Decatur Catholic High School - Tattler Yearbook (Decatur, IN)

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D-C-H-S--T H E T A T T L E R-1 9 3 0 THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS CHAT REV. J. A. HESSION, Athletic Director EVIEWING the athletic activities in Decatur Catholic High School for the year just past is a pleasant task. We have witnessed during the course of this year many of our ideals and plans brought much closer to accomplishment. The improvements we note in the athletic department of the school have surpassed our hopes. The lasting steps in advance are the addition of the classes in physical education to the curriculum and im- proved systematic organization that has been built up within the school to handle our teams. Despite the lack of funds we now possess a system for handling athletic activities that has been frequently inspected by other schools with a view to adoption. We feel proud of the work that Coach George Laurent, the girls physical instructress, Miss Jeanette Clark, the student managers, Marcellus Miller and Julius Baker, trainer, Dave Baker, and Coach Jerome Mylott, have accomplished. They have done their work systematically and efficiently. We are proud of the scholastic standing of our athletes. We hope to see all the senior members of the team graduate and go out to succeed in life. We hope to see all our athletes of next year on the honor roll all year. There has been a great improvement and we congratulate the boys on the improvement, but scholastic perfection is the goal we have set for our athletes. Per Aspera The past basketball season was an eventful one, and replete with lessons for those who are wise enough to learn. Thru rough ways to the stars we have entitled this article. Does that not express the develop- ments of the basketball season just past? The season opened with the Commodore team facing the hardest schedule ever made for a D. C. H. S. team. A team, crippled by injuries, and sickness, faced that schedule un- dismayed. Bad luck, injuries, sickness, heart-breaking and undeserved de- feats came to our team, but found it strong-hearted. I have never seen a team so severely tested. In midseason murmurings a plenty were heard from the fans. They had expected a championship team but many weak- hearted fans could see only impending disaster. Both coach and team were severely criticized, but they took it like men. The team knew its coach and the coach knew his team. Neither lost faith in the other. Ad Astra Success came on the night of February 7th with a smashing victory over Kirkland. It continued in glorious victories over Central Catholic of Toledo, St. Rose of Lima, Chaminade of Dayton and St. John of Lima. The season ended. The Commodores had won nine games and lost nine games but they were a powerful, cool, and smart team. They were confidently ready for the State Catholic Tournament. How the Commodores turned what looked like a certain defeat into a victory over Vincennes in the first game of the tournament and then went on to win the State Catholic High School Championship of Indiana with victories over the strong Washington and Jasper tives is now history. Ninety-one.

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D-C-H-S--'I' II Ii 'I' A 'I' 'I' I. Ii It-1 9 3 0 GIRLS' ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL TRAINING NDER the supervision of Miss Jeannette Clark, the high school lassies have made great strides toward physical development. The girls, prior to this year, were forced to be content with what physical training they were able to afford themselves. At the opening of school last fall, officials of D. C. H. S., mindful of the necessity of an organized system of girls' physical training, secured the services of Miss Clark to take full charge of the bodily development of the high school lassies. Twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday through- out the year, Miss Clark has directed the physical education classes, and the splendid results she has achieved are evidences of her proficiency. Miss Clark, who is a graduate of the Chicago Normal School of Physical Education, Chicago, Illinois, also coached the girls in their two inter-school basketball games, as well as the inter-class contests, Playing their first inter-school basketball game in three years, the Lady Commodores succumbed to the lassies of New Haven high school on December 16th, by a score of 39-16. Inexperienced as they were, and battling against a team that for several years has been recognized as one of the best girls' sextet in the state, the Ladies never ceased fighting. In an interclass game played as a preliminary to the Commodore-Lima fracas, the score ended deadlocked at 8-8. Numerous inter-class contests were held throughout the year under the direction of Miss Clark, basketball and volley ball being the principal diversion. All classes of the physical training were held in the high school gymnasium. Sr. M. Helen Clare assisted Miss Clark in her many duties. About fifty girls composed the class. Calisthenics, tending to develop the various muscles and tendons of the body, formed the greater part of each class. The latter portion of the classes was devoted to games and contests of all sorts. The girls report a splendid recreation. By her personality and method of teaching. Miss Clark won the acclaim of every high school girl who was a member of the class. The results of her efforts readily present themselves. and it is our earnest wish that Miss Clark may be liack with us again next year. Ninety.

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D-C-H-S---T H li T A T T L li H-1 9 3 0 The impressive way they did it, the cool and smart basketball they dis- played, and the high brand of sportsmanship they manifested are bright jewels enhancing the glory of D. C. H. S. Phe team of which all but a few loyal hearts despaired in January was honored as the State Catholic High School Champion Team in March. History Repeats The ill luck that had haunted the Commodores during the season returned after the State Tournament. Wemhoif, our star center. was stricken with sickness a few days Lefore the opening of the National Cath- olic Tournament so that he could not accompany the team to Chicago. Carl Lose was saddened by his brother's serious illness. The Commodores crippled lineup bravely faced Altoona, champions of Pennsylvania, and St. Louis University High, defeating them both. Then came the game with the Natlonal champions. the big powerful De La Salle team of Chicago. No one conceded Decatur a chance to win. The boys. however, didnlt care what the odds were. The cards might be stack- ed against them. The opponents might Le holding a pair of wild onc- eyed Jacks but there VVOLllCl be a showdown, Those who saw that game, the game, in which the Commodores were eliminated 20-I6 after 32 min- utes of most bitter struggle, know that our team covered itself with glory in defeat. Five thousand people cheered each fighting Commodore as he returned lo his place atter that game, a beautiful tribute to a team that had fought a noble but losing battle against the nation's best team. Suc- cess deserved is success attained. Lessons The boys who have gone thru the long siege of interschool com- petition during this year have learned valuable lessons for life. lessons that they could not get from text books. These lessons were brought home to them in a concrete way. They had to live them. Thus they unconsciously developed traits of character which will remain with them and be part of them thru life. I am perfectly aware that many are opposed to athletics. I have felt the pressure of their opposition while trying to show the beneht of athletic training by giving them a fairer 'break' 'than they gave me. I know, too, that there have been abuses in athletics. I am aware that abuses exist today. I suppose abuses in the hand11ng of the athletic activ- ities of some one school or other wil always exist. The fact that a good thing is abused does not, however, justify doing away with that good thing. Abuses can be remedied. Athletics and athletes can be properly handled for the good of the students and for the good of the school. If the good of the school and the good of the student are the foremost considerations of those in charge of athleticsg if high ideals of training character are used as a measure of success rather than monetary gain or a record of victories. athletics can be made a prime factor in education. It has been our aim to so handle athletics that our boys may receive all the advantages of athletic training while being protected against the dangers and abuses. SPORTSMANSHIP. I shall recall some of the valuable lessons for life that our athletes have been taught thru their participation in athletics. Above all we count sportsmanship. Our boys have learned to give their opponents a square deal , they have disciplined themselves against tak- ing an unfair advantage of anyone. They will go into life sportsmen: ., Ninety-two.