St Sebastians School - Arrow Yearbook (Newton, MA)

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new faces in our ranks and to meet new instructors. Assigned to two classrooms on the second floor, we made the acquaintance of Fr. Francis Desmond, our preceptor in English, and Fr. Aubut, new member of the French department. In addition we came under Fr. Flanigan's tutelage for the first time to be introduced to Cicero and we soon came to know Fr. Dacey as a member of the Latin and Greek departments and Prefect of the Sacristy. The presence of the new Faculty members called attention to the fact that Fr. Redding and Fr. Clifford were no longer in our midst, but had been sent to universities for further studies, the former to Fordham and the latter to Laval. Among our own numbers we had suffered losses and made gains, so that our roster was as follows: joseph Deignan John Baker Thomas Barrette John Boyle Hugh Bradshaw William Brine Paul Cavanagh Robert Cochrane Edward Conway William DeGiacomo Arthur Dias Richard Doyle Robert Egan Harold Field John Fitzgerald Vincent Greene Daniel Griiiin james Grogan Thomas Hartnett Francis Hennessy Robert Hook Park Hurley Robert Julien George Kelley Paul King Henry Lane Russell MacDonald James Malone Donald Marshall Andrew McAuliffe Eugene McAuliffe Lawrence McAuliHe William McKinney Dominick Morley William Morrissey Thomas Murray john Nawn Eugene Pierotti Francis Pitts james Ryan John Skehan Robert Sullivan Roger Vorce When our scholastic program was announced, it developed that most of us were to be initiated into the mysteries of Chemistry under Fr. Cotter's direction, while a few privileged souls, Tom Barrette, Harold Field, Dominick Morley, George Kelley and Roger Vorce were to sit at the feet of the Headmaster to study Greek. In addition to the fifty new Freshmen who had taken over our old quarters on the first floor, the student body included two old boys, Robert Baker and Donald Marshall, who were on hand the day that St. Sebastian's held its first class. Their scholastic careers having been interrupted by a term in the service, they returned to us to refresh until new semesters began at Catholic University and Seton Hall College. On September 20th, the student body offered its felicitations to Monsignor Mclnnis on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. After dinner that Noon, Fr. Beatty expressed the Faculty's sentiments and Robert Bullock presented the Head- master a Spiritual Bouquet which was the offering of the entire School. Off the campus, the Alumni met at Joe Carroll's home early in the year for the purpose of organizing into an active group and the twenty-two graduates present chose Jimmy Collins '45 as President. Ed Courtney '45 and John Pickard '46 were elected Vice-Presidents, while the oflices of Treasurer and Secretary fell to Ed Murphy and Jim Lydon both of '45. Meanwhile, the customary Fall program had been under way for some time, the Football candidates having begun practice ten days before the formal opening of School. As soon as classes started, the J.V.'s began their conditioning proc- ess under Fr. Keating and its value was demonstrated when they emerged from -I 69 1-

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and the Musicale was given in the Main Ballroom of the Hotel Bradford by the world--renowned Sanroma. Fittingly inaugurated by the Baccalaureate Mass and Sermon at the Cenacle convent, the Graduation Exercises culminated in the awarding of diplomas at the Atchbishopis House in the afternoon. Once again, His Excellency, Archbishop Cushing, was our gracious host and delayed his departure for a college commencement to greet the graduates and warmly felicitate the Faculty on a work well done. In his absence, Monsignor MacKenzie presided over the ceremonies that featured an address to the graduates by Professor Louis Mercier of Harvard University. The Salutatory and Valedictory orations were given by Robert Higgins and Myron Bullock respectively and Monsignor MacKenzie awarded the hard-earned diplomas. After Solemn Benediction had closed the exercises, we took a reluctant leave of the graduates who had been our schoolmates for two years and we departed for our Summer vacation sobered by the realization that our St. Sebastian days were at the half-way mark. One Sunday morning early in July we were overjoyed to read in the Boston papers that Fr. Mclnnis had been elevated by His Holiness Pope Pius Xll to the rank of Papal Chamberlain with the title of Very Reverend Monsignor. Wfe realized at once that this honor had been conferred on the Headmaster of St. Sebastian's both as a recognition of his outstanding priestly work for twenty-five years and as a seal of approbation on the School founded and developed under his direction. Wfhen we returned to the Hill, we found it difficult to remember to greet him as Monsignor instead of Father , but, while our slips caused us embarrassment, they never seemed to be noticed by him. It was as self-assured juniors that we re-assembled in September 1946 to find FRENCH CIRCLE Sluuding: Kelley, R. MacDonald, Bradshaw, Dias, E. McAuliffe. Seated: Vorce, Dore, Fr. Aubut, Malone, Hurley. -I 1-

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the season without bearing any special battle scars. Racing through a most successful campaign, they bowled over five opponents and were forced to accept only one defeat at the hands of a more experienced Lawrence Central Catholic eleven. The Varsity, on the other hand, was not as fortunate. Reaching great heights in the early contests, the Red and Black tapered off in the late games and ended up with three victories, two ties and two defeats. This 1946 eleven, however, reached the apex of St. Sebastian Football prestige when it tied a powerful St. 1ohn's Prep team, 7-7, before 1100 spectators on our own field. The occasion was Parents' and Friends' Day and, after the contest was over, 750 guests availed themselves of the invitation to attend a Coffee Hour in the refectory. In the Red-Blue intersquad battle, john Ellard finally proved his right to a plaque by vanquishing a courageous Red team led by joe Ford. Another pleasant project was introduced in early Autumn when a School Tennis Tournament was held under the supervision of Fr. Aubut, new Tennis coach. With the prize of a new racquet as an incentive, thirty boys competed vigorously and we were especially pleased when the final match found two of our juniors facing each other for the crown. In the outcome, jack Nawn scored a straight- sets victory over Frank Pitts to become School Champion. Pitts could find consola- tion, however, in his election as Class President at the same time that Hilt Collupy and Jack Slattery were chosen Vice-President and Treasurer. With the close of the first marking period, it became evident to us that in Hugh Bradshaw we had added a notable scholar who would give top-flight com- petition to Tom Barrette who had won our class scholarship for the past two years. As time went on, we were to learn that the newcomer was a man of many parts, for he proved to be an athlete and a cartoonist as well. About this time, THE ARROW began to assume proportions with john Kirk as Editor and Robert Bullock as Business Manager. The Choir also was deep in rehearsal with Mr. Whelan and Eddie Linnane's resourcefulness was tested to the utmost to rid the grounds of an unwelcome visitor. Fortunately, a WALRUS camera-man was on hand to record the episode graphically for posterity. To fete the j.V.'s for their glorious grid season, a Sports Night was held exclusively for them on November 29th and the famous Boston College backfield quartet of Panciera, Songin, Poissant and Canava made an appearance to answer an avalanche of questions. Movies of the B.C.-Tennessee game were shown, after which our warriors received their letters from Monsignor. The Christmas vacation was greeted with more than ordinary interest by our class because it brought the sponsorship of our first official function, the junior Prom. The committee entrusted with the making of the necessary arrangements was composed of Tom Barrette, Roger Vorce, jack Nawn, Jack Boyle, Jack Slattery and Frank Pitts. By the time that the evening of january 5rd had arrived, they had very efiiciently taken care of all details and had transformed the refectory into a wintry fairyland. Hal Reeves' music was entirely satisfactory, but the high point of the evening was the oohing and aahing of our feminine guests when the souvenir compacts were distributed. The other classes in the School were most loyal in supporting the prom and that did much to contribute to the success of the affair. With the advent of Winter, our athletic interests changed once more to Basketball and Hockey. At the hoop game we were capably represented by Hilt -1 70 1-