St Thomas High School - Thomist Yearbook (Rockford, IL)

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'VVith filial respect and devotion, we are lifted in the light of Eternity and you see the priceless powers and graces showered on our souls, as we listen to your vigorous and luminous conferences. VVe determine anew to heed your urgent appeal to take our place, loyally, under the Banner of Christ our King, to carry into our lives the supernatural, to be enthusiastic heralds of Christ-always speaking and acting for Him. Truly yours is a spiritual and moral leadership holding its lamp high: Be it ours to remember! lt is a pledge of our gratitude for the past, joy in the present, and hope and expectation for the future. Heartfelt prayers, felicitations loving and true, we bring to you today. May the happy light from your well- spent years Shine soft and warm o'er your way. May the fruit of unselhsh service meet The ripened sheaves of a light that cheers, Bring their harvest of peace and joy to you offerbto you, dear Bishop, the homage of our heartfelt greetings. We beg you to accept our spiritual garland, which dur- ing the past month, we have woven near the light of the Tabernacle-roses of love, lilies of prayer, and shy violets of sacrifice. Through many more beautiful years. And may we, the youngest reapers, keep before our minds your lessons of faith and love that we may have with your ETERNAL JUBILEE. QKKSNS QNSQYZQ ABOUT THE DAVENPORT . TOURNAMENT St. Thomas went down to the Davenport games, And I'm sure they're not sorry for taking such pains, Because they brought home the most wonder- ful sight, Three nice looking trophies of silver so bright. One was a cup for gaining fourth place, Another for showing best sport in the pace And lastly John Green who took in great man- Thellilophy for being best man of their banner. Russell Meads, '27. l70l

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W. -.117 ' ' ' - 1 - p, M. ,M -if ' ' '5' ' ' ll ' All ' ' l A it i l -- 1 .ill 'imli' .QQIlllII5Q5Qsaga,g!,sgs,,,,.,f4lll1' 1, 1,,l,1,il,,,1 lvl, L gg' L. V i,,l,,m'1 n ' ,HIMW ,,'g,lg4' ,,l,,,l 1 ' ll III gm ' ,gli 1lU,,IHlIlii' 1 V 1 i'?i? 'i'-lilzll. - usiaiailg I I M rar It U !,,2' mi Af..,,f- -A-, .1.fQ:g if-Y -, , ,, l Spiiiiuul Bouquet 'KWHO IN HIS DAYS PLEASED GODH Preyentuliofz of Spiritual Bouquet by MR. LLOYD BRYANT Trlday-twenty-live years a noble self- sacrilicing' leader in the Catholic Episco- pate-twentylive years Christ's sacred sentry. Today-forty years a chasubled soldier beneath the Standard of Christ, lifting on high a Host with a chalice, a light for men's battle-scarred souls in their needs-to last till the story of time will have ceased. Truly this is life in a sin-worn land: Few there are, Right Reverend and dearly loved Bishop Muldoon, who are permitted to round out a career as hon- orable and as enviable in its record of work done for God's great glory and the salvation of immortal souls. Far beyond the limits of Rockfod diocese your merited fame is heralded, and your name held in benediction. Your works angel hands have engraveng your piety, able service to man, faithfulness to principle, uprightness of priestly life-above all, your devotedness to Ciod and His interests. Yes, on this unique and happy day of silver jubilee, congratulations will pour in from those who esteem true worth, at- tested by personal merit, unswerving de- votion to high ideals-to THE IDEAL. ln this peon of praise, a tender yet jubilant refrain rings out, whose tones, sincere and spirit-thrilling none other surpassesfthat of your devoted children, the pupils of St. Thomas High School. VVith child-like presumption, we deem ourselves of the inner-circle. lt is said with all reverence-the natural conse- quence of your gracious ways, your kindly visits to the class room with their evidence of keen interest in our true de- velopment of mind and heart. Standing high above all these is your charming condescension in giving of your valuable time to conduct personally our annual re- treat-that minting time of soul-refresh- ment and priceless light. XVe know that the truly great are al- ways characterized by simplicity. Yet, now and again there comes to us a sense of bewilderment at your affability in stooping to us, the wee ones of your Hock. Marvelling, we 'ask ourselves if any- where, even in this wonderland of Amer- ica, High School pupils have the privilege of such a retreat. You will receive your reward, dear Bishop, only when the veils .ii at g. l69l

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-Af: :E.,. . E, QiQ,.: .,A.:AE, zi, T CTT I' A.,,,.:: ,,,: ,A.2.1. ,,...,W.V. Zzg, 1.5 V ll The Tournament The chiming of the old clock in the tower harmonized beautifully with the gentle strains of Alma Mater which issued from the two carloads of tired basketball players. The an- cient timepiece in heralding the midnight hour was at the same time welcoming the St. Thomas basketball squad to the city of Davenport, Iowa, Where the VVest begins, and in the State where the tall corn grows. 011 our arrival at the Blackhawk Hotel, our headquarters during the tournament, we experi- enced in some degree, the feeling of the Israel- ites in reaching the promised Land. Beds never looked so inviting. Tired out from the effects of a victorious game with Sterling that day, and the long ride, we did not need Uncle Bob's bed- time stories to lull us to sleep. The next morning I found that my room over- looked the broad expanse of the Father of Waters, glistening liquid turquoise in its sombre setting of overhanging cliffs. As I sat spell- bound gazing at the beautiful scene, I thought of all the marvellous things the old river could tell had it only a tongue. I saw in fancy the birch canoe bearing the priest-explorer, Father Marquette and his companion, Joliet. I pictured the saintly Dominican Missionary, Father Sam- uel Mazzuchelli, a slight but an indomitable figure plying his oars upon that vast body of water. My day dreaming was cut short by the call for all the players to leave for St. Anthony's Church where we received Holy Communion and asked God's blessing on our day. Friday, we played what was considered one of the best games of the tournament. Thanks to our staying powers we defeated our oppon- ents, St. Peter's of Iowa City, by a score of 23 to Zl. Our record now was a good one-two games won, none lost, and a game with the strong Spaulding team of Peoria scheduled for the evening. Our fear of Spaulding was justifi- ed for they won from ns by eleven points. But feat as they were in victory the preceding days. A good sport needs no alibi, the better team won, but not without a struggle which our op- ponents acknowledged Vto be the hardest they had had to encounter all season. We played another game Saturday afternoon in which we were again the victors, but wc had lost the finals. St. Thomas, while not winning the tourna- ment received honors which were equalled by no other team in the tournament. VVhen the trophies were awarded on Saturday evening, St. Thomas was awarded the trophy for the best sportsmanship, both on the tournament floor and around the hotel and the city in gener- al. The team was awarded the fourth prize in the tournament proper, and one of the St. Thomas players, John Gree11, was awarded the trophy given for the most valuable man to his team. In addition Green was chosen as For- ward in the All-Tournament Team. So came to a close the Purple and White basketball season of '26-'27, a season in which the Paws were successful in seventeen out of twenty-one games. As the final whistle blew loudly and shrilly it meant more to five basket- ball players than the end of another hard fought battle. It meant that for the last time they had romped over the multi-lined basketball floor, clad in the purple and white uniforms. Gradua- tion would take its toll, ruthlessly, unconcern- edly, causing many a heart-pang as realization dawned upon the minds of the players that their four year athletic career had come to an endg realization that the '26-'27 Paw team had joined its predecessors in history. So the big book marked Basket Ball is clos- ed and laid carefully away to grow dirty and dusty with the months until next year when new aspirants to fame will dust off the volume, open the book, and don the Purple and the VVhite. All success to them! . T. Carroll Sizer, '27, the St. Thomas players were as glorious in de- Student Manager. .ar F I 3 3 e2.' T ettl 1 i i I I ',, , f I as . I7ll