History

In 1938, a fire destroyed the shared facility that housed St. Mary's Catholic School and Central Catholic High School in McSherrystown, Pa.  As a consequence, Charles J. Delone, Esq., a prominent Catholic attorney from Hanover, Pa. felt strongly that Catholic high school students in Adams County needed a school of their own, and so he anonymously donated the lands and funds for construction of the building at 140 South Oxford Avenue in McSherrystown, "selling" the property to the Diocese of Harrisburg for five dollars. 

Ground was broken on July 17, 1939 and by Nov. 5, the Most Rev. George L. Leech, Fifth Bishop of Harrisburg, came to McSherrytown to bless the cornerstone. At that time, with the consent of Mr. Delone, Bishop Leech announced:

There are times...when the most high minded personal wishes may properly and profitably yield in order that they may serve the cause of many...

I have asked the donor of this building to allow the name of his family and his forebearers to be associated with this building in order that he and they may be perpetually rememberd in the prayers of those who throughout the years will come to profit by his priceless benefaction. Most. Rev. George L. Leech, Fifth Bishop of Harrisburg, Nov. 5, 1939

Sadly, Mr. Delone passed away in January of 1940, before construction finished. And so as a tribute to Mr. Delone, the school bears his name and its athletic teams have adopted his title "Squires" and "Squirettes."

The new building was dedicated by Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognanni, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, on Sept 2, 1940.

A fount of rich and enduring blessings has sprung up today in this region. Archbishop Giovanni Cicognani, Apostolic Delegate to the Unites States, at the dedication of Delone Catholic High School, Sept. 2, 1940

Father Cyril J. Allwein was appointed the first Principal of Delone Catholic High School and chose red and blue, in honor of his alma matter as the official school colors. The Sisters of Saint Joseph were joined on the faculty by the Sisters of Mercy and, in 1941, by the Sisters of Christian Charity. In 1952 the high school was accredited by the Middle States Association under the direction of Father William R. Lyons, Principal 1948-1977.

Two additional wings were added to the original building in 1955 and in 1963. A chapel, bearing the title, "Our Lady, Queen of Peace," was constructed in 1966. The chapel was moved in 2007 and renovated through a gift from the estate of Donald W. and Mary E. Small. The Lawrence B. (Sonny) Sheppard, Jr. Memorial, a gymnasium complex, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Sheppard in memory of their son, was built in 1968. The 1963 Science and Math wing was renovated in the summer of 2011. The 1940 building received a complete renovation in the summer of 2013 and the 1955 wing, library, cafeteria, band room and old gym were renovated in 2016 and 2017.

Delone Catholic High School continues to serve the youth of parishes in Hanover, McSherrystown, Littlestown, Spring Grove, Abbottstown, New Oxford, Bonneauville, Gettysburg, Fairfield, Westminster, Emmitsburg, Reisterstown, Taneytown and Glyndon as well as non-Catholics from the Adams/Hanover area and northern Maryland. There are also international students from several countries enrolled at Delone Catholic.

Generation after generation, our Squires continue to write the history of this school, through their exemplary acts of service and leadership as "Doers of the Word."