Christian Brothers Academy - Cadet Yearbook (Albany, NY)

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SENIOR POLL Best Senior Student .................................. .......... A rthur Flores Senior Most Likely to Succeed .................. ............ P aul De Russo Senior with Most Pleasing Personality ................ George Batkiewicz Most Handsome Senior Most Popular Senior ...... .... ....Edward Angell ...Thomas Carroll Best Senior Athlete ........ ...Thomas Carroll Best Senior Orator ......... ..,.... L awrence Nlelillo Best Senior Vocalist .......... .......... J ohn Somerville Best Senior Writer ......... ........ T homas Brown Best Senior Musician ............................,...... ........ R ichard Thombs Senior Most Efficient in ...lNilliam Cashin Most Witty Senior .................................... ........ R obert Ryan Favorite Senior Subject ,............. .......... C hemistry Favorite Senior Indoor Sport ......... .......... B asketball Favorite Senior Outdoor Sport ......... ............. F ootball Favorite Male Vocalist ................... .......... B ing Crosby Favorite Female Vocalist ......... ......... D oris Day Favorite Popular Song .......... ..,...... S tardust Favorite Automobile ........... .......................,.... B uick Favorite Radio Program .......... ........ L ux Radio Theatre Favorite Magazine ............... .............................. L ife Favorite Cigarette .......,............... ............................... C hesterfield Favorite Dance Band ....................,............................. Guy Lombardo Favorite Young Ladies! School .......... Academy of the Holy Names

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Festival was largely due to the endeavors of the juniors. We also had third year men on the National Champion Rifie team, Larry Melillo, the public speaking prodigy, won the Junior Speak- ing contest, while his contemporary, John Gormley, won the dramatics medal. james Tabone was also among the medal winners. Jim won the squad leader's medal. There are very few people who will dispute that the climax of that junior year was the June Regents examinations. The pressure was on and the strain was terrific. To those of us who didn't make the grade in some of those exams and took them in summer school, do we here pay tribute. Their intestinal fortitude and stick-to-it- tiveness are certainly worthy of praise. The junior year ended and it was hard to believe that three years had gone by with such rapidity, Seniors! That word seemed to cast a magic spell. At last we had reached the apex of our high school careers. The next big moment in our high school lives occurred at the appointment of commissioned officers. For some of us it was a real thrill to hear the appointments read out loud by Brother Matthew. To others it was a real dis- appointment and, on the other hand, to some very few, it meant nothing at all. After three years of hard work, Paul M. DeRusso emerged as the num- ber one man. He was the Cadet Colonel and Regi- mental Commander. The difficult task of taking over the regiment was done with a minimum of error and the Mid-VVinter Drill evidenced great leadership qualities in the regiment's commanding officers. The innovations 'in that senior year were numer- ous and diverse. The introduction of a new class ring created a mild sensation and the work on the school's first yearbook was received w-ith equal enthusiasm. The C.B.A. basketball team captured the Diocesan Championship, as well as the Evan- gelist Tournament. The season was capped by the appointment of Tom Carroll as All-Albany. The cross-country team set a precedent by being the first C.B.A. team to go to the National Champion- ship meet in South Orange, New jersey. The C.B.A. team acquitted themselves worthily by win- ning third place in this meet on Seton Hall's Col- lege course. The school newspaper, staffed mainly by seniors, won third place in their division in the 1949 CLASS SONG fSung to the tune of Always j Class of '49, ever, Loyalty depart, never, When our class divides In each heart abides Love. and truth besides, ever, ever. Days have e'er been fair, ever, Happy hearts were there, ever. Now we're on our way, God bless C. B. A. Nineteen Forty-Nine, forever. Submittffd by CADET lVIAjOR joserii S. MYERS Columbia Scholastic Press Conference in New York City. The Senior Play was one of the most successful of all senior endeavors. Brother Orchid played four nights and never before had it been portrayed with such ability. Once again C.B.A.'s powerful speaking champion, Larry Mel- lilo, brought honor to the school. This time the victory was in the American Legion Oratorical Contest, in which he retained his supremacy until he reached the national semi-finals at VVaterbury, Conn. The great C.B.A. rifle team again won first place in the Hearst Rifie Match. The victory, symbolic of all endeavors of this year's senior class, was the result of long hours of tedious practice and enabled the school to retire the trophy after this third such victory. .lack Dempsey and Harold Russell assisted at the civic function to present the trophy, plaque and medals to the individuals of the prominent team. Now, as we are about to leave the hallowed cor- ridors of Christian Brothers Academy, let us not look backward with regret. For there is no need to regret the passing of four useful years. Let us not loll in the doldrums of sentimental triviality, but let us throw our heads back and renew our efforts to be representative graduates of an institu- tion without parallel. These four years have been well spent and they are certainly a strong founda- tion on which to base the hopes of tomorrow. Ulf, .nb

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v- THE SCHOOL From the time when Christian Brothers' Acad- emy first occupied the old State Normal School building at Lodge and Howard Streets in 1886, until 1939. when the last class was graduated from there, conditions became more and more unfavor- able to study. As early as 1911 the already crowded classes were swelled by a phenomenal increase in enrollment. This steady rise in the number of students at the school necessitated larger quarters. The rooms at the old school were much too small to accommodate these tremendous numbers. WVith the coming of Brother Brendan in 1935. the dream of a modern new school building began to take on some substance. After many years and many obstacles had been bypassed. the cornerstone was laid by His Excellency, Bishop Edmund F. Gibbons, D.D.. Bishop of Albany. The classrooms and laboratories, as well as the stores, administrative offices and the chapel are presently housed in the main building. The spa- cious classrooms are much more capable of accom- modating the ever-increasing registrations than were those of the old school. On the second and third floors are two fully equipped laboratories, 44 58 7? 1, lu BUILDING one each for the studies of physics and chemistry. Occupying a large section of the second fioor is the school library. This feature is appreciated by the majority of the cadets, as one finds a great number of these boys there during library hours. The bookstore, of course, is essential to every school, and ours is no exception. Accessories to uniforms are sold in the quartermaster store on the Hrst floor. Adjacent to this is the school chapel, where students find inspiration before going to their respective classrooms. There are classrooms on every floor of the building except one. on which is situated what is probably the most well-liked installation of all. the school cafeteria. Also located on this floor is the locker room, which is large enough to avoid overcrowding. From the outside, this main building is an im- pressiye brick structure trimmed with sandstone. From a viewpoint of safety, the structural part of the building is fireproof. A familiar sight to the people of Albany. this building symbolizes the high- est type of secondary school education. in which the Brothers have been engaged here for the last ninety years.