Semi-OT: St. Anthony's will close

[RU4Real]

There doesn't seem to be any last minute deal to save the House That Hurley Built.

Regardless of your feelings about Hurleys, basketball or Catholic schools, this is a shame.

 

[RUInFlorida]

Very sad news.

 

[Plum Street]

That's sad . With all the successful alums like the hurley's and such I am surprised they couldn't raise the dough.

 

[ScarletKid2008]

That's sad . With all the successful alums like the hurley's and such I am surprised they couldn't raise the dough.

They've done it that way a few times already. But basically the model is broken and the donors are tapped out. Not financially but Hurley described it as "donor fatigue" .. when he kept asking the same people for money for the same problem, year after year.

 

[Plum Street]

They've done it that way a few times already. But basically the model is broken and the donors are tapped out. Not financially but Hurley described it as "donor fatigue" .. when he kept asking the same people for money for the same problem, year after year.

Ok gotcha. I really respected what Hurley accomplished there. Sadly the city catholic school is a dying breed in New Jersey.

 

[waretown]

Ok gotcha. I really respected what Hurley accomplished there. Sadly the city catholic school is a dying breed in New Jersey.

dark day in nj high school sports

 

[Mr_Twister]

Has no effect on Rutgers recruiting ... never did. One less pipeline that never was.

 

[ecojew]

Aside from its basketball team, did this school have anything special to offer to garden variety students who weren't recruited athletes? Assuming that the basketball players were all on some kind of scholarship, schools like that need to attract tuition paying students to fill their classes. With so many people seeking alternatives to the public schools in our cities, It's surprising that a school like St. Anthony's couldn't find ways to attract more paying students.

Not being from North Jersey, I'm not familiar with the actual schools behind the names I see here so often - Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco, Paterson Catholic, Roselle Catholic, a St. Joseph's or two, and others. Are some these not urban schools?

I guess we'll soon be seeing a thread about how RU should or should not hire the famous head bball coach at that school. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Thanks.

 

[[email protected]]

There doesn't seem to be any last minute deal to save the House That Hurley Built.

Regardless of your feelings about Hurleys, basketball or Catholic schools, this is a shame.

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school. I feel bad for graduates of St. Anthony's who will drive by, point to the buildings or whatever will be sitting on the location and think
"that's where I went to school"...

It's sad.

MO
PS Since this was "Semi" OT...shouldn't you have used a " ; " in your title intead ?

 

[rubaseball78_rivals]

So you are saying the number of recruits we get from there won't be changing.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

What I can't figure out is if they are having trouble staying open and Marist (also in Hudson County) is having trouble staying open, why not just merge the schools and sell one of the properties ?

 

[JoeRU0304]

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school

...I think your mileage may vary on that.


Joe P.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school. I feel bad for graduates of St. Anthony's who will drive by, point to the buildings or whatever will be sitting on the location and think
"that's where I went to school"...

It's sad.

MO
PS Since this was "Semi" OT...shouldn't you have used a " ; " in your title intead ?

Now you're just being a colon.

 

[Bilderberg_News]

Now you're just being a colon.

Empty or full?

 

[Saint Puppy]

Sad indeed-this was CONSTANTLY a ship taking on water year after year after year. Amazing that it stayed for this long - the basketball program in one way or another bought this school life support more times than anyone can count. I'm just surprised that one of the shoe companies didn't adopt 'the little school that could' - would have been a drop in the pan for them. Anyway goodbye to a great story and the coach who was the engine behind all of this. I wonder what Hurley does now - retire?

 

[BigLou]

Aside from its basketball team, did this school have anything special to offer to garden variety students who weren't recruited athletes? Assuming that the basketball players were all on some kind of scholarship, schools like that need to attract tuition paying students to fill their classes. With so many people seeking alternatives to the public schools in our cities, I'm surprising that a school like St. Anthony's couldn't find ways to attract more paying students.

Not being from North Jersey, I'm not familiar with the actual schools behind the names I see here so often - Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco, Paterson Catholic, Roselle Catholic, a St. Joseph's or two, and others. Are some these not urban schools?

I guess we'll soon be seeing a thread about how RU should or should not hire the famous head bball coach at that school. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Thanks.

Paterson Catholic closed a few years ago. Bosco, BC, St Joes and Paramus C are suburban. The closest comparison geographically is St Peters which appears to be doing well and provides a superior education and St Benedicts in Newark which is on a slightly different mission. Seton Hall Prep (my school) is doing very well with enrollment and straddles the urban/suburban line with its lower west Orange location. The main advantage that SHP & St Peters have is they attract urban as well as suburban kids.My guess is that Roselle Catholic could have problems which they are trying t9o fix with an elevated basketball program.
The key is getting an endowment funded. The successful schools have that and the ones closing do not.

 

[NotInRHouse_anon]

They should just move to a cheaper location they can make so much money on that spot.

 

[Jumba72]

What I can't figure out is if they are having trouble staying open and Marist (also in Hudson County) is having trouble staying open, why not just merge the schools and sell one of the properties ?

Marist is owned by the Brothers, St Anthony's by the Archdiocese. Sad day in JC.

 

[irishflu]

Sad indeed-this was CONSTANTLY a ship taking on water year after year after year. Amazing that it stayed for this long - the basketball program in one way or another bought this school life support more times than anyone can count. I'm just surprised that one of the shoe companies didn't adopt 'the little school that could' - would have been a drop in the pan for them. Anyway goodbye to a great story and the coach who was the engine behind all of this. I wonder what Hurley does now - retire?

Special assistant to one of his kids?

Good read here: http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news...ley-tells-njcom-what-st-anthony-means-to-him/

 

[RUtix4me]

Do you think they can bring him onto the RU staff some how?

 

[TMCB]

St Marys Rutherford is on solid financial ground with good sports. An option for some....

 

[T2Kplus10]

Just wondering if this is just a supply and demand issue. Too many schools, especially in cities, lower proportion of school aged kids, less practicing Catholics (and yes, they accept everyone, but still the main draw are Catholics). Not sure.

 

[megadrone]

Private education is not cheap -- and if it isn't a parish or diocesan school then no place to get funds other than tuition and donations.

And yes, less allegiance to churches or organized religion. The number of Catholic schools has been steadily declining. The elementary school I went to closed a few years back -- not enough people in the parish able to pay the tuition and the demographics of the town changed as well so fewer people are actively supporting the parish. High property taxes, which goes to support the public school system, could factor in as well.

 

[RUinBoston]

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school.

Not sure I can agree with this one. I was always amazed by the kids in my area who's parents would pay money to send them to Bosco or Holy Angels when they could go for free to Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Oradell, etc... for some people I could see the structure and the uniforms and all that might be a needed change but I suspect for most kids it's a waste of $$$.

For a completely unscientific comparison....it looks like Bosco sent 1 kid out of ~850 to Harvard last year according to their web site. Compare that to 12 out of about 1,850 kids here at our local inner city public school here in Cambridge

 

[[email protected]]

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school. I feel bad for graduates of St. Anthony's who will drive by, point to the buildings or whatever will be sitting on the location and think
"that's where I went to school"...

It's sad.

MO
PS Since this was "Semi" OT...shouldn't you have used a " ; " in your title intead ?

Now you're just being a colon.

Are you on your.period?

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Are you on your.period?

Proper context: in my experience, this should (respectfully) be referred to as an EXCLAMATION POINT!

 

[RUinPinehurst]

There doesn't seem to be any last minute deal to save the House That Hurley Built.

Regardless of your feelings about Hurleys, basketball or Catholic schools, this is a shame.

Ironically, Saint Anthony is the patron saint of "lost things."

 

[newell138]

add in all the charter schools that are free and there is more competition for the same students. Wildwood Catholic is having the same problem, every year they face closure due to declining enrollment. Last I hear they were down to a couple hundred students.

 

[RJM_Go_RU]

Most public high schools in NJ are good and can get you anywhere you want to go with effort and ability. But there are always parents who want to send their kids to an expensive private school. Something you can mention casually at the next dinner party to highlight you are different - you have the means to send your kid to private school. Of course, there are exceptions - parents who truly value a religious education, or smaller school setting, or special program not found in the public school, etc. But, sadly, many are motivated by the perceived "status". Sadder still, some may be motivated by desire to have their kids associate with the "right" crowd (i.e., wealthy kids).

 

[RUchip]

Private education is not cheap -- and if it isn't a parish or diocesan school then no place to get funds other than tuition and donations.

And yes, less allegiance to churches or organized religion. The number of Catholic schools has been steadily declining. The elementary school I went to closed a few years back -- not enough people in the parish able to pay the tuition and the demographics of the town changed as well so fewer people are actively supporting the parish. High property taxes, which goes to support the public school system, could factor in as well.

St Anthony's tuition was a fourth of what the other NJ Catholics schools charge. I believe it was veteeen 5-8k a year which is nothing comapred to some others. Where I live everyone goes to private school and most are between 21-27k a year.

 

[Cabana Man]

What I can't figure out is if they are having trouble staying open and Marist (also in Hudson County) is having trouble staying open, why not just merge the schools and sell one of the properties ?

Well Marist (class of 80') is located in Bayonne and St. Anthony's is in JC. One (St. Ant's) is a catholic school and Marist is a Jesuit school. Marist is independent and not affiliated to the Arch Diocese. They are part of the Marist Champagnet (sp?) jesuits. Marist has a shortfall of 1.5M and appears that after 62 years will be closing. Will need a miracle to stay open.

The problem with catholic schools is that the properties are worth millions and if another school dies, they basically sell the property and are satisfied to pad their bank accounts.

 

[mdk02]

But for Hurley it would have happened 25 years ago.

 

[Upstream]

But for Hurley it would have happened 25 years ago.

This.

And you can make a valid argument that propping up St Anthony's just because of the basketball team was stealing resources from the other Catholic high schools in Jersey City.

 

[RU85inFla]

Not sure I can agree with this one. I was always amazed by the kids in my area who's parents would pay money to send them to Bosco or Holy Angels when they could go for free to Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Oradell, etc... for some people I could see the structure and the uniforms and all that might be a needed change but I suspect for most kids it's a waste of $$$.

For a completely unscientific comparison....it looks like Bosco sent 1 kid out of ~850 to Harvard last year according to their web site. Compare that to 12 out of about 1,850 kids here at our local inner city public school here in Cambridge

I'm guessing the school you went to didn't teach you about small sample sizes.

 

[srru86]

they basically sell the property and are satisfied to pad their bank accounts.

Really come on, somebody has to pay for the second pool at Arch-Creep Myers retirement pad.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

This has been happening for a long time.

This is from 2001:

Since 2001, 97 of New Jersey’s Catholic schools have closed—282 since 1971, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. Total enrollment has dropped from 275,012 students in 609 Catholic schools in 1971 to 106,797 in 327 schools today.

https://njmonthly.com/articles/towns-schools/where-have-all-the-catholic-schools-gone/

those number would be worse now.

 

[RU85inFla]

Most public high schools in NJ are good and can get you anywhere you want to go with effort and ability. But there are always parents who want to send their kids to an expensive private school. Something you can mention casually at the next dinner party to highlight you are different - you have the means to send your kid to private school. Of course, there are exceptions - parents who truly value a religious education, or smaller school setting, or special program not found in the public school, etc. But, sadly, many are motivated by the perceived "status". Sadder still, some may be motivated by desire to have their kids associate with the "right" crowd (i.e., wealthy kids).

Those comments aside, not all Catholic schools are a fortune. Many have economic advantages that keep the costs down. Additionally, Catholic schools do a great job teaching the average kid. If your kid is smart there is no better value than a charter school. However put a B student or a kid with ADHD in a public school and many will just get lost. The discipline of the Catholic school is a great environment for many kids.

 

[RJM_Go_RU]

I agree that there is a lot of benefit in having option of Catholic schools and other private schools. And many , and probably most, parents send their kids to those schools for very laudatory and good reasons. But, I have encountered some parents who seem to be motivated by snobbery and/or an irrational negative view of the local public school.

 

[gef21]

Catholic schools by and large provide a much superior education to public school. I feel bad for graduates of St. Anthony's who will drive by, point to the buildings or whatever will be sitting on the location and think
"that's where I went to school"...

It's sad.

MO
PS Since this was "Semi" OT...shouldn't you have used a " ; " in your title intead ?

do you have data on that? I would love to see it.

 

[Scarlet1984]

Catholic high schools are, by and large, struggling unless. Exceptions appear to b

This has been happening for a long time.

This is from 2001:

Since 2001, 97 of New Jersey’s Catholic schools have closed—282 since 1971, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. Total enrollment has dropped from 275,012 students in 609 Catholic schools in 1971 to 106,797 in 327 schools today.

https://njmonthly.com/articles/towns-schools/where-have-all-the-catholic-schools-gone/

those number would be worse now.

It's sad, but times change. St. Joe's in Metuchen is struggling with enrollment. When my son started there 7 years ago, it was one of their largest classes. The freshman class now is less than 75% of the size of his class. (My youngest son is a freshman.)

You can't ignore the generational shift in the parents. The parents from his class were by and large Baby Boomers. They (we) were brought up with a different perspective on the role of religion.

Also, for a number of reasons, the middle class (and the upper middle class) is shrinking. Schools in more upper class areas are doing great. Most people just don't have $14,000 or $15,000 a year (tuition is in that ballpark, I think) for high school in Middlesex County.