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St. Anthony's Will Close

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JERSEY CITY — The home of the most storied high school boys basketball program in New Jersey history is closing its doors.

St. Anthony High School will suspend operations at the end of the 2016-17 school year in June due to a lack of funding and dwindling enrollment, a source familiar with the decision told NJ Advance Media. Bob Hurley Sr., the school's principal and basketball team's Hall of Fame coach, was meeting with his staff to announce the news on Wednesday.


http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news...or-st-anthony-basketball-powerhouse-to-close/
 
I believe they have sent 100% of the kids to college the last few years. What a shame!
 
What a disgrace that many of their high powered, extremely wealthy alumni did not step up to save the school
 
steelersrule125 said:
What a disgrace that many of their high powered, extremely wealthy alumni did not step up to save the school
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Are there that many successful rich alumni of St. Anthony's? I don't believe there are any current NBA players that were out of St. Anthony's. Maybe Bobby Jr. and Danny are probably the wealthiest, but they can't contribute that much to keep the doors open.

Whatever the case, it's sad to see this happen and whatever your opinion is of Bob Sr., you hate to see this guy's career come to an end this way.
 
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Sad. On the financial aspect, I have read that many wealthy donors kept that school open for years, and were simply "tapped" out. If so, can't fault those people.

Hall91 said:
Are there that many successful rich alumni of St. Anthony's? I don't believe there are any current NBA players that were out of St. Anthony's. Maybe Bobby Jr. and Danny are probably the wealthiest, but they can't contribute that much to keep the doors open.

Whatever the case, it's sad to see this happen and whatever your opinion is of Bob Sr., you hate to see this guy's career come to an end this way.
Click to expand...
 
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Hall91 said:
Are there that many successful rich alumni of St. Anthony's? I don't believe there are any current NBA players that were out of St. Anthony's. Maybe Bobby Jr. and Danny are probably the wealthiest, but they can't contribute that much to keep the doors open.

Whatever the case, it's sad to see this happen and whatever your opinion is of Bob Sr., you hate to see this guy's career come to an end this way.
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I don't believe there are any wealthy alumni. My high school Queen of Peace was able to raise over 2 million on a go fund me page with many successful alumni donating. The attached link mentions how even the last fund raiser for SA did not do very much. Now it is official about the closing.

http://www.northjersey.com/story/sp...cision-day-looms-hurley-st-anthony/100025936/
 
And the man will have ample opportunities to coach basketball if he wants. If I'm a local college team I look to hire him in a second. I don't think he wants to put in the grind to be a head coach at the collegiate level (at least at a big school), but perhaps he would like to do it at a smaller school or be an assistant on one of the bigger local program's staffs.


Seton75 said:
Heroic effort by Bob Hurley. He played Sisyphus for years and the boulder was bound to win the battle.
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Patrick Ewing would be wise to hire him if one of his sons doesn't offer him a spot first.
 
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Everyone could see this coming. You just kind of hoped for the best. A great run in so many ways.
 
dehere23 said:
Sad. On the financial aspect, I have read that many wealthy donors kept that school open for years, and were simply "tapped" out. If so, can't fault those people.
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So true.....many ex-basketball alumni have been giving for years due to its potential of closing. They can only give so much.
 
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Seton75 said:
I think he deserves to start collecting his pension.
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He has been collecting 2 pensions. One state pension from his job as a parole officer the other after he became director of recreation for Jersey City. He has not taken any salary as coach or school president though.
 
If everyone knew how long they have been on the edge of dispair they would realize what a great job the Coach and nuns have done keeping the school above water. Bobby Hurley deserves a special place in heaven for his role in enriching the lives of all of the students in the school over the years in addition to the great job he has done as the coach.
 
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TomD82 said:
He has been collecting 2 pensions. One state pension from his job as a parole officer the other after he became director of recreation for Jersey City. He has not taken any salary as coach or school president though.
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For many years, payments for his speaking gigs were made out directly to St Anthony's. His gruff manner may rub some the wrong way, but you can't question his dedication to the school. I can't see him being an asst & the Mrs probably would like to finally spend some time w/ him & the grandkids.
 
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Sad to think of what the 100s of millions could have done for these schools? If the Arccsioces didn't have to pay all those scandals victims.
The Archdiocese of New York has gone from being one of largest landowners of NYC to selling a great deal of it to pay. Much of it to NYU.
In both examples the kids were place 2nd.
 
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Hurley should have packed the school with illegal aliens.

Not only would the Archdiocese coughed up the cash, they would have added a wing to the main building.
 
pokeyshu said:
Sad to think of what the 100s of millions could have done for these schools? If the Arccsioces didn't have to pay all those scandals victims.
The Archdiocese of New York has gone from being one of largest landowners of NYC to selling a great deal of it to pay. Much of it to NYU.
In both examples the kids were place 2nd.
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The Archdiocese of Newark hasn't paid out 100's of millions in lawsuit settlements. The larger reason why schools like St. Anthony's are closing in droves is because Catholics have stopped going to Church in very large numbers, changing demographics in urban areas, and an aging population with a relatively low birth rate. Another more spiritual reason is that so many Catholic schools have stopped teaching the faith. 'If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor.
 
pokeyshu said:
Sad to think of what the 100s of millions could have done for these schools? If the Arccsioces didn't have to pay all those scandals victims.
The Archdiocese of New York has gone from being one of largest landowners of NYC to selling a great deal of it to pay. Much of it to NYU.
In both examples the kids were place 2nd.
Click to expand...


Post of the Year!
 
I heard yesterday the freshman class had 13 students.
 
Very sad. I grew up in JC and st Anthony and bob Hurley were always a proud symbol of what made the city. You didn't think of JC without thinking of st Anthony. The reality is that if not for the coach the school probably would have closed 20 years ago. It will always be remembered. Marist HS , only a few miles away, is also in trouble. Will be up to Hudson catholic and St. Peter's to carry the basketball torch for the city. Thanks coach Hurley for all you have done.
 
pokeyshu said:
Sad to think of what the 100s of millions could have done for these schools? If the Arccsioces didn't have to pay all those scandals victims.
The Archdiocese of New York has gone from being one of largest landowners of NYC to selling a great deal of it to pay. Much of it to NYU.
In both examples the kids were place 2nd.
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This trend of Catholic schools closing, especially in the inner cities, happened long before the lawsuits and settlements for the abuse. One really has nothing to do with the other.

St Ants would have closed 20 years ago, if not for Hurley and the basketball team, as they were able to generate both the funds and publicity to keep it open.

It is sad all these schools closing, but times have changed.
 
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It's always sad to me that there are schools like this that do the right thing for kids and get a great result in terms of these kids going to college or going off and doing great things in the community, while we haven't provided the means for more kids to have access. Politics gets in the way too often.
 
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HallLine69 said:
Yet another nutso post from the undisputed league leader.
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A predictable response, but it doesn't change the FACT that the church and the city always seem to find money for their other priorities.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2017/01/jersey_city_to_stand_by_immigrants_as_trump_mulls.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...undocumented-students/?utm_term=.fe23773fb9a5
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...undocumented-students/?utm_term=.fe23773fb9a5
 
QueRico said:
For many years, payments for his speaking gigs were made out directly to St Anthony's. His gruff manner may rub some the wrong way, but you can't question his dedication to the school. I can't see him being an asst & the Mrs probably would like to finally spend some time w/ him & the grandkids.
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I have seen people give him checks for the school at the JSBL at Saint Rose HS. I am not surprised that the fund raisers have not yielded much lately. Without an endowment fund and a large alumni base how many speaking dinners and golf outings which cost money can you keep having? And at$ 6,500 a year tuition that would never work long term. Most schools are more than 2x that to cover costs.
 
I would be interested to know..

1) what was the schools total enrollment?Someone said only 13 freshmen. Woah. [EDIT: just read the school has an enrollement of about 160 students]

2) what is the tuition? [EDIT tuition for '16-'17 year was $6,150. How the hell is that even possible?]

3) what percentage of the students actually pay the full tuition? [EDIT per school website more than 30% students get aid]
 
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Marist in Bayonne ( my alma mater) announced they will close at the end of the school year a few weeks back. They announced they only had 70 something enrolled freshman for next year.
Coach Hurley would sure love the facility Marist has. Maybe he can bring the St Anthony students to Marist and save one of them. A huge upgrade in facilities and one Catholic high school saved.
Marist is running all kinds of save Marist functions. Hope its successful.
 
BucBloc said:
Marist in Bayonne ( my alma mater) announced they will close at the end of the school year a few weeks back. They announced they only had 70 something enrolled freshman for next year.
Coach Hurley would sure love the facility Marist has. Maybe he can bring the St Anthony students to Marist and save one of them. A huge upgrade in facilities and one Catholic high school saved.
Marist is running all kinds of save Marist functions. Hope its successful.
Click to expand...

Once the word gets out that a school is at risk, signing up new frosh is a tough haul.
School vouchers aren't the total answer, but would certainly help out the remaining Catholic schools. Hoping that Marist can survive.
 
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