St Marys High School - Blue Mantle Yearbook (Milford, MA)

Page 25 text:

DEBATING St. Mary 1 s High School has been represented yearly by the best debating teams in the Springfield Diocese. During the last four years the teams attained their greatest success, reaching the finals three times and winning the championship twice. The record of the school speaks volumes for the work of Father Donahue, the coach of the teams 7 rho gave his time whole-heartedly and unstintingly toward these achieve¬ ments. In our Freshman year the debaters won the Bishop O’Leary cup sym¬ bolical of the diocesan championship, by defeating St. Joseph’s High of Pittsfield in the latter’s City. They reached the finals by vanquishing the forensic forces of St. John’s and the Sacred Heart of Worcester. Although the class of ’32 was not represented on the teams, the boys she ed much promise and received praise and recognition from Father Donahue. In 1930, the finals were attained, but the decision was awarded to Cathedral High of Springfield, in a very close and interesting debate. In order to reach the finals the team conquered St. Louis of Webster, and St. John’s of Worcester. Joseph Gallagher as alternate was our sole representative. The following year the juniors blossomed forth in all their glory and the team included these of the class of 1932: John Davoren, George Trudell, and Joseph Gallagher. Although the boys work¬ ed very hard, they were not as fortunate as in other years and lost in the preliminaries to St. Peter’s of Worcester. This defeat nullified the triumph obtained by the affirmative over Sacred Heart of Worcester, as tv o victories were necessary to reach the finals. This defeat lost us the cup, as St. John’s Y ho had two previous legs on the trophy won again, and obtained permanent possession of the cup. The next year St. Mary’s won the first leg on the new trophy dona¬ ted by Bishop O’Leary, by defeating our archrivals, Cathedral High. Prior to this triumph, the team conquered Sacred Heart of Worcester, and St. Bernard’s of Fitchburg. The boys on the debating team included three members of the class of ’32: George Trudell, John Burns, and Joseph Gallagher. May the glory of St. Mary’s never die and may her debating teams be ever successful - these are the earnest wishes of the class of 1932. Joseph E. Gallagher ’32.