St John Neumann High School - Crystal Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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By the war's end, the list would grow to more than two thousand students of Southeast Catholic who served in the Armed Forces. It was during this time also that the school schedule would be adjusted to allow for seniors of draft age to serve in the Armed For- ces. In Iune of 1943, Father Iohn Keough, Pastor of St. Gabriel Parish, would distribute diplomas to two hun- dred and eight seniors, many of whom wore the unifor- ms of their respective branches of the service. Those not present were represented by one of their parents to whom their diplomas were presented. The first mid-year graduation was held on Ianuary 24, 1944 in Sacred Heart Hall. Twenty-one diplomas were given to seniors who were of draft age and would be going into the Armed Forces. After nine years as principal of Southeast Catholic and superior of the Norbertine Community, Father Michael McKeough was sent to Washington, D.C. During Father McKeough's time as principal, many changes occured at Southeast, not the least of which was the tremendous increase in enrollment. The student population went from about five hundred in 1937 to more than twelve hundred in 1945. Father L. A. V. DeCleene, O. Praem. became the third principal of Southeast Catholic, coming to the school from St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. Father Iulian Resch, O. Praem. was named vice principal suc- ceeding Father David Rondou, O. Praem. During the 1945-1946 school year, the first class reunion took place under the direction of Father Francis McHugh, O. Praem. In the spring of 1946, Mr. Paul Bartolomeo was named football coach of Southeast Catholic. Bart as he came to be called, remained in this capacity for many years, leading the Pirates to victory in football and baseball. The 1946-1947 year saw Fr. Iulian Resch, O. Praem. replace Fr. L. A. V. DeCleene, O., Praem. as principal of Southeast Catholic. There was also a change in the composition of the faculty. Twelve diocesan priests were assigned by Cardinal Dougherty to teach at Southeast. Father Resch was no stranger to Southeast, having served as vice principal, teacher, and moderator of many activities. He would remain as principal until 1954. During these years under Father Resch, many changes took place in the school. The football team came into prominance under Bart, with one out- standing player, Bill Brannau, receiving the Maxwell Award for the first time in the history of the school. This same football squad was the first to take the Catholic League Football Championship, defeating West Catholic at Shibe Park before a crowd of more than thirty thousand people. Congratulations were ex- tended to all the team as well as the coaching staff-Bartolomeo, Matthews, and Cunningham. The City Title was shared with Frankford in a tie game, 6-6, at Franklin Field. Some forty-five thousand people at- tended the game. It wouldn't be until 1954 when Southeast Catholic would meet Frankford again and finally claim their first City Title in football, 34-0. The Victory Corp of Southeast Catholic High School marches in for- mation.

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of Fortitude Up to Ianuary of 1936, the athletic teams were referred to as the 'ROCKS'. A student poll in The Rocket indicated that from now on the teams would be called Purple Pirates, by a vote on 112 to 584. In Iune of 1936, Father Traeger stepped down as principal of Southeast Catholic and was replaced by Father Michael McKeough. Father McKeough came to Southeast Catholic from Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware where he had been Headmaster. It was under the administration of Father McKeough that some of the advances at Southeast Catholic were made. When the doors opened in September again, the student enrollment had increased. As a side light, another Catholic high school had opened its doors at 17th and Wyalusing Avenue. It was given the name of Saint Thomas More. During this school year, the colors of the school were changed from the original purple and white to orange and black, remaining to this day the traditional school colors. It should be noted that because of the increased enrollment of students, the former buildings of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish were added to Southeast Catholic. Some four hundred freshmen reported to class in September 1937 to the new Sacred Heart Hall. Fr. David Rondou became the vice-principal in charge of the freshmen. This relieved pressure from the Sev- enth Street building, now called Main Hall. Changes were made at Main Hall with the enlarging of the library, office space for the Administration, while in the former Church courses in woodworking were initiated. This was the beginning of a venture into vocational courses that culminated later in the school's good relations with Bok Vocational. It was under the leadership of Father McKeough that Southeast Catholic received its accreditation from the Middle States Association. This accreditation was con- sidered at the time to be quite an accomplishment for Southeast Catholic. The first member of the faculty to die while teaching at Southeast Catholic was Father William I. Millay, O. Praem. It was in his honor that the present alumni association derives its name. September of 1941 again saw an increase in enrollment with a freshmen class of 423. The Nor- bertine faculty continued to grow from the original 16. Many of the Fraters who taught at Southeast and re- turned to DePere, Wisconsin to continue their educa- tion for the priesthood would return again to Southeast as priest teachers. 40's -War Days Advertisements in the March 31, 1942 edition of The Rocket requested the support of the students in buying defense stamps and bonds. Stories were also published of alumni who were serving in the Armed Forces. In compliance to safeguard people during air raids if they should occur, Father Hockers was made Air Raid War- den and Father Rondou, First Aid Warden. The Assistant Coach, Rem O'Hara, would leave Southeast to join the Navy and be replaced with the captain of the football team from the previous year. Father McKeough announced the formation of a School Victory Corps, that all young people should be doing something to help win the war. In October of 1942, it was announced that Patrick Sweeney, Class of 1939, was killed in the Solomons on August 21, 1942. He would be the first of more than fif- ty students who would make, in the words of The Rocket, the supreme sacrifice for their country. Through the war years, The Rocket would continue to publish the names of those alumni who were serving in the Armed Forces as well as stories surrounding the death of those who were students at Southeast Catholic. Frater Francis Mcl-Iugh, O.Praem captures the atteniton of his English class in 1940.

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50's - The Move The late forties and early fifties again saw an in- crease in enrollment. In 1951, the former Walsh Grade School at Thirteenth and Iackson Streets was added to the still growing school. This building became known as Saint Norbert Hall. The early fifties saw the death of Cardinal Dougherty, under whose direction Southeast Catholic came into existence, and the arrival of Arch- bishop Iohn O'Hara. It would be Archbishop O'Hara who would radically change the composition of Southeast Catholic, not only in name but also in location. Other championships were won in basketball and football as well as baseball, but a true history of the school would have to record the fact that the bowling team, under the moderatorship of Father George Feider, O. Praem., clinched the first Catholic League and City Title championships. In Iune of 1954, it was announced that Father Iulian Resch, O. Praem. would step down as principal of Southeast Catholic. He would be succeeded by Father Albert Koob, 0. Praem. Father Koob would be the first alumnus of Southeast Catholic to become principal. The Iune 11, 1954 Rocket gave tribute to Father Resch for his nineteen years of service to Southeast Catholic, coming to the school the second year of its existence. He saw the school grow from a few hundred students to nineteen hundred, as well as the expansion of the school plant with the additions of Sacred Heart Hall, Freshmen Hall, and Saint Norbert Hall. Father Resch had served as vice principal of the school for one year, 1945-1946, and in August of that year was ap- pointed principal. Father Resch would go on to Paoli and Our Lady of Daylesford Priory, laying the beginnings of an in- dependent Norbertine foundation in the East. In August of 1954, ten postulants would be vested as Norbertine Novices. Of the ten vested, seven would be graduates of Southeast Catholic. Father C. Albert Koob, O. Praem. would be the last principal of Southeast Catholic and the first principal of Bishop Neumann High School. It would be Father Koob who would manage the work involved in moving the student body, etc. from Seventh and Christian Streets to the new location of the school at Twenty- seventh and Moore Streets. In the Fall of 1954, the Most Rev. Iohn F. O'Hara llater Cardinall announced plans to erect a new high school to replace the old buildings of Southeast Catholic. The school was to be named Bishop Neumann High School after the fourth Ordinary of the Arch- diocese, the Venerable Iohn N. Neumann. The school would occupy a full city block from Twenty-sixth to Twenty-seventh, Moore to Mifflin Streets. The new school would accommodate 3,000 students and a Priory for the Norbertine Faculty. The Priory would be named St. Norbert Priory. The longed-for day finally came on March 7th. A steady downpour of rain was unable to dampen the en- thusiasm of more than two hundred who, led by a motorcade of one hundred cars, reported to the new building for the first time. As the student body entered the building, the Bishop Neumann band played the school song. After reporting to their classrooms, each section recited the rosary in thanksgiving for the new school and in a spirit of dedication to the Mother of God. This occasion marked the first time in twenty years that the entire school population was under one roof. On Iune 2, 1956, Bishop Neumann High School was solemnly blessed and dedicated to the Venerable Bishop. Archbishop O'Hara presided over the ceremonies. In attendance was the Rt. Rev. Sylvester M. Killeen, Abbot of St. Norbert Abbey, West DePere, Wisconsin and the major superior of the Norbertines in America. As the new school year, 1956-1957 began, the school population had grown to 2,416 students. A new religious community joined the faculty. Two members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary lC.I.C.M.j began their teaching careers, their number eventually rose to six. Diocesan priests continued on the faculty. 1 ax 'XX .L . Msgr. Reilly, Superintendent of Schools in 1956, blesses the corner stone of the new Bishop Neumann High School building at 26th and Moore Streets.