Lansdale Catholic High School
Encyclopedia
Lansdale Catholic High School is a secondary school
that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
. It is located in Lansdale
, Pennsylvania
, United States
.
Probably the main, if not the only, driving force to bring about the establishment of the school was Monsignor Joseph Schade, who was the Pastor of St. Stanislaus at that time. He was aided in his efforts by the willingness of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi
of Philadelphia who initially staffed the school, with Sister Theresa Clare being the first principal (and one of the teachers).
In September 1960, the present facility opened at 7th Street and Lansdale Avenue on a property that consisted of approximately 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) of land, and the first class graduated from there in 1961. Although the sports teams had long been referred to as Lansdale Catholic, it was with the opening of the new facility that the name of the school was "officially" changed to Lansdale Catholic High School.
The school continued as a "parish" high school until the mid-80's when control of the school was taken over by the Archdiocese.
In 1988, there was the dedication of a major addition to the school. It was made possible primarily through the support of the Business Leaders Organized for Catholic Schools.
In more recent years, other improvements were added including another on-site parking facility, baseball field, window replacements, air-conditioning in the gymnasium, reconditioning of the football and lacrosse fields.
On January 28, 2008, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
announced the school will move following the 2012 graduation pending funding. A new school, Lansdale Catholic Regional High School, in Hilltown Township
, Bucks County
will be built to replace the school in Lansdale. The name of the new school was voted by the students, parents, and alumni.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
. It is located in Lansdale
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and manufacturers of cigars, stoves, shirts, rope, iron drain pipe,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The school opened in a very small building on the grounds of St. Stanislaus Church in Lansdale in September 1949 with only a freshman class. It was named Little Flower Catholic High School, after its patron Saint, Therese of Lisieux. Each succeeding year, another class/year was added and in 1953, commencement exercises were held for the first graduating class of 33 students. That building is still functioning on the property of St. Stanislaus and today is called Little Flower Hall.Probably the main, if not the only, driving force to bring about the establishment of the school was Monsignor Joseph Schade, who was the Pastor of St. Stanislaus at that time. He was aided in his efforts by the willingness of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi
Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi
The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for women. The motherhouse is in St. Francis, Wisconsin, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The Sisters of St...
of Philadelphia who initially staffed the school, with Sister Theresa Clare being the first principal (and one of the teachers).
In September 1960, the present facility opened at 7th Street and Lansdale Avenue on a property that consisted of approximately 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) of land, and the first class graduated from there in 1961. Although the sports teams had long been referred to as Lansdale Catholic, it was with the opening of the new facility that the name of the school was "officially" changed to Lansdale Catholic High School.
The school continued as a "parish" high school until the mid-80's when control of the school was taken over by the Archdiocese.
In 1988, there was the dedication of a major addition to the school. It was made possible primarily through the support of the Business Leaders Organized for Catholic Schools.
In more recent years, other improvements were added including another on-site parking facility, baseball field, window replacements, air-conditioning in the gymnasium, reconditioning of the football and lacrosse fields.
On January 28, 2008, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
announced the school will move following the 2012 graduation pending funding. A new school, Lansdale Catholic Regional High School, in Hilltown Township
Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania
Hilltown Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,029 at the 2010 census. Hilltown is part of Pennridge School District.-Geography:...
, Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
will be built to replace the school in Lansdale. The name of the new school was voted by the students, parents, and alumni.
Honors
- 2010 ICLE (International Center for Leadership in Education) Model School
- 2008 Girls Ice Hockey Champions
- 2007 PIAA District 1 Class AA Football Champions
- 2007 Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC) Football Champions
- 2004 Landale Catholic football team won the PIAA class AA state football championship.
- 2004 Lansdale Catholic's Robotics team won the Regional Chairman’s Award at the "FIRST Robotics CompetitionFIRST Robotics CompetitionThe FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
" held in Pittsburgh, PA.
- 1993 men's cross country team won the PIAA class AA state championship, the first state championship in school history
- 1991 PIAA District I Girls' Basketball Champions
- 1990 PIAA District I Class AA Soccer Champions
- 1987-1990 PAC-10 League Cross Country Champions
In the media
- Jim LynamJim LynamJim Lynam is an American former college and professional basketball coach. He coached at the college level for Fairfield University from 1968–70, American University from 1973–78, and St. Joseph's University from 1978–81...
started his coaching career coaching the boys basketball team for the 1964 season. - In 1973 Bishop Michael Joseph BransfieldMichael Joseph BransfieldMichael Joseph Bransfield is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.-Biography:...
was a member of the faculty. - In 1998, the Lansdale Catholic Football Team won an ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
ESPY AwardsESPY AwardsAn ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
for "Outrageous Play of the Year". They won with a "Cal-StanfordThe PlayThe Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
" play in a game against Upper Perkiomen.
- Steve Probert, Lansdale Catholic Cross Country Coach and English teacher, is the winningest coach in the Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC 10). He has led his team to one state championship and multiple PAC 10 championships, most recently in 2002.
- In 2004, the LC football team went 15-1 and won the PAC-10 and PIAA AA state title. In 2005, 2006 and 2007 they went 9-3 twice and 12-2, winning the district 1 title 4 straight times, and the PAC-10 title as well as the 1-11 title in '07. Head coach Jim Algeo is inducted in the PA coaches hall of fame.
- In 2005 and 2006 the Lansdale Catholic Girl's Ice Hockey Team won the championship title. They won second place in 2003, 2004, and 2007. They have made it to the championship round since they were deemed a team.
- In 2008, Lansdale Catholic left the Pioneer Athletic ConferencePioneer Athletic ConferenceThe Pioneer Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference with ten members properly abbreviated as the PAC-10. The Pioneer Athletic Conference is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and all participating school districts are located within the...
, and joined the Philadelphia Catholic LeaguePhiladelphia Catholic LeagueThe Philadelphia Catholic League is a high school sports league composed of eighteen Catholic High Schools in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania suburbs. The league itself was founded in the summer of 1920 on the steps of Villanova academy by an Augustinian monk, who would later be...
.
Alma mater
-
- Lansdale Catholic High,
- We salute you
- Our hearts loyal to your Green and Gold!
- We will go on spreading your light
- For the world to see
- Your sons and daughters true and bold!
-
- Our heritage is God and Man,
- Respect and love the best we can,
- To give and not to count the cost
- Our service to all our fellow men.
-
- The spirit we have learned to share
- Has taught the Christian heart to care.
- We'll tread the fields, the hills and plains,
- Our message of peace, this we will bear.
-
-
- Written by Episc. Timothy C. SeniorTimothy C. SeniorTimothy Christian Senior is an American Roman Catholic prelate. He is currently an Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-Early life and education:...
, Class of 1977
- Written by Episc. Timothy C. Senior
-
Mission statement
A Learning Community Teaching Values For Life Through A Formative Catholic EducationNotable alumni
- Larry Glueck, Class of 1959 - Professional Football player and Coach
- Tom FazioTom FazioThomas Fazio, ASGCA is a golf course architect.Fazio graduated in 1962 from Lansdale Catholic High School and was inducted into its "Hall of Fame" in 2007. He began his career in golf course design with his family's firm in suburban Philadelphia, which he left in the 1960s; he established his own...
, Class of 1962 - World renowned golf course designer - Peggy MarchPeggy MarchPeggy March is an American pop singer. She is primarily remembered for her 1963 million-selling song "I Will Follow Him".-Career:...
, Class of 1966 - Youngest female artist to have a number one single in the United States. She released "I Will Follow HimI Will Follow Him"I Will Follow Him" is a song recorded by Little Peggy March. The music was written by Franck Pourcel and Paul Mauriat . It was adapted by Arthur Altman...
" in 1963, at the age of 15. (Born Margaret A. Battavio)
- Maureen Victoria Wimmer, Class of 1969, Miss PennsylvaniaMiss PennsylvaniaThe Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America Pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss American crown on 5 occasions....
1971, third runner up and Preliminary Talent Winner, Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1972
- Timothy C. SeniorTimothy C. SeniorTimothy Christian Senior is an American Roman Catholic prelate. He is currently an Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-Early life and education:...
, Class of 1977 - Currently serves as Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, wrote LCHS alma mater
- Frank Carney, Class of 1979, Film Producer (A Halfway House ChristmasA Halfway House ChristmasA Halfway House Christmas is a 2005 film written and directed by Eric Moyer and produced by Frank Carney which starred Robert Romanus, an American actor who has starred in film and television. Rob is best remembered for his role in the 1982 comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High as the ticket scalper...
)
- Al Tielemans, Class of 1981 - photographer for Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
- Diane-Marie Fabiano, Class of 1987 - winner of 1993 Miss PennsylvaniaMiss PennsylvaniaThe Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America Pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss American crown on 5 occasions....
Pageant
- Noell Maerz, Class of 1990 - victim of September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
at the World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
- Michael Gozzard, Class of 1991, Screenwriter for movie Pride (2007 film)Pride (2007 film)Pride is a 2007 biopic drama feature film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. Loosely based upon the true story of Philadelphia swim coach James "Jim" Ellis, Pride stars Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, and Kimberly Elise, and was directed by Sunu Gonera.Pride is a film that depicts...
- Mike Tecce, Class of 2001 - former St. Joseph's Hawk mascot (2004-05 school year)
- Andrew Moral, Class of 2002 - former St. Joseph's Hawk mascot (2005-06 school year)
