Essex Catholic High School
Address
135 Glenwood Avenue

East Orange
,
Essex County
,
New Jersey
Information
TypePrivate, All-Male
MottoAd Jesum Per Mariam
(To Jesus Through Mary)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1957
Closed2003
Grades9-12
Color(s)   Blue and Silver
Fight songOnward Essex
SportsFencing, Football, Basketball, Cross-Country, Track & Field, Soccer, Wrestling, Baseball, Hockey, Lacrosse, Tennis, Golf
MascotEagle
YearbookThe Talon

Essex Catholic Boys High School (formally known as Bishop Francis Essex Catholic High School after 2000) was a four-year Catholic high school located in Newark and East Orange, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The high school opened in 1957.[1] It was run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers and sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until its closure in 2003.

History

The school's original location was at 300 Broadway in Newark. In fall 1980, the all-male school was moved to East Orange, where it took over the location of the closed all-girl's East Orange Catholic High School. It remained open at that location until June 2003 when it closed due to a lack of enrollment. Concurrent with ECHS's move to East Orange, the Archdiocese created Essex Catholic Girls High School, an all-girls Catholic high school at the former location of Archbishop Walsh Catholic High School in Irvington.[2]

The school was supported in its early years by the efforts of the Most Reverend Thomas A. Boland, the Archbishop of Newark. In 2003, Archbishop John J. Myers agreed to close the school when the student enrollment hit a record low of 267 students in its final year, down from more than 400 five years earlier.[1] At its peak, enrollment hovered around 3,500. In 2000, ECHS was renamed Bishop Francis Essex Catholic High School.

The area surrounding the original location went into a sharp decline following the 1967 Newark riots. The situation was further complicated by an increase in tuition in the spring of 1970 that doubled the $300 annual cost to $600 per student. The tuition increase was phased in over a period of three school years. The Class of 1971 went from $300.00 in 1970 to $400.00 in 1971. The Class of 1972 went from $300.00 in 1970 to $500.00 in 1971 and the Classes of 1973 and beyond were charged the full $600.00.

The school's 300 Broadway location is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and had been built in 1927 as the corporate headquarters of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company. The Archdiocese sold the building to a private group, which later opened a nursing facility at the location.

Following the formal closing of the school in 2003, a small group of alumni and supporters attempted to reopen a "new" Essex Catholic High School at a different location. That plan never came to fruition.

Since its closing in 2003, ECHS has maintained an active alumni association, Essex Catholic High School Foundation, Inc. Since 1982, this group has held the annual Alumni Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction, which typically attracts more than 200 alumni, faculty, family and friends. The Foundation awards scholarships to children and grandchildren of alumni. The Foundation also runs other annual fundraising events, among them the 300 Broadway Reception & Tour at the school's original location, an Alumni Golf Outing, and an All-Alumni Reunion at McGovern's Tavern in Newark, N.J. The Foundation also supports Christ the King Preparatory School, a Catholic high school in the Cristo Rey Network, located at the former Our Lady of Good Counsel High School building in Newark. Proceeds from the 300 Broadway Reception & Tour and Alumni Golf Outing go directly to CTK Prep.

Athletics

The boys cross country team won the Non-Public A state championship in 1963-1967 and 1971.[3]

The boys track team won the Non-Public indoor state championship in 1964, 1966, 1968, 1972, 1974-1976, and won the Non-Public A title in 1979. The 8 state titles are tied for seventh in New Jersey.[4]

Essex Catholic had a successful fencing program under the coaching talent of Dr. Sam D'Ambola. The fencing team won the state championship from 1965-1971 (as co-winner in 1969 with Barringer High School), 1974, 1987 and 1988. The 10 team titles won ranks second-most of all schools in New Jersey, while the 15 individual titles are also the second-most statewide.[5] Essex Catholic dominated the Dr. Gerald I. Cetrulo Memorial Tournament, winning this competition ten times: 1963, 1965 to 1971, 1974, and 1987.[6] For two decades, Essexmen have won state titles. The Following Essex Catholic fencers have won New Jersey state individual championship titles, listing the year and the fencer- State foil title: 1965 Walter Krause, 1967 Wayne Krause, 1968 Steve Sisa, 1970 Phil Accaria, 1971 Jim Rodgers, and 1975 Brian McIntee. The state sabre title: 1965 John Lina, 1968 Bruce Soriano, 1969 Phil Reilly, 1970 Peter Westbrook, 1973 Mike Benedek, 1974 Don Krantle, 1983 Tim Byrne, and 1987 Chris Baguer.[7] Two alumni fenced at the Olympic level in 1984: Philip Reilly and Peter Westbrook (five time Olympian and 1984 bronze), and three NCAA national champions: Walter Krause (NYU) Foil 1970; Bruce Soriano (Columbia) Sabre 1970,'71,'72; Peter Westbrook (NYU) Sabre 1973.[8]

The boys track team won the Non-Public A spring / outdoor track state championship in 1965, 1966, 1971, 1972 (co-champion) and 1975, and won the Non-Public B title in 2003.[9]

The baseball team won the Non-Public A North state championship in 1966 and won the Non-Public A state title in 1976, defeating Saint Anthony High School (since renamed Trenton Catholic Academy) in the tournament final.[10] The 1976 team won the Parochial A state title with a 2-1 win against St. Anthony of Trenton, finishing the season at 25-5-1.[11]

The boys track team won the Non-Public indoor relay championship in 1966, 1975 (as co-champion) and 1976, and won the Non-Public A title in 1979.[12]

The boys tennis team won the Non-Public state championship in 1967 and 1968, defeating runner-up Christian Brothers Academy both years in the final match of the tournament.[13]

The basketball team won the Non-Public A state championship in 1974 (defeating Camden Catholic High School in the tournament final), 1975 (vs. Paul VI High School) and 1977 (vs. Red Bank Catholic High School).[14] In 1965, senior John Suminski ended his high school career with over one thousand points in an 88-44 win against Mater Dei High School.[15] In the North Jersey Parochial final, coach Garvey's Eagles played against Don Bosco High School. In the end, the Essex Catholic cagers could not stay ahead of the Don Bosco squad in the closing minutes of the game and lost 66 to 65.[16] The team won the Non-Public A title in 1975 with a 74-56 win against Paul VI High School, to finish the season with a 27-1 record.[17]

The wrestling team won the Non-Public A North state sectional title in 1984 and 1985.[18]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "Newark Archdiocese to Close a High School", The New York Times, May 6, 2003. Accessed February 18, 2018.
  2. ↑ Our School, Essex Catholic Eagles. Accessed March 10, 2021.
  3. ↑ NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  4. ↑ NJSIAA Indoor Group Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  5. ↑ NJSIAA History of Boys Fencing Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  6. ↑ Dr. Gerald I. Cetrulo Memorial Fencing Tournament program Drew University 2019
  7. ↑ The Bolinger New Jersey State Fencing Championships 2007
  8. ↑ NCAA Fencing Championships
  9. ↑ NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  10. ↑ NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Eagles Split", Herald News, June 1, 1976. Accessed March 10, 2021. "Essex Catholic High School won its first Parochial A baseball state championship by edging St. Anthony's of Trenton, 2-1, Saturday.... Jim Clark fired a two-hitter to lead the Eagles, who finished their campaign with a 25-5-1 record, over defending champion St. Anthony's."
  12. ↑ History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  13. ↑ History of Boys Team Tennis Championship Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  14. ↑ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History Archived January 16, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  15. ↑ Essex Catholic Year Book Talon 1965
  16. ↑ Essex Catholic Year Book Talon '65
  17. ↑ "Essex Captures Jersey A Crown", The New York Times, March 24, 1975. Accessed September 30, 2020. "Essex Catholic High of Newark, trailing 35-31 at half-time, rallied to defeat Paul VI of Haddonfield, 74-56, and successfully defended its Parochial A championship today in the New Jersey high school basketball finals at Brookdale Community College. Essex, which finished with a 27-1 won-lost record, was led by Keith Bowman, who scored 10 of his 18 points in the last quarter."
  18. ↑ NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History Archived October 20, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  19. ↑ Adubato, Steve. "Public vs. Private; It’s more important than ever for families to have education options.", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed July 27, 2014. "I went to a neighborhood parochial grammar school for one year in order to attend Essex Catholic High School, an all-male institution that had maintained high academic standards despite being in one of the worst sections of the city."
  20. ↑ Gramlich, Barry. "Passaic Drops A Hammer On BC", The Record, October 3, 1993. Accessed October 23, 2007. "Turn back the calendar to 1971 when former Yankee Rick Cerone was the Essex Catholic quarterback against Bergen Catholic."
  21. ↑ Irish, Jim. "The Manhattan Project; Forty years ago, under brash young coaches Fred Dwyer and Frank Gagliano, tiny Manhattan College was at the top of the track world. Here’s how the school unexpectedly won the 1973 NCAA indoor championship.", Running Times, February 28, 2013. Accessed September 24, 2017. "He landed the top-ranked high school distance runners in the nation that year in Power Memorial’s Tony Colon, who ran 4:06.0 in the mile and Essex Catholic’s Mike Keogh, who notched an 8:54.0 in the 2 mile."
  22. ↑ Marty Liquori Archived September 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, USA Track & Field. Accessed July 27, 2014. "Education - high school: Essex Catholic (Newark, New Jersey), 1967"
  23. ↑ Bob Molinaro, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed April 28, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Prep Javelin Mark" Archived November 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, The Arizona Republic, June 1, 1967. Accessed December 1, 2014.
  25. ↑ Scott, David. "A 'Lost' Soccer Player Finds a Home", The Charlotte Observer, June 6, 1982. Accessed December 4, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "He was a freshman starter on Essex Catholic High's soccer team. Then he went on to play at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut."
  26. ↑ Edward R. Reilly, General Assembly of Maryland. Accessed July 27, 2014. "Essex Catholic High School, Newark, New Jersey, 1967"
  27. ↑ "'N.Y.' Saber Team A Cut Above", New York Daily News, July 27, 1984. Accessed September 30, 2020. "Westbrook and Reilly, both 32, fenced together on the great scholastic teams at Essex Catholic High School in Newark. Reilly, a Bloomfield, N.J., product, fences at the N.Y. Athletic Club and was a member of the world championship U.S. teams in 1978, '81 and '82 and the '79 and '83 Pan Am teams."
  28. ↑ Georgetown Basketball History: The Top 100 - 34. Steve Sullivan Archived October 5, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball. Accessed March 24, 2018. "Sullivan, who turned down 42 college offers to attend Georgetown, starred at the former Essex Catholic HS in East Orange NJ."
  29. ↑ Wadler, Joyce. "Public Lives; A Saber Rattler Teaching Sportsmanship", The New York Times, September 6, 2000. Accessed September 30, 2020. "He started fencing, at Essex Catholic High School, only because his mother bribed him with $5."
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