- Malvern Preparatory School
-
Malvern Preparatory School 
Veritas, Unitas and CaritasTruth, Unity and LoveAddress 418 South Warren Avenue
Malvern, Pennsylvania, (Chester County), 19355-2707
United StatesCoordinates 40°1′37″N 75°30′43″W / 40.02694°N 75.51194°WCoordinates: 40°1′37″N 75°30′43″W / 40.02694°N 75.51194°W Information Type Private, All-Male Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic;
Order of Saint AugustineEstablished 1842 Opened 1922 (present location) President James Stewart Head of school Rev. James Flynn, O.S.A. Grades 6-12 Enrollment 624 (2009) Average class size 18 Student to teacher ratio 8:1 Campus Suburban Campus size 103 acres (420,000 m2) Color(s) Navy Blue and Silver Slogan Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow Athletics conference Inter-Academic League Team name Friars Accreditation(s) Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1] Newspaper 'Black Friar Chronicle' Yearbook 'Malvernian' Tuition $23,550 (2008-09) Upper School Dean Steven Valyo Middle School Dean Ronald Algeo Dean of Students David Cambridge Admissions Dean William Gibson Athletic Director Kurt Ruch Website www.malvernprep.org Malvern Preparatory School, commonly referred to as Malvern Prep, is an independent Catholic middle and high school for boys located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. It was started and is still run by Order of Saint Augustine. Malvern Prep is a member of the Inter-Academic League which also includes Episcopal Academy, Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, The Haverford School, and Chestnut Hill Academy.
Contents
History
Malvern Prep was founded as a preparatory academy on the campus of Villanova University in 1842 at the Belle-Aire farm, which the Augustinian order purchased in January 1842. The academy was named "St. Nicholas of Tolentine Academy" in 1901.
In 1922, due to the expansion of Villanova's college program and increasing distinctions being made between the attendees of the academy and the college, it was decided to remove the academy from Villanova's campus. The Rosengarten family of Malvern sold a 143 acre (579,000 m²) part of its old farm between Warren Avenue and Paoli Pike to the Augustinians, and the academy became Malvern Preparatory School. The property included the site of the Paoli Massacre, a Revolutionary War battlefield that Malvern Prep owned until 2000, when it was purchased by the federal government. [1] Only two original buildings were suitable for classes and are still preserved; these are the original farmhouse (Austin Hall) and another farm building (the Friary, or Alber's Hall). Three new buildings were built in 1924 to house the need for more space. The first graduating class of Malvern Prep, who were almost all boarders, graduated in 1927.
Malvern Prep reached 200 students in 1953 and went through another construction phase, erecting six new buildings in the next eight years. Over the next twenty years, the number of boarders decreased, eventually to zero; the school is now entirely a day school. Malvern Prep is currently undergoing another construction phase, the main feature of which is a large building (the Rev. David Duffy Arts Center) that replaced the auditorium (Vasey Hall) and fine arts facilities in Tolentine Hall. The school has erected a new sports center (O'Neill Sports Center), dining hall (Stewart Hall, which is actually a previously existing building, Villanova Hall, that was recently renovated and renamed), and athletic fields in the last few years.
In 1956 Devon Preparatory School opened in Devon, PA. Throughout the years Malvern has consistently outscored Devon in terms of standardized testing, percentage of graduates attaining higher degrees and Malvern alumni earn an average of 18% more than graduates of Devon Prep.
The Augustinians in North America
The North American foundation of the order happened in 1796 when Irish friars arrived in Philadelphia. Michael Hurley was the first American to join the Order the following year. Friars established schools, a University and other works throughout the Americas, also including Villanova University in Philadelphia and Merrimack College. While this school was founded in 1842, by 1909 two Augustinian houses and a school had been established in Chicago, 1922 in San Diego, by 1925 a school in Ojai and Los Angeles; 1926 a school in Oklahoma; in 1947 Merrimack College; in 1953 a school in Pennsylvania; 1959 a school in New Jersey and in 1962 a school in Illinois.
Athletics
Malvern, a member of the Inter-Ac League, participates in sixteen varsity sports: Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Soccer, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Water Polo, Wrestling and Rugby (club rugby). Malvern competes for the Heyward Cup with five other schools: Germantown Academy, Haverford School, Chestnut Hill Academy, William Penn Charter, and Episcopal Academy. Malvern last won the Heyward Cup in the 2006-07 academic year.
Ice Hockey
Malvern's Ice Hockey team holds the most titles in the Varsity AAA Flyers Cup. Malvern won the Varsity AAA Flyers Cup five years in a row from 2001 to 2005 (8 total) and also in 1987, 1990, 1997. Malvern has also won the Pennsylvania Varsity AAA State Championship twice (1990 & 2004). Many of the players move on to play at Division I schools.
In 2012, Malvern is scheduled to play LaSalle College High School at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after the NHL Winter Classic there between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.
Rugby
Spring 2010
Malvern, started a rugby team in the spring of 2010 playing in the Brandywine district of EPRU. The team learned how to play the game under head coach Dennis Melesky and Assistant Wayne DiMarco. Soon the team was hitting the pitch and playing experienced teams. The team ended up going a very impressive 6-1 on the season.
Fall 2010
In the fall the Rugby team played 7s vs St. Joe's Prep at halftime of the Malvern vs. St. Joe's football game with Malvern coming out victorious 15-5.
Spring 2011
The Friars started out their season out on a good note beating St. Augustine's prep 41-24 in the first anual augustinian battle. The Friars then continued their winning streak finishing the season 7-0 (6-0 in divisional play) becoming the EPRU DIV 1 west Champions. The Friars then went on to take 3rd place in the Pennsylvania state tournament.
Lacrosse
In 2006, Malvern Prep's Lacrosse team, being coached by John McEvoy went on to win the Pennsylvania State Lacrosse Championship, and boasts three All-Americans. Also, Malvern Prep's baseball team finished off the season by winning the Pennsylvania Independent School's tournament. The baseball team could not win the State championship because the Inter-Ac league is not part of the PIAA. The six senior baseball players are all moving on to play at the next level in college. The Cross Country team has won the Inter-Ac Championships the past 5 years including a perfect 15 points in 2005 (placed 1st through 5th).
Rowing
In addition to being highly successful, Malvern's rowing team, under Coach Hoffman, has produced more Ivy League students than any other sport in the school's history.
In 2004, the varsity quad won its first SRA National title in addition to a USRowing National Youth Invitational Championship, Philadelphia City Championship, and a second place finish at the Sotesbury Cup. In the summer of 2004, the team elected to train together, and two of the members of its varsity quad, Pat Ryan and Justin Teti, went on to represent the United States at the Junior World Championships in Banyoles, Spain in the double event.
In 2005 the varsity quad won the Stotesbury Cup and repeated its victories at SRA Nationals and the USRowing Youth Invitational. Again the following summer, the team continued to train together and competed at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in England, where they advanced to the quarterfinals.
In 2007 the Malvern Varsity Quad won the triple crown, coming in first place at the Philadelphia City Championship, and again repeating victories at SRA Nationals and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. They also traveled overseas to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta, and the varsity quad made it to the quarterfinals of the Fawley Challenge Cup Event.
In 2008 the Varsity Quad of Brandon Hanna, Mike Rawlings, Mike Bohs, and Mike Donohue went undefeated, won at Philadelphia City Championship, SRA Nationals, Stotesbury Cup, USRowing Youth Nationals, and have made it to the semifinals of the Fawley Challenge Cup before losing. With their successes, they also were selected to represent the United States at the Can Am Mex cup.
Water Polo
Malvern Prep has an Upper School and also a Middle School water polo team. Malvern participates in the InterAcademic League and is one of the top teams in the league. The program was started by Coach Jay Schiller who currently coaches the Upper School Team. The Middle School team consists of boys from grades 6-8 and competes with teams in the InterAcademic league who participate in middle school water polo. In the 2010 season Episcopal Academy, Friends Central, Germantown Academy, Penn Charter, and The Haverford School were Malvern Prep's competitors.
Malvern In the News
Malvern has experienced its own scandals regarding accused pedophile priests. One, Richard J. Cochrane, pleaded no contest to charges of molesting at least one student; a second allegation was referenced in court but not prosecuted due to Statute of Limitations.[2][3] The lead detective and prosecutor of the case raised concerns alleging lack of cooperation by the faculty in the process. "With the crimes that went on here, you'd think these other priests - instead of backing him up - would be out here talking to us," said Lt. Anthony Fluegel of the Pocono Mountains Regional Police, who was a lead detective on the Cochrane case. "Instead, they stuck together and backed each other up. "There was not one priest from the order or the school that was willing to talk to us. They definitely circled the wagons."[4] Prosecuting attorney Sherri A. Stephan said the following: "I really had a hard time getting a feel for whether we were getting all the information [from the school]," Stephan said. "Anytime we tried to get information about other students, it never went anywhere." [5]A lawsuit involving an alleged new incident has recently been initiated in the Cochrane scandal.[6]Malvern also named a building after Fr. Charles Knapp, a former teacher, who has also been implicated in child abuse while he was alive due to exchanging letters discussing pedophilia activities and strategies with another pedophile priest, Fr. Joseph Gausch.[7][8][9] Malvern changed the name of the building once this fact was publicized in the Grand Jury Report into child abuse by clergy of the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
Notable alumni
Notable former teachers
References
- ^ MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools". http://www.css-msa.org/search.php/. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2003_01_08_Gelb_PriestPleads_Richard_Cochrane_4.htm
- ^ http://articles.philly.com/2003-01-15/news/25469151_1_sexual-misconduct-new-allegation-priest/2
- ^ http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2003_01_15_Brady_NewAbuse_John_Liggio_2.htm
- ^ http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2003_01_15_Brady_NewAbuse_John_Liggio_2.htm
- ^ http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7957180
- ^ http://articles.philly.com/1987-12-20/news/26204602_1_alternative-school-school-day-teachers-move
- ^ http://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2005_09_21_Philly_GrandJury/Philly_05_03_Gausch.pdf
- ^ http://www.american-buddha.com/auth.sexabuseclergy5.htm
External links
- Malvern Prep Rugby
- Malvern Preparatory School
- Malvern Prep Rowing Blog
- Malvern Prep Football
- MP Lacrosse Site
- Friarbot
- Order of St Augustine, International Homepage
- Augnet International Cooperative Web Site for Augustinian communities
- Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas at Brno
- Malvern Prep Ice Hockey
Notes and references
References
Categories:- Educational institutions established in 1842
- Roman Catholic secondary schools in Pennsylvania
- Augustinian schools
- High schools in Pennsylvania
- Private schools in Pennsylvania
- Boys' schools in the United States
- Schools in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
