Central Catholic High School - Echo Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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16 .E GHG Remodeling Is Complete After more than a year and a half of renovating and remodeling, the work on the building is complete. The new study-hall, class-rooms, corri- dors, stairways, laboratories, lavora- tories, cloak rooms, dressing rooms, and showers are a God-send. The new spacious study-hall on the first floor is large enough to accommodate over three hundred students. To satisfy the present needs it is fitted out with two hundred desks of the latest double pedistle type. The delicate tint of the walls and ceiling combined with the numerous windows and an ample supply of indirect electric light makes the new study-hall a most de- lightful place. In the class rooms also many im- provements have been made. New black-boards have been installed, two hundred and ten recitation room chairs of the arm book rack variety have been purchased and distributed to the various classes. ' ,W . l ,,, .i The Reverend A. E. Lafontaine, our beloved superintendent, W01'kiHg In conjunction with our Right Reverend Bishop, took a direct personal inter- est in the improvements... He has spared neither pains nor money to make the conditions at the C. C. H. S. everything that it is possible to make them. The students are grateful for the improved conditions, and will try to show their deep appreciation my mak- ing the most of the opportunities that they are enjoying at the Central Catholic High School. -Edwin O'Neill, '23. Physical Training Classes for All Special classes in physical training were inaugurated at the Central Catholic High School this year. Classes are held every day and each student must attend at least twice a week. Coach Flaherty is in charge of the work and the classes are received with enthusiasm by the members of the high school. Coach Flaherty who has just closed a very successful foot- ball season has his basketball players in good trim for the caging season. With an improved court and several of the veteran players back, every- thing looks bright for a successful season for the Purple and Gold. Apostolate of Good Reading Organized The Echo Apostolate of Good Read- ing is now a reality. Its purpose is to supply regularly and gratuitously the poor pastors and families in parishes in the south and southwest with much needed Catholic literature, and to make use of Catholic newspapers and magazines that are not being used. At the same time it is calcu- lated to teach missionary work to the high school students.

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THE ECHO 15 The Parents' Duty The desire of the boy or girl to enter a religious order or congrega- tion should not be treated as a mat- ter of parental self-will, subject to the cold calculations of worldly prudence. There is question here of making or marring the fortunes of an immortal soulg in such a crisis there can be no justification for mak- ing objections founded on the maxims of interested self-seeking. All parents should understand-right thinking ones do understand-that the ex- pressed desire of a son or daughter to join a religious congregation springs ordinarily from motives of supernatural charity. Such a desire, therefore, is not a passing fancy or a sign of mere youthful enthusiasmg it is an inspiration from on high, a movement of the Holy Spirit sweetly urging the soul to follow the path of evangelical perfection. Far from opposing the Divine Will thus made' known, wise parents will readily make the sacrifice which God demands of them. He will compensate them for this deed in granting to them and their beloved ones the hundredfold of blessings to those who leave father and mother to follow in the footsteps of Christ's privileged companions. Hours of Study It is probably the theory of most school boys that a few hours study a week will suffice, but are they sure it will. The average length of required study in school is about forty min- utes. This is not enough unless the student does considerable study at home. The length of study any senior needs will vary from three and a half to five hours a day. He cannot do his work satisfactorily in any less no matter how bright he may be. It is only reasonable to expect that every student spend as much time in prepa- ration of lesson as he spends in the recitation of the same. This prepa- ration is not provided for during school hours. The study period in school is set aside so that the student is able to review what he has pre- pared at home. It is not a time for original study much less a time for copying someone else's work. If a student is worthy of the name he will do his home tasks and study his les- sons conscientiously. If he has not the backbone to do this of his own ac- cord, his parents-if they have the boy's best interests at heart-will see to it that the boy is at home and that nothing wfill interfere with his get- ting his lessons. If parents would see to it that their sons bring a reason- able number of books home-it is not enough for boys to take books from the study hall-each night, and then see to it that the books are used at home, there would be less complain- ing when reports go home and less disappointment when promotions take place next June. -John Hzfguenard, '23, A Word About Our Advertisers At the close of the year and espe- cially at this blessed Christmas sea- son, we wish to express our sincere thanks to our advertisers.. We are deeply indebted to them for their generous co-operation, and we ask our readers to express their apprecia- tion by patronizing them and show- ing that an advertisement in THE ECHO is profitable to them. They de- serve this consideration from you be- cause it is only through them that the publication of THE ECHO is made Possible. Patromfze our advertisers.

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THE ECHO I7 The members of the Fort Wayne Council No. 451, Knights of Columbus acting through their Committee for the Distribution of Catholic Litera- ture, have pledged both literature and postage to promote the endeavor. The Apostolate is functioning al- though the organization will not be entirely completed until after the be- beginning of the new year. J The Right Reverend Monsignor J. H. Oechtering, V. G., was the first priest to make an appeal to his people for magazines. As a result a whole truck load of wholesome reading was gathered at the church door and de- livered to the Central Catholic High School for remailing purposes. Hun- dreds of magazines have since been received from the same source. That the literature is greatly ap- preciated by those who receive it is evidenced by the kind letters received by the Apostolate. -Thomas Doyle, 525. Obituary It is our sad duty to record the death of Mr. Michael Kelleher, father of Stephen of the Freshmen Class, who died at St. Joseph's Hospital on Thanksgiving Day. Although his passing was rather sudden he had no cause to fear for he was ever a model Christian husband and father. The large attendance at his funeral evi- denced the regard in which he was held by his acquaintances. We assure the family that he will receive a liberal share in the prayers of both faculty and students. May his prec- ious soul rest in peace. A Book Review flusf as our Echo forms were being locked, our attention was drawn to a real for sure book of poetry. We cannot im- prove on the following notice which ap- peared in one of our International Maga- zines under the date of December 9.5 Lovers of good poetry will recall an ex- quisite book by the Rev. Charles L. O'Don- nell, C. S. C., The Dead Musician and Other Poems, which was unfortunately swallowed up in a publisher's failure. The choicest of that collection, with some new and appealing additions, has just appeared under the title, Cloister and Other Poems. Father O'Donnell's best gift is the ability to create beautiful lyrics of an extraordi- nary and haunting religious suggestiveness, but the present volume contains also two excellent longer poems. Priests have an emotional life too, fuller and freer, perhaps, than any other, but above all else individual and aspiring. To give this life expression in a form that suited it admirably was Father Tabb's abiding and generous serviceg he has had no successor, we firmly believe, to equal Father O'Donnell. Of course, the two are not alike. Of the Virginian priest's genius and its characteristics we need say nothing here: Father O'Donnell excels in ability to combine color with melody, or, let us say, stained glass with chant. The fol- lowing quatrain, Bread and Win-e, with the sub-title, Passionis Tuae Memoriam Reli- quisti, will probably convince the most in- veterate doubter that modern expression of sacramental moods may still be great verse: Herod's Fool and Pilate's King, Purple cloths and white we bring: Cloak Thee in the pale wheat, hide In clusters of the blue hillside. The little book is excellently fashioned. The Macmillan Co., price, 31.