Cathedral Preparatory School - Literulae Yearbook (Erie, PA)

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The ceremony was linked to another celebration-that of Bishop Gannon's . fortielh anniversary as a priest, his twenty-fifth anniversary as a Bishop. As the building progressed through 1943-44, the school once more saw a change in administrators. Father Mil- ler was named pastor of St. John Parish in Erie in 1944, and Monsignor Robert B. McDonald, then head of the diocesan Department of Education, was appointed headmaster. Rev. AUred i Watson l now Bishop Watson l was named his assistant. The principal highlight of Monsignor McDonald's first year here was the dedication of the new Prep to Jesus Christ and Youth. The dedica- tion Mass had as its celebrant the . , f,. . ,J Pumismzu me 'rr-it 5'ri.2nams ov 'rua . CMHEDRAL. I'asPAxATc5RY,SC,H00L FOR BUYS A ERIE, PENNSYLVASNIA Apostolic Delegate to the United States, the Most Reverend Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, now retired in Rome from his last appointment as Papal Secretary of State. The formal blessing of this beautU'ul stone structure on October 26th was part of the dedication of the Cathedral Center. This complex consisted of St. Peter's Cathedral, the episcopal residence, the Ca- thedral rectory, a synod hall, a Memorial Chapel for Bishops, the chancery office, and the new Cathedral Prep addition. Classically beautiful in its Gothic architecture, the new school plant, whose main en- trance faced an open court on West Ninth Street, provided twenty-two completely equipped classrooms, modern scientific laboratories, administration offices, youth administration offices, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a library noted for its beauty as well as for its usefulness.

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Monsignor Joseph J. Wehrle. Headmaster Named now to head this new institution, Doc Wehrle re- signed fronz Prep and Father Victor Miller was named head- nzaster during the summer of 1941. ln October of 1941, the new headnzaster broke ground for the long awaited new Ca- thedral Prep annex and on October 29th of the following year Bishop Gannon laid its cornerstone. In 1925 Prep prouclll' gradttatetl its ft'r.s't senior class qfort-1'-two young C'l1l'l'Xlll1l1 gentlemen. Among them was a ,future Bishop of the Erie Diocese, Alfred Michael Watson, bttsines'.s' manager lor the Lilcrulzlc .lor four years. In the years that 'followed that l't'rst commeneement the administrators came to realize that the f7l1Yl'SI'- cal plant was inadequate to meet the growing en- rollment. The subsequent purchase of the Downing building on West Ninth Street provided admint'.s'tra- tive offices, sc'ienee laboratorie.s, and ct librari' a temporary measure that would serve until a new building could be erected: at that time the Downing building would be razed. Ever planning, ever dreaming, Bishop Gannon launched in 1940-41 another of his ambitious edu- cational projects efjannon College. X1 fy'51f! ' The Downing Building

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Breaking ground for new school on October IS. I9-ll. The 0llISlllIIlll'lIj1 pli,1'.x'i'eal lea- lure of lhe library lat' in the nine huge .s'.i'n1l70lic' siainecl glcixx winzlowx which were ile- sikgizerl hi' Ranibuselz in ml- i . lalwraiion with MIJlI.S'l.QIlflI' Mc'- Donalcl and a.xe.s'i'.s'ierl ht' lhe Vert' Reverend Thaiiiris Plaszsniann, OFM., a naiionallt' repziiea' l'.X'f7L'I'l in llllll'4Ql'C'fll .vrnzhnlisni fran: SI. BUIICIVUIIIIIFC' L'lIl'VC'l'.S'Iil-ll Panels represent the diocese, Ihe Church, Ihe Unilea' Slates, religion, the honze, liberal arts, Ihe pro- fesxions, fine arts. ana' manual aris. They feaiure synibols of ihese various szihjee1.s' as well ax ,vainis who are patrons in each given area. Exec'u11've Qffiees were localea' on the ground floor of Ihis buila'ing, with classrooms' on the grouna' and upper floors of an ell-shaped wing which opened at right angles from Ihe main hall. The school's beginning. Prep's present cafeteria. l