(Note: This completes the presentation of Cathedral Chronicles published during our years at CHS. There are many previous posts providing Chronicle issues, and all of the issues are available on the “Chronicles” page.)

The annual “purple issue” was the conclusion to the Chronicles of our junior year. Now, as seniors, we were going to be in charge, as much as a class of students could be in a rather, shall we say, top-down administrative structure.

Notice of our new status was this photo on page one of the new Student Council officers for 1963-64. “Climaxing a week of spirited campaigning,” the Chronicle said, Mike Reavey (top, right) was elected major-domo . . . president . . . and Kathy Modry (top, left) took the post of secretary.

Page three led off with coverage of the second annual communion supper, May 8, sponsored by the National Honor Society, featuring a Mass conducted in the Eastern Byzantine rite and its “strange English.” Toastmaster at the supper was Mike Reavey, who was also general chairman of the event. Marilyn Stowe was chair of the Mass committee and other directors were Jim Montanari (decorations), Cornelia Spring (invitations), and Bill Danoff (entertainment).

A page three article featured four new YLs of the Radio Club. “YL” in radio jargon, the article said, referred to “young ladies,” atypical members of such clubs. Indeed, Barbara Mooney (photo right), Patricia Manning, Patricia Matthews, and Lynn Lacivita broke the gender barrier at CHS, though Sr. Loretta Thomas was club moderator. The article also mentions Steve Sullivan, president of the club, and Ed Callahan.

Establishment of a new anthology and poetry, headed by classmates, was announced on page three. Carole Organek and Patricia Pettazzoni were co-editors of the project, to use work from three of Sr. Mary Magdalen’s English classes. Kathleen Burtt, Robert Lavoie, and Thomas Hebert were to serve as editorial board directors of the three classes, and Roland Chapdelaine, Thomas Kenney, and Peter Downs as corresponding business managers.

Page four mentioned summer activities anticipated for Kathy Modry (“filing meter slips in the large vault of the Springfield Gas Light Co.”) and Peter Mulvagh (visiting Toronto and Montreal), as well as Gene Ryzewicz and John Moore, who were to spend the summer doing maintenance work at CHS.

The Panthers took the city championship in track and just missed in baseball, according to coverage on page five. John Collins ran a 9.6 in the 100-yard dash and 23.1 in the 220, winning and setting records in both. Paul Rieker also won and set records in the low hurdles and javelin. Returning baseball players cited in an article were Tom Dunn, Gene Ryzewicz, Tom Nolan, John Stocks, and Bob Fitzgerald. Our “linksmen” (golfers), co-leaders in the city league at press time, included classmates Tim Swearingen, Roger Kasmer, Rich Murphy, Mike Bannon, and George Shannon. Reid Oslin wrote an article featuring five track team members graduating that month.

Page six reported that Rosemary Lavinski (photo) had recently been chosen president of the CHS Red Cross chapter. She was also president of the council representing all the Junior Red Cross chapters at high schools in Greater Springfield.

In Student Council election results other than the top positions, reported on page six, Brendan Montano, John Sheehan, and Bob Stroshine were elected judges while Bill McDonald was chosen sheriff and George Shannon, bailiff. (I mean, can there be a more bizarre title in high school than sheriff?)

The June 12, 1963, Cathedral Chronicle