Rice High School - Edmundian Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 89 text:

T, FIVE OF THE TEACHERS for Commander Shea, an annex of St. Cecilia's, map out some classroom strategy, above. They are: Seated-Thomas Reddington, Raymond Muesser, James Giannettino. Standing: Walter Holborrow, Dennis Conboy. They taught grades four, five, six. I t i i l 2 N i wg 3 WHILE SAL LIVOTI, in back, supervises, teacher Peter Flynn distributes papers with prayers to be learned. Partners took turns at the teaching while the other supervised. This was a grade four group. WALTER HAMILTON, below, finds lots of willing students to answer his questions. He taught with Marco Valcarcel, in back. Students were largely Puerto Ricans from the nearby public school. They proved to be wonderful boys, but much in need of religion. i 'Q i 1 P9 - r tisiik' t i-X I ti 7 t .KX if 15-Zi Y .K WALTER McCARTNEY, above, who taught alone n small room, poses with his little angels. At first teachers were shocked at the lack of religious knowledge among the students. They realized that New York was still mission country in many respects. TEACHERS PETER MAGUIRE and Thomas Lange, below, teach their students how to recite their prayers. The work of the Legion resulted in many baptisms, first communions and confirmations as well as increased religious knowledge for all. 5 if fp. .- vi' Q' '54 F T- A N T' Nw lg'

Page 88 text:

'J--cf 'A' ww Lmmk :,. .W ' qu.. . fm.-.:. 1: P W Sha!! BRENDAN O'Rl0RDAN, above, takes two boys for a few minutes private instruction while his partner Gerry O'Callaghan teaches the rest of the class. The work was made more difficult because some students had not been baptized, others had not made their first communion, etc. THE LEGION OF MARY gathers in front of her statue in the school lobby, below. They are: Left to Right-First Row: Michael Stefanac, Patrick Leavy, James McGlynn, Marco Valcarcel, Walter Hamilton, Michael Foley. Second Row: Salvatore Livoti, Brendan 0'Riordan, Legion ol Mary The Legion of Mary, founded at Rice four years ago, has continued to grow and extend its apostolate, particularly in the Held of Release Time teaching. ln September, although most of the former teachers had graduated and others were prevented by studies and after school jobs, the Legion recruited thirty-two members, twenty-two of which were new members. Soon after, they began their work of providing regu- lar weekly catechism classes to the over three hundred public school children who came to St. Cecilia's and Commander Shea each week. For more effectiveness, the twenty-two teachers worked in pairs in the eleven classes. Catechism per- iods lasted an hour or more each Thursday for almost thirty weeks. Weekly Thursday morning meetings were held in the school library with Brother Unsworth as Spiritual Director. After the Legion prayers were recited, the assignments were given and the work planned and discussed. At the beginning of study period, the members left school to be on time for their two o'clock classes. lt was difficult but rewarding work. Many young boys were instructed for Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. Others received basic catechism lessons which helped to increase their knowledge and appreciation of their faith. Undoubtedly, the work of the Legion teachers was the most effective activity carried on in the school. Jeremiah O'Callaghan, Thomas Lange, Peter Maguire, Dennis Conboy, Raymond Muesser. Third Row: Peter Flynn, Brian Maloney, James Giannettino, Daniel McKenna, Thomas Reddington, Michael Cleary, Walter Holborrow. Most were from Room 4-71.

Page 90 text:

wr t I tr I 5 A MINOR PROBLEM with the monthly calendar totals is brought to Brother Morkan's attention by James Lacy ll-41l and William McLaughlin ll-45l. Brother Morkan has been the group's moderator for the past three years. He supervises the class promoters to insure that everything is going smoothly. SOPHOMORE CLASS PROMOTERS, below, admire the excellent results achieved in Room 2-42. They are: Ralph Rosario l2-431, John Corrigan l2-421, Michael Vega l2-5ll, William Hickey K2-58l. They had iust completed tabulating the February results. Apu tle hip oi Prayer Rice's second spiritual activity was not as limited in its scope as the Legion ot Mary. The Apostleship of Prayer involved the entire school, since every student is a mem- ber and classroom prayers-particularly the morning offer- ing-are suited to the requirements ot the world-wide or- ganization's prayer plan. The organization of the Apostleship was Prayer and was in the hands of twenty students under the guidance of Brother Morkan. These hard-working class Promoters did the spiritual bookkeeping for their classmates. Each month they posted the intention cards, distributed the prayer leaflets and calendars, and kept a careful record of the prayers and good works performed by the students. Final results were tabulated at a monthly meeting and sent to the Apostleship of Prayer headquarters at Fordham University. The efforts ot the Promoters and the student body brought a special letter of commendation from the Organization's Spiritual Director. The primary purpose ot the Apostleship ot Prayer is to foster and increase devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Blessed Mother. Although it is difficult to measure spiritual progress-particularly within a large student body -it is safe to assume that the efforts ot the Apostleship of Prayer were, in great measure, responsible for the fine spiritual life of the students. THE SENIORS were iust as careful about their totals as under- classmen. The four big reasons for this interest are George Rivera K4-72l, Edwin Monteverde l4-741, William Houstan l4-47l, and Michael Foley l4-7ll. Some of these boys have been promoters for several years.