reason
Modern society is full of misunderstandings perpetuated by lack of experience and familiarity. For the last 20 years I have led the Delbarton BEADS program, traveling with students to East Africa, where I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer before joining Delbarton. On safari in Kenya students see with their own eyes the difference between ‘real gnus’ and ‘fake gnus.’ This is why I teach through experience. Experience is a foundation of basic knowledge
The age we live in has been officially labeled by geologists as the Anthropocene. The footprint of man is so large that we are currently the greatest natural force on earth We are like Thanos, wielding incredible powers of destruction at our fingertips. However, I don’t teach science as a list of disasters, diseases, and human degradations. Why? Because that approach generates negative reactions: denial, disbelief, fear It is like the path to the dark side of the force described by Yoda in Star
On safari in Kenya during the annual
Wars, “Fear is the path to the dark side, fear leads to anger, anger to hate, hate to suffering.”
What is the alternative to an alarm based on fear? When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to inspire Americans to tackle the enormous challenges of racism and discrimination, he said “I have a dream.” He did NOT say “I keep having terrible nightmares!” He did not say “we are destroying the earth.” His message was not negative, based on fear and anger His message was positive, based on faith and love, and a belief that God has called on humanity to do good This is why I teach science with a moral foundation, to harness the strength of love and the power of faith.
I have a dream that scientific information can empower people to make moral decisions that will enable humanity to enjoy the divine wonders of nature and improve the human condition. That is why I teach. To share my dream with future generations so
that they can receive a world with faith, reason, love and understanding.
Delbarton students, parents, and alumni are a powerful force. They dream of a better world and work to generate positive change That is why I teach at Delbarton.
The Bus Stops Here
By Jessica Fiddes
Delbar ton invested in busses and cut transpor tation costs by for ty percent
Transportation at Delbarton, the school that never sleeps, is like a business within a business that has evolved dramatically over the past six years.
The challenge: transporting 650 students and staff members safely, efficiently, comfortably and affordably Throughout the year, Delbarton schedules 4,000+ rides to and from destinations around the tri-state area. This includes morning, afternoon and late bus routes, athletics, cocurriculars, retreats, spirit busses and
more. Transportation touches every aspect of Delbarton life If you take our bussing for granted it’s working
Some Morris County towns within a 20 mile radius supply our students with bussing or transportation stipends. Otherwise, students rely on parents or Delbarton bussing, which includes transportation from and to train stations, for their daily commute. For many newly licensed Delbarton juniors and seniors, driving to school is a longawaited rite of passage.
When Fr. Michael Tidd was named Delbarton headmaster in 2018, transportation was a big-ticket item he took a close look at. Back then, all Delbarton bussing was outsourced. “It was already evident that transportation was a rapidly rising cost center that required creative thinking,” recalls Fr Michael
To cut costs, he recruited faculty members to earn Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs) that enabled them to drive several Delbarton-owned vans. One of those early recruits was Zack Tabor, who arrived at Delbarton to teach Arabic in 2015 and soon built a signature language and travel program.
As someone who enjoys a challenge, Tabor navigated the CDL process
twice, earning both his van and bus licenses. Blessed with an observant nature and an analytical mind, Tabor quickly assessed that the CDL licensing protocol was wildly inefficient After navigating the licensing process twice, he mentored other Delbarton CDL-licensed drivers to reduce licensing costs Tabor eventually produced a seventeen-page Delbarton School CDL Acquisition Handbook, the bus-licensing bible for new Delbarton bus drivers.
The more Tabor learned about Delbarton transportation, the more convinced he was that we could do bussing better
Years ago, Delbar ton had owned and operated a bus fleet but, due to liability and regulatory issues,
outsourcing transpor tation to bussing companies became the norm By 2018, the school’s Director of Transpor tation was essentially a dispatcher and, while the arrangement did reduce liability, annual transpor tation costs soared, and new drivers commonly would get lost on campus.
Fr Michael’s goal was to take control of Delbarton transportation, and, in Zack Tabor, he found an ideal partner. Tabor says, “Fr Michael deserves all the credit for having the vision to take back bussing at Delbarton,” yet it took Tabor to research and develop a strong case for bringing Delbarton transportation back in-house for the first time in years
Buying Busses, Saving Money
Tabor took over as Director of Transportation on July 1, 2023, and his bus acquisition proposal led the school to invest in a fleet of a dozen vehicles emblazoned with the Delbarton name Today Delbarton transportation costs are down forty percent and continue to drop as Tabor finds more opportunities to save and improve.
Bus acquisition began in earnest postCOVID when the cost of bussing nearly doubled. “The COVID-19 pandemic only added gasoline to this brushfire,” says
“I like puzzles,” Tabor says with a grin as he integrates his Transportation job into his other role as a committed teacher of Arabic
Fr Michael COVID also caused a consolidation in the local bussing sector from six companies to one company offering limited contracts and increased prices
Not surprisingly, New Jersey doesn’t make it easy to buy a school bus and, in fact, layers the process with unusual design and security requirements – ‘a solution in search of a problem,’ says Tabor – making every New Jersey school bus a custom designed vehicle which, again, increases costs
The school invested capital in the bus acquisition project, and Delbarton parents pitched in with bus fundraising, donating over $200,000 for busses at the 2024 Spring Gala The new vehicles pay for themselves in twelve months and, today, the Delbarton bus fleet includes several full-sized Thomas Built models with under carriage storage to transport sports teams and their gear Will there be a Green-Wave-themed coach bus in Delbarton’s future? Stay tuned.
Busses need drivers, and Delbarton now has four fulltime and eleven part time licensed drivers “Our drivers are extremely professional and courteous,” Tabor says. “They’re all
proud to be a part of our transportation system, and we couldn’t do this without them. They quickly get to know our campus and our students too ”
Delbarton Admissions also benefited from improved, cost-efficient bussing Fr. Michael says, “As a school whose students come from 12 counties in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York State, a reliable, safe and affordable transportation system is vital to our daily life ” According to Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid Dr. David Donovan, “Investing heavily in our own bus fleet allows us to make the school a viable option for all qualified young men regardless of where they live ”
Much about Delbarton transportation has changed in six short years and, fortunately for Delbarton families, Zack Tabor is their stalwart ally in this effort Says Fr Michael, “Because of Zack’s leadership and hard work, we are now able to provide a flexible,
convenient and financially sustainable transportation service for daily runs and for all athletics and activities.”
“I like puzzles,” Tabor says with a grin as he reviews his complex bussing spreadsheet and continues to integrate the Director of Transportation job into his life as a teacher of Arabic at Delbarton
The next time you see a Delbarton School bus, take a moment to appreciate how far we have come in just six years from 100% vendordependence to near 100% bus liberation.
College Admissions
By Michael Rosenhaus ’80, Director of College Counseling
Ahalt due to the COVID 020, many things were e college admissions so be impacted by the ys that could not have
e admissions committees and prepared to send students were sent , p shut down. March 2020 was a time of uncertainty and fear Most colleges felt the need to overfill freshman classes to plan for the potential of a greater number of withdrawals due to personal hardships and financial concerns from the pandemic. Waitlist activity was high that year. At Delbarton, well over a dozen students
in a Post “COVID continues to impact college admissions”
landed at their top choice colleges that had waitlisted them earlier that spring.
Enrollment managers faced another challenge in fall 2020 as students who arrived on campus excited to engage in collegiate life found themselves subjected to masking, quarantining and virtual classes, a less than desirable experience. This forced something of a mass exodus, with many freshmen deciding to defer enrollment until pandemic restrictions eased. In addition, many athletes also deferred enrollment as their athletic seasons were canceled. These events impacted college admissions significantly over the next two years as students admitted for the fall of 2020 returned to campus, limiting the number of spots available in the freshman class for more recent high school graduates.
Post-COVID, uncertainty regarding yield also forced institutions to rely more heavily on their Early Decision programs. In the past, ED schools might have filled about 40% of their incoming freshman class through these binding early application options. In the post-pandemic years that number has increased to 60% or more at most colleges. Last year over 50% of Delbarton seniors were accepted to college through an Early Decision program.
The restrictions imposed by COVID also led to test-optional admissions, a policy born out of necessity, which became ubiquitous Test-optional admissions increased the number and diversity of applications and applicant pools, an unexpected but extremely attractive developments to college admissions committees. Most competitive schools experienced at least a 40% increase in applications as students who would not have applied in the past due to lower test scores, were now considered stronger applicants based on their transcripts alone With all these factors leading to an even more competitive college admissions environment, academic standards for applicants in previously advantaged groups such as athletes and legacy candidates have become much higher as well
College costs continue to rise, with public universities offering a more cost-effective way to attend a top ranked institution. More than 10% of Delbarton Class of 2024 are attending public universities
In fall 2020, students arrived on campus excited to engage in collegiate life found themselves subjected to virtual classes which caused departures and disrupted enrollment until in-person learning was reinstated.
College Admissions
On October 1, Sean Flanagan worked with Kelvin Peirre ’25 on completing his Common Application The Common App is accepted by 1,000 member colleges, universities, and community colleges in all 50 U.S. states, as well as Canada, Australia, China, Japan, and many European countries.
40% of incoming freshman used to enter college through binding early decision applications. Post-COVID, that number increased to 60% or more at most colleges.
The cost of attending college continues to rise and the added costs associated with COVID prevention measures did little to slow those increases. This past year most private four-year institutions in the Northeast list a total cost at or close to $90,000 Although colleges do offer extensive financial aid packages, often without loans, cost has become a much greater consideration for our families. Public universities, usually half the price of their private counterparts, offer a more cost-effective way to attend a top ranked institution. More than 10% of Delbarton Class of 2024 attended public universities.
How have these trends impacted Delbar ton College Counseling?
In response to these trends, we adjusted our college counseling program to prepare our students for success in this post-COVID era By adding a freshman year introductory program and opening our fall college admissions speaker webinar to all students, we make more information available earlier to our students and families Our Guide to College Admissions (download the Guide by using the QR code on page 40) is shared with all incoming freshmen and provides a roadmap to the college process at Delbarton. Our college counseling staff is available to support all students at any point in their Delbarton career as they begin to focus on their postsecondary goals Parents and students also receive a weekly emailed update from the Guidance department that includes a dedicated college counseling section providing timely and helpful
The four-member Delbarton college counseling team includes Sean Flanagan, Director of College Counseling Mike Rosenhaus ’80, Nick Linfante and the team’s newest member, Christine Connelly, who moved from teaching to a counseling role this year
information These measures are intended to encourage students to begin their college search process earlier
To provide greater support to our students, in 2024 we added a fourth counselor to the college counseling team who is pursuing a school counseling degree which focuses on mental health counseling for secondary school students. In addition to offering more meeting opportunities earlier in the process, we also now host a yearly Financial Aid webinar for families looking for guidance on this important topic
In response to this new post-COVID landscape and based on directives from our own Strategic Plan and the Middle States Excellence by Design report, Delbarton continues to modernize and adjust its college counseling program to provide the highest level of support and encouragement to our students and their families.
faculty update
History teacher Kent Manno has been elected to join The Royal Historical Society as an Associate Fellow. Founded in 1868, the Royal Historical Society (RHS) is a successful learned society, membership organization and charity with a 150-year history Today, the RHS is the UK’s foremost society working for historians and history.
This past June, math teacher Patrick Finn and Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs Josh Har tle participated again in the AP Calculus reading (grading) They joined 1,000 college professors and high school teachers in applying the scoring guidelines to over 350,000 AP Calculus exams. Both men read exams remotely and Hartle reports, “Patrick was a reader and I served as a Table Leader. GO WAVE CALCULUS!”
In August 2024, Brian Theroux visited St Scholastica Academy in Nairobi, Kenya He met with Headmistress Sr. Lucy Wanjiru to discuss plans for a student exchange program St. Scholastica has been a partner with the BEADS program since 2007, hosting Delbarton students year after year. The hope is to host some students from St Scholastic at
(continued on page 46)
Rik Dugan Receives 2024 Delbarton Distinguished Educator Award
On May 29, former Delbarton teacher and coach Rik Dugan, the former Head of School at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart in Princeton, NJ, received the Delbarton School 2024 Distinguished Educator Award Dugan’s family was present with colleagues from Far Hills Country Day School and Princeton Academy Several Delbarton colleagues spoke, including Delbarton Varsity Football Head Coach Brian Bowers, who met Dugan at Williams College where Bowers
coached offensive linemen like then-student Rik Dugan, said, “He had a special way of connecting with virtually everyone he met Rik truly cares about people. At Delbarton he quickly proved to be an exemplary teacher and coach Rik inspired me to be a better coach and a better man.” Dugan is pictured here with Dean of Admissions Dr. David Donovan, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. and Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs Josh Har tle.
Italian Language Field Trip to Newark
In a cultural experience that transcended the classroom, on October 16 students in Prof Mike Del Guercio’s Italian 1 classes traveled to Newark to visit the Museum of the Old First Ward and attend Mass at the National Shrine of St. Gerard, a site that holds significant importance in Italian-American heritage. The occasion was the St Gerard Festival, so food was another focus: From Southern Italian delicacies like zeppoli and cannoli to sausage and peppers and chicken cutlets, our hungry young men enjoyed sampling them all.
Kevin Jin ’25 on Governor’s School for the Sciences
Last summer, Delbarton senior Kevin Jin ’25 attended the three-week residential Governor’s School for the Sciences at Drew University in Madison, NJ Read about Kevin’s experience on Delbarton.org under ‘News’. This fall, Kevin also was accepted to the 2025 class of the NJ Governor’s STEM
Scholars. Sponsored by the state government, the program assigns participants to team projects and offers workshops about STEM professions One hundred scholars were accepted out of one thousand applicants. Sean Fialcowitz ’26, a current junior, was accepted into the program this
year and, in 2023, Ian Grenda ’25 was selected as well. On campus, the very active Delbarton Research in Science Club connects students in grades 7 to 12 with likeminded STEM-savvy peers
A Classic Shot
On May 23, Jason Kleinschmidt of Peter Wallburg Studios scaled a ladder to capture the photo on page 10. The annual photo is a treasured memento for many Delbarton alumni.
Underclassmen Earn Awards
On May 28, 2024, awards earned by Delbarton underclassmen in Academics, Activities and Campus Ministry were presented during the Underclassmen Awards Convocation in the Fine Arts Center theater. Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB distributed the awards at an event witnessed by Delbarton underclassmen and
faculty. Pictured above, from left, are Class of 2025 College Book Award-winners Matthew Tyrone, Ian Grenda, Daniel Cosmi, Jack Migliaccio, Nicholas Poliseno, Hudson Bonetti, Henry Collins, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B., Timothy Pinheiro, Grant Parker, Kevin Jin, Alexander Meyer, Sean Dooley, Gavin
Hassan and Ryan Readinger. College Book Awards are presented to juniors who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual promise, exhibited outstanding personal character, made a significant contribution to the co-curricular life of the school
Josh Hartle and Maria Lorenzo Receive Regents Awards
On August 29, the 2024 Delbarton Regents Awards were presented at the Faculty and Staff Picnic to Josh Har tle and Maria Lorenzo. Hartle serves as Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs and, this year, began his 27th year at Delbarton where he has served ably as teacher, coach and administrator
Maria Lorenzo is also in her 27th year at Delbarton. In her role as Library Administrative Assistant, she maintains the functionality and ambiance of the Khubani Library. Hartle and Lorenzo are pictured on above with, from left, Delbarton Regent Joe Ferraro ’95, Board Chairman Andrew Anselmi ’83, Regent Christopher Destefano, Assistant Headmaster for Student Affairs Chuck Ruebling ’79, who presented the awards, and Board Treasurer Amon Johnson IV.
(continued from page 43
Delbarton in the near future
Pictured left to right: Rosebell Nderitu, Theroux’s sister-in-law and longtime host for visiting BEADS groups, his son Ian Theroux, Sr. Lucy O.S.B., Headmistress, and Brian Theroux.
Last summer, Director of Mission & Ministry Matthew White took a Foundations of Catholic Education course, and this fall he is enrolled in a School Law course. Both classes are part of the curriculum leading to a Certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Creighton University, which he expects to complete in summer 2025.
Tidings
Dan Pieraccini and Alishia Taiping were married in New Orleans’ French Quarter on August 10, 2024 in Jackson Square.
Teacher and coach Matt Crane and Katherine Hill were married
on June 22, 2024 at the Merion Cricket Club in Merion, PA The officiant was former Delbarton teacher and coach Tom Brady n
Levi Schiffer ’25 Rises from Boys State to Boys Nation
This June, Levi Schiffer ’25 rose to the top of the 800-member New Jersey Boy’s State process as one of two young men from New Jersey elected to attend the American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, DC. With over twenty thousand delegates nationwide, Schiffer was one of one hundred delegates selected for Boys Nation and was the first Delbarton student to achieve this outstanding distinction. American Legion Jersey Boys State (ALJBS) is a college-level conference that models democracy, government and leadership at an annual one-week summer Mimicking the Boys State model, for a week in July one hundred Boys Nation Senators received an education on the structure and function of the U S federal government. The young lawmakers caucused, created committees and conducted hearings on bills submitted by delegates Following U S Senate rules, they organized party conventions and, finally, nominated and elected a President and Vice President Schiffer was ultimately third runner up for the role of President and was selected as the Boys Nation Director of the CIA.
Middle School Chess Kings
On October 17, the middle school chess team participated in the Middle School Consortium of New Jersey chess tournament at Central Middle School in Stirling. For the second year in a row, Delbarton won the tournament as a team and had two of the top three chess players overall.
The new Delbarton mobile app, an allin-one hub, is now available on the App Store and Google Play. Follow Delbarton on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and LinkedIn and Green Wave sports fans are encouraged to download the Delbarton Sports app too!
March for Life
On September 26, Delbarton students joined the New Jersey March for Life in Trenton, NJ, a one-mile March that drew thousands of participants from around the state. The event began with a dozen bishops concelebrating a Mass for Life in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral.
Student Leaders are Blessed
At the first Mass – and first jacket and tie day — of the school year on September 6, St. Mary’s Abbey Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., assisted by Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82, blessed all student leaders in the senior Class of 2025.
Delbarton Welcomes Class of 2028, Class of 2030 and Transfer Students
On August 28, we welcomed 30 seventh graders, 142 9th graders, and 3 transfer students to Delbarton, bringing this year’s total enrollment to 637 students.
Raising Hope Walk
On September 18, students gathered for a ‘get involved’ presentation on why service is at the heart of Delbarton life 100% of Delbarton students participate in at least one of 27 campus service projects each year. Ten days later, on September 28, 85 students, parents,
faculty and friends attended the Delbarton Raising Hope Walk, an annual event that destigmatizes suicide while remembering its victims. Proceeds from the event are donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Get Soaked
On May 23, seniors and faculty members in academic garb were drenched on their way to the Senior Awards ceremony in the FAC. Here, teacher and coach Bruce Shatel shares his umbrella with Jack Gerne ’25.
Connect with DelEX
In summer 2024, DelEX offered forty-five in-person and hybrid externship opportunities to rising seniors in the Class of 2025. From finance to commercial real estate, medicine, dentistry, healthcare, law, entrepreneurship and more, students connected with alumni and parents to explore careers that matched their interests. They also received interview coaching and saw how professionals navigate economic and market challenges. Thank you to Jim Gallombardo ’81, Neil Murphy ’07 and John Ahsler who served as DelEX administrators in 2024
“I liked that I was connected with three mentors in different age groups who were all in very different stages of their careers.” 2024
Alumni Mentorship Program
The Delbar ton Alumni Mentorship Program continues to facilitate connections and foster relationships among 6,000+ alumni of all ages Over 400 mentorships have been established since 2022 in a wide range of fields, and Delbar ton alumni across the decades and around the country donate 5,000+ hours of volunteer service per year.
What’s Next?
Exciting plans are underway to develop a fully staffed Alumni Career Center in Old Main within the next two years Stay tuned as this concept continues to evolve
N E W S
ART PREVIEW FALL Concer t AP
In October, an AP Art Preview in the FAC featured the work of our nine AP Art Seniors from the Class of 2025 including, from left in back: MJ Wright, Donovan Perry, Ryan Readlinger, Grant Parker, James Sar tor, Andrew Chobor; Front: Harrison Tedesco, Jude Hall and Kelvin Pierre. Each artist displayed a party-themed piece, a vibrant oil pastel drawing featuring tinsel, balloons and a disco ball
UPCOMING ARTS
EVENTS
n Tenderness and Transformation Ar tist Exhibit Reception – Friday, December 6 3-4:00pm
n AP Ar t Opening Reception and Exhibit Opening Reception – Friday, February 21 2:45-4:00pm
n Winter Concer t – Tuesday, February 25 7:00pm
n Christmas Concer t - Wednesday, December 18 7-8:30pm
On October 21, the Delbarton Fall Concert included musical performances by Frets and Keys, the Beginner Band, the Symphonic Orchestra and the Jazz Ensembles, and choral performances by the Middle School Chorus, The Benedictones and Schola Cantorum
n Winter Musical: The Mystery of Edwin Drood –Friday, January 31 7pm, Saturday, February 1, 7pm; Sunday, February 2, 2pm
n One Acts Performances – Friday, April 25 7pm; Saturday, April 26 7pm
n Spring Concer t - Wednesday, May 21 7pm
87 students, 14 teachers… On the Road with Global Delbarton
ITALIAN EXPERIENCE 2024
Dates: June 7-22
Country Visited: Italy
Participants: 11 students; Faculty Chaperones: Mr Stoll, Prof Del Guercio, Prof Pieraccini
Global Delbarton (which offers financial aid to qualified students) is a signature aspect of the Delbarton experience; Rare is the young man who hasn’t experienced at least one off-campus travel experience by the time he graduates from Delbarton. In summer 2024, eighty-seven students and fourteen teachers traveled the world with Global Delbarton on travel adventures, exchanges, a service mission, and a sports team experience
France
Germany
GERMAN EXCHANGE
Dates: June 6-20
Countries Visited: Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Participants: 4 students; Chaperone: Mr. Conn
FRANCE EXCHANGE
Dates: June 10-23
Country Visited: France
Participants: 8 students; Faculty Chaperones: Prof. Di Meo, Mme York, Prof Pieraccini
CHINA TRIP
Dates: June 5-June 21
Country Visited: China
Participants: 12 students; Chaperones: Mr Hu, Dr Donovan
China
El Salvador
EL SALVADOR SERVICE MISSION
Dates: June 8-15
Country Visited: El Salvador
Participants: 14 students;
Faculty Chaperones: Dr Carlson, Mr. Majano-Lopez, Mr. White
IRISH EXCHANGE
Dates: June 29-July 15
Country Visited: Republic of Ireland
Participants: 2 students;
Faculty Chaperones: Fr Michael, Fr. Edward Seton, Dr. Donovan
PORTUGAL SOCCER TRIP
Dates: August 11-August 20
Country Visited: Portugal
Participants: 36 students; Chaperones: Dr. Donovan, Mr. Hartle, Mr Ross, Prof Del Guercio
Portugal
Ireland
Delbarton Parent Events
Fall 2024 was a busy time for Delbarton parent organizations, including the Delbarton Mothers’ Guild (DMG), Fathers & Friends (F&F), Parent Council on Diversity & Inclus (PCDI) and Delbarton Parents of Graduates (DPGA).
August
• 8/25 New Family Mass and Picnic
September
• 9/5 DMG First Mass and Meeting
• 9/5 PCDI Welcome Back BBQ
• 9/10 Senior Coffee
• 9/11 Junior and Sophomore Coffee
• 9/12 Freshman and Middle School Coffee
• 9/16 DMG Book Club
• 9/17 F&F Welcome Back Social
• 9/20 PCDI Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
• 9/21 Sip for Scholarship Event
• 9/24 PCDI Volunteer Orientation
• 9/27 Senior Parent Social
October
• 10/4 Homecoming Setup
• 10/5 DPGA Homecoming Tent
• 10/14 DMG Book Club
• 10/17 DMG Meeting and Board Meeting
• 10/23 Walking with Purpose
• 10/24 Parent Social for Grades 7-11
November
• 11/4 PCDI Diwali Celebration
• 11/6 Walking with Purpose
• 11/11 DMG Book Club
• 11/13 Walking with Purpose
• 11/15-16 Shop ’Til You Drop
• 11/20 Walking with Purpose
• 11/22 Christmas Decoration Set Up
sport shorts
By Jared Lowy
Baseball
Delbar ton Baseball, led by Head Coach Bruce Shatel, concluded another outstanding season with a 30-3 record, affirming itself once again as one of New Jersey’s premier programs. Guided by a strong core of senior leadership, the team secured notable victories over Malvern Prep, Gloucester Catholic, Poly Prep and a 10-7 win over Don Bosco in the NJSIAA Non-Public A North championship The team also won a decisive 3-0 triumph over Chatham in the Morris County Tournament Key players, including senior Aiden Dill ’24 (Seton Hall), sophomore AJ Saccento ’26 (Duke), and senior Christian Zebrowski ’24 (Middlebury) bolstered the pitching staff, while sophomore Sal Garcia ’26 (Duke), senior Jack Harley ’24 (Virginia Tech), and Matt Tafuri ’26 powered the offense. This season was highlighted by Coach Shatel’s 400th career win, showcasing his leadership and the program’s strength. With a strong underclassmen roster, Delbarton is poised to continue its baseball legacy of excellence in the coming years.
Lacrosse
Coach Matt Kovachik, ended a remarkable season with a 15-8 record, highlighted by their 2024 Morris County Tournament victory. The team dominated the county final with a 17-7 win over Chatham. Key wins against Summit, Mt. Lakes, and St Augustine showcased a very competitive schedule that saw the Green Wave take on nationally ranked teams from Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Offensively, Jack Sar torius ’24 (Williams College) led with 37 goals, followed by Willie Doyle ’24 (Amherst) with 30 and Asher Testa ’26’s 28 goals. Ryan Trafford ’24 (US Naval Academy) excelled at faceoffs, winning 68%, supported by Christian Troczynski ’26 at 63%. Defensive strength was bolstered by standout players, with Will Pedicano ’25 (Duke) and Bo Popham ’25 (Notre Dame) returning next season Despite tough losses to top out-of-state teams, the experience was invaluable. The team reached the Non-Public A state semifinals, securing victories over Paul VI and Bergen Catholic before falling to Seton Hall Prep Although losing key seniors, the future is promising with talented underclassmen ready to lead the next chapter of Delbarton lacrosse.
Golf
In 2024, Delbar ton Golf, under Coach Sean Flanagan’s guidance, delivered one of its best seasons ever, ending with an impressive 12-2 record. The team’s journey began with a crucial victory over then #1ranked Wall, propelling our golfers into an historic run. They clinched the Red Devil Classic, dominated the Morris County Tournament, and secured first place at the NJSIAA North A Sectionals. Their crowning achievement this spring was winning the prestigious Tournament of Champions for the third time, the first since 2000, solidifying Delbarton Golf’s status as New Jersey’s elite team. Coach Flanagan had a deep roster in 2024, featuring John Myles Dziadzio ’24, Jack Lobosco ’24 and juniors Jake Kur tzman ’25, Will Kramer ’25 and Matthew Lu ’25. The team finished the season as the nj.com Team of the Year with the #1 ranking in the state of New Jersey.
Track
AND FIELD
The Delbar ton Track and Field team, coached by Andrew Sherwood, had an outstanding season, finishing 4-0 in the NJAC and winning the United Division title The team clinched its first Morris County Relay Championship since 2018 and saw the freshmen win a Morris County title as well They secured 2nd place at the Freshman/Sophomore Relays, 3rd at the NJAC Championships, and an emotional 2nd at the Morris County Championships, honoring an injured teammate Standout performances from Paul Quense ’24, Everette Jania ’24, Ryan Harper ’24, Ryan Johnson ’24, Peter Donini ’25, and John Cuzzocrea ’25 highlighted a season of excellence. With such young talent, the team’s future looks incredibly promising
Tennis
Delbar ton Tennis, coached by John Thompson, celebrated a standout 2024 season with a 16-8 record, highlighted by its triumph in the Morris County Tournament Freshman Adi Somaiya ’27’s decisive win at second singles secured the tournament victory, proving the team’s depth and promising future. Seniors Jack Gibbons ’24 and Hugh Weldon ’24 provided stability at first and third singles, complemented by strong doubles pairs. Delbarton also excelled at the Shafer Doubles Tournament, finishing fourth overall Notable wins this season included victories over Chaminade, Montclair, and Westfield In the state tournament, they advanced with victories over Saddle River Day and DwightEnglewood but were halted by Newark Academy in the semifinals. A significant milestone was Coach Thompson’s 700th career coaching win in a match against Sparta. Delbarton’s blend of experienced players and emerging stars positions the team for continued success behind the leadership of Coach Thompson.
Rugby
Delbar ton Rugby, led by Coach John Majano-Lopez, faced a challenging 2024 season and finished with a respectable 5-4 record. Competing against a tough lineup both in and out of state, the team demonstrated resilience and grit Notable victories included wins over St. Joe’s By the Sea, Salesianum, Fairfield Prep, Union Rugby Club,
and a memorable 36-17 win against Chaminade on senior day. Throughout the season, every player had standout moments, with significant contributions from underclassmen like James Hadzima ’25 (8-man), James Freshwater ’25 (full back), Luke Eisenhardt ’26 (wing), Patrick Goetz ’25 (lock), and Jack DelGrande ’25 (flanker)
Class of 2024 Recrui ted At hletes
40
Forty classmates from the Class of 2024 were recruited to play their sports at the collegiate level, representing Delbarton in eight sports and at a wide variety of colleges and universities The Green Wave athletes listed below made significant contributions to our athletic program, demonstrating exceptional dedication, talent, and sportsmanship. As they move on to compete at the collegiate level, we have no doubt that they will continue to make us proud
Lacrosse
Alec Delgado - Bowdoin College
Willie Doyle - Amherst College
John Finkeldie - Lafayette College
Kieran Hoffman - Kenyon College (Not in photo)
Gabe Reiter - Washington and Lee University
Patrick Roelke - Lafayette College
Jack Sar torious - Williams College
Ryan Trafford - United States Naval Academy
Wrestling
Louis Cerchio - Cornell
Luca Stefanelli - Cornell
Daniel Jones - Princeton
Vincent Lee - Duke
Track and Field
Everett Jania - NYU
Andrew Batista - Bates College
Ryan Johnson - Penn State (not in photo)
Ryan Harper - Wake Forest
Abdiel Perde - Williams College
Soccer
Shea Coughlin - Lehigh University
James Anroman - Gettysburg College
Baseball
Aiden Dill - Seton Hall University
Jack Harley - Virginia Tech University
Christian Zebrowski - Middlebury College
Rhys Shannon - Tufts University
Louis Friedrich - Hamilton College
Nick Urioste - Brandeis University (not in picture)
Hockey
Max Pendy - Princeton University
Football
Thomas Colello - Villanova University
Ryan Cregan - Villanova University
Tyler DaSilva - Johns Hopkins University
Frank Fehrenbach - Middlebury College
Dallas Hurley - Wake Forest University
Austen Kivler - Fordham University
Jake Macce - Duke University
Connor Mar tin - University of Pennsylvania
Austin Quandt - Lehigh University
Johnny Riley - Dartmouth University
Ryan Trafford - United States Naval Academy
Aaron Shivas - Franklin and Marshall College
Nick Parlavecchio - Hamilton College
Basketball
Michael Van Raaphorst – Georgetown
Bruce Shatel and John Thompson
Honored for Milestone Coaching Wins
This spring, Delbarton School marked two remarkable milestones in its athletics program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of coaches Bruce Shatel and John Thompson.
On April 12, Coach Bruce Shatel secured his 400th career baseball win with a 5-2 victory over Pope John Just ten days later, on April 22, Shatel reached his 900th overall career coaching victory, combining his triumphs in both baseball and hockey. These milestones reflect his dedication and excellence in guiding Delbarton’s athletes. On April 30,
tennis coach John Thompson achieved his 700th career coaching victory with a win over Sparta With a distinguished career featuring 24 county titles, 17 state group titles, and a 2008 Tournament of Champions (TOC) championship, Thompson’s impact on Delbarton’s tennis program is l e g e n d a r y.
G re e n Wave.
abbey notes
By Br. William McMillan, O.S.B.
Confirmation in the Abbey Church
Baptism in the Abbey Church
On June 22, Bishop Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. returned to St. Mary’s Abbey for the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism of Violet Sylvia, the second daughter of Janet Pullockaran and Vinod Kurian ’96 “whom I taught (which seems like only yesterday),” writes Bishop Elias who had also baptized their first-born daughter Charlotte Grace in 2021. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins gathered at the abbey for this happy occasion. “Baptism is the gateway sacrament: gateway to the reception of the other sacraments and gateway to eternal life,” writes Bishop Elias.
On May 5, the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey offered a Confirmation Mass in the Abbey Church with a large group of confirmands and their families in attendance. Another group of students is currently preparing for a 2025 Confirmation service this spring.
Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82 continues as weekend assistant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Bernardsville. He was recently invited to join the board of trustees of St Anselm’s Abbey School, Washington, D.C. While a Theology student at Catholic University from 1989 to 1993, Fr Edward Seton resided at St. Anselm’s Abbey, and is honored to work with the monks, faculty and trustees. In July, Fr. Edward Seton traveled to Ireland once again as chaperone for the Delbarton students participating in the Delbarton-Glenstal
Exchange He will return in late October to attend the Blessing of the new abbot of Glenstal Abbey
At Delbarton, Fr. Edward Seton is teaching The Prophets to juniors in the fall semester and will once again teach The Sacraments to juniors in the spring semester. With other monks, he helps with chaplaincy in the school
In early November, he and the monks of St Mary’s Abbey hosted the annual meeting of the priors in North America.
Br. William McMillan, O.S.B. is in his sixth-year teaching at Delbarton with three sections of AP Seminar (sophomores and juniors) and one section of Detective Fiction (seniors); he will teach the Journalism elective to seniors in the spring. He is also a faculty moderator for the Grappling Club, where students learn and practice martial arts like jiu-jitsu and judo, and the Ping Pong Club He plans to continue as Chaplain of the Varsity Basketball Team in the winter and serve as Assistant Coach of the Middle School Baseball.
Alumni Knights of Columbus
On September 17, at The Imperia in Somerset, Fr. Edward joined several Delbarton alumni during the Knights of Columbus Diocese of Metuchen Pride in Our Priests dinner From left are District Deputy Jim Gallombardo ’81, Rev. Edward Fittin ’82, State Deputy Ray Sands, Jerry Ballanco P ’09,’11, PJ Levinsky ’08
and State Advocate Scott Williams Sands is the highest-ranking Knight among the 58,000+ New Jersey Knights of Columbus, and Williams is the state officer for the Diocese of Metuchen
The Bishop’s Mass
On October 1, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated the annual Bishop’s Mass for the Delbarton community in the Abbey Church. After the service, Student Body President Joe Ar tiglere ’25 announced that Delbarton made a donation in the Bishop’s honor to the TriCounty Scholarship Fund Bishop Sweeney then granted students a day off, an much-anticipated tradition. “This year your day off will be… on the Feast of St Scholastica,” announced Bishop Sweeney, adding “which this year happens to land on the day after the Super Bowl!” After Mass, he met for coffee with School administrators and student Senior Council members.
Middle School Retreat: Monks for a Day
On October 9, 7th and 8th graders attended their annual retreat with the theme Monk for a Day. While 7th graders were based in the FAC and learned about the Benedictine Hallmarks, 8th graders toured the Abbey Church and monastery, then met Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. for a tour of the
Let Us Remember
Abbey Orchard and Cemetery Br Paul exemplified the Benedictine dictum of ‘Ora et Labora’, a daily habit of prayer and work, and our curious 8th graders asked many excellent questions about the Orchard, Cemetery and the life and times of a Benedictine monk.
“If we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with Him from the dead those who also have fallen asleep believing in Him ” 1 Thessalonians 4:14
Rober t Aromando, husband of retired Delbarton Alumni & Advancement Administrative Assistant Marguerite Aromando
Gerand A. Cerza, father of Gerald (Jerry) Cerza ’82
Ronald G. Denk, father of Director Advancement Operations and the Delbarton Fund Maria VanKirk P’26; father in-law of Jacob “Jake” Williams ’97; grandfather of Neil VanKirk ’26
Peter L. DeLotto, father of Mark DeLotto ’98
Kathleen DiChiara, mother of Anthony P. DiChiara ’86
John F. Donohoe ’88, Nephew of Robert C. O’Mara ’60, John Goldsmith, Sr. P ’97, ’00, ’04; Cousin of Matthew Goldsmith ’04, Will Goldsmith ’00, John Goldsmith ’97, Edgar Donohoe ’85, Bryan Donohoe ’96 and Tommy Donohoe ’95
Dennis Eagan, father of Marty Eagan ’89; grandfather of Tyler Eagan ’22 and Chase Egan ’26
Marjorie B. Flanagan, mother of Delbarton School Nurse Deirdre McAuliffe
Michael W. Jarmolowich, father of Michael Jarmolowich ’19 and Jake Jarmolowich ’21
Mary Lou Kingsbery, mother of James Kingsbery ’02, Paul Kingsbery ’03, Ted Kingsbery ’05 and Billy Kingsbery ’14
Leo J. Rogers, former Delbarton Trustee and father of Douglas J Rogers ’9 1 and Matthew B Rogers ’ 93
Joseph V. Ruane ' 71, brother of John Ruane ' 72
Daniel Yanofski, father-in-law of Director of Sports Information & Webmaster Jared Lowy
Abbot Richard Cronin, O.S.B at NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Final Four
As a family friend of Ann Marie and Marc Manahan, a Boston College graduate and an avid lacrosse fan, Abbot Richard Cronin, O.S.B. watched their daughter Maddy, a BC Lacrosse player, compete for the NCAA title over Memorial Day weekend. Ann Marie repor ts, “Father Richard is a frequent guest in our home to watch BC football and has also traveled with us to Boston for games as well. He is like family to us and often spends Thanksgiving at our home Both Maddy and Jack think of him like a grandfather. He has devotedly followed Maddy’s lacrosse journey since grade school and was overjoyed when she committed to Boston College (He had even blessed her goalie helmet to keep her safe from concussions). He was especially excited to have the oppor tunity to go to the Final Four.”
That weekend, Father Richard accompanied the Manahans to Cary, North Carolina, to attend the Women’s Lacrosse National
championship Prior to the semifinal game against Syracuse, he met other BC lacrosse families at the tailgate “Outfitted in the famous ‘neon green family attire’ he was an instant sensation among the families!” says Ann Marie The lacrosse families loved meeting Fr Richard and hearing of his time growing up in Newton, He led the families in a pre-game prayer, spoke of good sportsmanship, and safety for all ” BC was victorious 10-7.
His pregame prayer was such a success that he was asked to say Mass on Sunday where two members from BC campus ministry acted as altar servers and readers. On Sunday, over 50 family members gathered in a hotel conference room to
alumni news
Networking at Tiro a Segno
On May 16 Delbarton alumni gathered at Manhattan at Tiro a Segno, the country’s oldest Italian heritage organization, to socialize at an event sponsored by Headmaster Fr. Michael
Tidd O.S.B. and hosted by Alumni Association President Joe Ferraro ’95. This was Delbarton’s fifteenth annual networking reception at Tiro.
On May 22, Delbarton Alumni Association President John Ferramosca ’05 introduced five alumni who spoke to Class of 2024 seniors about their professions. The panel included Keith Levinsky ’09, (an attorney with Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP Associates), Marcello Cricco-Lizza ’07 (Portfolio Manager, Managing Director at Balbec Capital), David Tully ’04 (Vice President of Government Relations at the American
Alumni Career Day
Academy of Family Physicians), Jack Kiernan ’01 (Chief Strategy Officer at SIMBA) and Jermaine Pugh ’00 (Associate Vice President, NYC Investment Sales for Matthews REIS). The panel is pictured below with Alumni Association Board member and mentorship and DelEX organizer Jim Gallombardo ’81 on left, and Ferramosca on right.
Charleston Alumni Reception
On June 13, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. hosted a cocktail reception for alumni and friends in Charleston, SC at Babas on Meeting where he enjoyed connecting with graduates living and working in the Charleston area.
Four th Annual Young Alumni BBQ
On a beautiful June 24, over fifty young alumni gathered on the FAC plaza for a BBQ served by their older brothers in the Alumni Association. Fr. Michael, Craig Paris ’82 and Alumni Association President Joe Ferraro ’95 manned the grill while Board members pitched the Delbarton Collegiate and Alumni Mentorship programs. Each year, alumni from the past fifteen years are invited to this early summer event, making it an ideal opportunity to reconnect with Delbarton friends
Day at the Races
On July 12, the Delbarton Alumni Association hosted the 15th Annual Alumni Day at the Races at Monmouth Park Racetrack where guests gathered at the Turf Club for an afternoon of races and refreshments. Alumni Association President Joe Ferraro ’95 joined young guests with the winning jockey in the Winner’s Circle after the Delbarton-sponsored Race 3
June Dinner Under the Tents
On May 30, Delbarton alumni met in the Garden for the annual Pig Roast Dinner Meeting, a perfect evening for dinner under the tents. After a social hour and a brief meeting during which the 2024-2025 board was announced, guests helped themselves to roast pork with all the fixings.
The ‘Red’ Green ’56 Fighting Spirit Award was presented to Christopher ‘Topher’ Royse ’24 for his persistence, composure, and leadership during his years at Delbarton Topher is pictured here with his family, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. and Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82, P ’13,’15,’19.
Retiring Alumni Association 20222024 President John Ferramosca ’05 was joined by his parents, John and Cathy Ferramosca P’05, who admired their son’s parting gift, a Delbarton chair
Sizzling for thirty-six years…
Summer Sizzler
On July 27, the 36th Annual Summer Sizzler took place on the pier at Belmar Fishing Club…
Jonathan Walsh ’89, former Director of External Affairs Maggie Walsh P’87, ‘89, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15,’19 and Director of the Delbarton Fund and Advancement Operations Maria Van Kirk P’26.
Private Markets Reception
A great group of young alumni working in the private markets sector got together at Cask Bar & Kitchen in Manhattan on August 7.
DC Chapter at a National Game
On August 28, the Delbarton Washington DC Chapter hosted an outing to the Nationals vs. Yankees game where they saw fellow alumnus Anthony Volpe ’19 in action. The Nationals won 5-2 despite Volpe’s two singles.
22
nd ANNUAL CARTER CUP
The 22nd annual or Carter Cup the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Junior Stroke Play Championship was held at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY on August 6. The invitational event is named in memory of Michael P. Carter ’00, a standout member of the Green Wave golf team who died in a car accident in 2002.
Michael was a junior club champion at both Baltusrol and Winged Foot Golf Club, and a promising player on the Penn State golf team. The Carter Cup features 46 top junior golfers from the metropolitan area playing 36 holes in the summer heat on Winged Foots’ two championship courses. This year’s tournament was a tie between Owen Jessup of NY and Jack Chung of CT when play was
suspended during the second 18 holes due to inclement weather.
Notre Dame Tailgate
Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. hosted Delbarton’s annual Notre Dame reception on September 7 prior the Northern Illinois University football game in South Bend where the Irish suffered a 16-14 upset after a last-minute blocked field goal.
Class of 2003 at The Hunt
The Class of 2003 was out in force at the annual Far Hills Hunt on October 19, 2024. From left are Joe Grano ’03, Owen Lee ’03, Joe Colangelo ’03, Ar tie Falgione ’03, Paul Schifano ’03 and Ted Lawless ’03.
Class Notes:
1955
Richard Reilly and wife Gloria have been married for 65 years, 7 children (5 girls & 2 boys) 15 great grandchildren, expecting numbers 4 & 5 great children in March 2025. He graduated from NYU in 1960 in education and earned a master’s in physical education in 1964 He has coached football, basketball and baseball in Long Beach and East Islip for 30 years
2005
Christian McCormack and his wife, Katie, welcomed their son, Christian Garrett McCormack Jr on June 24, 2024.
Young Alum Kick-Off
On September 12, young New York-based alumni met at Clinton Hall in. NYC for an early fall kick-off event organized by the Alumni Association.
Villanova Reception
On September 19, the Delbarton Alumni Association hosted a reception at The Refrectory in Villanova, PA where Fr. Michael connected with young alumni currently studying at the University.
Fall Reps Dinner Meeting
On September 24, Delbarton alumni class reps gathered at the Madison Hotel in Madison, NJ to launch another event-filled year for the Delbarton Alumni Association. Pictured here is Tyler Hudson-Crimi ’08 who accepted two major Delbarton Fund awards – The Headmaster’s Cup for participation (Class of 2008 had 71.82%) and the Fr. Kenneth Mayer, O.S.B. (2008 had 79 donors) on behalf of the Class of 2008. With him, from left, are Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Alumni Association President Joe Ferraro ’05, Hudson-Crimi, Director of the Delbarton Fund & Advancement Operations Maria Van Kirk P’26, Alumni Board member Dan Cimaglia ’16 and Assistant Headmaster for Advancement and Alumni Craig Paris ’82, P ’13,’15,’19.
On October 10, Delbarton hosted the LA Reception at the W Hotel in West Beverly Hills for our Alumni Association.
California Receptions
In October, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB hosted two receptions in California where he connected with many alumni on the West Coast. Accompanying him on the trip were Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82 and Director of Senior Guidance Mike Rosenhaus ’80.
To begin their West Coast trip, Fr Michael, Paris, and Rosenhaus visited Jim Corroon ’57 and his wife Mary before attending our annual San Francisco Alumni Reception. Here, Jim holds his gift, an original roof slate from 1883 that was removed from Old Main in June during the roof replacement and restoration project. Fr. Michael reports that, “Jim was a boarder in Old Main in the pioneer days of Delbarton!”
wedding The Album
Tom Abel ’15 and Kate Brady were wed on June 15, 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Charleston followed by a reception at the Governor Thomas Bennett House in Charleston. Headmaster Fr Michael Tidd, O S B served as the wedding officiant From left are Paul Shuler ’15, Alex Baumann ’15, Phil Baumann ’15, Max Hofbauer ’15, Will Nixon ’15, Kate Brady Abel, Tom Abel ’15, Justin Hsieh ’15, Paul Githens ’15 and Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B.
Kevin Woo ’10 and Ellen Kim were married on May 4, 2024 at The Somerley in Long Island, NY with many Delbarton friends in attendance Alumni featured in this photo include, from left, Michael Woo ’12, Matt Schellberg ’10, Zayed Abdalla ’10, Mitch Lawrence ’10, Louis Maldonado ’13, Kevin Woo ’10, Pat Schellberg ’10, Jim Maguire ’79 and Dan Maldonado ’10.
Making Waves
Reed Gregory ’17 and LockerBox
This August, Green Wave partnered with LockerBox, a sports nutrition company founded by Reed Gregory ’17 who is a Delbarton and Notre Dame football alum. Gregory, pictured here with Delbarton varsity football players, spoke to them on August 14 about recovery and nutrition. Check out his story and products at drinklockerbox.com.
Bill Murray ’15 Makes Cut for Chicago Bears
Congratulations to former Green Wave football player Bill Murray ’15 who earned a spot on the Chicago Bears 53man roster for the 2024 season as an offensive lineman.
Paul Muir ’94 Joins Morris Museum
In July, Morris Museum President and CEO Tom Loughman ’89 announced the appointment of fellow Delbarton alumnus Paul Muir ’94 as the Museum’s new Director of External Affairs. “A well-known community leader and experienced cultural professional, he brings to the role a wealth of perspective and skill at a critical moment in the history of the Museum Muir distinguished himself as a superlative leader, eager and well-prepared to he shapes the institution’s relationship to the community while directing its fundraising and audiencebuilding efforts.” Muir is currently in his 10th year as Mayor of Bethlehem Township and recently served as president of the New Jersey Council of Mayors. He is the former executive director of the iconic landmark, Red Mill Museum Village (Clinton), and is managing director of Vintage Motor Car of Hunterdon (Asbury)
Making Waves
Class of 1989 at Manahan Wedding
Director of Parent Engagement & Events
Erin and Jay Manahan ‘89, P’19’s daughter
Caitlin Manahan married Villanova classmate Zach Johnson on June 21, 2024, at Christ the King Church in Morristown followed by a reception at Hamilton Farms, with plenty of Jay’s Class of 1989 classmates in attendance Headmaster Fr Michael Tidd, O S B served as the wedding officiant. Front row: Kneeling: Chris Baker and Steve Henry; Front: Mike Phillips, John McEvoy, Caitlin Manahan Johnson, Jay Manahan, Jim Bolger, Tim Fell, Paul Arrouet, Tim Reilly and Fr. Michael; Back: Sean Downes, Sean Riley and Pete Sweeney
Climbing Kilimanjaro
In June, Sam Fuchs ’17, who currently lives in New York City, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and the highest single free-stranding mountain above sea level in the world. Sam remembered to pack his Class of 2027-customized Delbarton flag and shared this great photo with us.
Alumni Teaching Fellows
During the 2021-22 academic year, Delbarton kicked off the Alumni Teaching Fellows program The post-grad Teaching Fellow term is from August to May, and gives applicants considering a career in education an opportunity to experience life in a school environment, as well as serve as a gap year before embarking on a post-graduate degree program or career. A maximum of three Teaching Fellows is selected annually.
This fall we were pleased to welcome our fourth class of Alumni Teaching Fellows, three recent college graduates serving as teaching and extracurricular assistants Pictured from left are Juan Hermo ’19 (Middle School Science; Diversity Among Peers), Jerry Jabbour ’20 (History and AP Economics; Varsity Football and Basketball), and Khryi For tenberry ’20 (Theology and Social Justice; Middle School Soccer).
yesterday
By Jessica Fiddes Delbarton
My Life as a Boarder
By Mark J. Hanis ’70
OSeptember 1966, my roached the ntrance to Delbarton eaming Delbarton did I know that this day of four oarding at my new would change my life forever.
Driving up the winding road, I saw Old Main in the distance and my excitement grew. After registering, my mother and I were directed to the Brothers’ House and met Fr. Donal and Fr. Karl, the prefects for my first-year residence Walking upstairs, suddenly my excitement turned to anxiety. I thought, “I’m only fourteen, what am I doing here?” I missed my hometown friends.
After saying goodbye to mom, my anxiety turned to panic. I had never been away from home except for Boy Scout summer camp My thoughts buzzed like swarming bees, then I told myself: “If I was able to leave Kansas, where I was born and raised, to move to New Jersey I can do this ” I noticed my new room slept four, with two bunk beds and two shared dressers. I met
my first roommate and best friend for life Tom Dannemiller who, the first to arrive, was lying on a top bunk. Seeing Tom reading a book I thought: “Oh no, he’s got to be smart ” Not much of a reader, my passion was drawing, building models and music.
Freshman Year
After my first sleepless night, Fr Karl woke us up with, “Time for breakfast, it’s mandatory.” The new cafeteria opened in 1966, and breakfast quickly became my favorite meal. Dinner was popular too and on the table there was a metal pitcher with a sugary drink we called ‘bug juice’. Dinners were delicious. Actually, all meals during our four years were fantastic
Orientation with Headmaster Fr. O’Connell began at 8:45am where we learned that we would have classes on Saturdays. You heard that right, school on Saturday! Boarders called commuting students ‘day hops’. Study halls in classrooms and the library were 4: 30 pm to dinnertime at 6: 30pm, and after dinner from 7: 30 to 8: 30 pm; Seniors could study in their rooms On snow days, boarders had a
half day of school while day hops stayed home That way, Delbarton wouldn’t use any snow days to lengthen the school year. One winter it snowed for three days straight and four of us had a three-day game of Monopoly.
Fr Donal explained the house rules to us: Lights out at 10:00 pm, except for extra study time in the attic (late lights), no running in the halls, cursing, fighting or loud music. If you got into trouble, you got a demerit. Ten demerits earned you JUG (campus manual labor or picking apples in the orchard). We preferred apple-picking because we got to keep a small bushel of apples. I can still remember when one of my roommates had a dispute with Fr Karl, who had a crewcut, and called him ‘skinhead’ as my roommate fled the scene. He was still yelling ‘skinhead’ when Fr Karl caught up with him, and he probably got the first demerit.
Boarding came with responsibilities: we made our beds, changed our sheets each week, filled out laundry slips every Monday (parents sewed name tags in everything, including socks) and reviewed our homework No parent reminded us to bathe or brush our teeth. This was freedom! As freshman year progressed, I was learning self-discipline as well as my studies. I no longer had the distractions of home life and could concentrate on growing as a person.
There were many memorable moments living at the Brothers’ House. All boarders bought Delbarton nightshirts from the campus bookstore, a long dark green shirt with white trim and the school seal. These came in handy on cold winter nights when we’d leave the windows wide open, a habit that continued when we lived in the Old Main It was the macho thing (most of us eventually bought electric blankets). Then there was the first time I shaved John French, still a
n “Photography became a passion, and I began to perfect my craft as a fine ar tist. I designed and painted posters to decorate school dances.n ”
great friend who roomed in the thirdfloor attic, the largest sleeping quarters, called me ‘ the bearded one’ After I shaved, he shortened my nickname to ‘Beardy’ which stuck for four years
The Next Three Years
We boarded in Old Main from sophomore through senior year, and living in such a classic home was a joy. I met my second-best friend Van Falcone and other roommates with whom I’m still friends today. Many boarders formed their own cliques or rat packs, and several of us became better friends through college, vacations and beyond. I remember a time when John Mertis and I oversaw filling wine carafes used in Old Main chapel. Confession: we drank more then we filled, immediate expulsion had we been caught. Drinking was not allowed on campus.
TV? What was a TV? There were so many fun things to do and new friends to do them with that we had no use for a TV. There were three exceptions. Fr. Giles set up a TV on the third floor so we could watch The Great Escape with Steve McQueen. Fr. Joel set up a TV on the second floor so some of us could watch the second season of Star Trek, and occasional Saturday evenings were spent watching sports in Fr Rembert’s room
So, what else was boarding like... after class we could go to the ‘Tabard’ or ‘Tuck Shop’ for soda and snacks and drop a nickel in the juke box. We had massive snowball fights in the winter, shot pool in the Old Main’s dining room which had three pool tables, played basketball at the gym in winter, softball games or tennis after dinner in the spring, and prepared and decorated for upcoming mixers and dances. We caught an enormous snapping turtle in the large pond and relocated it in the Formal Garden fountain.
Pranks included short sheeting someone’s bed and other forms of mischief As freshmen, Tom and I once snuck into the woods after lights out to smoke a cigarette. It was my first cigarette and boy, was I sick “Never again” I said, yeah right! In those days, you needed a written parental permission to smoke on campus I still can’t believe my mom signed the permission slip. Smoking was allowed in a few designated places, but you couldn’t smoke in your room. Another confession (Father, forgive me): My roommates and I would wait until Fr Giles’ room light went out, then we lit up.
Boarding also introduced us to many new and wonderful things. I took up the drums and Tom Dannemiller played the trumpet. My mom bought me a set of Ludwig blue sparkle
Mark J Hanis ’70
The author developed his craft as an graphic artist by designing posters to decorate school dances, and as Art Director of the 1970 Archway yearbook
yesterday Delbarton
In 1970, underclassmen in the daily attire of jackets and ties enjoyed playing pool in
drums. I loved music (after all, this was the 60s). The Beatles, Rolling Stones and my favorite group, The Doors, could be heard in Old Main after school. Van and I took up photography and enjoyed foreign films Orson Wells was my influence for lighting and composure. Photography became a passion, and I began to perfect my craft as a fine artist. I designed and painted posters to decorate school dances As Art Director of the 1970 Archway, I used my creativity, layout and photography skills to design the book along with my roommate, Van Falcone, who was Photography Editor. Boarding allowed us to spend as much time needed in the campus darkroom developing film and making prints for the yearbook. Many hours were also spent in the Archway office in Old Main basement
Saturdays were the best The bus would take us into town so we could gaze at or even talk to girls on the Morristown Green, go to the movies, buy cigarettes and find a place to eat Saturday was also Fr. Peter’s night at the movies. A movie reel was shown every Saturday in the music room after dinner. During dinner, Van would take pizza/soda orders and payment from other boarders Later Van, or both of us, would be driven into town by one of our prefects to pick up the orders at a local pizzeria One event I’m not proud of: we would sneak out
on Saturday nights and raid the cafeteria’s kitchen to procure institutional-sized boxes of cookies, pop tarts and canned fruit. Our excuse: “Well, our parents paid for it.”
Our Last Day
The day finally came for all of us to reminisce and say goodbye It was time to graduate. Our years living at Delbarton had taught us many life lessons: Tolerance, sharing, compromise, how to stand on our own two feet, accept responsibility, and most importantly be respectful of others Boarding at the Del for us was a privilege never to be forgotten. On graduation day in 1970, Van and Karl and I stuck the labels from our cap & gown packages inside our dorm room fireplace, our way to be part of that special room forever Half a century later at our 50th reunion I checked, and the labels were still intact!
I believe that Tom, Van and I became such good lifetime friends because the planets were in alignment when we met, and we had so much in common. All three of us will cherish our lasting friendship forever Even though distance now keeps us apart, we still constantly keep in touch.
Delbarton
Where are We Today?
Tom attended Holy Cross College and earned an MBA in Accounting from Rutgers, Van earned a degree in Chemistry at Fairleigh Dickenson, and I graduated with a degree in Advertising Design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
During our college years we still got together to visit each other’s schools On winter spring breaks we would go to Miami, Fl and have a blast. New Years Eve parties were always at Tom’s house in Montclair, NJ with his mom serving a huge midnight banquet Summers we would get together either at Tom’s parents’ house in Vermont or Van’s home in Troy, NY Van and I were still dating girlfriends from Oak Knoll whenever I came home for the weekend We also continued to meet our other friends of the pack (Tom O’Connor, Joe Cipriani, Karl Cishek and others) on holidays and for parties, but many of them moved far away several years later and we unfortunately have lost touch
Post-college, double and triple dating was a weekend thing Van and his Fairleigh roommate rented an apartment in Hackensack, NJ which was close to where I lived. Van then got married and moved to Dallas with his new bride, Wendy Tom soon married his high school sweetheart Mary, and they now reside in Georgia I was the only
one to get married in my thirties, to my gorgeous wife Judy, the love of my life We’ve lived in Maywood, NJ for the last 34 years
Tom worked as an accountant for a coffee company in Nicaragua, then joined accounting firm Ernst & Young in Atlanta, GA. He owned a Ledger Plus franchise and now has his own accounting firm as a certified CPA in
Alpharetta, GA. Van worked in Texas as paint chemist for the Koppers Company and years later became a sales representative for Sherman-Williams He is retired and lives in Waco, TX
After several jobs with art/packaging firms, I opened my design studio Mark J Hanis Design, Inc. in Westwood, NJ and, now retired, occasionally still do freelance work
Morristown, NJ 07960