Delbarton School is a private, all-male Catholic college-preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, serving students in seventh through twelfth grades. It is independently directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey in Morristown and is located in the Diocese of Paterson.Morris County Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Accessed August 11, 2017.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 646 students and 83.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.7:1.School data for Delbarton School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025. Delbarton's student body comprises students from more than eight New Jersey counties and 100 communities.
Delbarton is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent SchoolsMember Listing, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed November 18, 2016. and has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1961.Delbarton School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 1, 2022.
The school offers financial aid to families who cannot afford the cost of tuition, and financial aid offers are considered independently of admission. Annual tuition is $48,725 for the 2025–26 school year.Tuition, Delbarton School. Accessed September 3, 2025. "Tuition: $48,725 inclusive of all but books and transportation" Delbarton is a host site for NJ Seeds' young scholars program where every summer academically qualified but economically disadvantaged students attend classes on the Delbarton campus.
History
In the 1880s, Luther Kountze established an estate in northern New Jersey. He began to buy more land, eventually expanding his estate to cover . This eventually became the home of St. Mary's Abbey/Delbarton, Morristown National Historical Park and Lewis Morris County Park. Kountze eventually named the estate "Delbarton," borrowing one syllable from the names of each of his first three children (DELancey, BARclay and LivingsTON).The Kountze Family of Delbarton , St. Mary's Abbey. Accessed July 18, 2012. "Luther Kountze had four children: Barclay Ward, William Delancey, Helen Livingston and Annie Ward. The estate was evidently named by borrowing a syllable from each of the first three children's names."
In 1918, Kountze died, leaving the entire property to his family. The family decided to put the estate for sale. In 1925, the monks of Saint Mary's Abbey, then in Newark, purchased approximately of Delbarton to use as a separate house for younger members for studying, finally settling on the property in 1927.
After some time, the monks decided to open a secondary school, as the Newark residence had done so with Saint Benedict's Preparatory School. After some deliberation, Abbot Patrick O'Brien opened Delbarton School in 1939, appointing Father Augustine Wirth as the first headmaster. At that time, the school was a boarding school for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
In 1942, Father Stephen Findlay succeeded as Headmaster and introduced drastic changes. The grade levels were modified, ultimately resulting in seventh through twelfth grades being offered. The Kountze carriage house was destroyed in a fire in 1947, leading to the construction of the St. Joseph Gymnasium. Because of the fire, the school chose as its motto, "Succisa Virescit" (“cut down, it grows again”), borrowing from the often destroyed Abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy.Our History, Delbarton School. Accessed February 23, 2026. Trinity Hall opened in 1959, allowing the enrollment to increase to over 300. Father Stephen retired in 1967 to the position of Director of Development. In 1971, the Schmeil-O'Brien Hall dormitory was dedicated, although the majority of students were day students.
Delbarton's fourth headmaster, Father Gerard Lair (1975–1980), initiated more changes. The system of discipline from demerits and detention changed to a conversational program designed to bring about positive changes. As the academic prestige of the school grew, the board of trustees decided to terminate the residential program in 1978. The last two resident students graduated in 1983.
Since then, more facilities have been built, with the dedication of the Lynch Athletic Center in 1983, Findlay Science Pavilion in 1995, Fine Arts Center in 2006, the 40 Acres soccer and baseball fields in 2009, and the Cocoziello Field and Passerelli Track in 2010.
Molestation allegations against a monk at Delbarton resulted in lawsuits being filed against the school by two former students who claimed to have been inappropriately touched by the Reverend.Manahan, Kevin. "Delbarton monk accused of sexual abuse in newest allegations", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 6, 2012. Accessed December 8, 2017. "The latest in a string of accusations of sexual abuse at the Delbarton School involve a monk, the Rev. Benedict Worry, who has been serving as the pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Linden and the chaplain for the Linden Police Department. At a press conference on the Morris County courthouse lawn Tuesday, two miles from the private school, Delbarton alumnus Steve Badt and an unnamed former student joined two other alleged abuse victims in a civil lawsuit originally filed in March against the school and St. Mary’s Abbey, which runs the school." In 2018, the school acknowledged that 13 priests or monks, and one lay faculty member had abused 30 individuals over a period of decades, resulting in at least 8 legal settlements with seven other cases still unresolved at that point.Zaremba, Justin. "Delbarton acknowledges that dozens were abused. Victims say school hasn't gone far enough", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 25, 2018. Accessed November 17, 2020. "Delbarton School and St. Mary's Abbey, for the first time, has publicly acknowledged the accusations of 30 individuals who have alleged abuse by 13 past or current priests and monks there, and one retired lay faculty member, over the course of three decades.... Cronin and Tidd also said in the letter that eight of the civil actions brought against the abbey and school in Morris Township since 2012 have been settled, and seven cases are pending."
In April 2021, Delbarton officially opened St. Benedict Hall, featuring a new library, Spada Commons, new office suite for guidance and college counseling and three new classrooms. The building also features the Hayes Room and connects with the first and second floor of Trinity Hall.
International focus Delbarton has made many efforts to open up the student body to the international community. Over the past few years many respectable speakers have spoken to the student body including Dith Pran and Lech Wałęsa.
Delbarton students also have several opportunities to travel abroad. The school participates in foreign exchange programs with schools in Ireland, particularly sister school Glenstal Abbey School in County Limerick, and the Bildungszentrum Markdorf School in Markdorf, Germany. Juniors can travel to the Caribbean during the summer between their junior and senior year to learn about the culture and history of select islands through the school's SOL program. Students also have the opportunity to experience eco-tourism first hand in Costa Rica. Students have visited nature reserves, Arenal Volcano, Poás Volcano National Park and Monteverde while studying at the CPI language school in Heredia, Costa Rica. Delbarton students have also traveled to Spain on several organized summer trips and to Germany for World Youth Day with the school's religious educator David Hajduk. The school has also sent several students to help assist in Operation Smile Missions in China, Honduras, Madagascar and Thailand. The most recent established trip overseas was a mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya, and Hanga, Tanzania, where students donated money and aid to several schools. The school's various musical ensembles also travel to foreign countries to tour and perform.
Students participate in the school's Model United Nations and Challenge 20/20 clubs. The Model United Nations club participates in four to five Model UN Conferences every year and has attained much success, winning the Best Small Delegation Award at Princeton's 2005 conference, the 2007 Seton Hall University conference, and 2009 WAMUNC.Delbarton Model UN . Accessed June 5, 2007. The club also participated in The Hague International Model United Nations, held in the Netherlands from 2006 to 2008.
Academics
Delbarton operates an 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. schedule, including six class periods, a conference period, and lunch. The schedule is an eight-day rotating block schedule ("A day" through "H day") with two classes dropping out of the schedule each of the eight days. All students have a twenty-five minute free period ("M block") from 10:00 to 10:25 AM. Teachers, guidance, and college counseling are available during M block and after school for extra assistance as needed. Although the school day ends at 2:45 p.m., the first buses do not leave campus until 4:00 p.m., which encourages students to pursue extracurricular activities, work with faculty on homework and special projects, and volunteer on one of the many community service projects the school sponsors. Late bus service is also offered at 6:00 p.m.
Delbarton offers 24 Advanced Placement courses. In 2009, 107 Delbarton students qualified as AP scholars, with 16 students qualifying for the National AP Scholar Award, 37 qualifying for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, 26 qualifying for the AP Scholar with Honor Award, and 34 students qualifying for the AP Scholar Award. Delbarton does not offer any courses designated explicitly as "honors" because even classes not designated as "AP" are taught well beyond the traditional high school level. For example, students may take mathematics classes up to 3 years ahead of the nationwide standard (Algebra 1 in freshman year). Advanced math courses such as Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and AP Statistics are offered, as are independent study options. Language and literature courses are also offered in several languages.
With few exceptions, nearly all graduates continue on to four-year colleges or universities. Delbarton students are recognized for their academic achievements. In 2010, there were two National Merit Scholarships, three finalists, and 13 commended students. Eleven students were named Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars.
In 2007, The Wall Street Journal ranked Delbarton School ninth among America's high schools.Gamerman, Ellen; Chung, Juliet; Park, SungHa; and Jacson, Candace. "How the Schools Stack Up", The Wall Street Journal, December 28, 2007. Accessed December 8, 2015. For the 1983–1984 school year, Delbarton School received the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002, United States Department of Education. Accessed November 18, 2016. In 2023, Niche.com ranked Delbarton third among Catholic high schools in the United States, and fifth among all private schools in New Jersey."2023 Best Catholic High Schools in America", Niche. Accessed November 17, 2020."2023 Best Private High Schools in New Jersey", Niche. Accessed November 17, 2020.
Athletics