Devon Preparatory School

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Devon Preparatory School is a college preparatory school in Devon, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1956 by the Piarist fathers. It is divided into a middle school (grades 6-8) and an upper school (grades 9-12), both located on the same campus of approximately 20 acres.


Name	Devon Preparatory School
Address	363 North Valley Forge Road
Town	Devon, Pennsylvania, 19333
Established	1956
Community	Suburban
Type	Private (Independent)
Religion	Catholic (Piarist)
Students	Male
Grades	6 through 12
Mascot	Tide
Colors	Blue and Gold
Motto	"The Devon Difference"
Web site	DevonPrep.com

1 School History
2 Campus
3 Athletics
4 Student Activities
5 Music and Theater
6 Current Notable teachers
7 History of the Piarist Order
8 Notable Piarist Alumni
9 See also
10 External Links

[edit] School History

Devon Preparatory School was started when the Piarists purchased an estate in Devon, Pennsylvania from a developer who had planned to make it into a mental hospital. The estate had belonged to wealthy publisher Charles Lea, who built a mansion and various facilities on it. Originally, the school was grades 9-12. The first freshman class was admitted on September 8, 1956 with 49 students. On september 29, 1960, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new building and a gymnasium. Also at this time, the various facilities built by Lea were used for various purposes by the school. In 1972, the school added 7^th and 8^th grades.An athletic field was constructed in 1972, but legal problems and poor weather pushed its opening to 1975. This field was updated in 1989. The school added a 6^th grade in 1992. In 1999, an athletic addition featuring an updated locker room, offices, and a snack bar was completed. In 2003, work on a new wing and major renovations were begun. They were completed the following year. The current Headmaster is Rev. James Shea Sch. P. Assistant Headmaster is Larry Iezzi.

[edit] Campus

The 20 acre campus features seven buildings, two soccer fields (new in 1990), and a baseball field (new in 1990). They recently built a new building coined, "St. Anthony's Hall" which was completed in 2004 and blessed by Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia. The school is situated on the estate once owned by Philadelphia publisher Dr. Charles M. Lea.

Calasanctius Hall-The "old building" or "mansion" built in 1913 is now home to the Middle School, with six classrooms on the second floor. Calasanctius Hall also houses the Art Center and the school's AdmissionsOffice. A large first floor hall has hosted presentations, school plays, and receptions. The Piarist Fathers live on the third floor.

Upper School Classroom Building - Built in 1961, the main building includes nine classrooms, a Biology Lab, and a Physics Lab. Devon's Bookstore, Health Center, and various administration offices are also located in the main building.

Gymnasium - A full-sized basketball court hosts home games for the Middle School CYO team and the Upper School JV and Varsity teams. Weekdays after school feature intramural games. A large stage makes the gym an all-purpose auditorium for student assemblies, theatrical performances, guest speakers, or Devon's popular dances. A major addition to the Athletic Facility was completed in 1999, adding additional locker room space, Coach's Room, and weight-training equipment.

Chemistry Building - Once the place where wagons were repaired, this building has been converted into a Chemistry Lab on the first floor, and a Music Center on the second floor.

St. Mary's Chapel - Formerly a stable, this is now the School Chapel seating over 100 comfortably. Devon uses the chapel for masses and smaller gatherings, such as the Junior Ring Mass.

Activities Cottage - A guest house of the estate is now used as a meeting place for several student activities, including the school yearbook, The Calasanctian.

Edwin D. Keller Memorial Field - Improved in 1990, the athletic fields are capable of hosting two consecutive soccer games, or a baseball game.

St. Anthony's Hall - This new building features six new classrooms, a Computer/Technology Center, a new Library, and new Science Lab. It was dedicated by Cardinal Rigali on Oct. 2, 2006.

[edit] Athletics

The school colors are blue and gold, and the mascot is the Tide. The school has teams for a variety of varsity sports in the high school, including: soccer, golf, cross country, winter track, basketball, tennis, baseball, and track and field. There are also freshman teams for basketball and soccer. New this year (2006-2007) is a Junior Varsity Lacrosse team, with plans to add a varsity lacrosse team in the future. For middle school students, soccer, basketball, and baseball are available.

Basketball

Freshman

Varsity

[edit] Student Activities

Academic Competition

Devon takes part in both the Varsity and JV divisions of the CCIU Academic Challenge Competition, in which students from different schools in the area compete in a quiz game to test their general knowledge. In the 2006-2007 season, the JV team placed 2nd in the league finals.

Yearbook: The Calasanctian

Each year, students on the yearbook committee meet regularly and compile photos of students and campus life for the yearbook, named the Calasanctian.

Chess Team

Students from the upper and middle school learn and practice the game of chess.

The high school has a chess team which plays other local schools in the area.

CAP (Christian Action Program)

This student-run club sponsors various food drives, collections, and service projects throughout the year. Aimed with helping needy families in surrounding areas, CAP donates the proceeds of its fund raisers to nearby shelters and soup kitchens. In 2006, at an all night fund raiser, CAP raised over $23,000 for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Devon Prep was the first and is currently the only high school in the nation to participate in this college-dominated program.

Computer Club

Students interested in technology have the opportunity to learn about the implementations of modern technology at Devon, take part in hands on projects, and discuss recent issues and ideas relating to technology.

Film Club

The Film Club allows students to take an active role in video productions as they write, direct, act, edit, and produce numerous film projects through the year.

Devon Dialogue

Students from the upper school collaborate to write articles for the school newspaper. The articles range on topics about the school to contemporary CD and movie reviews.

Math Counts

Devon middle schoolers have the opportunity to practice their math skills and compete against other schools in the annual Math Counts Competition against area schools.

Mock Trial

Students from the high school emulate a civil law trial by preparing a complete prosecution and defense for a predetermined case. They then compete against other teams in the mock trial competition.

Model UN

Students from the high school participate in the YMCA Model United Nations Program, in which they take on roles as delegates to the UN from various nations across the globe. The students learn about debate, public speaking, negotiations, diplomacy, and international law.

Science Olympiad

All students are invited to participate in the interscholastic Science Olympiad competition, in which there are a wide variety of science related activities in which to take part. The team placed 10th in the competition in 2006 and 19th in 2007.

[edit] Music and Theater

Led by Dr. Valentin Radu, the Devon Prep Music Society is open to all Devon members and consists of several performing groups. Students receive academic credit for their musical work.

Jazz Band

With approximately 40 members each year, this group is responsible for bringing big band, swing, and jazz charts to the Devon stage, as the musicians learn style, technique, and theory.

Choral Tide and Rip Tide

Members of these two choral groups sing all genres of music and perform both inside and outside of Devon.

Fall Drama

The Fall Drama is annually performed in early November by students from Devon Prep and its surrounding sister schools.

Spring Musicial

The Spring Musical, usually a Broadway musical, is performed in early spring by students from Devon Prep and its surrounding sister schools. Recent productions include Les Misérables, Guys and Dolls, and South Pacific.

[edit] Current Notable teachers

Valentin Radu, internationally renowned musician
Bruce Marcoon, author
Patricia Tiehel, independent filmographer
Paul Sanborn, historian and author

[edit] History of the Piarist Order

St. Joseph Calasanctius, the founder of the Piarist Order, was born in Peralta de la Sal, Spain in 1556. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1583, and nine years later he moved to Rome. St. Joseph was very moved by the intellectual and moral misery of the poor children of Rome. Therefore, with the permission of Pope Clement VIII, he opened a free school for them at St. Dorothy's Church in 1597. This school, which was open to every child regardless of religion, is believed to be the world's first modern elementary school.

On March 25, 1617, with the permission of Pope Paul V, St. Joseph Calasanctius and fourteen other men became the first members of a new religious congregation. On November 18, 1621 Pope Gregory XV raised this congregation to the rank of a religious order, calling it the Order of the Pious Schools (in short, the Piarists.) The abbreviation "Sch.P." following the name of a Piarist means Scholarum Piarum (of the Pious Schools.) The Piarists, as any religious, professed the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In addition, according to the wishes of St. Joseph, members of the Order also professed a fourth vow to dedicate their lives to the education of the young. Even today, members of the Order profess these four vows.

St. Joseph Calasanctius died on August 25, 1648 at St. Pantaleo's Church in Rome, where his body is still buried. Pope Clement XIII declared him a saint in 1767, and in 1948 Pope Pius XII named him Patron of Christian Schools. During the lifetime of St. Joseph Calasanctius, the Piarists began to grow in numbers and in schools.

Today, there are over 1500 Piarists who work in 214 communities in 28 countries. These countries include: United States, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Bohemia (Czech Rep.), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, Equatorial Guinea, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Soviet Union, Spain, and Venezuela. There are over 115,000 students attending Piarist schools in these countries.

[edit] Notable Piarist Alumni

Over the years, the Piarist Order has educated saints, cardinals, bishops, founders and superiors of religious orders, kings, presidents, generals, painters, composers, writers and scientists, and a pope. Some of the more famous graduates of Piarist schools (NOT necessarily, actually not one of the following ever attended, or even heard of the Devon school) include:

• St. John Neumann - fourth Bishop of Philadelphia
• St. Gaspar Bufalo
• St. Vincent Pallotti
• St. Vincent Strumbi
• Blessed Jose M. Escrivá - founder of "Opus Dei"
• Pope Pius IX (declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in July 1985)
• Laszlo Cardinal Lekai - Cardinal Primate of Hungary
• Blessed Benjamin Wallace
• Digger Phelps
• Thaddeus Kosciusko - Polish general and a hero of the American Revolution
• Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. - Superior General of the Jesuits
• Francisco de Goya - Spanish painter.
• Franz Joseph Haydn -composer
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - composer
• Franz Schubert - composer
• Anton Bruckner - composer
• Rev. Gregor Mendel, O.S.A. - father of modern genetics
• George de Hevesy - Nobel Prize winner (Chemistry)
• Santiago Ramon y Cajal - Nobel Prize winner (Medicine)
• Jim Lefebvre - professional baseball player and manager
• Carlos Prio Socarras - President of Cuba
• Franz Werfel - German author (Song of Bernadette)
.