Transformational Giving: Delbarton names the Peter L. O’Neill ‘59 Alumni Center in historic Old Main

At the heart of the Delbarton campus there stands a grand old building, beloved by all. The mansion was the centerpiece of the gilded-era estate that initiated the Delbarton name. The estate was purchased in the 1920s and became the first Morristown home for the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey. In 1939, the monks established the Delbarton School. Students attended classes in the same building and shared their meals and other social activity time with the monks. Even today, Old Main, as the building is known, is the emotional center of the Delbarton community. It is beloved by students, families, alumni and visitors alike.

Peter L. O’Neill ‘59, often reflected that much of his success was due to the foundation he received at Delbarton. Throughout his life, he remained an active member of the community. Peter encouraged fellowship among the alumni and was instrumental in establishing the class gift program. He was inducted into the Delbarton Hall of Honor in 1999. Following his death in 2019, his wife Rebecca O’Neill sought to commemorate his commitment to Delbarton by painstakingly refurbishing the grandeur of Old Main. The Peter L. O’Neill ‘59 Alumni Center is now housed on the first floor of the historic building.

In reimaging the historic home as a center for alumni and donor engagement, recognition of distinguished service was also integrated into the renovation plan. The Delbarton Hall of Honor inductees are celebrated at the top of the grand stair, the Alumni Association presidents are listed in the conference room, and presidents of the Mothers Guild and Fathers and Friends Association are showcased in the reception area. These displays use materials and detailing matching the mansion’s original millwork. This project required close collaboration between many stakeholders from the Abbey and School, Linda Poletti and her interior design team, specialty woodworkers and framers, the fabrication team at Eleven Fifty-Seven, and the portrait painter, John Traynor.