Mount St Michael Academy - Mountaineer Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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Talented Dr. Carl Hauser had already taken up his stay among us as music instructor. He was to re- main with us in that capacity until his death in 1950. One custom which became firmly entrenched during these formative years was the Annual Mount Invitation Games. As many as 850 grammar school athletes of the surrounding vicinity have gathered for the field and track events. The meet early gained the prominence it was to hold for many years. In 1936 we almost moved into Mount Vernon! A change in the boundary line was proposed and put up to the people in a referendum. The Bronx dwel- lers were practically unanimous in their desire to con- tinue to be Bronx dwellers. Mayor LaGuardia sent the police band to parade along Murdock to show his appreciation. We are still bounded by the side- walks of New York! An all-around athlete during the '35-'36 season was a certain johnny Murphyg of whom we shall see more later. The year 1956 was a milestone, the tenth birth- day of a healthy young school. Major obstacles had been overcome during the first decade, and the able pilots who steered the school through the rough water deserve our whole-hearted gratitude. We pause now to thank sincerely Bro. Florentius, Bro. Leo, and Bro. Francis Xavier. Brother Florentius has already gone to his rewardg we trust that he continues to use his influence on behalf of the school he founded. Brother Leo, Provincial and later Director during the worst of the depression, deserves a special thanks. Brother Francis Xavier raised the struggling school to a level with any of its kind in this section. The Second Decade The beginning of the second decade found us on the upswing, bursting with vitality. Registration was at an all-time high of five hundred and twenty. The Mount students took a fierce pride in their young Alma Mater, and school spirit burned with a bright intensity. The tenth anniversary annual affords us an idea of the sentiments of one boy: We rooted as loudly for our losing team of '34 as we did for our championship aggregation of '33 We have always prided ourselves on our school spirit. In june, 1936, Brother Francis had announced that he had secured the services of a Notre Dame alumnus and a citizen of Pelham to take charge of the football teams. The effect was typically electric. An inexperienced squad was whipped into shape and proceeded to trounce its tormentors of the previ- ous season. Benjamin Franklin, Pelham, Eastchester, Iona and Turkey Day rivals, All Hallows, learned to respect Howie Smiths teams in that Fall of 1936. There was a building program in the First year of the new era, but how modest compared to our gran- diose dreams of '29! The cottage was constructed and the rocky southwest corner smoothed and hlled. The handsome statue of Our Lady lent dignity and grace to the quadrangle. l?57 '

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sands of spectators. Finally they were discontinued during the war years and never resumed. After a year and a half of existence the young school began to experience severe growing pains. One reporter of the late twenties informs us, It was amid loud expressions of rejoicing that we heard the news that a new building had been decided upon to be ready for the opening of school in September. Our basketball lovers will at least be sure of a spa- cious and commodious hall for their settings. How easily satisfied were the basketball lovers of that generation! In addition to the dormitory building, two addi- tional fioors were to rise on the power-house, and plans for the dream gym were pushed forward. Then came the depression and an abondonment of our castles in Spain, we settled for the dorm . Regis- tration dropped to an alarming low during the en- suing yearsg the number of boarders once reached 65. Another decade would pass before anyone could seriously consider a new building program. The depression had its brighter aspect. One hun- dred WPA workers were kept busy for several months covering the rubbish heap in the Mt. Vernon corner, filling in the gulley lower down, and construc- ting the wall along Mundy Lane. The cinder track, the longest in the city, was laid, the football field leveled, and handball courts erected. While the con- struction fever was as its height, Murdock Avenue donned a respectable pavement. Q, Mad li Q ,gh- .am -fr N but September, 1929, was an eventful month for New York City, even though jimmy Walker's town did not realize it at the time. In that month, football was introduced at Mount St. Michael! Should we risk an accusation of arrogance by noting that this has been the most lasting ill effect of the depression for many New York High Schools? Our Rockne was Milton Pop jahodag he set an example for future mentors by winning four out of six games in his first season. In 1935, Mr. james jordan of Law- rence, Mass., took over the duties of athletic director. The following season saw the Mount soar to a dizzy pinnacle in the football world. Highlighting a per- fect season was the defeat of Iona, breaking the lat- ter's undefeated skein at twenty-six games. Fordham Prep and All Hallows were already becoming our traditional rivals. Baseball would not be denied its place in the sun that year. No less an arena than the Polo Grounds was chosen for our play-off with St. johns of Brook- lyn for the city title. It seemed as if the Mount would cop a double crown when we led 9-2 in the fifth inning. However, baseball crowns do not seem to fit us comfortably and we began our habit of passing them on to others. About this time an unknown young Maryknoll priest came to the Mount during vocation week. He impressed everyone with his evident sincerity as he spoke of the lay apostolate. He is far better known today as founder of the Christopher movementg his name is Father james Keller. 5 - A I 9 2 6 Vxa M . , alt-i3...J.4..I is .T ,.,.........4,......' ' av I 'M' f f 'W't Q.. M V .-I

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7?26 Incidents Eight trackmen ran in the Penn Relays for the Hrst time an eight tube Lafayette radio was the grand prize for the annual raffle Robert Stewart of the eighth grade won the Cardinals trophy for Christine Doctrine rn diocesan competition The alumni held their first Smoker as a hundred old boys gathered in the gym and promised each other more reunions Ofhcers Leon DeLorme Joseph Rernhart and Pat ORourke deserve credit for their rnrttatrve and leadership The school suddenly realized that it had a very melodious voice with the organization of the Glee Club in 1958 A familiar figure acted as moderator Bro Victor Baptist A football tradition began in that Autumn the team iourneyed to the wrlds of Massachusetts to engage Central Catholic at Lawrence Refusing to be awed by the boys from the big city Central sent us home in rgnominious defeat Salve for our injured pride is the fact that our first was our only defeat in the twelve year friendly rivalry Con tmumg an outstanding year for sports our track team began its custom of winning the Bronx Manhattan Westchester crown and not satisfied with this plum proceeded to take the CHSAA title' The baseball team did its share to uphold our sacred honor by winning the Bronx pennant The Seniors presented Seven Keys to Baldpate rn the Bronx Winter Garden showing that sports was not our only forte The first open air graduation proved how beauti ful such an event can be provided it does not run' The whole student body turned out to honor New Yorks new Archbishop Most Rev Francis J Spellman Our enormous Welcome sign attracted a broad smile from our Cardinal to be Undoubtedly feeling left out in the previous years race for honors the basketball quintet of 39 drew attention in a most striking manner by de thromng LaSalle and taking its place as city champs Becoming bolder we traveled to Newport R I and brought back third place trophy in the Eastern Tour nament The First Father and Son night attracted about four hundred men and boys its success augured well for the future Instrumental in xnaugurating this yearly feature were Mr Begley Mr Barrett and Mr Gilloon I 4' y 4 t 4 4 4 . . . 4 H 4 4 - x a s . 4 4 ,. 4 . . 1 a 4 4 4 . v 4 4 ' . ' 4 a 1 a s t 4' 1 4 . '4 4 4 4 ' 4 1. ' , . . .4 .V- 4 4 . - .4 ... . . . , 1 , . a a 4 . 1 . , . , .