Archbishop Stepinac High School
Encyclopedia
Archbishop Stepinac High School is an all-boys Roman Catholic high school in White Plains, New York
, that was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
until the 2009-2010 school year when it became independent. It was founded in 1948 and named for Blessed
Aloysius Stepinac
, who was archbishop
of Zagreb
, Croatia
at the time.
, under the leadership of the New York Cardinal Archbishop Francis Spellman and the educational officials of the Archdiocese. The initial purpose of the school was to establish a full educational program with a diversity of subject choices leading to a well-rounded student. In addition to the college preparatory program it offered a general course for boys who wanted to finish their education with high school and enter a trade. Boys were taught by an all-male faculty, almost entirely religious in makeup. In its early years the administration of the school was in the hands of diocesan priests, assisted by religious brothers and an occasional layman.
Students from the school were used as extras
in the 1972 film Child's Play
directed by Sidney Lumet
.
.
Also in 2002, it became publicly known that in 1998 the archdiocese had quietly settled a lawsuit
over accusations that Monsignor William White had carried on a sexual relationship with a male student for a three-year period in the late 1970s when White was a dean at the school.
s and nuns) and lay men and women. The high school draws its students predominantly from Westchester County
and has evolved into a college preparatory school.
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, that was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
until the 2009-2010 school year when it became independent. It was founded in 1948 and named for Blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Aloysius Stepinac
Aloysius Stepinac
Aloysius Viktor Stepinac , also known as Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, was a Croatian Catholic cardinal and Archbishop of Zagreb from 1937 to 1960. In 1998 he was declared a martyr and beatified by Pope John Paul II....
, who was archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
at the time.
History
Archbishop Stepinac High School opened in 1948 with a capacity of 1,360 students. It began with freshman and sophomore years and reached its full complement in 1950. The school was established subsequent to fundraising by the Catholic parishes of Westchester CountyWestchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, under the leadership of the New York Cardinal Archbishop Francis Spellman and the educational officials of the Archdiocese. The initial purpose of the school was to establish a full educational program with a diversity of subject choices leading to a well-rounded student. In addition to the college preparatory program it offered a general course for boys who wanted to finish their education with high school and enter a trade. Boys were taught by an all-male faculty, almost entirely religious in makeup. In its early years the administration of the school was in the hands of diocesan priests, assisted by religious brothers and an occasional layman.
Students from the school were used as extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
in the 1972 film Child's Play
Child's Play (1972 film)
Child's Play is a 1972 American drama-mystery film directed by Sidney Lumet. The screenplay by Leon Prochnik is based on the 1970 play of the same title by Robert Marasco. It has never been available on home video in the United States in any format....
directed by Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
.
Notable alumni
Former Archbishop Stepinac High School students include:- "Captain" Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
- former professional wrestler & manager - Alan AldaAlan AldaAlphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
- actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Tommy Cody - writer, producer, and spoken word performer
- Billy CollinsBilly CollinsBilly Collins is an American poet, appointed as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He is a Distinguished Professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York and is the Senior Distinguished Fellow of the Winter Park Institute, Florida...
- poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and former U.S. Poet LaureatePoet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of CongressThe Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of... - Marty ConlonMarty ConlonMartin McBride "Marty" Conlon is a former professional basketball player whose career in the National Basketball Association lasted from 1992 through 2000. Conlon started his basketball career at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY...
- former NBA center - Owen FlanaganOwen FlanaganOwen Flanagan, Ph.D. is the James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Neurobiology at Duke University. Flanagan has done work in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, philosophy of social science, ethics, contemporary ethical theory, moral psychology, as well as Buddhist and...
- James B. Duke ProfessorJames B. Duke ProfessorAt Duke University, the title of James B. Duke Professor is given to a small number of the faculty with extraordinary records of achievement. At some universities, titles like "Distinguished Professor," "Institute Professor," or "Regents Professor" are counterparts of this title.- Some current...
of PhilosophyPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B... - Bob HylandBob HylandRobert Joseph Hyland is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and the New England Patriots. He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the first round of the 1967...
- former NFL guard - Eric OgboguEric OgboguEric O. Ogbogu is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the New York Jets, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Dallas Cowboys.-Early studies:...
- former NFL linebacker - Brian SweeneyBrian SweeneyBrian Edward Sweeney is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the New York Mets organization.Sweeney graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains in 1992...
- MLB Pitcher for the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field... - Chip TaylorChip TaylorJames Wesley Voight , better known by his stage name as Chip Taylor, is an American songwriter, who is noted for writing the songs "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing." He is the brother of actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight...
- songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
("Wild Thing", "Angel of the MorningAngel of the Morning"Angel of the Morning" is a popular song that has been recorded numerous times, and has been a charting hit single for several artists including Juice Newton, Merrilee Rush, Nina Simone, P.P...
") - Jon VoightJon VoightJonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....
- actor - Kevin ZralyKevin ZralyKevin Zraly is an American wine educator and the founder of the Windows on the World Wine School, who has been described as America's most famous and entertaining wine teacher....
- wine critic
Allegations of sexual misconduct by priests
In 2002 news media reporting the discovery that some former school administrators had been either released from the priesthood or relieved of their duties due to accusations that they had solicited or molested youth during their years at Stepinac. In 1988 Rev. Donald T. Malone, principal and former Dean of Students, was reportedly picked up by White Plains police for soliciting sex from a 16- or 17-year-old boy. While the impropriety was not made public by either the police or the school's administration, Rev. Malone was immediately removed as principal and reassigned to a parishParish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
.
Also in 2002, it became publicly known that in 1998 the archdiocese had quietly settled a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
over accusations that Monsignor William White had carried on a sexual relationship with a male student for a three-year period in the late 1970s when White was a dean at the school.
Program
The current administration and faculty of Stepinac is a mix of religious (both priestPriesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
s and nuns) and lay men and women. The high school draws its students predominantly from Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
and has evolved into a college preparatory school.