Archbishop Curley High School
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Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic all boys high school located in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley (1879-1947), who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore from 1921 to 1947. It was the first Archdiocesan high school in Baltimore established exclusively for the education of young men.
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[edit] History
The school was founded in 1960 under the leadership and direction of the late Archbishop Francis P. Keough. It opened in September 1961 with a class of 420 freshmen, and was dedicated on April 17, 1962, by Lawrence Cardinal Shehan, the successor of the late Archbishop Keough.
The school was designed by local architect Edward H. Glidden and is located on a 33-acre campus on the northeast edge of the City of Baltimore. The main three-story building contains classrooms, labs, administrative, guidance, alumni and development offices, two computer centers, a closed-circuit TV station, and the guidance resource center. Attached to the central structure are six wings that isnet house the chapel, auditorium, gymnasium, student dining room, the library multi-media center, and the Friary, which is the residence of the Franciscan Friars at Archbishop Curley. Two smaller wings, added in 1987, house the music department facilities and additional athletic facilities. Adjacent to the building are several athletic practice fields, the baseball, soccer and lacrosse playing fields, tennis courts and the football/track stadium bowl.
In December 1969, the Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Library and Multi-Media Instructional Center was dedicated. It was the first building in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to be named after Cardinal Shehan who had been a long time friend and supporter of the school.
During the 1986-87 school year a building program added a new music center, concert practice room, weight training room, wrestling room and concession area to the Curley facilities.
At the turn of the century, under the leadership of then-school president and 1970 alumnus Fr. Donald Grzymski, OFM Conv., the grounds were revamped with new fencing, a concession stand, and a new bowl stadium with terraced seating.
At the end of the 2004-2005 school year, the first phase of a major facilities renaissance was begun under now president and 1979 graduate Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv. The Friary was reconstructed to better reflect the number of religious living on the grounds and the balance of the space provided room for the relocation of the Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Library to the second floor adjacent to the academic wing of the building. The space previously occupied by the Library was renovated to house a new Fitness Center, with expanded weight training and wrestling room space.
A grant provided funds for a rehabilitation of the Auditorium seating and in the summer of 2005, further renovations funded by a capital campaign provided a new faculty dining room, a relocated bookstore, conference rooms and offices for the development director, athletic director and Alumni Association. The science labs, school roof, and 1st and 2nd floor student lockers were also rehabilitated.
Since its first graduating class in June, 1965, Archbishop Curley has graduated more than five thousand young men. The Class of 2004 was Curley's fortieth. The school is accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Curley is well known throughout Maryland and semi-nationally for its music program, under the direction of Mr. David Stauffer. The bands, currently consisting of a concert band, jazz band, and a newly started drumline under the direction of Mr. Jason Berlin, travel around the country competing in competitions. The past 2 competitions all bands have won a Gold, and at the 2006 Heritage Festival in Toronto, the jazz band won a Best Overall Award.
[edit] Connection with Franciscan Order
The School Board established by the Archbishop of Baltimore is responsible for the general operation and management of Archbishop Curley High School. The School Board has continued to entrust the administration of the school to the Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor Conventual) of St. Anthony of Padua Province, who have staffed the school since its inception. In addition to the Franciscan Friars, the faculty also includes lay teachers.
[edit] Statistics
Total Enrollment (2005-06): 621; Seniors - 132, Juniors - 134, Sophomores - 168, Freshmen - 187.
Faculty: Conventual Franciscan Friars: 5; Laymen: 31; Laywomen: 10.
Faculty - Student Ratio: 1:13; One faculty member per 13 students; 27 (over half) of the faculty have advanced degrees
[edit] Administration
President - Fr. Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv. '79
Principal - Mr. Barry D. Brownlee
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Vincent J. Gardina '73, serves on the Baltimore County Council.
- William Goodwin '73 is the Baltimore City Fire Chief.
- Byron Pitts '78 is a national correspondent for the CBS Evening News.
- Barry Stitz '87 played for the Baltimore Blast.
- Santino Quaranta, professional soccer player in Major League Soccer, attended the school his freshman and sophomore years as a starter on Varsity Soccer.
- Giuliano Celenza '97, plays for the Baltimore Blast
- Glenn Williams '05, Baltimore Sun Metro Player of the year as a Senior, current defensive back for Duke University.
- Multiple alumni have returned to teach/coach at the school, currently including Gene Hoffman '69, Fr. Michael Martin '79, Barry Stitz '87, Jeremy Joseph '96, Nick Brownlee '96, John D'Adamo '98, Jamie Long '98, Bill Wolf '99, Matt Sunday '99, and Matt Nietubicz '00.
