Winter 2014 Volume XLI Number 1
EDUCATION
BEYOND THE INTELLECT FATHER RYAN’S TEACHING COMMUNITY EMBODIES CHRIST THE TEACHER
FEATURE STORIES
That ’63-64 Team & Jesse Porter’64 A Papal Meeting Farewells w w w. f a t h e r r y a n . o r g
®
Board of trustees
CONTENTS
Executive Committee
Winter 2014
Cover Photo: Amy Johnston ’93, chair of the Theology Department, lectures in the courtyard in front of the Center for the Arts. She is one of the many examples of Father Ryan alumni who embody the spirit of Christ the Teacher. See cover story on PAGE 20.
Feature
Table of Contents
Judy Komisky Orr ’75, Chair David Glascoe, Vice-Chair Robert J. Mendes, Finance Committee Chair Betty Lou Burnett, Membership Chair Rev. Mark Beckman
Volume XLI Number 1
Committee Chairs Brett Wesnofske ’88, Facilities John Siedlecki, Advancement
The Annual Fund Helps our Students Tell Their Stories… Everywhere
Whether
their interests lie in the visual arts or the performing arts, in
the science lab or the language lab, on the soccer field or the wrestling mat, in serving at the
Chapel
or serving the community,
students are living and telling special stories.
And
Father Ryan
your support of the
Annual Fund makes these stories possible. Click on this code to see the stories of our Singers performing at Sony-Tree Studios or to watch how Cecilia Kim ’14 is developing her art; two stories from the holiday season that showcase the impact of your gifts on this campus.
You can add your support to this year’s Annual Fund campaign with a tax-deductible gift. Simply go online to www.fatherryan.org/giving and add your name to those who are making Father Ryan the national standard in Catholic education.
Ex-Officio Members Most Rev. David R. Choby ’65 James A. McIntyre Dr. Therese Williams
2} In the News
Relay for Life. National Merit Honorees. New Dining Hall. Macy’s Again. Veterans Day Weekend.
Board Members
Arts 6} Fine Theatre’s Fall Production. National Choral Achievement. Singers at Sony.
David Bohan ’66 Tommy Bradley ’81 Mary Brennan Warner C. Hassell Judith E. Hoover Steven Janicak Rev. Patrick J. Kibby ’73 Dr. Robert Labadie Philip M. Mattingly, Sr. ’69 Robert J. Mendes Patrick J. Nolan, III ’69 Rick Olszewski Ralph J. Schulz, Jr. William R. Stejskal III ’79 David Tehle
Club Salute.
Athletics 8} Fall Highlights. Johnny Drennan ‘85 Memorial Wrestling Tournament. Homecoming Events. New Recycling Initiative.
12} No. 50 part 11 Story 20} Cover Education Beyond Intellect: Teacher Roundtable
Life Trustees Thomas G. Connor, Sr. ’60 William H. Farmer ’65 Edward B. Gore J. Terry Hunter Vincent T. Phillips John C. Shea ’51 William F. Smith Edward A. Stack
Administration James A. McIntyre, President Paul Davis ’81, Principal Sara Hayes, Vice Principal and Academic Dean Michael La Haie, Dean of Students Tim Forbes ’93, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life Pat Lawson ’93, Athletic Director Connie Steinmetz, Chief Financial Officer
A SEASON’S STORY WRITTEN IN
BLACK & WHITE
26} 27} 28} 30} 31}
Gala-Honoring the Langdons Thank You, Mr. Carell Class Notes Weddings Births/In Memoriam
PAGE 12
Thank you for your support of Father Ryan. Go Irish!
©2014 FRHS 20349
A Tradition of Faith, Knowledge, Service
1
In The News winter 2014 DIETERICH GETS NATIONAL SOCCER SPOT Father Ryan’s Tanner Dieterich was invited to the U.S. Soccer under 17 men’s national team residency program in Bradenton, FL. The sophomore forward/ midfielder is one of about 30 players invited from across the nation.
CALLAHAN BECOMES EAGLE
SIX STUDENTS RECOGNIZED BY NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION
RYAN RELAYS FOR HOPE.
The National Merit Scholarship Program recognized six Father Ryan students for receiving the highest PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores out of 1.5 million entrants. Five Father Ryan students were commended for placing in the top 50,000 highest scores, and one student, Kelsey Barrett (above 4th from right), was recognized as a Semi-Finalist for placing in the top 16,000 highest scores. The five Commended Father Ryan students include (from left to right) Kenneth Anderson, Emily Kerinuk, Rachel Panther, Grace Wilson and Emma Collins. All commended students are candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. High school students enter the National Merit Program by meeting program requirements and taking the Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This test serves as an initial screen of more than 1.5 million entrants each year. Father Ryan commends these students for their academic achievements and celebrates its dedication to academics. Since 1996, more than 130 Father Ryan students have been honored by the National Merit program.
On the first day of Fall Break most students would be sleeping in or making plans with friends, but instead, Father Ryan students spent Saturday, Oct. 5, raising funds for the American Cancer Society. The relay began with cancer survivors from the Nashville community leading the walk in Giacosa Stadium, followed by participants who walked from noon until midnight. Booths were set up for participants to sit down and enjoy some refreshments, and there was even live music and dancing to liven up the evening. The relay concluded with the traditional luminaria ceremony, spelling out the word “Hope” for all to see.
2
This year’s relay included 37 teams and 600 participants who raised more than $63,000 for the American Cancer Society, making it once again, the largest student-run relay in the nation, and was featured in The Tennessean with the headline “Father Ryan does Relay for Life just right.”
NEW FOOD. NEW LOOK. Father Ryan unveiled the new Dining Hall at the beginning of the 2013 school year to rave reviews. The update was inspired by a café-feel, including new lighting, décor and big screen TV’s.
Congratulations to Brian Callahan for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of Troop 444 out of Bethlehem United Methodist Church. His Eagle Scout project was building three custom built tables and six benches for Owls Hill Sanctuary. He earned 30 merit badges and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He also received the Triple Crown in Scouting award.
‘MA’ PHILBIN HONORED Last spring, Father Ryan Swim Coach Shannon ‘Ma’ Philbin was awarded the first annual Tom Fay Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Middle Tennessee High School Swim Association (MTHSSA). This highly distinguished honor is given to those who have shown dedication, honesty, and love of the sport of swimming. Shannon received this award after numerous years of dedication to the Father Ryan swim team, as well as to the MTHSSA. Shannon started coaching at Father Ryan during the 1991-1992 school year. Shortly thereafter, she became the head coach and since then has coached hundreds of young athletes to excel both as athletes and as academics. She has led numerous swimmers to become state qualifiers, state champions, Olympic qualifiers, Academic All-Americans, scholarship winners, and more. Congratulations, Coach Philbin!
Along with the physical changes, Pedestal Foods was added as the new meal provider. Fresh, made from scratch foods are now part of every meal our students, faculty and staff enjoy. 3
In The News winter 2014 VETERANS BREAKFAST HONORS FATHER RYAN HEROES
Veterans Day 2013 presented us an opportunity to extend our tradition of faith, knowledge and service by honoring a special group of alumni who dedicated themselves to the service of our country. At this year’s Veterans Breakfast, we welcomed more than 130 veterans back to the campus to honor them and all who serve our country.
THREE BAND MEMBERS RETURN TO MACY’S
THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE Connor Moran rolls in front of William Burnett as the rolling drummers open the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Below (from left to right) Matt Zotti, William and Connor on the parade route before the parade in New York City.
The Father Ryan Band made its mark on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade once again. Junior William Burnett and seniors Connor Moran and Matt Zotti were asked to join the The Great American Marching Band comprised of more than 200 top high school musicians from across the country. Burnett, Moran and Zotti participated in last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the rest of the Father Ryan band. The band’s performance was such a hit with the parade organizers that three members of Father Ryan’s drumline and our band directors were asked to return and participate in a surprise opening. The surprise involved the students performing the rolling drummers stunt that was first unveiled at the 2013 Winter 4
Guard International competition to a standing ovation. The rolling drummers were the highlight of the Macy’s opening and were featured on NBC’s broadcast. After the opening of the parade, Twitter exploded with astonishment and praises of this stunt from viewers across the nation. Many called the students “daredevil drummers” and said Macy’s had “pulled a Father Ryan.” It is safe to say Father Ryan band members have rolled their way into the hearts of the coordinators and spectators of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
OTHER BAND HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER 5, 2013: The Father Ryan Marching Band received 1st place at the Traveler’s Rest Invitational at John Overton High School. The band won Best Guard, Best Percussion, Best Effect, and Best Visual overall. In Class AAA, the Father Ryan band won Best Music, Best Effect, Best Guard, Best Drumline and 1st place in Class. OCTOBER 25-26, 2013: The Marching Band competed in the Bands of America Super Regional in Atlanta, finishing 8th overall. In this two-day event, Father Ryan received a standing ovation while competing against bands from South Carolina to Texas.
Amid hugs and laughs, in between our National Anthem and “Taps”, Father Ryan honored a special group of men whose idea of service is unparalleled. The aspect of service has been one of the defining characteristics of our students throughout our 89-year history. This characteristic was never more in evidence than during World War II, and it is this commitment to service to our nation that we celebrate at our Hero Project presentation. President Jim McIntyre presented honorary diplomas to the newest group of Hero Project Honorees. The diplomas read: This certifies that this alumnus, by virtue of his being a model to his family of the mission and beliefs of Father Ryan High School and of his service to our community and our country is herewith awarded this Honorary Diploma.
Our posthumous honorees are: James Henry Beazley, Class of 1945 Accepted by his daughters, Mary Finlay ’82 and Kathy Garr (above, right) Joseph Doyle, Class of 1942 Accepted by his wife, Becky Doyle (above, center) Russell Sanders, Class of 1943 Accepted by his son, Jody Sanders ’64 (above, left)
The Hero Project is a program to identify those Father Ryan students who served in World War II and either never returned from the war or never returned to Father Ryan to complete their studies. Each of these Father Ryan heroes is granted a Father Ryan Honorary Diploma. Leigh Anne Hasty of the senior class, her father, Mark Hasty, a member of the class of 1987 and the Alumni Board, and Bill Varley of the Class of 1971, have been leading this research effort. John Furgess, Class of 1961, serves as Chair of the Hero Project Committee. Our Registrar, Nancy Langdon, has been a tremendous help. We thank them for all they are doing to recognize these devoted Father Ryan students. This is an ongoing project…we presented our first honorary degree at our 9/11 Service September of 2012, and there are more of these devoted servants of Father Ryan and America still to be discovered. The story of these Heroes’ sacrifices was never better told than last November, when our own Mike Rose, Class of 1989, filmed and produced a moving, Channel 5 news piece about the Hero Project. It continues to inspire our committee and our community, and it can be viewed at http://youtu.be/p8vVKqCVE9I If you know of someone who should be honored through the Hero Project, please contact Angela Mills ’85 at:
millsa@fatherryan.org.
VETERANS PRIDE 5K HONORS VETERANS, ATTRACTS RUNNERS On a crisp but sunny Saturday morning in early November, the Father Ryan community gathered to honor the service of veterans with the annual Veterans Pride 5K. Taking off from Giacosa Stadium in the Jim Carell Alumni Athletic Complex, a pack of athletes young and old set out for a dash through the neighborhood, honoring our military all along the way. Even the youngest runners found their way to salute these men and women. The 5K raised more than $15,000 for tuition assistance. This followed a special salute to our veterans at our home playoff game on November 8, where Colonel John Krenson ’82 (above in uniform) and Father Ryan parent and Colonel (Ret.) Kelly Wolgast (above far right) served as our honorary game captains and took the field along with their families. 5
Fine Arts winter 2014
Featured Club winter 2014
THE PURPLE MASQUE PLAYERS RETURN TO THE STAGE This fall, the Father Ryan Purple Masque Players presented The Diviners, a play written by Jim Leonard, Jr. The play begins and ends with elegies spoken by two of the townspeople describing what happened the day of Buddy's tragedy. Set in the early days of the depression in a small southern Indiana town named Zion, the main character is Buddy Layman, a mentally challenged boy played by Alex Barnett. The characters are intricate, and the plot is full of love triangles, twists and tragedy.
SPRING MUSICAL The Purple Masque Players received rave reviews and are gearing up for their next show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, debuting this April. This musical adds life to the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. Joseph is a favorite of his father’s but the envy of his brothers. Their jealousy spurs them to sell him into slavery, where he is taken to work in Egypt. That is where Joseph’s journey begins as he learns about suffering, justice and forgiveness. His reprieve comes when the Pharaoh hears of his gift to interpret dreams and appoints him as his right-hand man. The plot twist occurs when Joseph’s brothers come to him pleading for help, though they do not recognize him. Joseph
Luella (Maddie Sampson) and Buddy Layman (Alex Barnett) in The Diviners. Photo credit: Tim Jones
has to decide whether to take his revenge or to forgive. The performance will be full of vibrant music accompanied with some valuable lessons. The musical numbers involve a combination of pop, rock ‘n’ roll, country-western and many other musical styles to make this story exciting and memorable. The musical opens April 10 in the Center for the Arts and closes April 12. Be sure to get tickets, or a Theatre Season Pass, to this unique musical and enjoy the talents of our Purple Masque Players as they conquer the wide array of musical styles woven into Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
FATHER RYAN JUNIOR SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS CHOIR Performing with the All-National Honor Choir Ensemble is, as it suggests, an honor, and out of 2.5 million students who auditioned, Father Ryan junior Maddie Sampson was selected to the prestigious choir in September. Maddie (left below with her sister, Emma) is the first Father Ryan student and only Middle Tennessee singer to be selected for the All-National Honor Choir Ensemble by the National Association for Music Education. Julie Cox, faculty member in the fine arts department at Father Ryan and director of the Father Ryan Singers, said this is a major accomplishment that reflects Sampson’s talent and her commitment to her art. “The National Honor Choir Ensemble is the most prestigious vocal musical group for a high school student,” said Cox. “Maddie competed against an assemblage of accomplished vocalists, and her selection is a tribute to her enormous talent and to her devotion to improving her vocal skills. Father 6
Ryan is proud to have her voice in our school and proud of this national recognition for her and our program,” added Cox. Sampson performed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel on October 30, with the 350-member choir led by Dr. Rollo Dilworth, composer, author and choral music educator. Her family, friends and choral director attended the performance to support and celebrate Maddie’s achievement. Last year, Sampson was selected for the All State chorus in Tennessee, performing as first chair Soprano 1 for the Middle Tennessee region, and was chosen as a soloist for the final performance. The All-National Honor Choir Ensemble Concert was the finale of a four-day event for all the students. They were treated to a special concert at the Grand Old Opry House with country music star Sarah Darling and American Idol finalist Casey James, along with other activities and events.
Dr. Rob Nasitir (above) speaks with the Multi-Cultural Student Union members during a visit to the Civil Rights Room at the downtown public library; students discover archiving process.
GETTING A CHANCE TO REWRITE HISTORY Imagine joining a club at Father Ryan and discovering that your next project is to rewrite Nashville history. That’s the charge in front of the Multi-Cultural Student Union over the next two years. As part of the school’s celebration of its role in integrating the South, the Multi-Cultural Student Union is working with the renowned Civil Rights Room in the Nashville Downtown Public Library to fill in some crucial blanks in the telling of this important story. Their work will tell the story of Father Ryan’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, initially as the first school in the state to integrate its classrooms (1954) and later as the first school to integrate athletics in the South. The opportunity presented itself as Father Ryan’s staff began its research into this period. A trip to the Civil Rights Room last fall revealed that this part of Nashville’s history wasn’t depicted. The integration of public schools in 1959 was
shown; the TSSAA championship of Pearl High in 1966 was displayed. But Father Ryan’s actions in both areas were missing. A meeting with Andrea Churchwell of the Civil Rights Room to discuss the missing information brought an enthusiastic response, with Ms. Churchwell’s invitation to correct this history. She also offered a bonus to Father Ryan—her archivists would work with the school and the Multi-Cultural Student Union to preserve its archives, showing the Multi-Cultural Student Union how to archive professionally. This initiative continues an active series of events and activities for the club, moderated by Dr. Rob Nasitir, including a panel presentation of Father Ryan’s integration history, a program on religious tolerance and a study last year on immigration and its history and significance for Nashville. More information is available at:
www.fatherryan.org/mcsu
SINGERS RECORD AT SONY To give voice to our Advent message this year, the Father Ryan Singers, under the direction of Julie Cox, our Grammy-nominated Choral Director, present the historic spiritual “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” Thanks to the generosity of noted Nashville songwriter and Father Ryan parent Brad Warren and Sony-Tree Studios, the Singers recorded this song at Sony, one of Nashville’s most historic studios. Our students are able to do all of the things in this video thanks to the generosity of so many to our Annual Fund. If you’d like to make a contribution to this year’s Annual Fund, scan the QR code to the left or visit:
https://www.fatherryan.org/page.cfm?p=2487&LockSSL=true.
7
Athletics winter 2014 THE RUNNERS NEVER STOP
NEW NAME, FAMILIAR RESULTS
Father Ryan’s cross-country runners produced an exceptional performance at the State Championships. The boys finished in 6th place and the girls in 7th, with two runners—both Juniors—earning All-State honors. In the boys’ race, Ben Weisel placed 12th, covering the 3.1-mile course in 16:52. In the girls’ race, Natalie Davis placed ninth with a time of 20:20. Here’s to an outstanding season in all respects for the Irish runners.
VOLLEYBALL RISING Volleyball improved as the season progressed, overcoming some injuries along the way, to find itself in the state tournament with a healthy, complete line-up and some momentum. However, a tight second game vs. St. Benedict in the quarterfinals turned against the Irish late, and that two-point loss cost them a trip to the Final Four. Despite that disappointment for the team— particularly the three Irish seniors—the squad has high hopes for next year, with a strong line-up returning and expectations high for a deep tournament run.
THRILLING MOMENTS ON THE FIELD
A FALL TO REMEMBER Lady Irish combined stout defense and creative offense to reach state finals, top-20 national ranking.
Father Ryan’s fall sports teams gave us plenty to celebrate throughout the season, with big wins over heated rivals and exceptional performances by all. Here’s a recap: SO CLOSE FOR SOCCER The Father Ryan Lady Irish soccer team was among the best in the nation all season, unbeaten going into its final game. But a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Harpeth Hall in the state championship game put an unexpected end to the girls seaon. While the outcome wasn’t what the girls and Coach Robin Dieterich ’73 hoped for, the season was an exceptional one nonetheless. The Lady Irish rose to a top-20 national ranking behind stellar defense and solid offense. Led by six seniors—Claire Goodrum, Mary Francis Hoots, Jordyn Lee, Emily Moseley, MaryLauren Moss and Sydney Rudd—and a strong roster across all classes, the defending state champion Irish claimed victories over area powers like Harpeth Hall 8
and Brentwood High as well as Henry Clay out of Lexington, KY. The team was balanced on both sides of the ball, posting shutouts in 12 of their games while scoring three or more goals in eight of their games. Four of the team were named to the All-State team: seniors Emily Moseley and Mary Lauren Moss; junior Sarah Bossing; and freshman Tally Bishop. Here’s to the Lady Irish…congratulations on another outstanding season, and thanks to the seniors for their talent and leadership throughout their Irish soccer careers.
A season that began with a lot of questions produced plenty of answers as the Father Ryan football team, led by a strong senior class of 23 players, shook up the league and brought down the cheers from throughout the Irish community. The highlight was the 24-20 victory over Brentwood Academy, which showcased an Irish offense that had found its stride. Close losses to MBA and Baylor pushed the Irish into one final home game in the playoffs, where a late TD by McCallie ended the Father Ryan season by a 15-12 score. But the 6-5 record was a good one, and it bodes well for a team that continues to improve.
BIRDIES AND PARS AND STATE An outstanding season for all the Irish golfers was capped by a trip to the state tournament for three of our players. Juniors Donnelly Wolf and Kevin Groogan and freshman Aubrey Frantz represented the Irish in the 2013 Championships at Willow Brook Golf Course in Manchester. Both Kevin and Aubrey earned all-state status with their performances, an indication of the future prospects for Irish golf.
The Father Ryan Invitational Wrestling Tournament is the oldest in the state, dating back to 1968. In its 45 years it has grown along with Father Ryan’s program and now is one of the premier wrestling tournaments in the area. This year, the tournament took on a new name, but one that is familiar to the Irish community, on and off the wrestling map. The 2014 edition, held in January, was the inaugural Johnny Drennan ’85 Memorial Wrestling Invitational. The results showed that the Irish have another strong year going, as the Irish took home the team championship and five individual titles, won by Ryan Simpson, Trey Chalifoux, Kirby Simpson, Michael Eckhart and John Hagey. But the renaming of the tournament and the salute to the Drennans added to the celebration. The Drennan name resonates throughout the wrestling world. Coach Joe Drennan ’57 launched the Irish to new heights in wrestling and laid the groundwork for its current standing, claiming state titles in 1969 and 1971, the first ones won by a Nashville high school. Johnny Drennan ’85, Joe and Rose Drennan’s son, won the state at 138 his senior year. After that memorable title, Johnny fought a battle with cancer while a freshman at UT-Knoxville and subsequently died in 1986. For his courage and ability, the Middle Tennessee Wrestling Coach’s Association presents the Johnny Drennan Award each year to the best wrestler in the area. Coach Pat Simpson ’74 is thrilled to see Johnny’s name associated with a sport and a tournament that mean so much to the Irish community. “He was a leader of that team in voice and action. It is particularly touching that his name, his tournament, takes place in the building named for his father. It’s a wonderful salute to an outstanding family.” 9
FATHER RYAN CONTINUES ITS
GREEN INITIATIVE
WE HAVE SAVED:
At Father Ryan we take our colors seriously.
521,315
KW-HRS OF ELECTRICITY
Enough to power 43 homes for a full year.
11,430
GALLONS OIL
Enough energy to heat and cool 57 homes for a full year.
HOMECOMING 2013:
OLD FRIENDS, NEW TRADITIONS From alumni chefs and celebrity judges weighing in on BBQ excellence at our Inaugural Pride in the Pit Cook-off; to a presentation of Homecoming Queens from throughout our history; to students from elementary schools enjoying the fun and the excitement of Junior Irish Night; and, always, the gathering of alumni from all eras, Father Ryan’s Homecoming 2013 was one to remember. The new traditions of past Homecoming Queen presentations and Pride in the Pit will be back next year. But for now, enjoy the sights of this year’s event, capped off by the Irish’s victory over Stratford. Make plans to be here in 2014.
2,716
GALLONS OF GASOLINE
Enough gasoline to drive 76,049 miles
2,602
MATURE TREES
Enough to produce 32,236,497 Sheets of newspaper.
792,183
GALLONS OF WATER
Enough to meet the fresh water needs of 4,158 people for a year
438
CUBIC YARDS OF LANDFILL AIRSPACE
Enough airspace to meet the disposal needs of a community of 664 people.
10
Purple Pride has meant a color, but it has also connoted an attitude, one that reflects our traditions and our spirit. That pride is reflected in our teams, in our community and in our heritage. And that Purple Pride continues to burnish our “green” reputation, one that was begun earlier this year. In keeping with our strategic goal of being good stewards of our environment and having a positive impact on the planet, Father Ryan partnered with Waste Management here to dramatically improve our recycling efforts. In a program headed by faculty member John Durand and coordinated throughout our campus, we have increased our commitment to recycling. Recycling bins sit under every faculty and staff member’s desk, recycling boxes are plentiful throughout the campus, and we have launched an effort to raise the awareness of—and use of—these boxes among our community. The impact has been immediate. Mr. Durand reports that the school’s initial goal was to have 40% of its waste be recyclable by the end of this school year in June of 2014. We are already at 30%! Working with Waste Management’s team of Robert Cheney, one of its executives and a Father Ryan parent, and J.C. McNamara, we are increasing our initiatives in order to hit that goal. One of those was on display at every football game with the “Get Caught Green-Handed” program. Anyone who was seen recycling by one of our Green Team received a card entitling them to free food at the concession stand or a “Get Caught Green-Handed” t-shirt at the Spirit Store. The program continues during the Winter sports season. The benefits of the recycling push are clear. In September we had saved more than 8,000 gallons of oil, 560,000 gallons of water and 1,800+ mature trees. Today, those totals have increased dramatically. As a result of Father Ryan’s recycling work, we have now saved more than 11,430 gallons of oil, 792,000 gallons of water and 2,602 mature trees. We’re confident we’ll attain our 40% goal earlier than forecast and help produce even more savings for the school and the planet. Join us in showing your Purple Pride in a green way.
11
nd
ie
2
s
Cover Story winter 2014
in a s e
r
A SEASON’S STORY
WRITTEN IN 12
BLACK & WHITE 13
(Opposite) ’63-64 teammates salute the retirement of number 50; (clockwise from top left) Jack McKenzie ’65 and Bob Reese ’66 share a memory; Jim Mondelli ’64 steals the ball; Ann Brown Beatty with Howard Gentry.
The banner rose slowly from the hands of two current Father Ryan players. Its simple white background framed one number—50—a number resonant with meaning, resonant with achievement. It stood as proudly as its honoree, a sixfoot by six-foot salute to a 6’ 3” man whose outsized courage and talent helped others stand a bit taller. Around that banner stood an assemblage of men for whom that “50” meant more than a uniform number. They had come from throughout the area and from as far away as Houston, Texas and Roanoke, Virginia, all to honor a classmate and a teammate, but also a moment that was a hallmark for the school and for Civil Rights throughout the South. All were introduced to thunderous applause; now they applauded and smiled, many with tears in their eyes, as they thought back five decades to their high school days, when leaner frames and young hearts took 14
to the court to play a game that moved a community. This past November 19, at the opening game of the Irish’s basketball season, Father Ryan officially retired the number 50 across all sports at the school, a tribute to the memory and achievements of Willie Brown ’65 and Jesse Porter ’64, the first to integrate athletics in the South, now a half-century ago. More than 50 basketball players from the 1963-64 through the 1967-68 teams— the ones who would have been on cam-
pus when Willie played—returned to the campus for the celebration. They gathered with Coach Bill Derrick ’48 and with Willie’s sole surviving sibling, Ann Brown Beatty, to reminisce, to tell old stories, to tease each other and to honor this Father Ryan legacy. In doing so they provided students and each other a reminder of how basketball helped change this city. As we continue our look at this historic two-year period of Civil Rights change that began at Father Ryan, we thought we ought to know more about the team itself.
THE CENTER OF THE BASKETBALL WORLD In the 1950s and 1960s, if you wanted to see some of the best basketball in the region, you only had to visit a narrow strip of Nashville near Pearl High School and then Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University). If you wanted to see the best basketball in the nation, you only had to visit the playgrounds in that area, where neighborhood kids honed their skills, their jumpshots and their moves facing off against each other. And if you wanted to see the most progressive basketball in the nation, you only had to visit the Nashville Metro Community and rec centers, where the best in the city, black and white young men, tested themselves against each other in the only place they could. Make no mistake about it…this little part of the world produced some of the
best basketball anywhere. Pearl High’s teams had dominated the old black high school leagues, winning title after title, with Cornelius Ridley at the helm. Between 1958 and 1963, they won four national championships of the National Interscholastic Athletic Association (NIAA), and they claimed the first two THSAA state titles, the TSSAA’s championship for black schools. Dick Barnett and his teammates at A&I had claimed a national title before he went to the NBA and was part of a NY Knicks championship there. Ronnie Lawson began school at Father Ryan but with no option for basketball, he transferred to Pearl, played with the best and ended up on UCLA’s early national contenders. Goodness, George Ireland, the fabled coach of Loyola of Chicago, vic-
tors in overtime over national power, two-time-defending-champ Cincinnati in the 1963 NCAA National Championship game, had journeyed to Nashville with regularity to mine the deep vein of talent here, had melded a team with four African-American starters—he did what?—two of them graduates of Pearl High—Les Hunter and Vic Rouse—and each a player who others in the city had called teammate, opponent, neighbor and friend. It was in this rich environment that two men were living split basketball lives, playing against the best in their neighborhood yet unable to play against them for their school. That is, until the fall of 1963, when Father Ryan’s coaches, Bill Derrick ’48 and Murray Lynch ’55, put out the announcement…Open Tryouts. 15
GLORY DAYS The 12 players and their manager were in the midst of a dramatic change; in fact, they were trailblazing. Yet, few recognized what was happening. Billy Lynch ’64, one of the starters on that first team, said that playing in an integrated environment wasn’t unusual. “I had come from Cathedral and had been around integrated environments throughout…in class and through athletics.” Bob Forte ’66 called this Father Ryan’s own “Glory Days story,” evoking the movie about Texas Western’s NCAA title in 1966 with five African-American starters. He said that he often matched up against Pearl High School’s best. “We used to play ball against the Pearl players at the old Metro Rec Center. I sometimes talk about the starting line-up of that Pearl team…Ted “Hound” McClain, Perry Wallace, James Douglas…my, were they ever good. They were friends and fellow basketball players.” But what was happening at Father Ryan was getting noticed. Coach Derrick and Fr. James Hitchcock ’39, our principal, had put the wheels in motion to integrate sports in Nashville… as it turned out, they were integrating sports throughout the South. Coach Derrick’s invitation to “Open Tryouts” fired up a community. “I lived on the same street as Ted McClain,” says Porter, a play-making point guard on that ’63-64 team. “I had been playing basketball with and against him and all the stars of high school basketball all my life. Now, at last, in my senior year, I was going to get to tryout for my high school’s team. I was blown away.” However, it was still 1963, and there were a lot of doubters. Porter remembers his neighborhood friends saying to him that the Open Tryouts were just window dressing. It was still going to be an all-white team. “But the roster was printed and posted, and my name and Willie’s name were on it. I still remember that feeling of pride and accomplishment. And my friends were as happy as I was when they heard that news. They knew something big had happened,” says Porter. That 1963-64 team became one of the best in the city, among the best in the State. Lynch and the Mondelli brothers—Jim and Mike— had stepped off the football field with a Clinic Bowl championship and were ready to play. They noticed they were better.
Hal “Champ” Hounihan ’65 and Willie were very close, teammates at both Father Ryan and MTSU. “We had a good team in ‘64 and a great team in ‘65. He changed our game.” Forte said “Willie was the best player to come out of this school, and a class human being.” Pat Sanders ’65 added, “Willie had the sweetest jump shot. We had our first reunion in 1975 and invited him and he died just before the event. He was something special.” The team started strong, with an opening win against Peabody introducing the new-look Irish to the city, and the city took notice. The Tennessean and the Nashville Banner covered prep sports regularly in those days, with high school basketball the focus in the winter months. Father Ryan went on to a 25-4 record, winning the District and falling to eventual state champion Donelson in the Region V finals. The Irish were one of the two District 18 teams (the traditional city schools) invited to the annual March of Dimes Games at Vanderbilt to face off against the old county schools of District 17. Willie and Jesse and Father Ryan only added to the attention, in part as the first African-Americans to play an organized game at Vanderbilt. But not all of the attention was good.
WE DIDN’T NOTICE WE WERE BLACK AND WHITE. WE WERE TEAMMATES, WE WERE FRIENDS. -BOB FORTE ’66
“Willie was the missing ingredient on our team,” said Mike Mondelli ’64, now a Metro Judge. “He was one of the tallest players and the best athlete on the team. And I liked his at16
titude. It was positive plus, all the time.” His brother, Jim ’64, echoed the thought. “He could take over a game. Everyone looked up to him.”
Brown claims another rebound as (from left) Billy Lynch ’64, Pat Sanders ’65 and Mike Mondelli ’64 seal off the opponents.
“We didn’t know what we were going through,” Lynch said. He remembers one game where a few racially insensitive signs were displayed and a few names were called out. “We had always participated in Metro and sandlot games. That year we saw it and heard it in a few gyms, but we were good and that helped us in those gyms.” Porter remembers the same game and how angry it made him. But the anger made him and the rest of the team play even better. “I had my highest-scoring game ever, and we beat that team easily. Our performance tended to quiet the comments; in fact, that happened a lot that year.” Don Craighead ’65, who had played with Willie throughout grade school and high school remembered how good and how motivated Willie was. “I remember one game my senior year, we had scored late to take the lead. The other team’s point guard was coming up the court and began taunting Willie, who was guarding him, saying, ‘come steal it.’ So Willie did…drove to the other end of the court and dunked it. It was wonderful.
TWO COMMUNITIES WERE CHEERING “If Pearl wasn’t playing then we were headed to Father Ryan to see Will Earl play,” said Howard Gentry, Nashville’s Criminal Court Clerk and a 1970 graduate of Pearl High. Odd sounding, isn’t it? One school supporting its rival…in the same sport? But Willie’s reputation and Father Ryan’s leadership had struck two communities, changing Nashville in ways subtle and direct. Many of Willie’s teammates saw this as simply a bunch of guys playing basketball. It was frequently things on the outside that brought home the reality.
IF PEARL WASN’T PLAYING, THEN WE WERE HEADED TO FATHER RYAN TO SEE WILL EARL PLAY. -HOWARD GENTRY, PEARL ’70
“Coach [Derrick] was a smart man. He saw that Willie was an outstanding player and he would add to the team. It may have seemed like it was ahead of its time, but it was the right time.”
“We didn’t notice we were black and white,” Forte said. “We were teammates, we were friends. [But] I can remember going to the state tournament and we went to a couple of places that wouldn’t serve us…there were some tough places to play…it wasn’t easy. But we stuck together. It was that way because of Coach Derrick and Coach Lynch.”
Jim McKay ’68 flew in from Houston just for the retirement celebration. He had seen what Willie and Jesse started and echoed the comments of others. “We were just kids playing, doing what we liked to do. We didn’t realize we were blazing a trail.”
17
Gentry was talking with McKay when he said this and responded, “You didn’t know you were blazing a trail…but we did. We were following it; and we were amazed at times. The legacy was so strong. We called him Will Earl; when he passed, it was a time of mourning for the entire community who knew him. His reputation and his legacy were so monumental. We understood it by the time Perry [Wallace] went to Vanderbilt that each was a stepping-stone, begun by Will Earl.” McKay agreed. “It wasn’t until this celebration that I realized that this was a monumental event. What we did and what we had to endure were and are special This was a once-in-a-lifetime event. It will never happen again. I needed to be here. I needed to be here for Willie.”
A LEGACY REMEMBERED The celebration, part of an ongoing celebration of a truly historic time in Nashville’s history, drew a big crowd to the event and an even bigger and appreciative crowd to the game. The impact was not lost on those first teams, in particular Willie’s classmates from the Class of 1965. Jack McKenzie ‘65 didn’t play basketball but was so proud of Willie. “I am pleased Father Ryan is honoring him. It is an historic event. I don’t know that we realized how historic it was, but as you get older and have children and reflect back on that period and the change that came about, you realize that you were there when something really important happened.” Lynch reflected on his grade school and high school days and the significance of that season. “I had come from Cathedral and had been around integrated environments my whole life, in class and through athletics. We were athletes to represent our school…I am proud of what Father Ryan did and that they have recognized Willie and Jesse. John Seigenthaler (Father Ryan Class of 1945) was my first coach in grade school, and we know what he has meant to Civil Rights here and in this country. I’m proud that Father Ryan was the school…and that we had a small part in the Civil Rights movement.” But one other traveling teammate, Bob Reese ’66, who came in from Roanoke just to be a part of it all, summed it up. “You don’t know what this meant to us. I am so glad Father Ryan has done this.” And with that, a tear streaked his cheek, a tear composed of 50 years of memories…50 years of friendship…50 years of equality. And it all began at Father Ryan. TO BE CONTINUED
FATHER RYAN IS PROUD TO WELCOME
AS OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF
18
He took a step that no one had before him. He went into a place others had failed to enter, creating opportunities for those who hadn’t had them before. He changed the world around. And all of this happened after Jesse Porter had joined Willie Brown in integrating sports in the South. You see, being a pioneer just seemed to fit Jesse, whatever he did. He had excelled on the competitive basketball environments of his hometown, then waited to play for his school. A St. Vincent parishioner and graduate, he had one high school option from his parents—he was going to Father Ryan. So he waited, for his first three years, knowing he could play but also knowing he wouldn’t be able to at Father Ryan, until he saw the words “Open Tryouts”—string music to his basketball ears—and a few months later he was a pioneer in the Civil Rights movement in Nashville. But we’ll get back to that pioneer moment shortly, because it’s important to know that Jesse’s pioneering moment on the court set the table for a career of pioneering work, one that opened up even more opportunities throughout the nation’s capital, where Irish Ayes visited with him over Christmas. He headed to Fisk University with plans to pursue a professional career, maybe in medicine, maybe in law. But summer work at a youth camp and coaching the St. Vincent basketball team awakened a passion for working with youth. He shifted his major to education, graduated and headed to D.C. when they offered him a job in the classroom. That’s when the real pioneering began. After two years teaching elementary school courses at the junior high level he was placed in the only D.C. school that educated mentally challenged students. Jesse took one look at the boys and girls—even some men and women— who were receiving only the most basic physi-
cal care and the most limited educational exposure, and he found his calling. “Every individual’s life is worthwhile, and everyone is deserving of a chance,” he said, “ and that’s how I got started.” He began to revamp the processes and methods for teaching those with varying degrees of challenges. Soon he was writing the procedures for the District, teaching the teachers and preparing the aides on how to make the experience beneficial for the students, whatever their possibilities were. That turned into The Pioneer: Jesse Porter ’64 in D.C. today and on the court in 1963. a lifelong commitment. Even when he had moved on to administrative roles in the District’s schools. message back…’we made it.’ I realized then that what I had Even when he took the job of hearing and resolving school been able to do for myself by playing basketball was somedisputes brought by parents and guardians against teachers, thing that meant a lot to a lot of other people.” coaches and administrators. Even after he’d retired in 2002. Jesse remembers those days on Elliston Place proudly, saying He remained an advocate for those who need his support. In “I don’t think [integrating athletics] would have happened fact, to this day, he goes to court every year to advocate for anywhere else…it was the religious influence and the example a young man he worked with 40 years ago, making sure that set by Fr. Hitchcock and Coach Derrick.” He fondly recalled this man’s voice is heard and his life continues to be valued. teammates and classmates, chuckling and smiling at the menHe believes in taking advantage of the opportunities presented tion of names like Lynch, Mondelli and Spore, reflecting on to us. He remembered Coach Derrick’s message…”make your teachers like then-Fr. Jim Zralek and Fr. Bill Fleming, both of free throws”…and he took it to heart. His first point at Father whom had a deep impact on him. And especially Willie. “I’m Ryan came in his first game; it was a free throw. In fact, he’s so sorry he isn’t with us to enjoy this. He was such a good perproud that he was perfect from the line his Father Ryan career. son, a fun-loving guy, always upbeat. He would be so proud of what Father Ryan…his school…is doing.” He saw the opportunity and took it. Hearing of the Open Tryouts raised his spirits—“you could have knocked me over with a feather…but it was what I always wanted, just a chance to show what I could do”—but he wasn’t prepared for the moment that his name appeared on the roster sheet, posted prominently at the top of the short runway that led from the locker room to the court in the old Father Ryan gym. “I saw ‘Jesse Porter’ listed with 11 other young men and realized something special had happened.” When his name was announced at the first game? “Wow. That was magic.” The significance became clearer soon after. First, his barber smiled and told Jesse that for the season, “every other haircut was free,” a way of expressing pride in what had been done. But it really struck home soon after the first game. “I had a good friend at Father Ryan whose family had moved away to California after our sophomore year. I played in the first game and a picture of me in action appeared in The Tennessean the next day. I sent it to my friend and got a simple
He realizes that he hasn’t talked much with his family about those days on Elliston Place and his basketball. But that will be changing. The celebration of this anniversary has reawakened the memories and reminded him of those special years. He recognizes that he wasn’t just playing basketball, and that’s something that can’t be forgotten, something that needs to be shared. And he’s going to start with his nine-year-old grandson. You see, with two daughters with little interest in sports, there wasn’t much to tell them. But his grandson, now that’s different. He’s showing the signs of basketball talent, playing AAU ball and doing it well. In fact, Jesse got tickled when they were playing in the driveway and his grandson tried to back him down…”back ME down?” he laughed. But he wants him to know what Willie and he and others who followed did 50 years ago. It’s important that he know. In fact, he left us with a similar admonition for today’s students at Father Ryan. “What happened back then is important. Make sure they remember.” 19
The teaching profession is in the news often these days, and the changing educational environment has an impact on today’s teachers. What’s the attitude of teachers themselves and are we attracting the best possible people to this profession?
JERRY FORSTER: Teachers are the heart of what we do and the issues we face start with that—do we have the adequate number of teachers and are they prepared to teach in today’s school environment? In addition, how influential can they be with the social economic spectrum of students who come to schools today? How does that teacher deal with the cultural capital outside of the school…home life, for example? We need more coming into this profession, and I think the vast majority are quite capable of teaching and instructing. JOE WEHBY: The typical student who comes to teach…loves children. And you have to tell them that that is not enough. There is an art to teaching that must be learned. How do we maintain important aspects of theory and knowledge and then show them a way to apply those to ensure an impact? Teaching is a profession, there is a science to teaching, and people don’t hear that enough. KATE RILEY: I hear teachers introduce themselves in social gatherings and they say, “I’m just a teacher.” No—say proudly ‘I’m a teacher!’ You aren’t just giving facts; you are educating children for their whole lives. We are educating the whole child. KATE MCGEE: It has to be a vocation. It’s too hard for it not to be a vocation.
Our Teacher Roundtable: (from left) Kate McGee, Daniel Walker ’60, Kate Riley ’94, Jerry Forster ’79, Logan Bowlds ’08 and Joe Wehby ’78.
NEW TECHNOLOGY. ONLINE COURSES. CLASSROOMS THAT ARE AS MUCH SOCIAL SETTINGS AS TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS. NEW TECHNIQUES. TEACHER APPRAISALS. TODAY’S EDUCATOR FACES A MYRIAD OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE PROCESS OF TEACHING OUR CHILDREN. AND A LARGE NUMBER OF FATHER RYAN ALUMNI ARE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES, AT ALL LEVELS. IT SEEMS THAT PREPARING THOUGHTFUL, INSIGHTFUL AND COMMITTED TEACHERS IS SOMETHING FATHER RYAN HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED IN ABUNDANCE. THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST THE TEACHER. IRISH AYES RECENTLY ASSEMBLED A SPECTRUM OF FATHER RYAN EDUCATORS IN A FAR-RANGING DISCUSSION OF THE STATE OF EDUCATION. YOU CAN FIND THE FULL CONVERSATION ONLINE AT WWW.FATHERRYAN.ORG/CHRISTTHETEACHER 20
EDUCATORS LOGAN BOWLDS ’08— middle school teacher, St. Matthew School, Nashville JERRY FORSTER ’79— Regional President, University of Charleston-Beckley KATE MCGEE—Theology teacher, Father Ryan
KATE RILEY ’94—Founder, Trinity Montessori School, Franklin, Tennessee DANIEL WALKER ’60— Retired Microbiology Teacher, Metro Schools and TSU JOE WEHBY ’78—Professor in Special Education, Vanderbilt University
Here’s a fundamental question—are you a teacher or an instructor, and what’s the difference?
JOE: The good educator knows when to be an instructor and when to be a teacher. I talk about adaptation a lot. Teachers are instructed in pedagogy—but they have to learn to be adaptive. They can’t be afraid to say ‘that didn’t work; where can we back up and try this again.’ JERRY: The sage on the stage is becoming the guide on the side. Letting the student take over the learning process, so that it is still student-centered. With so many methodologies available—online and others—letting the student lead the direction is valuable. And it is happening at every level. DANIEL WALKER: In science the teacher is the director. You can use the classroom to help prepare for lab; you can be the philosopher and a counselor. The most critical aspect: how do you connect? KATE RILEY: Make the connection. If you think 21
about your favorite teachers, they are the people who connected with you. And that’s what I try to do each day…connect so they feel heard. What about the rapid changes in technology and its growing place in the classroom. How should it be used?
JOE: I use it as a supplement, not a replacement. At the end of the day, it is my responsibility to make sure the students are successful. So I use it, and I put limits on its use. How it can be used best is still one of the issues educators must deal with. JERRY: The benefits are the flexibility of online learning and how it can be delivered. You can engage with fellow students even if you can’t see them. There are methods online through chat rooms, or you can engage with your professor through online white boards. However, does it replace biology online? No, I want to take biology from Daniel. There is still a need for the bricks and mortar. Employers need people who can communicate, both orally and in writing, who can provide critical thinking, and that only comes from interactions in a classroom with a professor and fellow students.
are the people who really want to engage. How did you get interested in teaching? Was there someone at Father Ryan who inspired you?
LOGAN: Both my parents are teachers, and they instilled a love of teaching. I love to teach and I love to mentor. I’ve had to adapt, yet it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. KATE MCGEE: I was bored in school and struggled to raise my hand. But I did a tutoring program at Notre Dame and was working with the students in art. I found myself disassembling a project with them to figure out how it works. I was hooked. JOE: It was a teacher at Father Ryan who asked if I would like to work at the camp for special needs children. DANIEL: Father Bob Hostettler was special. I thought I was smart, and he showed me what I didn’t know and what I needed to work on to be better. He challenged me, and it made me a better student and a better teacher. LOGAN: Don Thielke got me interested in government and really challenged me to continue to study this field; it’s held my interest ever since.
KATE RILEY: I don’t use it at all, and intentionally. One, they use it everywhere else; two, we are trying to use the most concrete representation of a concept while they are in the most critical period of learning. We don’t want them to add 2 + 2 on a computer; we want them to hold two beads in each hand and see that the addition of them makes 4. There’s also the social aspect. I want them to express to each other emotions like, ‘you hurt my feelings,’ rather than communicating that through a text.
JERRY: Father [Jim] Black taught me, and I had the privilege of studying religion with him. He let us each teach a lesson of the Bible, which helped us understand the lesson and also appreciate the teacher’s role. The most influential was Eddie Krenson. If you were excited about something, he was excited for you.
LOGAN BOWLDS: I went K-8 without technology and then came to Father Ryan and the teachers were eager to adapt and use it. They made us comfortable with it because they were comfortable with it. I try to bring that into the classroom, to use technology to help it be relative to their experiences. I use it solely to supplement what I do.
What are the most critical educational challenges we face?
DANIEL: Book manufacturers can provide artificial descriptions online, but if you can’t streak a plate, you can’t be a good microbiologist, and you can’t do that online. KATE MCGEE: It’s the balance between the instruction and the art. It’s all about wrestling with the questions…what do you think you know and what do you not know. A computer can’t play devil’s advocate, but I can do that for my students. I think that’s what makes the best teachers. The best students 22
KATE RILEY: Mr. [Paul] Davis was always connecting, even if he was enforcing a rule.
JOE: I wrestle with the definition of education. At our level the expectation is that every student is being prepared to go to college. Rather, we should be preparing students to be lifelong learners…does that mean getting a master’s degree or does that mean becoming the best plumber you can be, to be the master of your craft. I think society has a very narrow understanding of what education should be. KATE RILEY: I don’t know how we fix this, but there’s a whole layer of discouragement in the system. You have administrators discouraged, you have teachers discouraged, you have kids discouraged. When the teachers are discouraged, the kids get discouraged and then they’re writing it off. The parents then turn to private schools and the public school system
suffers. We even have kindergartners who are discouraged because they don’t fit the system. For example, they’re not compliant learners, they can’t stay in their chairs. We should be flexible in our classroom instruction to respond to that kind of learning.
ogy.” And I was proud to hear that. What I learned at Father Ryan is that e.coli doesn’t care about your politics, your geography…..e.coli will kill you, so we are all the same. There is one creator, and we have to treat microbiology as it can kill any of us. That’s the spirituality that came from Father Ryan.
DANIEL: Society is breaking down…the moment they took God out of schools we saw a decline. And they took discipline out of the schools.
KATE RILEY: It makes a difference to be in a Catholic school, to have the opportunity to have conversations with a three year old that include Jesus. At my school we have the figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd. To have a three year old look at you and ask, ‘are we the sheep, is Christ the shepherd?’, that’s powerful. It enables us to demonstrate the message that God made us all special. We are a full inclusion school, and that spirituality component helps us be able to say why people are the way they are. We are educating the whole child throughout the day.
JOE: We need to raise the value of being an educator. There are expectations for physicians, psychologists…they are respected, and we should be too. We train just as hard and have qualifications to meet, certifications to pass, and that should be celebrated. Not just anyone can get in the classroom. JERRY: If education is the great equalizer, then we have to make sure the students are in the classrooms. On the higher education level, that affordability issue is out there, looming large. We want to make sure that anyone who wants to go to college can go to the best institutions out there. Colleges have made tremendous efforts to make college accessible to folks from all socio-economic backgrounds. What’s evolved over the past 20-30 years is that women, minorities, older students have gone to college more than expected. The life-long learner is real. There are as many adult students going to colleges now as are teenagers coming out of high schools. A lot of work is being done, but the challenge is still significant. It’s going to take a whole generation of effort to turn some of these cycles to put the education system of the U.S. back in the top tier where it needs to be. Is there something about Father Ryan and the Catholic school environment that produces so many good teachers?
JOE: What strikes me even today, as a parent, is the commitment in and out of the classroom. When I was a student here, the teachers were modeling a lot of what I do today. Reflecting our needs; adapting; laughing; correcting in a loving fashion. Their commitment to the profession, to the vocation of teaching…that was evident with most of the faculty I interacted when I walked into the school in 1974, and I find it evident today with the teachers teaching my children. When I walk into my office and out each day, I talk to students all the time; cause that is what happened to me here. That’s what I see as Father Ryan’s commitment to teaching. KATE MCGEE: Commitment. You have teachers who have been here for a long time. You see these teachers who have been doing this for so many years, and I can begin to see that this is something I could do for my entire life. Teachers care about the students, and they care about each other. LOGAN: I didn’t have a single bad teacher at Father Ryan. There was never any negative aspects to the relationship. They made everything relative. DANIEL: I was teaching college microbiology, and one student told the dean, “Mr. Walker teaches spiritual microbiol-
What’s kind of experiences do education students need to bring to the classroom to be the best in your class?
JOE: Passion. I want to see them coming in enthusiastic. I expect my students want to learn. And I think that is what you want at every level…’I want to learn.’ Those are the best words a teacher can hear. Those are the ones that are the most memorable. You also have to be able to say that if someone doesn’t learn, then what did I do wrong as a teacher. I can’t control what goes on in the home or in the community, but I can control the classroom, and I need to be willing to accept responsibilities for teaching well. And the other thing is park expectations at the door and be ambitious…about what you want your students to get out of their experience with you as a teacher. What’s the most important thing a teacher can do?
JOE: Greet their students with a smile. Encourage them when they do something great. Instruct them when they need some help. As a teacher, you need to make sure that every child hears one positive thing every day. Whether it’s as simple as “I like your socks.” We get so tied up in numbers, which are important, that the humanistic part is missing. Even doctoral students like to hear it. KATE RILEY: What I gained at Father Ryan was that sense of community is so important. You need that as a teacher…a community of teachers who can support each other by saying, ‘come observe my classroom’ or asking ‘how did you do that?’ That community of teachers builds you up. I remember doing Senior Service at Father Ryan and the community that created. If you don’t have the community of teachers, this is the hardest job you’ll ever do. LOGAN: Mentor, teach, instruct. I truly believe teaching is a calling. It’s those good teachers that are 100% devoted. That’s what I try to be, all the time. I don’t know if I can fix the whole system, but it doesn’t stop me from trying. KATE RILEY: Great teachers never stop learning.
23
16 of this year, Jonathon proposed to Kate in the Father Ryan chapel. Their wedding took place Oct. 12 at Christ the King Church. It was a small affair, with just 50 loved ones. “Everybody is supposed to be the witness,” said Kate. “We wanted it to be the people who had supported us in our relationship so far, and the people that we expect to hold us accountable, to be like ‘really married,’ in the future.”
RYAN THEOLOGY TEACHERS RECEIVE POPE’S BLESSING DURING HONEYMOON BY NED ANDREW SOLOMON Reprinted with premission from the Tennessee Register, December 7, 2013 Father Ryan High School theology teachers Kate and Jonathon McGee, who were married in October, got a brief lesson in spirituality when they met Pope Francis during their honeymoon in Rome. “What a wonderful way to start our marriage,” said Jonathon. “To be in Rome where our faith got crystallized; to have that experience together.” Although Kate and Jonathon both began their Father Ryan teaching careers in 2007, it would be a few years until they showed up on each other’s radar. Kate started in the English department; Jonathon, theology. “We had been inviting her to hang out socially with the theology department,” recalled Jonathon. “Kate just naturally fit in, because she had such a theological mind already.” Fortuitously, an opportunity to teach a senior theology class opened up, and Kate was selected. She saw the curriculum as a 24
last chance to address some important issues with the students before they left the Catholic school bubble. “I tell them to bring on all their hardest questions, so we can talk about them now,” said Kate. At the same time, Jonathon and Kate were engaging in thoughtful and lively discussions about those same issues, and others. One serious talk helped define their deepening, but still unlabeled, relationship. “At some point in our friendship we talked about the importance of marriage,” said Jonathon. “I think I told her, ‘The next person I’m dating I’d want it to be going towards marriage.’” Thankfully, it was a subject they could agree on, and on March
The standard pre-wedding events were also low-key. Kate attended one bridal shower, and Jonathon had a decidedly un-traditional bachelor’s party. “My brother invited me over to his house for steaks,” Jonathon said. “My dad showed up. So did Father Si Hendry, the Jesuit priest who married us. And my brother’s little baby girl was there. So my joke is, at my bachelor party I had my brother, my priest and a baby.”
After the translations, Pope Francis returned to greet the gathered faithful for another hour. Simultaneously, a troupe of entertainers juggled and performed acrobatics in costume, as all the wedding couples were lined up on the steps of St. Peter’s; the McGees were positioned in the second row. Pope Francis approached those steps, but still had a long line of people to engage before arriving at the wedding couples. In the sweltering noonday heat – six hours since their day began – Jonathon almost passed out. Finally, the Holy Father approached the first row of new spouses, taking his time interacting with each pair separately. Eventually, he made it to the husband and wife before Kate and Jonathon, and Kate readied a St. Ignatius prayer card – like ones they had given out at their wedding – to hand to Pope Francis. Jonathon was greeted first, and he shook the Pope’s hand. “The first thing he said was, ‘Pray for me,’ in English,” said Jonathon. “That just overwhelmed me. It was such a humble thing, and what he’s become known for. I literally said, ‘Thank you’, and then went dumbstruck. I may have said ‘Thank you’ again, which made no sense! But my ‘thank you’ was really to say that you make teaching theology a little bit easier.” “A lot easier,” echoed Kate. “We’re always trying to make the case the church really does love everybody. He shows it, and the kids this year believe it, in a way the kids last year didn’t.” Fortunately, Kate still had her wits about her. She told Pope Francis that she and Jonathon were theology teachers. She also thanked him, presented him with the prayer card, and then asked if she could hug him, to which he graciously acquiesced.
In this wedding story, that was where the small, low-key part ended.
The newly married couple departed the next day for a week in Rome. Although seeing Pope Francis in person wasn’t the main reason Rome was chosen as their honeymoon destination, they hoped to attend the papal general audience while there. “I didn’t know that we would be any more than just two of 70,000 people there,” said Kate. “But the man who wrote me back about the tickets said if you just got married and you wear your wedding clothes, you can go sit up front and get a special blessing.” On that particular Wednesday, 69 other couples had the same idea. However, the special wedded couples blessing is far from the first event of the day. That would be Pope Francis riding around in an open-top vehicle greeting people throughout the massive crowd. Then there are brief remarks by the Holy Father, followed by a reading from Scripture in Italian. Next, a succession of more than a dozen priests summarizes that reading in various languages.
The event concluded with a blessing for all the newly wed couples, and a bestowing of bride and groom rosaries. Beyond the significance the experience had for their sacred union, the McGees believed it strengthened their faith and reinforced their chosen vocation: to teach in a Catholic school setting. “It wasn’t about prestige – meeting this man so we could say we met the Pope,” Jonathon said. “It was about being next to a man who has given over his life to this, and has become holy, and who is close to God.” “The call to me is that this is who we really need to be, all the time,” said Kate. “Not just this one day in Rome on our honeymoon.”
25
Irish Partings winter 2014
HISTORIC 35TH LEGACY GALA HONORS HISTORIC TEACHERS In careers that have lasted an unimaginably long time—50 years for one, 43 for the other —and have had impacts that will last even longer, Jim ‘54 and Pat ‘58 Langdon have been woven in the fabric and history of Father Ryan High School. Each has lived out the message of Christ the Teacher, championing Catholic education, social justice and human dignity. Both have represented the finest of the Irish tradition. And both were the Honorees at the 35th Annual Legacy Gala on February 1. Jim started his 50th year at Father Ryan this school year, making him the longest-serving member of the faculty in the school’s history. He came to our campus in 1950 as a freshman from Assumption School and has barely left it since. After graduating in 1954, he earned his B.S. and M.S. from Middle Tennessee State University and joined the faculty in the social science department in 1964. In addition to his work in the classroom, Jim has served as both a basketball and football coach, leading the freshmen teams in both sports from 1964-1974 while also serving as an assistant to the varsity programs. He met his wife, Nancy, when she was student teaching at Father Ryan in 1969, and their family is deeply rooted in the Irish world - John ’92, Ellen ’95, son-in-law Mike Mascari ’96 and two grandchildren with Irish already coursing through their veins. Pat is a 1958 graduate who taught everything from Ancient History to Latin and Classical History, the latter being his forte. He loves to talk about the role of Christianity in the Roman world and the importance of both our faith and our Church in forming today’s world. Pat came to Father Ryan in 1963 after earning his degree from St. Bernard College in Cullman, Alabama. He later earned his M.S. from Middle Tennessee State University. Outside the classroom he was known for his eagerness to do whatever Father Ryan needed, whether it was managing the Saturday detention or manning the popcorn machine in the concession stands. In every instance, he provided insights, counsel and humor, all delivered from underneath a well-worn Father Ryan hat and with a rich trove of Irish love. His Father 26
Ryan connections extend to children Joe ’83 and Thomas Langdon ’94, Margaret Langdon Huffaker ’88, Michael Rohling ’90, Marnie Rohling Heinemann ’88 and Carrie Rohling ’96. Pat also has two daughters, Amy Langdon Romines and Ann Langdon Trent, who graduated from SCA.
Jim Langdon ’54
2014
Pat is as gregarious as Jim is reserved, but the two brothers complement each other, and both exude undying pride in their alma mater and its traditions. There has been no prouder moment than the 9/11 Prayer Service in 2012 when they accepted the honorary Father Ryan diploma for their oldest brother, David, as the first honoree of the Hero Project. It was only fitting that these two teachers of history would be part of educating Father Ryan students about another kind of history, one that enriches the entire school. The brothers were featured participants at the Legacy Gala in the Omni-Nashville Hotel. We congratulate these two sons of Father Ryan — for more than half of our existence they have been part of our tradition and stories, and Father Ryan is better because of them.
Pat Langdon ’58
MR. JIM CARELL ’54…GOODBYE TO A PROUD IRISH SON THE LINE IS NOW COMPLETE. THE END POINT IS FILLED IN. THE BEGINNING AND END POINTS OF A LIFE ARE CONFIRMED. On the stone pillar outside of the Complex that bears his name, a name that energized a community, the numbers stand: 19312013. But it is in the space between the years that a life’s impact is told. In the case of Jim Carell ’54, that space is replete with family, philanthropy and business success. When Mr. Carell passed away on September 8, the reflections began, all saluting a man who found Catholic education to be his foundation and the focus of his giving. A 1950 graduate of Christ the King and a 1958 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Carell pointed to his intervening time at Father Ryan as particularly important. In fact, it was his return—and unannounced—visit to the school in late 2007 that inspired him to make his lead gift that produced the Jim Carell Alumni Athletic Complex. Inspired by the students themselves, their polite manners, their welcoming tones and the trust they exhibited in each other, evidenced by book bags casually dropped and left in the hallways with the confidence that they would be there when the owners returned, Mr. Carell recognized Father Ryan
for what it had been for him. A powerful center for education and for personal development. His belief in the power and joy of giving, was the reason he invited others to join him in philanthropy. The Complex bears the word “Alumni” because he encouraged Father Ryan’s alumni to contribute to its construction. His gifts came with a challenge— “I’ll give you $2 million if you raise $1 million” for example— awakened support that had been silent, creating projects that not only made a statement by their presence but awakened pride in an alumni body for what “they” built together. The parting was sad, but celebratory. His life can be told by many a loving family member talking about their “Bops.” It can be revealed in buildings and businesses that bear his name and his impact. But it is most loudly told in the lives of young boys and girls who have been presented opportunities that changed their lives. Thank you, Mr. Carell. Father Ryan is forever grateful. 27
Class Notes winter 2014 finished his 15th year as a football video coordinator at either the college or professional level. He works for the University of Louisville. 1990 STEPHEN ZRALEK was awarded 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyer based on his research and evaluations by Super Lawyers Magazine. At the firm Bone McAllester Norton, he helps clients resolve disputes over their intellectual property, copyrights, trademarks, counterfeit goods, trade secrets and rights to publicity. Stephen was the speaker at the October 2013 Ryan Connections, where he shared insights into avoiding nightmares on social media.
1945 On October 13, 2013 six of the seven surviving members of the Class of 1945 held a reunion dinner at Richland Country Club hosted by John Seigenthaler and his wife Delores. Pictured in the front row from the left are GENE STROBEL, GEORGE FRANCIS and GEORGE BARRETT; back row from left are JOHN FOGARTY, GENE PENTECOST and JOHN SEIGENTHALER. 1961 Members of the Class of 1961 (above right) celebrated the Christmas season at their annual party at Jimmy Kelly’s restaurant. 1966 DAVID BOHAN was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s 2013 Most Admired CEOs list. He has served as Chairman and CEO of BOHAN Advertising | Marketing since 1990. 1968 BOB JOHNSON’S new novel Child of Time, a paranormal thriller that showcases immortality, love, vengeance and mystery, was recently published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises. It is
available through bookstores nationwide, or at www.tatepublishing. com/bookstore, barnesandnoble. com or amazon.com. While Bob has lived on four continents, he has made Nashville his home. For most of his life Bob has worked in the construction industry, where he has walked the high steel, pushed the low gravel and driven countless nails. This is his first novel.
1983 LOUISE GRANT was a finalist in the Nashville Business Journal’s inaugural Chief Marketing Officer awards in the public company category. Louise is the VP of marketing and communications at Corrections Corporation of America, where she is one of the four highest-ranking females in the company. She has been in her position for nearly 13 years and volunteers as a mentor and teacher with female prisoners. 1984 LISA (KONZEN) BURBANK graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary in May 2013, and is awaiting a call to serve as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 1987 GEORGE CLAIBORNE recently
IRISH ALUMS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS Two Father Ryan alumae have tossed their Irish hats into the rings for seats in Congress, one from each coast. National Defense Industrial Association director LUELLEN HOFFMAN ’72 announced on January 8th that she will run for the Virginia congressional seat made vacant by the retirement of long-time Republican Rep. Frank Wolf. Luellen, a Republican and native of Virginia, has worked closely with the military, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, California, and other government agencies. She was a teacher in the Fairfax County school system, as well as an adjunct professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. And one of Father Ryan’s most accomplished physicians is turning her diagnostic eye to the U.S. Senate. 28
MONICA WEHBY ’79 is one of two candidates seeking to win the seat currently held by Jeff Merkley and represent Oregon in the U.S. Senate. Monica specializes in pediatric Neurosurgery at the Legacy Medical Group in Portland, OR, with clinical interests in child abuse and domestic violence. She is board-certified by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgeons. She earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, completed her neurosurgery residency at UCLA Medical Center and was awarded a neurosurgery fellowship at Primary Children’s Medical Center. Keep an eye out for Luellen and Monica as the campaign season heats up this spring.
1992 DENISE THE is making a name for herself in Hollywood as a producer and writer. Most recently, she has produced and written several episodes of the CBS hit show Person of Interest. You may have also seen her work behind the camera on the shows Medium, Cold Case and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. 1996 JESSICA MYERS is the new Director of Administration for Big Machine Label Group and Music Publishing, where she facilitates and oversees all licensing for Big Machine Label Group as well as other publishing administration duties for Big Machine Music. This new position comes after eight years as Director of Copyright Administration at Bluewater Music in Nashville. 2000 JASON BRUNNER relocated back to Nashville after working for Messer Corporation for four years in their Knoxville office. He now works at I.C. Thomasson Associates as a mechanical engineer. 2000 MEGAN (GRIFFITHS) SWILLEY recently moved to Rhode Island with her husband and two sons, Elliston (2 ½) and Levi (7 months) for Michael’s new job as National Account Manager at Colgate. Megan will continue to work from home as a designer for Johnston & Murphy and Trask. She also freelances custom design invitations in her spare time. 2003 BRENT CARNEY is the KXAN
weekend sports anchor in Austin, TX. He moved to Austin from Lexington, KY, where he was a sports reporter for WLEX, covering such memorable sports moments as the 2012 UK National Championship team and the Kentucky Derby. 2007 TYLER DIETERICH was invited to play and march in the Disney Christmas Parade televised Christmas morning from the Magic Kingdom. He marched with Caroline Crown, the drum corps he marched for two years ago. Tyler was one of a few Crown alumnus invited to participate in this special event.
2009 BRENDAN CONNELLY is now in Syracuse, NY, doing a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He is working at the Catholic Charities office in Syracuse in its emergency services office, working a great deal with the needs of the homeless, refugees, and those who find they need unexpected assistance. He is living in community with six other JVCers who are working in the Syracuse area in a variety of outreach positions. Brendan is a 2013 graduate of Princeton University. 2010 ELLEN MULLINS capped off her final season with the Tennessee Vols by setting six program records and was honored with All-Southeast Region accolades by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the second
WEHBY NAMED CHANCELLOR’S CUP RECIPIENT Wehby is co-director of graduate studies in special education. In addition to lending his time and resources to Vanderbilt Visions, VUceptors and other campus groups, he volunteers his time with Special Olympics and United Cerebral Palsy sports camps.
A Faculty Senate meeting at Vanderbilt was delayed briefly Oct. 3 by a surprise guest—Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos—who interrupted the session to award the 2013 Chancellor’s Cup, now in its 50th year. The recipient was Joe Wehby (above left), associate professor of special education at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development and a 1978 graduate of Father Ryan. “We often talk about the greatest contributions happening in the classroom, but sometimes what is most exciting is what is happening outside the classroom,” Zeppos said. “We offer this award in recognition of your distinguished service through outstanding research in special education, your volunteerism and mentorship and your dedication to students. You are a phenomenal citizen of this university.”
Joe is an adviser for the Ingram Scholars Program and serves on the Provost’s Committee on Sexual Assault. Zeppos bestowed Wehby an engraved silver bowl that bears the names of previous Chancellor’s Cup honorees. The award is given annually for “the greatest contribution outside the classroom to undergraduate student-faculty relationships in the recent past.” Established by the Nashville Vanderbilt Chapter in 1963, the Chancellor’s Cup is presented by the president of the club around Homecoming Week each fall. The award consists of a cash prize of $2,500 contributed by the club, an engraved pewter cup as a permanent trophy, and one year’s custody of the silver bowl by Tiffany and Co. bearing the names of all recipients.
29
Weddings winter 2014 straight season. She was also named an AVCA D1 Honorable Mention All-American two years in a row. Head coach Rob Patrick said, “Ellen Mullins is going to go out in the real world when she finishes her volleyball career, and she’ll be able to tackle anything with the work ethic and perseverance that she has. She works every day, harder than anyone else. She became one of the best, if not, the best libero that’s ever played at Tennessee, along with the top in the SEC and NCAA volleyball.” 2011 MOLLY O’CONNOR appeared in a Diet Coke commercial starring Taylor Swift. The title of the commercial is “Music That Moves”. Look for Molly, an aspiring singer/songwriter, singing and playing the guitar. 2012 MICHAEL BRUNNER recently spent 30 days in the Wind River Range in Wyoming, backpacking with a National Outdoor Leadership team. He is in his second year at Tennessee Tech, studying electrical engineering. 2012 SARA MENKE, sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy, participated in the 2013 AT&T Winter National Championships in December where she swam the 500 freestyle and the 1650. She also received her Mountain West Conference academic medal from last year for being on the Academic Team. Sara was an Academic All American while at Father Ryan and holds the school record in the 500 Freestyle and the 200 Freestyle, and was a member of the 200 Freestyle Relay that holds the Father Ryan record. 2012 CASEY MOTLEY is on tour with Selena Gomez as a dancer. The tour includes dates in Canada and the U.S., which included a performance in Nashville in October and one during the halftime show of the Dallas Cowboys vs. Oakland Raiders game on Thanksgiving. He also performed in a music video for rising teen start Cody Simpson.
2012 ALYSSE SCHULTHEIS is a sophomore at the University of the South where she was recently inducted in The Order of the Gownsmen, an academic honor dating back to 1873. Randy Lancaster ‘83 returned to his (other) alma mater and presented Alysse with her gown during the ceremony. Alysse is pursuing a double major in English and psychology.
Births winter 2014
ELISE POPERNIK of Chicago, IL and PAUL ARNOW ’03 were married on October 20, 2012. CAITLYN ADAIR FLOW and LOGAN BOWLDS ’08 were married on June 29, 2013 at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Brentwood, TN. Logan is in his second year as the middle school social studies teacher at St. Matthew School in Franklin, TN.
Amelia Rose Bateman
Summer Cailin Conner
Wyatt Carter Cox
Andrew “Conway” Cupit III
Aldyn Marie Haley
Savannah Elizabeth Long
Evelynn Grace Pickney
Shelby Ann Ward
LISA KONZEN ’84 and BRUCE BURBANK were married on October 12, 2013 at Wartburg Seminary. JOSH CLARKE ’99 and AMANDA HYATT were married on July 13, 2013 on Santa Rosa Beach, FL. The couple lives in Nashville. KRISTEN ARBUCKLE ’02 and KYLE CRAVENS ’02 were married April 20, 2013, at Christ the King Church in Nashville, TN. Kristen is a project manager for Turner & Townsend and Kyle is an EMT and manager for his family grocery stores. KARINA GRIFFITHS ’98 and CHRIS MUELLER were married on October 12, 2013 at St. Peter & Paul Basilica in Chattanooga, TN. Karina is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Chattanooga Massage Institute. She is a certified health coach and business owner. She also practices as a licensed massage therapist at Midtown Massage and Bodywork in Memphis, TN. Chris works for the Hnedak Bobo group in Memphis and is a LEED certified architect specializing in hospitality and gaming. RACHAEL BURR ’06 and MICHAEL NORRIS were married on June 22, 2013 at The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, TN. The couple lives in Knoxville, where Rachael is a teacher at Sacred Heart Cathedral. JENICA GRAFTON and MATT PICKNEY ’99 were married at Mint Springs Farm in Nolensville, TN, on September 7, 2013. The couple lives in Smyrna, TN.
Ashton York Wise
Amelia Rose to LOUISA and BUSTER BATEMAN ’99 born on July 14, 2013. She is joined by big sister Betsy, grandparents SUSIE (FRANCESCON) ’75 and the late TOMMY BATEMAN ’75, AUNT CASEY BATEMAN ’01, AUNT AUDREY (BATEMAN) NOLTE ’06 and UNCLE ALEX NOLTE ’06. Summer Cailin to SHARON (HURLEY) ’96 and DAN CONNOR ’95 born on July 18, 2013. Big sisters Anna (6) and Eileen (3) are thrilled to have another girl in the family! Wyatt Carter to JEFF and JULIE COX (FACULTY) born on August 26. Wyatt joins siblings Sophia and Judah. Gabriel Matthew to STEVE and KAT (TRAVIS) ’96 COY born on April 26, 2013. He joins his big brother, Travis. The Coys live in Knoxville, TN. Andrew “Conway” III to RACHEL and ANDY CUPIT (FACULTY) born on August 25, 2013. Conway joins a proud big sister, Ava. Aldyn Marie to LAUREN and BILLY HALEY ’01 born on July 30, 2013. She attended her first Father Ryan game at Giacosa Stadium when the Irish beat Brentwood Academy 24-20! Savannah Elizabeth to PAULA (KENNEDY) ’04 and DEAN LONG born on July 27, 2013, in Nashville, TN.
30
Donnelly “Elly” Elizabeth to BROOKE (BALTZ) ’00 and MATT NICHOLSON ’00 born on January 5, 2012. Elly joins big brother Charles “Charlie” Morgan Nicholson (3). Brooke is a Property Manager for Spectrum|Emery in Cool Springs and Matt is a Mechanical Preconstruction Manager with Turner Construction Company. Evelynn Grace to JENICA (GRAFTON) and MATT PICKNEY ’99 born on November 13, 2012. Sarah Louise to KELLY (COCKERHAM) ’93 and RICK ’92 REILLY, born September 20, 2013. Grandparents JIM and JINX COCKERHAM (FACULTY) are thrilled with their new granddaughter. Roxanne Gabrielle to JENN SIMS ’00 born on August 19, 2013. BRITTANY SIMS ’05 is thrilled to be an auntie. Shelby Ann born to CHRIS WARD and JESSICA (HOSTETTLER) WARD ’97 on October 18, 2013. Brandt Henry to ALLISON (SCHULZ) ‘99 and MICHAEL WILSON born on April 19, 2013. Ashton York to TERESA (YORK) and LANCE ‘91 WISE born on December 24, 2013. Ayden (18 months) is excited to be a big brother. 31
In Memoriam winter 2014
CONTINUING THE ODYSSEY: MARY LEE DONLON BUNCH touched many in community.
To many in the Nashville community she was the educator, prodding, coaching, helping young boys and girls find the confidence to excel. Her company had built a strong reputation in the college preparatory world and there are many an “alumnus” of her teaching that trace their success to Mary Lee Bunch. However, to the Father Ryan community she’s the woman who links every Father Ryan student today to the story of the school’s founding. The sudden passing of this powerful and caring woman
Over the last five years, since her father, Bill Donlon ’31, passed away, Mary Lee Bunch has brought to life the legacy of Father Ryan through her telling of and presentation of the “Odyssey of the Medal”. That story is her father’s recounting of the impact of the Blessed Virgin Mary medal he received from Bishop Alphonse Smith, Father Ryan’s founder, in 1930. To keep this powerful story alive, the school instituted the presentation of the medal’s likeness to every freshman, with Mary Lee telling her father’s story and presenting the medals. It’s a moment that never fails to inspire. She spent a lifetime helping children along their educational odysseys. Her father’s medal that celebrates an even bigger odyssey. Thank you, Mary Lee. Father Ryan sends its sympathy to Milton and your entire family.
THE PASSING OF A LEADER: TOMMY BATEMAN ‘75 Leadership. That characteristic of Thomas “Tommy” Edward Bateman, Jr. ’75, who passed away suddenly—and too soon—in November from a massive stroke, emerged early and saw its strongest expression when it came to his family. Brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews and more than a few older adults gravitated to Tommy because of that characteristic. He was the strong shoulder to lean on, the concerned soul to rely on, and the sensible advisor to turn to, whatever the situation. Tommy came to Father Ryan from Christ the King in the fall of 1971. He was at home with his teammates and coaches. He was captain of the football team, playing tackle on the state championship team of 1974, and a talented wrestler, who capped his four-year career on the mats with an individual state crown to go with the team crown that Father Ryan won his junior year. He was equally at home in the hallways. He served on Student Council his sophomore, junior and senior years and was Class President his sophomore year. He was well-liked, as evidenced by his being voted Most Popular by his classmates. His love for Father Ryan brought him back to the school, where he was a dedicated member of the faculty from 1983-1989 and served as head football coach from 1984-88. The 1988 football team was 9-1 in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. To his parents Thomas “Tommy” Bateman, Sr. ’56 (Barbara) and Patti Pruett Bateman, his wife, Susie Francescon Bateman ’75; their children, Thomas “Buster” Edward Bateman III ’99, Casey Bateman ’01, and Audrey Bateman Nolte ’06; and his family of loved ones in the Bateman and Francescon families, Father Ryan extends its sympathies. 32
VENANZIO
ARQUILLA–Father
of
Marcia Finlay (Faculty). ROBERT F. BARNARD ’42–Brother of
Paul Barnard ’50. Bobby was one of the first to receive a Father Ryan Hero Project Honorary Diploma for his service in WWII. THOMAS E. “TOMMY” BATEMAN, JR. ’75–Husband of Susie Francescon
GERALDINE “RIDGE” CARTER WHITSETT–Mother of Michael J. Carter ’69,
Kay Sandlin, Marie Anderson and Paul C. Carter ’79. MARY “JUDY” AGNES CLAAS–Mother
of Eric Claas (Athletic Trainer). MILDRED SHARP COODE–Mother of
John Coode ’64, Ellen McWhirter, Pat Coode ’67, Mamie McKenzie, Cornelia Henard, Fran Walsh, Joe ’79 (Faculty), Phillip ’82 and Judy Coode.
Bateman ’75; father of Thomas “Buster” Bateman III ’99, Casey Bateman ’01 and Audrey Nolte ’06; son of Tommy Bateman, Sr. ’56 and Patti Pruett Bateman; and brother of Scott ’78, Chris ’81, Paul ’82 and Rhett ’88 Bateman.
Tony ’67, Robert ’75 and Brenda Cotter and Sue Jackson.
JUANITA BIELAK–Mother of Mark
DOROTHY “DOT” CRAUS–Mother of
JOE COTTER–Father of Gayle (deceased),
Bielak, Kris Robbie ’79 and Gail Robbie.
Mickey Craus ’74, Sherrie Berry and Corky Craus (deceased).
ELEANOR “ANN” BLEDSOE–Sister of
JOHN JOSEPH CUNNIFF–Brother of Sr.
Rosemary DeGraauw, Helen Yates, Cecelia Marchesi and Danny Hunley ’69.
M. Stella “Mary Elizabeth”, Sr. M. Grace “Nell” and Tom Cunniff ’51.
KELLY MARIE BOND–Daughter of
EDWIN “ED” A. DEAN ’65.
Tom A. Bond, Jr. ’62.
LOUISE DEMETROS–Mother of Elaine Bly, Harriett Simpson, Jinx Cockerham (Faculty) and Corky Demetros.
DORIS BRONS–Mother of Glen Brons,
Jr. ’72, Janice Haggard ’74, Steven ’77, Gary ’78, Kevin ’79, Troy ’82 Brons and Diana Butler ’84. CHARLES F. “CHARLIE” BROWN ’42–Father of Charlie, Jr. ’66 and Mi-
chael ’69 Brown and Imelda Sugg. MARY GRACE BROWN–Mother of
R. JOSEPH DENTICI, SR. ’51–Father of Cissie Gregory ’81, Joe Dentici, Jr. ’85 and Dede Hennings ’86.
BRANNON HUDDLESTON–Father of
Michael and Bobby Huddleston (Faculty) and Rebecca Page. LANCE P. JOHNSON ’72–Brother of Eric
’73 and Kirk ’76 Johnson. EDWARD C. “EDDIE” KIBLER–Father
of Jacquelyn Kibler Griffith ’96, Meghan Kibler ’98 and Stefanie Kibler Curtiss ’98. B. GEORGE KNIAZEWYCZ ’65. THOMAS LOUIS “LOUIE” LONG ’67–
THOMAS MICHAEL “MIKE” SANDERS–
Son of Coach Leo Long (deceased) and brother of Larry ’50, Vince ’52, Frank ’54, Theresa, Joe, and Jack ’69 Long (all deceased) and Mary Ann Baltz. JAMES M. LUNSFORD ’67. JOHN T. “TIM” MANNING–Husband of
Ann (Arbuckle) Manning ’71 and father of Ashley Manning ’07. RITA PENTECOST MCBEE ’72–Daughter of the late Joseph Pentecost ’42 and sister of Mike ’68 and Steve ’74 Pentecost and Pat Sawyer, Susan Hite and Janice Warner ’75.
WILLIAM P. SCALLY–Father of Sean and Timothy Scally, Tracy Ceseretti ’80 and Kelly Prosise ’83. ANNIE T. STEWART–Mother of Laurie
Nolan, Debbie Buck, Lee, Kent, Keith and Scott ’75 Stewart. BRYAN J. SWEENEY, SR.–Father of
JAMES E. MOLONEY–Father of Melissa
JOANNE TAYLOR–Mother of Stephen
E. ROQUE FAJARDO–Father of Chris
Taylor ’88 and Anne Grace Robinson.
and Bob ’62 Fajardo, Marie Ragghianti, Mary Fajardo and Rose Latino ’79.
MICHAEL O. MOWRY–Father of Marti
’02 and John Mowry.
TERRANCE D. VAN NUCK–Father of Ryan Van Nuck ’98 and Tarah Miller ’99. MARIE E. “GENY” VARALLO–Sister of Frank ’56, Jim ’71 and Vici Varallo.
MARY LEE BUNCH–Daughter of Bill Donlon, Sr. ’31 (deceased) and sister of Teresa Avery, Kate Hilton and William Donlon, Jr. ’78 and step-sister of Kathy Hughes.
JULIE FORD–Sister of Charles, Mark ’74
’84 Mulloy and Gerry King, Mary Polly Golden and Nora Boyte.
of Jimmy Carell, Christine Palmer, Richard Carell, Michael Carell ’86, Eily Nicholson, Wilma “Tootser” Carell, Tina Marie McIntosh and Jeff Lee Ponchilla. Brother of the late Monroe Carell, Jr. ’50. (see memoriam on page 27)
of Phyllis Thole, Lisa Thoni ’83 and Edie Whitley ’86. Brother of Richard Satterfield ’51.
and Ryan ’98 Moloney.
MICHAEL “MIKE” GERALD MULLOY ’76–Brother of Pat ’76, Tim ’79 and Paul
JAMES W. “JIM” CARELL ’54–Father
EDWARD B. SATTERFIELD ’53–Father
Kelly ’82 and Erin ’85.
Mother of Peter J. Ferreira ’83.
WILLIAM R. “BILL” CARDWELL ’52.
Father of Karen Sanders ’81, Elizabeth Martinez ’81 and Lee Sanders.
Kathleen Freeman ’76, Bryan ’78 (deceased), Sean ’80, Kevin ’81 and Bill ’86 Sweeney.
JAMES E. “MAC” MCCULLOUGH, JR. ’78–Brother of Mickey ’79, Shannon ’80,
FLORENCE T. “TERRY” FERREIRA–
Mother of Teresa Safford ’79 and Nora Moulton ’81.
MARY KATHERINE DUFF PIERCE–
Sister of Sarah, Stephanie, Monica and Maggie Duff and Dylan ’10, William, Michael and Christopher Golden.
Robert Brown, Sam Brown (Faculty) and Candy McMahon.
VIRGINIA DAVIDSON BYINGTON–
JOAN BOYD PETRONE–Wife of the late Michael J. Petrone, Sr. ’44 and mother of Mike Petrone, Jr. ’70, Patty Richards, Maria Parkerson, Mary Jo Hammer, Nena Howden, Melanie Butler and Joe Petrone ’76.
and Paul Ford ’85 and Kathy Mascari and Margaret Griggs. H. FREDERICK “FRITZ” FORTE ’40–Fa-
ther of Greg Forte ’73, Ann Yuknavage ’74, Regina Neligan and Alicia Davis. SCOTT RAY GARRETT–Father of Henry
’12 and Grace Garrett ’14. WILLIAM HARDING–Former Staff. DOROTHY E. HEMPEL–Mother of Jane Carney, Fred ’60 and Tony Hempel. VERNON LUCILLE HERB–Mother of
Mary Jo Koory, Ann Frances Connolly, John Herb ’64, Nancy Anderson, Catherine McAdams, Margaret Herb and Therese Fleetwood.
VICKY L. MYERS–Wife of Chris Myers ’72 and mother of Jessica House, Jennifer Edwards ’97 and Lauren Gibson. BETTY J. NACARATO–Mother of Mary
Daily, Valerie Daley, Mike Nacarato, Jr., Lisa Curtis, Joe Nacarato ’78, Ruthie Green ’80 and Tom Nacarato ’82. WILLIAM T. OTTO ’58–Brother of Rose
Hornberger, Carmen Morrissey and Bernard Otto ’60.
RALPH C. VOLPE – Father of Richard, Ronald and Ralph ’79 Volpe and Mary V. O’Saile ’80. THOMAS E. “TOMMY” WALKER ’51–Father of Pamela Newcomb, Mike Walker ’75, Shelly Dill ’76, Denese Farmer ’78, J. Scott Walker ’79 and Lisa Kirby. LORETTA K. WANNINGER–Mother of
Linda Swink, Bill Kistner, Peg Griesel, Mary Helen Bettcher and Kay Griffin. JACKIE GRAHAM WARPOOLE, JR.–
Brother of Ginger Warpoole ’88.
LOUIS L. “LOU” PACKARD–Brother of Peter, John, Richard, Robert and Bill Packard ’78.
33
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
NASHVILLE, TN Permit No. 22
770 Norwood Drive Nashville, TN 37204 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Hundreds of Reasons to Come Back for Reunions 2014
May 29-June 1, 2014
You may want to see what your classmates are up to. They may want to find out the same about you. But whether it’s seeing old friends or celebrating our Irish traditions, Reunion 2014 gives you plenty of reasons to return. Check out all the changes to the campus. Talk to a favorite teacher. Meet U.S. Open Champion Lou Graham ’56 at his annual golf tournament. And celebrate the Class of 1964 as they join the ranks of Golden Grads.
Look for details coming soon. And save the date for a weekend of Irish pride.