Siena College - Saga Yearbook (Loudonville, NY)

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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE January 19, 1951 MY DEAR GRADUATES: The scholastic year 1950-1951 embraces our graduates who have completed their prescribed courses in the summer school of 1950, at the end of the fall semester in Janu- ary, 1951 and our June graduates of 1951. This morning as I write this letter my thoughts embrace each and every one of you. I can see you all coming here to class, some coming in the early morning hours and through the day and others coming here from home or business for the evening classes. All however with the one thing in mind to perfect themselves in life. Yours was not a narrow aim restricting yourselves to courses that would merely enable you to earn a living and to better yourselves and your circumstances. You aimed to get a broader view of life based on sound scholastic and Catholic philosophy whereby you would be enabled as citizens of a great democracy to take part intelligently in the life of your community. The develop- ment of your powers of memory, will and understanding, and the other faculties of your mind and body would not be for your own individual enjoyment of what is true and good and beautiful, but with the thought of sharing that with others through your par- ticipation in the intellectual, social, religious and political life of our nation. In the acquisition of knowledge we have not forgotten to teach you our fundamental dependence upon Almighty God and our re- lationship to each other because we are all children of Almighty God. In other words, love of God and of our neighbor has not been lost sight of in your four years here in the halls of Saint Bernardine of Siena College. The Franciscan Fathers of Siena College, your preceptors, and the lay professors of this Franciscan institution form a link with the great teachers and professors of Franciscan schools from the great Saint Anthony of Padua, the Doctor Evangelicus, and Saint Bonaventure the Doctor Seraphicus and patron of our Franciscan schools, Roger Bacon at Oxford, Alexander of Hales at Paris and Peter of Ghent known in Mexico as Fray Pedro de Gante who was the real founder of Franciscan schools on this continent after he arrived at Vera Cruz on August 13 in 1523. The Franciscan philosophy of education was well expressed by an early scholar and Gen- eral Superior of the Friars Minor, Saint Bonaventure, when he declared that 2knowl- edge is not only useful for the education of Hill others, but also for ones personal instruction? The Franciscan concept therefore according to Doctor Pius Joseph Barth, O.F.M. favors a meaningful and functional educational pro- gram tFranciscan Education and the Social Order in Spanish North America 1502-1821, p. 5, the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illi- nois, 19451. This year has witnessed the growth of our college in the graduate school which was begun in September, 1950 with the approba- tion of the Regents of the University of the State of New York and according to the regu- lations 0f the State Education Department. Our college too was recognized by the gov- ernment of the United States when the Re- serve Officers Training Corps Field Artillery Unit was approved in April, 1950 and courses in military science and tactics were inau- gurated in September of this school year. Since last June we have seen the threat of war hovering over our beloved country when we went to the defense of the rights of a small nation, Korea, whose independence we had guaranteed. The impact of this struggle has been felt even at Siena College and you my dear graduates are going forth with your de- grees to contribute your talent and your lives to the service of God and of your country whether you join the armed forces or stay at your post working with each other for the betterment of mankind, the good of your own souls and the well-being of our beloved country. In whatever capacity you may serve, the principles you have learned here will serve you in good stead. This year Siena College as a part of the Franciscan Province of the Holy Name of Jesus will participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the province which was founded fifty years ago a small fraction of time in- deed in the seven hundred years of our Orderas existence, but representing a very fruitful period with the blessing of Almighty God for which we are indeed deeply grateful and for which we give God due thanks through our patron Saint Bernardine of Siena. Let me congratulate you one and all, beloved graduates, on your attaining your hearts desire, the coveted degree. Each and every member of the faculty rejoices with you. In their name and in my own let me say to you God speed. Cordially yours, FATHER MARK KENNEDY, O.F.M., President

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September 22. 19474on that date. in that year, We were Freshmen4some veterans, some not, some bewildered, and others assured-but 2111 united by the Class of 1951 became a part of Siena. two big events: Frosh Class elections and Hazing. iispunky Frosh Buck Hazing9-that was the headline on page 1 of The Siena News for October 24, 1947. Although the Class of 1950 'beat us in basketball 26-20 as well as in the tug of war, nevertheless we put up a good fight and to quote the Sierra .Vezex of four years ago iigave the soph- Probahly the worst of these bad moments was when some of the more omores a few bad moments? wily members of the Class captured Leo Polinsky, Soph Class president, as he emerged from his boarding house one bright September morning and brought him to Skidmore College where the captive entertained the City of Sarntoga with Gay Ninties attire, a sun helmet, and a rope around his neck to resemble a dog leash. On page 8 0f the same issue of The News, the results of the Freshman Class election are re- corded: Big Bill Frosh Choice for Boss of Class of 151. Of course the write-up referred to Bill Pentak who was our first campus politician. Shortly before elections were over, Rev. Charles 1201 WILLIAM G. HARRISON Vice-President 0112155 O.F.M., appointed our class V. Hayes, moderator. was When 1948 arrived ,51 was well acquainted with Siena. The Fresh Cotillion in May had a Circus theme with Gibbons Hall gayly decorated with To Climax the year, elections were again held4for balloons, cages, and other eireus equipment. the future Sophomores, and John Fucile was named Class President. In September of 1949 near the close of regis- tration for our Sophomore year, ,51 lost one 01 the best loved of their freshman professors. Father Cyril McGuire, known for his kindly manner in his world Civilization course, died on September 14, 1949. In our Junior Year, an Oil portrait of Father Cyril was presented to the Col- lege through funds raised by voluntary contribu- tions of the Class. John Fueile and Jack Healy headed the Committee for this Class Gift. Being Sophomores, we were again concerned with hazing-only this time we were the hazers. Unfortunately for the Class of ,52 hazing began the same day classes opened for the fall semester and a more thorough program had never been As usual the Sophomores beat the Freshmen in field day seen on the campus in post-war years.