St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute

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St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
Signum Fidei
(Sign of Faith)
Established 1861
School type Private, all-male
President Robert Scott, AFSC
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers
Location Buffalo, NY, USA
Students 750
Faculty 60
Mascot Marauders
Colors Maroon, Silver, and White
Website www.sjci.com

St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, founded in 1861, is an independent Roman Catholic college preparatory school for young men. Established by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, SJCI is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It is a member of the Christian Brothers' Education Association, The College Board, and the National Catholic Education Association.

Contents

[edit] Mission

The mission of SJCI is to nurture and to educate young men within a Christ-centered community for lives of accomplishment and service in a Catholic Lasallian tradition.

[edit] History

The History of St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute is predated by only a few years by that of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, which was established on April 23, 1847. The Very Reverend John Timon, named the first Bishop of Buffalo by Pope Pius IX, was consecrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City, on Sunday, October 17 and arrived in Buffalo on October 22, 1847.

In 1849, Bishop Timon moved into the Webster House on Franklin Street. Always concerned with vocations to the priesthood, he established in the rectory a seminary for three young men. The seminary was named St. Joseph's College because of a special veneration the bishop held for St. Joseph. Its early history was a varied one, as it moved from one location to another in several areas of the city.

Later in 1850., Bishop Timon asked the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to staff the seminary in his residence. On July 2, 1851, the Oblates arrived and opened a school chartered on March 12, 1851 under the name "The Buffalo College of St. Joseph," which Bishop Timon said, "...exists for missionary and no other purpose."

In August of 1861, six Christian Brothers from New York and Montreal arrived in Buffalo and settled at 187 Terrace Street. Brother Crispian, Director of this first Christian Brothers' community in Buffalo, Brother Pompian (Sub-Director), Brothers Demedrian, Ptolemy, Benedict and one Brother whose religious name is unknown had come to the city in response to Bishop Timon's urgent plea for assistance in educating the Catholic youth of Buffalo.

Gift of the Class of 1957
Gift of the Class of 1957

The first building in which the Brothers taught was built by a local contractor, a Mr. Flanagan, at a cost of $7,000. Two departments were started in this first school on September 2, 1861: St. Joseph's Academy (a tuition school), with 130 boys registered, and St. Joseph's Free School, with 150 boys. The brick building was located opposite Union Terrace, which at that time was a beautiful park. The Free School was located on the first floor of the building, the Academy on the second floor., and the Brothers dormitory on the third floor. This building, later known as "Old Cathedral Hall," was located at 1 Delaware Avenue.

In response to numerous requests from clergy and parents, and after being closed for two years, St. Joseph's College reopened in September 1893. Due to the railroad station at Union Terrace and the encroachment of business and manufacturing interests, the Delaware Avenue site was no longer a desirable one. For what they knew would be a temporary stay, the Brothers rented a two-story brick building at 473 Prospect Avenue near Jersey Street which housed about fifty pupils during each of the four years the school occupied it.

In 1945, plans were again taken up for the "new St. Joe's" on Kenmore Avenue. Brother Andrew of the Cross-sponsored a drive to secure funds to commence the project. The proposed plan was to include three buildings: a general school building to accommodate 900 students, a gymnasium with three basketball courts and a seating capacity of 2000, and a faculty house with accommodations for thirty brothers. In addition, there were to be football and baseball fields, a quarter-mile cinder track, and facilities for other sports.

The first classes were held in the new building on April 19, 1950. In the years to follow, the new facility allowed for increases in both the size of the student body and the number of faculty members. Such facilities as a drafting room, photographic darkroom and a soda fountain were appealing to the students. The school also featured, according to news accounts of the day, such modern innovations" as a public address system linking the principal's office to all rooms of the school and green glass chalkboards, replacing the old familiar blackboards." The new building was dedicated on May 14, 1950.

On November 16, 2006, it was announced that alumnus Jack Cullen had made a gift of $2 million to support construction of new science laboratories and classrooms, as well as the annual school musical.[1] The gift is believed to be the largest gift ever awarded to a Buffalo high school.[citation needed]

845 Kenmore Avenue
845 Kenmore Avenue

[edit] Facilities

The campus of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute (SJCI or St. Joes) is located at 845 Kenmore Avenue in Kenmore, New York (near Buffalo) and rests on 11.9 acres (48,000 m²). The three buildings on the grounds include the Academic Building, a Field House and the Brother’s residence.

Within St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, there are two academic computer labs, a newly updated Computer Graphics Lab in the art wing, and a Music Lab that employs Mac and PC computers. The library also contains workstations for internet access. The Fine Arts facility includes a fully-functioning black-box theatre, band room and sound-proof practice facilities. Athletics are also an integral part of the St. Joe’s experience and students are able to take advantage of both indoor and outdoor facilities. A modern weight room, two gymnasiums, athletic fields and a field house comprise the facilities of the athletic department.

[edit] Sports

St. Joe's offers an extensive athletic program consisting of 16 sports, with most sports offering multiple levels of competition. In 2004-2005, St. Joe's won the Supremacy Cup, recognizing St. Joe's for having the top overall athletic program in the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association AA League, the highest level of competition for Catholic high schools in the Buffalo area. In addition, St. Joe's offers a number of intramural athletic programs and maintains a vocal group of student supporters at their major sports events.

[edit] Famous Alumni

[edit] External links


Monsignor Martin Athletic Association
League A Members

Archbishop Walsh High School • Cardinal O'Hara High School (Buffalo, New York) • Niagara Catholic High School • Nichols School • St. Mary's High School (Lancaster)

League AA Members

Canisius High School • St. Francis High School • St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute • Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
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