Phillipsburg Catholic High School

Defunct Catholic high school in Warren County, New Jersey, United States

40°41′54″N 75°10′35″W / 40.698470°N 75.176482°W / 40.698470; -75.176482InformationTypePrivate, CoeducationalReligious affiliation(s)Roman CatholicEstablished1875Closed1994Grades9–12

Phillipsburg Catholic High School was a parochial high school in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. It was operated by the Roman Catholic parish of Saints Philip and James Church in Phillipsburg.

History

The school originally opened in 1923 as Sts. Philip and James Parochial School and shared a building on South Main Street with Sts Philip and James Elementary School. As enrollment increased, by 1958 the need for a new high school location was evident. Twenty-one acres of land on Roseberry Street were purchased and after an ambitious campaign drive led by Reverend Joseph V. Kozak, the new high school was dedicated on August 20, 1961, as Phillipsburg Catholic High School.

In 1989 the parish turned over the operation of the school to the Diocese of Metuchen to be operated as a regional school named All Saints Regional School. The Sisters of Mercy left at the end of the 1989-90 school year, bringing to an end over 100 years of service given to the Phillipsburg community. The Diocese arranged for the services of another order, the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1994 the high school was closed, citing low enrollment and fiscal expenses.^[1] The elementary school was moved to the high school building.

In 1999 the elementary school was converted back to a parish school associated with Sts. Philip and James Church. It was renamed Sts. Philip and James School.

Athletics

The baseball team won the Non-Public Group C state championship in 1975, defeating St. Peter the Apostle High School in the tournament final.^[2]

The field hockey team won the Parochial B North title in 1982 and went on to be named as Parochial B co-champion with Eustace Preparatory School after a scoreless tie in the championship game.^[3]^[4]

Notable alumni

Tom Brennan (born 1949), radio and television sportscaster and former men's basketball head coach, most notably at the University of Vermont from 1986 to 2005.^[5]
Dick Lynch (1936–2008), football player for University of Notre Dame and the New York Giants from 1959 to 1966.^[6]

References

^ Buratti, Bruce. "Phillipsburg Catholic High School boys basketball team celebrates 50th anniversary of state championship game", The Express-Times, March 21, 2013. Accessed December 13, 2016. "It was the signature athletic moment in the history of Phillipsburg Catholic, which changed its name to All Saints Regional in the fall of 1990 and eventually closed its doors in the spring of 1994."
^ NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
^ History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
^ "Terriers share", The Morning Call, November 21, 1982. Accessed February 3, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Buoyed by a 0-0 final score after double overtime, Phillipsburg Catholic gained a share of first in the Parochial School Class B New Jersey State field hockey final against Bishop Eustace here at Rider College yesterday. Heavily-favored Bishop Eustace, from Pennsauken, was unable to get a shot past Terrier goalie Patty Lucas, who made 15 excellent saves en-route to the tie."
^ House concurrent resolution honoring University of Vermont basketball coach Tom Brennan., Vermont General Assembly. Accessed July 26, 2007. "Whereas, beginning with his days as a standout player at Phillipsburg Catholic High in New Jersey, Tom Brennan was destined for a basketball career..."
^ Canavan, Tom via Associated Press. "Dick Lynch, 72, Giants Cornerback Turned Announcer", The New York Sun, September 25, 2008. Accessed September 21, 2015. "A Bound Brook, N.J., native, Lynch attended Phillipsburg Catholic High School in Clinton."