1961-62 Purple Panthers hockey team, with classmates highlighted. Back, l-r: Timothy Wright, Don Chase, Tom Webber (manager). Front, l-r: Dave Guyer, Tom Nolan, and Gaetan Pelletier.

The March 1962 edition of the Chronicle was the first in our years to go to six pages in length. The only photographic presence of the Class of 1964 came in the photo above of the hockey team, which included six classmates. There was plenty of mention of classmates in the rest of the issue, however.

Page one talked about the year’s first band concert, featuring Brendan Montano and Carol Horr. Kevin O’Malley, Diane Dillon, William O’Malley, Paul Donahue, and Daniel Noonan were prepping for the state finals in Speech. Carol Horr and Daniel Noonan also participated in the Dramatic Society’s regional competition, along with Patricia Raimondi. Francis Liro did the lighting. William Devlin, John Roberts, Ellen LeClare (sic) (LeClair), and Lynn Stowe received training in the use of products from Holyoke-based Tecnifax.

On page three, an item reported on Sr. James Bernard’s fourth period English class and the activities of Robert McCann, Gerald O’Connor, Joseph McClellan, and Anne Fahey. Also, Nancy Thompson, Jean Larkin (Landry?), Angela Deady, Lynn Albano, James O’Connell, Kathleen Ensign, James Gastone, and Alice Rohan. A preview of the upcoming Minstrel Revue mentioned soloists Dyane (another variation) Dillon and Rita Arsenault.

Nine CHS students went to the Columbia University high school press convention (page four), including Mary Clark, Kathleen Ensign, Kevin O’Malley, and Jeffrey Powers. On the same page, it was noted that Stephen Sullivan was one of only two students at CHS licensed to use the equipment for amateur radio station KIUHA. And among the students reported as enjoying hobbies were Rita Arsenault (collecting teacups), Ralph Adair (collecting fossils), Jacqueline Artiano (collecting pictures of cats), Robert Stroshine (landscaping).

In addition to the hockey players in the photo, page five (sports) mentioned John Collins and, of course, Gene Ryzewicz. One mention of John described him as someone who “startled nearly everyone by finishing first” in the city and Western Mass meets. Perhaps John was not among the “everyone” startled by his performance.

Jeffrey Powers had his first byline in the Chronicle on page six, interviewing an international student from Kenya. Receiving certificates for scoring 100 percent on two math proficiency exams sponsored by the National Office Management Association were: James Bogacz, Patricia Bajek, Michael Begley, Joanne Blazejowski, Patricia Bologa, Elizabeth Brown, Elaine Brzezowski, Joyce Costa, Diane French, Elaine Gauthier, Yvette Harpin, Bonnie Keane, Katherine Lynch, Anne Meron, Richard Newman, Denis Remillard, Kevin Szczygiel, and James Williams.

Here’s the March 30, 1962 Chronicle

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Classmates were throughout the January 1962 edition of the Chronicle, especially in reference to the production of “Silas Marner” presented by Sister Agnes Bernard’s 4th period English class. I don’t remember whether “Silas Marner” was even an okay book, but most of us probably had to read it.

This picture, below the fold of page one, shows many of the principal cast members, but the caption, oddly, does not include mention of the two students to the left — Elizabeth Francesconi as “Eppie” and Paul Donahue as the eponymous main character. The article to the left of the photo does list cast members: Paul, Elizabeth, Michael Reavey, Kevin O’Malley, Margaret Morneau, and narrator Dianne Dillon, but excludes Marilyn Stowe, who’s in the photo. Kathleen Ensign’s article about the play, to right of photo, also mentions Gene Ryzewicz.

Page three includes what I believe is Reid Oslin‘s first article in the Chronicle, reporting on the “tankmen,” i.e., swim team. Reid also covered sports for the Springfield newspapers for several years during high school and college and had a distinguished career of more than 40 years as Sports Information Director, and later as a senior member of the Public Affairs staff, at Boston College. He was inducted into BC’s Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1989. He has written three books about Boston College sports, including one just out on the BC hockey program.

It was in the Literary Supplement that class members were particularly evident. William Devlin had a “monoprint” of an “ultra-modern home” on the first page. Thomas Dunn had an extensive piece on page two entitled “The Haunter of Hilltown.” Kathleen Williams gave the “Definition of Cathedral.” Kathleen Martin provided a poem and Lawrence Landry a drawing of that same ol’ Silas Marner. Reid Oslin, showing he can write about stuff other than sports, looked ahead 50 years, to 2012, in sketching what might have been a good episode of Twilight Zone.

Here’s the January 26, 1962, Chronicle

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“‘Look at the Child smile,’ muses Kathleen Modry in the role of Columbine, as Stehen Dreyer and Jeffrey Powers comply.” Chronicle caption.

The December 1961 Chronicle featured this photo at the top of the page, accompanying an article about a one-act Christmas play to be held on December 22. Mentioned in the article are cast members Dennis Trelease, Kathleen Modry, Jeffrey Powers, Stephen Dwyer, William (I believe it should be Robert) McCann, and George Shannon. Richard McGurk and Daniel Noonan were shepherds. Lighting was in the capable hands of all-soph crew Francis Liro, William MacDonald (sic), Steven Sullivan, and Paul Vey.

On page 4, this photo shows Richard McGurk displaying his winning project in the Room 303 geometry fair, explaining things to Robert Stroshine. Less than a month later, Richie McGurk was killed in a tragic accident. (See “Very early losses,” posted January 18.) Second place in the fair went to Brendan Montano.

Here’s the December 22, 1961, Chronicle

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This photo in the November 1961 Chronicle (page three) accompanies an article about new girls physical education instructor Frances White. Kind of a hodge-podge of socks and sneakers (even a pair of saddle shoes in the rear) on the girls. Whatever happened to uniforms? 🙂

Page one reports on the new Pantherpix, i.e., the first-ever. We were apparently only the third class to have what was called the school’s “Memory book.” And page four has an item about the introduction of CHS commercial students to the “latest typewriters” by IBM.  Yup, the Selectric. (Though the caption refers to it as the “Selective.”) Mentioned is the presence of “built-in memory.” “[I]f two characters are typed at one time, the second will not print until the first one has been recorded.” Maybe 14 bytes of memory?

Doesn’t this make you feel old?

Here’s the November 21, 1961, Chronicle

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The October 1961 Chronicle had a couple of articles on United Nations Week and another editorial calling CHS students to task, this time for a conspicuous lack of enthusiasm. The September Chronicle had complained about the lack of maturity among students and the editorial in this issue said, “Cathedral is running lower on enthusiasm these days than a sway-backed rattlesnake(?).” I repeat — Who wrote these things?

Three classmates made the front page. Kathleen Williams‘s picture (at right) accompanied an item on biology classes and “beautiful bugs.” Paul Donahue‘s visage was in a photo/cartoon (above) about our debating teams. Kevin O’Malley was listed as a correspondent for WSPR sports.

Page three (sports) reported on the winless varsity Purple Panthers, but also had an item about the JV football team. Mentioned were classmates Tom Briggs, Don Chase, Paul “Fuzzy” Dufresne, Desmond Callahan, Dennis Finnerty, and Dan O’Malley.

Here’s the October 20, 1961, Chronicle

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I don’t remember using or even hearing “greens” and “greys” to describe female and male students at CHS, but there is much logic to the terms, which described the color of the respective uniform jackets.

The lead article in the September 1961 Chronicle, the first of our sophomore year, announced “Greens Outnumber Greys.” Each class contained more girls than boys, with ours having 412 “feminine sophs” and 370 “masculine members” ( . . . ahem).

The Chronicle also said CHS had nine new faculty members that fall: Sisters Edward Grace, Edward Patrice, James Elizabeth, and Agnes Aloysius; civilians Lois Lambert, James Parent, Michael Gelinas, Raymond Czelusniak, and Frances White.

On page two, sophomore Maryellen Rooney had an article about her trip to Washington, DC, with classmate Dianne Dillon. And page two also contained the sad news about the death during the summer of our classmate, Gerard Plante.

One of the editorials discussed the issue of “mature” Cathedralites. It was accompanied by the cartoon at right (can’t one be mature and preoccupied with the opposite sex?). One of the attributes of a “mature” student, according to the editorial, was that he or she “tries to live above the traits of adolescence.” What I want to know is who wrote these things? 🙂

Here’s the September 29, 1961 Chronicle

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Chronicles reporting on the graduation of each class were printed in purple . . . totally . . . until 1964. Oh, well.

We saw our first purple Chronicle in May 1961. The issue’s focus, understandably, was on the Class of 1961, which received diplomas in ceremonies June 14, on school grounds. But page three, the traditional sports page, carried news that the Purple Panthers, led by classmate John Collins, had swept the city and Western Mass. track championships. John, perhaps known as “the blur” based on this photo, took first in the 100-yard dash and second in the 220.

This season was also the first in which CHS was undefeated in track.

Page three also announced that three frosh — Holly Donohue, Maureen Lyons, and Kathleen Modry — had been selected to replace departing seniors on the CHS cheerleading squad.

Here’s the June 19, 1961, Chronicle

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The May 1961 Chronicle featured another literary supplement and the Class of ’64 made itself known in a significant way as a group of artists and poets for the first time.  . . . Hey, we were freshmen.

Drawings by Eileen Carmel and Diane Dillon were two of the eight published. Eileen and Diane also had poems, as did William Fleming, Carol Hoar, Katherine Lynch, Raymond Siwinski, and Daniel Noonan. Kathleen Ensign wrote a short statement about “Spring.”

John Collins finally got out on the track and quickly broke the CHS record in the 220-yard dash (this is before meters, remember) (page three). John’s 22.5 run nipped the 22.6 time set by George Kelly ’54. Only the first record-breaking performance of many by John, who, indeed, led the Purple Panthers in points as a freshman.

Here’s the May 25, 1961, Chronicle

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“Budding scientists” Michael Lucey, Roberta Lauzon, and Thomas Kenney were featured in the March 1961 Chronicle coverage of the freshman science fair. On page four? It was the freshman science fair, I guess. Lots of ’64ers are mentioned in the article.

On page one, a preview of the upcoming Minstrel Revue listed several freshmen who were about to begin grand minstrel careers at CHS: Rita Arsenault, Frances Ann Hull, Mary Lou Lattinville, Daniel Cotter, and Peggy Morneau.

In basketball news on page three, Gene Ryzewicz became the first freshman to be named to the all-city high school basketball team, and Panthers fans were waiting for the other freshmen to move up to varsity status in the season to come. Starters on the freshman team, the Chronicle said, included “Dave Wall, Don LaCasse, Johnny Collins (sic), and Dan Moriarty.” “Johnny” Collins went on to better work on the cinders.

Here’s the March 29, 1961, Chronicle

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Freshmen from the Class of 1964 were featured in this page one photo in the February 24, 1961, issue of the Chronicle. Visible, from left, are Sandra McMeans, James Montanari, Michael Reavey, Kathleen Modry, Stephen Rice, Robert LeClair, and Robert Coleman. At left is Sr. Patricia Joseph and Sr. Geraldine Maria is at right.

Gene Ryzewicz had begun to take his place as perhaps Cathedral’s finest athlete . . . of all time. Page three reported he led the basketball team in scoring as the Panthers took three, over St. Joseph’s of Pittsfield, Tech, and Classical.

Page four cites Carol Horr (piano) and Brendan Montano (violin) as “musical teenagers” participating in the Young People’s Symphony and Junior extension.

Here’s the February 24, 1961 Chronicle

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