St. Joseph High School (Metuchen, New Jersey)

St. Joseph High School, also known as St. Joe's, is an independent, all-boys Roman Catholic college preparatory school located on a 70-acre (280,000 m²) site in Metuchen and Edison, New Jersey.^[5] It draws students from a wide geographic area encompassing over forty school districts and over seventy grammar schools in Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties, as well as other outlying areas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1968.^[3]

St. Joseph is operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, who have been active in American education since their arrival from Lyon, France in 1847. From 1901 to 1961, St. Joseph's served as a center for training and educating Brothers prior to their apostolate. The main school building was dedicated in the spring of 1963.^[5]

There are both lay and religious teachers. As of the 2013-14 school year, the school had an enrollment of 705 students and 53.3 faculty members (on an FTE basis), resulting in a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1.^[2]

History

Move to Metuchen

Brothers Stanislaus Florent and Philip Lindner moved into a three-story roadhouse in 1902 with the intention of setting up a training center for novices. Their funds were limited and finding willing recruits for the novitiate proved to be difficult as few people had heard of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. However, by the start of the first session in November 1902 there were ten postulants.

The arrival of the additional personnel fueled support for the construction of a new building that could serve as both a dormitory and classroom. However, in June 1903, a fire destroyed St Stanislaus College and with it the hopes for the new building.

The Brothers could afford to make only patchwork repairs and they had to assume the roles of blacksmiths and carpenters in order to repair damaged farm equipment and property. They also had to instigate cost-cutting measures, one of which involved the heating of the various buildings. Coal was used only to heat the main building, while stoves in the other buildings were fueled by railroad ties. The novices had to transport and handsaw the ties during their leisure time.

The greatest asset to the novitiate was the farm. The community could afford only things such as meat, bread, coffee and sugar. The rest had to be grown. The novices and postulants worked on the farm both in their free time and on scheduled work rotations. A common recreational activity of the residents was fishing on nearby Woodburn Pond.

Education of novices

The arrival of sixteen novices from France caused overcrowding. Due to the community's budget constraints, they were forced to improve on their facilities in piecemeal fashion.

The first true expansion of the novitiate occurred in 1907 when the main house was renovated. It was determined that a new chapel was needed in order to handle the number of inhabitants. A new building would have been too expensive and so it was decided to add a new wing. Three years later, the main house underwent another refurbishment. The top floor was refitted as a dormitory, while dining and recreation rooms were added to the lower level. Outside, the carriage house that held the novices was moved and a small cottage was placed adjacent to the main building.

Not all the changes were strictly practical. The community was concerned about the appearance of the grounds and after the addition of the new wing in 1907, a marble statue of Saint Joseph, weighing 1,400 lb (640 kg), was installed in front of the building.

The community expands

During the early 1920s, various fund-raising events provided the necessary capital to begin construction of a proper chapel. This was formally opened in 1922. At the dedication ceremony, the Bishop of Trenton, Thomas J. Walsh, asked the Brothers to take control of the Cathedral High School in Trenton.

In 1924 construction of what is now known as O’Neil Hall was completed. The building, designed by the same architect who had created the chapel, provided recreation rooms, kitchens and dining rooms, science labs, several classrooms and a large dormitory.

In 1951, a proposal was made to move the novitiate to Blairstown but failed due to lack of funding. Ten years later, the novitiate moved to Belvidere. This resolved the problem of overcrowding and enabled the separation of the novitiate from the postulant programs, as had been originally envisaged by the Province.

Founding of the high school

With the newfound space, the Brothers decided to establish a high school and in the fall of 1961 admitted 150 ninth grade students. A high school grew out of the old postulant program, which had existed for some time. The building was constructed on the land occupied by Brother Fabian’s vineyard that had been planted about sixty years before. The building was completed in 1963 at a cost of US$1 million.

The school soon developed high academic standards. The class of 1965 had two national merit scholarship semi-finalists, the first of many students in this category.

Student life

Athletics

The St. Joseph High School Falcons compete in the White Division of the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC), comprising 32 public and private high schools located in the greater Middlesex County area, operating under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.^[6] The school fields teams from freshmen through varsity levels in various sports including football, cross country, soccer, basketball, bowling, ice hockey, swimming, winter track, baseball, golf, lacrosse, spring track, crew, tennis and volleyball. Football was the most recent addition to sports at St. Joseph's, with varsity play beginning in the 2010 season, with the team playing independently in 2011 and beginning play in the GMC White Division in 2012.^[7]

In 1963, St Joseph's established their first varsity teams, these being in track, basketball and baseball. A varsity soccer team was set up in the following year. St. Joseph's soccer team has won seven NJSIAA state championships, winning the Non-Public A state title in 1964, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1978, 1988 and 1994.^[8]

The swimming team was formed in 1968. St. Joseph has won 22 state swimming championships: in 1980–91, 1993–97, 1999, 2002–04 and 2006, as well as winning 37 consecutive Greater Middlesex Conference championships in total.^[9] The school has also won state titles in basketball, cross country, curling, winter and spring track, soccer, tennis, lacrosse and volleyball.

The varsity volleyball program has brought home three state championships in 2002, 2006, and 2008.^[10] The team has also won four sectional state championships in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011.

The varsity basketball team captured their first Tournament of Champions title in 2014, beating Newark East Side 49-47 in the championship game. The team has won the Non-Public South A six times (1992, 1998, 1999, 2012, 2013 and 2014) and the overall Non-Public A title three times (2012, 2013 and 2014).^[11]

Although no longer offered, the school once had a competitive gymnastics program, winning state championships in 1992 and 1993. Other sports no longer played are water polo and wrestling.

The St. Joseph athletes are supported by their student fan section, commonly known as the "Falcon Flock."^[12]

In March 2015 the school began construction on a new football stadium and track and field facility that is expected to be completed later in the year.

Publications

The Falcon

The student body publishes a newspaper, The Falcon. The Falcon is entirely student run. Published monthly, the newspaper seeks to inform the student body of important events transpiring in the St. Joe’s community.^[13] The Falcon has often been recognized by the American Scholastic Press Association for first place among high school newspapers in its national contest, including four consecutive awards from 2005-2008.^[14] Long considered to be a branch of the administration's marketing and recruiting plans, The Falcon took a significant step in Fall 2009 toward student-interest stories and articles that were occasionally critical of administrative policies.^[15] Frequent segments include "Brother Mike's Movie Review," student columns, and a sports section.^[16]

The Vignette

The school publishes a yearly literary magazine. In 1963, The Falcon, had a literary contest and published their winners in a special edition. This contest continued to be held under the auspices of the newspaper until it grew into the current school literary magazine, The Vignette, which has since won various awards and received national recognition. Another product of the arts program was the Drama Club, established in 1963 with its first production, Stalag 17.

Extracurricular achievements

On February 29, 2012 the 2011-2012 College Bowl team traveled to Manhattan to compete in MSG Varsity's annual show The Challenge.^[17][18] The Challenge, hosted by Jared Cotter, showcases the best and brightest high school students from 192 tri-state area high schools^[19] testing competing teams on their knowledge of history, arts and literature, current events, math, and science in front of a live studio audience.^[20] St. Joes won its first two matches against DePaul Catholic and Howell Township to advance to the state quarterfinals on March 15, 2012. On the final day of competition, St. Joseph High School defeated three teams, (Chatham High School, Torah Academy of Bergen County, and Mountain Lakes), all in close matches, to win its 2nd straight New Jersey Challenge State Championship.^[21] As New Jersey champions, St. Joseph received $2,500.^[22] Although they were able to advance to the tri-state championship, St. Joseph High School did not emerge victorious.^[23]

The Saint Joseph History Bowl team competed at the National History Bowl championships in Alexandria, VA in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, finishing in 3rd, 5th, 5th, and 9th places respectively. Individually competing in the National History Bee in 2012, Senior Alex Frey of Dunellen, NJ won the national championship, going on to win the international championship as well, and Sophomore Jack Mehr finished in the top ten of the Junior Varsity competition. The following year, Mehr and another player were semifinalists in the Varsity and Junior Varsity divisions respectively.

In 1999 and 2000, the school's chess team was the New Jersey high school team champion, winning the Father Casimir J. Finley Trophy.^[24]

Controversy

On June 21, 2015, Brother John Spalding (74 at the time), an ex-history teacher and brother of the school, was charged with maintaining child pornography on a computer at the school. Spalding was charged with one count of possessing child pornography following a search of his computer by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.^[25] Spalding was also accused of endangering the welfare of a child, and was released on $75,000 bail.^[26]

Notable alumni

• R. J. Allen (born 1990, class of 2008), professional soccer player who has played as a defender for New York City FC in Major League Soccer.^[27]
• Wade Baldwin IV (born 1996), professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Drafted 17th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
• Jon Bon Jovi (born 1962), musician, actor and lead singer of the band Bon Jovi, attended for two years before transferring.^[28]
• Andrew Bynum (born 1987, Class of 2005), basketball player drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.^[29]
• John Carlson (born 1990, Class of 2008), professional ice hockey defenseman for the Washington Capitals, drafted in the 1st round (27th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.^[30]
• Jim McGreevey (born 1957, Class of 1975), former Governor of New Jersey.^[31]
• John Nosta, critical thinker with a background in science and marketing, most notable for his work in the field of digital health.^[32]
• Karl-Anthony Towns (born 1995, Class of 2014), basketball player named to the Dominican Republic national basketball team Olympic squad as a 16-year-old. Former Kentucky Wildcat basketball player, and number one overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.^[33]
• Jay Williams (born 1981, Class of 1999), McDonalds All-American, Duke University guard, two time All-American and 2002 NBA Draft #2 pick of the Chicago Bulls, ESPN college basketball analyst.^[34]
• Garry Witts (born 1959; Class of 1977), retired professional basketball player for the NBA's Washington Bullets.^[35]

References

External links

• Official website
• Brothers of the Sacred Heart
• Data for St. Joseph High School, National Center for Education Statistics
• St. Joe's HighSchoolSports.net Page

Public and Private High Schools of Middlesex County, New Jersey
Public	Academy for Urban Leadership Allied Health Carteret Colonia Dunellen East Brunswick Edison Highland Park John F. Kennedy Metuchen Middlesex Middlesex Academy Edison Middlesex Academy Woodbridge Middlesex Tech East Brunswick Middlesex Tech Perth Amboy Middlesex Tech Piscataway Monroe New Brunswick New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School North Brunswick Old Bridge Perth Amboy Piscataway Sayreville South Amboy South Brunswick South Plainfield South River Spotswood J.P. Stevens West Windsor-Plainsboro North Woodbridge
Private	Al-Minhaal Bishop Ahr Cardinal McCarrick Noor-Ul-Iman St. Joseph Timothy Christian Wardlaw-Hartridge
by county Atlantic Bergen Burlington Camden Cape May Cumberland Essex Gloucester Hudson Hunterdon Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Ocean Passaic Salem Somerset Sussex Union Warren

Diocese of Metuchen
Ordinaries	Bishops Theodore Edgar McCarrick Edward Thomas Hughes Vincent DePaul Breen Paul Gregory Bootkoski James F. Checchio
Churches	Cathedral St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen Parishes St. James Catholic Church, Woodbridge St. Mary's Church, South River Borough
Education	Seminary Saint Joseph's Seminary (defunct) High schools Bishop George Ahr High School, Edison Cardinal McCarrick High School, South Amboy Immaculata High School, Somerville Mount St. Mary Academy, Watchung St. Joseph High School, Metuchen
Other	Hospital, sponsored Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick
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