South Bend Catholic High School - Victorian Yearbook (South Bend, IN)

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Chester Lisck, Vice-President: Miss Cornelia H. Krsnierek, Secretary, Mr. B. P. Minczewski, Trea- surerg Mr. Edward Kowalski, Mr. Peter A. Beczkie- wiez, Mrs. Cecilia Szulczyk, Mr. Bert Pejza, Mrs. Helen Slominski, M:'. Ladislaus Jaroszewski, Mrs. Helen Zwierzynski, Mr. Leo J. Chlebowski, and Mr. XVojciech Wiatrowski. The Board arranged for drives, campaigns, and various activities throughout the city. The united efforts and mutual determina- tion not only made the existence of the school pos- sible, but also helped its general progress. The Summer of 1937 brought a change of the teaching staff. The Sisters of the Congregation of Holy Cross were succeeded by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Resurrection who assumed all some good news was relayed .... there was a pos- sibility of acquiring the Laurel or Pulaski School. The acting Committee headed by the Rev. S. Jan- kowski had taken things in hand and shortly after, the prospect of leasing the building became a reality on August 15, the least of Our Lady. The South Bend Tribune of August 16, 1938, had the following mention regarding this transaction: The Pulaski lL aurelb Public School was leased by the School Board for a fifty year period as new qiarters for St. Hedwig High School. The official ,ormality of presenting the building to the Board of Directors was connected with the de- dication ceremonies. A senior student, Miss Loretta Ruszkowski, records these events in the Victorian of 1939, as follows: The Dedication of the New High School .... An enthusiastic and triumphant group The Laurel School which was converted to South Bend Catholic High duties at St. I-IedWig's. The first High School staff of this congregation consisted of: Sister Pauline Agnes, C.R., Superior and Principal, Sister Stanis- laus, Sister Theresa, Sister M. Catherine and Sister Dorothea. Classes were resumed in September. The scho- lastic and the athletic programs remained much. the same as in the preceeding years. Due to the increased enrollment, a new problem arose . . . a need for more classrooms and better ac- commodations. A general interest was awakened and inquiries were made. Within a few weeks, of two thousand individuals assembled before the former Pulaski Girls' Prevocational School on Sun- day, September 11, 1938, to witness the official pre- sentation of the school to the Polish American Cen- tr..l Civic Committee and take part in the dedication preceeded by a street parade which marked the opening of the day's ceremonies .,.. It was a day of which every student dreamed and talked, but far was it from the students' expectations that the dream would be so soon materialized. Thus, it was joyous faces that Mr. Allen, Superintendent of South Bend Public Schools saw when he placed with sin- cerest wishes the building in custody of the Centra- la, and expresed his belief that soon the Poles would purchase this structure, now leased for fifty years . . . . The Very Rev. 'Msgr. Osadnik blessed the in- Page Fifteen

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terior of the building, assisting him were Rev. Fran- cis Luzny, Rev. S. Jankowski, Rev. S. Gorka, Rev. S. Kuszynski. Important speakers of the day were: Msgr. Osadnik and the Rev. S. Kuszynski, also :Ex- M-ayor, George W. Freyermuth, who aided in get- ting this building for our youth, Dr. B. J. Bolka, who at that time was Chairman of the School Board and Mr. J. S. Buczkowski, President of Centrala, who said that Religion should be a part of -a child's education. The program began with patriotic zeal shown by the raising of the American flag, it ended with a sincere prayer by Msgr. Osadnikf' And so, the St. Hedwig High School was moved to its new quarters . . . the name was changed to South Bend Catholic High School, under the patron- age of Our Lady of Victory. Moving from one school to the other was a thrilling and exciting ex- perience, but the most touching scene was the car- rying of the beloved statue of Our Lady of Victory, by the students from the old school to the new with songs and prayers of devotion and loyalty to their Queen and Mother. Sister Pauline Agnes, the principal, and the faculty spared no efforts, time and labor to organize the classrooms and arrange the school program- classes were resumed on schedule. To aid the High School in the financial needs the Ladies Aid Society of the S.B.C.H., known now as the Parent-Teachers Association, was organized under the direction of the principal, Sister Pauline Agnes. Mrs. Frances Strauss was elected first President, Mrs. H. Zwierzynski, Vice-President. Mrs. Catherine Wesolowski, Recording Secretary, Mrs. Louise Wozniak, Financial Secret-ary, Miss Stella Ciesielski, Treasurer, and Mrs. Eva Gorka, Publici- ty Chairman. The members of this association have always given most generously of their time -and labor-social activities were planned and funds were raised. It is with deep gratitude that we rc- call the self-sacrificing work and effort that was required to equip the Library with new steel shelv- ing, additional books and supplies: the Cafeteria with t-ables and equipment, the Science Department with tables and instrumentsg the Commercial De- partment with more typewriters and supplies. The noble work begun by the pioneer members is still carried on with great devotion toward the school. May the Good Lord reward them! Page Sixteen On November 14, 1939, the faculty and students were highly honored by a visit of the Most Reverend Bishop John F. Noll. The honor and privilege was theirs again when in June His Excellency had taken part in the Senior Graduation Ceremony and dis- tributed diplomas to the Class of 1939. The Rever- end John Cavanaugh, C.S.C., delivered the Com- mencement Address. The ceremony took place in the St. Hedwig Parish Auditorium. This was the Eighth Annual Comniencementithe most impres- sive and memorable in the history of the school. The Reverend Mother Teresa Kalkstein, C.R., Superior General of the Sisters of the Resurrection, who had been here from Rome, was our distinguish- ed guest visitor in the High School in January, 1940. The students were honored and privileged to hear her message in the School Auditorium. December 7, 1941-Pearl Harbor Attack ..... War! Our graduates and students responded to their country's call, some enlisted, others were Very Reverend Monsignor IGNATIUS J. GAPCZYNSKI drafted into service. South Bend Catholic High was proud to display her Service Flag with one hundred and twenty nine blue stars, new stars being added as the months passed on. Those who remained at home and school also served by praying and par- ticipating in charitable and social affairs, bringing aid to our boys and to the victims of war. Some blue stars turned into gold when four of our stu- dents lost their lives- killed in action at Guadal