St Sebastians School - Arrow Yearbook (Newton, MA)

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into Fr. Keating's hands once again and found the conditioning process still as rig- orous as a year before. When the time came to encounter the opposition of other j.V. elevens, a schedule was arranged and we were tested in the fire of combat. Browne and Nichols, Roxbury Latin, Belmont Hill and Angel Guardian were the foes of that campaign in which Bill Heavey, Vin Horrigan and Dick McCarron stood out for fierce tackling, while Herb Baker and jack Nawn shone offensively. In the Angel Guardian contests, Fr. Keating's neutrality was a highlight that was watched closely by both sides. During the indoor season that followed we had plenty to interest us when the ice and hoop campaigns began. For a second year, the Skating Club became a mecca for St. Sebastian rooters on Saturday nights and they had every reason to cheer their favorites on as they battled splendidly for the League crown. In the final analysis we had to be content with a co-championship shared by Malden, but there were chills and thrills galore especially in the 1-1 stalemate that closed the season. J.V. Hockey also was attempted and Fr. Hannigan's ambitious proteges were bolstered by our contributions, Dick McCarron, Prank O'Donoghue and Ed Quirk. The court game introduced us to Fr. John Redding who undertook the tutoring of our hoopsters after our loss of Fr. Collins. From our class, dominant figures like Bob McNabb, Dick Tonner, Herb Baker, Bill O'Leary, Bob McGarty and Jim Caulfield did much to lighten the burdens of the new coach as the team emerged with five victories in nine starts. As we expected, the spiritual aspect of our training was taken care of thor- oughly in a well-planned program. Daily Mass was celebrated at 8:30 each School day by the Headmaster and, while attendance was optional, we frequently availed ourselves of the opportunity to assist at the Holy Sacrifice. In keeping with the tra- dition set by the older classes, we began and ended each day with a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and we looked forward to the First Friday Communion Masses ALTAR BOYS Standing: Keefe, Melly, Carroll, Hurley, Field, Keelan, McNabb, Doherty Seated: Hennessy, O'Donoghue, Boles, Fr. Dacey, Fichtner, McAuliffe, Bullock

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STUDENT COUNCIL Standing: Gibbons, Green, McCarthy, McGoldrick Seated: Slattery, O'Donoghue, Kirk, Cremmen, Caulfield, Pitts ing with reference to future events, but its chronicling of past personal exploits and social interests caused keen interest or profound dismay, depending upon one's point of view. At times it seemed as if a glossary of terms was needed to make its cryptic comment intelligible, and, more often than not, it needed previous cen- sorship before being permitted to fall into parental hands. We were quite proud of the part played in its production by our fellow Sophomores, for Jack Kirk, Dick Griffin, Larry Cazale, john Kehoe and Bob O'Shea were on the reportorial staff, Frank Fandel served as Business Manager, and Frank O'Donoghue roamed the campus to snap the celebrities whose biographical sketches were to appear. Al- though charges have been made that, at least on some occasions, The Walrus has misquoted statements and distorted or obscured facts, it certainly aroused the greatest possible interest that could be desired. Another literary venture of the School during our Sophomore year was the publication of a yearbook, The Arrow, which was intended to serve our gradu- ates as a record of their St. Sebastian days. Their enthusiasm aroused by the plan, the Class of 1945 went to work zealously on the project with Fr. Flanigan and long afternoon sessions were spent in the Library compiling and revising material for the pioneer edition. As undergraduates we were not intimately associated with the effort, but we did assist the cause by obtaining ads and patrons for the book. When it eventually appeared, we were pleasantly surprised by its beauty and we read it avidly from cover to cover. Our pride in showing it to friends was verified sometime later when Marquette University awarded it All-Catholic rating. In the realm of sports, we took up where we had left off the year before with even greater enjoyment. Reporting as J.V. veterans this time, we put ourselves

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each month. At the year's half-way mark, we enjoyed the Annual Retreat preached by Reverend joseph Hart, C.S.C., and the three-day exercise provided the necessary time for much prayerful reflection. The after-dinner recitation of the Rosary in honor of Our Lady during May and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament twice each week of Lent were always impressive occasions. To associate us most intimately with the Holy Sacrifice, the Dialogue Mass was introduced on First Fri- days and V-E day was fittingly observed by a fervent Mass of Thanksgiving. The tempo of the Spring chapter of our Sophomore year was accelerated by our deep personal interest in the Baseball exploits of Classmate Bob McNabb and by the anticipation of St. Sebastian's first Graduation Exercises. Making his debut as a Red and Black hurler, the 15-year-old rookie not only triumphed over Browne and Nichols 15-0 but also gave a Hall of Fame performance by turning in the first no-hit game in School history. After that start, he lived up to our expectations by achieving victories over formidable nines like Belmont Hill, Middlesex, Cranwell and Noble and Greenough. For the first time, the Varsity enjoyed an undefeated season with nine wins in as many starts and we felt that our Sophomore mounds- man deserved much of the credit. The J.V. diamond season also kept many of our members busy with daily practice sessions under Fr. Flanigan that pointed to games with Mission, Roxbury Latin, St. joseph's of Wellesley and other local schools. Once again, Dick Griffin was j.V. boxman and his supporting cast in- cluded Bullock, Ford, McCarron, McGarty, O'Leary, Quirk and Shannon. The School year drew to a close with a week of Senior activities that cul- minated in the graduation of St. Sebastian's first class. Beginning with a class outing at Scituate and a Senior Prom at the Hotel Puritan, the exercises included a Fathers' and Sons' Day Baseball game with Belmont Hill and a musicale at john Hancock Hall the night before Graduation. On Friday, june lst, the Headmaster celebrated a Baccalaureate Mass at the Cenacle and afterwards addressed the gradu- ates and their parents. In the afternoon the Graduation Exercises were held at the Archbishop's House, a most beautiful and impressive setting. With hundreds of people present as his guests, His Excellency, Archbishop Cushing, presided over the occasion and paid a signal tribute to St. Sebastian's and its first graduates. The student orators of the day were Ed Courtney and Dick Shea while Doctor William Marnell of Boston Latin School delivered an impressive eulogy of classical educa- tion. When the diplomas were presented to the graduates by His Excellency, Mrs. Murphy received the award for her son Ed who was serving in the Navy. The exercises were closed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament given by Arch- bishop Cushing who afterwards greeted all who were present and invited them to an inspection of his home. Thus our second year at St. Sebastian's ended in most impressive fashion and we could not help but reflect that we were halfway to the goal achieved by the Class of 1945. In the time intervening, much remained to be done if we were to be ready for College, but we had high hopes of emulating the complete success of the School's first class that had attained a 100'Zp acceptance from College au- thorities. At the moment, however, we could put aside sober reflections and revel in the prospect of the Summer pleasures that lay before us. Before we returned to Nonantum Hill, the exultation of V-J day had light- ened the heart of the nation and incidentally had freed us from the threat of hav- ing our scholastic careers interrupted by a call to military service. In addition,