Cathedral High School - Spires Yearbook (New York, NY)

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1945. Besides the excitement of the outside world, there was much going on in the school lives of Cathedralites. Once again they have been outstanding above and beyond the call of duty. A citation was received from the Treasury Department for an amount sufficient to purchase seven field ambulances. Our sympathy was ex- tended to those members of the student body who suffered bereavement during these last years of the war. A bulletin was posted on the first floor bearing the name of those students whose relatives were wounded or killed in actiong sometimes this bulletin was issued daily. Congratulations to the ARBUTUS for its Medalist award! Professor Heinroth has written another Mass dedicated to Archbishop Spellman. For the pause that refreshes -our coke machine was installed in the cafeteria. On V-E Day we went to the Cathedral to sing the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the end of the war in Europe and prayed that it would soon end in the Pacific also. 1946. This year brought many changes to our school, the last January graduation was held, the last February class was admitted and the 3B classes were accelerated. This plan was continued until all February admissions were graduated, Bishops' Relief Organization for Victims of War held its first drive this February and March. On March 5 Cardinal Spellman returned from Rome after his consecration as Cardi- nal. ln March also Father Keller gave his first talk to us introducing the Christo- pher idea. The graduates have their first Communion Breakfast with Monsignor Flannelly as their guest. We received three state scholarships and the ARBUTUS is again Medalist. ln September we formed part of the Living Rosary in the first Holy Name Rally at the Polo Grounds. This year was marked by the frequent ex- citement caused by the welcome given by New York to the returning generals, who stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria. 1947. Our scholastic achivements were high: Rosetta Natoli received honorable mention in the Westinghouse Science Talent Research examination, the ARBUTUS received Medalist, the Science Club, second award in the Cancer Exhibit and three state scholarships came to us. ln May Father Meeus again stormed Cathedral, giving us the story of his experiences on the Burma Road. Cathedralites , gener- ous as usual, gave him a gift of shoes before he left to visit his family in Belgium. ln April the seniors went on the first trip to Washington since the war. ln Decem- ber we gave a Christmas party to the Foundling children, this later became a Y.C.S. project. 1948. At the start of the New Year at the Debate Tournament at Cardinal Hayes. our Junior Debaters won Honor Ribbons. February marked our first magazine drive with 1141 subscriptions to the SIGN. A minstrel show was given by the Funny Fathers for Father Plumblossom, who is now returning to China for the last time. The Varsity won the Manhattan and the Archdiocesan championships, and the AR- BUTUS received Medalist. Again we have our annual Parents' Day in May with a concert given by the Glee Club and Orchestra. In October we entered the Columbus Day Parade for the first time. We have lost an old and trusted neighbor-the fire- house that stood on the southwest corner of Fiftieth Street and Lexington Avenue for many years. 1949. The new term brought Father Keller to address the assembly. ln March the seniors presented an Irish Variety Show to raise money for new stage curtains. The spring saw the formation of the patrol, the trophy won by the Science Club, first award of the New York City Cancer Committee, and another championship for the Varsity. School closed with the largest graduating class-891 seniors. ln Septem- ber we had fully equipped darkroom opened by the Science Department and a music department added to the library. Sewing classes were started with Sister Maria lrene in charge. ln November our Latin students received the highest rating in the AUXILIUM LATINUM test with another trophy coming to C.H.S. ln No- vember also--the first West Point trip! 1950. The new doors of the Cathedral, consecrated before Christmas, proved a point of interest 'to all at the beginning of the New Year, Nora Leon was a winner in the County Finals of the American Legion Oratorical Contest, and Aileen Den- gel, in the third round of the Hearst Oratorical Contest. ln the spring eighteen re- ligious communities participated in a vocation exhibit held in our school and the Science Club again won the cancer trophy-the third time. We now have our own beanies which we wore at our first participation in World Sodality Day at Fordham. To the honors already mentioned, we may add seven state scholorships, the C.B.E.A. cup award for shorthand, the A.P.S.L. trophy for Latin students, the Medalist award for SPIRES. ln September the Guidance Office was moved to room 205 On October 18 we had the memorable visit of the Dionne Quints, who sang East Side. West Side for us. This has been a musical year, December l 1 we had the Silver genes Quartet and on December 14, the Little Singers of the Wooden Cross from ans.- 1 -3-fglakf A

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1941. ln March Miss Mary Louise Hiskey gave one of her memorable entertain- ments consisting of lrish selections. ln April the Glee Club gave a concert in which our school song Hail, Cathedral's Blue and Gold was sung for the first time. The Athletic Association sponsored a very different Field Day this year, a bus ride to Bear Mountain, to which the entire school was invited. In September Holy Trinity Branch was opened. The Guidance Department under Sister Anita Mary was of- ficially begun with its headquarters in what is now the Faculty Room. This year also marks the beginning of rotation. December 7-Pearl Harbor! 1942. We had something new in graduation exercises this January. Four Cathe- dral Girl Scouts in uniform, carrying American and Papalflags, led the line of march to the Cathedral. This custom is still continued except that the students now wear school capes and beanies. With war raging across the continents of Europe and Asia, we were having shelter drills and first-aid classes at Cathedral, and praying earnestly for peace. This spring the new altar was constructed in the Cathedral. While the work was in progress, we had Holy Mass for the first time in our Oratory during the Junior Retreat, and Benediction was given in the auditorium. To take the registration of civilians in preparation for rationing, students worked in the ele- mentary schools in February for several days. ln September Sister Miriam became our principal and was here to welcome the different communities of Sisters com- ing to teach in the Main Building and in the Branches. The ARBUTUS showed many changes during these yearsg we find such familiar pages as Events of the Month and Cathedral Capers as well as the addition of pictures. 1943. We started off the New Year by resuming the publication of the SPIRES for the January class. For several years we had two books a year. Modern His- torians, attentionl In June Cathedral scored the highest American History average in the state--99.5fMn. In the sports field we find the early stages of our Varsity working with the C.Y.O. under the direction of Miss Lovejoy and Sister Mary Anysia. Junior Achievement is also under way with Pat O'Hara as the President of all J.A. Companies in New York State. Since we are in the midst of a war, a war stamp booth was erected at the Lexington Avenue entrance to the cafeteria. In De- cember we also had a Jeep Rally, consisting of entertainment, refreshments, grab- bags, and games. To participate in any activity, we had to buy a war stamp. Thanks to the proverbial spirit of Cathedralites, we raised enough money to buy four jeeps with Cathedral plaques on them. This movement was instigated by Jeanne Davidson and Ursula Corcoran, now members of the Sparkill Dominicans. September brought us the Statue of Our Lady to the front hall, a tradition dear to every Cathedralite. 1944. Congratulations to our Varsity for winning the C.Y.O. cup for the first time. The ARBUTUS received the All-Catholic Award from the Catholic School Press As- sociation and the Medalist from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. We are still selling War Bonds and stamps-now at the counter during lunch periods. Fac- ulty members and students of these days still remember the missionary from China. Father Charles L. Meeus, popularly known as Father Plumblossom, who visited Ca- thedral this year, imparting to us some of his indomitable spirit and great love for God. During one of his visits he taught us to sing Alouetta in Chinese. Father joined the U.S. Army as chaplain and served on the Burma Road, where he always carried a Cathedral banner on his plane, The Little Flower. More of Father Meeus laterj ln an art contest sponsored by Macy's in coniunction with Scholastic Maga- zine. first prize was won by Georgine Gerstmayr and honorable mention by Cather- ine Burke. In September under the direction of Miss Marion Hauck, the Health Service Program was inaugurated. Graduation in the Waldorf-Astoria in 1938-312 graduates.

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1951. Honors for the Debate Club-trophy at the C.F.L. Grand Tournamentg for the Caesar Latin classes-the Know-English Trophy and for the Secretarial Practice classes-the Pitman Cup. In October we had the most memorable event in the his- tory of our school, the opening of the Chapel of Mater Sedes Sapientiae with the Presence of our Eucharistic Lord in the Tabernacle, and after the Mass which in- augurated this privilege, the seniors had the first ring ceremony presided over by Sister Miriam Aloysia. 1952. Our theatrical year opened with the Dramatical Club presentation of What a Life! ln our scholastic life Nora Donegan won first prize in Monsignor Voight's science essay contestg two seniors and three juniors rated high in the annual Span- ish contest held by the American Ass'n of Spanish Teachers. The Debate Club won the C.F.L. trophyg Kate Curry was winner in the County Finals of the American Le- gion Oratorical Contest and Marie Mulligan competed at the Metropolitan Opera House in the Hearst Oratorical Contest. The fall term brought Father Wolff for our monthly religious instruction. As the Dramatic Club was preparing for the pre- sentation of The Rivals, we were all very much grieved by the sudden death of our dramatic coach, Miss Marie Hale, on October 2. 1953. ln an Art Show, sponsored by the C.Y.O., Cathedral received fifty-six prizes: the Varsity won the Bongiorni Trophy in the Brooklyn Tournament. Again oratorical contests claimed our attention, Kay McGowan competed at the Metropol- itan in the Hearst Contest and Alice Courtney, was winner in the County Finals of the American Legion Contest. For the first time both ARBUTUS and SPIRES re- ceived Medalists awards from Columbia. A record no other class has ever reached --the graduating class of this year received a total of seventy-eight scholarships! In the fall we were honored by a lecture given by Bella Dodd, a former Communist Party member. On December 8, our Holy Father opened the Marian Year in honor of the hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception of our Lady. When we returned to school this fall we thought we could make all the noise we wanted because the cafeteria and gym had been sound-proofed, but now we find we must beware, the new P.A. system will be in operation shortly. ln De- cember Ann Novellino was chosen General Chairman of the Mirror Youth Forum. 1954. We returned after Christmas to find that the cafeteria had been redecorated and new tables and chairs installed. What an inducement to loitering there! A series of championships and prizes followed in the spring months: the Archdiocesan C.Y.O, Championship and the Bongiorni trophy for the Varsity, a thousand dollar scholarship as first prize in the American Legion Oratorical Contest for Ann Novel- lino and the C.F.L. trophy for the Debate Club, the C.Y.O. and the A.A.U. trophy for the track teams. ln September the new Guidance Library was opened and Mr. O'Connell completed twenty years of service. Never absent! Never late! On Oc- tober 24, Francis Cardinal Spellman opened the Golden Jubilee Year by celebrating Mass at the Cathedral: two thousand Cathedralites were present. After having breakfast at the Waldorf-Astoria, then spent the afternoon at open house in the school, where they found the spirit unchanged even in the midst of material pro- gress. - 1955. ln this issue of SPIRES we hope to tell the story of this famous year of Jubi- lee. May this year be one of great blessings for all those connected with our Alma Mater-- faculty, student body and alumnael '1 Graduation in the Cathedral in 1955- 763 graduates. ii?