St Sebastians School - Arrow Yearbook (Newton, MA)

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One of the features of Country Day School education that appealed to us most was the provision of an athletic program for students who would not consider themselves sufficiently polished to report for Varsity teams. Right from the start of the School year we were told to report in recreation togs to Fr. Keating on the Football field after the class day ended, and most of us needed no urging. Every- thing was serene as the first session started, but, when it developed that our men- tor's approach to the subject involved long stretches of calisthenics we lost some of our enthusiam. After some days we even ventured to show a bit of resentment, but we dropped that policy rather quickly when we discovered that such tactics only brought about a prolongation of the agony. When we finally reached the peak of condition in Fr. Keating's estimation, Football really began. Most of us had never played on anything but informal teams and it was a supreme treat to be coached carefully and to learn the co-ordination of team play. Then too the fact that we were given Varsity plays to work on and perfect made us feel like full- lledged big-leaguers. When we did engage in competition with outside J.j.V teams, it was a well-drilled club that represented St. Sebastian's. In the backfield we had miniature powerhouses like Ed Quirk and the Crowley brothers, while the line bristled with dynamos such as McCarron, Heavey, Kirk, Monahon and Slat- tery. The Fall months sped by rapidly and pleasantly in this fashion and it was with great reluctance that we packed away our moleskins for the year. Mean- while we had followed the fortunes of our fellow-gridders, the Varsity, with fer- vent enthusiasm as they essayed an ambitious schedule, and we were thrilled by their victories over Rivers, Brandeis Vocational and the Belmont High Seconds. With Football over, we found the School agog over the Winter athletic pro- gram that was in prospect. To begin with, the war-time fuel emergency, which had led the School officials to close the gym and forego Basketball in 1942-43, was alleviated to the extent that such sacrifices were no longer necessary. That meant the hoop game would be restored and we would have the opportunity of playing it on a peat floor for the first time. Then too it was disclosed that St. Se- bastian's was about to sponsor a Hockey team for the first time in its history and enter the sextet in the newly-formed Catholic League that would play its games in- doors at the nearby Skating Club. With such diversion in store, it did not seem that the Winter could be too unpleasant. That it turned out to be equally as en- tertaining as the Football venture was due in no small degree to the planning of Fr. Collins who doffed his cassock to put on sports attire and tutor our efforts on the floor of the cage. An enthusiast for the indoor game, he explained the rudi- ments patiently and insisted that we put them into practice carefully. When the time warranted it, we were divided into four teams of equal strength and, bearing the names of popular colleges, the quintets vied with each other in intra-mural con- tests that were re-played in discussions long after the final whistle had blown. In such competition, the talents of Bill O'Leary, John Kehoe, Bob McGarty and Bob O'Shea showed to best advantage and we felt complimented when Bill O'Leary was promoted to the Varsity squad. The Varsity games also drew our attention and it was a source of gratification to see the senior quintet engage in noteworthy com- petition and gain decisions over older schools like Browne and Nichols, Belmont Hill and Rivers. In the Hockey sphere, the student body was on hand to a man to witness the debut of our sextet at the Skating Club, and we had a special interest in the pro-

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l w l l l SENIOR CLASS OFFICERS Seated: President, john F. Cremmen Standing: Cleft to right! Treasurer, james Caulfield: Secretary, Francis O'Donoghueg Vice Prerident, john Kirk ated at School, could be paraded impressively before younger members of the family at home. Earnest effort also could be relied upon to produce its own re- ward, for, when the first marking period ended, we could pride ourselves on the number of our classmates who attained the select Honor Roll circle. To call suf- ficient attention to the merit of the recipients, the certificate awards were made at a School-wide assembly after dinner and Classmates Bob Fichtner, Dick Griffin, Vin Horrigan, Jack Kirk and Bob O'Shea were applauded warmly by the entire student body. About this time we arrived at the conclusion that the older students, far from isolating themselves in lofty superiority, were a companionable lot who were quite willing to exchange ideas on teachers, sports and other topics of mutual interest. Recess periods and dinner hours provided an opportunity of mingling with them and learning their intense loyalty to St. Sebastian's and everything associated with it. Fellows like Hugh Glasheen, Henry Barry, Charlie McCarron, jimmy Lydon, Bob and George Baker had attended the first class to be held here and they wel- comed us sincerely as Sebastianites who would come to love the School as dearly as they. In the Sophomore group also we found a real spirit of camaradie manifested by veterans of a year's experience such as Myron Bullock, Mike Barrette, Bob Hig- gins, Bob and Paul Flynn. To have them recognize us in friendly fashion and make us feel at home in their company was all that was needed to make us realiize that we belonged at St. Sebastian's.

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'47 AIDS CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION Seniors: Kehoe, Kirk, Horrigan, Shannon work with Mr. Gilchrist of the N. C. W. C. I WANT TO SEE THE FOLLOWING AFTER DINNER The Headmaster reads a proscriprion list in the refectory