Salesianum School is a Catholic independent school for boys located in Wilmington, Delaware. It is run independently within the Diocese of Wilmington and is operated by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The current enrollment is about 930 students, declining from a peak of about 1,100 in recent years, from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Salesianum has established a close connection with Lycée Saint Michel, another Oblate high school, located in Annecy, France. Salesianum was named one of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in America by the Catholic Honor Roll in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Campus

The 22 acre campus is home to the school itself as well as a gymnasium. In addition to the campus, the athletic program also makes use of Wilmington's newly constructed Abessinio Stadium, formerly Baynard Stadium, which is located directly across from the school. In 2023, the school was given a $10 million donation by alumnus Anthony Fusco to build a new athletic facility.

Athletics

Salesianum School has won 185 Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) approved boys' state championships, winning its first state championship in basketball in 2014 and latest one in 2023. Salesianum's historical rival is St. Mark's High School, which is located in suburban Wilmington. Their fall meeting in football is commonly referred to as "The Holy War". The soccer team won 11 state championships between 2002 and 2014, and in 2013 defeated Saint Benedict's Preparatory School, the top ranked high school program in the nation, on a game-winning goal scored by Joseph Dolce. They finished the season ranked as the number two high school team in the country. The 2016 soccer team finished the season ranked sixth in the nation by USA Today on its final Super 25 Expert Rankings. The cross country team has won 37 of the 42 DIAA state boys' championships, losing only five years between 1972 and 2013. The Salesianum swimming team has won ten consecutive state boys' championships between 2005 and 2015, and 11 of 12 from 2005-2017.

History

Salesianum (Latin for "House of Sales", referring to St. Francis de Sales) was founded in 1903 and was located at 8th and West Streets until the move to its current location in 1957. In 1950, Rev. Thomas Lawless, OSFS, a 1908 graduate of Salesianum, admitted five African American students four years prior to the Brown v. Board of Education decision which made it mandatory, thus making Salesianum the first racially integrated school in the state of Delaware. The school was recognized for this with a historical marker. In August 2012, the Wilmington/Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales published a letter stating, "Since 2004, the Wilmington/Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales has been named in lawsuits in the Superior Court of Delaware filed by 40 plaintiffs, each of which contained allegations of sexual abuse of a minor." The letter named 12 oblates who had been involved and expressed regrets, stating, "The abuse of children by priests and other clergy is shocking, reprehensible, and devastating to all whose trust has been shattered by their selfish deeds." This followed a settlement in August 2011 of 39 lawsuits against the school and the order, with the order and its insurers paying $24.8 million to be shared between the plaintiffs.

Notable alumni