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

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four

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

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four

Literary Supplement 1

Literary Supplement 2

“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

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four

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

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four

Our class was pretty much absent from the first Chronicle of 1961. Of course, there was Christmas break and apparently a lot of snow since the last issue.

Three storms in only a few days in mid-January, the January 27, 1961, Chronicle said, resulted in one day off (January 16), but also the cancellation of the sophomore dance, basketball game against Classical, and several typing exams. Students also would have had January 20 off because of snow, but school was already closed that day so we could all watch JFK’s inauguration, on one of the coldest days in Washington, DC, for that event.

Jerome Webb as our sole representative in Chronicle pictures, at right. Jerome was on the chess team that had just defeated Longmeadow 7-0(!) to remain undefeated at 4-0.

In the first Literary Supplement of the school year, the class was represented with items by Ernest Gaudette, Lawrence Landry, and Dorothea Hammond.

In sports, basketball coverage started including freshman Gene Ryzewicz among the starting five. That wouldn’t change for four years, except for injury.

Here’s the January 27, 1961, Chronicle

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four

Literary Supplement, page one

Literary Supplement, page two

Happy July 4th. Hope the storms in the Northeast clear up for a nice weekend.

Remember how back in the day we often celebrated this holiday with family, neighbors, and friends with cookouts and fireworks in the backyard or at a lakeside cabin? You see a lot more sophisticated fireworks at the major events these days, but there is something especially memorable about even the small stuff going off close by. Personal pyrotechnics . . . in lots of places, a skill and thrill of the past.

November Chronicle freshman year
We got a little more mention in the Chronicle as we moved into the fall of freshman year. About time!

A bottom-page-4 article in then November 23, 1960, edition refers to us as “Eager Beavers” and cites scholastic activity of several members of the Class of ’64: Vincent Brown, David Rucinski, Maryellen Rooney, Diane Dillon, William Ligouri (sic), Thomas Roberts, Ellen St. Clair (sic), James Boucher, Paul Donahue, William Danoff, Mary Hurley, John Sheehan, Patricia Johnson, Mark Sullivan, Barbara Shean, Dennis Jacobi, Carol Organek, Alan Sponburgh, Gary Bushey, Patricia Canning, and Carol Forgemie.

Even the sports pages did not mention any members of the class, like, say, Gene Ryzewicz. That changed soon thereafter.

Here’s the November 23, 1960 Chronicle.

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four