The Augustinian Academy on

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull and ...

, was founded on May 30, 1899, in conjunction with the new

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

parish of

Our Lady of Good Counsel Our Lady of Good Counsel ( la, Mater boni consilii) is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, after a painting said to be miraculous, now found in the thirteenth century Augustinian church at Genazzano, near Rome, Italy. Measuring the imag ...

, both by the

Augustinian Friars The Order of Saint Augustine, ( la, Ordo Fratrum Sancti Augustini) abbreviated OSA, is a religious mendicant order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were fo ...

. The academy expanded in 1926 and closed in 1969, adding about 250 priests to the Augustinian order.

History

The academy's original buildings were first erected for the

Visitation Sisters , image = Salesas-escut.gif , size = 175px , abbreviation = V.S.M. , nickname = Visitandines , motto = , formation = , founder = Saint Bishop Francis de ...

, and were purchased and modified by the Augustinians for educational purposes. The academy was dedicated by Archbishop

Sebastiano Martinelli Sebastiano Martinelli (20 August 1848 – 4 July 1918) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Prefect of the Congregation of Rites. Early life Sebastiano Martinelli was born in Borgo Sant'Anna within the Archdiocese of Lucca ...

on September 10, 1899, and officially opened on September 13 as "The Catholic High School of Richmond Borough". This was the first Catholic settlement in Tompkinsville, and the first Mass was said in the neighborhood on November 12, 1899, in McRobert's Hall on Arietta Street. Our Lady of Good Counsel occupied the large chapel in the academy building, along with the small chapel of Our Lady of Consolation, erected in 1902 on Saint Paul's Avenue.Riordan, Michael J., et al, editors
''The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Volume 3, Section 1''
(New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p. 396. The original program of study comprised classical, commercial and grammar courses, and was soon accredited by the

University of the State of New York The University of the State of New York (USNY, ) is the state of New York's governmental umbrella organization for both public and private institutions in New York State. The "university" is not an educational institution: it is, in fact, a lic ...

. The valuation of the academy and church property was about $100,000 in 1914, . On May 30, 1909, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the academy's founding, the

Ancient Order of Hibernians The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; ) is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in N ...

presented the academy with a handsome 100-foot flagpole and a large American flag. Among the properties that the academy owned, and founded, was a site in

Morrisania, Bronx Morrisania ( ) is a residential neighborhood in the southwestern Bronx, New York City, New York (state), New York. Its boundaries are the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the north, Crotona-Prospect Avenue to the east, East 161st Street to the south, an ...

, on the east side of Andrews Avenue, 200 feet south of Fordham Road. The structure would be a two-story brick school, 54x100 feet, built in 1906 to the design of architect J. O'Connor for $50,000, for the now-closed St. Augustine's School. The academy began educating boys for the priesthood in 1921. It expanded to a 16-acre site in the

Grymes Hill Grymes Hill is a tall hill formed of serpentine rock on Staten Island, New York. It is the second highest natural point on the island and in the five boroughs of New York City. The neighborhood of the same name encompasses an area of and has ...

neighborhood in 1926, but finally closed in 1969. The Tompkinsville property became a parochial school. The Grymes Hill property was used as a retreat house until 1983, acquired by

Wagner College Wagner College is a private liberal arts college in Staten Island, New York City. Founded in 1883 and with an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students, Wagner is known for its academic program, The Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts. It ...

in 1993, then heavily damaged by fires, and ultimately razed in 2006.

Legacy

"During its 70 years of existence, Augustinian Academy graduated approximately 1,348 men and added about 250 priests to the Augustinian order." One nationally prominent graduate was Edmund Dobbin from the Class of 1953, who went on to become the longest-serving president of

Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Penns ...

. In 2009, New York City renamed the academy's former location on Grymes Hill as "Augustinian Academy Way". In 2012, Good Counsel Church dedicated its Augustinian Academy Historical Monument, including the bell from the school's demolished tower.

References

{{authority control Religious organizations established in 1899 Educational institutions established in 1899 Defunct schools in New York City Defunct Catholic secondary schools in New York City 1969 disestablishments in New York (state) 1899 establishments in New York City Roman Catholic high schools in Staten Island Buildings and structures demolished in 2006 Grymes Hill, Staten Island Tompkinsville, Staten Island