This page is devoted to some of the most memorable or funniest experiences that you can remember happening at Latin. Email your contributions to me ([email protected]) and I will post them. Send as many or as often as you wish.
Paul Kolba was one of the funniest guys in our class. I remember standing behind Paul in the cafeteria line as he was telling me how much he loved Cho-Cho Bars. After buying one, he stripped off the paper and threw the Cho-Cho Bar right into the trash can, left standing there with only the wrapper. I split my sides laughing. - Jim McMahon
Larry Kaminski writes: "Jim: You have a great memory my friend. My memory is not funny but being Eastern European, I could never figure out the Italian guys throwing fingers and yelling numbers in Italian...very confusing but got it after awhile. Have a great and Blessed Merry Christmas season. LK
A CL story - Albert Di Iorio
Well, it was about 2 weeks before the “incident” that the seed was planted.
At that time, in one of my classes someone fainted, falling out of his desk onto the floor. But
A busy bee of activity occurred with Brother So&So rushing down the aisle to the stricken classmate
and others crowding around trying to revive the poor fellow. Eventually cold water and probably a good slap
got him going again.
So that was where it began. Now 2 weeks later I was sitting in a Brother Doyle class when whoever
it was sitting across from me and one desk down (I think I know who it was but need corroboration) whispered
that he was going to “throw a faint”. Hmm thought I, this is going to be interesting. Surely Brother Doyle is going to
see through this ruse. He’s going to get caught. A few minutes later, no doubt to built up courage, there was a moan and
a thud of a body hitting the floor. Again a busy bee of activity, with Brother Doyle rushing down the aisle and those of us in the know
just looking on and not moving. Eventually the “fainter” was supposedly revived.
Was he ever found out by the administration, don’t know; but it was an “incident” at CL I’ll always remember.
John Forhan identifies the perpetrator of the feigned faint...
My story involves a classmate that didn’t stay with us until graduation, but was also a very funny guy. His name was Keith DeLambo and he was a grade school classmate of mine at St.Clare. He had a congenital heart condition which the faculty all knew about. One day in a class taught by Bro. Dan Doyle, Keith was bored to death ( he got bored easily ) and purposely fell out of his desk moaning and holding his chest. Poor Bro.Doyle rushed over to see what he could do for Keith who immediately started laughing, setting me off laughing because I had seen him do the same thing in grade school. The rest of the class cracked up too and I think Keith ended up apologizing to Bro. Doyle, who certainly deserved an apology. I can’t remember if this was the event leading to Keith’s departure from CLS, but maybe somebody else in the class will remember.
Another from Albert Di Iorio - The Sticks
Oh yes, we were the guys from “out in the sticks.”
We were a group of about 9 who lived in Lake County: Painesville, Mentor, Willoughby, Wickliffe referred
to as living “out in the sticks.”
In 1958 our access to CL was via a 1 1/4 hour Greyhound bus ride down Euclid Ave. usually we caught
the 7 AM bus which would bring us just in time for class. No Route 2 yet.
From Chardon Road in Euclid to downtown it was 2 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic in both directions.
Later as Juniors and Seniors we drove in, parking in the lot next door for the exorbitant sum of 25 cents !!!
The going rate as a passenger in the car was $1 a day.
The bus ride was also our introduction to the wonderful Cleveland Art Museum.
Because Lake County was in the snow belt area, we would occasionally declare a partial snow day, go to the Museum, wander around from 8:30 to 10 AM, and then go to CL claiming the “bus was late because of all the snow”
They bought it everytime!!!
Oh, and we also got to leave 10 minutes early at 2:20 PM to catch the 2:30 PM bus back home. Sometime that bus turned out to
be our cars.
The irony of this is that when we had our 50th I saw the location of CL and remarked to Sister Gusdane that indeed
CL is now “out in the sticks."
Larry Kaminski writes: "Jim: You have a great memory my friend. My memory is not funny but being Eastern European, I could never figure out the Italian guys throwing fingers and yelling numbers in Italian...very confusing but got it after awhile. Have a great and Blessed Merry Christmas season. LK
A CL story - Albert Di Iorio
Well, it was about 2 weeks before the “incident” that the seed was planted.
At that time, in one of my classes someone fainted, falling out of his desk onto the floor. But
A busy bee of activity occurred with Brother So&So rushing down the aisle to the stricken classmate
and others crowding around trying to revive the poor fellow. Eventually cold water and probably a good slap
got him going again.
So that was where it began. Now 2 weeks later I was sitting in a Brother Doyle class when whoever
it was sitting across from me and one desk down (I think I know who it was but need corroboration) whispered
that he was going to “throw a faint”. Hmm thought I, this is going to be interesting. Surely Brother Doyle is going to
see through this ruse. He’s going to get caught. A few minutes later, no doubt to built up courage, there was a moan and
a thud of a body hitting the floor. Again a busy bee of activity, with Brother Doyle rushing down the aisle and those of us in the know
just looking on and not moving. Eventually the “fainter” was supposedly revived.
Was he ever found out by the administration, don’t know; but it was an “incident” at CL I’ll always remember.
John Forhan identifies the perpetrator of the feigned faint...
My story involves a classmate that didn’t stay with us until graduation, but was also a very funny guy. His name was Keith DeLambo and he was a grade school classmate of mine at St.Clare. He had a congenital heart condition which the faculty all knew about. One day in a class taught by Bro. Dan Doyle, Keith was bored to death ( he got bored easily ) and purposely fell out of his desk moaning and holding his chest. Poor Bro.Doyle rushed over to see what he could do for Keith who immediately started laughing, setting me off laughing because I had seen him do the same thing in grade school. The rest of the class cracked up too and I think Keith ended up apologizing to Bro. Doyle, who certainly deserved an apology. I can’t remember if this was the event leading to Keith’s departure from CLS, but maybe somebody else in the class will remember.
Another from Albert Di Iorio - The Sticks
Oh yes, we were the guys from “out in the sticks.”
We were a group of about 9 who lived in Lake County: Painesville, Mentor, Willoughby, Wickliffe referred
to as living “out in the sticks.”
In 1958 our access to CL was via a 1 1/4 hour Greyhound bus ride down Euclid Ave. usually we caught
the 7 AM bus which would bring us just in time for class. No Route 2 yet.
From Chardon Road in Euclid to downtown it was 2 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic in both directions.
Later as Juniors and Seniors we drove in, parking in the lot next door for the exorbitant sum of 25 cents !!!
The going rate as a passenger in the car was $1 a day.
The bus ride was also our introduction to the wonderful Cleveland Art Museum.
Because Lake County was in the snow belt area, we would occasionally declare a partial snow day, go to the Museum, wander around from 8:30 to 10 AM, and then go to CL claiming the “bus was late because of all the snow”
They bought it everytime!!!
Oh, and we also got to leave 10 minutes early at 2:20 PM to catch the 2:30 PM bus back home. Sometime that bus turned out to
be our cars.
The irony of this is that when we had our 50th I saw the location of CL and remarked to Sister Gusdane that indeed
CL is now “out in the sticks."
Jim McMahon recalls...
Mr. Ternansky was one of the most impressive teachers I ever had at Latin. Recall Problems of Democracy and Current History. Do you remember his classroom lined with cardboard boxes filled not only with political, philosophical, and sociologic papers that he had collected from magazines and newspapers, but also with untold years worth of term papers that his students had written? He was unbelievably knowledgeable and encyclopedic about everything. I remember one day while daydreaming in class, I asked him to explain the meaning of “materialistic existentialism” which undoubtedly Stan Osenar had buzzed my head with the day before, and of which I knew and still know nothing about. Mr. Ternansky concluded what he wanted to cover that day, and then went into a detailed ten minute discourse on the subject of which none of us knew what he was talking about. Stan, however, would probably have understood it all. But I'm sure the rest of the guys did not appreciate my diversion.
Jim Blaszak writes...
Before the start of our senior year, the Latineer staff decided to have their first edition ready for delivery on the first day of class. So, in preparation for this event, we solicited articles for publication. Joe Eszterhas submitted an article to the editors extolling himself and proclaiming that he was retuning to CL for his senior year after taking a two year hiatus. The headline on the self-written article of self-adulation proudly read: JOE ESZTERHAS RETURNS TO CL. Bob Sheahen and I got the galley sheets (the pages to proof for final printing) and we decided the article needed some "spicing up". What would be better than a by-line under the headline to give the article appropriate credit to its pretentious author. The article was published and delivered on the first day of class as planned:
JOE ESZTERHAS RETURNS TO CL
by Joe Eszterhas
Larry Kaminski adds...
If you remember when we played Collinwood at John Adams for the chance to play in the charity game, there was a snafu before the game that created much ire to the Collinwood fans.
Our team had a saying that if you were weak or not up to the challenge you were a cake eater. I think Coach Marabito got it going. Anyway, it was part of the daily routine to hear the phrase. Prior to the game in the locker room, Coach Sam was doing his usual soliloquy on intestinal fortitude, burning desire, and what coaches do but all of a sudden there was a knock on the locker room door. Coach Marabito opens the door and brings in this big cake box. He opens it, and this beautifully designed cake says:" TO THE LATIN CAKE EATERS"...Yowsa, the locker room became inflamed with a need to bust loose and we headed out to the field in a wild frenzy. However, the Collinwood band was still on the field doing the pregame when we busted through their ranks ready to do battle.
The next day we were ripped by the fans for a lack of respect to Collinwood, the flag, to God, and country and should be denied the Victory, We shut down Eppie Barney. Boo Morrow, Puiono, and the rest of them to gain the top spot.
Amazing how a cake could muster that much Latin fight and spirit.
Follow-up from Myron Achbach...
I remember the Collinwood situation well. What you didn't mention is that in your (the team) hurry to get out of the locker room, you destroyed a barrier and the door which I gladly paid to John Adams later. Great memory.
Albert Di Iorio likes CL cooking...
I must confess. I am a food aficionado. I like trying all ethnic and exotic foods, although I draw the line at rattlesnake and insects
covered in chocolate. I’ve been thinking about how this came about: where did I get my first taste?
The answer: CL
Growing up in an immigrant Italian family, we never ate out. No restaurants for us. Okay, maybe stopping for a “sangweech” might
count when we went to pick up my sister from college. But that was it. No exposure to non-Italian foods. Well imagine my surprise
when I saw “City Chicken” or "Welsh Rarebit” being served in the CL cafeteria. Never heard of or ate any of this food.
Food? City Chicken? Like raised in the city? Welsh Rarebit? Whoops, misspelling, must mean “Rabbit”. Both turned out to be to my liking.
But come on, Welsh Rarebit in a high school cafeteria?
So CL cafeteria is where I began my lifelong fascination with ethnic and exotic foods.
Albert owns Hellriegel's Inn, a popular restaurant in Painesville, Ohio. Click on Albert's Bio Page for details.
The Power of the Latin Letter Sweater – Jim McMahon
If you were at the 50th or 51st Reunion you probably remember the Latin Letter Sweater that I wore to the banquet. But if you haven’t been to Muldoon’s for our monthly gathering, you haven’t heard the follow-up stories about The Sweater.
After I wore The Sweater to the reunion, I would routinely wear it every Friday when my wife and I went to dinner at my cousin’s tavern on Lee Road . This particular Friday, I dropped off my wife so that she could get a patio table while I parked the car. Later, as I was walking through the patio gate, I heard “you are so cute…you are so cute”. As I got closer to the source of the praise, and the name at the bottom of my Letter Sweater could be read, it was then “Jim, you are so cute...Jim, Jim, you are so cute.” Lo and behold three gorgeous girls, easily 40 years younger than myself, were waving and calling my name. I walked over to the girls and they gathered around and wanted their picture taken with me. HUBBA HUBBA. I couldn’t believe this was happening to a 68 year-old man. My wife was so stunned by my charisma that she volunteered to take the picture with her cell phone. You probably don’t believe this story so I included the picture for you guys to ogle over. When our waiter came I asked him to send a round of drinks to the ladies but they were already packed up and walking out. But, I got one more hug from the girls before they left. Read more below.
The story doesn’t end yet. The very next Friday, things started out the same. I was wearing The Sweater, dropped my wife off, parked the car, and walked to the patio. We were seated at the same table as the week before, but this time a young couple was sitting at the table next to us. The guy asked me about The Sweater and I explained about the 50th reunion, etc. He was very amused. I then asked his date if she thought The Sweater was a chick magnet and she very affirmatively said “Yes!.” After they finished their dinner and got up, I allowed the guy to walk by me first, but after he passed I pushed back and tilted my chair onto its back legs in order to intercept his date. As the guy continued to walk towards the patio gate, I asked the girl if she really thought The Sweater was a chick magnet. She motioned toward the guy and said “if he weren’t here I’d be all over you”. I swear this is all true; ask my wife. There are more Sweater stories that I will reveal at another time. Advice to you guys…Get out your Latin Letter Sweaters and wear them !!
Gym Class - Albert Di Iorio
I’m sure i speak for some classmates when I say that my least favorite class at CL was Gym. It was tortuous, not physically
but mentally. It started off when I had to retrieve my gym clothes out of my locker. Phew!!!! They reeked. The intention was
always to bring them home at the end of gym class for washing, but they always got left behind. So weeks went by.
As I recall gym class was not structured. Mr. So&So would say: “Just run up and down the bleacher stairs”. And off I and
others would go. After a couple of ups and downs, a glance back to the gym floor revealed Mr. So&So playing basketball
with the jocks. So much for that, he’s not watching us. Then it was a free for all; throwing basketballs into the stands,
at each other, and what not. Gym class ended up pretty much do what you want.
Finally back to the showers. After a shower, it was that dreaded mile long walk back to my shower locker.
I always felt 2 inches tall thinking everyone’s eyes were upon me, that I was passing review and being “measured up”.
Occasionally a remark which made it worse. But the consolation is that I made it back knowing that I walked by others
who were too timid to go take a shower.
Now remember to take home the gym clothes!!!!!!!!!! - Albert Di Iorio
But, Al. Do you remember when all the showers were filled with guys standing under a warm water spray and then,
at a signal, a bunch of other guys would flush all the toilets and urinals? That’s when Latin Lions became Latin Lobsters.
– Jim McMahon
Who's the guy that started all the tweet-tweet bird noises in Bro. Swallow's French class in our Senior year? The tweeting came form somewhere in the rear right of the classroom and began to spread across the room. It didn't take long before it sounded like mating season in Bro. Swallow's French class.
Larry Kaminski remembers football in the olden days...
I was watching the Ohio State game last weekend and saw that young QB was from Glenville High. I had to chuckle. The program has come a long way in producing amazing young athletes with so much talent and the ability to meet the expectations of the scholar athlete.
Anyway, this story came into my mind. I think it was my freshman year when we played Glenville at Patrick Henry field. I was on some of the special teams that year but mostly bench time. I think it was Dan Borovac sprinting to get around the edge when he got upended and his helmet came off. In that day we had the hard leather helmet with one bar or face guard. All of a sudden one of the Glenville players shouts out "we are playing these boys with cardboard helmets" It was nice to advance to the Ridell helmet the next year and forever put those Tarblooders to shame the next several years.
Forever to Latin Pride and Fight or as Coach Sam would say Burning Desire to Succeed..
Gym Class - Albert Di Iorio
I’m sure i speak for some classmates when I say that my least favorite class at CL was Gym. It was tortuous, not physically
but mentally. It started off when I had to retrieve my gym clothes out of my locker. Phew!!!! They reeked. The intention was
always to bring them home at the end of gym class for washing, but they always got left behind. So weeks went by.
As I recall gym class was not structured. Mr. So&So would say: “Just run up and down the bleacher stairs”. And off I and
others would go. After a couple of ups and downs, a glance back to the gym floor revealed Mr. So&So playing basketball
with the jocks. So much for that, he’s not watching us. Then it was a free for all; throwing basketballs into the stands,
at each other, and what not. Gym class ended up pretty much do what you want.
Finally back to the showers. After a shower, it was that dreaded mile long walk back to my shower locker.
I always felt 2 inches tall thinking everyone’s eyes were upon me, that I was passing review and being “measured up”.
Occasionally a remark which made it worse. But the consolation is that I made it back knowing that I walked by others
who were too timid to go take a shower.
Now remember to take home the gym clothes!!!!!!!!!! - Albert Di Iorio
But, Al. Do you remember when all the showers were filled with guys standing under a warm water spray and then,
at a signal, a bunch of other guys would flush all the toilets and urinals? That’s when Latin Lions became Latin Lobsters.
– Jim McMahon
Who's the guy that started all the tweet-tweet bird noises in Bro. Swallow's French class in our Senior year? The tweeting came form somewhere in the rear right of the classroom and began to spread across the room. It didn't take long before it sounded like mating season in Bro. Swallow's French class.
Larry Kaminski remembers football in the olden days...
I was watching the Ohio State game last weekend and saw that young QB was from Glenville High. I had to chuckle. The program has come a long way in producing amazing young athletes with so much talent and the ability to meet the expectations of the scholar athlete.
Anyway, this story came into my mind. I think it was my freshman year when we played Glenville at Patrick Henry field. I was on some of the special teams that year but mostly bench time. I think it was Dan Borovac sprinting to get around the edge when he got upended and his helmet came off. In that day we had the hard leather helmet with one bar or face guard. All of a sudden one of the Glenville players shouts out "we are playing these boys with cardboard helmets" It was nice to advance to the Ridell helmet the next year and forever put those Tarblooders to shame the next several years.
Forever to Latin Pride and Fight or as Coach Sam would say Burning Desire to Succeed..
Tom Begley reports on CLS Florida Alumni
We had the monthly luncheon for the CLS Florida Alumni today (12/10/2014). There were 13 attendees, seven alumni,
five wives or girlfriends and Bro Don Neff, SM. Bro Don keeps us informed about Marianist Mission work around the globe in
places like Africa and India. He also informed us of the passing of Fr. Dan Doyle. Bro Doyle taught at CLS during our years at the school. He became a priest in 1967. I thought this information might be interesting to those of us who had him in class or homeroom.
We had the monthly luncheon for the CLS Florida Alumni today (12/10/2014). There were 13 attendees, seven alumni,
five wives or girlfriends and Bro Don Neff, SM. Bro Don keeps us informed about Marianist Mission work around the globe in
places like Africa and India. He also informed us of the passing of Fr. Dan Doyle. Bro Doyle taught at CLS during our years at the school. He became a priest in 1967. I thought this information might be interesting to those of us who had him in class or homeroom.
Ron Lessner remembers Bro. Doyle...
Sorry to hear that Fr. Doyle has passed. It reminds me of the time he had us exercise while reciting noun declensions. It was winter and the widows were open with snow on the ledge. Naturally, it was a temptation for one of the students to grab some snow and make a snowball. I assume when the classmate threw the snowball someone partially blocked the throw. It hit the blackboard and Fr. (Bro.) Doyle, who stormed out the classroom. I doubt anyone else took advantage of him ever again.
Biology - Albert Di Iorio
It’s curious how some things make an impression and stay with you forever. And so it is with three incidents in my CL Biology class
I looked in the yearbooks trying to jog my memory as to the Brother teaching Biology who uttered the phrase that has stuck with me all these years. I think it was Brother Franz in Sophomore year who said:“We’re going to pith a frog” What in the world is that?
(I Googled “pith” and in related searches, wouldn’t you know it, “pith a frog” shows up. Still pithing frogs today.) Well that day we pithed a frog and it turned out to be a fancy name for dispatching a frog. Once the frog was “pithed” Brother proceeded until he had just a pair
of frog legs. And to these he attached a pair of wires connected to a battery. The frog legs flexed. And that was the lesson for the day. Electrical currents move muscles.
I also remember the day we were each given a fish to dissect. Once class was nearing the end we were told to put our name on a tag, attach the tag to the fish. All the tagged fish were then placed in a large container of formaldehyde. At the next class we were to
then take out our own fish and proceed with dissecting. I was quite proud of the work I did, all of that fine cutting and dissecting, so I was excited to continue work on my fish. Reaching in and pulling out that first fish revealed an illegible name tag, so did the second, and third. All the tags were illegible so no one got their own fish back. The fish I got was just a horrible mess. You know
now that I think about it, I have a suspicion that Brother Franz knew all along that that was going to happen !!!!
There was also the time when we had to do a science project. Now artistic creation and me don’t get along. I like looking and buying art but don’t like to participate in it. After much thought I came up with the idea of casting in plaster of paris a cut away of a tooth. I cut
and fashioned a mold from a tin can, fastened it to a wood board, poured in the plaster of paris, and smoothed it off. When it was dry
it was painted white. As I recall the tooth was on the right of the board, a piece of paper with labels to the left of the tooth, and red strings running from the labels to the tooth. It was nothing to brag about, but after seeing some of the other projects I was okay with mine. One in particular comes to mind. A chicken skeleton, but some of the bones were not attached, they were just laying there on the mounting board. That made me feel good.
Back to the Latin Letter Sweater – Jim McMahon
So it’s Friday night again and my wife and I are back at my cousin’s tavern on Lee Road. And, as usual, I’m wearing my Latin Letter Sweater….We finish our dinner and, as we’re walking by this couple, the guy stops me and says how much he admires The Sweater, but he also wanted to know what the letter stood for. I tell him that CL is for Cathedral Latin, of which he knew nothing about. He thought it was LC for Lake Catholic. Next he asks me what I did to earn the letter. I explain to him that the embroidered symbol on the letter indicates the activity for which the letter was awarded...a football for football...a basketball for basketball etc. I inform him that in the case of my letter, the symbol is a feather. He then says “so you were on the archery team!“. No!” I say, and go on to tell him that actually it is not just a feather but a quill, like what was used for writing letters and manuscripts . The guy then says “so they gave you a letter for penmanship?!?” (I’m thinking to myself “what a Philistine”) And being a Philistine, how would he ever understand that I got a letter for something as non-athletic as being editor of the school newspaper.
Sorry to hear that Fr. Doyle has passed. It reminds me of the time he had us exercise while reciting noun declensions. It was winter and the widows were open with snow on the ledge. Naturally, it was a temptation for one of the students to grab some snow and make a snowball. I assume when the classmate threw the snowball someone partially blocked the throw. It hit the blackboard and Fr. (Bro.) Doyle, who stormed out the classroom. I doubt anyone else took advantage of him ever again.
Biology - Albert Di Iorio
It’s curious how some things make an impression and stay with you forever. And so it is with three incidents in my CL Biology class
I looked in the yearbooks trying to jog my memory as to the Brother teaching Biology who uttered the phrase that has stuck with me all these years. I think it was Brother Franz in Sophomore year who said:“We’re going to pith a frog” What in the world is that?
(I Googled “pith” and in related searches, wouldn’t you know it, “pith a frog” shows up. Still pithing frogs today.) Well that day we pithed a frog and it turned out to be a fancy name for dispatching a frog. Once the frog was “pithed” Brother proceeded until he had just a pair
of frog legs. And to these he attached a pair of wires connected to a battery. The frog legs flexed. And that was the lesson for the day. Electrical currents move muscles.
I also remember the day we were each given a fish to dissect. Once class was nearing the end we were told to put our name on a tag, attach the tag to the fish. All the tagged fish were then placed in a large container of formaldehyde. At the next class we were to
then take out our own fish and proceed with dissecting. I was quite proud of the work I did, all of that fine cutting and dissecting, so I was excited to continue work on my fish. Reaching in and pulling out that first fish revealed an illegible name tag, so did the second, and third. All the tags were illegible so no one got their own fish back. The fish I got was just a horrible mess. You know
now that I think about it, I have a suspicion that Brother Franz knew all along that that was going to happen !!!!
There was also the time when we had to do a science project. Now artistic creation and me don’t get along. I like looking and buying art but don’t like to participate in it. After much thought I came up with the idea of casting in plaster of paris a cut away of a tooth. I cut
and fashioned a mold from a tin can, fastened it to a wood board, poured in the plaster of paris, and smoothed it off. When it was dry
it was painted white. As I recall the tooth was on the right of the board, a piece of paper with labels to the left of the tooth, and red strings running from the labels to the tooth. It was nothing to brag about, but after seeing some of the other projects I was okay with mine. One in particular comes to mind. A chicken skeleton, but some of the bones were not attached, they were just laying there on the mounting board. That made me feel good.
Back to the Latin Letter Sweater – Jim McMahon
So it’s Friday night again and my wife and I are back at my cousin’s tavern on Lee Road. And, as usual, I’m wearing my Latin Letter Sweater….We finish our dinner and, as we’re walking by this couple, the guy stops me and says how much he admires The Sweater, but he also wanted to know what the letter stood for. I tell him that CL is for Cathedral Latin, of which he knew nothing about. He thought it was LC for Lake Catholic. Next he asks me what I did to earn the letter. I explain to him that the embroidered symbol on the letter indicates the activity for which the letter was awarded...a football for football...a basketball for basketball etc. I inform him that in the case of my letter, the symbol is a feather. He then says “so you were on the archery team!“. No!” I say, and go on to tell him that actually it is not just a feather but a quill, like what was used for writing letters and manuscripts . The guy then says “so they gave you a letter for penmanship?!?” (I’m thinking to myself “what a Philistine”) And being a Philistine, how would he ever understand that I got a letter for something as non-athletic as being editor of the school newspaper.
Trust the Latin Letter Sweater – Jim McMahon
During all four years at Latin, I depended on my thumb to get me home after class. I would walk from 107th up Carnegie to Stearns Rd just east of John Hay High School where I would hitch a ride up Cedar Hill. Other guys also hitched there, so when one of us got a ride all the others would pile in. Sometimes it was a tight fit, but rarely did the motorist object. I always found that if I had my Latin Letter Sweater on it was much easier to get a ride than if I wasn’t wearing it. Even without The Sweater, I was always properly attired: nice pants, no jeans, tie, dress shirt, and sweater….all neatly representing a respectable Cathedral Latin student. But it was the Latin Letter Sweater that always made a difference and a quick ride up the hill. This one day I was wearing my Letter Sweater and walking to my usual hitching site when a car pulls up and stops next to me. Behind the wheel was a young mother with her small daughter in the back seat. With no inquiry or request from myself, the mother offered me a ride up the hill which I gratefully accepted. We chit chatted a bit but mostly I just sat there. Once we got to Lee Road, I thanked her for the ride and walked on home. The point is: Things were a lot different in 1962 than they are now. There was more trust and civility and people were more ready to do each other a favor. Also the Latin Letter Sweater signified a young man with a Catholic education and upbringing and one who could be trusted always to be a gentleman. Such was the legacy of being from Cathedral Latin. |
This is how I might have looked hitching a ride in 1962 only now 50 years older and 40 lbs heavier.
|
More on Hitching – Albert Di Iorio
In addition to hitching to and from CL, someone told me he rode the bus back and forth but in a rather unconventional manner.
He would jump on the back bumper of the bus and hang on tight. Because the bus didn’t have a rear window, the driver was unaware
of his extra passenger !!! How many remember doing this?
Early Morning Religion – Bob Sheahen
We had a Religion teacher whose name, thankfully, is long forgotten. To my memory, Religion was the second class of the day and would have started, I believe, at 9:30 a.m. But most of us were still tired from the night before and we needed to nap. Plus the class itself was deadly. I honestly believe at least five, perhaps ten, students were asleep at any given time in this Religion class.
One day, our beloved teacher went around the room with a very heavy book. It might have been the Bible but I'm not sure because I was asleep. He came up behind every sleeping student and bashed him on the head with the big book. When I say "bashed," I mean it. Even today, I can remember the pain and the approximate place where I was sitting in class. This is not a joke. The guy would be in jail today for assault. Yet it was business as usual at our high school. For what it is worth, if anything, the various bashees woke up from their respective naps. I cannot remember the next time I opted to sleep during the book-wielder's class.
In addition to hitching to and from CL, someone told me he rode the bus back and forth but in a rather unconventional manner.
He would jump on the back bumper of the bus and hang on tight. Because the bus didn’t have a rear window, the driver was unaware
of his extra passenger !!! How many remember doing this?
Early Morning Religion – Bob Sheahen
We had a Religion teacher whose name, thankfully, is long forgotten. To my memory, Religion was the second class of the day and would have started, I believe, at 9:30 a.m. But most of us were still tired from the night before and we needed to nap. Plus the class itself was deadly. I honestly believe at least five, perhaps ten, students were asleep at any given time in this Religion class.
One day, our beloved teacher went around the room with a very heavy book. It might have been the Bible but I'm not sure because I was asleep. He came up behind every sleeping student and bashed him on the head with the big book. When I say "bashed," I mean it. Even today, I can remember the pain and the approximate place where I was sitting in class. This is not a joke. The guy would be in jail today for assault. Yet it was business as usual at our high school. For what it is worth, if anything, the various bashees woke up from their respective naps. I cannot remember the next time I opted to sleep during the book-wielder's class.
More on Head Bashing
Bob, this is from our 1962 Purple and Gold yearbook. Apparently sleeping in class and head bashing were more prevalent as this picture of Bro. Robert Swallow seems to indicate.
Discipline– Latin Style - Jim McMahon
Following up on Bob Sheahen’s recollection of Latin Discipline, I remember two instances when I was the recipient of some serious attitude readjustment therapy. Now I don’t recall myself being a disciplinary problem at Latin and I’ll bet neither do you. Anyway, the first instance of corrective action was in Senior year when I was walking back from lunch through the basement hallway outside the cafeteria. For no reason that I am aware of, I was walloped on the back of the head by a monstrous force that sent me reeling. When I was able recover my NSEW orientation, I turned to find Bro. Othmar Miller right behind me. Please recall that he had hands each the size of a 5 lb ham, but take my word that on that day they felt more like the whole pig. I swear that he mistook me for someone else, but I paid the price that day for what I’ll never know.
The second instance was in Bro. John Conrad’s Senior English class. Now you recall that Bro. Conrad was no one to mess with and I supposed that I was talking, maybe even laughing, in class. Apparently annoyed at my antics, Bro. Conrad told me to go over by the radiators beneath the windows and kneel on the window pole until he told me I could get up. I don’t know how long I knelt there, but it seemed like an eternity and it made a lasting “impression” on me and my knees. Don’t mess with Bro. Conrad.
Bob, this is from our 1962 Purple and Gold yearbook. Apparently sleeping in class and head bashing were more prevalent as this picture of Bro. Robert Swallow seems to indicate.
Discipline– Latin Style - Jim McMahon
Following up on Bob Sheahen’s recollection of Latin Discipline, I remember two instances when I was the recipient of some serious attitude readjustment therapy. Now I don’t recall myself being a disciplinary problem at Latin and I’ll bet neither do you. Anyway, the first instance of corrective action was in Senior year when I was walking back from lunch through the basement hallway outside the cafeteria. For no reason that I am aware of, I was walloped on the back of the head by a monstrous force that sent me reeling. When I was able recover my NSEW orientation, I turned to find Bro. Othmar Miller right behind me. Please recall that he had hands each the size of a 5 lb ham, but take my word that on that day they felt more like the whole pig. I swear that he mistook me for someone else, but I paid the price that day for what I’ll never know.
The second instance was in Bro. John Conrad’s Senior English class. Now you recall that Bro. Conrad was no one to mess with and I supposed that I was talking, maybe even laughing, in class. Apparently annoyed at my antics, Bro. Conrad told me to go over by the radiators beneath the windows and kneel on the window pole until he told me I could get up. I don’t know how long I knelt there, but it seemed like an eternity and it made a lasting “impression” on me and my knees. Don’t mess with Bro. Conrad.
Latin Class - Albert Di Iorio
“Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est” is the only Latin I remember from my CL Latin class.
I’d written previously about my least favorite class - Gym; my favorite class was Latin. Coming from a family that spoke Italian at home, I found Latin to be similar. I was constantly tops in my class since I had no trouble recognizing and understanding the Latin words and phrases. No problem with singular, plural,masculine, feminine and how they were applied. Not difficult for me to conjugate a Latin verb. Oh, and speaking Latin, the accent was spot on because of speaking Italian. Occasionally I use Latin at Hellriegel’s when closing the bar. Yelling “Extra Omnes” sure gets everyones’ attention. “Everybody Out” It’s the same phrase used during the election of the Pope.
“All Gaul is divided in three parts”
Bob Sheahen on Jeff Holinski
I loved Jeff Holinski. He was one of the smartest, funniest, most creative guys in our class. He was a very close friend and we did a lot of things together.
My favorite memory is when Jeff and I created a crossword puzzle -- from scratch. Most of the clues related to the school and most of the answers were defamatory of the faculty or administration.
It was vile, by any standard. A sample clue would be "Stubby McKay" and the answer would be "cocksucker." The entire puzzle was at this very low bar of taste. But rest assured it was very clever and very funny.
Somehow the crossword puzzle found its way into the wrong hands. I don't know how or why but Jeff and I soon found ourselves in the principal's office -- with the very same Father McKay staring us down about our blasphemous puzzle.
I might have giggled or smirked and Father McKay said I had spent my last day at Cathedral Latin -- that after four years of putting up with me, this was this last straw.
He was steaming.
But, as he was about to boot me out, he realized he would have to boot Jeff out as well. Jeff, at the time, was an honor student and editor-in-chief of the yearbook and was an all-around credit to the school. It was really unthinkable to boot Jeff out.
So, much to his chagrin, Father McKay did nothing to either one of us.
Jeff Holinski's stellar record is the only reason I was allowed to graduate with our class.
May his beautiful soul rest in peace.
Jeff passed away on January 9, 2015.
“Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est” is the only Latin I remember from my CL Latin class.
I’d written previously about my least favorite class - Gym; my favorite class was Latin. Coming from a family that spoke Italian at home, I found Latin to be similar. I was constantly tops in my class since I had no trouble recognizing and understanding the Latin words and phrases. No problem with singular, plural,masculine, feminine and how they were applied. Not difficult for me to conjugate a Latin verb. Oh, and speaking Latin, the accent was spot on because of speaking Italian. Occasionally I use Latin at Hellriegel’s when closing the bar. Yelling “Extra Omnes” sure gets everyones’ attention. “Everybody Out” It’s the same phrase used during the election of the Pope.
“All Gaul is divided in three parts”
Bob Sheahen on Jeff Holinski
I loved Jeff Holinski. He was one of the smartest, funniest, most creative guys in our class. He was a very close friend and we did a lot of things together.
My favorite memory is when Jeff and I created a crossword puzzle -- from scratch. Most of the clues related to the school and most of the answers were defamatory of the faculty or administration.
It was vile, by any standard. A sample clue would be "Stubby McKay" and the answer would be "cocksucker." The entire puzzle was at this very low bar of taste. But rest assured it was very clever and very funny.
Somehow the crossword puzzle found its way into the wrong hands. I don't know how or why but Jeff and I soon found ourselves in the principal's office -- with the very same Father McKay staring us down about our blasphemous puzzle.
I might have giggled or smirked and Father McKay said I had spent my last day at Cathedral Latin -- that after four years of putting up with me, this was this last straw.
He was steaming.
But, as he was about to boot me out, he realized he would have to boot Jeff out as well. Jeff, at the time, was an honor student and editor-in-chief of the yearbook and was an all-around credit to the school. It was really unthinkable to boot Jeff out.
So, much to his chagrin, Father McKay did nothing to either one of us.
Jeff Holinski's stellar record is the only reason I was allowed to graduate with our class.
May his beautiful soul rest in peace.
Jeff passed away on January 9, 2015.
Jim McMahon remembers Physics Class
Physics class with Bro. John Lemker was both interesting and entertaining. I remember the time he asked me to do a special class room project to help demonstrate a basic law of physics: regardless of mass, all objects fall at equal rates under the same force of gravity.
He asked me to demonstrate the law by showing that if a hunter shoots at a monkey in a tree and the monkey drops from the tree at the same time the trigger is pulled both the bullet and the monkey will fall at the same rate and the bullet will hit the monkey exactly where the hunter aimed the gun. Instead of guns and monkeys we used easily attainable substitutes as follows.
Bro. Lemker gave me a 18 inch section of copper pipe (the gun), a steel ball 7/8 inch in diameter (the bullet), a tin can (the monkey), and a battery operated electro-magnet. The only thing left to get was a stiff compression spring from the hardware store. The setup was easy. The spring was secured to the inside of one end of the pipe. The spring was compressed by means of a wooden ramrod, and held in position by a crude trigger mechanism that I devised. The spring was very heavy and gave the gun plenty of fire power so that the ball would shoot out at a very high velocity. The ball was dropped into in the open end of the pipe and the gun was ready to be fired. In order to simulate the monkey dropping from the tree, a thin single strand of wire was used to form a continuous loop joining the battery and the electro-magnet whose induced magnetic field held up the tin can (the monkey). A small portion of the wire loop was secured across the “muzzle’ of the pipe such that when the gun was fired the ball would break the wire, releasing the magnetic field and causing the ‘monkey’ to fall just as the ball exited the muzzle. I was ready to go and brought the setup to the class room.
Bro. Lemker and I set up the demonstration with about 20 feet of separation between the gun and “the monkey.” Both gun and "monkey" were about 6 feet off the floor to allow plenty of drop. On the first shot I missed “the monkey” but I nailed him on the second shot just before he hit the floor. The law of physics prevailed as the class enthusiastically applauded and Bro. Lemker thanked me for my efforts.
OK. Good story but what’s so funny about it, you ask.
The funny part took place at my house when my brother, Jack, and I set up a practice run in our bedroom. The gun accidently discharged and the ball narrowly missed my brother’s head as it went through the window just above his bed. My father lauded my endeavor in physics but admonished me for almost killing my brother.
Physics class with Bro. John Lemker was both interesting and entertaining. I remember the time he asked me to do a special class room project to help demonstrate a basic law of physics: regardless of mass, all objects fall at equal rates under the same force of gravity.
He asked me to demonstrate the law by showing that if a hunter shoots at a monkey in a tree and the monkey drops from the tree at the same time the trigger is pulled both the bullet and the monkey will fall at the same rate and the bullet will hit the monkey exactly where the hunter aimed the gun. Instead of guns and monkeys we used easily attainable substitutes as follows.
Bro. Lemker gave me a 18 inch section of copper pipe (the gun), a steel ball 7/8 inch in diameter (the bullet), a tin can (the monkey), and a battery operated electro-magnet. The only thing left to get was a stiff compression spring from the hardware store. The setup was easy. The spring was secured to the inside of one end of the pipe. The spring was compressed by means of a wooden ramrod, and held in position by a crude trigger mechanism that I devised. The spring was very heavy and gave the gun plenty of fire power so that the ball would shoot out at a very high velocity. The ball was dropped into in the open end of the pipe and the gun was ready to be fired. In order to simulate the monkey dropping from the tree, a thin single strand of wire was used to form a continuous loop joining the battery and the electro-magnet whose induced magnetic field held up the tin can (the monkey). A small portion of the wire loop was secured across the “muzzle’ of the pipe such that when the gun was fired the ball would break the wire, releasing the magnetic field and causing the ‘monkey’ to fall just as the ball exited the muzzle. I was ready to go and brought the setup to the class room.
Bro. Lemker and I set up the demonstration with about 20 feet of separation between the gun and “the monkey.” Both gun and "monkey" were about 6 feet off the floor to allow plenty of drop. On the first shot I missed “the monkey” but I nailed him on the second shot just before he hit the floor. The law of physics prevailed as the class enthusiastically applauded and Bro. Lemker thanked me for my efforts.
OK. Good story but what’s so funny about it, you ask.
The funny part took place at my house when my brother, Jack, and I set up a practice run in our bedroom. The gun accidently discharged and the ball narrowly missed my brother’s head as it went through the window just above his bed. My father lauded my endeavor in physics but admonished me for almost killing my brother.
Jim McMahon on English Class
No one struck fear like Bro. John Conrad. I remember in Senior English when Bro. Conrad tried to instill an appreciation of Shakespeare by requiring us to write a sonnet for homework. I got nowhere with mine that night and decided to forget the assignment. Next morning during first period, Bob Ondercin asked me how my poem went and I told him that I didn’t do it. Bob had his ready and said that I would really regret that I didn’t have mine. Now Bro. Conrad was not one to be messed with, so in desperation I blocked out whatever was going on during first period in order to work on my "sonnet". I started with the words from Runaround Sue by Dion DiMucci and improvised from there on:
Here’s my story, it’s sad but true
about an English teacher I once knew
He thought he had a class of Shakespeare poets
They couldn’t rhyme a line but he didn’t know it.
He wanted his students to compose a sonnet.
Everything’s better with Blue Bonnet on it.
It better be good to please John Conrad
I'll write it good so it won't be bad
Aweful, aimlessly stupid and had no semblance to a Shakespeare sonnet whatsoever, but sheepishly I handed it in anyway. Later, during lunch break and in the hallways between and after classes, many of you guys came up to me saying how Bro. Conrad read my poem in your class. Sure it was stupid but he must have gotten a kick out how stupid things can really be. The next day even other Brothers remarked to me about my poem. I must have made quite an impression on Bro. Conrad, stupid or otherwise.
Here’s my story, it’s sad but true
about an English teacher I once knew
He thought he had a class of Shakespeare poets
They couldn’t rhyme a line but he didn’t know it.
He wanted his students to compose a sonnet.
Everything’s better with Blue Bonnet on it.
It better be good to please John Conrad
I'll write it good so it won't be bad
Aweful, aimlessly stupid and had no semblance to a Shakespeare sonnet whatsoever, but sheepishly I handed it in anyway. Later, during lunch break and in the hallways between and after classes, many of you guys came up to me saying how Bro. Conrad read my poem in your class. Sure it was stupid but he must have gotten a kick out how stupid things can really be. The next day even other Brothers remarked to me about my poem. I must have made quite an impression on Bro. Conrad, stupid or otherwise.
More Shakespeare – Jim McMahon
Do any of you guys remember when we as a class went down to what is now Playhouse Square to attend a dress rehearsal of a Shakespearean play (I don’t recall which one). Other Catholic high schools were also invited, so young ladies were present to witness the sophistication of us Latin Seniors. We from Latin all had been given programs and were seated close to the stage. I remember at one point during the play that hither from what darkness flew a salvo of paper airplanes followed later by barrages of coins bearing not the likeness of the Roman emperor. But what state of man delivers such an insurrection. It cometh from Latinites who bury their faces in shadows to mask their monstrous visage. In reprise the actors say "return to them the same from whence came such cruel aggression and turn back their vicious assault." Thus, salvos and barrages were sent back to the audacious Latinites. Such was a riotous knavery from whence the Latin faculty gathered no solace.
Do any of you guys remember when we as a class went down to what is now Playhouse Square to attend a dress rehearsal of a Shakespearean play (I don’t recall which one). Other Catholic high schools were also invited, so young ladies were present to witness the sophistication of us Latin Seniors. We from Latin all had been given programs and were seated close to the stage. I remember at one point during the play that hither from what darkness flew a salvo of paper airplanes followed later by barrages of coins bearing not the likeness of the Roman emperor. But what state of man delivers such an insurrection. It cometh from Latinites who bury their faces in shadows to mask their monstrous visage. In reprise the actors say "return to them the same from whence came such cruel aggression and turn back their vicious assault." Thus, salvos and barrages were sent back to the audacious Latinites. Such was a riotous knavery from whence the Latin faculty gathered no solace.
- Jim Szudarek found other entertainment to his liking -
- Roxy field trip - Jim Szudarek
Also, Randi Raven had a special bombshell performance for Latin seniors who opted out of Shakespeare. Notice in the ad that she's the Latin Bombshell. Not the Ignatius Bombshell. Not the Benedictine Bombshell. She's the Latin Bombshell. And Jim Szudarek claims that she, rather than the Latin Lion, should have been our school mascot.
Imagine how great our football rallies could have been!
- Ron Lessner continues -
- Bill Kilinskas clarifies -
- Ron Lessner corrects himself-
- Jim Blaszak identifies the instigator -
- Jim Szudarek sticks with his ROXY story-
- McMahon still remembers airplanes-
- Dan Borovac was somewhere out in left field-
- John Forhan has a suggestion-
Jim Szudarek busts out support for IRMA and the LATIN BOMBSHELL
The 100 birthday party of IRMA the Body was well attended by about 25 CLS alumni. Although IRMA has under gone a number of plastic surgeries she can still shake, rattle, and roll.
RANDI RAVEN, the "LATIN" Bombshell is no longer dancing but has fond memories of CLS and her nomination for the official mascot of the class of '62. She stills wears the Letter sweater that some jock left in her back stage room promising to get her the title !!
Both IRMA and The "LATIN" Bombshell may try to attend the next mini reunion at Muldoons next year.
Both Ladies agreed not to reveal any secrets.
Jim Szudarek sniffs out a mystery -
The Bishop Pevec '43 story in the recent Alumnotes (Spring 2015), page 12, section titled "the Golden Chalice" (click here and go to Pg. 12) suggests that the bishop returned this chalice which was missing for decades. Was he the one who stole it ? Makes you wonder what the whole story is behind this disappearance !
The Bishop Pevec '43 story in the recent Alumnotes (Spring 2015), page 12, section titled "the Golden Chalice" (click here and go to Pg. 12) suggests that the bishop returned this chalice which was missing for decades. Was he the one who stole it ? Makes you wonder what the whole story is behind this disappearance !
The "Blue Ticket" - Bill Kilinskas
As all of you know, I was a major disciplinary problem at Latin during my four years. Actually, I was only disciplined once and received the dreaded "Blue Ticket" of detention for it. It was in the second half of the freshman year, when I opened my locker one morning to find it facing me propped up by two books from the back! It was for a "messy locker" and written by Bro. Conrad. The locker did not look bad to me, but I guess "messiness" is in the eye of the beholder. The drill then was to go to a classroom after school where they made you write paragraphs from a book for an hour or so. I went to the classroom after school and was waiting for whoever was to dish out the assignment when Father McKay walked by, looked in the classroom, saw me, and stopped at the door. I guess I was not in the "roundup of the usual list of suspects"(Sorry! I cannot resist a line from my favorite movie "Casablanca"!). He said "What are you doing here, Bill?" I was first taken aback that he knew my name! I had not spoken to him before. After explaining my situation, he rolled his eyes and said "Get outta here!" I promptly left and caught my usual bus home! Of course, my esteem for Father McKay rose in magnitude that day. Well I learned my lesson. I kept my locker clean for the next 3 years, never put anything in it that I would not want anyone else to see, got my first lesson of "Big Brother" watching (literally), and was glad to know there is reasonableness left in the world. I still wonder though if any of the guys that used to tack the Playmate of the Month on the back of their locker doors ever got caught? I would love to see the expression on the brother that opened it! What do you write on the "Blue Ticket"???
John Forhan ties together some loose ends-
Although I can’t help on the Golden Chalice mystery and, by some miracle, I don’t remember getting blue ticketed, I do remember seeing stars for a few minutes after Mr. Malik gave a homerun swing to the back of my head with an English book after seeing me gabbing away to our classmate Jim Faflik during English class. And on Al DiOrio’s question about what happened to his fish from Biology class, I think it ended up in my bologna sandwich at lunch!
As all of you know, I was a major disciplinary problem at Latin during my four years. Actually, I was only disciplined once and received the dreaded "Blue Ticket" of detention for it. It was in the second half of the freshman year, when I opened my locker one morning to find it facing me propped up by two books from the back! It was for a "messy locker" and written by Bro. Conrad. The locker did not look bad to me, but I guess "messiness" is in the eye of the beholder. The drill then was to go to a classroom after school where they made you write paragraphs from a book for an hour or so. I went to the classroom after school and was waiting for whoever was to dish out the assignment when Father McKay walked by, looked in the classroom, saw me, and stopped at the door. I guess I was not in the "roundup of the usual list of suspects"(Sorry! I cannot resist a line from my favorite movie "Casablanca"!). He said "What are you doing here, Bill?" I was first taken aback that he knew my name! I had not spoken to him before. After explaining my situation, he rolled his eyes and said "Get outta here!" I promptly left and caught my usual bus home! Of course, my esteem for Father McKay rose in magnitude that day. Well I learned my lesson. I kept my locker clean for the next 3 years, never put anything in it that I would not want anyone else to see, got my first lesson of "Big Brother" watching (literally), and was glad to know there is reasonableness left in the world. I still wonder though if any of the guys that used to tack the Playmate of the Month on the back of their locker doors ever got caught? I would love to see the expression on the brother that opened it! What do you write on the "Blue Ticket"???
John Forhan ties together some loose ends-
Although I can’t help on the Golden Chalice mystery and, by some miracle, I don’t remember getting blue ticketed, I do remember seeing stars for a few minutes after Mr. Malik gave a homerun swing to the back of my head with an English book after seeing me gabbing away to our classmate Jim Faflik during English class. And on Al DiOrio’s question about what happened to his fish from Biology class, I think it ended up in my bologna sandwich at lunch!
Joe Kolezynski - The Lion in Autumn
Joe wants to make sure that you have read the praises of Latin in this 1985 article appearing in Cleveland Magazine. It will make you even more proud of having attended Cathedral Latin School. (Click here to read)
Joe wants to make sure that you have read the praises of Latin in this 1985 article appearing in Cleveland Magazine. It will make you even more proud of having attended Cathedral Latin School. (Click here to read)
Bob Sheahen - Billion Dollar Saint
(I try not to be self-referential in my old age but this is written for all of us who have to decide what possessions are worth keeping for our so-called Golden Years.)
The recent recap of our sophomore year brought back fond memories of "Billion Dollar Saint." I sheepishly admit I had to google it to be reminded it was a satire about Jesuits and Franciscans and whether a football team could win if it dressed on the field in modest clothing like Francis of Assisi.
But there are some memories of it that are at least a little bit more clear. First off was the director, Brother Christopher Franz - he was fabulous. He was talented and inspirational and for whatever reason, I believe he left after our sophomore year and Raymond Malik took over theatre for our final two years.
In our junior and senior years, we did many more plays but none was as good as "Billion Dollar Saint." Mr. Malik, while well-intentioned, could never compare with Bro. Franz in our sophomore year.
"Billion Dollar Saint" was genuinely funny and it was put on in the cavernous student auditorium. It was not a theatre in any sense of the word. It was a rectangular oddity, with the seats going straight back. It had all the charm of a German auditorium from the mid-30s. It was a terrible place for a play but the audience loved it.
As I recall, the leads were played by Bob Valerian and Tony Tortorici, seniors at the time. Several sophomores were given speaking roles -- including Joe Ciolek, Len Dobucki, Bob Hoh, Gil Lloyd and Peter Sylvester. While I try to avoid talking about myself, Director Bro. Franz was gracious enough to cast me in a solid supporting role as a bubblegum-chewing, yo-yo-toting young brother newly admitted to the religious order.
If I may be even more immodest in my old age, I remember the audience voting on the three best actors in the play and somehow I came in second in the voting (after Valerian). They gave me an enormous trophy (although at the time any trophy would seem enormous) -- it said, "Outstanding Actor." It was really the first time I had ever "won" anything.
Fifty-five years later, I find myself living in Sherman Oaks, California. This past month, we moved our residence to another house in Sherman Oaks. The moving process was grueling and we gave away or discarded probably 60 percent of the stuff we had accumulated over the years. With the help of my daughter Kelly, we filled up a giant trash container in the driveway.
Over time, our family had won a lot of trophies. From "participant" to "MVP," we had been very lucky in hockey and football and what have you. Now it was time to move on. At Kelly's insistence, most of the trophies went in the trash.
But as we were packing, Kelly was in the back closet of the back bedroom and high upon a shelf she came upon a dusty old trophy from 1960. It wasn't quite as big as it seemed back then, but it was still impressive. It was the acting trophy from "Billion Dollar Saint."
For reasons my daughter could not understand, her 70-year-old father asked her not to toss it in the trash container. I meekly said, "Let's keep that one. It's special."
(I try not to be self-referential in my old age but this is written for all of us who have to decide what possessions are worth keeping for our so-called Golden Years.)
The recent recap of our sophomore year brought back fond memories of "Billion Dollar Saint." I sheepishly admit I had to google it to be reminded it was a satire about Jesuits and Franciscans and whether a football team could win if it dressed on the field in modest clothing like Francis of Assisi.
But there are some memories of it that are at least a little bit more clear. First off was the director, Brother Christopher Franz - he was fabulous. He was talented and inspirational and for whatever reason, I believe he left after our sophomore year and Raymond Malik took over theatre for our final two years.
In our junior and senior years, we did many more plays but none was as good as "Billion Dollar Saint." Mr. Malik, while well-intentioned, could never compare with Bro. Franz in our sophomore year.
"Billion Dollar Saint" was genuinely funny and it was put on in the cavernous student auditorium. It was not a theatre in any sense of the word. It was a rectangular oddity, with the seats going straight back. It had all the charm of a German auditorium from the mid-30s. It was a terrible place for a play but the audience loved it.
As I recall, the leads were played by Bob Valerian and Tony Tortorici, seniors at the time. Several sophomores were given speaking roles -- including Joe Ciolek, Len Dobucki, Bob Hoh, Gil Lloyd and Peter Sylvester. While I try to avoid talking about myself, Director Bro. Franz was gracious enough to cast me in a solid supporting role as a bubblegum-chewing, yo-yo-toting young brother newly admitted to the religious order.
If I may be even more immodest in my old age, I remember the audience voting on the three best actors in the play and somehow I came in second in the voting (after Valerian). They gave me an enormous trophy (although at the time any trophy would seem enormous) -- it said, "Outstanding Actor." It was really the first time I had ever "won" anything.
Fifty-five years later, I find myself living in Sherman Oaks, California. This past month, we moved our residence to another house in Sherman Oaks. The moving process was grueling and we gave away or discarded probably 60 percent of the stuff we had accumulated over the years. With the help of my daughter Kelly, we filled up a giant trash container in the driveway.
Over time, our family had won a lot of trophies. From "participant" to "MVP," we had been very lucky in hockey and football and what have you. Now it was time to move on. At Kelly's insistence, most of the trophies went in the trash.
But as we were packing, Kelly was in the back closet of the back bedroom and high upon a shelf she came upon a dusty old trophy from 1960. It wasn't quite as big as it seemed back then, but it was still impressive. It was the acting trophy from "Billion Dollar Saint."
For reasons my daughter could not understand, her 70-year-old father asked her not to toss it in the trash container. I meekly said, "Let's keep that one. It's special."
Class of 1962 Knew How to Party;
(we all have stories about partying in college but try to keep this about what happened while at Latin)
Bob Sheahen started this by writing: "I think we really need a piece about partying and about Schulte's -- the bar on Euclid which served beer without asking for ID".
Chris Kuhns: We always went to Johnny’s in Murray Hill for underage beer and you could get a good sized fishbowl for only 15 cents. However, Schulte’s had the finest barbecue beef I ever tasted.
Jim Szudarek: Getting HIGH after SCHOOL: I took the trackless trolley from E. 105th St. south to E. 93rd and Harvard Av. Then took the bus to Broadway and Harvard. On the NE corner, MOOSE MONTARIO owned a bar that served anyone who spoke English. The 'Ladies' who worked the bar were a lot of fun and MOOSE made sure that they did not take advantage of us (financially, that is! ). MOOSE was a great guy who encouraged young guys to ' Grow Up ' and 'Have fun' !! I am sure that others who lived in that area were friends with MOOSE. He was one of a kind.
Bob Lamb does Tom Ashdown a favor:
I recall having a bit too much beer with you guys one Friday night at a bar near CL. Since I was driving my father’s Studebaker Lark, I thought I’d have someone drive us over to Howard Johnson’s for some coffee before I’d get behind the wheel. I asked if anyone could drive a stick shift, and Tom Ashdown quickly volunteered to do the driving. He got in the driver’s seat, turned on the ignition, and the car leaped forewards, ramming the front fender right into a bright yellow parking post….whose paint now illuminated the large dent above the front wheel. I shouted at Tom: “I thought you said you knew HOW to drive a stick shift.” “I do,” he said… .“I just forgot about the clutch.” Needless to say, I had a lot of explaining to do to my father the next morning when he looked at the yellow-dented fender. My reply that it must have been a yellow cab that hit the car…well, let’s say, it didn’t pass muster. As you might guess
Bob Sheahen remembers Schulte's on Euclid
When we went to our 50th reunion a couple of years or so ago, I was most impressed when all the guys started singing our high school fight song. Even though most of us are closing in on our dotage years, the voices were strong and the sound was compelling.
Oddly, it took me back to the same voices singing "Hit the Road, Jack" a half century earlier. "Hit the Road, Jack" by Ray Charles was the number one song on the Billboard charts on October 9, 1961 -- at the start of our final year of high school. Along with "Runaround Sue," this was the centerpiece of our senior year soundtrack.
There were many nights at Schulte's on Euclid when, inspired by the sweet froth of underage beer, we began to belt out, "Hit the Road, Jack" -- big voices, loud voices, slightly tipsy voices. It was wonderful.
Regrettably, later that same year (I think), the police shut down Schulte's for a while and when the fellow reopened he could no longer serve all the kids from Latin who were still under 18. So we had to move on.
The next place I remember was on Murray Hill. I don't personally remember but Tom Begley thinks the name of the place was "The." What Tom remembers is a line of us going in and they would be checking ID. The first guy would have an ID and then pass it back in the line so all the other guys could get in.
Ah, but one night we were the subject of a police raid at the place on Murray Hill. I personally was passed out on the floor (not a joke) and I had very little idea of what was going on. When the police saw me in an alcoholic stupor, they asked: "What's wrong with this guy?"
The late great Dave Ciz Madia came to my rescue. Dave told the cops some gibberish about how I was a track star and had run in the biggest meet of the year that day. As Dave told it to the police, I was exhausted from the athletic performance and not from alcohol.
The Cleveland police accepted Dave's account at face value and moved on. By then, I think, our big voices were chanting "Duke of Earl," released in January 1962. I will be forever grateful to Dave that I was not awakened to the clacking sound of handcuffs. May he rest in peace.
Jim Blaszak remembers Duke of Earl and the bar on Murray Hill
The bar on Murray Hill was "The Cellar"; across the street from Mark Croce's house. His favorite song was "Duke of Earl", which he would sing, under his breath, to piss off Brother Jones.
Tom Begley weighs in on the Duke of Earl...
Close but no cigar on The Cellar! In my hazy memory we referred to it as “The”. The “Duke of Earl” was my first thought after Bob mentioned “Hit The Road Jack” and “Runaround Sue”. I recall the murmur of the Duke of Earl in the hallways as we changed classes. And the brothers trying to figure out the individuals who were singing it under their breath. GO LIONS!!!
Jim Blaszak follows up on the Duke...You're close too. Here's the skinny. The Cellar was the place where we held our student council meetings....it was closer to Mayfield than "The". The latter opened after The Cellar fell out of favor. We then went to "The" and the "Library" around the corner of Edgehill close to Jack Gregorio's (Latin '63) home. I remember this pretty well because that's where Sammy Colacarro and Mark Croce got into a fistfight in front of my running car. And it was Mark always singing Duke of Earl.
Larry Kaminski remembers his first time at Schulte's
..I do not know if the recent diagnosis of brain and head damage is effecting me after the 19 years on the grid iron but some of the stories I read make me feel I was not around some of the antics. I do remember going to Schulte's the first time and getting a couple fish bowls at .15 a beer. I got a bit hungry and had some pizza. I got home w a bit of a buzz and upset stomach so rushed to the basement to let it all out..2 choices were my Mom's laundry sink or the laundry floor drain. I chose the drain. I do not need to let you know what came up but their was old Staschek Kaminski, DAD, watching me bent over. He went upstairs to get a few tooth picks then handed them to me to clean all the holes of yuk. I guess I was not meant to be a beer drinker young but you have to laugh because I have been selling suds in NW CO. for 44 years now..who woulda thought...with that, thanks for the memories and if I get where I forget it all...GO LIONS OF 1962...NEVER GIVE IN OR UP AND LIVE LIFE...lk
2/3/2018
Bob Lamb remembers Paul Warfield:
I was a manager for the Varsity Football team in my sophomore and junior years. I recall the varsity team being highly ranked and moving around the state to play one or two highly ranked football powerhouses. I recall going to Warren Harding High School in Warren, Ohio. We arrived in town and the football lights illuminated the otherwise dark town. Everyone was there. The game began. A running back by the name of Paul Warfield took the ball and zipped past everyone repeatedly. Our varsity looked like they were running with concrete in their shoes…. Yes, this was the Paul Warfield who went on to star in college and pro football. He was a first round draft pick for the Browns and went on to be inducted into Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bob Lamb is swept into office:
I remember running for office as we were about to enter our senior year. John Forhan was a shoo-in for President. At the urging of my Junior year home room teacher (Bro. Cassidy), I decided to run for office. I had delivered the Cleveland Plain Dealer as I was growing up, and had learned that one of my customers had a small printing press in his garage. He offered to print me some campaign material. I recently came across a copy of it that read: “Failure to vote for Bob Lamb should be a Blue Ticket offense.” The sign and a good speech to the underclassmen that undercut Bob Sheahan’s promise to have a “Smoking Lounge” at CL “just like Benedictine” swept me into office. Pulling on Latin pride, I told the underclassmen that “anyone who imitates finishes no higher than second place!” I had the opportunity when elected to read the messages over the PA system at the end of the school day. My horrible pronunciation of student names, particularly Hungarian names, produced roars of laughter throughout the building…loud enough that I could hear the roars all the way down to the school office where the microphone was located. Oh, well!
I was a manager for the Varsity Football team in my sophomore and junior years. I recall the varsity team being highly ranked and moving around the state to play one or two highly ranked football powerhouses. I recall going to Warren Harding High School in Warren, Ohio. We arrived in town and the football lights illuminated the otherwise dark town. Everyone was there. The game began. A running back by the name of Paul Warfield took the ball and zipped past everyone repeatedly. Our varsity looked like they were running with concrete in their shoes…. Yes, this was the Paul Warfield who went on to star in college and pro football. He was a first round draft pick for the Browns and went on to be inducted into Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bob Lamb is swept into office:
I remember running for office as we were about to enter our senior year. John Forhan was a shoo-in for President. At the urging of my Junior year home room teacher (Bro. Cassidy), I decided to run for office. I had delivered the Cleveland Plain Dealer as I was growing up, and had learned that one of my customers had a small printing press in his garage. He offered to print me some campaign material. I recently came across a copy of it that read: “Failure to vote for Bob Lamb should be a Blue Ticket offense.” The sign and a good speech to the underclassmen that undercut Bob Sheahan’s promise to have a “Smoking Lounge” at CL “just like Benedictine” swept me into office. Pulling on Latin pride, I told the underclassmen that “anyone who imitates finishes no higher than second place!” I had the opportunity when elected to read the messages over the PA system at the end of the school day. My horrible pronunciation of student names, particularly Hungarian names, produced roars of laughter throughout the building…loud enough that I could hear the roars all the way down to the school office where the microphone was located. Oh, well!
Al Di Iori has a story about Mr. Ternansky:
I was googleing William Ternansky and ran across this tribute to him in 1964 inserted in the Congressional Record by
Rep. Charlie Vanik.
HON. CHARLES A. VANIK of OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, February 19, 1964
Mr. VANIK. Mr. Speaker, in every community of America there are teachers who leave a special Imprint upon the lives of the young men and women who pass through their classes. In a quiet, unassuming and often underestimatedway, these teachers become the inspiration which lead to real educational achievement. In the city of Cleveland, one of my constituents and close personal friends, Mr. William J. Ternansky, has distinguished himself in this manner. In the past 31 years, he has been teaching in the high schools and colleges of our community. When we salute William Ternansky as “Cleveland’s Mr. Chips,'* we salute a profession in which he exemplifies the highest qualities. Following is a splendid article on William Ternansky written by Bob Seltzer which appeared in the Cleveland Press on Monday, February 17, 1964:
Here Is Cleveland’s Mr. Chips (By Bob Seltzer)
William J. Ternansky is Cleveland’s counterpart of Mr. Chips, the beloved school master of James Hilton's famous novel. Ternansky has taught more students in his 31 years at Cathedral Latin School, his alma mater, than any other teacher in its history. He leaves an Indelible Impression on them. They are devoutly loyal for his inspiration and love of excellence. His major objective is the optimum in learning and character to produce good citizens. His rigorous discipline of students stems from the hardships of his boyhood. He sets high standards and is intolerant of mediocrity. If a student has the capacity for better work. He is dominant, the master, yet there is nothing pedantic about him. Ternansky has been named Latin’s "Man
of the Tear” as an outstanding alumnus and for his diligent efforts in instilling in students a desire for academic superiority. He will be presented the alumni associations' annual merit award for 1964 at the communion breakfast next Sunday at the Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel. Among the alumni saluting him will be educators, priests, several city councIlmen, two judges, principals of two area high schools, several suburban mayors and State legislators, physicians, surgeons, lawyers, and high-ranking military officers.
“One of the best rewards is to see a former student become a success in life and remember me,” said Ternansky.
“There is no success without order and discipline. My aim for my students is a disciplined mind in a morally and physically fit body. —“Basically, today’s students are the same as 31 years ago, but they have more distractions. Perhaps a more affluent society hasn’t served them as well. Part of the blame for delinquency lies in a breakdown of the spirit of family life."
Ternansky, 55, a sturdy bald man with a fringe of gray and a slight mustache. Is of Hungarian descent. He lives in the house in which he was born at 9914 Buckeye Road. He worked his way through Cathedral Latin and John Carroll University as a Press delivery boy, a street lamplighter, library page, grocery clerk, farmhand and golf caddy. He has an M.A. from Carroll in social studies. Ternansky was a basketball coach at St. Elizabeth School while attending Carroll. He has taught German, problems of democracy, American government, and now is chairman of social sciences. He has served as social activity moderator and college adviser. Since 1938 he has been instructor in political science three afternoons weekly at Ursullne College. For 10 years he taught night classes at Carroll and summers at St. John College.
Ternansky and his wife, Stella, have two sons: William, 12, and Robert, 9. Ternansky’s father, Frank, 90, lives with him.
Jim Szudarek says Mr. Ternansky was ahead of his time
William Ternansky ideal house: An entire class period was spent on the design of a house that was maintenance friendly. The thing I remember is that the interior rooms of the home were designed to be circular. NO CORNERS that traps dust and dirt. It is faster and more efficient to sweep a circular room. He had a great idea and a lot of futuristic thinking. One of my favorite teachers.
I was googleing William Ternansky and ran across this tribute to him in 1964 inserted in the Congressional Record by
Rep. Charlie Vanik.
HON. CHARLES A. VANIK of OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, February 19, 1964
Mr. VANIK. Mr. Speaker, in every community of America there are teachers who leave a special Imprint upon the lives of the young men and women who pass through their classes. In a quiet, unassuming and often underestimatedway, these teachers become the inspiration which lead to real educational achievement. In the city of Cleveland, one of my constituents and close personal friends, Mr. William J. Ternansky, has distinguished himself in this manner. In the past 31 years, he has been teaching in the high schools and colleges of our community. When we salute William Ternansky as “Cleveland’s Mr. Chips,'* we salute a profession in which he exemplifies the highest qualities. Following is a splendid article on William Ternansky written by Bob Seltzer which appeared in the Cleveland Press on Monday, February 17, 1964:
Here Is Cleveland’s Mr. Chips (By Bob Seltzer)
William J. Ternansky is Cleveland’s counterpart of Mr. Chips, the beloved school master of James Hilton's famous novel. Ternansky has taught more students in his 31 years at Cathedral Latin School, his alma mater, than any other teacher in its history. He leaves an Indelible Impression on them. They are devoutly loyal for his inspiration and love of excellence. His major objective is the optimum in learning and character to produce good citizens. His rigorous discipline of students stems from the hardships of his boyhood. He sets high standards and is intolerant of mediocrity. If a student has the capacity for better work. He is dominant, the master, yet there is nothing pedantic about him. Ternansky has been named Latin’s "Man
of the Tear” as an outstanding alumnus and for his diligent efforts in instilling in students a desire for academic superiority. He will be presented the alumni associations' annual merit award for 1964 at the communion breakfast next Sunday at the Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel. Among the alumni saluting him will be educators, priests, several city councIlmen, two judges, principals of two area high schools, several suburban mayors and State legislators, physicians, surgeons, lawyers, and high-ranking military officers.
“One of the best rewards is to see a former student become a success in life and remember me,” said Ternansky.
“There is no success without order and discipline. My aim for my students is a disciplined mind in a morally and physically fit body. —“Basically, today’s students are the same as 31 years ago, but they have more distractions. Perhaps a more affluent society hasn’t served them as well. Part of the blame for delinquency lies in a breakdown of the spirit of family life."
Ternansky, 55, a sturdy bald man with a fringe of gray and a slight mustache. Is of Hungarian descent. He lives in the house in which he was born at 9914 Buckeye Road. He worked his way through Cathedral Latin and John Carroll University as a Press delivery boy, a street lamplighter, library page, grocery clerk, farmhand and golf caddy. He has an M.A. from Carroll in social studies. Ternansky was a basketball coach at St. Elizabeth School while attending Carroll. He has taught German, problems of democracy, American government, and now is chairman of social sciences. He has served as social activity moderator and college adviser. Since 1938 he has been instructor in political science three afternoons weekly at Ursullne College. For 10 years he taught night classes at Carroll and summers at St. John College.
Ternansky and his wife, Stella, have two sons: William, 12, and Robert, 9. Ternansky’s father, Frank, 90, lives with him.
Jim Szudarek says Mr. Ternansky was ahead of his time
William Ternansky ideal house: An entire class period was spent on the design of a house that was maintenance friendly. The thing I remember is that the interior rooms of the home were designed to be circular. NO CORNERS that traps dust and dirt. It is faster and more efficient to sweep a circular room. He had a great idea and a lot of futuristic thinking. One of my favorite teachers.
Tom Begley remembers Mr. Malik
I KNOW being the Dramatics Club Advisor caused him to lose several years of life. For the Stalag 17 production we were in dress rehearsal and several actors did not know their lines. He went off!!! But when the curtain went up everyone knew their lines or the audience never knew the difference!!! I enjoyed him as a teacher as well. He really wanted us to learn…no excuses.
Mr. Malik died August 3, 2015. Click to see obit
I KNOW being the Dramatics Club Advisor caused him to lose several years of life. For the Stalag 17 production we were in dress rehearsal and several actors did not know their lines. He went off!!! But when the curtain went up everyone knew their lines or the audience never knew the difference!!! I enjoyed him as a teacher as well. He really wanted us to learn…no excuses.
Mr. Malik died August 3, 2015. Click to see obit
Go Back in Time
Do you remember that November 1961 Friday afternoon.…the entire student body crammed into the stands .... the gym doors open.... and in streams our beloved football team led by Captain Larry Kaminski? Do you remember the chaos that erupted when this song blared over the loud speakers? Click here and see if goose bumps don’t run up your back like they did 54 years ago.
Do you remember that November 1961 Friday afternoon.…the entire student body crammed into the stands .... the gym doors open.... and in streams our beloved football team led by Captain Larry Kaminski? Do you remember the chaos that erupted when this song blared over the loud speakers? Click here and see if goose bumps don’t run up your back like they did 54 years ago.
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Larry Kaminski remembers
Jim...thanks for the recent update. I went to the site in reference to your story on the Latin Rally when I was honored to lead our team onto the gym floor. The song of the Lion Sleeps Tonight gave this old fart goose bumps and so many great memories...we had a heck of a team and we were one united by the players, brothers, and students...Go Latin...and as I cheer my grand kids with this cheer I bid so long...oooosasa oososasa hit him the head with a big kielbasa...lk |
Jim McMahon remembers one Friday night
I remember one Friday night after attending a Latin-Ignatius football game when some Latin buddies and I decided to drive by Ignatius and razz the Iggy students. I was driving and beeping my horn as others shouted various invectives out the car windows. It wasn’t long before flashing red lights appeared and we were forced to pull over. Two policemen came to my window and ordered all of us out of the car. The cops made us put our hands on the car, frisked us all, and searched the trunk of the car in order to give us all a good scare. One of the cops even asked what I was going to confess to the priest in the confessional. I should have answered the policeman by saying that Latin won that night and that the priest would have undoubtedly given us all his blessing for beating Ignatius.
I remember one Friday night after attending a Latin-Ignatius football game when some Latin buddies and I decided to drive by Ignatius and razz the Iggy students. I was driving and beeping my horn as others shouted various invectives out the car windows. It wasn’t long before flashing red lights appeared and we were forced to pull over. Two policemen came to my window and ordered all of us out of the car. The cops made us put our hands on the car, frisked us all, and searched the trunk of the car in order to give us all a good scare. One of the cops even asked what I was going to confess to the priest in the confessional. I should have answered the policeman by saying that Latin won that night and that the priest would have undoubtedly given us all his blessing for beating Ignatius.
Another Latin Letter Sweater Story -Jim McMahon
Last Friday night (11/20/2015) my wife and I were having dinner at my cousin’s tavern on Lee Road. As usual I was wearing my Latin Letter Sweater. We were half way through dinner when I was tapped on the back by this gorgeous 30ish young lady (I wish that I could post her picture so all you guys would ogle over her). She asked me about The Sweater and I told her the whole story about the 50th reunion etc. Like previously, I asked the lady if she thought The Sweater was a chick magnet. She laughed a bit, pointed to her husband across the table, and said “I don’t think he wants to know,” I'm never giving up wearing this Sweater.
After reading Bob Sheahen’s Bio page (click here to read), others chimed-in in response to Bob’s boast about appearing on-film with Jennifer Aniston.
(6-2-2016)
Albert DiIorio -
I was once on the Uncle Jake show.
No pay but did get a can of Bosco !!!!!!!
Danny B -
So was I, Al! I was so disappointed there really wasn't an elevator! !
Bill Kilinskas -
What really blew my mind was seeing Uncle Jake on Sundays at noon on the Gene Carroll show. Talk about childhood trauma. I consoled myself by being a member of Captain Penny's Clean Plate Club!
Jim Szudarek -
I LIKED DORTHY FULDHEIM THE RED HEADED NEWSWOMAN. SHE NEVER CLOWNED AROUND!!
Jerry Ketchaver -
Many, many years ago I "sang" on the Uncle Jake show twice. Two containers of Bosco! In the early 70s I appeared on stage three times as an extra with the New York Metropolitan Opera when the Met would go on national tours and come to Cleveland. In 2012 I had a part as an extra in the Avengers movie which was filmed here in Cleveland.
Richard O'Neill has a story about Chemistry Class (6-4-2016)
Once, my junior-year chemistry teacher Brother Eugene Meyerpeter told me that he was a friend of the chemistry teacher at St. Ignatius High School, and he urged me to visit this teacher and hear his ideas about the teaching of high school chemistry. I took up the idea. Arriving at the school, one of the boys I went to grade school with recognized me and said, "Richard, are you a spy from Latin, or have you come to join us?" As it turned out the chemistry teacher at St. Ignatius was a Jesuit priest who was a Cathedral Latin graduate who had defected to the Jesuits. This chemistry teacher told me that the Chemical Bond Approach that we were taking was devised by a certain Professor Strong at Earlham College in Indiana. He thought that our Chemical Bond Approach was misguided because it creates an impression that science is all theory, contradicting the basic principle that science is founded on experiment. This Jesuit priest had written his own chemistry book and his own chemistry lab book. Included in his lab book was an exercise that enabled his students to view tracks left by subatomic particles, showing that the existence of atoms is not just a theory, but a fact established by evidence.
Once, my junior-year chemistry teacher Brother Eugene Meyerpeter told me that he was a friend of the chemistry teacher at St. Ignatius High School, and he urged me to visit this teacher and hear his ideas about the teaching of high school chemistry. I took up the idea. Arriving at the school, one of the boys I went to grade school with recognized me and said, "Richard, are you a spy from Latin, or have you come to join us?" As it turned out the chemistry teacher at St. Ignatius was a Jesuit priest who was a Cathedral Latin graduate who had defected to the Jesuits. This chemistry teacher told me that the Chemical Bond Approach that we were taking was devised by a certain Professor Strong at Earlham College in Indiana. He thought that our Chemical Bond Approach was misguided because it creates an impression that science is all theory, contradicting the basic principle that science is founded on experiment. This Jesuit priest had written his own chemistry book and his own chemistry lab book. Included in his lab book was an exercise that enabled his students to view tracks left by subatomic particles, showing that the existence of atoms is not just a theory, but a fact established by evidence.
Jim Szudarek thinks he knows more than the rest of you and writes... (6-18-2016)
Let's have a contest titled " WHY SOME BASTARD STOLE THE 1962 LATINEERS OUT OF THE FILE CABINET ?" It would be fun to read the possible reasons.
Here is my answer: after Sears and Roebuck stopped publishing the catalog, a farmer, who will remain unnamed, needed a replacement for the catalog pages as wiping material in the out-house, so he stole the entire file of 1962 Latineers to use for sanitation purposes.
Let's have a contest titled " WHY SOME BASTARD STOLE THE 1962 LATINEERS OUT OF THE FILE CABINET ?" It would be fun to read the possible reasons.
Here is my answer: after Sears and Roebuck stopped publishing the catalog, a farmer, who will remain unnamed, needed a replacement for the catalog pages as wiping material in the out-house, so he stole the entire file of 1962 Latineers to use for sanitation purposes.
IT’S STILL THERE - Albert Di Iorio writes... (11-17-2016)
Several days ago I had a hearing test at the VA hospital in University Circle. Afterwards I decided to go to the downtown Cleveland casino via Euclid Ave. And of course the route took me across East 107th, now called Stokes Blvd. From that point on it’s all Cleveland Clinic. The long gone Marshall Drugstore on the corner of 107th was also the Greyhound bus station, where I boarded the 2:30
or 3:15 or 4:00 PM bus back to Painesville. Proceeding down Euclid Avenue, around the 7200 block on the left side, I noticed a building which I couldn’t believe is still standing - The Coliseum. All boarded up and For Sale. I remember someone told me to come watch the CL bowling team, so I made that walk from 107th. It was a long walk and I only spent a few minutes there before I walked back to the bus station to catch the 4 pm bus. What was then a long walk is now a long drive.
Several days ago I had a hearing test at the VA hospital in University Circle. Afterwards I decided to go to the downtown Cleveland casino via Euclid Ave. And of course the route took me across East 107th, now called Stokes Blvd. From that point on it’s all Cleveland Clinic. The long gone Marshall Drugstore on the corner of 107th was also the Greyhound bus station, where I boarded the 2:30
or 3:15 or 4:00 PM bus back to Painesville. Proceeding down Euclid Avenue, around the 7200 block on the left side, I noticed a building which I couldn’t believe is still standing - The Coliseum. All boarded up and For Sale. I remember someone told me to come watch the CL bowling team, so I made that walk from 107th. It was a long walk and I only spent a few minutes there before I walked back to the bus station to catch the 4 pm bus. What was then a long walk is now a long drive.
Bob Sheahen lists some of our Favorite Music (1/04/2017)
It is one of those nights in Los Angeles: cold (by our standards) and sleepless (by any standard). I find myself watching a Time-Life records infomercial about music of the early 60s.
It is hosted by Bobby Rydell and Darlene Love. They look good for their age.
So for the benefit of our ever-expanding website, I thought I would try to remember some of the more meaningful music of our high school years.
By the time we were seniors, music meant a lot to us. "Runaround Sue," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Stranger on the Shore" (click on each) were part of the soundtrack of our senior year.
But what songs did we listen to early on? I went back and tried to piece together some of the hits starting from when we were freshmen. Here is a sampling of ten songs. Click to hear each.
1. Tom Dooley -- The Kingston Trio
When we started 9th grade in the fall of 1958, "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston Trio was the most popular song. This rendition of an old North Carolina folk song was number one on the charts in November 1958.
2. Charlie Brown -- The Coasters
In February 1959 we listened to "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters. This was a true high school song -- "fi - fi - fo - fum, I smell smoke in the auditorium." It was by Leiber and Stoller and only coincidentally referenced the Peanuts character of the same name.
We were 14 at the time. We could easily relate to the lyric: "Why is everybody always picking on me?"
3. Venus -- Frankie Avalon
Midway through the second semester of our freshman year, in March 1959 the song "Venus" by Frankie Avalon was most popular. I can remember my very religious older sister wishing the song were about "Mary" rather than "Venus."
But for us, "Venus if you will just send a little girl for me to thrill." What more do you want on the edge of 15?
4. Battle of New Orleans -- Johnny Horton
Jimmy Driftwood, a high school principal in Arkansas, wrote this song -- to get kids interested in history. But a little accuracy would have been helpful to beleaguered high school students trying to pass history. The Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815, not in 1814 as suggested by the song.
It wasn't rock 'n' roll but this Johnny Horton song from May 1959 was number one on Billboard for the year.
5. Mack the Knife -- Bobby Darin
Who among us knew we were listening to German opera? When we started our sophomore year in September 1959, the number one song was the Brecht-Weil classic, "Mack the Knife" -- as recorded by Bobby Darin and dealing with murders in the underworld.
Did our tender minds have any idea of what the song was about? Or did we just enjoy singing, "Look out, old Mackie's back."
6. Put Your Head on My Shoulder -- Paul Anka
There we were at the start of our sophomore year. Adolescence can be awkward so we try to get cues from our popular songs. On September 21, 1959, as some of us were trying to learn what to do in life, we listened to Paul Anka sing, "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," a classic love song. That, regrettably, is about as far as some of us went in those early days of awakening.
The song reached number 2 on the charts.
7. Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Backseat -- Paul Evans
This is from November of our sophomore year. I include it not because it was a big hit, but because I have a clear memory of it associated with our late classmate and my good friend, Fred Zwilling. Fred and I were in a car with several girls who were singing the lyric from the song, "seven little girls, sitting in the backseat, hugging and a kissing with Fred." As they fawned over my friend Fred, I remember they ignored me.
8. El Paso -- Marty Robbins
Another country blockbuster but this one was five minutes long. It was from late 1959 and early 1960. Most of us did not even know that El Paso was in the United States or what a cantina might be.
9. A Summer Place -- Percy Faith
From February 22, 1960, to April 18, 1960, one song topped the charts. It was the theme from "A Summer Place," a haunting instrumental by Percy Faith. This would be the song that would be played if we were ever lucky enough to be alone with a girl.
10. The Twist -- Chubby Checker
"The Twist" was popular for our junior and senior years. It began in September 1960, at the start of our junior year. I don't know if we knew how to "twist," as it were, but the song was ubiquitous in our lives.
-- Robert Sheahen, Class of 1962
John Forhan asks Bob Sheahen
Great songs, Robert. How about the "Pony" conga lines in the cafeteria or gym after our football games?
Albert Di Iorio gives a new twist to what Bob Sheahen had to say. (2/5/2018)
Ok. I’m going to weigh in about the Top 10 songs. Bob forgot to mention the song my girlfriend sang. Yes, my girlfriend recorded this song in 1959 and it became #76 on Billboard’s Top 100 Songs of 1959. It was “Tall Paul” by Disney Mouseketeer, Annette. Well, I know she was probably every high school boy’s heartthrob and wanna be girlfriend but I kinda like to think I claimed her first. When she looked out from the TV, I know she was looking just at me!!!! In 1960 she had the #88 hit “O Dio Mio”. And then my other girlfriend had 4 Billboard hits in 1960. I talking about Brenda Lee. I think she was actually singing “Sweet Nothin’s” to me. And I just can’t forget her singing “I’m Sorry”. 1961 wasn’t too exciting but in 1962 I did have a brief flirtation with Shelley Fabares who sang “Johnny Angel”. So there you have it, my girlfriends and their songs from 1959-1962.
Oh, and didn’t we dub one of the Brothers “The Duke of Earl.
I think Albert is telling the truth about his girlfriends. Now that I am a website mogul and rub shoulders with the Hollywood entertainment elite, I recently found out that Annette Funicello originally wanted her hit song "O Dio Mio"
to be titled "O Di Iorio Mio" in honor of her heart throb Albert Di Iorio, but her agent thought that pinning her heart to one guy so early may stunt her career. And then there's Shelley Fabares who wanted her "Johnny Angel" to be titled "Albert Angel".
And there may be others.
Jim McMahon
If you have any other favorite songs or movies from our high school days, let us know what they are but make sure to tell us why - Jim McM
John Forhan says:
Having been put to work after school in freshman year by my Dad to keep me off the street ( he found out I snuck out one night in our first week of school to go to a CYO dance at St. Gregory's) , my favorite that year was "Get a Job".
Jim Blaszak puts his nickles in: (2/6/2018)
I preferred the slow Doo Wop songs of that era. To name a few: "Since I Don't Have You" by The Skyliners; "Little Star" by The Elegants; "There's a Moon Out Tonight" by The Capris; "You Belong to Me" by The Duprees; "What's Your Name?" by Don and Juan; and my favorite "Silhouttes" by The Rays. And don't forget Dion's "Runaround Sue". Which reminds me ......Dave Komorowski and I went to a girl's school sock hop (we had to take off our shoes to dance on the gym floor, exposing our white sweat socks). I remember seeing Sue Ward for the first time (she wore a pink alpaca sweater). Be still my heart. I stood no chance of dancing with her, she was slow dancing and double- clutching No. 20. It's good to be the quarterback.
Fr. Pat Tonry writes:
Amazing memory, Jim.....and I remember supervising Sock Hops!! Father Pat 2/7/2018
Bill Kilinskis had his heart throbs: (2/7/2018)
I am going to throw in my two cents on this subject.
Besides Annette Funicello (every male adolescent at that time was in love with her) and Brenda Lee during that time, I also liked Connie Francis. After the movie and song "Where the Boys Are", which came out in 1960, I wanted to go to Ft. Lauderdale for Spring break. Almost made it in 1963. Pete Miller (my roommate at University of Dayton at the time) and I planned to drive down there. Alas, no "Wheels" or enough "Bread". There is one other actress that I was absolutely in love with at the time. She did not record. Her name is Tuesday Weld. She played Thalia Menninger on the TV show "The Adventures of Dobie Gillis". I do not think I missed an episode during the run of the show.
It is one of those nights in Los Angeles: cold (by our standards) and sleepless (by any standard). I find myself watching a Time-Life records infomercial about music of the early 60s.
It is hosted by Bobby Rydell and Darlene Love. They look good for their age.
So for the benefit of our ever-expanding website, I thought I would try to remember some of the more meaningful music of our high school years.
By the time we were seniors, music meant a lot to us. "Runaround Sue," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Stranger on the Shore" (click on each) were part of the soundtrack of our senior year.
But what songs did we listen to early on? I went back and tried to piece together some of the hits starting from when we were freshmen. Here is a sampling of ten songs. Click to hear each.
1. Tom Dooley -- The Kingston Trio
When we started 9th grade in the fall of 1958, "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston Trio was the most popular song. This rendition of an old North Carolina folk song was number one on the charts in November 1958.
2. Charlie Brown -- The Coasters
In February 1959 we listened to "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters. This was a true high school song -- "fi - fi - fo - fum, I smell smoke in the auditorium." It was by Leiber and Stoller and only coincidentally referenced the Peanuts character of the same name.
We were 14 at the time. We could easily relate to the lyric: "Why is everybody always picking on me?"
3. Venus -- Frankie Avalon
Midway through the second semester of our freshman year, in March 1959 the song "Venus" by Frankie Avalon was most popular. I can remember my very religious older sister wishing the song were about "Mary" rather than "Venus."
But for us, "Venus if you will just send a little girl for me to thrill." What more do you want on the edge of 15?
4. Battle of New Orleans -- Johnny Horton
Jimmy Driftwood, a high school principal in Arkansas, wrote this song -- to get kids interested in history. But a little accuracy would have been helpful to beleaguered high school students trying to pass history. The Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815, not in 1814 as suggested by the song.
It wasn't rock 'n' roll but this Johnny Horton song from May 1959 was number one on Billboard for the year.
5. Mack the Knife -- Bobby Darin
Who among us knew we were listening to German opera? When we started our sophomore year in September 1959, the number one song was the Brecht-Weil classic, "Mack the Knife" -- as recorded by Bobby Darin and dealing with murders in the underworld.
Did our tender minds have any idea of what the song was about? Or did we just enjoy singing, "Look out, old Mackie's back."
6. Put Your Head on My Shoulder -- Paul Anka
There we were at the start of our sophomore year. Adolescence can be awkward so we try to get cues from our popular songs. On September 21, 1959, as some of us were trying to learn what to do in life, we listened to Paul Anka sing, "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," a classic love song. That, regrettably, is about as far as some of us went in those early days of awakening.
The song reached number 2 on the charts.
7. Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Backseat -- Paul Evans
This is from November of our sophomore year. I include it not because it was a big hit, but because I have a clear memory of it associated with our late classmate and my good friend, Fred Zwilling. Fred and I were in a car with several girls who were singing the lyric from the song, "seven little girls, sitting in the backseat, hugging and a kissing with Fred." As they fawned over my friend Fred, I remember they ignored me.
8. El Paso -- Marty Robbins
Another country blockbuster but this one was five minutes long. It was from late 1959 and early 1960. Most of us did not even know that El Paso was in the United States or what a cantina might be.
9. A Summer Place -- Percy Faith
From February 22, 1960, to April 18, 1960, one song topped the charts. It was the theme from "A Summer Place," a haunting instrumental by Percy Faith. This would be the song that would be played if we were ever lucky enough to be alone with a girl.
10. The Twist -- Chubby Checker
"The Twist" was popular for our junior and senior years. It began in September 1960, at the start of our junior year. I don't know if we knew how to "twist," as it were, but the song was ubiquitous in our lives.
-- Robert Sheahen, Class of 1962
John Forhan asks Bob Sheahen
Great songs, Robert. How about the "Pony" conga lines in the cafeteria or gym after our football games?
Albert Di Iorio gives a new twist to what Bob Sheahen had to say. (2/5/2018)
Ok. I’m going to weigh in about the Top 10 songs. Bob forgot to mention the song my girlfriend sang. Yes, my girlfriend recorded this song in 1959 and it became #76 on Billboard’s Top 100 Songs of 1959. It was “Tall Paul” by Disney Mouseketeer, Annette. Well, I know she was probably every high school boy’s heartthrob and wanna be girlfriend but I kinda like to think I claimed her first. When she looked out from the TV, I know she was looking just at me!!!! In 1960 she had the #88 hit “O Dio Mio”. And then my other girlfriend had 4 Billboard hits in 1960. I talking about Brenda Lee. I think she was actually singing “Sweet Nothin’s” to me. And I just can’t forget her singing “I’m Sorry”. 1961 wasn’t too exciting but in 1962 I did have a brief flirtation with Shelley Fabares who sang “Johnny Angel”. So there you have it, my girlfriends and their songs from 1959-1962.
Oh, and didn’t we dub one of the Brothers “The Duke of Earl.
I think Albert is telling the truth about his girlfriends. Now that I am a website mogul and rub shoulders with the Hollywood entertainment elite, I recently found out that Annette Funicello originally wanted her hit song "O Dio Mio"
to be titled "O Di Iorio Mio" in honor of her heart throb Albert Di Iorio, but her agent thought that pinning her heart to one guy so early may stunt her career. And then there's Shelley Fabares who wanted her "Johnny Angel" to be titled "Albert Angel".
And there may be others.
Jim McMahon
If you have any other favorite songs or movies from our high school days, let us know what they are but make sure to tell us why - Jim McM
John Forhan says:
Having been put to work after school in freshman year by my Dad to keep me off the street ( he found out I snuck out one night in our first week of school to go to a CYO dance at St. Gregory's) , my favorite that year was "Get a Job".
Jim Blaszak puts his nickles in: (2/6/2018)
I preferred the slow Doo Wop songs of that era. To name a few: "Since I Don't Have You" by The Skyliners; "Little Star" by The Elegants; "There's a Moon Out Tonight" by The Capris; "You Belong to Me" by The Duprees; "What's Your Name?" by Don and Juan; and my favorite "Silhouttes" by The Rays. And don't forget Dion's "Runaround Sue". Which reminds me ......Dave Komorowski and I went to a girl's school sock hop (we had to take off our shoes to dance on the gym floor, exposing our white sweat socks). I remember seeing Sue Ward for the first time (she wore a pink alpaca sweater). Be still my heart. I stood no chance of dancing with her, she was slow dancing and double- clutching No. 20. It's good to be the quarterback.
Fr. Pat Tonry writes:
Amazing memory, Jim.....and I remember supervising Sock Hops!! Father Pat 2/7/2018
Bill Kilinskis had his heart throbs: (2/7/2018)
I am going to throw in my two cents on this subject.
Besides Annette Funicello (every male adolescent at that time was in love with her) and Brenda Lee during that time, I also liked Connie Francis. After the movie and song "Where the Boys Are", which came out in 1960, I wanted to go to Ft. Lauderdale for Spring break. Almost made it in 1963. Pete Miller (my roommate at University of Dayton at the time) and I planned to drive down there. Alas, no "Wheels" or enough "Bread". There is one other actress that I was absolutely in love with at the time. She did not record. Her name is Tuesday Weld. She played Thalia Menninger on the TV show "The Adventures of Dobie Gillis". I do not think I missed an episode during the run of the show.
Jim McMahon adds his favorite:
My heart throb during high school was a local girl, Andrea Carroll, who sang "Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard on the Gene Carroll Show. Her real name was Andrea DeCapite. She went to Valley Forge High School in Parma and Kent State University.
My heart throb during high school was a local girl, Andrea Carroll, who sang "Please Don't Talk to the Lifeguard on the Gene Carroll Show. Her real name was Andrea DeCapite. She went to Valley Forge High School in Parma and Kent State University.
Jim Halas remembers Head Knocks and Bro. Miller (3/10/2018)
You may recall that Bro. Miller used to apply head knocks to anybody who moved a chair into the aisle during lunch in the cafeteria. Due to his size, it was his way of opening a path for himself. The knocks were hard enough that it was a wonder that after one of them heads
didn't bounce off the table a few times.
You may recall that Bro. Miller used to apply head knocks to anybody who moved a chair into the aisle during lunch in the cafeteria. Due to his size, it was his way of opening a path for himself. The knocks were hard enough that it was a wonder that after one of them heads
didn't bounce off the table a few times.
World's Finest Chocolate - Albert Di Iorio (6/21/2018)
The other day as I was completing my transaction at the local credit union I noticed they were selling fund raiser candy bars, one of which was a chocolate bar. So I bought several and recalled my experience with the “World’s Finest Chocolate” during our senior year. On page 40 of the 62 yearbook there is a photo of several of us enthusiastically going out to sell the World’s Finest. Enthusiasm soon turned to burden. I brought those candy bars home, I think there were 50, and set up a display inside of my father’s gas station. For the next 2 weeks everyone coming to buy gas was subjected to my sales pitch. And if you didn’t buy one, I didn’t talk to you for weeks and didn’t want to see your face. You were Persona Non Grata. Eventually I reached a customer and friend saturation point, couldn’t think of anyone else to approach for a sale. So we ended up buying all the remaining chocolate bars, and to this day whenever I see fund raiser candy bars, I think of Cathedral Latin and the “World’s Finest Chocolate.”
The other day as I was completing my transaction at the local credit union I noticed they were selling fund raiser candy bars, one of which was a chocolate bar. So I bought several and recalled my experience with the “World’s Finest Chocolate” during our senior year. On page 40 of the 62 yearbook there is a photo of several of us enthusiastically going out to sell the World’s Finest. Enthusiasm soon turned to burden. I brought those candy bars home, I think there were 50, and set up a display inside of my father’s gas station. For the next 2 weeks everyone coming to buy gas was subjected to my sales pitch. And if you didn’t buy one, I didn’t talk to you for weeks and didn’t want to see your face. You were Persona Non Grata. Eventually I reached a customer and friend saturation point, couldn’t think of anyone else to approach for a sale. So we ended up buying all the remaining chocolate bars, and to this day whenever I see fund raiser candy bars, I think of Cathedral Latin and the “World’s Finest Chocolate.”
Richard O'Neill had a not so sweet experience (6/22/2018)
Mention of World's Finest Chocolate brings to mind a funniest experience I had: After we were fired up by John Forhan to go out and sell World's Finest Chocolate for Cathedral Latin School, a couple of blocks from Latin, I walked up to a couple of black teen-age high school dropouts and asked them, "Would you like to buy World's Finest Chocolate? I next recovered consciousness while lying on the ground. After running around the corner, a few minutes later the young men came back to check up on whether I was all right. I assured them that I was all right.
Mention of World's Finest Chocolate brings to mind a funniest experience I had: After we were fired up by John Forhan to go out and sell World's Finest Chocolate for Cathedral Latin School, a couple of blocks from Latin, I walked up to a couple of black teen-age high school dropouts and asked them, "Would you like to buy World's Finest Chocolate? I next recovered consciousness while lying on the ground. After running around the corner, a few minutes later the young men came back to check up on whether I was all right. I assured them that I was all right.
Albert Di Iorio has a Latin tuition surprise to share (9/26/2018)
The other day I came across my father’s 60 year old business check register.
Included among the entries were several fees and tuition paid to Cathedral Latin School from 1958 to 1962.
For those interested here are the entries. Some of them may have been incorrectly labeled:
September 9, 1958: General fees: $28.50
September 26, 1958: First Semester tuition $75.00
September 22, 1959: General fees $43.50
March 1, 1961: Tuition for half semester: $90.00
June 6, 1961: Tuition: $20.00
January 31, 1962: Tuition: $110.00
So, for our 4 years at Cl we know that General fees per Semester were between $28.50 and $43.50 and tuition
was between $75.00 and $110.00.
And how much are fees and tuition at a private Catholic School today?
The other day I came across my father’s 60 year old business check register.
Included among the entries were several fees and tuition paid to Cathedral Latin School from 1958 to 1962.
For those interested here are the entries. Some of them may have been incorrectly labeled:
September 9, 1958: General fees: $28.50
September 26, 1958: First Semester tuition $75.00
September 22, 1959: General fees $43.50
March 1, 1961: Tuition for half semester: $90.00
June 6, 1961: Tuition: $20.00
January 31, 1962: Tuition: $110.00
So, for our 4 years at Cl we know that General fees per Semester were between $28.50 and $43.50 and tuition
was between $75.00 and $110.00.
And how much are fees and tuition at a private Catholic School today?
2019 New Year Messages from Class of 1962
Feliz Ano Nuevo
Bonne Année
Frohes neues Jahr
Boldog Uj Evet
Felic any not
Stastny nova rok
Sretna nova godina
Sasta Bliain Nua
Novus Annus
Stastny Novy rok
and many more -Albert Di Iorio
Go Lions!
Best Wishes for a happy and healthy 2019! -Bob Lamb
I miss you all, some more that others.
Again Happy New Year -Pete Sylvester
I then spent 20 minutes sketching CLS and what it was like to go there and what it taught me . I told a few stories and described a gang of a thousand guys like all of you. I had tears in my eyes and I didn't care.
All this is due to the love I have for you , the school, our traditions and even the great faculty. I could go on , but I have said enough. God Bless all of you and Happy New Year! -Dan McGrath
A Guy's Dilemma - Jim McMahon (2/21/2019)
I’m wondering if any of you fellow Latinites ever did something like this. On a Friday or Saturday night my father would allow me to have the car but stipulated that he wanted me home early and wanted me to replace the gasoline that I used. “Fine with me but can you lend me a couple of bucks”. Then it was off to a Latin basketball or football game with some of my Latin buddies; or if I was brave enough I’d pick up a girl friend and go to a movie or something - this would have been rare. Occasionally, we’d be out too late and by the time we were heading home all the gas stations were closed and there was no chance to replace the used gasoline. What we’d do then is go to the closed stations and try to drain off the undelivered gasoline left in each of the hoses. We’d put the nozzle in the tank and then lift the hose so that the residual gas would flow down into the tank. It would usually take trips to numerous gas stations to get the needle to budge to the right on the gas gauge. I might have replaced at least some of the gasoline I used; but then I'd have to explain why I was really late getting home. C’est la vie.
Jim McMahon
We got caught (Jim McMahon 4/10/2020)
I remember one afternoon listening to Bro. Conlon when he interrupted his class and left the room after putting us on our best behavior. Shortly thereafter, someone started throwing spitballs and soon they were flying everywhere. Spitballs were splatting on the blackboard, on the windows, and on the backs of fellow students. I’m sure Blaszak would say that Sheahen started the spitball fight. Soon spitballs were all over the room in a disgusting mess. Bro. Conlon returned after a lengthy interval to find the aftermath. He was aghast at our behavior and ordered those responsible to identify themselves. I was one of them, but like the rest, I chose to avoid admitting guilt and remained mute. Bro. Conlon got more irate and demanded those involved to “be a man” and face up to their responsibility. Slowly hands, including my own, went up to acknowledge the truth. We were then ordered to clean up the mess which we did. I don’t remember if we were issued Blue Tickets or not. I guess you can say we were not exactly on our best behavior but at least we finally fessed up.
Jim McMahon
Tall Tails from the Monastery (Myron Achbach aka Bro. Myron 4/10/2020)
Bro. Swallow was a classmate of mine and a good friend. I kidded him relentlessly. Many examples. Some of us Brothers on occasion would compose an announcement which was read at the end of the school day. We knew Fr. McKay (God love him) never checked them before the student read them. So I penned something like this. “ Will Firmin Bird report to Bro. Swallow in the cage in the athletic locker room after dismissal?” Firmin was a meek little freshman who never bothered anyone. No relative to Bro. Firmin who succeeded
Fr. McKay as principal.
There were so many crazy stories that happened in the religious community. Some got into the school. I often thought to write my memories of them. Title it Tall Tales from the Monastery? I loved the community and all of u.
Myron Achbach aka Bro. Myron
Advantages of riding the Greyhound (Bud Brueggeman 4/10/2020)
I was a commuter from Mentor with Al Diorio from Painesville. We rode Greyhound to school BUT the advantage was the afternoon ride home: The girls who commuted from Notre Dame, Villa Angela and Andrews also rode with us. Need I say More?
Henry"Bud" Brueggeman
Tom Begley answered Bud with this: "You Dog !!!"
CL and the New York Governor (Bob Lamb 4/10/2020)
While at CL. I regularly hitched hiked home along Euclid Avenue near Case Western Reserve during my junior and senior years. I met some interesting people (with only a couple of weirdos from whose cars I quickly exited!). One day after school I was hoping to get a lift home, when a big limo pulled up and it’s driver told me to get in the front seat. I noticed there was a large and very well dressed man seated behind me. I chatted with the man and driver for 15 minutes or so. As we neared my street, I told the driver where I would need to get off. But I kept wondering who was this large man in the back seat. As I climbed out of the limo, I saw the New York license plate. As the car moved quickly out Euclid Avenue, it dawn on me...he had to be the Governor of New York... with Euclid Ave being the best route to get back to Albany in those days before interstates. Wow, I thought, this had to be the best hitchhiking during my CL years!
Bob Lamb
Other ideas from some of Bob Lamb's classmates:
# Was it Nelson Rockefeller?
- Tom Begley
# I used to stand at the light on 107th, the street near Latin, to hitch a ride to Buckeye Rd. A young man stopped to give me a ride. His voice sounded familiar but I did not know him. In conversation, I asked his name. It was Johnny Holiday our favorite DJ. - Larry Kaminski
# The Governor was Nelson Rockefeller. The Rockefellers were originally from Cleveland. He might have been visiting relatives!!
- Jim Gareau
# Nah, it was probably Stefano Magaddino, the Buffalo Mafia Don who just got through visiting with John Scalish, the Cleveland Mafia Don !!!!!!!!!
- Albert Di Iorio (Albert gets the prize -ed.)
# On hitchhiking - Tom Ashdown and I first became pals hitching home at Mayfield/Euclid together on the 2 afternoons I didn't have to work. The best stop was the White Castle at Warrensville Rd and Mayfield for a 25 cent burger. And I'll bet most of the students hitching East during Jr and Sr years will remember Jim Faflik's old Studebaker. Even though it was full of classmates, Jim would often save Tom and I the cold walk to Mayfield, wondering if the car would make it with all of us in it.
- John Forhan
# Royal Castle. Not White Castle. I’d go out Euclid to Belvoir. There was a bakery that had great eclairs, 2 for a quarter. Or I’d go Mayfield to Monticello.
- Marce Mylen
# Marce is right, it was a Royal Castle. You could also get a "birch beer". Once you were at Mayfield and Warrensvile, Tom Ashdown could have crawled home as he lived about 3-4 blocks from there. Mayfield Rd. was the "underground railroad" for CLS hitchers.
- Tim McMonagle
# Thanks for so many good memories of the class of 62!
- Bob Lamb
# Sophomore year my family moved to Yellowstone Road just off Mayfield opposite what is now Severance Town Center. I would be out there looking for a ride that would either go down Mayfield through Little Italy and down Euclid past 107th St. Always a dicey ride because the driver may be headed just to University Hospital/University Circle or down Chester Av or Liberty Blvd. A longer walk especially in the winter. Or a ride down Mayfield to Euclid Heights Blvd to Cedar Road to Carnegie past 107th St. This was the desired ride…shorter walk! I can still recall John Gibbon’s dad heading west on Mayfield Road toward Yellowstone in his yellow Buick convertible with a full car of Lions--John, Tom Ashdown, Chuck Kleinhenz, and a couple of others. Mr. Gibbons always picked me up no matter who was packed into the car. I can still see the car covered in snow with Mr. Gibbons motioning to me to get in. Mr. Gibbons was a nice man!!!
- Tom Begley
- Happy New Year to All My Latin Buddies!
- Happy New Year to you also Jim, and thank you for all you have done for our class
- Your sentiments certainly ring true for me. Wish we lived closer to Cleveland so I could share in some of the Friday get togethers!
- WELL SAID ...in fact perfect. Tim McMonagle, ex officio and honorary '62 -Tim McMonagle
- Happy New Year to all the great guys I've had the privilege of knowing all these years! When I tell people about our web site(THANKS, Jim), our monthly get-togethers, our on-line comradery, yearly reunions etc. they don't believe it. Some even say they haven't seen or heard from any of their HS classmates. Just remember "our love for thee, classmates and teachers, shall never cool, CATHEDRAL LATIN SCHOOL!!!!" -Danny Borovac
- Dan Dan he is the man...if he can't do it no one can...Forever Purple and Gold. Happy New Year old Lions w young roar...lk -Larry Kaminski
- Happy New YEAR to all, We have a great class of guys, It is truly amazing to still be in contact with so many. Now all I need to do is get over to Muldoons more to join in with all. -Dave Komorowski
- Happy New Year
Feliz Ano Nuevo
Bonne Année
Frohes neues Jahr
Boldog Uj Evet
Felic any not
Stastny nova rok
Sretna nova godina
Sasta Bliain Nua
Novus Annus
Stastny Novy rok
and many more -Albert Di Iorio
- Happy New Year to all members of the 1962 class. I was a first year teacher when u we’re freshmen. Hence, I always considered myself a part of your class. Thanks for continuing to stay in touch w me and inviting me to your events.
- Happy New Year to all my Cathedral Latin classmates. I was always proud to say I was a member of the class of ’62. God bless all in 2019! -(Gabe) Nick Farkash
- Hi Lions,
Go Lions!
Best Wishes for a happy and healthy 2019! -Bob Lamb
- Happy New Year to all,
I miss you all, some more that others.
Again Happy New Year -Pete Sylvester
- I have held thoughts in for many years about the pride I have in my CLS education. When you teach for 45 years, the memories run in the thousands. For a while I thought the quote" no man can serve two masters was originated by Mr. T. Only later did I find it in scripture.
I then spent 20 minutes sketching CLS and what it was like to go there and what it taught me . I told a few stories and described a gang of a thousand guys like all of you. I had tears in my eyes and I didn't care.
All this is due to the love I have for you , the school, our traditions and even the great faculty. I could go on , but I have said enough. God Bless all of you and Happy New Year! -Dan McGrath
A Guy's Dilemma - Jim McMahon (2/21/2019)
I’m wondering if any of you fellow Latinites ever did something like this. On a Friday or Saturday night my father would allow me to have the car but stipulated that he wanted me home early and wanted me to replace the gasoline that I used. “Fine with me but can you lend me a couple of bucks”. Then it was off to a Latin basketball or football game with some of my Latin buddies; or if I was brave enough I’d pick up a girl friend and go to a movie or something - this would have been rare. Occasionally, we’d be out too late and by the time we were heading home all the gas stations were closed and there was no chance to replace the used gasoline. What we’d do then is go to the closed stations and try to drain off the undelivered gasoline left in each of the hoses. We’d put the nozzle in the tank and then lift the hose so that the residual gas would flow down into the tank. It would usually take trips to numerous gas stations to get the needle to budge to the right on the gas gauge. I might have replaced at least some of the gasoline I used; but then I'd have to explain why I was really late getting home. C’est la vie.
Jim McMahon
We got caught (Jim McMahon 4/10/2020)
I remember one afternoon listening to Bro. Conlon when he interrupted his class and left the room after putting us on our best behavior. Shortly thereafter, someone started throwing spitballs and soon they were flying everywhere. Spitballs were splatting on the blackboard, on the windows, and on the backs of fellow students. I’m sure Blaszak would say that Sheahen started the spitball fight. Soon spitballs were all over the room in a disgusting mess. Bro. Conlon returned after a lengthy interval to find the aftermath. He was aghast at our behavior and ordered those responsible to identify themselves. I was one of them, but like the rest, I chose to avoid admitting guilt and remained mute. Bro. Conlon got more irate and demanded those involved to “be a man” and face up to their responsibility. Slowly hands, including my own, went up to acknowledge the truth. We were then ordered to clean up the mess which we did. I don’t remember if we were issued Blue Tickets or not. I guess you can say we were not exactly on our best behavior but at least we finally fessed up.
Jim McMahon
Tall Tails from the Monastery (Myron Achbach aka Bro. Myron 4/10/2020)
Bro. Swallow was a classmate of mine and a good friend. I kidded him relentlessly. Many examples. Some of us Brothers on occasion would compose an announcement which was read at the end of the school day. We knew Fr. McKay (God love him) never checked them before the student read them. So I penned something like this. “ Will Firmin Bird report to Bro. Swallow in the cage in the athletic locker room after dismissal?” Firmin was a meek little freshman who never bothered anyone. No relative to Bro. Firmin who succeeded
Fr. McKay as principal.
There were so many crazy stories that happened in the religious community. Some got into the school. I often thought to write my memories of them. Title it Tall Tales from the Monastery? I loved the community and all of u.
Myron Achbach aka Bro. Myron
Advantages of riding the Greyhound (Bud Brueggeman 4/10/2020)
I was a commuter from Mentor with Al Diorio from Painesville. We rode Greyhound to school BUT the advantage was the afternoon ride home: The girls who commuted from Notre Dame, Villa Angela and Andrews also rode with us. Need I say More?
Henry"Bud" Brueggeman
Tom Begley answered Bud with this: "You Dog !!!"
CL and the New York Governor (Bob Lamb 4/10/2020)
While at CL. I regularly hitched hiked home along Euclid Avenue near Case Western Reserve during my junior and senior years. I met some interesting people (with only a couple of weirdos from whose cars I quickly exited!). One day after school I was hoping to get a lift home, when a big limo pulled up and it’s driver told me to get in the front seat. I noticed there was a large and very well dressed man seated behind me. I chatted with the man and driver for 15 minutes or so. As we neared my street, I told the driver where I would need to get off. But I kept wondering who was this large man in the back seat. As I climbed out of the limo, I saw the New York license plate. As the car moved quickly out Euclid Avenue, it dawn on me...he had to be the Governor of New York... with Euclid Ave being the best route to get back to Albany in those days before interstates. Wow, I thought, this had to be the best hitchhiking during my CL years!
Bob Lamb
Other ideas from some of Bob Lamb's classmates:
# Was it Nelson Rockefeller?
- Tom Begley
# I used to stand at the light on 107th, the street near Latin, to hitch a ride to Buckeye Rd. A young man stopped to give me a ride. His voice sounded familiar but I did not know him. In conversation, I asked his name. It was Johnny Holiday our favorite DJ. - Larry Kaminski
# The Governor was Nelson Rockefeller. The Rockefellers were originally from Cleveland. He might have been visiting relatives!!
- Jim Gareau
# Nah, it was probably Stefano Magaddino, the Buffalo Mafia Don who just got through visiting with John Scalish, the Cleveland Mafia Don !!!!!!!!!
- Albert Di Iorio (Albert gets the prize -ed.)
# On hitchhiking - Tom Ashdown and I first became pals hitching home at Mayfield/Euclid together on the 2 afternoons I didn't have to work. The best stop was the White Castle at Warrensville Rd and Mayfield for a 25 cent burger. And I'll bet most of the students hitching East during Jr and Sr years will remember Jim Faflik's old Studebaker. Even though it was full of classmates, Jim would often save Tom and I the cold walk to Mayfield, wondering if the car would make it with all of us in it.
- John Forhan
# Royal Castle. Not White Castle. I’d go out Euclid to Belvoir. There was a bakery that had great eclairs, 2 for a quarter. Or I’d go Mayfield to Monticello.
- Marce Mylen
# Marce is right, it was a Royal Castle. You could also get a "birch beer". Once you were at Mayfield and Warrensvile, Tom Ashdown could have crawled home as he lived about 3-4 blocks from there. Mayfield Rd. was the "underground railroad" for CLS hitchers.
- Tim McMonagle
# Thanks for so many good memories of the class of 62!
- Bob Lamb
# Sophomore year my family moved to Yellowstone Road just off Mayfield opposite what is now Severance Town Center. I would be out there looking for a ride that would either go down Mayfield through Little Italy and down Euclid past 107th St. Always a dicey ride because the driver may be headed just to University Hospital/University Circle or down Chester Av or Liberty Blvd. A longer walk especially in the winter. Or a ride down Mayfield to Euclid Heights Blvd to Cedar Road to Carnegie past 107th St. This was the desired ride…shorter walk! I can still recall John Gibbon’s dad heading west on Mayfield Road toward Yellowstone in his yellow Buick convertible with a full car of Lions--John, Tom Ashdown, Chuck Kleinhenz, and a couple of others. Mr. Gibbons always picked me up no matter who was packed into the car. I can still see the car covered in snow with Mr. Gibbons motioning to me to get in. Mr. Gibbons was a nice man!!!
- Tom Begley
Freshman Speech Class (Jim McMahon, 4-27-2020)
We were all required to take speech class during our freshman year in 1958. Every self-respecting Latinite needed to be articulate – with great poise, sophistication, and a decent vocabulary. I had Bro. Boccardi for speech. He was an excellent speaker and a great teacher. I remember our first assignment was to give a 5-minute talk about some current event. Since 1958 was the year of the United States’ first successful satellite launch, I chose that space mission to be the subject of my talk. I spoke of the United States sending Explorer I into earth orbit with a perigee of 358 kilometers (222 mi) and an apogee of 2,550 kilometers (1,580 mi) to study the Van Allen radiation belt. What the hell was the meaning perigee and apogee, anyway! Those two words described the deviation of the satellite from a circular orbit. Because of the great deviation from circular, the satellite orbit was described as erratic.
In order to put a little more panache into my talk, I pronounced the word "erratic" as "erotic", and being only 13, I had no idea what erotic meant. It just sounded better to me since changing intonation of the word made me seem much more cosmopolitan or intellectual. Whatever!! At the end of class Bro. Boccardi corrected my pronunciation but did not explain the meaning of the word. I am sure a classmate, maybe one from Little Italy, could have wised me up to the meaning of erotic.
Freshman Speech Class (Richard O'Neill, 4-28-2020)
Since Jim McMahon presented a story about Freshman Speech Class, I will add a story about my own participation in that same speech class. One time we were supposed to argue a case for some position, and I decided to argue the case for German rearmament. Back at home, my parents said some things at the dinner table against German rearmament. I did not have the courage to argue with my parents in person, so I argued with my parents indirectly by giving a speech in speech class. Brother Boccardi had taught us about how, St. Thomas Aquinas, in writing a Summa article, always began by stating the case for the opposing position before stating his own position. I decided to imitate that practice by starting out with the opposing position, the case against German rearmament. However, after talking half an hour, I was still working out the case for the opposition when Brother Boccardi told me to quickly wrap up my talk. It will be recalled that, between the ages of two and four, I lived on the campus of Latin, wandering around talking to the brothers, and my favorite brother was an older one, Brother Kalt. When I gave my speech in speech class, the door of our classroom was open, as was the door of the library across the hall. And so, Brother Kalt heard my speech. He telephoned my parents and said that he thought I gave a good speech.
We were all required to take speech class during our freshman year in 1958. Every self-respecting Latinite needed to be articulate – with great poise, sophistication, and a decent vocabulary. I had Bro. Boccardi for speech. He was an excellent speaker and a great teacher. I remember our first assignment was to give a 5-minute talk about some current event. Since 1958 was the year of the United States’ first successful satellite launch, I chose that space mission to be the subject of my talk. I spoke of the United States sending Explorer I into earth orbit with a perigee of 358 kilometers (222 mi) and an apogee of 2,550 kilometers (1,580 mi) to study the Van Allen radiation belt. What the hell was the meaning perigee and apogee, anyway! Those two words described the deviation of the satellite from a circular orbit. Because of the great deviation from circular, the satellite orbit was described as erratic.
In order to put a little more panache into my talk, I pronounced the word "erratic" as "erotic", and being only 13, I had no idea what erotic meant. It just sounded better to me since changing intonation of the word made me seem much more cosmopolitan or intellectual. Whatever!! At the end of class Bro. Boccardi corrected my pronunciation but did not explain the meaning of the word. I am sure a classmate, maybe one from Little Italy, could have wised me up to the meaning of erotic.
Freshman Speech Class (Richard O'Neill, 4-28-2020)
Since Jim McMahon presented a story about Freshman Speech Class, I will add a story about my own participation in that same speech class. One time we were supposed to argue a case for some position, and I decided to argue the case for German rearmament. Back at home, my parents said some things at the dinner table against German rearmament. I did not have the courage to argue with my parents in person, so I argued with my parents indirectly by giving a speech in speech class. Brother Boccardi had taught us about how, St. Thomas Aquinas, in writing a Summa article, always began by stating the case for the opposing position before stating his own position. I decided to imitate that practice by starting out with the opposing position, the case against German rearmament. However, after talking half an hour, I was still working out the case for the opposition when Brother Boccardi told me to quickly wrap up my talk. It will be recalled that, between the ages of two and four, I lived on the campus of Latin, wandering around talking to the brothers, and my favorite brother was an older one, Brother Kalt. When I gave my speech in speech class, the door of our classroom was open, as was the door of the library across the hall. And so, Brother Kalt heard my speech. He telephoned my parents and said that he thought I gave a good speech.
They're everywhere (Albert Di Iorio)
It was nice to see several Hellriegel patrons, who are Latin grads, visit our Mini-Reunion on
September 16th. In addition to Carmen Cesa '59 who attends many of our Muldoon's Get-Togethers, also visiting were Bob DiCello '63, Ernie Weninger '65 and our server Colleen, NDCL '99. Missing was Roger,Skrocki '60. These are Hellriegel patrons who have identified themselves as CL grads. I’m sure there are more .
The following week I was a vendor at the Painesville Railroad Museum Garage Sale and began chatting with a vendor set up opposite from me. He then went on to talk to the vendor next to me and I heard him say “University of Dayton” I was going to ask him where he went to high school cuz only Latin and St Joe guys ever go to UD. Before I had a chance to ask, a friend of his stops by his table and they start chatting. Then the vendor next to me asks them where they went to high school and Bingo——the words “Cathedral Latin” were uttered. I quickly held up my 2016, 100 yr anniversary CL mug and yelled “Here’s another one.” Both of them were CL '72. Meanwhile another vendor who was friends with the CL vendor and heard everything chimes in “They’re Everywhere” And so we are !!!!!!
Maybe this short rambling will encourage others to mention where Latin grads have appeared
Halloween doesn't need to be scary (sent in by Jim McMahon 11/1/2021) Yesterday on Halloween (10/31/2021), I was sitting in our living room waiting for the doorbell to ring so that I could give out candy to the next wave of kids. The doorbell eventually rang and "Oh my Gosh" I was stunned by this gorgeous group of "trick or treaters." I asked them a bunch of questions just in order to prolong their stay at my front door. Eventually I got around to asking them where they went to school. They responded "We're from NDCL." Amazed, I told them "I'm Latin Class of 1962" and they responded "We're Class of 2022". Yikes, that's a 60 year difference. All I can say is: I'm glad that Latin is now co-ed. And I wish I were 60 years younger. |
NDCL Trick or Treaters
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Email Dilemma
I thought you guys would get a kick out if this. After I got home after spending six months in the hospital, then laying on my back convalescing on a hospital bed set up in our dining room, I decided to end some of the boredom by checking on my unread email. Lo and Behold! I had 4473 emails stuffing my inbox. Yikes! Now let me get to work on that. (Jim McMahon 9/6/2021)
A Personal Story
(Jim McMahon, 12/16/2021)
While going to Latin, I delivered the morning Plain Dealer everyday to houses on my street. At one of the houses, there lived a gorgeous girl named Kathy who went to Cleveland Heights High School. O My God was she beautiful. When delivering to her house in the early morning, I would launch the paper onto the porch floor beneath her bedroom window hoping that the thump of the paper would wake her and she’d come to the window to see what was going on. That never happened. But eventually I got enough nerve to ask her out. I would take my father’s Chevy Impala convertible to her house and drive around with her at my side. We went to movies and even a couple Ferrante and Teicher concerts (Do you remember them?). I took her to our Junior Prom and I'm sure I made some of the other guys jealous. Sometimes when I walked home from school, she would come out of her house to talk when she saw me walking-by wearing my Latin Letter Sweater. Eventually though, I graduated from Latin and went to Western Reserve University where I met an even lovelier girl named Kaaren whom I married. We’ve been together now for over 55 years. She is the love of my life. At last, this story has the perfect ending.
(Jim McMahon, 12/16/2021)
While going to Latin, I delivered the morning Plain Dealer everyday to houses on my street. At one of the houses, there lived a gorgeous girl named Kathy who went to Cleveland Heights High School. O My God was she beautiful. When delivering to her house in the early morning, I would launch the paper onto the porch floor beneath her bedroom window hoping that the thump of the paper would wake her and she’d come to the window to see what was going on. That never happened. But eventually I got enough nerve to ask her out. I would take my father’s Chevy Impala convertible to her house and drive around with her at my side. We went to movies and even a couple Ferrante and Teicher concerts (Do you remember them?). I took her to our Junior Prom and I'm sure I made some of the other guys jealous. Sometimes when I walked home from school, she would come out of her house to talk when she saw me walking-by wearing my Latin Letter Sweater. Eventually though, I graduated from Latin and went to Western Reserve University where I met an even lovelier girl named Kaaren whom I married. We’ve been together now for over 55 years. She is the love of my life. At last, this story has the perfect ending.