today
SPRING/SUMMER 2017
Constructing Identity Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82
Spring/Summer 2017
contents
Delbarton.org
1 From the Headmaster 2 Homecoming 2016
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22 Global Delbarton Traveler: Dylan King ‘08 26 Delbarton Receives Excellent Re-Accreditation Report 29 Constructing Identity: Jim Petrucci ’82, P’10 By Jessica Fiddes
38 Abbey Notes By Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB ’82
41 Around Delbarton 61 Sports Shorts By Harry MacCormack
86 Alumni News 119 Delbarton Yesterday | Wilfrid Sheed at Delbarton By Fr. Benet Caffrey, OSB, St. Mary’s Abbey Archivist
Cover: Jim Petrucci ’82, P’10 visits an exhibition of The Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African-American Art at the Portland Art Museum Cover Photographer: Jon Richardson All photographs in this issue of Delbarton Today were taken by Jessica Fiddes or J. Craig Paris unless otherwise indicated. Rt. Rev. Richard Cronin, OSB, Abbot, St. Mary’s Abbey President, Delbarton School Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, Headmaster Rev. Rembert F. Reilly, OSB, Vice President for Development J. Craig Paris ’82, Director of Development Jessica Vermylen Fiddes, Editor, Director of Communications The views expressed in Delbarton Today are solely those of the editors, authors and contributors to this magazine and do not necessarily represent those of the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, Inc., St. Mary’s Abbey and/or Delbarton School Design: Sahlman Art Studio, Charlotte, NC Printing: J.S. McCarthy Printers, Augusta, ME
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From the Headmaster Dear Families and Friends of Delbarton, In his closing remarks to the school community, Msgr. Robert Aucoin, chair of the Middle States visiting team (more about this inside) said the following, “Delbarton School has a distinguished history in which all of you should take justifiable pride as you move towards the future. The traditions of the Benedictine Monks of St. Mary’s Abbey and the Hallmarks of a Benedictine School are the foundations which have shaped your mission statement, your beliefs, and the profile of your graduates. Each day students, staff, teachers, and administration are given the unique opportunity to take the charism of the Benedictine community and make that charism come alive in your interactions, your words, and your community. We encourage you to take every opportunity to speak, to write, to communicate and to live that Benedictine heritage.” Needless to say, it was both humbling and edifying to hear a group of visitors from outside recognize and praise the Benedictine charism that animates everything we do at Delbarton. It was particularly gratifying, because one of the stated goals of our previous accreditation cycle was “Benedictine Tradition and Values”. The text of that 2008 goal expressed it this way, “Founded upon Sacred Scripture and guided by the Rule of St. Benedict, this “school of the Lord’s service” teaches the members of its community to “prefer nothing whatever to the love of Christ” and to seek God in all things. This core characteristic of Benedictine spirituality forms the heart of Delbarton’s educational mission and is cherished as central to its identity. While recognizing that all people will progress differently, it is the school’s goal that the values of the Benedictine tradition permeate all members of the Delbarton community: monks, students, parents, alumni, and friends. This goal seeks to make the Benedictine identity of the school explicit for all and strengthened among all, especially within the student body.” In their written report, the team that visited Delbarton in December made the following observations: “There is no question in the mind of the Team that the school’s stakeholders understand and subscribe to the Beliefs. In just about every meeting and interview, participants reflected these Beliefs not just as statements to be made, but rather as core beliefs and practices of Delbarton School. Parents, trustees, students, and faculty unhesitatingly reflected the school’s Beliefs and echoed them in their conversations with the Team.” Based on the evidence that the visiting team found in 2016, we appear to have met this goal. That should be a cause for great satisfaction, but there is always more to do. And we will. In November 2011, Abbot Giles Hayes, then the abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, assembled a working group of trustees, monks, alumni and friends to explore the possibility of providing Delbarton School with a greater degree of autonomy in its working relationship with St. Mary’s Abbey. At that time, the working group met with a large number of Delbarton’s constituents in a variety of settings to hear their concerns. In every instance, the number one concern expressed was how to maintain the
Benedictine identity of Delbarton School. The monastic community has been well aware of this concern for over two decades and initiated a process to articulate, in a more explicit way, the Benedictine values which we wanted to impart. In 1997 the School began a program of “monastic reading” by providing every faculty member with a book on Benedictine spirituality. The goal was to make every member of the faculty, both monastic and lay, a better informed representative of and spokesperson for Benedictine ideals. As the years passed, our efforts gathered momentum and, in an organic way, led to the 2008 goal that is mentioned above. The pursuit of that goal has produced concrete results which, I believe, can be seen in the current “We Believe” statements of the school. I am convinced that Delbarton is a more intentionally Benedictine school today than at any time in its past. That is something to celebrate. After much study and thoughtful discussion, the monks of St. Mary’s voted in September to leave the existing relationship between the school and the abbey in place. The efforts of the working group and the data that was assembled in the course of the process, however, have produced many tangible and long-lasting benefits that will enhance the functioning of the entire institution. One change that emerged from the conversation, was the recognition that the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey needed to help provide for themselves through fund-raising activities distinct from those of Delbarton School. As you will read in this issue, a program of fund-raising for the monks has already taken shape. At the same time the “Can Do” campaign for capital improvements and endowment for Delbarton School also continues in its mission to meet the needs of the school population. Together we share a sense of responsibility to maintain and advance these two wonderful institutions that share a common home here at Delbarton. In his parting words to us, Msgr. Aucoin said this, “The people who constitute Delbarton School have confirmed the belief that Catholic education can thrive and improve with the good will and perseverance of all in this school. You have a great school. You are now tasked with the responsibility of moving forward to achieve even greater success.” With God’s help, we will. As always,
Read the complete Middle States report at Delbarton.org. Click 'About', then 'Our Mission'. Spring/Summer 2017
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2016
October 22, 2016 was the Homecoming Day of Delbarton’s 77th Year…
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Michael Tortorella '17
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Homecoming s and Harry Jessica Fidde
2016
MacCormack
Members of the Class of 2006 reconnect in the Garden.
Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
Rain did not deter the Green Wave fan zone.
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Photos by Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
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Homecoming
2016 åPhotos by Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
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Frank Arlinghaus ’66 shows off his freshman beany. He shared some wonderful memorabilia with classmates at their 50th reunion.
Al D'Agostino '69 demonstrates that his Delbarton letterman’s jacket still fits like a glove!
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Homecoming
Recent grads from the Class of 2016 enjoyed comparing college notes at Homecoming 2016.
Jimmy Ferrante ’75, third from left, with Jimmy and The Starlights with guest vocalist JT Bowe rocked the FAC at Homecoming.
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2016
Photos by Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
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Homecoming
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2016
Sales of Delbarton gear were brisk at the Delbarton Shop tent.
The Delbarton Mothers’ Guild kept Homecoming crowds well fed. From left, DMG Moderator Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, VP Erin Manahan P’19, Laurie Georgen P’20,’22, Nicole Mistichelli P’22 and DMG President Stephanie Hadley P’17.
Photos by Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
Sports boosters, including these enthusiastic Green Wave Wrestling moms, ran the Homecoming booster tents.
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Homecoming
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2016
Guy Adami P’17, ’19 and son Tim Adami ’17.
Matt Zebrowski P'14,'16 and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Photos by Jessica Fiddes and Harry MacCormack
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Homecoming
2016 Scott Sterner ’79, Steve Yevak ’77, Greg Bock ’79 and Bart Henderson ’79.
Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, awards the traditional green jacket to top golfer Kevin Buchert ’99.
On October 20, golfers teed off for the Homecoming Golf Outing at New Jersey National Golf Club in Basking Ridge, NJ…
Bill Knapp ’66, Ray Lyons ’66, Bob McGovern ’69 and Tony Nugent ’74.
Alumni Association President John Tonzola ’95, Chris Bury 91, Kevin McLane ’94 and Ryan Dooley ’91.
Photos by Harry MacCormack
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O
n October 21, the
Alumni Association hosted the 2016 Hall of Honor Dinner in the Fine Arts Center and inducted three new members, Stefan
Lay Board of Trustee Jerry Crotty with his wife Lucy Crotty P’00,’05 and son Ned Crotty ’05.
Howells ‘86, James Maguire P’79,’82,’86 and Chuck Ruebling ’79 into the Delbarton Hall of Honor...
Former Alumni Association President Terrence Rouse ’86 served as Master of Ceremonies at the Hall of Honor induction ceremony.
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Homecoming
2016
Inductee Stefan Howells ’86 with his proud parents Lawford and Heidi Howells who joined us from England for the special evening at Delbarton. Stefan traveled from South Africa to take part in the induction.
Abbot Elias Lorenzo, OSB, with Stefan Howells ’86 with his parents Lawford and Heidi Howells P’86.
Stefan Howells ‘86
HALL OF HONOR MEMBERS 1984
Jules G. Spada ’48 1985
Frank D. Visceglia ’60† 1986
Lee S. Trumbull ’58 1987
Rev. Manus Duffy, OSB ’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
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Stefan Howells was raised in South Africa, and arrived at Delbarton at age 15 when his father Lawford was transferred to New Jersey. At Delbarton, Stefan sang in Schola Cantorum and performed in the school’s musical productions then almost exclusively Gilbert and Sullivan. He was an avid member of Mr. Sanfacon’s Rock & Mineral Club and co-editor of the Archway in 1986. Stefan has particularly fond memories of his senior philosophy class. “I learned to think at Delbarton. I learned to question everything.” He went on to study at Harvard, where he sang in the Glee Club, performed in drama productions and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Social Anthropology. He eventually returned to Cambridge to work with international students when, inspired by the release of Nelson Mandela, he made a fateful decision. “I wanted to be part of the solution to South Africa’s problems.” One day he walked into the offices of WorldTeach, an organization linked to the Harvard Institute for International
Development that sent volunteer teachers to developing countries, and was offered a job to develop a program called SCORE. Stefan returned to South Africa in 1991 and became SCORE’s first Field Coordinator in Cape Town. The program worked directly through contact with individual teachers in the state-run schools, but as apartheid began to unravel, the work became more problematic. When a corporate funding partner backed out, Stefan oversaw the registration of SCORE as a South African NGO; He continued to believe that athletics had a unique role to play as a dynamic way to reach out to and engage South African youths. Despite a volatile political situation he kept SCORE operational and its volunteers safe. He became SCORE executive director in 1995, and for twenty years has been responsible for strategic planning, fundraising, organizational development and management within SCORE international. SCORE operates in 44 different communities in South Africa, as well as in Namibia and Zambia. Despite the very many challenges facing both SCORE as an
1991
James M. Corroon ’57 Frank A. Delaney Rev. Giles P. Hayes, OSB ’56 1992
Rev. Stephen. W. Findlay, OSB† 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
Br. Paul with Stefan Howells ’86, Abbot Giles Hayes ’56, Lawford and Adelheid Howells P’86.
organization and South Africa as a country, Stefan remains positive about the prospects for both. In addition to the Republic of South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia, SCORE works in and collaborates with other countries like Zimbabwe and Lesotho on exchange programs and capacity building. Stefan was also involved in developing an organizational assessment tool for sport and development organizations within the Southern African region under the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. In 2008, Stefan was included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and was
awarded an MBE for Sport and Social Development in Southern Africa. For those of us unfamiliar with this distinction, an MBE is a “Member of the Order of the British Empire”. This is awarded for “significant achievement or an outstanding service to the community.) An MBE is also awarded for local “handson” service which stands as an example to other people”. As Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny wrote in a recent Delbarton Today profile of Stefan, “If anyone ever fit all those descriptions, it would be Stefan Howells.”
1995
Edward J. Butera ’56 Harvey C. Jones, Jr. ’70 Skip Livera ’63† 1996
Kary W. Antholis ’80 Rev. Adrian McLaughlin, OSB† 1997
Daniel T. Scott ’62 James E. Nugent ’69† W. Michael Murphy, Jr. ’67
(Continued on page 18)
John McHugh ’81, P’10,’13, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and Amy McHugh P’10, ’13.
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Homecoming 1998
Kevin T. Kenny ’78 Robert E. Mulcahy III Boyd A. Sands ’55
2016
Hall of Honor inductee James Maguire with his three Delbarton sons, from left, Mike Maguire ’82, Jim Maguire ’79 and Paul Maguire ’86.
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, OSB† 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, OSB Eugene “Doc” Doherty ’54† J. Brian Thebault ’69 2005
Rt Reverend Thomas J. Confroy, OSB† 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
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James Maguire P’79,’82,’86 Jim Maguire was born in South Orange, New Jersey on October 13, 1930. He was the fifth of nine children born to Frank and Fran Maguire. He attended Marshall School and received his first Sacraments at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in South Orange. Jim remembers witnessing his mother give food to needy individuals who found their way to the Maguire family back door during the Depression. Jim quickly discovered how a close, loving family is crucial to shaping morality and good character. He graduated from Seton Hall Prep in June, 1948 and began his Wall Street career on September 12, 1949. The starting date of his career is memorialized by a framed calendar page of that date that has hung on his wall ever since. His work ethic is legendary. Jim’s only time away from Wall Street was two years of service to his country during the Korean War. His focus on maintaining a sterling reputation helped him build a career as a universally respected New York Stock Exchange specialist affectionately known as “Chief”. In 1988, Jim’s reputation prompted
Warren Buffett to entrust him with market making responsibility for Berkshire Hathaway, a duty Jim performed until his retirement in 2012. On the occasion of his 60th anniversary on Wall St., Jim wrote the following note to his NYSE colleagues: It is with a profound sense of humility and abiding gratitude that I express my appreciation for your overly enthusiastic acclamation marking my sixty years of service to our community. Borrowing Lou Gehrig’s immortal comment, I too feel that I am the “luckiest man on the face of the earth. ”I am often asked, “Why don’t you retire?” and my response has been, “I don’t know, I have never thought about it other than as a gift of the Holy Spirit.” After Friday’s display, I know now why I continue in my work. It is because I have an opportunity to interact with people of various beliefs and origins whom I love and respect. It is, for me, a rich mosaic of life that I doubt could be replicated. Finally, I want you to know that I accept the appellation “Chief” as meaning “friend,” certainly not one of higher status.
Jim married Diane Catherine L’Heureux in October of 1960 and they made their home in Short Hills where they raised their six children. Mindful of the importance of a Catholic education, they enrolled their children at St. Rose of Lima School. Jim served for many years on the St. Rose Parish Council and was a vital member of the council’s finance committee. The three Maguire daughters, Liz, Regina and Mary, attended high school at Oak Knoll and Jim considered sending his three sons to his alma mater, Seton Hall. When he met the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey in the spring of 1975, he knew without a doubt that Delbarton was where his family belonged. A family tradition was born, and a long Green Wave of Delbarton students and alumni ensued. Jim and Diane’s Delbarton sons and grandsons are Jim ’79, Mike ’82, Paul ’86, Jimmy ’10, Dennis ’11, Sean ’12, Ryan ’12, Bobby ’14, Michael ’14, Malcolm Mead ’16, Danny ’17, Jack ’17, Timmy ’18, Drake Mead ’18 and Andy ’22. Ever since becoming acquainted with the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey, Jim has
counted them among his most cherished friends. He constantly reminds his family and friends of the life-long dedication and sacrifice to which the monks have committed themselves. Jim is a staunch adherent of the principle of leading by example, and he has endless admiration for the examples of devotion set by the men of St. Mary’s Abbey. Jim’s knowledge that his own family and the Delbarton family are comfortably committed to each other has given him immeasurable happiness and feelings of gratitude.
Maguire cousins celebrate their grandfather’s induction into the Delbarton Hall of Honor.
(Continued on page 20)
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Homecoming
2016
2008
Michael A. Ferguson ’88 John E. Luke, Jr. ’78 2009
James J. McGough ’49† John C. Traynor ’79 Andrew W. Verhalen ’74 2010
James A. Ferrante, Jr. ’75 Keith D. Kulper ’70 Rev. Bruno A. Ugliano, OSB† 2011
Kurt W. Krauss ’81 Peter Pizzi ’71 Anthony Passarelli†
The Ruebling family with Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB. From left, Donna Ruebling P’10, Derek Ruebling ’10, Assistant Headmaster Chuck Ruebling ’79, P’10, Br. Paul, Chelsea Ruebling, LuAnn and John Yawger.
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, OSB Taylor Price ’04 Michael J. Slattery ’59
Charles R. Ruebling ‘79 There is a special class among Delbarton students: the Lifer. These are boys who began their studies at Delbarton in the 7th grade, making them the most seasoned Delbarton veterans among their peers. When Chuck Ruebling ‘79 arrived at Delbarton for seventh grader in 1973 he was destined to be a lifer; but what he could not have known then was that his tenure as a lifer would extend far beyond the usual six years.
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
In 1975, when Chuck was just a freshman at Delbarton, the school fielded its first ever lacrosse team, and in the face of his inability to hit a curveball, he decided to give the new sport a shot. By 1978, the fledgling team had secured a championship win in the Garden State League. From Delbarton, Chuck went on to Cornell University, where he studied mechanical engineering and took up sprint football, a variant on traditional football which focused on speed and
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agility over size and strength. It was through sprint football that Chuck found himself as a coach for the first time, following a career ending injury. Determined to rule the sideline, rather than sit on it, Chuck learned to coach the very team he played on, learning from Terry Cullen, who remains the head coach of the Cornell Sprint Football team to this day. After graduating from Cornell in 1983, Chuck wasted no time returning to Delbarton, putting his newfound skills to work as a football coach while looking for a job in engineering. He never got a chance to find that engineering job though, as a position teaching science at Delbarton opened up just a week into the new school year. That spring Chuck returned to his old lacrosse team, this time as a coach. By 1987, he had been named head coach of the lacrosse team, kicking off the winning tradition that Green Wave lacrosse has come to be known for.
Chuck Ruebling ’79 is saluted on stage by former Green Wave lacrosse players.
In the 29 years that Chuck has led the varsity lacrosse team, he has racked up a record 14 state championships, 15 county championships and numerous honors including five coach of the year awards and two hall of fame inductions. Just last season, Chuck crossed another impressive milestone with his 500th win as head coach of Green Wave lacrosse. Chuck’s passion for lacrosse extends beyond Delbarton’s borders as well, having founded the Patriot Lacrosse instructional and competitive program, and serving as an assistant coach for the 2016 World Champion US U-19 Lacrosse team.
children, Chelsea and Derek ’10, both of whom have followed in the footsteps of their father’s lacrosse legacy, playing for Hobart William Smith and Gettysburg, respectively.
Green Wave lacrosse players Jon Ponosuk ’91, Greg Saunders ’89, Brendan Maher ’90 and James Olsen ’89 celebrate the induction of their coach Chuck Ruebling ’79.
In addition to turning Delbarton lacrosse into a state powerhouse, Chuck continued to hone his craft as an educator, taking the over as chair of the science department in 1993, a position he would hold for nearly a decade. In 2002, he was named Dean of Faculty, and then Assistant Headmaster in 2007, cementing his place as a bona fide leader and Delbarton veteran. Chuck lives in Morris Township with his wife Donna, with whom he has two
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Global Delbarton Traveler:
Dylan King ‘08
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Dylan King ’08 headed west to the University of Southern California after graduating from Delbarton and is currently Assistant General Manager of the Lost Creek Ranch and Spa in Moose, WY, 13 miles outside Jackson. Dylan has a way with horses…and a camera. Enjoy his stunning pictures of life in Wyoming, and look for Dylan’s story of cowboy life in a future issue of Delbarton Today. All photos by Dylan King '08/circledk.com See more of Dylan’s photos at circledk.com.
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Hunting for ‘slick’ (unbranded) calves in Paradise Valley, Montana.
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Stargazing in Grand Teton National Park.
Dylan’s saddle, built by Oklahoma saddlemaker John Willemsma of L J Custom Saddlery.
Young buck at the Jackson Rodeo in Wyoming.
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Delbarton Receives Excellent Re-Accreditation Report On December 8, after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass in the Abbey Church, the Middle States Visiting Team of five educators wholeheartedly recommended re-accreditation for Delbarton School. The team’s four day visit marked the end of an intensive eighteen month selfstudy process at Delbarton that began with the formation of an Excellence by Design (ExBD) committee, chaired by two coordinators, faculty members Josh Hartle and Brian Bowers. The committee included parents, students, administration, trustees, alumni and faculty. During the year and half process, the ExBD team gathered feedback by surveying and interviewing various stakeholder groups to determine how well the School met the twelve basic standards for accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
On December 8, Monsignor Aucoin delivered a very positive assessment of Delbarton in the summary he presented to students and faculty after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass in the Abbey Church.
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Faculty, students, administration, trustees, alumni and parents were invited to an opening reception on December 5 to welcome the Middle States visiting team.
Digital Citizenship is a new Delbarton goal: how to maintain a digital reputation while showing respect for others.
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Delbarton continues to focus on Stewardship and Sustainability: how to maintain and protect our campus while demonstrating appreciation for and respect of the local and global environment.
Monsignor Robert Aucoin, pastor of St Anthony and St. Patrick parishes in Watertown, NY, led the Middle States team of visiting educators.
Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. The committee also identified three goals for us to focus on over the next seven years.
Faculty members Brian Bowers, left, and Josh Hartle coordinated Delbarton’s Excellence by Design (ExBD) committee over the 18 month process that preceded the Middle States visit.
Last September, during an Orientation session on time management, Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, alluded to one of Delbarton’s stated goals: Resilience and Stress Management. Our students will learn how to achieve while leading a balanced life that avoids unnecessary stress.
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In early December, the Middle States accreditation team arrived led by Monsignor Robert Aucoin, pastor of St Anthony and St. Patrick parishes in Watertown, NY. During their stay, team members closely examined every aspect of Delbarton School. They also attended many classroom sessions to assess the academic program, and witness how Delbarton lives its Mission “to pursue excellence, to build character, and to develop leadership through service, by educating the whole person: mind, body and spirit”. At the conclusion of the visit, Monsignor Aucoin delivered a very positive summary to Delbarton faculty and students that wholeheartedly recommended the School for re-accreditation; Delbarton later received a comprehensive written report to confirm the visiting team’s findings.
Now the real work begins. Here are the three major goals that the ExBD committee identified and developed, objectives that now set Delbarton’s course for the next seven years: • Digital Citizenship • Resilience/Stress Management • Stewardship/Sustainability “The entire Delbarton School community emerged from this ExBD process energized, engaged and ready to do the hard work to bring these goals to fruition,” Hartle and Bowers reported after the Middle States visit. The next step is to implement the ExBD Action Plan to move Delbarton forward into an exciting future. Read the complete Middle States report at Delbarton.org. Click 'About', then 'Our Mission'.
Constructing Identity Photos courtesy of Jim Petrucci ‘82
If Jim Petrucci’s father had been a car salesman you would not be reading this story.
Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82 By Jessica Fiddes
James ‘Jim’ Petrucci Sr. emigrated from Florence, Italy at age 21, met and married his wife Rosalin, the daughter of a Portuguese immigrant, and the family settled in Flemington, NJ to raise their family, which soon included son Jim and daughters Jerrilyn and Jackquelin. Jim was a yearbook salesman. One day in the mid-‘70s his sales route brought him to Delbarton campus where he met Headmaster Fr. Gerard Lair, the smartest man he ever met he said later. That night he announced to his wife, “I know where Jimmy’s going to go to school. He’s going to Delbarton.”
Rosalin approved of the idea, but preferred to wait until ninth grade before delivering her only son to Delbarton. So it was in September, 1977 that little Jimmy Petrucci moved into a dorm room and made Delbarton his second home. “I wasn’t sure what to make of those guys in long robes,” he recalls. One day in early freshman year a monk launched an eraser at a napping student, striking him right between the eyes and leaving a chalk mark the boy wore as penance for the rest of the day. That got Jim’s attention.
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Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82
Jim and his mother Rosalin celebrate a Green Wave Wrestling tournament win.
He worked hard in the classroom and on the playing field where he was a three season athlete competing in football, wrestling and lacrosse. He co-captained football and wrestling in his senior year and started the Big Brothers program that continues at Delbarton to this day. Jim sustained a wrestling injury during junior year and was unable to play lacrosse that spring, so he accepted new Headmaster Fr. Giles Hayes’ suggestion to help out with freshman lacrosse. He was soon given responsibility for the team, enjoying his ‘best sports experience ever’. As a ‘not big’ lineman, Jim ruled out playing football in college. He looked instead for opportunities to wrestle which Wesleyan University offered him. When he shared the good news with his guidance counselor Fr. Cronan Tyms, he was surprised by the priest’s response. “No, Jim. I see you at Princeton. Write a letter to the Princeton wrestling coach.” As a kid from Flemington, Princeton had never even been on Jim’s radar screen. “I’m pretty good at following advice,” he says, so he wrote the letter, applied early
and was accepted as a wrestling recruit to Princeton Class of 1986. But still, he loved football. In spring of senior year, riding in a car driven by his revered football coach, the late Bill Regan, to an awards event, his teammate Dave Reed ’82 (a Colgate football recruit) was giving Jim a hard time about not going out for football at Princeton. Regan caught Jim’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Jimmy,” he growled, “I think you can play there.” Off to Princeton Jim walked on for football and ended up captaining the freshman team. After football season, he showed up for his first wrestling practice where he immediately discovered a problem: a number of athletes on the team were infected with a contagious skin disease. He walked off the mat, called his parents, and then phoned his steady girlfriend Jeanne Villano, a St. Elizabeth’s alumna and Delbarton cheerleader Jim had met at a Delbarton dance in sophomore year. All three advisors said “It’s up to you”; his thirty-five minute collegiate wrestling career was over. His focused on academics and football, eventually co-captaining the varsity team in his senior year. His mother was pushing for him to earn an economics degree but, never gifted in math, Jim had earned the only two Cs on his otherwise stellar Princeton transcript in Economics I and Economics II. He decided to major in American History, a subject he enjoyed.
Petrucci (#58) makes a flying tackle for the Princeton Tigers. He concluded his collegiate career as varsity co-captain.
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As a financial aid student, he was obliged to work during the school year. Following the lead of a graduating senior, in sophomore year he formed the Safeguard Agency and employed thirty fellow athletes to provide security-forhire at student events. On June 28, 1983 Jim incorporated his business, naming it
Prospect Security, Inc. Profits from the company soon came in handy: in junior year he used the money to buy Jeanne, by now a student at Moravian College, an engagement ring. Jim was pleased with an admiring article Princeton Press Club wrote about his security business in which he spoke of his ambition to expand the security business to other college campuses. His delight soon faded when a NJ State Police detective knocked on his door. Jim was in violation of the New Jersey State Police Private Detective Act of 1939 which stipulates that no person, firm, association or corporation can engage in the private detective business without a license from the superintendent. Gulp. Princeton’s Student Agency Dept. saved the day by allowing Jim to fold his service into theirs, and his company continued to offer protection at Princeton eating club events. The detective still insisted that Jim terminate his corporation but 19 year old Jim wouldn’t budge. His corporate entity remained intact, and Safeguard Agency still operates at Princeton three decades later. Princeton requires each graduate to produce a senior thesis, so Jim decided to study ‘literary patronage during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s’, comparing and contrasting the effectiveness and authenticity of white versus black patrons. He earned an A on the intensive research paper and, despite those two Cs, graduated magna cum laude from Princeton. Jim thought about becoming a lawyer, but by senior year he was tired of school, and he and Jeanne intended to marry right after graduation. He interviewed for Wall Street jobs and received several offers. While Christmas shopping in 1986,
he ran into Delbarton friend Michael Alfieri ’83 who suggested Jim talk to his dad, Dominick, a real estate developer. Dominick’s partner interviewed Jim and made a strong case for seeking balance in one’s life: coaching your children’s sports teams, living in the state where you worked…these things had value too. ”I walked away thinking this is the business I want to be in,” Jim recalls. In January, 1986 he accepted a position with the M. Alfieri Company which, in the course of a year and a half, taught him the basics of developing real estate in the Garden State. Building a Business By September, 1987 Jim calculated that, with his $7,500 in savings and Jeanne’s salary as a cosmetics rep, the couple could survive for exactly nine months without his pay check, so he left his job and set up shop as a real estate development consultant. After all (he thought with his usual hard-wired selfconfidence) I already know everything I need to know about developing real estate. “Of course, I’ve been reminded every day over the past 30 years how wrong I was,” he laughs. He renamed his firm the J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc. and operated solo for several years, gradually adding staff members as he needed them, including his mother Rosalin in 1994 to help out in sales.
Portland Art Museum Director Brian Ferriso ’84 is a former Green Wave Wrestling teammate who helped bring the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African-American Art to Portland.
His mother, still a valued employee, inspired much of the ethos of J.G. Petrucci: “The way we operate, the idea of continually improving, and the idea of giving back to the community…she’s made a huge imprint on the company,” Jim says. In 2017, the Company employs forty men and women, has been responsible for the development of six million square feet of building and
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Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82
manages a portfolio of three and a half million square feet of space across three states. Standing up to that detective had paid off. Jim has been operating continuously under his original corporate entity since 1983.
Institute College of Art. The couple bought two Boothe monoprints and Petrucci chatted with the artist about the idea of building a collection. “It’s a no brainer. You get the right person, you get the right art,” Boothe said.
He and Jeanne have been busy building too. The birth of their daughter Emilia in 1991 launched their family which now includes four children: Emilia (26), Joe ‘10 (24) and – in round two — Lorenzo (10) and Bianca (8). This year Jim and Jeanne celebrated their thirtieth wedding anniversary. Jeanne is also the founder of livingplate.com, a nutritional counseling website and practice.
While collecting would have to wait, the artist remained a close friend over the next three decades, eventually becoming a popular professor of art at Lehigh University.
Building a Collection Influenced by the Delbarton and Princeton leadership-through-service models, Jim looked for ways to give back. In 2005 Jim and Jeanne created the Petrucci Family Foundation with a mission to advance education for underserved people. Among other local outreaches, the Foundation annually sponsors the Irvington High School football banquet, treats the team to a Broadway show and dinner, and organizes the “Top 12”, an annual dinner for a dozen top Irvington students, their parents and favorite teachers. Jim continues to look for ways to expand the Foundation’s mission. While not an artist himself, Jim trusts his taste. His first adult possession was a watercolor by Fr. Beatus Lucey of the Ponte Vecchio bridge over Florence, Italy’s Arno River, a gift his parents purchased at a campus art show. In 1988, he and Jeanne were touring art studios in Easton, PA when they met Berrisford Boothe, a Jamaican-born artist with a bachelor’s degree in art from Lafayette College and an MFA from The Maryland
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In 2012, when Jim’s daughter Emilia graduated from Princeton (she is currently working on a Masters in Nutrition at Tufts) they took a trip together to Canada. Standing in a Montreal art gallery with his daughter, it suddenly dawned on Jim that art education might make a worthy project for the family foundation. He jotted a note to call his old friend Berris and, after some serious arm-twisting, persuaded the artist to serve as curator of a proposed collection of art. The very first acquisition of what would ultimately be called the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of AfricanAmerican Art was a pencil drawing by French artist Alix Ayme, the study of a young black Moroccan woman, and Boothe and Petrucci soon decided to focus on African-American artists. The goal, recalls the curator, was to “collect masterworks that define humanity, that show characters in their full, most authentic human moments.” Petrucci was also inspired by the many hard-working, motivated young people he met at Irvington High. “I know there’s tremendous untapped talent,” he says, and he wanted to introduce young people to works by other AfricanAmericans. Jim soon recognized that the pieces he was collecting told an
Crazy Quilts The practice of collecting random bits of cloth was common in the slave community. Scraps of fabric, having little value to the slave owner’s household, were put to good use by industrious women who sewed coverlets from the discarded pieces. With no symmetry or color motif, the quilts became known as ‘crazy’ or ‘ugly’; In the 1800s, crafting ‘crazy quilts’ even became a trend among well-to-do-women. Blue Quilt, a textile piece stitched by Martita Dingus in 2002, symbolizes this period in AfricanAmerican history when castoff scraps were collected, recycled, and used to create something colorful, functional and of value to the family.
important and overlooked story of American history. “We all share America, and we need to make room for everyone to have a seat at the table.” The Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s is the most notable period of African American art, a short-lived chapter in American cultural history that shone a light on artists who might have remained unknown. For a brief period that ended abruptly with the Depression, art produced by African-Americans became an acceptable, sharable vehicle for the expression of political concepts and freedoms.
Prominent Harlem Renaissance artists included Richmond Barthé, Palmer Hayden, John T. Biggers, and Hale Woodruff, all of whom are represented in the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection. While the 1920s were a pivotal time for African-American artists, before, during and after the Harlem Renaissance, artists of color were producing a deep vein of impressive art and hand-crafted pieces that remained unmined by conventional collectors. Constructing Identity Irvington High School has a nationally ranked robotics class, but you wouldn’t
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Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82
Sculptor Mark Mennin in 2009, on left with a helper, puts the finishing touches on the stairway he designed leading to his outdoor installation The Stations at the Delbarton Fine Arts Center.
know it. News from cities like Irvington is generally negative and unfairly so and Jim believes in the absolute necessity of ‘corrective imagery’: showing people different images that help to build a more positive expectation of what life can offer. In the past five years, with guidance from Boothe, Jim has acquired over 200 pieces by over 100 artists, including paintings, sculpture, prints, textiles and photographs, all warehoused in a climate-controlled Philadelphia storage facility. The Collection has also quickly established itself as an exhibition-worthy compendium of African-American art. “This is a treasure trove of art by Americans that we have been ignoring,” says Jim. After his son Joe graduated from Harvard in 2014 (this June Joe joins J.G. Petrucci
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after working in the industry for several years), father and son traveled to the Pacific Northwest and toured the Portland Art Museum with Museum Director Brian Ferriso ’84, coincidentally a former Green Wave Wrestling teammate of Jim's who had remained a good friend. Jim mentioned his growing art collection to Brian, and they discussed the possibility of bringing part of the Collection to Portland. After small exhibits at several East Coast museums, in February 2017, the Collection’s most fully evolved exhibition yet, Constructing Identity, opened at Portland Art Museum, featuring more than 100 works from the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection. The powerful images of black culture in America are stunningly amplified when viewed together.
“Jim is a true visionary who understands deeply the power of art and empowerment,” Ferriso writes in the Constructing Identity catalogue. “His efforts, I am confident, will change our world.” “It was a mind-blowing experience to walk into the exhibit,” Jim recalls. A snowstorm closed down New York metropolitan area airports, preventing the entire family from attending the opening, but Jim snuck out on a flight to Seattle, then rented a car to make it to the Portland opening (Jeanne and the children finally had an opportunity to tour the exhibit with Jim over Easter weekend in April). Today, as interest in African American culture, music and art continues to grow, the Collection is attracting even more attention. The New York Times recently mentioned Portland Art Museum’s Constructing Identity exhibit, and the Petrucci Family Collection seems wellpositioned as a bridge between museums and multi-cultural museumgoers, and an opportunity to educate art lovers about the significance of AfricanAmerican art in history. The more the collection travels, the more these pieces will change people’s perspectives of what is possible. “I think there are a lot of exciting opportunities in our future,” Jim predicts. (You can visit the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection at PFFCollection.com.) Back to Business Jim Petrucci is not about to quit his day job. Business and family remain his primary focus, and he and his curator — whose two monoprints still hang in the Petrucci Peapack, NJ dining room — manage to ‘squeeze in’ their work on the Collection amidst two robust careers.
Meanwhile, they continue to impress more experienced collectors with both their rate of acquisition and the success of this relatively young Collection. At Princeton, Jim had learned that the study of history, culture and art in America was incomplete without an appreciation of the African-American experience. He recognized that the country had more to make up for than merely some missing chapters in the history books: “You can’t compare the immigrant experience my family had or the European immigrant story in general with the history of African Americans in this country.” The Petrucci Collection reflects the legacy of slavery and embraces the culture, strength, beauty and spirit of African Americans. In difficult times, art gave downtrodden people a sense of place, something to take pride in, and reminded them of the inherent beauty, energy and promise of life, regardless of circumstance.
Tumbling Man, a piece by American sculptor Harvey Peterson, on display in the FAC upstairs foyer. The piece was a gift from the Petrucci family in 2006 to commemorate the building’s opening.
The collaboration of Petrucci and Boothe, a modern partnership of financial patronage and artistic sensibility, symbolizes this reality in American history: Art often cannot thrive, or even exist, without patronage. By sharing his collection with the public, Petrucci’s investment in art evokes power far beyond the financial and aesthetic value of the Collection’s separate elements. The Delbarton Connection Delbarton has always held a special place in Jim’s heart. “I tell people that I went to school at Princeton but I was educated by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey.” More recently, he shared several works of art with the School. When the Delbarton Fine Arts Center opened in 2006, son Joe
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Developer and Collector Jim Petrucci ’82
Over the past thirty years, J.G. Petrucci has developed many real estate projects, including the design and construction of this $45 million hospital in Bethlehem, PA.
’10 was a Delbarton 9th grader and Jim donated Tumbling Man, a piece by American sculptor Harvey Peterson, which is on display in the FAC upstairs foyer. In 2009, Jim underwrote The Stations, an installation of Delbarton’s ‘lost city’ marble artifacts and original pieces created by renowned sculptor Mark Mennin, a fellow Princeton history major, which brings sculpture — and unique seating possibilities — to the north side of the Fine Arts Center. In nice weather, teachers occasionally use the various stations as outdoor classrooms. Jim remains an active member of the Delbarton Lay Board of Trustees and loves working with Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny on all things Delbarton. He agrees with his late father that Fr. Gerard, by now a close friend, has a formidable intellect, and the Ponte Vecchio
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watercolor by Fr. Beatus Lucey has a place of honor in his home, reminding Jim of the close friendship he enjoys with its artist. He describes his lifelong mentor Abbot Giles Hayes with admiration as ‘a man of action’. Jim also tries (not always successfully, he admits) to emulate the Benedictine tradition of treating people as if they are Jesus Christ, “In general,” he says, “the monks had a big impact on me,” and he encourages fellow alumni to acknowledge the value of what they learned at Delbarton. “If you think about the quality of your lives and your world view, and how much it has been shaped by Delbarton and St. Mary’s Abbey, you arrive at the inescapable conclusion that the community should come together and put the school and abbey on a rock solid foundation to sustain it for another 75
years. Everything good for me has in some way been touched by Delbarton.” He is still close to Delbarton friends Ken Gomulka ’81, Andrew Anselmi ’83, Matt Mulcahy ’82 and Jeanne’s brothers Kenny Villano ’81 and Dave Villano ’83. Thanks to Fr. Gerard and his mother, he remains intellectually curious, and believes in Rosalin’s adage to learn something new every day. The Petrucci Family Foundation of African-American Art offers yet another opportunity for Jim, Jeanne, their children and future generations of the family to learn and grow together, and to share their gift of art.
After a February snowstorm thwarted their plans to attend the opening, Petrucci family finally toured Constructing Identity together over Easter weekend.
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abbey NOTES
By Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB
On January 5, 2017, Abbot Richard Cronin, O.S.B., Abbot Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. and Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. attended the installation liturgy of the new Archbishop of Newark, His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Tobin, C.Ss.P., at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark. Prior to the liturgy Abbots Richard and Elias, and Fr. Edward Seton attended a festive luncheon with the cardinal and visiting bishops and clergy, and were able to spend a few minutes welcoming His Eminence to the Garden State. In the fall, Abbot Richard attended a meeting with Bishop Serratelli for all major superiors of the diocese of Paterson. In April, with Fr. Hilary O’Leary, O.S.B., Brs. Joseph Voltaggio, O.S.B. and Demetrius Thomas, O.S.B., and newly invested novice, Br. William McMillan, he attended Vespers for World Day of Consecrated Life, St. Philip Church in Clifton, NJ. In attendance were representatives of all the
communities in the diocese of consecrated religious. In mid-February, Abbot Richard and Abbot Elias attended the abbots’ meeting at Prince of Peace Abbey, Oceanside, CA, at which Abbot Elias made a presentation, entitled Case Studies in Monastic Life: Responding to the Bruised Reed. Both assist the Bishop of Metuchen, the Most Rev. James Checchio, by conferring the sacrament of Conformation at diocesan parishes. On Monday of Holy Week, April 10, 2017, Abbot Richard and Fr. Edward Seton concelebrated the Chrism Mass for the Paterson diocese, in Clifton, NJ. That same evening, Abbot Elias concelebrated the Chrism Mass in Newark. In addition to his duties as Abbey Development Director, Abbot Elias has attended numerous meetings and visitations to abbeys of the American Cassinese Congregation. He reports the Abbot President
seems to spend more time in the air over North American than at his desk! Abbot Elias conducted days of recollection for the Metuchen priests in December, for the Paterson priests and the Delbarton Mothers’ Guild in March. He also delivered the invocation at the inauguration of the new Morris Township Committee, January 4, 2017, including Bruce Sisler ’90 as mayor. With Frs. Hilary O’Leary, O.S.B., Rembert Reilly, O.S.B. and Anthony Sargent, O.S.B., and then-postulant William McMillan, Abbot Elias attended Vespers for the feast of St. Scholastica at St. Walburga Monastery, Elizabeth, NJ on February 10, 2017. Retired Abbot Giles Hayes, O.S.B. reports his health remains stable and he is keeping busy. He regularly participates in monastic prayer, teaches in the abbey novitiate, and preaches at least once per month. Fr. Giles looks forward to the warm weather when he can use a golf cart to travel to the athletic fields to watch practices and games.
Let Us Remember Faith Broderick, wife of the late Edward F. Broderick, Jr. ’50, mother of Edward F. Broderick III ‘78 and Mark Broderick ‘81 Richard Burns, father of Peter C. Burns ‘75+ and Douglas B. Burns ‘77 Mary Doherty, grandmother of Sean Doherty ‘19 Hedwig (Hedy) Gorzelnik, mother of Dr. Larry Gorzelnik ‘79
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Mark Lonergan, father of Michael Lonergan ‘84, Brian Lonergan ‘89, Patrick Lonergan ‘99
Father Karl John Roesch, OSB
John J. Madden, father of Sean Madden ’84 and Kevin Madden ‘87
Lawrence Rosenhaus, father of Director of Senior Guidance Michael Rosenhaus ’80 and James Rosenhaus ’82
Winnie McDonough, mother of John McDonough ‘87
Aogu Andrew (Andy) Tsukamoto, father of Andrew Tsukamoto ‘12
Frank M. Prout, grandfather of Steven Prout ‘09
Arthur Walsh, husband of former Communications Director Margaret Lowery Walsh, father of Kevin J. Walsh ’82 and Jonathan Walsh ‘89
Esther Igoe Reynolds, mother of Bob McHugh ‘70
abbey NOTES
Abbey Launches Development Program Since the early spring of 2016, St. Mary’s Abbey has been engaged in laying the foundations of a development program that would focus exclusively on the capital and operational financial needs of the monastic community, and allow the school’s dedicated staff to focus their efforts on the advancement of Delbarton School. In December 2016 Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, with the approval of the Abbey Council of Seniors, which also serves as the governing body of Delbarton School, announced that this Abbey development program will now begin under the guidance of Abbot Elias Lorenzo, OSB, who serves as chairman of a dedicated committee of laymen and women from among the alumni, parents of students, parents of graduates, oblates and those who attend the Sunday Eucharist at the Abbey. Originally conceived as a capital campaign committee, this group’s efforts have now been expanded to include an annual appeal, an annual benefit dinner, and capital/major gift fundraising. Abbot Richard has emphasized that it is of vital importance that all the Abbey’s nascent development efforts be done in full coordination
While the limitations of the body might curtail some of his favorite activities, Fr. Beatus Lucey, O.S.B. would like all constituents to know he is still here! He is a voracious reader and keeps up with his weekly book club at the Church of Christ the King, New Vernon. Abbot Richard invited Fr. Beatus to be the homilist at the Holy Thursday liturgy. The
with Delbarton School’s institutional advancement efforts. To that end, Abbot Elias and Delbarton School’s Director of Development Craig Paris meet regularly to ensure that no Abbey fundraising works at cross purposes with Delbarton School’s fundraising efforts. Why an Abbey-specific development program now? For more than nine decades, the monks worked by the labor of their own hands at Delbarton School and local parishes. Since monks live rather simply, whatever funds were not needed for their own substance were donated back to their apostolates. Now, however, nearly half of the monks are retired without retirement benefits, leaving those who are still engaged in the Abbey’s apostolates to fund all these expenses, including the ever-increasing health care costs for the aged and infirm. The monks of St. Mary’s Abbey are most grateful for the support of many friends and benefactors among the alumni parents, parents of students and graduates, oblates and those who workshop regularly with the monks. Be assured of the prayers and gratitude of the monks for all!
concise and well-wrought homily was centered on the words of Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.: “In a flash, at a trumpet crash, I am all at once what Christ is, because he was what I am.” Abbot President Elias Lorenzo has appointed Abbey Treasurer Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Chairman of the Finance Council of the American
Cassinese Congregation. As Chairman, Fr. Michael leads a group of five Benedictines from throughout the 20 member monasteries of the Congregation who advise Abbot Elias and his Council about the financial situation of the Congregations communities.
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abbey NOTES
R.I.P. Father Karl John Roesch O.S.B. May 27, 1934 – March 7, 2017
;
Father Karl was born in Newark, New Jersey to John and Mary Roesch on twenty-seven May, 1934 and christened John Junior in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. John attended the parish school and later, graduated from Saint Benedict’s Prep in 1951. It was here that he encountered the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey. Father Karl entered St. Vincent College, interrupting his course of studies by the year of novitiate as a Benedictine monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kansas, where he pronounced monastic vows in 1954. He returned to St. Vincent where he graduated in 1956. He then began the study of theology at St. Mary’s, Delbarton. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1960. Father Karl quickly became an integral figure at Delbarton School, serving at various times as prefect of boarding students, director of transportation, advanced
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placement coordinator, and coaching freshman football and varsity baseball. He chaired the committee that planned the renovation of St. Joseph Gymnasium and the new Abbot Brian Clarke Gymnasium. Meanwhile, he taught fulltime, having earned a master’s degree in mathematics at the Catholic University of America. He was, however, about to begin a second career. In 1987, after almost thirty years of service in education at Delbarton, Father Karl accepted the call to assume the pastorate of the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Linden, New Jersey, then under the care of St. Mary’s Abbey.
Father Karl gave himself to the pastoral service of the people of Linden until 2000 when a new chapter in his life opened with an invitation to move south, to St. Mary Virgin Mother Parish in Hartsville, South Carolina. He embraced his new environment as pastor and accepted several posts in the Diocese of Charleston, which includes the entire state. Here he remained for sixteen more years until illness forced his retirement and return home. Father Karl is survived by two nieces and two nephews.
St. Mary's Abbey Archive
The community of St. Mary’s Abbey announces with sorrow the passing from this life of Father Karl John Roesch on March 7 after a long illness, in the eighty-third year of his life, the sixty-third of his monastic profession, and the fifty-seventh of his priesthood.
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faculty update Admissions Dean Dr. David Donovan was honored by Platinum Minds, a local non-profit that supports education for young men, at the Decade of Difference Dinner Dance on May 4 at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge. Donovan is currently a member of the Platinum Minds Advisory Council and has been involved in the organization since its launch in 2007. On February 8 he and faculty members Chuck Johnson, Josh Hartle and Caroline Chamberlain attended the one-day Design Thinking Workshop with Don Buckley at the Ranney School. In early April, Dr. Donovan attended an NJAIS conference on the topic of "Exploring Spirituality: Enhancing School Community". For the eighth year, Math Department Chair Josh Hartle will once again be grading AP Calculus exams in Kansas City this June. This year for the second time Josh serve as a “Table Leader”. As a Table Leader, Josh helps train and lead 16 other high school teachers and college professors through the grading process. In April, School Nurse Barbara Pereyra and Music Director David Blazier attended a conference entitled “Positive Resilient Minds: The Science of Promoting Student Grit, Gratitude, and School Success.”
AP Physics Welcomes Back Alumni
On November 2, David Kersen ‘10, pictured here with his former Physics teacher Greg Devine, visited Devine’s AP Physics class to talk about college life. Valedictorian of the Class of 2010, Dave famously took 22 APs and got 5s on all of them. Onto Harvard, where Dave graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with highest honors in Chemistry and Physics. Post-Harvard, he was a Fellow at the National Institutes of Health and is currently in his second year of a seven year combined MD/PhD program at the University of Pennsylvania. Dave spoke about the need to not work on academics “all the time” and shared thoughtful advice about what college is for – i.e. not a party but an opportunity.
One week later, another of Devine’s former students, Marcello Cricco-Lizza ‘07, returned to address the entire student body about principal component analysis, a math topic that deals with finding solutions to complex problems in disciplines ranging from baseball, to financial derivatives, to biology. He presented to five classes, addressed the entire student body at M-block and stayed after school to speak with students who had additional questions.
Tidings Philip Bauchan, wife Maureen, and daughter Josephine joyfully welcomed Peter Athanasius into (continued on page 46)
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Halloween 2016
The usual Halloween antics took place on Monday, October 31 with our annual costume contest in the FAC. Before returning to class, we managed to corral this group of boys and teachers to pose for a picture. That green-suited luchador (Mexican wrestler) near the center of the photo is our inimitable Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Fall Food and Gift Drives Exceed All Expectations In November, our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive exceeded its 50,000 pound goal to restock the Community Soup Kitchen pantry for the year, collecting a goal-busting 50,375 pounds of food. Not resting on its laurels, the next month the Delbarton community collected enough presents to distribute three gifts each to the children of 800 Paterson families. A salute to the families and alumni who donated to these drives, and to the parents and boys who playedSanta in Paterson on December 11. As Campus Minister Director Dr. David Hajduk said, “You are simply remarkable!�
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Shrove Tuesday Pancakes Math teacher Kacy Kane found a tasty way to demonstrate the geometry of circles on Shrove Tuesday, February 28. He set up two grills and flipped pancakes before his delighted students, who then cut the flapjacks into wedges to illustrate how a circle becomes a rectangle. Add some syrup and the delicious class ended on a high note.
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Celebrating the Season
After Lessons & Carols on December 21, students paused for a quick picture that we used for the 2017 Delbarton Christmas Card we emailed to all parents and alumni.
Faculty Gift Exchange A core group of Delbarton faculty hosted an annual gift exchange. Here, Middle School Guidance Counselor Rick Cimino, a philosophy buff, shows off his favorite gift!
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Thank You, Delbarton Parents Last fall, while Delbarton parents assisted every step of the way with both the Food and Gift Drives, they also took time in December to transform Delbarton campus into a Christmas wonderland. Then poof! With the discipline of a well-trained army, one morning in January volunteers stowed away artificial trees, wreaths, ribbons, and lights till next year. Thank you, Delbarton parents. We appreciate your spirit, energy and hard work.
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Leadership Lessons from Rich Birrer ‘68 Delbarton alumnus Dr. Richard Birrer ‘68, on right, with Leadership teacher Brian Bowers, has run billion dollar medical systems, most recently in Saudi Arabia, and summited the tallest peaks on all seven continents (his extraordinary accomplishments were profiled in the 2013 spring/summer issue of Delbarton Today). On December 13, he offered guidance to seniors in Bowers’ Leadership classes: Don’t be afraid of risk, live the life you (not somebody else) want and “the real issue in life is how you deal with failure. Think of it as unfinished business. Try again. If somebody else has done this, so can you.”
Arabic 3 Hosts a Guest Speaker In January, Zack Tabor’s Arabic 3 class was visited by guest speaker: Matt Westman of the King’s Academy in Jordan spoke to the class – in Arabic — about his experience teaching in the Middle East. Here Matt demonstrates how to tie a keffiyeh, the traditional Middle Eastern headdress.
(continued from page 41) the world on November 1, 2016. Jon Cote and wife Laura welcomed their son Jacob William Cote on December 6, 2016. He joined two big sisters Katie and Josie. Jonathan Currie and his wife Meghan met their daughter Emma Grace for the first time on October 4, 2016. Dan DesPlaines and his wife Kathleen met their son Austin James DesPlaines for the first time on December 9, 2017. Austin joined big sisters Angela and Aubrey. On January 6, 2017 Jesse Mazzola and wife Katrine proudly welcomed son John Elijah into the world. Congratulations to Linda and Sean Rose on the birth of their son Oliver Emanuel Rose on April 24, 2017. n
Delbarton Wins Panasonic Design Challenge
On April 27, a trio of Delbarton engineers, from left, sophomores Nick Eichler ‘`19, Noah Jerris ’19 and junior Mark Castellano ’18 (with their expert guide, Engineering & Design Club moderator Greg Devine) brought home Delbarton’s eleventh Panasonic Design Challenge title. This year’s objective was to construct a robot for the ‘Tesla Pana-Factory’, a simulated automotive assembly plant, while maintaining rigorous documentation. The original field of 60 high schools was to 21 competitors in the February preliminary round, and Delbarton rose to the top in the final round.
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Introducing the Delbarton Incubator AP Macroeconomics teacher Tom Brady interviews Incubator teams and offers business advice.
Delbarton Incubator, the new 6credit senior elective, is a hands-on, self-directed class where students demonstrate creativity and problemsolving skills as they create new products. The class is patterned after business incubators which provide resources and guidance for entrepreneurs to launch businesses. Students are given access to a Makerspace — a collaborative work space — equipped with 3D printers and design software, where they design prototypes and test their ideas. Computer Science & Technology Chair Dave Martin, who developed the curriculum and oversees the process, also recruited faculty members and alumni to visit and offer their expertise and experience to boys. Working in teams, students brainstorm products, manufacture a prototype, then develop business and marketing plans to sell and support their products. This year’s five products included an athletic training device, sports equipment bag-drying system, sports bottle add-on for external hydration, chipbag storage solution and a mobile platform to assist Jeep Wrangler owners as they remove and reinstall their car doors. The goal was to model the independence and work ethic that drive a successful entrepreneur; this
A student demonstrates the portability of his Incubator team’s athletic training device.
Teams were required to produce part of their product prototype using the School’s 3-D printer.
year Delbarton sends graduates into the world with both the attitude and technical know-how to be their own bosses.
The X-Stinkt team designed this website to promote its sports bag-drying system.
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Five Seniors Selected as Presidential Scholar Candidates In February, five members of the Class of 2017 were selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program: Nicholas Castagna, Norman Chen Liaw, Daniel Connolly, Daniel Maguire and Terry Xu. Next, the five students applied for this year’s invitation-only Presidential Scholars Program that represents excellence in education and the promise of greatness in America’s youth. Nationally, up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be selected from among this year’s senior class.
Elio Rodriguez ’19 Receives 2017 Cerasia award Sophomore Elio Rodriguez ‘19 received the 2017 Michael Cerasia Award at a Delbarton convocation on February 8. The award is dedicated to the memory of the late Michael C. Cerasia, a member of the class of 1994 who died tragically with his older brother in a boating accident during the summer following his freshman year. Michael’s parents, Robert and Carole Cerasia P’94 of North Caldwell, pictured here, presented the award, which is given to a sophomore in recognition of his perseverance and diligence as a freshman.
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Glenstal Abbey Exchange In early December, four students arrived from Ireland on the annual exchange with Glenstal Abbey School in Limerick, Ireland. They are pictured here with their American hosts and exchange moderators and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, who welcomed the group under our new international flags.
Global Christmas Celebration On December 20, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, and Italian Clubs hosted holiday parties, inviting students to sample each culture’s unique holiday music and food. The mad dash into the ne plus extra French Club buffet featuring warm quiches, French cheeses and fresh baguettes and croissants required the services of a faculty traffic cop. The successful cross-cultural event proved conclusively that real men eat quiche‌and bake it too.
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Delbarton Unfurls International Flags
In October, fifteen international flags were installed on the freshly painted white columns in front of the Fine Arts Center, and this collection was anything but random. The flags, selected by Director of Global Programs Dan Pieraccini and Abbot Giles Hayes, OSB (an early advocate of Delbarton global initiatives) are a visual pilgrimage of Delbarton travel and exchange programs.
Global Fair Offers World of Options On December 2, Director of Global Programs Dan Pieraccini hosted the 2017 Global Programs Fair that offered nineteen language/culture, student exchange/homestay, community service mission and outdoor adventure programs during the 2016-17 school year. In most cases, students with prior program experience conducted the presentations. Check out Delbarton global programs under ‘Student Life’ at Delbarton.org.
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French Students Research Possible Delbarton Exchange
On February 13, a dozen students arrived at Delbarton from Lycée Sacré Cœur, a co-ed Catholic school in Yssingeaux, France. French teacher Maureen Pearsall and Director of Global Programs Dan Pieraccini helped organize the day-long visit during which the group toured Delbarton, attended classes and enjoyed a luncheon in Old Main that featured regional American foods. As a result of the positive experience (and quite possibly the whoopie pies) an exchange program among Delbarton, Old Knoll School and Lycée Sacré Cœur is now in the works.
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In January, Delbarton welcomed two Australian students from Rosebank College, a Benedictine high school, and one of the oldest schools in Australia, just outside of Sydney. The boys spent several weeks at Delbarton hosted by the Collichio and Eckert families. From left are Thomas Collichio ’19, James Pirrello and Mihir Razdan from Rosebank, and Ethan Eckert ’17 with Director of Global Programs Dan Pieraccini.
Australian Students on Campus
Peruvian Students Land at Delbarton
On January 17 nine students from Colegio San Pedro in Lima, Peru were welcomed by Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB. The boys were hosted by Delbarton families for several weeks during which they attended classes, visited Manhattan and enjoyed other sightseeing and shopping adventures. They are pictured here with their American hosts.
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arts DELBARTON
Jen Cleary
Fall Drama
Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters, directed by Matt Corica, was on stage in the FAC on October 28, 29 and 30. Students and visiting thespians brought Chekhov’s heartbreaking masterpiece to life using a modern translation that updated the language for a contemporary audience while staying true to the emotional depth and naturalistic drama of the original.
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arts DELBARTON
On December 18, Delbarton hosted its annual Christmas Concert to the delight of music lovers. Guests and performers later enjoyed refreshments provided by Delbarton Arts Council (DAC) volunteers.
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The Notre Dame Glee Club performed at Delbarton School on October 20 on its fall 2016 tour. The Glee Club also sang several songs with Delbarton’s Schola Cantorum and the Men in Black from West Morris Mendham High School. On January 28, at an event organized by Music Director David Blazier, Schola hosted four men’s choirs from Seton Hall Prep, St. Peter’s Prep, Bergen Catholic and Rutgers Glee Club in a Men’s Choral Festival of choral singing.
Notre Dame Glee Club Visits; Delbarton Hosts Choral Concert
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arts DELBARTON
Flipping the Classroom at The Met Junior Studio Art and Senior AP Studio Art students experienced a unique ‘flip the classroom’ experience on November 4 during a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum in New York organized and supervised by Department Chair Diane Lopez, and teachers Dom Rodi and Caitlin Servilio.
Assemblage Art Last summer, in honor of the 100th anniversary of America’s National Parks Service, every student and teacher read naturalist John Muir’s autobiography The Story of My Boyhood and Youth. Inspired by Muir’s book and by the assemblage art of American artist, Joseph Cornell (19031972), juniors in Studio Art were asked to identify significant memories from their early years, then find small objects and pictures to symbolize them. Their creative assemblages were on display this winter in the Valentine Library.
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AP Art Reception
Seventeen 2017 AP artists displayed sketches, paintings, photographs, and more at the AP Art Exhibit at an opening reception for families, friends and faculty members on January 24. This year’s cadre of AP artists included seniors Tim Adami, Andrew Badenhausen, Grant Brewster, Matthew Christou, Christopher Colon, Connor Dolan, Kyle Dudzinski, Ethan Eckert, Chad Fischer, Reed Gregory, Brian Hanley, Mark Kinol, Teddy O’Brien, Santiago Robertson-Lavalle, Joe Sciales, Teddy Vermylen and Austin Westfield. Tim Adami won Best in Show for his exquisitely detailed wildlife etchings. Anne Sundstrom P'14,'20
Spring Concerts
The Delbarton community, relatives, friends and neighbors were invited to two March concerts in the FAC performed by our Instrumental Ensembles and the Abbey Orchestra and Young Abbey Orchestra. These free concerts were a wonderful way to introduce young musicians to the opportunities at Delbarton Arts.
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arts DELBARTON
Michael Tortorella '17
Catch Me If You Can on Stage
Abbey Players’ production of Catch Me If You Can opened to rave reviews on February 10 and played to three full houses over the weekend. Members of the ensemble cast put their hearts and souls into this highly entertaining show, proving once again that Delbarton is a regional hub school for the performing arts.
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Romeo & Juliet in the FAC
Harry MacCormack
Delbarton students treated to a special M block on March 9 featuring a blood feud, intrigue, and forbidden romance, thanks to a riveting performance of Romeo and Juliet by the talented actors of Shakespeare and Company of Lenox, Massachusetts. Following the production, members of the Abbey Players joined actors for a workshop on the art of Shakespearean acting. Groups of Delbarton students practiced and acted out brief scenes from Shakespeare’s works and discussed the acting process among their peers.
Discover the New, Improved, Paper-free Courier Delbarton’s Greener Wave initiative continues to influence School life and perhaps no tradition has been more impacted than our premier newspaper, The Courier. The Courier has been a Delbarton fixture since 1942 and many a Delbarton alum still covets his vintage issues of the storied publication. In fall 2015, The Courier moved to a digital delivery platform to save trees and cut costs. While some readers may miss paging through an actual newspaper, the benefits of the new publishing platform more than outweigh the feel of newsprint as Delbarton strives, as Maguire writes, “to foster care for nature and the environment, and be stewards of creation.” Discover the new, improved, paper-free Courier at thedelbartoncourier.org.
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arts DELBARTON
Harry MacCormack
Benvenuti in Italia Photographer Judi Benvenuti exhibited her images of Italy in the FAC last fall. After years of relying on traditional film cameras, Benvenuti shot her stunning images using her iPhone 6. She is pictured here with her good friend Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
New LED Lights for FAC The lighting crew for this year’s winter production of Catch Me If You Can had a few more colors at their disposal than years past - 16,000,000 more, to be exact. That’s due to a batch of 16 new LED stage lights that were generously donated by the Delbarton Arts Council (DAC) just in time for the winter musical. Here, boys install the new lights.
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Cross Country
FA L L I N G U P
After graduating four top senior runners, uncertainty loomed for Green Wave Cross Country coached by Dave Sulley. Undaunted, the team came ready to run and emerged undefeated from the regular season. In the wake of defeating Chatham, Morristown, Mendham, and Montville, the team made an equally strong showing at the string of invitational meets which took the team from Manhattan to Rhode Island, leaving our athletes ready to close out their season with success in both county and state championships. The Green Wave forged ahead to the Morris County Championship where they placed second, coming just short of Morris Hills. Delbarton placed second again in the Catholic Track Championships, which also served as the first leg of the NJAC State Championship. The team then secured its spot in the NJAC Meet of Champions by placing third in the second stage of the NJAC State Championship in Holmdel Park. The Meet of Champions offered stiff competition, but Delbarton finished ranked a solid 15th in the state. In addition to the overall success of the team, a number of our runners garnered individual accolades, with Joey DeFeo ’17, Stephen Daly ’20 and Jack Looney ’18 named to the NJAC First Team. In true Succisa Veriscit fashion, a team faced with an untested roster rose to meet its challenges, all the readier for next season. Ann Sundstrom P'14, '20
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Football
By Harry MacCormack
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FA L L I N G U P It was a contentious season for Delbarton Football on the gridiron this year. With the team playing in the shadow of controversies stirred up by the reorganization of the state athletic conference, distractions loomed, but the Green Wave team coached by Brian Bowers focused on playing football, plain and simple. The team came out swinging with a close 21-20 victory over St. Anthony in the season opener, setting the tone for a very hard-fought season. Facing its toughest stretch of opponents following the St. Anthony game, the Green Wave played hard but lost to football heavyweights St. Joseph, Pope John, and Don Bosco. Delbarton secured its second win against Seton Hall Prep, swinging from a 3 point deficit to a 4 point lead in the final minutes of the away game. A week later, spurred on by the cheers of alumni and students alike, the Green Wave claimed a rousing victory during Homecoming against Hudson Catholic, closing out the game at 54-14. Poly Prep was the next team to face the Green Wave, losing in a 28-0 shutout. As the season came to close, Delbarton faced two hard losses against Paramus Catholic, and heavyweight St. Peter’s Prep, ending the season at 4-6 with heads held high.
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Soccer
FA L L I N G U P
Delbarton Soccer coached by David Donovan played another excellent season, befitting the winning tradition that the Green Wave has established in recent years. The team played six consecutive shutouts coming out of the gate, scoring 22 unanswered goals. The Delbarton Invitational proved to be a speed bump for the Green Wave as they faced some of the best teams on the east coast, losing to Chaminade High School and DeMatha Prep in tough contests. Following the Invitational, our boys faced another tight loss to Randolph in the county tournament in a game settled by penalty kicks. Undeterred, the Green Wave soldiered on to run a gauntlet of local heavyweights to defend their state champion title. After defeating both Pingry and Bergen Catholic, Seton Hall Prep unseated the Green Wave in the state finals in another grueling match which had Delbarton fighting back from Seton Hall’s two point lead into penalty kicks where Seton Hall edged ahead. Yes, this season’s toughest losses were disappointing, but the Green Wave team remained strong and united, proud of its impressive 17-3-2 record, and ready to bring more hard work and passion to the field next year.
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Basketball
W I N T E R W AV E
Delbarton Basketball (16-8) coached by Dan Whalen represented the Green Wave well in the face of tough competition this season, competing hard in a number of seriously nail-biting games. Many of the season’s games ended within a ten point spread, with Delbarton players emerging on the winning side more often than not. The team played with focus and skill and advanced to the state tournament. They finished in a 3 way tie for the NJAC United Division Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals in the Morris County Championships. With hard work, great chemistry, and an admirable resilience demonstrated by all our players this season, the future looks bright for Green Wave Basketball.
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Bowling
Delbarton Bowling coached by Kacy Kane and captained by Andrew White ‘17 finished up with a respectable 5-9-0 record and a season of great memories and comradery. While Delbarton lost several of its seasoned bowlers after the 2016 season, the goal was to rebuild: many of the team’s promising young bowlers stepped up for the first time this season and plan to return. While this season may have been a period of reloading, we expect to see more strikes and high scores from our young bowlers in the coming years. Go Green Wave Bowlers!
Squash
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Green Wave Squash coached by Craig Paris ’82 finished a tough season of matches with a 10-14 record led by senior leadership up front and a squad of underclassmen filling out the seven spots. Throughout the season the focus remained on the 2017 Head U.S. National High School Team Championships. The players were ready and fought through three rounds in their division before falling in the finals to a team from New Canaan, CT. With a near full roster returning and many JV underclassmen players, the future looks healthy for Delbarton Squash.
Skiing
W I N T E R W AV E
A mild winter makes for an interesting ski season. After some scheduling disruption early in the season, Green Wave Skiing downhillers coached by Kevin Malkin finally took to the slopes and claimed Mountain Creek as their own. The team came in first or second in all six conference races throughout the season, and placed second in the state championship. Senior Andrew Badenhausen ’17 had a particularly successful season and dominated the giant slalom field, earning the overall leading time in all but one conference meet. The Green Wave also represented New Jersey in the Northeast Regionals, where Delbarton skiers held three of the thirteen spots on the team which pulled from high school ski programs across the state.
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Hockey Green Wave Hockey (27-1-2) coached by Bruce Shatel continued the program’s tradition of excellence this winter with a No. 1 finish in the statewide Top 20 rankings, a state title, and named NJ.com Hockey Team of the Year. Delbarton won its seventh Gordon Cup Championship with a decisive 5-0 victory over Pope John. Goalie Troy Kobryn ‘17 posted a .938 save percentage and nine shutouts, allowing just 28 goals in 30 games and holding opponents to one goal or less in 22 of 27 games. He earned First Team AllState honors and was honored by NJ.com as Player of the Year. In an exciting, hard-fought state final, Delbarton came back from a one goal deficit against Don Bosco to win 2-1, earning an unprecedented twelfth state title. Delbarton Hockey continues to build an impressive legacy.
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Ian Feeley '16
Winter Track Delbarton Indoor Track and Field coached by Andrew Sherwood enjoyed an exciting season, taking a number of medals and breaking records along the way. The team earned several golds and silvers in the first event of the season, the Jack O’Leary Lidlifter Invitational at Drew University. At the state finals, Joey DeFeo ’17 won the State Non Public A title in the 3200 meter race. Fellow teammates Francis Price ’18, Justin Yazdi ’19, and Dillon O’Laughlin ’18 also placed in the state tournament and competed in the Meet of Champions. The team finished with a solid 6th overall at the Non-Public A State Championships. Coach Sherwood says, “We have a young team and look to be even stronger next year!”
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W I N T E R W AV E
Swimming Delbarton Swimming (5-3-1) coached by John Romagna faced some stiff completion this year. The team took 2nd place out of 20 teams in the Morris County Meet, and 3rd place in the State Prep meet (Pingry and Lawrenceville took 1st and 2nd). Green Wave Swimming also had a very strong showing by our
swimmers at the Meet of Champions in March in which two of our relay teams made the gold medal round. The following swimmers were named to the All-Division teams: 1st Team 200 Medley Relay- Jonathan Hua ‘18, Peter Shepanzyk ‘17, Justin Yang ‘18, Nick Mathus ‘19: 200 Freestyle - Thomas Shepanzy
‘19; 100 Freestyle- Max Alexy ‘19; 100 Breaststroke- Peter Shepanzyk ‘17; 2nd Team - 400 Freestyle RelayJonathan Hua ‘18, Max Alexy ‘19, Nick Mathus ‘19, Thomas Shepanzyk ‘19; 100 ButterflyJustin Yang ‘18; Honorable Mention - Mike Tortorella ’17 and Norman Chen Liaw ‘17.
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Wrestling
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W I N T E R W AV E Delbarton Wrestling coached by Bryan Stoll once again proved to be one of New Jersey’s top high school wrestling programs, and this season every teammate played a role. Many wrestlers improved their performances, with younger members providing important depth across all weight classes. The Green Wave (16-3) finished ranked No. 2 in the statewide Top 20 and advanced to the NJSIAA Non Jersey, Non-Public A finals. Patrick Glory ’18, pictured here after winning the state title, claimed belt after belt at 120 pounds, going undefeated with a 43-0 record, winning the state title, and ultimately named NJ.com Wrestler of the Year. He finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation at 120-pounds. Freshman Anthony Clark ’20 also delivered a strong performance, winning the state title in the 106 pound bracket. He also won the Morris County, District 10 and Region 3 titles, en route to his 37-2 record. Cole Kreshpane ’18 (170-pounds/6th place) and LJ Castellano ’17 (182pounds/4th place) were also state place winners. The Green Wave team won the District 10 Championship, with all 13 Delbarton wrestlers reached the finals; 8 athletes were named champions, a historic showing. The team then doubled down by sending all 13 wrestlers to the regional quarterfinals. This season confirmed that Delbarton’s bench runs deep, and the future remains bright for Green Wave Wrestling.
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learning outside 9th Grade Automotive Engineering Last fall, Dave Martin’s 9th Grade CAD and 3-D Print spent one week working as young automotive engineers. Boys were given wheels, axles, batteries, motors and propellers, then got to work learning how to integrate them into a 3D printed car of their own design. Here, boys test drive their chariots.
Hyperinflation Explained
On December 12, Jaime Robertson-Lavalle P’13,’17, Managing Director at Zermatt Dusk, visited the Economics Club to talk about hyperinflation in his homeland of Argentina. He explained the “Argentine paradox”: advanced development followed by staggering reversal. “This is not about statistics,” said RobertsonLavalle. “A whole country was turned upside down when this happened.”
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Jeff Boland P’18 Addresses Economics Club
On February 6, Jeff Bosland P’18 offered career advice to members of the Economics Club at the invitation of moderator/AP Macroeconomics teacher Tom Brady. Bosland is Head of Treasury Services for JP Morgan.
learning outside
Social Justice Workshop Deconstructs Prejudice On December 15, prejudice was addressed during the annual Social Justice Workshop, a morning designed to open the eyes and minds of all Delbarton freshmen. Workshop sessions were conducted by upperclassmen and included faculty and guest speakers who shared
personal stories illustrating the realities of societal and often inadvertent prejudice. Another Workshop took place in March, this time to address the topic of climate change.
Ancient and Medieval History at The Met On December 16, Fr. Michael Tidd’s 9th grade Ancient and Medieval History class took a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where Fr. Michael, on right, led the tour of the Met’s Greek and Roman Galleries.
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learning outside Veterans Enjoy Green Wave Basketball Game Thanks to the Support Our Troops club, several veterans from the Lyons VA Hospital joined boys and fans to cheer on the Green Wave at the J.P. Flynn basketball tournament game on December 27.
DAP Retreat Members of Diversity Among Peers (DAP) embarked on their annual Urban Challenge retreat on the last weekend in January. Our students volunteered with impoverished communities in Camden and reflected on the Catholic value of service.
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learning outside A Visit from Navy SEAL/Author Leif Babin On February 10, former Navy SEAL and author Leif Babin spoke about leadership to seniors in the FAC. Babin served three tours in Iraq, earning a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Babin’s advice: be humble (or be humbled by life), there is no growth in your comfort zone, and take responsibility for your decisions (i.e. ‘extreme ownership’). Babin later spoke to Brian Bowers’ Leadership students. All seniors read Babin’s book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win in Bower’s course.
Dress Rehearsal at The Metropolitan Opera On February 7, students from Italian III, Italian IV, Italian V and AP Italian got a sneak peak of the Metropolitan Opera’s next operatic production, I Puritani. After the dress rehearsal, the boys and their Professori Dan Pieraccini chowed down at Mario Batali’s Eataly. Pieraccini later reported, “Opera, pizza, pasta, gelato—what’s not to love?”
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learning outside Wave 4 Life Continues Funeral Ministry On February 28, the Wave 4 Life Club continued a ministry inspired by Roxbury Latin boys’ school in Boston to serve as volunteer pallbearers and attendees at funerals for those who leave behind no family or friends. The lives of two people were celebrated in a service led by Fr. Hilary O’Leary, OSB, in the Abbey Church. One pallbearer, campus minister Eric Lenz ‘17, said “Today’s service was a solemn and peaceful event. We were all reminded of the value of life and the fragility of our time here on earth.”
Microfinance Loans on International Women’s Day Delbarton’s Business and Economics Club used its burgeoning financial acumen to salute International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8. The Club’s microfinance team issued five small loads to four Senegalese and one Ecuadorian woman to fund modest entrepreneurial ventures. The club lent out a total of $295, matched on IWD by Kiva.org, a non-profit that facilitates global microfinance loans — bringing the total to nearly $600. Kiva means ‘unity’ in Swahili.
DAP Hosts Training Day with Abington Friends School On February 28, Diversity Among Peers (DAP) members participated in a full day of diversity training with five students from Abington Friends School (AFS). Founded in 1647, the Pennsylvania school is one of the oldest in the nation and prides itself on offering students a diverse and collegial environment. After a keynote address from Elisa Charters P’22, DAP members — later joined by friends from the broader Delbarton community — connected with each other and with AFS students through barrier-breaking activities and workshops.
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learning outside Respect for Life Convocation On January 11, Delbarton was honored by a visit from Sister Mary Marta of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by recently canonized Saint (Mother) Theresa of Calcutta. Sister Mary spoke in the Abbey Church at the School’s annual Respect for Life Convocation.
One Boy’s EPOCH Experience
The Many Faces of Mykee Fowlin On January 30, Delbarton welcomed back Dr. Mykee Fowlin, a Rutgers-educated psychologist, who uses different personas, from a six-year-old boy with ADHD to an emotionally-stunted football star, to act out human behavior. He demonstrated the masks we wear to avoid being judged or rejected, and encouraged the audience to be less judgmental and more focused on relating to other people with curiosity, respect and kindness.
Most Thursdays after school, Delbarton boys hop on the bus to help out at EPOCH (Educational Programs of Children Handicapped) an after-school program for developmentally disabled children at the Madison Y. We asked one volunteer, Johnny Kirk ‘18, about his experience as an EPOCH volunteer. Most boys fit their EPOCH commitment into an already busy schedule. In addition to EPOCH Johnny is involved in Archway, Economics Club, serves as a retreat leader and a junior dean, is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and plays two sports: squash in the winter and lacrosse in the spring….plus the usual homework, tests and projects. “Whether it is singing with some of the girls or playing basketball with Mike, the connections I have been able to forge with these children have contributed a big part of my Delbarton experience.”
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learning outside Neil Cavuto Speaks at DMG Event Fox News Anchor, author and Delbarton dad Neil Cavuto P’20 spoke to several hundred parents in the FAC on February 24 about life, parenting and his personal challenges including, as recently as last summer, open heart surgery. With self-deprecating humor, Cavuto talked about his upbringing and youthful aspirations to be a priest or an astronaut. In the Q&A that followed, Carla Barone P’17 said, “Your parents would be so proud to see you speaking to us now. You have the passion of a priest and the perspective of an astronaut.” Cavuto looked momentarily touched, then with a sly grin said, “Get that woman a Nielsen box”.
Minding Your Mind On March 24, Drew Bergman, a college senior, spoke about his adolescent struggles with depression which included two suicide attempts. He offered practical advice on how and from whom to seek help, and shared tips on developing positive coping skills. By junior year in high school (Bergman attended St. Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia, “a school just like Delbarton”) he was strong enough to share his story with the student body. The Ardmore, PA non-profit Minding Your Mind sponsored Bergman’s presentation, which was perfectly attuned to the challenges and struggles faced by members of his Delbarton audience.
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Fathers & Friends DINNER DANCE
F&F board members and event organizers with, in front, Moderator Fr. Rembert Reilly, OSB, Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, F&F President Paul Townsend P’15,’19 and Steve Ketchum P’16,’20. Back from left, Ed Teehan P’14,’21, Michael Dangler P’21, Guy Adami P’17, ’19, Matt Gilfillan ’86, P’19 and Mark Castellano P’18,’20. Former Delbarton/Stanford student athlete Wade Morgan ‘11 spoke about the impact on his life of his Delbarton education. Wade’s parents Deborah Smith-Glover P’11 and James Morgan P’11 and his former coach Athletic Director Dan Whalen, right, attended the event.
George Kenny P’21 and John Magnier ’82, P’19.
On November 21, the Delbarton Fathers & Friends organization hosted its annual Dinner Dance at the Madison Hotel. Proceeds supported the Rod & Regina Keller Scholarship Fund…
Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and Kevin Morgan P’18.
Guy and Linda Snow-Adami P’17,’19 with Michele and Gene Castagna P'15, '17.
Brendan and Lynn Minter P’22 with Kerry and Rob Failla ’89, P’20.
Delbarton moms enjoy a night off from event-organizing as Delbarton dads run the show.
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dmg Vickie Malone
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Shop ’Til You Drop Delbarton Mothers’ Guild’s Shop ‘til You Drop from November 29 to December 1 at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge was the ideal venue for 2016 Christmas shopping…
Karen Cagnassola P’20, left, and Maureen Smart P’16, ’17, ’19, ’21 greeted STYD guests as they arrived at the Olde Mill Inn.
DMG Moderator Abbott Richard Cronin, OSB, with, back from left, Ellen Wasik P’16, ’19 (Chair), Stephanie Hadley P’17 (DMG President), Erin Manahan P’19 (DMG Vice President), Jennifer Millar P’19,’21 (Chair) Front, from left: Kathleen Smith P’17,’20 (Chair) and Jackie Kenny P’20 (Chair).
Grant Hewit ’02, left, did brisk business selling his company Hudson Sutler’s rugged canvas bags.
From left, Mary Plaza P’18 (Delbarton Shop Co-Web Coordinator), Mary Ketchum P’16,’20 (Delbarton Shop Chair) and Ellen Guenther P’18 (Delbarton Shop Accessories Buyer)
Behold, the 2016 Delbarton Christmas tie, an instant holiday collectible.
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Fashion Show The Delbarton Mothers’ Guild produced another spectacular event at Birchwood Manor on April 4...welcome to Wonderland!
From left, DMG Vice President Erin Manahan P’19, DMG Moderator Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, Event Co-Chairs Carol Heller P’18 and Karen Stroud P’13,’14,’18,’20, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, and DMG President Stephanie Hadley P’17.
Guests perused the Senior Library, with book covers that offered a title for each member of the Class of 2017.
Photos by Peter Wallburg Studios
All signs lead to Wonderland, a creative, Alice in Wonderlandthemed event.
Young dancers opened the dinner and fashion show with an exuberant performance.
Fashions by Bloomingdales, with professional models escorted by members of the Class of 2017.
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Jazz vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway was joined by pianist Ted Rosenthal for a great evening of music.
Jazz Concert On December 7, parents of graduates and friends of Delbarton enjoyed the 17th Annual Jazz Concert in Old Main.
Margo and Chris Connors ’81, P’14, ’16, Tim and Kim Speedy P’14 with June and Dan Meehan P’07.
Tina Monaghan P’15 and her New Trier High School classmate Ann Hampton Callaway.
Karen Iannaccone P’12, ’13, Fr. Andrew Smith, OSB, and Teresa Maguire P’10,’11,’12,’14’17.
Former Communications Director Maggie Walsh P’82,’89 and Nancy Paris P’82, GP ’13, ’15, ’19.
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Diane Macri P’03, Vince Macri ’03, his fiancée Dawn Collet and Vincent Macri P’03.
Alice Chandis P’01, Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, and June Meehan P’07.
Peggy Bergh P’13 and Carol Bicknese P'05,'06,'09,'13,'16.
Abbot Elias Lorenzo, OSB, with Sheila Mulcahy P’83.
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Valerie Conroy P'87,'90,'98, GP'15
Palm Sunday On an exceptionally lovely April 9, after Mass in St. Mary’s Abbey, Delbarton Parents of Graduates hosted its annual Palm Sunday Brunch in the Estabrook Dining Room…
Ted Ehling P’83,’86, Sheila Mulcahy P’83, Marie Stanton P’84, Loretta Zupa P’92, Patrice Roley P’88 and Bob Foley P’88.
Jerry and Sue Ballanco P’09,’11 with Fr. Andrew Smith, OSB.
Stephen and Halina Kowalski P’10 with future son-in-law Matt Forlizzy.
Mike Johnson ‘12, Jack Rogers ’12, Pat and Rick Rogers P’12 with Abbot Giles Hayes, OSB.
Ted Lawless ’03 with his sisters Sarah and Brigette. Diane and Vincent Macri P’03, center, who were honored at the brunch, are pictured here with DPGA co-presidents Bob and Alice Chandis ’64, P’01.
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Alumni News
Philadelphia On October 5, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB hosted the annual Philadelphia area reception at the Villanova Conference Center…
Chris Harper ‘16, Delbarton English teacher Greg Wyatt and Dalton Smart ’16.
Sean Gallagher ’90 and J.P. Campbell ’13.
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Alumni Association Vice President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95 and Ken Wedholm ’84.
Classmates Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB, B.J. Cunningham ’82 and Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82.
Alumni News Varsity Head Coach David Donovan, on right, demonstrates a stretching regime to a new recruit, son of Alumni Association President John Tonzola ’95 on left.
John Ferramosca ’05 shows his support for the Green Wave.
Rain and slick conditions did nothing to thwart our hale and hearty players!
Alumni Soccer Game Former Green Wave Soccer players braved heavy rain to play in the annual Alumni Soccer game on October 22, 2016… From left, Kumar Pushparaj ’91, Bill Cronin ‘91, Ryan Dooley ’91, Mike Griffin ’91 and Mike Marshall ‘91.
Photos by Harry MacCormack
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Boston The Delbarton Club of Boston gathered on November 2 for an alumni reception at the Harvard Club…
Peter Chambers ’11, Michael Semeraro ’07, Connor Pigott ’06 and Tim Siegert ’06.
Former Director of Guidance Shelly Levine with Bart Morrison ’80, left, and Bernie Haffey ’80.
Tom Abel ’15, Paul Shuler ’15, E.J. Schneider ’10 and Zach Williams ’07.
Ryan Maguire ’97, Derek Maguire ’90 and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
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Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82 and Troy Turick ’94.
Alumni News
Peter Boyd ’68, Jerry Jabbour ’92 and Craig Bridwell ’92.
Br. Paul with Greg Stewart ’03 and Greg’s wife Caitlin.
Harvey Jones ’70, Jim Corroon '57, P'88 with Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Former squash players with Coach Paris: Ben Herila ’07, Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82 and Craig Bridwell ’92.
San Francisco On November 9, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and the Alumni Association hosted a cocktail reception at the Olympic Club in San Francisco…
Chris Anderson ’97, Alicia Anderson, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, Kitt Ridley ’00 and Jonathan Craig ’89.
Adam Suczewski ’11, Jeffrey Baldwin ’99, Gray Eklund ’02 and Tom Fickinger ’12.
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Palo Alto
Jack Fuchs and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Director of Senior Counseling Mike Rosenhaus ’80 with Joe Hupcey ’86.
On November 10, 2016 Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and the Alumni Association hosted a reception at Dan Gordon’s Restaurant in Palo Alto…
Theo Patsalos-Fox ’08, Kathryn Sargeant, Steve Marino ’08 and Matt Crnkovich ’07.
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Wade Morgan ’11 and Andy Verhalen ’74.
Alumni News
Classmates Joe Grano ’03 and Brendan Murphy ’03.
Damon Ferrara ’94, Kevin Mahoney ’92 and Jerry Jabbour ’92.
Los Angeles On November 7, 2016 Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and the Alumni Association hosted a reception at the home of Elizabeth and Peter Shoemaker ‘82…
Our hosts Peter and Elizabeth Shoemaker ’82 and their two sons with Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny. OSB.
Kary Antholis ’80, left with Nigel Cordiero ’98 and friend.
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Alumni News Jersey Shore: On December 1, Delbarton alumni on coastal New Jersey celebrated Christmas together at Rella’s in Brielle. Alumni dropped off gifts for the annual Delbarton Gift Drive which followed a week later.
In Hoboken: A great group of young Delbarton alumni and friends arrived bearing gifts for Delbarton’s Christmas Gift Drive at Hoboken’s Pilsener Haus on December 10…
Harry MacCormack
Alumni Celebrate Christmas Together
Washington, DC: On December 12, the DC Chapter of the Alumni Association, spearheaded by Taylor Price ’04, hosted a well-attended Christmas reception at PJ Clarke’s Side Car in Washington.
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New York City: On December 17, the New York City chapter of the Alumni Association and the Class of 2003 hosted a holiday get together at Manhattan’s Flatiron Hall.
Alumni News
Austin Reception On January 23, alumni in the Austin area gathered in the historic Flour House & Vault at La Condesa for a dinner reception hosted by Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82…
Glenda and James Tansey ’56.
Associate Director of Capital Campaign Matt Campbell ’08 and Stuart Block ’73.
Stephen Wiesenthal ’96, Michael Anselmo ’02 and Fred Carbone ’07.
John Polakowski ’86, left, missed his 30th reunion, so Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82 personally delivered a Class of 1986 keepsake wine glass to him.
Hugh Fiddes ‘05 with daughter Annabelle, wife Sarah and classmate Brook Bulcha ’05.
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Alumni News Photos by Harry MacCormack
Alumni Wrestling Reception On January 24, eleven alumni wrestlers met for a reception in the gym to watch the Delbarton v. Mendham meet. They congratulated student wrestlers, who are coached by Bryan Stoll, after their big win‌
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Alumni News
Alumni Platform Tennis Evening On January 27, a great group of alumni platform tennis players gathered at Morris County Country Club for the first Alumni Platform Tennis Evening. After some competitive paddle, alumni enjoyed socializing by the outdoor fire pit over beer and subs at the inaugural event organized by Alumni Association Vice President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95.
Class Notes: 1988 After 8 years in Eugene, OR, Mark Fletcher, MD has relocated to Westport, CT where he is an orthopedic surgeon based out of Norwalk Hospital. Mark coached track and field athletes in the 2004
and 2008 Olympic Games and was medical director for the Oregon Track Club Elite Team from 20072014, providing care for athletes like Ashton Eaton (world record holder and Olympic decathlon champion).
1992
1994
John Allen and his wife Heather welcomed their first child in June 2016. John David Allen V goes by “Davis” and was born healthy and happy.
In 2015, after 18 years of owning/operating multiple fitness centers, Vin Laracca Jr. sold his last fitness-related company, Florham Park Fitness, to focus on his new home construction (Continued on page 105)
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Winter Reps Dinner On January 31 over eighty alumni class representatives gathered at the Madison Hotel for the annual Winter Reps Dinner Meeting…
Peter Ramsey ‘90 was awarded the Joseph R. McDonough ‘68 Award for the leadership and initiative he demonstrates as an active member of the Alumni Association. This year’s recipient stands with previous McDonough Award winners, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, and John Tonzola ’95, Alumni Association President. From left: Steve Block ’71, AJ Papetti ’82, Frank Visceglia ’85, Br. Paul, Peter Ramsey ’90, John Tonzola ’95 and James Olsen ’91.
Bill Waldron ’65, Rob O’Mara ‘60, Bob Farrell ’64 and Tom Luby ’72.
Patrick Sullivan ‘08, Garrison Block ’12, Tim Soulas ’08, Tyler Hudson-Crimi ‘08, John Scally ’08 and Josh Erenstein ’07.
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Alumni Association President John Tonzola ’95 conducted a productive Alumni Reps meeting on January 31.
Joe Ferraro ’95, Alumni Association Vice President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95 and Phil Lamparello ’02.
Alumni News
At the basketball reunion, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, greeted members of the MCT Championship team of 1988-89. From left are Varsity Coach Dan Whalen, Ken Heaton ’78, Sean Downes ’89, Josh Smith ’90, Tom North ’90, Vin Ferrara ’91, Dave Aromando ’90, Jim Bolger ’89, Sean Barrett ’90 and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Alumni Basketball Reunion On February 4, former Green Wave basketball players met at the Sixth Annual Alumni Basketball Day…
This year’s Varsity team, on the heels of a home win in the second round of the Morris County Tournament, met with former Green Wave players from across the decades.
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Steve Block ’71, Fred Pierce ’82 and Al D’Agostino ’69.
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Marcello Cricco Lizza ’07 and Sumorwuo Zaza ’07.
John Elson ’11, Andrew Anselmi ’83, P’16 and Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
Alumni News
Brian Grumka ’11, Hunter Dougherty ’11, Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and Matt Grella ’13.
Brian Hanlon ’87, Alumni Association President John Tonzola ’95 and Tim Hanlon ’84.
New York City On February 23, alumni gathered at New York Athletic Club for the Alumni Association’s annual NYC Reception...
Darren Gacicia ’94, John Ferramoscoa ’05, Tyler Hudson-Crimi ’08 and Jerry Jabbour ’92, P’20.
Greg Pasciucco ’03, Christian McCormack ’05 and John Masi ’06.
Fred Krom ’03, Mark Hammitt ’03 and Pat Reilly ’03.
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Alumni Hockey
Former Green Wave Hockey coaches Jim Brady, John Magadini, Paul Sylvestri, Buzz Brown and Bernie Haffey '80.
Alumni players, coaches and families met at Essex Hunt Club in Peapack, NJ on March 2 for the Second Annual Delbarton Alumni Showcase and Celebration…
Matt Durney ’92, left, and Chris Bury ’91 with their sons.
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In the first minute of play Durney got whacked in the face. He slapped on a bandaid, made an appointment for early the next morning with a plastic surgeon/attendee…and got back into the game.
Hockey Showcase organizer Peter Lazor ’87 with his daughter.
Alumni News Alumni players, coaches and families met at Essex Hunt Club for a great night of hockey and memories.
The 1992 State Championship team was honored at the Alumni Showcase. Here members remember their late teammate, Terry Maguire, whose life was cut tragically short while a member of the team.
Kevin Mahoney ’92 drops the puck for his former teammates Matt Durney ’92 and Jim Bruce ’92.
And the winners are...Anthony Scillia ’99, Bernie Haffey ’80, Kyle Brennan ’11, Chris Bury ’91 and Chas McLaughlin ’02?
Chas McLaughlin’02, Chip Campbell ‘02, Ned Crotty ’05 and Pat Reilly ’03.
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Palm Beach
Tom Hoban ’91, Matt Luciano ’91, Mike Burke ’01, Melanie Burke, George Sorial ’86 and Br. Paul.
On March 8, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and the Alumni Association hosted a reception at The Breakers in Palm Beach…
Jeanette Lemenze, P’79, Arline Evans, Ann and Bob Failla P’89.
Jerry Jabbour ’92, P’20, Tom D’Alia ’50, GP ‘08, Director of Senior Counseling Mike Rosenhaus ’80 and Tom Hoban ’91.
Jean and Peter Ferriso P’84,’90, Amelia and Bob Doherty P’84, Marge Rogers and former Communications Director Maggie Walsh P’82, ‘89.
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Mort and Elaine Erenstein P’80, GP’07, Br. Paul, Jane and John Unkles P'75,'76,'80,'83.
Veronica and Rene Silva ’63, Tim Valentine ’64, Mary Anne and Bob Mountford ’63 with Brian and Gerry Flaherty ’64.
Alumni News Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB, with our hosts at Sea Oaks Club, his parents Sandy and Jim Fittin '58, P'82 with Br. Paul.
Steve Yevak ’77, Kevin Maher ’61, P’90, GP’19 and Joan Bryant.
Alex and Maryanne DiLella P’93, Carl DiLella ’93 and wife Stephanie DiLella and Kevin Maher ’61.
Vero Beach Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, hosted a luncheon at Sea Oaks Club in Vero Beach on March 9…
June and Alan Enos P’95 and Communications Director Jessica Fiddes with husband John Fiddes P’03,’05,’08.
Carl DiLella ’93 and Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15,’19.
Hank and Gerry Collins P’90,’92,’96 and Jack Magnier P’82, GP ‘09,’10, ’19.
Boyd Sands ’55, Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, and Fran Sands.
Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB ’82, Jack Magnier P’82, GP ‘09,’10, ’19 and Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15,’19.
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Naples Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, with Trustees Chris Coughlin P'99, Eileen McIntyre P'96,'99 and Bob Gillespie P'02.
On March 10, Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, and the Alumni Association hosted a reception at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club…
Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, and Paula Ebben.
Kai and Marjorie Heyer P’88 and Walter Reilly P'84,'86,'89.
Adele and Rich Mattern P’95,’08 with Eileen and Tom McIntyreP'96,'99.
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Daniel Green ’91, Jeff Kruse ’91 and former Green Wave Tennis coach Steve Diamond.
Nick and Jeanne Smith P'99,'00 with Director of Alumni & Development Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15’19.
Dan McCullough '95, left, and his brother in law Mike Mauer.
Alumni News Class Notes:
(Continued from page 95)
and renovation business, Hanover Development Group. In 2013 he served as President of the Hanover Township youth Football and Cheer Organization, the governing body of all student athletes involved in football and cheer grades K-8, and has coached his son’s team since kindergarten (as 5th graders the boys recently concluded their 3rd straight undefeated season!).
1999 Thomas Murphy married Sophia Torielli on Feb 20, 2017.
2001 Jason Sayanlar, MD and Tori Hornstein were married in Washington, DC on August 22, 2016 with Delbarton friends in attendance. (See Wedding Album)
2003 Brian Shiver married Whitney Martin on June 4, 2016 at The Talmadge Hill Community Church in
New Canaan, CT. (See Wedding Album)
Washington, D.C. (See Wedding Album)
2006
2007
Tom McCarthy is currently earning an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
David Ahlborn and Julia Rooney were married on July 30, 2016 in Long Island. (See Wedding Album)
Mike McGuire and Elizabeth Hansen were married in Chicago on July 30, 2016 with plenty of Delbarton friends in attendance. Mike and Elizabeth met as undergrads at Williams College. Elizabeth earned her MBA at the Wharton School in 2015 and Mike currently is working on his MBA at Harvard Business School. The couple lives in Boston. (See Wedding Album)
Clayton Kossl and Kelsey Murphy were married in St. Mary’s Abbey Church on August 27, 2016 in a ceremony officiated by Fr. Hilary O’Leary, OSB. Coincidentally, Delbarton football played Sparta High School at home that day. Clayton says, “Kelsey was born and raised in Sparta, so it was a lovely nod from the heavens.” The couple met at Georgetown, and now live in Manhattan where Kelsey is a physician practicing Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital and Clayton is a Vice President of Finance and Sales at a technology startup. (See Wedding Album)
Steve Popper is the principal at Democracy Prep Harlem High School, a charter school in Manhattan on West 120th Street where the motto is ‘Work Hard. Go to College. Change the World!’ Jim Stenger and Ashley Mayrisch were married on June 18, 2016 at The Willard Intercontinental in
Chris Melcher and Jessica Pitcher were married on January 7, 2017 in Dublin, Ireland. (See Wedding Album)
2009 On November 30, 2016, Matthew Mead was a speaker at the inaugural TEDx Sun Valley Conference. His talk, “Building a Better World,” and was chosen as one of three presentations to be featured on the official TEDx YouTube channel. Matt recently was appointed by Mayor Nina Jones to be a Commissioner on the Ketchum, ID Planning and Zoning Committee and is the youngest Commissioner on the committee.
2011 Peter Godart graduated from MIT with a double major in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering while pursuing an active semi-professional career as a jazz pianist. He is currently a roboticist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working on the Mars rovers, novel power systems for Europa landers, and multi-limbed robots. Next year, he returns to MIT to pursue a
(Continued on page 109)
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The Wedding Album
Michael McGuire ’06 and Elizabeth Hansen were married in Chicago at Holy Name Cathedral on July 30, 2016 surrounded by Delbarton friends. From left are Rik Dugan; former Delbarton teacher and coach, Bob McGuire P’06, ’13, former Delbarton Major Gifts Officer, Chris McGuire ‘13, Elizabeth and Mike McGuire ‘06, Steve Popper ‘06, Lt. Mark Van Orden, ‘06, USN and Tom McCarthy ‘06.
Jason Sayanlar, MD ‘01 and Tori Hornstein were married in Washington, DC on August 22, 2016 with Delbarton friends in attendance. From left are Daniel Tyrrell ‘01, Matthew Tully ‘01, Tori and Jason Sayanlar ‘01, Daniel Jackson ‘01 and Ryan Bell ‘01.
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The Wedding Album
Clayton Kossl ’07 and Kelsey Murphy were married in St. Mary’s Abbey Church on August 27, 2016 in a ceremony officiated by Fr. Hilary O’Leary, OSB. Clayton’s classmate Peter Iovanella ’07 was a groomsman. Coincidentally, Delbarton football played Sparta High School at home that day. Clayton says, “Kelsey was born and raised in Sparta, so it was a lovely nod from the heavens.”
Brian Shiver ’03 married Whitney Martin on June 4, 2016 at The Talmadge Hill Community Church in New Canaan, CT. See page 114 for a picture of the many Delbarton friends who celebrated with the couple.
David Ahlborn ’07 and Julia Rooney were married on July 30, 2016 in Long Island City, NY.
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Chris Melcher ’07 and Jessica Pitcher were married on January 7, 2017 in Dublin, Ireland. In the photo, Sean Melcher ‘07 stands next to his twin brother.
Jim Stenger ’06 and Ashley Mayrisch were married on June 18, 2016 at The Willard Intercontinental in Washington, D.C. Front row from left Dan Caputo ‘06, Steve Hardin ‘06, Ashley Stenger, Jim Stenger ’06 and Ted Stenger ‘10. Back row from left Matt Bashaw ‘06, Mickey Swift ‘06, Jimmy Rosen ‘06, Charlie Ellinwood ’06 and Jeff Leone ‘06.
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The Wedding Album
Cameron Anglum '05 and Lauren Gentzler were married on October 29, 2016 at Stotesbury Mansion in Philadelphia. With the couple are, from left, Joseph Pawelczyk '05, Michael Chamberlain '05, the groom's brother Brad Anglum '09 and Charles Helmstetter '05.
Class Notes:
(Continued from page 105)
doctorate in mechanical engineering.
2012 John Russell graduated from Williams as a Physics major in 2016 and is off to Harvard to do a PhD in Applied Physics. He took this year off to tutor and ski out west.
2013 Thomas Hartke, who graduated from Princeton, is starting work on a PhD at MIT next year.
2015-2016 Annual Report Corrections Our Annual Report lists are prepared with great care. However, despite our sincere efforts to avoid inaccuracies, the following errors and omissions occurred in the 2015-2016 Annual Report for Delbarton’s fiscal year which ran from July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016.
Donors by Club Abbot’s Council —$25,000 and up
Mr. and Mrs. David E. Collins Mr. and Mrs. Patrick D. Collins ’81 Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Collins ’86 Mr. and Mrs. Alfred McKeon
Honor and Memorial Gifts In Memory of Michael M. Lacz ’94 Mr. and Mrs. James G. Petrucci ’82 In Memory of Dr. Roy L. Horton Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Cox ’03
Longtime Donors 10+ Years Mr. and Mrs. Alfred McKeon Mr. W. Michael Murphy, Jr. ’67
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Campaign Update
Trinity Hall Campaign Makes Progress Thanks to the generosity of the Delbarton community, the major renovation to Trinity Hall, which began in 2015, stays on schedule. The work planned for summer 2017 will mirror the work done last summer on the south half of Trinity. The plans call for a complete modernization of all classrooms and administrative offices on the second and third floors in the northern half of the building. In addition, significant changes will be made to Valentine Library. Within the current library space, new offices will be created for the nurse, the Assistant Headmaster and for Campus Ministry, including a new chapel. The work in the existing library will also prepare that space to serve as the Student Commons once the new Learning Commons is built. Since 1959, Trinity Hall has served as the academic hub of the School. It plays a central role
in the life of every student, both inside and outside the classroom. The improvements to Trinity Hall significantly enhance the faculty’s ability to facilitate the curricular and co-curricular excellence that distinguish the Delbarton experience. Once it is completed, Trinity Hall will more closely reflect the same level of excellence exemplified by the programs that take place within it. For more details about the planned improvements to Trinity Hall, as well as the exciting progress made to date, please visit www.delbarton.org/trinityhallcampaign. Contact Capital Campaign Director Pat Collins ’81 (PCollins@delbarton.org) or Associate Director Matt Campbell ’08 (MCampbell@delbarton.org) to learn more about how you can help. The Trinity Hall project is a central component of a larger campaign that includes the School’s endowment as well as capital projects and endowment for St. Mary’s Abbey.
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Alumni Mothers Lunch with Fr. Beatus On November 30, former Delbarton mothers gathered for an early Christmas lunch with Fr. Beatus Lucey, OSB. From left, Valerie Conroy P’87,’90,’98, GP ’15, Fr. Beatus Lucey, OSB and Nancy Paris, ’82, GP ’13,’15,’19; Back, from left, Maggie Walsh P’82,’89, Amelia Doherty P’84, Betty Gilfillan P’81,’84,’82,’86,’88, GP ’14,’18,’19, Jean Mericsko P’01, Marie Stanton P’84 and Ingrid Kelly P’83,’86.
Chris Whelan Paul Ventimiglia 05’s Battlebot Robot Action Figure “The killer robot I designed and built is getting its own action figure!” is not a sentence most people will ever get to say, unless you are Paul Ventimiglia ’05. As owner and lead mechanical designer of Aptyx Designs, Paul is the creator of Bite Force, the Battlebots Season One-winning machine. Paul hopes that miniature toy versions of his robot will inspire kids to follow in his engineering footsteps.
On November 9, Christopher Whelan ’06 was awarded with a Trumbauer Award by The Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (Philadelphia Chapter) for his graduate thesis on the re-development of “America’s Most Historic Square Mile” Independence Mall. Christopher currently works as an architect for G. P. Schafer in Manhattan.
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On October 16, Green Wave Soccer alums at Holy Cross and Colgate battled at Holy Cross in Worcester, MA to a very competitive 1-1 double OT draw. From left are Matt Villano ‘13, Jared Stroud ‘14 and Tyler Bell ‘15.
Wade Morgan ’11 at Delbarton On November 18, former Green Wave/Stanford basketball player Wade Morgan ‘11 was in the gym watching the DAP 3 on 3 basketball fundraiser. The next night, Wade spoke to parents at the annual Fathers & Friends Dinner Dance.
Friends Meet at Hopkins Game In the crowd at Johns Hopkins’ last 2016 regular season game on November 12 were, from left, Ian Lodge ‘15, Jonah Lyons ‘17, Kyle Higgins ‘15 and Mike Lodge ‘18.
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Jack Lynch ’14 in India Last fall, Jack Lynch ‘14, a Georgetown junior, was studying in Pune, India for the semester. Here he is in the Himalayas, where he hiked with friends during a travel week.
Niyi Odewade ’13 Wins Awards at Amherst Congratulations to Delbarton alum Niyi Odewade ’13, Amherst College November Student-Athlete of the Month. Each month the Athletics Department recognizes not only a student-athlete’s athletic accomplishments, but also his/her academic and community successes throughout the year. In April, the senior defensive lineman was named the Desmond “Tuss” McLaughry Award winner which is presented to the top Western Massachusetts collegiate student-athlete. He received the award on April 9 at the National Football Foundation’s annual awards banquet at the UMass Campus Center Auditorium.
Alumni at Nets Game On December 14, classmates Brian Hathaway ‘90, Michael Somerville ‘90, Bill Gilroy ’90 and JD Moriarty '90 took in the Brooklyn Nets v. LA Lakers game together a Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Moriarty later reported it was “a victory for the Nets and for the Green Wave!” Final score 107-97 Nets.
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Friends at Brian Shiver Wedding Brian Shiver ’03 married Whitney Martin on June 4, 2016 at The Talmadge Hill Community Church in New Canaan, CT. Pictured here are Wade Anthony ’03, Patrick Reilly ’03, Jimmy Crandell ’03, Doug Shiver ’06, Tyler Gaffney ’03, Chris Heimers ’03, Fred Krom ’03, Tim Vecchione ’03, Grant Cowherd ’03, Mark Hammitt ’03, Brian Shiver ’03, Larry Schillings P ’02, ’07, John Soden ’03, Greg Pasciucco ’03 and Mark Schillings ’02.
Sailing in the French West Indies In February, Delbarton alums Michael Murphy ‘67, Brian O’Keefe ‘67 and Jim Huebner ‘66 had a great time together sailing a catamaran around the French West Indies. Thanks for taking the flag along and sharing this great picture, guys!
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On the Road with Jim Gallombardo ’81 and the Green Wave In November, Jim Gallombardo ’81 and Ken Gomulka '81 shared their love of a good cigar at Big Smoke, a conference for cigar aficionados in Las Vegas. Jim also packed his flag for a business trip to India where he celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, 2017 at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangalore. In April, he had the good fortune to attend The 2017 Masters Tournament, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA. Jim was joined by fellow alum Ryan Luckey ’92 for the first of golf’s four major championships to be held in 2017.
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Collegiate Lax
Three Green Wave Lacrosse alumni, Michael Bicknese ‘13, Conor Mackie ’14 and JJ McBride ’14, met on the field after the UPenn v. Yale game in Philadelphia on April 1. Final score: 14-12, Yale.
After the Hamilton v. Amherst game on March 25 played in Clinton, NY Suzanne Schisler P’13 took this photo of son John Schisler, ‘13, center, Matt Killian, ‘13, left, and Andrew Ford ’15. Final score: 17-9, Amherst.
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Kenny Agostino Named American Hockey League MVP In April, the American Hockey League announced that Chicago Wolves left wing and former Yale star Kenny Agostino ’10 won the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s Most Valuable Player for the 201617 season. A third-year professional, Agostino has spent the majority of the season leading the AHL in scoring by a substantial margin. With 24 goals and 59 assists for 83 points entering the final two days of the regular season, he holds a 16-point lead on the league’s No. 2 scorer. He also leads the AHL in assists by 11 helpers. “I’m very honored to receive this award,” Agostino said. “I’ve been the beneficiary of playing with great players and for an unbelievable coaching staff.”
NHL Intra-League Tourney
The former Yale University standout is enjoying a breakout season, surpassing his previous offensive career benchmarks for points (57), goals (23) and assists (34). Agostino also has logged a personal-best +24 plus/minus rating that ranks eighth in the league.
On April 10, three alums turned up on the same team at the NHL intra-league tournament. From left are Patrick Ryan ’03 (Manager, Partnership Marketing), George Parros ‘98 (Director - Player Safety), and Mike Callanan ’87 (Senior Director, Integrated Marketing).
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Robert Blake’s Victor and Hugo is Released On February 26, author illustrator Robert Blake ’71 hosted a release party to introduce his latest children’s book, Victor and Hugo. Paris’s Seine is the backdrop for a street performer and his talented dogs. Victor is a terrier who does backflips within the bicycle basket. Hugo, a hound, balances on a stack of gaily decorated boxes. The Maestro presides at the accordion, but when the animals and musician sound out their names, the instrument echoes their syllables without being played. Check out our talented alum’s exuberant romp through the City of Light.
He Wears the Green Wave Well…and Early Connor Ryan Terzis, son of Cory and Nicole Terzis, entered the world in Manhattan on October 31, 2016 and was soon swaddled in the Delbarton colors by his loyal dad.
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Ian Sullivan ’14 Leads at Dartmouth Former Delbarton Student Body President Ian Sullivan ’14, on right with his Vice President Matthew Ferguson, was recently elected Student Body President at Dartmouth College where he participates on the club Rugby team, the Relay for Life club, and the Aquinas House Catholic community on campus. Ian credits several of his Green Wave brothers, Shawn Ohazuruike ‘16 and John Beute ‘16, with helping him through ‘very tight election’.
DELBARTON
Yesterday By Fr. Benet Caffrey OSB
Wilfrid Sheed at Delbarton Delbarton students and faculty in 1942 – 1943. Wilfrid Sheed is in the front row, third from right.
W
SHEED was born in London in 1930, to the Australian, Frank Sheed, and Masie Ward, the descendent of a notable English Catholic family. Both were noted lecturers, street-corner style Catholic apologists, and the founders of the prominent English Catholic publishing house, Sheed and Ward. The family moved to the United States in 1940 early in World War II, to establish the American branch of Sheed and Ward, and to escape the Nazi Blitzkrieg. ILFRID
The Sheed family first took up residence in Torresdale, Pennsylvania before moving to New York City. But in 1941 Wilfrid was sent to the infant Delbarton School, in its third year, and his eleventh.
St. Mary's Abbey/Delbarton Archives
Young Wilfrid followed the Sheed family vocation and quickly became
editor of the school newspaper, the Courier, as he reports on page one of his first issue, December 18, 1942: My conscience calls me to tell the history of the Courier. Early in October, [Edward] Cortner and I, at the suggestion of the Headmaster, [Father Stephen] decided to found a school paper. The decision remained unfulfilled, however, until, as Wilfrid goes on to say: Then came the month of surprises (December). Father Mark [Confroy] led us on, and so we will proceed to lead you off. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! Vale. There follows a nine-page mimeographed collection of such articles as “The Christmas Party,” by John Walsh, a quotation from Pope
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DELBARTON Yesterday
From left to right: The eighth grade with faculty in 1942-43. Young Wilfrid is fourth from right. Chapter Hall Residents in 1945. with Fr. Felix Pepin on right. In October, 1944 Wilfrid contracted polio. The Courier reports Wilfrid’s removal by ambulance to the hospital and the three-week quarantine of the school. Subsequent Couriers list Wilfrid as Honorary Editor, but he never returned to Delbarton.
Pius XII, “The First Christmas,” by Frank Petrozzo, “Dear Santa Clause,” by James Walsh, “The War and Christmas,” by Wilfrid Sheed, “Inquiring Reporter,” by William Torppey, “Sports,” by Wilfrid Sheed, “Would Ye Feed the Stranger,” by Edward Cortner, “Advent and Christmas,” by Wilfrid Sheed. While Wilfrid had spoken of “founding” a school newspaper, he must have been aware that the Courier had already existed in some form or other for two years, for his first issue calls itself volume three. This has been something of a mystery, as no remnants of the first two volumes can be found in school archives. But recently, a clipping from a local paper from the fall of 1940 came to light. It announced the creation of an initially unnamed Delbarton School newspaper under the leadership of Father Jeremiah Ahern, OSB, with editors, William Cannon, John O’Hara, and Lou Introcaso. The first issue, a single mimeographed sheet, was dubbed
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“It”, but subsequent issues adopted the title, the Courier, “owing to the historical background of the location of the school.” Under Sheed’s leadership, issues of Courier volume three followed, concluding with the Commencement issue in which Wilfrid, now graduating from the eighth grade, was lauded as the best student, and most likely to succeed. A career in literature was prophetically foreseen for him. Wilfrid Sheed continued as Editor-in-Chief of the Courier. Wilfrid Sheed’s name appeared in the Courier once again in February 1961 under the headline “Alumnus Writes Novel,” A Middle Class Education. His Delbarton interviewers, Douglas Robey and Daryl Russell, reported that Mr. Sheed had happy memories of Delbarton and recounted the idiosyncrasies of various faculty members which, unfortunately, they chose not share with their readers. Mr. Sheed, who died in 2011 at the age of 80, became well-known as a
witty and satirical author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction. In several of the later, he recalled his life at Delbarton. For example, in Frank and Masie, a Memoir with Parents, and in the later, My Life as a Fan, Sheed recalls being “shunted off to an eccentric Benedictine school…the kind of place that runs small ads between the dubious military schools…” His opinion of the “mad monks” who were surprised to find themselves teachers, and of his fellow students, were less than flattering: “… a priory trying to be a school.” He allowed that the scenery was breathtaking, and that “that flaky gaggle of boys and Benedictines…were … to prove invaluable guides to my new country.” “Delbarton had given me everything but an education.” But he experienced “much more pleasure than pain.” Despite the accusations of fellow students that Sheed was personally responsible for the Irish Potato Famine, and the jokes about his
DELBARTON Yesterday
Author, essayist Wilfrid Sheed in 1979. He settled in Sag Harbor, NY where he passed away in 2011.
funny name, he became best friends with Jack Walsh who invited him to “Castle Walsh” in Elizabeth, where he marveled at a modern American home. His growing taste for American ways included a love of sports, and a passion for the quintessentially American game of baseball. His “baseball Mitzvah” took place in 1941 at Shibe Park, Philadelphia in a game between the Philadelphia Athletics, and the St. Louis Browns, the worst teams in the American League, but no matter. Back at Delbarton in the fall, Wilfrid encountered a kindred spirit in Father Anthony Foley. Together they huddled around the radio listening to baseball as if members of a secret cult. Wilfrid rejoiced to meet another kindred baseball “nut” in Father Felix Pepin, OSB, a monk on loan from St. Anslem Abbey in New Hampshire, who taught and coached at Delbarton for ten years starting in 1943. Fr. Felix also shared his radio,
and took boys to the “high temple of swat,” Yankee Stadium, which Wilfrid revered, although an ardent Brooklyn Dodger fan. Wilfrid recalls playing for endless hours on improvised diamonds in Riverside Park in New York City in the summer of 1944. But back at Delbarton in October Wilfrid contracted the dreaded polio. The Courier reports Wilfrid’s removal by ambulance to the hospital and the three-week quarantine of the school. Subsequent issues of the paper list Wilfrid as Honorary Editor, but he never returned to Delbarton.
College, Oxford University, a return to his adopted homeland the United States, and a long and acclaimed career in literature, as had been predicted by the Courier in 1943. For most of his writing life, Sheed lived in the coastal village of Sag Harbor, New York. He passed away in 2011, survived by his second wife Miriam Ungerer, a food writer, two stepdaughters and three children from his first marriage.
With the end of World War II in 1945, Wilfrid returned to England and spent an unhappy year at the Downside Abbey School, “far from the Roxy and Yankee Stadium,” as he sorrowfully observed. There followed a BA and MA earned at Lincoln
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