St Sebastians School - Arrow Yearbook (Newton, MA)

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1 Z-Ni- 'iniv 211 -,.-gi . V -':'f -1, 5 gaifibffffg A . ,,. . :ilk p f 1 ,' K' I, ff'l Wm-f 's , ' SE 4? v '5'?'7 2' 74 al ys,'2 'g, 4 . 5 l A- 5 ' T'Q,+if1fJVi . is 'i wiiw i'T1 ff - ff!3f '.1E.:ff,,41ei5 l. tm ff A4 I fi, Vi:,f,.1-I-165 1. .' JPL' E,-:f'f75Q 'lH1,fii 'il' 'itzlfft 5? ' 1. 1 ' il 3545 . 3 'WI-f - -6-., if-'Mi-imiifiyaflu, a1iiif:5'4iL? ' fi:+f?'2f?'i,y' .'-'iff' 3' ' . 555 - fe fa, -1 751-:fi 1 , .s 1- .. 1 . . ,sr..z1--.Sm ... a:. F 4 7 ' ' 74' fi. 'tfv' -'JL' .li ds' 7 f1?'7-':':- G .:..,. ,L N.. t. Dx W X?-4 'T '1i3f-ff51?--1333! ' ,M X A 71 X S -T ?'3 i:sQQQ ti ' '-'Q if f -ata' . , fx.: 1 JST X Qt- fe Xi-E-x -Q N--- 17' - livlfi:i1:xftig iji5L'Xi5i4:g:'x K Y - ' -gz HISTORY OF ST. SEBASTIAN'S 1941-1945 Cwlxnwvur N July 14, 1941, the property of the old Newton Country Day lull' J' School on Nonantum Hill in Newton was purchased by Cardinal 5' if O'Connell. The Newton Country Day School had been, in its Q C incipiency, a novel experiment in the educational field. It was Ffh ,Gi the world's first Country Day School. The Country Day School 1 ii ? ' I 1 1 idea had been conceived by Professor Shirley K. Kerns, at the time a very successful teacher in the Middlesex School, at Con- cord, Mass. With the help of those interested in the education of boys of college preparatory age, Mr. Kerns purchased the site of the present St. Sebastian's Country Day School, and opened his school in 1907. The experiment proved to be highly successful. The Newton Country Day School flourished until 1939, when it finally closed its interesting career. For several years before this time, His Eminence, the Cardinal, had been consider- ing the need of a school for boys of the Newton Country Day type. It was necessary to obtain a property near enough to the City, and yet sufficiently removed to afford the necessary playing fields. In 1941, the attention of His Eminence was called to the old Newton Country Day School property. The buildings had been terribly wracked by the hurricane of 1938, and the months that followed the abandoning of the School had brought the inevitable deterioration caused by the New England climate. In spite of all this, the Cardinal purchased the property for the purpose of establishing a Country Day School for the Catholic boys of Greater Boston. On July 15, 1941, His Eminence called the Rev. Charles D. Mclnnis to his summer home at Marblehead and outlined his plans for the new School. Father Mclnnis had been one of the professors of Dogmatic Theology at St. john's Seminary for fifteen years. His Eminence specified that the School was to be strictly a college preparatory

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sy' E 'sC N1p,, Q , 1 A ' bg 'at 2 04. as 65 ff mssmx Q .wb fa Q 9' THE BGW IT is from the taut bow that the arrow is launched to seek the desired target, and it is from the School, Our School, that we are being dispatched now to speed our way unerringly to the target of Christian Manhood. It is on the strength and pliability of the bow that the arrow's power is based. St. Sebastian's roots are deep in the soil of Christian culture. From this source our growing tree has drawn its evident strength and pli- ability.

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school for the Catholic boys of Boston and the surrounding towns. It was to be staffed by members of the diocesan clergy, who were especially adapted to the work. The Cardinal determined that the School should be called St. Sebastian's Country Day School . He selected the martyred soldier saint to be the patron of the School because he felt that it harmonized best with the military spirit of the age. At the close of the interview, the Cardinal appointed Father Mclnnis to be the first Head- master, and directed that the first freshman class be opened in September. The new St. Sebastian's Country Day School found itself possessed of three build- ings, set in ten acres of land, on the summit of one of the highest hills in Newton. The buildings were indeed in a sadly dilapidated condition. The gymnasium was roofless, the school building had been wrecked by both weather and vandalism, and the dining hall was the drainage centre for the seasonal waters pouring down from the hill above it. It was necessarily determined that a complete program of physical renovation must be undertaken. From August lst until january lst, a large group of artisans tore down and built up at a furious pace. At times it seemed as though the work would never be com- pleted. Meanwhile, the time for the opening of the School approached. Only one building was even passably available, and that the dining hall. Accordingly, the dining hall was divided by a crimson velveteen hanging, which obviously had done service in some dramatic offering which called for a regal setting. The western end of the dining hall was furnished with the appropriate desks and chairs for students and teachers: the other end was equipped with dining tables and chairs. The kitchen had been entirely refurnished and newly equipped. On September 29, 1941 the new students picked their way precariously over yawning pits and scattered timber to enter a hall dedicated to education, though ofttimes redolent of food. There were twenty-one students on hand, with eight professors prepared to guide them through the mazes of the old classical forms. Slowly but surely the other buildings were rounded into shape. The School build- ing proper, beautifully renewed, this time including a lovely chapel, was opened for use in the second week in December. One month later, the gymnasium was com- pleted. St. Sebastian's Country Day School was finally set for the years ahead. That first year the faculty organized in the following fashion: Religion ,... ............................... F ather Mclnnis Latin ..... . . . Father Collins English ...... . . , Father Meehan Mathematics. . , . . . Father Sennott History ..,.. . . . Father McColgan French ,..... .,..... . . . Father Julien Physical Education ...,... . ...... . ........ .. . Mr. Bernard T. Duffy The first year was most interesting to all concerned. The faculty was finding its way, the students were receiving almost individual attention because of the small number registered, traditions were being set, and the first faltering steps into the world of sports were essayed with varied success. By the end of the year, the form of things to come was definitely emerging.