Christian Brothers Academy - Purple and Gold Yearbook (Syracuse, NY)

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Page 18 PURPLE AND GOLD Class History SENIOR A In the fall of the year 1923, to be exact, in the second week of September, a group of approxi- mately thirty boys, very bashful and shy, were confronted by Brother Leo. This kind and jovial Brother sioon made us feel at home and we all became absorbed in work. As the week-end came near the boys all became acquainted and every- body was? friends. 'l'he first few weeks of the term were uneventful, and then the football team was organized. XYe played no games and won them all. l Our C. B. A. varsity team vas always encouraged by the cheering of the lA boys. Vfe followed ith team through thick and thin and were alwiay .ibehind them. In class, Brother Leo's wise sayings and funny remarks were al- ways a source of clean and wholesome pleasure. The most notable event of our whole first year was the ivinning of the school basketball cham- pionship, the first time in the history of class ath- letics at B. A. that a first year team carried off the coveted honors. Some of the members of that team have blossomed into stars of the first magnitude and have played on the varsity team for two or more years. Near the end of the term, Luman Brown, one of the brightest pupils in the class, left C. B. A. to take up the religious life of a Christian Brother. He is now studying at Pocantico. VVe expect to see Luman make a glorious success of his work which, no doubt ,he will. For three quarters, there was a merry battle for classihonors but in the last quarter Carl Hof- mann outdistanced his nearest competitors and won the medal for the highest standing in studies. Our Sophomore year was also successfully completed under Brother Leo. Because of our success in the first year, our only wish was that BrotheriLeo return to us. We were greatly pleased ivhen Brother Leo walked into our class the first! day of school. However, our studies were divided under the supervision of Brother Leo and Brother Edward, a new member of the faculty. During our Sophomore year we con- tributed towards the success of the football team. Among the candidates for the football team were Emory McKeever and Bob Kalfelz. The class basketball team had a successful season on the court, but due to the loss of Freddie Mesmer and Don Dutton, who were converted into varsity material, we did not win the championship. Freddie and Don were two of the main factors of the basketball team's success that season. Among the new faces in ZA were Paul Scanlon, Vincent Crowe, Bob Sims, Bob Ellis, and Frank Klotz. Among those gone but not forgotten were Vtilfred Schmidt and Bob Kalfelz. During this term there was a close fight for intellectual su- premacy between Brenden O'Dwyer and Carl Hofmann, but Hofmann gained an edge over his rival and he was awarded the medal. Entering the third year we passed under the guidance of Brother Patrick. During this year Brother Patrick taught us intermediate algebra, physics and catechism. Brother Edward held sway in English, Brother Jerome taught French, and Miss Englehart taught Latin. VVe all had a course of study which required work, since we all began a language and continued the one we were already studying. Besides it was the last year that a Regents' examination in third year English was given, and we were introduced to a new type of Regents' examination in physics. But despite all obstacles only one was left behind as we be- came Seniors. ln athletics we had a banner year. Francis Klotz, Emory McKeever, James Reed and Law- rence Sawyer were members of the football team, either as regulars or substitutes. In bas- ketball Fred Mesmer and Don Dutton were mainstays of the varsity team, while Red Allen and Frank Klotz held similar positions on the junior team. At the Glens Falls tournament

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PURPLE AND GOLD Page 17 Success- amassing a huge fortune? XVill He notice how many men pay homage to us? No! But He will count how many hours we have spent in His ser- vice and to how many men we are charitable. If worldly goods will avail us nothing, we should Seek first the kingdom of God and all other things will be added unto us. Earning a money fortune should be a secondary motive, while amassing a spiritual fortune'should be our primary motive in life. ' If we strive to live up to the divine standard of success, we will be chosen as one of the elect on the day of judgment. Continued Let us, therefore, live up to the teachings of those noble Brothers who have imbued us, the truths of our Holy Catholic religion and the prac- tices of our faith. Even if we are in rags and hungry and the world calls us poor, if we have saved our immor- tal soul, we are a success. Although we cannot all achieve fame and fortune, we can all have the kind of success that will last for eternity and this is what we wish each other as we say good-bye. ' CARL HOFMANN -, Adversitg l The heart is like the earth. It has its periods of storm and peaceg days of cold and gloomy nights, sunshine and rain. Then, as like the earth, the budding of virtue and the birth of genius follows. Many who have reached the pinnacle of suc- cess have walked through the valley of trials and the woods of obscurity. 'They have enjoyed suc- cess, suffered defeat g days of prosperity followed by nights of adversity, their laughter turned into tears 5 their sanguine expectations chilled by dis- appointment. But stop and consider what these difficulties are doing for us. Their mission is to aid, not to hold back. They arouse talent and unfold virtue instead of confusing and saddening the mind and soul. Adversity trains the faculties, arouses en- ergy, develops ability, so that when trials sweep the soul, it is ready to grapple and succeed. Do we realize our resources, our ability? No. But when necessity demands we can come to the front and then we will realize our power. Our reserve power will then be found. VVith nothing to start the fire of ambition, to let loose our vir- tues, we will become a useless burden on society. If a man has nothing to cause him to use his rea- son and cunning, his force of mind, his genius, he will become but a drone in the hive of industry. But if he is stirred, jostled from his routine, amazed, surprised, hurt, he will awake and be- come a conqueror. just as the storm makes the tree hardy, firm against the elements and thus enables it to bloom into a beautiful spectacle, so does the storm of adversity help man. It gives him determination, courage, and enables him to succeed, thus gaining friends, followers, and admirers. Adversity evokes what is greatest and noblest in man. It stirs talents, arouses ambition, quick- ens enterprise, calls forth freedom and justice, enlarges the soul. It causes kindness, sympathy, purity and nobleness to blossom forth into won- drous beauty. When properly utilized, it makes for completeness in mankind. ARTHUR NICGUIRE

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