75 Years of Excellence A H I S TO RY O F
Fairfield College Preparatory School
John W. Szablewicz
Fairfield College Preparatory School A Jesuit, Catholic School of Excellence 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824-5157 www.FairfieldPrep.org
Copyright 2018 John Szablewicz All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author.
The Original Prep Faculty JUNE 1943 Seated l-r: Fr. Thomas Murphy; Fr. John L. Barry; Fr. Gerard M. Landrey; Fr. Leo A. Reilly, Principal; Rev. Fr. John J. McEleney, Rector; Fr. John H. Kelly, Dean of Men; Fr. James H. Barry; Fr. Walter W. Kennedy; Fr. Eugene P. Burns. Standing l-r: Mr. Charles L. Duggan; Fr. John J. Kelleher; Mr. Paul A. Fitzgerald; Fr. Lawrence L. Langguth; Fr. John W. Doherty; Fr. Bernard J. Finnegan; Mr. Edward S. Stanton; Mr. Howard P. Harris; Mr. Maurice B. Walsh; Brother Robert J. Clifford. Absent: Fr. Harold C. Kirley, Administrator; Fr. George A. Codaire.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Fairfield Prep Community, Prep’s 75 year history has certainly fulfilled St. Ignatius’ instruction to “Go and set the world on fire!” Each page here reignites powerful memories from Prep’s past that are deeply emblazoned on the hearts of so many. I commend John Szablewicz for this massive task that is clearly inspired by his unwavering love for this institution. In writing this book, John has generously left a literary legacy to the Prep community. All historians face the impossible task of translating a shared, lived experience into words on a page, accurate not only to the facts but also to the feelings. John has done that very well. I wish God’s blessing upon all those who read through this history book. While not every name could possibly be mentioned, every person who walked the halls of Prep shaped this history. May the grace of our loving Creator continue to guide and propel the Prep community forward in ways faithful to our Jesuit tradition. Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Thomas M. Simisky, S.J.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Barlow Road Entrance
Acknowledgments.............................................................................................. vi Chapter 1
1940s: Beginnings......................................................................... 1
Chapter 2
1940s: Years of Expansion.......................................................... 19
Chapter 3
1940s: Building a Great Tradition.............................................. 27
Chapter 4
1950s: Consolidating the Traditions.......................................... 39
Chapter 5
1960s: Decade of Achievement.................................................. 55
Chapter 6
1970s: A Time of Change........................................................... 69
Chapter 7
1980s: Contrasting Styles........................................................... 95
Chapter 8
1990s: New Challenges............................................................ 121
Chapter 9
1990s: Tradition is a Wonderful Thing.................................... 151
Chapter 10
2000s: Into a New Century...................................................... 165
Chapter 11
2000s: The Hanwell Era “Make Mission Matter”..................... 191
Chapter 12
2000s: 2008 – A Turning Point for Prep and for America........ 201
Chapter 13 2010s: Another Busy Decade Begins........................................ 215 Chapter 14: 2010s: Change and Tradition................................................... 231 Chapter 15: 2010s: Heading Toward Prep’s 75th......................................... 253 Chapter 16: 2010s: Awards........................................................................... 281
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgments
T
his is the third version of Fairfield Prep’s history. In keeping with the earlier theme, it will be called Seventy-Five Years of Excellence. As was the case with previous versions, there were many sources used for this project. Most valuable were the many interviews with stalwart members of the administration and faculty. I was fortunate to have conversations with many in the Prep Jesuit community, including: Fr. Thomas Murphy, S.J., Bishop Al Jolson, S.J. ’46, Fr. Charles Duffy, S.J., Fr. Eugene Brissette, S.J, Fr. Donald Lunch ’46, S.J., Fr. Robert Braunreuther, S.J. ’52, Fr. Robert Sproule, Fr. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J., Fr. Walter Pelletier, S.J. ’47, Fr. James Bowler, S.J., Fr. Jim Hederman, S.J., Fr. Eugene O’Brien, S.J., Fr. Jack Crabb, S.J., Fr. Charles Allen, S.J., Fr. Lawrence Ryan, S.J., Fr. William Eagan, S.J., Fr. Ronald Perry, S.J., Fr. George Gallarelli, S.J., Fr. Robert Levens, S.J., S.J., Fr. Paul Holland, S.J., and Fr. Brett Stockdale, S.J. Special thanks to the headmasters/presidents whose tenure coincided with the publication of the various versions and who supported this project. They include: Fr. James Arimond, S.J., Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J., Fr. John Hanwell, S.J., and Fr. Thomas Simisky, S.J. I consider myself to be incredibly blessed to have known and worked with all of these men who have dedicated themselves to living the Ignatian motto: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, “For the greater glory of God.” Many lay faculty and administration provided information, advice and support. Most significant was Principal Dr. Robert Perrotta, who spent many hours with me answering questions about the school’s history and the evolution of its programs. It should be noted that on at a faculty meeting on October 3, 2017, Dr.
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HISTORY OF PREP
Perrotta announced that he would be retiring at the end of the 2017-2018 school year after 49 years of service to Fairfield Prep. I want to thank him for his tireless efforts on behalf of Prep and I wish him all the best for a long and happy retirement. In early January of 2018 it was announced that Perrotta’s replacement would be Dr. Thomas de Quesada of Belen Jesuit Prep in Miami. I would like to wish him all the best as he navigates Fairfield Prep toward the century mark. Special thanks are in order to Greg Marshall ’73, who spent countless hours editing this history and who contributed a significant amount of information. Greg has extensive knowledge of the school’s history. Additionally, thanks to Dr. Donna Andrade who was always there to offer friendship and encouragement. Special thanks also to Communications Director Colleen Adams, for all her patient assistance in every aspect of this project. This publication would not have been possible without the great efforts and artistic talents of Margaret Galeano, who brought the manuscript to publication. Thank you Dr. Jerry Starratt ’53, for hiring me way back in 1971 and allowing me to begin this great adventure. Special thanks to Tom Shea ’73, for reading and critiquing the most recent chapters. I greatly appreciate his insight, suggestions and support. Thanks also to Matt Sather ’93 for helping me correct the story of Prep hockey during his remarkable tenure as head coach. Rick Hutchinson ’87 did the same for the swimming and diving team. I appreciate the efforts of Bob Ford Sr. and Jr. in compiling the records for track and field. Dave Driscoll contributed to this as well. In general, Dave has been one of the most loyal supporters of the Prep history project since its inception and I am sincerely thankful for his input and advice. A.D. Tom Curran ’05, assisted with the records of our athletic teams. All of my history department colleagues, especially Rudy Mauritz 94‘, and Kevin Altieri 00‘, helped in many ways as well, especially with moral support. I am deeply indebted to Sandy Sulzycki ’64 and Lou Pintek ’72 for correcting the records of our football teams. Sports journalists of high stature, their skills at uncovering the facts and updating those records is well appreciated. Peter Sarawit helped greatly with the material on the evolution of Prep’s information technology. Megan Hoover and Christine Evans did the
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
same for the drama and music programs, respectively. Andrew Davenport ’08, assisted in uncovering the Jeff Cuffee story. There were many Prep administrators and faculty, past and present, who contributed in one way or another, from formal interviews to informal conversations, to this ongoing project. I actually started to make a list of all these friends and colleagues, but it included many dozens of names. And with that, I worried that I left people out. So, it will have to suffice to say that I owe a great deal of gratitude to all who directly or indirectly aided me in the development of this history. I must report, however, on the sad news of the passing of Mr. Thomas “Tim” McGillicuddy on January 4, 2018. Tim was without one of most significant contributors to the success of Prep, and he served as a personal friend and advisor for many decades. I feel very fortunate that we were able to enjoy one last dinner together only months before he left us. I will miss him very much. From the beginning, the people in Prep’s Development Office were there for me and the project. Special thanks to Larry Carroll ’63, Rick Henderson, Julie Pollard, Kathy Norell, Austin Ryan ’06, Robyn Fry and Grace Calderon. Past members that deserve mention are Joe Miller ’76, Bob Donahue ’87, Georgina Holdsworth, Betty Renzulli, Marianne Birtwell and Marge Montanaro. Among the secretarial staff, I appreciate the support and friendship of Margaret Rosario, Patty Veno and Cindy Fortunato. I especially want to note the contribution of a number of Prep alums, including: Howard F. Mullen ’45, John Lannon ’48, John “Jackie” O’Connell ’51, Edward Foster ’55, and John Walshe ’61. Additionally, many of my former students contributed to this project in the area of research and support, including: Kevin Lyskowski ’87, Karl Ueberbacher ’88, Matt Piatkowski ’89, Jonathan Stanczyk ’93, Ken Jordan ’08, and especially Raphael Panfili ’92. Finally, I want to thank my wife Teri and my daughter Marcella for their patience as I spent countless hours sequestered in my office writing this book. Among the many written resources for this manuscript, the following were greatly relied upon: The Principal’s Diaries (for the first decade) were incredibly detailed and informative, as were the Minister’s Journals. It is imperative to note that considerable information was gleaned from The Jesuit Province of New England: The Expanding Years, by Fr. James Leo Burke, S.J. Also helpful was Fairfield University: The Emergence of a Modern Catholic Institution, by Joseph Richard Preville. The
Chronicles of Fairfield University, Book I: the Founding Years by Fr. Charles Duffy, S.J., and Fairfield University History Online, at the DiMena-Nyselius Library of Fairfield University also served as great sources of information. The Bellarmine Quarterly, Bellarmine Letters, and the 75 Hearthstone yearbooks were used in many areas of the project. For the period of 21st century, we researchers have the benefit of using the Prep Today journal, first edited by Joe Miller and subsequently by Colleen Adams. This journal has become the de-facto archive for Prep’s history and will no doubt prove to be indispensable for anyone who is looking into the school’s history. The Town of Fairfield Historical Society, the archives of the Town of Fairfield and the City of Bridgeport were very helpful. Finally, there were many regional, state and local newspapers that were employed to add to or validate various aspects of the history. It is important to note, however, that this manuscript is not a research paper, per se. I have consciously avoided citing every new bit of information that came to my attention in order to help create a better flow to the chapters, especially if that information can be found in numerous sources. On the other hand, in certain areas I make sure to attribute information to specific sources, if deemed relevant. Finally, for this third version of the book I tried my best to eliminate any mistakes that were in the previous editions. I want to extend my sincere apologies, however, for any mistakes or serious omissions related to the new edition. As I have stated previously, each and every student, administrator and teacher deserves mention in any book on Prep’s history because all of you have contributed to the organic whole that this great community has become. It is my wish that this book will serve as a base for others who will come along to add new chapters to the school’s history. Most importantly, it is my hope and expectation that this wonderful Jesuit institution will continue to thrive and grow, not only for decades, but for centuries to come. Sincerely – John W. Szablewicz
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BEGINNINGS
The Prep-Lauralton joint Glee Club concert, May 1947.
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HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1970s
1980s
1990s
CHAPTER 1
Beginnings
A
fter celebrating the Eucharist early in the morning of September 4, 1941, Fr. James H. Dolan, S.J., and Fr. R.A. Hewitt, S.J., sat down
for a quick breakfast in the House of Jesuit Studies in Weston, Massachusetts. They then prepared themselves for an important journey. That afternoon they had an appointment with Bishop Maurice McAuliffe, leader of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Hartford, Connecticut. The newspapers that morning were still talking about the August meeting of Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill where the two had agreed to an “Atlantic
The entrance to McAuliffe Hall from North Benson Road.
Charter” pledging an end to Nazi tyranny. Although the United States was still technically not at war anywhere
New England, made a second request. In each case, the
on the globe, it was only three
Bishop seemed to react positively to the idea, yet nothing
months and three days before
definitive came from the Hartford office. Early that afternoon, the two Jesuits finally had their
Pearl Harbor. the
long-anticipated meeting with the Bishop. According
afternoon meeting between
to Fr. James L. Burke, S.J., in his account, The Jesuit
the two Jesuits and Bishop
Province of New England: The Expanding Years, the
McAuliffe was to discuss
meeting went well, and Fr. Dolan later reported, “The
the prospects of the Society
Bishop was extremely cordial and friendly throughout
of Jesus opening a school in
the interview, which lasted about fifty minutes.” During
Connecticut.
Fathers
the discussions, the Jesuits learned that two other orders,
there
the Franciscans and the Holy Cross Fathers, had also
The
Rev. James H. Dolan, S.J., a founder of Fairfield Prep and Fairfield University.
Dolan was
purpose
and no
of
For Hewitt,
great
reason
to
recently petitioned for permission to establish schools
the
in the state. A momentary surge of anxiety was quelled
conference. After all, in 1935 Fr. Provincial James T.
by the Bishop’s recollection that the Society of Jesus had
McCormick had first approached the Bishop with the idea
been the first to submit a proposal, and therefore, in the
of a secondary school in Connecticut. In August 1937,
interests of fairness, its request should be the first one
Fr. Dolan, recently named as the 3rd Jesuit provincial of
granted.
be
optimistic
about
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BEGINNINGS
Bishop McAuliffe confided that he had reasons beyond the primacy issue for his decisions. He went on to praise the Jesuit Order for its abilities, stressing that it was the “best equipped to teach.” Fathers Dolan and Hewitt thanked the Bishop for his decision and for his great confidence in their Order. As the meeting continued, the focus shifted to specifics. Where, they asked, should the school be located? The Bishop responded that he had been receiving many letters and requests for a Catholic school from the parishioners in the southwest part of the state; also there was a pressing need to provide a Catholic
The Mailands, built in 1896, was the estate of Oliver Gould Jennings. The large columns were removed before purchase by the Jesuits.
school alternative for those people in Fairfield County. He suggested Bridgeport as a possible site and added
with the task of keeping watch for the availability of
that plans were being developed in order to identify an
potential sites for the new school anywhere in the
appropriate property on which to locate the new Jesuit
southern Fairfield County area. According to Fr. Charles
school.
Duffy, S.J., as stated in his Chronicles of Fairfield University,
Fr. Dolan later reported that he was uncertain as
Book I: The Founding Years, assisting Fr. Mahoney in his
to whether the Bishop would allow them to propose
search were two local judges, Paul Connery and John
various possibilities for his approval. In any case, the
Flanagan.
issue would soon become moot as fate intervened, and
On October 28, Fr. Dolan, this time accompanied by
a logical site for the new school materialized remarkably
Fr. Robert Hewitt, returned to Bridgeport, where they
and clearly.
were the guests of Monsignor Leo Finn, who was at
On September 15, 1941, the official documents were
that time pastor of St. Peter’s Parish. Fr. Finn was able
signed by Bishop McAuliffe formalizing the agreement
to suggest at least two sites, one in the Black Rock area,
allowing the Society of Jesus to establish a secondary
called the “Chimneys,” and the other in the Seaside Park
school in Connecticut. Included in the contract as
area. The big problem with the Black Rock site was one
agreed to orally during the September 4th meeting was a
of zoning, since it was a residential area. The Seaside
statement granting the order to eventually open a college
Park site held greater potential. As the priests pursued
in the state. It was the Bishop’s dream that such a college
their investigation, however, they came to realize that
would one day serve as a Mecca of Catholic education in
the property was already in the process of being sold to
Connecticut. Fortunately, in that agreement the Bishop
another buyer.
had given his blessing for the Jesuits to expand the
It is worth highlighting the role of Monsignor Finn in
search to the greater Bridgeport area, rather than to just
the founding of the new school. According to John W.L.
the city itself.
Walshe ’61, a family relative of Msgr. Finn, the Jesuits actually solicited Finn’s aid in securing permission from
Search Begins
2
Bishop McAuliffe to establish their school in Fairfield
Wanting to waste no time in securing a site for their
County. Walshe reports: “Prior to going forward with
new school, the Jesuits immediately attended to the task
plans to establish Fairfield Prep, there apparently was
of searching for a home. On the very day that the Bishop’s
concern among decision makers in the New England
written permission was secured, Fr. Provincial Dolan and
Province that the attempt to establish a school in
Fr. Thomas C. McLaughlin drove down from Hartford to
lower Connecticut (Fordham’s backyard) would not be
inspect various properties in the city of Bridgeport.
welcomed by some in the Hartford Diocese. So the Order
Early in 1941 Fr. Dolan entrusted Fr. Mahoney, the
turned to Fr. Leo (Holy Cross, Class of 1910) … to plead
supervisor of the Jesuit retreat house in South Norwalk,
their cause to Bishop McAuliffe.” Although a diocesan
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
priest and not a member of the Society of Jesus, Father
about it. And the size of the estate, 76.2 rolling acres,
Finn no doubt developed his affinity for and loyalty to
held the potential for expansion. The location of the
the Jesuits during his years at “The Cross.” Beyond his
Jennings property was excellent. Downtown there was
role in the founding of the school, over time he often
the New Haven Railroad Line and the Post Road bus
checked-in on Prep and recommended many worthy
lines heading east to Bridgeport and west to Norwalk.
students to the school.
In addition, there was the newly-constructed Merritt
Just at the point when there seemed to be no good
Parkway passing through Fairfield’s north end, linking
location available for the school, God’s will became
the town to the suburban areas in the greater Bridgeport
evident. According to Fr. Charles F. Duffy, S.J., a Mr.
region.
Edward Bray pointed out that there was a large piece
According to Fr. Leo Burke, S.J., in only a matter
of property going up for sale in the Fairfield area. This
of days following the Jesuits’ purchase of the Jennings
place, known locally as the “Mailands,” was the estate of
estate, a new opportunity materialized. An adjoining
Oliver Gould Jennings, one-time confidant of presidents
property on the southwest corner of the Jennings place
and big businessmen. With the assistance of Mr. Bray and
was going on the market. This property was the Walter
Major Paul Daily, along with realtor Lawrence Cornwell,
Lasher estate, built by the well-known executive of the
the process of negotiating for the property commenced.
American Chain Company. It had been remanded to
At first, property owner Mr. Lawrence Jennings stated
the town of Fairfield due to tax default problems. At
outright his refusal to allow the stately building on the
105 acres, the Lasher estate was slightly larger than the
estate to be used as a school. Furthermore, the estate
Jennings estate and consisted of a 40-room mansion,
was about to be sold to Mr. Lawrence Copley Thaw. For
known as “Hearthstone Hall,” located on a hill which
whatever reason, however, in a scene reminiscent of a
was only minimally lower in elevation than the Jennings
Bing Crosby film, the Thaw purchase remarkably fell
house. Fr. Dolan decided to pursue the Lasher property.
through, and on November 23 Major Paul Daly informed
However, on December 30, 1941, a meeting of the Jesuit
the Jesuits that the Jennings family suddenly had a
Province consultants resulted in a negative vote on the
change of heart and decided to sell the property to them.
issue. According to Burke, the vote was three to one
Euphoria over the purchase was no doubt significantly
against purchasing the Lasher estate, and it appeared
blunted on December 7th, that “day of infamy.”
to close the door on the further expansion of Jesuit
Nevertheless, the process continued. Negotiations took
education in the town of Fairfield.
place in a Bridgeport law office from 4:30 to 5:05 in the afternoon of December 15, 1941, with eleven people in the room. There, papers were signed officially making the Jennings estate the property of the Society of Jesus for the purchase price of $43,879. Funding was provided by way of a loan from the Jesuit New England province. On the Jennings estate stood a large, stately mansion and a number of smaller outbuildings. Situated on a hill overlooking Long Island Sound, the mansion was certainly well-constructed with a cut-stone outer shell and beautiful hand-crafted woodwork throughout. Many of the rooms were quite large, easily spacious enough to be used as classrooms for young men. The building would need considerable renovation before it could be transformed into a functioning educational institution, but it definitely possessed a distinctive “prep school” feel
Rear view of the Jennings estate. Large greenhouse in the foreground.
HISTORY OF PREP |
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BEGINNINGS
Prep’s first faculty as of September 1942. L-r: third row: Bro. Clifford, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Harris, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Duggan, Fr. John Barry; second row: Mr. Donovan, Fr. James Barry, Fr. Landrey, Fr. Finnegan, Fr. Burns, Fr. Fay, Mr. Garcia; first row: Fr. Doherty, Fr. Whalen, Rev. Fr. McEleney, Fr. Reilly, Fr. Kennedy.
Happy Birthday, Fairfield Prep! In any event, the Jesuits decided to move ahead with
Bostonians. Indeed, the first principal of the school, Fr.
the official establishment of the school. At one o’clock
Leo Reilly, S.J., was born in Ireland. Regarding the charter,
in the afternoon of St. Patrick’s Day, 1942, a meeting
it should be noted that among the various motions
was held at St. Robert’s Hall Seminary in the town of
passed that afternoon was a resolution “pertaining to the
Pomfret Center, in northeast Connecticut. Present were
establishing and maintaining of a school for intermediate,
fathers James H. Dolan, William l. Kelleher, Thomas L.
secondary and advanced education in the town of
McLaughlin, John J. McEleny, John H. Collins, Leo R. Fair,
Fairfield, Connecticut…,” thus holding out the possibility
and Daniel P. Mahoney. The group, with Fr. Dolan elected
that, aside from a high school and a university, the Jesuits
chair, served as the official incorporators. They composed
might even open a middle school somewhere on the
the Articles of Association, thus officially establishing
campus one day.
Rev. John J. McEleney, S.J., was the first rector of Fairfield Prep. 4
insofar as many of the first Fairfield Jesuits were Irish
| HISTORY OF PREP
the Fairfield College of St.
Fortuitously, through the efforts of Fr. Dolan, James
Robert Bellarmine. Fr. John
C. Joy and Fairfield First Selectman John Ferguson, the
J. McEleney, S.J., was elected
issue of the Lasher estate was revived once more. After
the as the first president.
much debate with the town, the property was acquired for
Many in the Fairfield Prep and
$68,500 on April 1. In the words of Fr. Duffy, “Truly, April
university community have
1, 1942 was a day of thanks to God for this dovetailing
subsequently
that
of these two estates into one.” The Jennings mansion
day, March 17, 1942, to be
was renamed McAuliffe Hall in honor of the Bishop who
the birthday of the institution.
supported the Jesuit enterprise in Fairfield, while the
The fact that the incorporation
Lasher Building would be called Bellarmine Hall after St.
occurred on St. Patrick’s Day
Robert Bellarmine, the official patron of the school.
declared
was considered very auspicious
Almost immediately after the purchase of the two
1940s
properties, the Jesuit community went to work with
Registration Begins
plans to open a college preparatory school in September
The first registrations were taken on May 7,
of 1942. No small task indeed. Much of the early work
1942. Frs. McEleney and Keane were assisted in the
was shouldered by Fr. John J. McEleney, S.J. who had
registration process by Fr. Michael Walsh, S.J., who had
been serving as rector and master of novices of the Jesuit
just completed his religious studies at Weston. After one
school at Shadowbrook, Massachusetts. Although his
week of registration, 50 boys had been enrolled at the
official appointment as president was not announced
new Fairfield Jesuit institution, including 31 freshmen,
until July 10, Fr. McEleney first visited Fairfield in
10 sophomores and nine juniors. Although there were
the middle of March to assess the task at hand. What
a number of applicants for senior year, all were turned
he found were two cold houses in need of much work,
down that week on the basis that their educational
situated on a beautiful and mostly wooded property.
achievement levels were insufficient to meet the Jesuits’
Since the buildings were not being heated, Fr. McEleney
standards for graduation. The boys were advised to finish
had to stay at Jesuit House on Keyser Island during his
their education in their local high schools.
first visit to Fairfield.
The high academic standards for which Prep would
Amidst the hubbub and clutter of the remodeling of
become well known were already obvious during that
the Jennings house, which was selected as the site of the
first month of registration. Not only were potential
new Fairfield Prep, plans were drawn up to announce the
seniors denied admission, so too were applicants for the
opening of the school. On April 6, 1942, Fr. Gus Keane,
other grade levels who scored poorly on the entrance
S.J., made the journey from Boston to work with Fr.
examination or who possessed a weak academic record.
McEleney on developing a brochure and circular letter,
Other students were accepted on a contingency basis that
which was distributed to all pastors and convents in area
they repeat a year at the new school in order to attain an
towns from New Haven in the east and Stamford in the
acceptable level of academic competence.
west to Danbury in the north.
Despite
these
obstacles,
student
applications
The original intent for the first year of Fairfield Prep
continued to be submitted in substantial numbers
was to admit only a freshman class and then to add
throughout the month of May. By the end of that month
students over a four-year period until all classes were
there were 121 students enrolled for the opening year of
filled. That plan was quickly abandoned when a great
Fairfield Prep, including 80 freshmen, 25 sophomores,
outpouring of enthusiasm and support for the new
13 juniors and three seniors.
school resulted in many applications for all four classes.
Rev. Maurice F. McAuliffe, Bishop of Hartford.
While the registration continued throughout the
The original home of Fairfield Prep was named after Maurice Francis McAuliffe (left). In 1941 he requested the Jesuits to found Fairfield University. Today it contains classrooms and laboratories of the School of Engineering, as well as offices for the University.
HISTORY OF PREP |
5
BEGINNINGS
Originally known as Hearthstone Hall, Bellarmine Hall was built in 1920 as the main house of the Lasher estate. It was renamed in honor of St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J., (1542-1620), cardinal and patron saint of Fairfield University. Currently the University’s administrative center, it was the Jesuit residence from 1942 until 1981. The structure’s original name lives on in the name of Fairfield Prep’s yearbook, The Hearthstone.
6
spring, there were other issues that needed the attention
of Catholic Men of the Greater Bridgeport Area, and
of Fr. Keane and the new Prep administration. Tuition
the winner would receive full tuition benefits at Prep.
for the inaugural 1942-43 school year was set at $150.00
Applications for the June 6th test quickly materialized,
plus a $10.00 registration fee. Although this might be
representing students from every parochial school, and
a high price for many to pay, considering the effects of
from most public grammar schools in the surrounding
the war on the local economy, Fr. Keane reported that
region.
there were no complaints being raised by the public,
The scholarship examination had to be held at the old
even though rumors of gas rationing threatened those
Bridgeport Central High School on Golden Hill Street,
who did not live within walking distance of the campus.
since the Prep building in Fairfield was just beginning
Students entering Fairfield Prep were given a choice
to undergo renovations in order to be ready for the
of two academic tracks in their studies: “classical” and
first school year. Frs. Walsh, Kelley, Baxter, Gavin, and
“scientific.” The emphasis in the classical curriculum
McCarthy administered the test to 118 boys, from 8 a.m.
focused on the origin and development of Western
to 12:30 p.m. on the 6th of June. After the exam, Fr.
civilization including the study of ancient Greek and
Kelley took the tests up to Boston College High School
Latin languages. Many young men, upon choosing the
for grading. On June 10, the winners of the scholarships
classical course, were surprised to receive the news that
were announced: Charles T. Mullins of St. Charles School
they would have to study Greek. This fact was amusingly
and John E. Casey of St. Patrick’s School.
reported by acting Principal Fr. Keane in a letter to Fr.
The spring of 1942 was shaping up to be a very
Dolan the Jesuit Provincial: “Poor old Greek! You should
auspicious start for the new school. Renovations were
see the expressions on the faces of those who hear that
beginning in the Jennings and Lasher mansions, but
they may have to take it. Same expression the patient has
most of the attention went to the Jennings house, chosen
when the doctor says a major operation is necessary, or
to serve as the school building. Fr. McEleney, along with
an amateur might have when told to make a parachute
Fr. Keane, did much of the planning and layout for the
jump for the first time.”
classrooms, labs, and offices. They also spent a great deal
During the last week of May, 1942, local newspapers
of time on-site, supervising the construction. Every day
announced that Fairfield Prep would be offering its
seemed to present new problems, and decisions had to
first scholarship examination sponsored by the Council
be made on the spur of the moment.
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
Meanwhile, much less attention was being devoted
everything else to help the community run smoothly,
to the Jesuit residence, the Lasher house. Fr. Keane
including laundry, shopping, repairs, and housekeeping
reported: “We have no cook, no larder, and just a few
tasks. It was a common sight to see Br. Clifford zipping
dishes.” Occasionally the priests would be treated
around campus in the old “Woody” station wagon,
to dinner by gracious Fairfield residents. A woman
tending to various chores, or dropping off or picking up
showed up unexpectedly one afternoon with a bundle
his fellow Jesuits at the Fairfield train station.
of groceries, including a large steak, which she cooked
The Rev. Bishop Alfred Jolson, S.J., was one of
and served to the tired and appreciative Jesuits. Many
the many who fondly remembered Br. Clifford’s
evenings the community would dine at the Howard
contributions to Fairfield. He believed that the signs
Johnson’s restaurant on the Post Road. The Fairfield
posted at the entrances of Fairfield campus should
Jesuits struggled through those early days of spring and
be changed from “Founded by the Jesuit Fathers” to
summer 1942. The work was difficult and demanding,
“Founded by the Society of Jesus” or “Founded by the
and living conditions were unstable. Yet there was a
Jesuit Fathers and Brothers.”
spirit of optimism for the new school that made all the obstacles worthwhile.
A number of other “firsts” for Prep during the summer of 1942 included: the first flag-raising ceremony on
By the first week of July, enrollment was up to 214.
July 15, and the official blessing of the Jesuit residence,
That week the postman brought the anxiously awaited
Bellarmine Hall, by Bishop McAuliffe on August 5. Over
publication known as the Status for the upcoming school
three dozen pastors of various churches in Fairfield
year. The Status was a journal in which all assignments
County were on hand for the occasion. On August 22,
for the Jesuit Order were announced. In those days,
as workmen busily applied the finishing touches on the
priests had no idea where they would be sent until it was
school building, it was announced that Mr. Thomas F.
revealed in the annual journal. On July 6, 1942, Fr. Keane
Murphy was hired to be Prep’s first football and baseball
recorded that the Status arrived at the Fairfield campus.
coach.
It contained the following information: assigned to Fairfield Prep – 12 priests and eight scholastics. Among those assigned were the Rev. Leo A. Reilly, Principal, and Rev. John L. Barry, Prefect of Discipline.
The First Day of Fairfield Prep Finally the great day arrived. On September 9, 1942, the doors of McAuliffe Hall were opened to greet
(Note: Fr. John Barry was obviously replaced by Fr. John
319 young men, including 11 members of the senior
H. Kelly sometime after the announcement in the “Status.”
class and three post-graduate students. At the scene to
It is Fr. Kelly who appears in the yearbook as “Dean of
welcome the students were the Rector, Fr. McEleney,
Men.” It is interesting also to note that Fr. Kelly’s name does
Principal Fr. Reilly, and Bishop McAuliffe. The Bishop
not appear in Fr. James Leo Burke’s history – see Burke,
blessed the school building and conducted a solemn
p. 112. In the 1943 yearbook the students acknowledge Fr.
benediction in the school chapel. He also addressed the
John Barry as their algebra teacher – p. 29)
student body, reminding the students of the significance
At the time of the announcement, Fr. Reilly was out on the west coast pursuing his religious studies in Seattle,
of the first day in the history of Fairfield College Preparatory School.
Washington. Irish-born and still possessing a heavy
On September 11, the auxiliary Bishop of Hartford,
brogue, the tall priest had to quickly make arrangements
Rev. Henry J. O’Brien offered the Mass of the Holy Spirit,
for the cross-country trip to Fairfield.
the traditional offering at the beginning of the school year at all Jesuit institutions. It must have brought a great
Brother Clifford A brief word is in order about the only Jesuit “Brother” at Fairfield Prep, Brother Robert F. Clifford. Described by
sense of satisfaction to the Jesuit fathers of Fairfield to have their new school join the many hundreds of Jesuit institutions in celebrating the Eucharist that week.
Fr. Charles F. Duffy, S.J., as “a real live wire - thin and
So it was that the old Jennings mansion came to life
very active,” Br. Clifford did not teach but did practically
again in a way never anticipated by the original owners HISTORY OF PREP |
7
BEGINNINGS
of the estate. The sounds of more than 300 young
system would say, was that great friendships could be
men and their instructors now echoed through the old
formed. These friendships were tested in the classrooms
building. And what a wonderful environment in which
and on the athletic fields, where intramural contests
to learn it was! Each classroom was like a comfortable
between homerooms became re-enactments of the
old parlor, with beautiful wood floors and wall coverings.
Battle of Marathon. Energy was high and school spirit
The acoustics were excellent. Many rooms had fireplaces
materialized remarkably quickly, especially when one
and closets for storage. The rooms facing southward had
considers that these 319 boys converged on the Prep
a magnificent view of Long Island Sound. Outside the
from many different neighborhoods and communities
building were hundreds of beautiful plantings, many rare
throughout the surrounding region.
and exotic. The basement of the building housed the science labs, a small gymnasium, and the lunch room. The
Among the great new institutions to begin that first
chapel dominated the center of the first floor, which
year was that of the homeroom “beadle.” This was a
also contained administrative offices and classrooms.
particularly fortunate young man who was selected by
The great staircase winding up from the first floor, over
the homeroom teacher to serve as a messenger between
which hung the beautiful brass chandelier, is a sight that
homeroom and the administration. The beadle would
anyone who ever worked or studied in McAuliffe Hall
bring attendance slips down to the office, and bring
can never forget. It somehow became one of the great
the “Daily Bulletin” and other messages from the
symbols of Fairfield Prep, along with the brass “FCPS”
administrative offices. Although the beadle was much
weather vane that stood proudly atop the building.
maligned by his fellow classmates, students often went
In those days, students were grouped in homerooms
out of their way to get appointed to this post. The idea
that stayed in place through the entire day. It was the
of the school beadle somehow survived at Prep for more
teachers who moved from room to room as each period
than 55 years, until the school moved to electronic
rolled into the next. The great benefit of students staying
messages via classroom computers as the high-tech
together in this manner, those who experienced the
revolution swept through Prep’s buildings.
Students attending Mass in McAuliffe Chapel.
8
Beadles in the Halls
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
Fairfield Prep’s first football team, Fall 1942. L-r, first row: Cook, Daly, Moran, Neary, McDonough, Naputano, Hanlon, Tickey, Harrington, Ward; second row: Coach Mr. Murphy, Manager Mr. McBride, Falanga, Jones, Fitzsimons, McEnany, O’Connor, Trojanowski, Garrity, Gaynor, DeRosa, Costanza, Moderator Fr. John Barry.
Prep’s Inaugural Football Season
attended to the task of learning the “Jesuit way,” as
School spirit was certainly put to the test during the
outlined in detail in the important Jesuit document,
inaugural varsity football campaign. With only about
the Ratio Studiorum, or “Plan of Studies.” The “Ratio,”
four weeks of practice behind them, the Jesuit gridders
conceived in 1599, has stood ever since as the organized
lost the first game in Prep’s history to Hopkins Grammar
framework of Jesuit education. The document specified
by a score of 13-0. Prep’s stubborn defensive play,
the importance of teaching subjects such as Latin, Greek,
however, led by O’Connor and Trojanowski, kept the
philosophy, and science.
score much closer than anyone expected.
It also stressed that humanistic studies and literature
Tom Murphy’s boys bounced back from that loss
should be integrated into the curriculum. Much of the
with a great 6-0 victory over Wooster Prep of Danbury.
document addressed the roles of administrators and
Again, it was defense that stood out as Prep shut down
teachers in a Jesuit school.
the potent Wooster attack. The Prep backfield of Hanlon,
It should be noted that, although the document was
Tickey, Daly and Trojanowski began to gel in this game
a detailed blueprint on how to administer and teach in a
and had a number of potential scoring chances. One first
Jesuit school, the thrust of this Jesuit plan of education
quarter scoring TD on a pass from Hanlon to Tickey was
was not just structure for its own sake. In his article
called back by a penalty. The only score of the game came
“A Masterful Plan,” in the December 2005 edition of
in the fourth quarter, at the end of what would in the
Company magazine, Fr. Claude Pavur, S.J., observed
future be known as a “patented” Fairfield Prep scoring
that under the Ratio Studiorum “… teachers are free to
drive. The scoring play was a sweet reverse with Tickey
be creative within certain bounds because teaching is
carrying for the score. And so it was that Prep had its first
recognized as an art rather than a technique mastered by
football victory. There would be many more to come!
following a rule book.” Creative and innovative teaching would always be a trademark of Fairfield College
Learning the “Jesuit Way”
Preparatory School.
As Prep moved through the first autumn of its
No matter how you look at it, following the Jesuit
existence, the students and faculty settled in and
plan meant that all aspects of a young man’s life were HISTORY OF PREP |
9
BEGINNINGS
Fr. Tom with his homeroom.
10
to be transformed forever, in keeping with the theme of
the Prep faculty gave the sophomore and junior retreat,
cura personalis, which is Latin for “care of the person.”
while Principal Fr. Reilly administered to the seniors.
Vigorous instruction followed by reflection on lessons
The second marking period was an active time for
learned was the reality experienced by every young man
two activities that served the intellectual needs of Prep
at Fairfield Prep. The goal was best expressed in the
students: The Debating Society and the Bellarmine
Greek word so often used in Jesuit education, metanoia,
Quarterly. The Prep Debating Society was a popular and
meaning a “change of heart,” whereby a person sheds
demanding club moderated by Mr. Edward Stanton. S.J.,
his selfishness and commits himself to Christ. The fact
President Carl Asman, V.P. Steven Moran, and Secretary
that the Jesuits attended to the moral as well as the
Francis Trojanowski provided skilled leadership for this
intellectual growth of their students was evident in the
highly successful organization.
school’s official motto, Per Fidem Ad Plenam Veritatem,
The Prepsters’ first public debate pitted them against
“Through Faith to the Fullness of Truth.” This was
an award-winning Boston College High School team. The
reflected in the types of student activities that came
topic was: “Resolved that the United Nations should form
into existence during that first year, such as the Sodality
a Federal Union in order to secure lasting peace.” The
of Our Blessed Lady, which pledged devotion to Mary,
Prep team was defeated but waged a skillful presentation.
the mother of Jesus Christ; the Knights of The Blessed
The Bellarmine Quarterly, under the editorship of
Sacrament, dedicated “to fostering both a more frequent
Philip Sheridan and the direction of faculty moderators
reception of Holy Communion and an increase of devout
Fr. J. Kelleher, S.J., and Mr. Howard Harris, S.J., aimed
visits to the Blessed Sacrament;” and the League of the
at fulfilling two major goals: to provide “a permanent
Sacred Heart, which urged the boys to offer their daily
recording of the literary accomplishments, aims,
actions to Jesus.
and opinions of the student body,” and to provide
Another important aspect of the Jesuit high school
“some means of publishing the news, and eventually,
experience was the annual student retreat, held at the
of preserving the history of the school.” Those early
end of the first academic term. During the week-long
editions of the Quarterly serve as an excellent record of
retreat, the freshmen exercises were conducted by John
the school’s early accomplishments.
E. Lyons, who came down for the occasion from the Jesuit
Special mention should also be made of The
retreat house in North Andover, Mass. Fr. Kellecher of
Hearthstone, the school’s yearbook, led by Editor
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
William Mann. Named after the magnificent hearth in
Prep. Even if the football team was not having a great
Bellarmine Hall, this book has over the years served as
year, there was promise in the air as the sports focus
a documentation of the “Prep Experience.” The initial
changed to basketball. Mr. Tom Murphy put together a
installment of The Hearthstone was dedicated to His
small but scrappy team in Prep’s first season. The first
Excellency Most Reverend Maurice Francis McAuliffe,
game was played against a powerful Stratford club. The
D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Hartford and great patron
result was predictable as Prep lost by a score of 48-15. A
of Fairfield Prep.
bright spot in the game for Fairfield was the play of Ed
The performing arts have always been a strong and
Tickey, who demonstrated excellent offensive skills.
important aspect of the “Prep Experience.” In 1942, the
Prep was able to pick up the school’s first varsity victory
school inaugurated an orchestra under the direction of
in its second game of the season. The game was a closely
Paul A. Fitzgerald, S.J. Fr. Thomas Murphy, S.J., added
played contest against State Trade, with Prep winning by
his assistance to the group after his arrival in Fairfield
a score of 33-28. Falanga, Fenton, and McDonough all
in February. “Fr. Tom” also organized and directed the
played well for Prep. The rest of the basketball season
Prep Glee Club, which made its debut at Parents’ Night
was one continuous battle after another. The Prep
on April 13, 1943. The high point of the evening was
hoopsters were only able to win four games against stiff
a stirring “Victory Medley” offered by the energetic 33
competition that season. The post-season saw the team
voices combined. Special praise was directed at the two
pick up two additional victories against local CYO teams.
soloists, Ray Daly and Jim Keane.
Prep finished its initial basketball season with an overall
The first autumn was an exciting time at Fairfield
record of six wins and 10 losses.
McAuliffe classroom.
HISTORY OF PREP |
11
BEGINNINGS
Parents and Friends From the very beginning of Fairfield Prep’s existence,
In addition, Mr. Phelan would eventually become the
the school was blessed by the strong support of the
architect for many of the buildings on campus, while
parents of its students. The best example of this is the
Mrs. Phelan did everything from fundraising to buying
work done by the Prep Fathers’ Club and the mothers’
and installing the drapes in the Prep cafeteria.
organization, the Bellarmine Guild.
The autumn of 1942 passed smoothly for Fairfield
The major force in the establishment of the Fathers’
Prep. Nevertheless, world events were constantly
Club was Mr. James C. Shannon, who also lent his support
thrusting themselves into the consciousness of the
to the creation of Fairfield University. A prominent local
Fairfielders. In September, the government ordered
attorney and politician, Mr. Shannon later went on to
nationwide gasoline rationing. Every driver was issued
serve as governor of Connecticut.
an A, B, or C sticker setting the gas allowance at four
Bernard and Helen Gilhuly also contributed greatly
or more gallons of gas per week, depending upon such
to the early success of Prep. Bernie worked on many
factors as whether a person’s driving contributed to the
projects, including the building of the first road on
war effort. Since the Japanese had captured the rubber-
campus to link the Jesuit residence, Bellarmine Hall,
producing areas of Southeast Asia, there was also strict
with the school building, McAuliffe Hall. On December
rationing of tires. Meanwhile, in Europe, Nazi aggression
6, 1942, a large crowd of parents and local officials
continued, and hundreds of thousands of lives were lost
attended ceremonies, presided over by Father Rector
in the year 1942.
McEleney, to open the road. A check of $6,000 was
Despite the gloomy war news, Prep’s first dance was
given by the parents’ organizations to Fr. McEleney as
held by the senior class in November. All agreed that it
payment for the construction of what the Rector dubbed
was a huge success. A favorite spot for dances would be
the “Drive of Good Will.” In subsequent years a traffic
the Ritz Ballroom at Ash Creek, where many a Prepster
circle was added to the road. Students called the circle
would “strut his stuff” to the big band sounds of Glenn
“Dolan’s Navel,” after the Jesuit provincial who later
Miller, Harry James, or the Dorseys.
became Fairfield’s Rector, Father James Dolan.
January of 1943 brought the school’s first mid-year
Mrs. Gilhuly, like her husband, went to great lengths
exams as well as some changes to the school. Father
to aid the fledgling Fairfield Prep. She was a tremendous
Thomas A. Fay, who had been serving as instructor of
worker and fund raiser, and she served as the first
algebra, was called into the U.S. Merchant Marines to
president of the Bellarmine Mothers’ Guild. Other
serve as chaplain. He was replaced by Father John H.
prominent people who gave of themselves for Prep in
Kelly. Fr. Bernard Finnigan was also called to duty to
the early days included Dr. and Mrs. Philip Carroll.
serve as chaplain in the Merchant Marines. In February,
Dr. Carroll took care of the health needs of the Jesuit
Frs. Lawrence Langguth and Thomas Murphy made the
community. His wife, Wanda, later served as president
journey down from Boston to fill the vacated positions.
of the Mothers’ Guild. Bill and Edith Fitzpatrick, who
Fr. Langguth taught algebra and Fr. Murphy tackled
served as presidents of the parents’ organizations
English and Latin. “Fr. Tom” also contributed his
although they had no children to send to Prep, were
considerable musical talent to the school orchestra and
great supporters. Mr. Ray Flicker owned the Bridgeport
glee club.
Post-Telegram newspaper and saw to it that Prep received considerable positive publicity.
12
who both served as presidents of the parents’ clubs.
During the months of February and March, considerable renovation took place in McAuliffe as
William and Mildred Hope came to the aid of the
workers tore down walls in order to create larger
Jesuits by donating the Fairfield community’s first car,
classrooms on the third floor. The work was undertaken
a little “beach wagon,” in which the Jesuits would do
by students from a local trade school, with Mr. William
their shopping and shuttle people to the train station
Steele supervising. Dodging plaster became a daily
and back. Mr. James Joy, a local banker, and his wife
experience for the young men of Prep, especially
also supported the Prep, as did Gerald and Ruth Phelan
the senior class 4A, whose classroom underwent a
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
transformation before their very eyes and ears.
Then we got the inspiration,
The transformation of a building into a school and,
Shouted out to all the nation,
for that matter, into a tradition, was obvious to all as
What will save the situation?
Fairfield Prep progressed into its very first spring. And
Fairfield, Fairfield College Prep!
as befitting any great educational tradition, Prep needed
This is how our noble alma mater came to be,
an official school song, an alma mater. Fr. Tom Murphy
And now we sing to Fairfield Prep our pledge of
sat down one day and composed the beautiful Prep song.
loyalty.
Words were added by Fr. Tom’s collaborator, Fr. Kelly.
Fight Song Alma Mater
Let your song ring out for Fairfield
Fairfield Prep, full rich in beauty
Send your cheer on high,
Rising from the sea
When there’s a victory to be won
Mother of delight and duty
Fairfield men are never done.
Hear our pledge to thee!
Oh, Fairfield will reign triumphant
Deeper than the Sound’s blue water
over every foe,
Stronger than the gale
We may laugh, we may cry,
Is our love for Alma Mater
But we never say die.
Fairfield Prep, All Hail!
Let’s go Fairfield, Fairfield, let’s go!
Frs. Murphy and Kelly, the Lerner and Loewe of Fairfield Prep, went on that spring to pen another great addition to the school’s rapidly growing tradition, the Fairfield Prep “Fight Song.” To be heard ever since at Prep athletic contests, the fight song became a great catalyst for school spirit. Many a freshman over the years has had to get up in class or in the cafeteria and sing the song with sufficient gusto or face the wrath of the upper class. (Note: the introductory verse was brought to my attention by Mr. Gregory Marshall ’73 of the Prep administration, who is quite the historian in his own right.)
Introduction to the Fight Song In forty-two the world was blue And needed something, something new, Something to revive its faltering step.
With new songs and a new season, that magnificent sound of bat meeting ball signaled the arrival of baseball season at the new school. Unfortunately, due to problems of transportation in a war year, and the expense of outfitting a new team, the school was unable to field a varsity team in 1943. In its place Fr. Reilly organized an intramural league, which pitted homeroom against homeroom. Play was spirited indeed, and the boys looked forward each day to getting out on the newly carved fields and swinging the lumber. Class 3A, led by Hugh Cary and Edwin Gaynor, racked up many wins that spring. A golf team was put together during that initial spring, under Captain Dan Hayes. The team used the Sasco Hill Country Club. Under the leadership of faculty moderator and Coach Mr. Stanton, S.J., the team won its
HISTORY OF PREP | 13
BEGINNINGS
Fairfield Prep’s first graduation class: l-r, back row: William J. Mann, Stephan L. McMahon, Robert F. Madden, Thomas B. Wrynn, Paul B. Marlowe, Stephan S. Moran, Walter W. Garrity, Thomas F. Davis. Note: James A. Curran not pictured, away in training. Elbert V. Kring graduated in February for Holy Cross. Seated: Rector McEleney, S.J., Bishop Henry J. O’Brien (Bishop of Hartford) and Principal Leo A. Reilly, S.J.
very first match by a score of 3-1 against Harding High.
Russell A. Ayers, Stratfield; Thomas Francis Davis,
While inhuman atrocities such as the destruction
Fairfield; Walter Ward Garrity, Fairfield; Elbert Victor
of the Warsaw Ghetto continued in Europe, American
Kring, Bridgeport; Robert Francis Madden, Stratford;
citizens on the other side of the ocean prayed for the
William
health and success of their loved ones who were putting
Stephen S. Moran, Bridgeport; Thomas Bernard Wrynn,
their lives on the line in order to stop Nazi aggression.
Bridgeport.
Joseph
Mann,
Bridgeport,
Valedictorian;
Mindful of all of this, the boys of Prep nevertheless
In addition, there were three Post-Graduates: James
welcomed spring. As the warm month of May arrived,
Adams Curran, Fairfield; Paul Benedict Marlowe, New
the thoughts of the senior class turned to graduation,
Haven; Stephen Lawrence McMahon, Bridgeport
while the underclassmen anxiously awaited summer
The ’43 Hearthstone officially credits Elbert Victor
vacation. Nevertheless, the reality of global war was
Kring as being the very first graduate of Fairfield Prep.
omnipresent. From May 10th through the 19th, the
Elbert came to Fairfield from Bassick High School in
school participated in a Drive for War Bonds and Stamps,
Bridgeport, completed his graduation requirements at
coordinated by Fr. Doherty. It was a great success with
the end of the first semester, and left Prep in February
$5,200 collected in support of the war effort. Prepsters
1943, to enter the College of the Holy Cross
donated more than their spending money to the war
Out of the very first graduating class also came the
effort, however. By the spring of 1943, a number of the
first vocation. Valedictorian William J. Mann, the first
members of the Prep student body were serving in the
graduate to become a priest, was ordained in Hartford on
U.S. military, including: Russell Ayres, George Coleman,
May 18, 1950. His first Mass was said at St. Ann Church
Donald McIndoe, Stephen Moran, Robert Quinn, and
in Bridgeport.
Francis Trojanowski.
And so it came to pass that Fairfield Prep successfully completed its very first year of existence. It was indeed
Prep’s First Graduation
that something very special was emerging in the sleepy
16, 1943, on the back lawn of Bellarmine Hall. Governor
little town on Long Island Sound. The word quickly
Raymond Baldwin gave the commencement address from
spread that a Jesuit education at Fairfield Prep was an
the back porch of the beautiful building. Presiding over
outstanding way to prepare young men for the many
the ceremonies was Bishop O’Brien. A total of nine young
challenges that life in a troubled world would have in
men comprised Prep’s first graduating class, the Class
store for them.
of 1943: Carl Joseph Asman, New Haven, Salutatorian;
14
a remarkable year in many ways, and it was clear to all
Prep’s very first graduation day took place on June
| HISTORY OF PREP
July of 1943 was a busy month at Prep. Summer
1940s
school commenced with 50 boys in attendance. At a
War Bonds Drive amounted to $5,976.65, about $14.68
cost of $30 per subject the students were organized
per student. The prize for the highest individual sale
into two sessions, the first running from 8:45-9:30 and
went to Mark Gildea for his $1,000 contribution.
9:45-10:20, and the second from 10:40-11:25 and 11:3012:15.
School opened on September 8 for freshmen with the Schola Brevis, (brief schedule) the Liturgy, and an
In the midst of all the activity, workmen continued to
assembly. Friday, September 10, was a busy day with all
remodel the third floor of McAuliffe in preparation for a
400 or so students at school. Fr. Reilly was extremely
larger student body. In all, six classrooms were created
pleased that the cafeteria was able to serve the entire
on the third floor, which was completed by August 28.
student body in only 11 minutes. He had previously
In addition, a new physics lab was constructed in the
feared that his new consolidated cafeteria schedule
basement, with Fr. Langguth very capably in charge of
would never work. As usual, the entire Prep community
the planning and lay-out.
converged to celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit.
Work
also
progressed
that
summer
on
the
September 16 saw the completion of a new road
community’s farm and barnyard. In the war years, when
outside McAuliffe in order to facilitate comings and
meat rationing was a daily reality, the Jesuits were able to
goings. The next day the new war bonds drive began,
sustain themselves in part by running their own “victory
and the students declared their intention to better the
garden” and mini-farm. In addition to growing a wide
previous year’s totals.
variety of vegetables, they ran a poultry house with more than 1,000 chickens. They even raised several pigs.
The football team, which had been practicing since August 16, was about to start its last week of practice in
Meanwhile, registration progressed. By September,
preparation for the first game of season. A big pep rally
1943, the student body totaled 395, with 26 seniors,
was held during 5th period on Friday, September 24, on
42 juniors, 142 sophomores, and a whopping 185 in
the lawn outside the chapel. At this rally Fr. Murphy’s
the new freshman class. The
new Prep fight song was officially introduced to the
freshmen were organized into
cheers of the student body.
five homerooms of 37 each.
Although the season was disappointing with no wins
In September, the young
and only one tie against Danbury, Ed Tickey, who left
men were welcomed by the
in mid-season for duty in the Marine Corps, was the
administration and faculty to
outstanding player. Some hopeful signs, however, were
life at Prep. There had been
the inspired play of Captain William McDonough, and
a number of changes in the
also Ray Daly, Richard Shea, Martin Zadravec, and the
composition of the faculty
speedy Frank Feroleto.
over the summer. Fr. Kelleher and
Mr.
Walsh
Nevertheless, the war was still an inescapable reality
departed,
for all. On October 7, Prep conducted an air-raid drill,
but the size of the faculty
with Mr. Stanton, S.J., functioning as warden. On October
increased considerably with
16, representatives of the Army Air Corps visited Prep
the addition of Frs. Joseph Burke, Francis Flaherty,
looking for volunteers for aviator cadet training, and,
James Loffler, Charles MacMullan, John Toomer, and
on October 27, the students were dismissed early at
Henry Williamson. Also arriving at Prep were Jesuit
11:50 a.m. in order to participate in a scrap metal drive.
scholastics Joseph Carew, Joseph Casey, Joseph Keaney,
Dismissal for the students followed the “reading of the
and John Rock. Fr. Leo Reilly, S.J., was back as principal,
marks” for the first quarter by homeroom teachers.
Rev. Leo A. Reilly, S.J., Headmaster 1942-1945
with John H. Kelly serving as the dean of men.
The reading of grades aloud before the whole class
On September 4, the student body was called to the
was a tradition brought by the Jesuits to Fairfield Prep.
McAuliffe lawn for the presentation of the school’s Service
Few students looked forward to the experience. But
Flag, which was a gift of the first senior class. Fr. Doherty
what made the whole thing even worse was the teacher’s
then announced that the totals from the previous spring’s
comments that always seemed to accompany the reading. HISTORY OF PREP | 15
BEGINNINGS
field under the supervision of a patient dean of discipline. According to Harold F. Mullen, Class of 1945, the most common image associated with JUG in the old days is that of a bushel basket. Those old apple baskets would be employed when clearing the athletic fields of stones. “Juggees” were sent out to pick stones and were told not to return until the basket was filled to the brim. Some years later, one particularly innovative Jesuit scholastic devised a logical punishment for boys caught in a snowball fight in the parking lot. The guilty parties had to manufacture enough snowballs, in bare hands, to line the entire perimeter of the “Quad” between Berchmans and Xavier halls. After they had finished, they then had to break all the snowballs down into powder once more, lest some unsuspecting Dizzy Dean might come along and fall prey to the temptation to wing a few at some freshmen. Most often “juggees” would be assigned to clean Snowball JUG.
It was bad enough to hear a “D” in Latin, but when the teacher said, “You will never get into Boston College with grades like that, young man,” the student wanted to sink a little lower in his seat. Despite the anxiety that it provoked, the process of public grade reading was generally received with good humor by the students. Smiles could be seen and an occasional chuckle heard. Those who experienced it would later admit that it did re-enforce good study habits and a spirit of camaraderie within the student body.
JUG (Justice under God)
graffiti off desks or bathroom walls, or pick up papers from halls and parking lots for about an hour after school. For serious misdemeanors or repeat offenders, there was always the threat of a Saturday JUG, which was quite unpleasant indeed. It is rumored that particularly “nerdy” students would occasionally be urged by well-meaning friends to commit some simple transgression in order to insure that they not graduate from Prep with the stigma of never having been “jugged” at least once during their four years. Another disciplinary institution deserves at least some mention. In the early days certain Black Robes were known to provide students a democratic choice
Another great Jesuit tradition had to do with discipline. Every educational institution ever known to mankind has employed some type of “detention” after school in order to discipline disobedient or mischievous students. But it was the Jesuits who elevated the whole process to a religious experience! “JUG” or “Justice under God” is the Jesuit concept of after school detention. JUG could take all manner of forms, being limited only by the imagination of the teacher bestowing it on the deserving recipient. In the early days, when the school athletic facilities were being constructed, it was a common sight to find a number of young men “picking stones” from the track or football A “juggee” in action. 16
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
between JUG, or “the paddle.” This instrument of justice was a highly prized possession, and teachers would lavish care for it just like ball players would for their favorite baseball bat. There are many Prep alumni today occupying prestigious positions in corporations and law firms upon whom the infamous paddle has left quite an impression, so to speak. Additionally, far from viewing the practice as in any way barbaric, a number of senior classes actually gave their favorite teachers new paddles as gifts of thanks and gratitude As the autumn of 1943 progressed, aside from the poor record of the football team, things went smoothly at the school. On October 29, there was a ceremony marking the Solemn Consecration of the student body to The Sacred Heart of Jesus. On Monday, November 8, the Spanish Club, moderated by Father Loffler, distributed its first issue of a monthly newspaper called El Alumno. The next Monday saw the beginnings of a
acknowledged the growing trend toward physical
new mechanical drawing course for juniors and seniors
education throughout the country and “It is further
offered by Father Langguth.
hoped that the introduction of this new order will
November 18 was the date of the “Tea Dance”
help in the preservation of discipline in the school by
with the ladies at Lauralton Hall, the all-girls school
keeping boys off the corridors…,” it stated. The desire
in Milford, often referred to as the “sister school” of
to keep noisy boys off the corridors has certainly
Prep. Over the years, many a Prep lad would find his
provided incentive for the implementation of numerous
girlfriend, and maybe even his future wife, at dances and
“innovative” programs at Fairfield Prep over the years.
socials sponsored by the two schools.
Monday, February 14, was an interesting day at the
The month of December 1943 was a bit less pleasant
school as a new Hammond organ for the chapel arrived.
in Fairfield. A rather serious outbreak of influenza hit
It was a gift from Dr. Stanton and Ms. Mary Sullivan of
the student and teacher population hard. After 65 boys
Bridgeport. The organ would add joy to the celebration
called in sick on Friday, December 17, Fr. Reilly decided
of the Liturgy in McAuliffe chapel for many years. Ms.
to start the Christmas recess after the last class that day,
Sullivan was also the primary benefactor for the Jesuit
rather than on December 23 of the following week.
Chapel in Bellarmine Hall.
School reopened on Monday, January 3rd, but a
The winter of 1944 was an exciting one for followers
number of teachers, including Fr. Murphy, were still
of the Prep basketball. Coached again by Mr. Murphy,
sick. On that date Fr. Codaire was forced to withdraw
the team compiled a successful 7-6 record against
from teaching entirely due to chronic illness. A terrible
formidable competition.
storm with sleet and high winds forced the cancellation
The team was led by talented Captain Emil Garofalo,
of school on January 4. Things got back to normal in a
along with Dick Shea, Dave Murphy, and Ed Dailey.
few days as both the foul weather and the flu epidemic
Others having good seasons were: D.W. Murphy, M.J.
finally ran their course.
Formon, M.S. Zadravec, R.F. Greenwood, J.D. Connelly,
February of 1944 brought a new semester and a new daily time order. The new order included two daily
L.J. Broadbin, R.G. Bisacca, J.M. Duggan, F. J. Horvath, J.A. Mozier, R.J. Kravutske, and J.E. Skarupa.
periods of calisthenics, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:04 a.m.
The school year rapidly moved toward spring with
and from 1:11 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. A flyer describing the
no major problems at all, save a snow storm or two in
reasons for implementing the new “exercise periods”
March. On March 17 the Prep Orchestra and the Glee HISTORY OF PREP |
17
Fairfield Prep’s first baseball team, Spring 1944. Note the borrowed Boston College High School uniforms. L-r, front row: E. Dailey, R. Shea, F. Horvath, E. Gaynor (Captain), J. Burns, E. Garofalo, J. Flynn, L. Broadbin. Back row: Rev. C. MacMullan, S.J., (Coach), J. Shannon (Mgr.), G. Vincent, P. Meehan, M. Zadravec, J. Connell, F. Feroleto, H. Neary, R. Bisacca, J. Burns, Fr. J. Keaney, S.J., (Asst. Coach).
Club performed at the St. Patrick’s Show held at the
Members of Prep’s first baseball team included: George
Knights of Columbus Hall in Bridgeport. The affair was
Bisacca, 1st base; Dick Shea, 2nd base; Emil Garofalo,
run by the Fathers’ Club to raise money for the Prep
shortstop; Frank Horvath, 3rd base; Leo Broadbin, OF;
building fund. On April 30, the Glee Club and Orchestra
Frank Feroleto, OF; Harold Savard, OF; Tom Quinn,
made history when they participated in the first-ever
Catcher; Jim Burns, Catcher; Ed Gaynor, Pitcher; Jack
joint concert with Lauralton Hall. The event was held at
Connell, Pitcher; Matt Forman, Pitcher.
the Milford school and was warmly received by a large
The team made its mark on Prep history when it won
audience. Soloists for Prep included Phil Pforada, Robert
its very first game on May 3, by a score of 4-3 against
Butler, Frank Kraynick, and Robert Craig.
Staples High School. Victory came dramatically in the
The other big event of May 1944 was the performance
last inning when, with the bases loaded and two out,
of the school’s first play. Under the direction of Mr.
James Burns smashed a line drive over the head of the
Rock, S.J., Prep’s thespians performed Shakespeare’s
Staples left fielder. The hit cleared the bases and gave
Twelfth Night at the Klein Auditorium on May 23. More
Prep its initial baseball triumph. The winning pitcher
than 1,000 people attended the play. Fr. Reilly was so
was Ed Gaynor.
impressed that he bestowed a school holiday for the entire cast on the following day.
The last week of May brought final exams. Graduation exercises were held on June 14. The affair proceeded beautifully until guest speaker, Fr. Gannon of Fordham
Prep’s First Baseball Team
18
University, rose to address the graduates. As he went to
The big sports event for the spring of 1944 was the
the podium the crowd was deluged by a massive rain
beginning of Prep’s first baseball team. On Monday, April
storm, and the graduation program had to be prematurely
17, the anxious candidates reported to Fr. McMullen for
terminated. Nevertheless, the school year 1943-44 was a
tryouts. Quite a good team of 20 players was assembled
great success, and Fairfield Prep had now begun to grow
by Fr. McMullen.
deep roots in southern Connecticut.
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
CHAPTER 2
Years of Expansion
O
n the war front in Europe, the summer of 1944 proved decisive. Starting with “D-Day” on June 6th, the Allies took the offensive, culminating
in the liberation of Paris on August 25. In the Pacific, meanwhile, General MacArthur was “island-hopping” his way toward Japan. In politics, President Franklin Roosevelt was nominated for an unprecedented fourth term, with a little-known Harry Truman, from Missouri, as his running mate. The Truman pick was a bit of a surprise, since the Democrats had been expected to keep the previous V.P., Henry Wallace, on the ticket with F.D.R. On the home front, people tried to carry on normal
Regents (1949) at Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep.
lives. As the new school year began, classes and extracurricular events began uneventfully. There were
only stipulation was that the drive was to be restricted to
many behind-the-scenes developments taking place,
Fairfield County. Subsequently, on October 23, the drive
however. Taking center stage in the mind of Father
was approved by Fr. Provincial James Dolan and the
Rector McEleney was the realization that the school
Provincial Board of Consultors.
was already expanding in size beyond the capacity of
The Jesuits, however, had considerable consternation
McAuliffe Hall. According to Joseph Preville’s account
over the Bishop’s decision to limit the building campaign
of the expansion, for that reason Fr. McEleney began
solely to Fairfield County. In an exchange of letters
working on a $1 million campaign to build a new
between Fr. McEleney and New England Provincial
structure. In conjunction with a local architect named
Dolan in November, this issue was discussed at length.
Oliver Reagan, McEleney drew up plans for a building
Fr. McEleney worried that the restriction might seriously
that would house a 1,300-seat auditorium, numerous
hinder the fund-raising. Fr. Dolan, in a letter dated
offices, a faculty room, cafeteria, four laboratories, and
November 6, reassures Fr. McEleney: “Do not be too
most importantly, 45 classrooms. Apparently, Reagan
disheartened….. Our bright prospect of the Fairfield
also proposed a secondary stop-gap plan to convert the
College future does not preclude the intervening darker
McAuliffe greenhouse into a temporary classroom.
days, nor would we have it so. It is so definitely God’s
Fr. McEleney secured Bishop McAuliffe’s blessing to proceed with the campaign back on October 5, 1943. The
work and He will provide the means, if we do our part in prayers as well as in our labors.”
HISTORY OF PREP | 19
YEARS OF EXPANSION
Homeroom
20
Throughout the early history of the Fairfield Jesuit
school needed to have any construction approved by
Community, Fr. Dolan’s unrelenting faith was certainly
the War Production Board (WPB). With materials and
a driving force in every aspect of the school’s growth. It
building supplies at a premium, it was questionable as to
was Fr. Dolan, for example, who pushed for permanent
whether the WPB would approve the Jesuits’ application
buildings to be constructed, even when temporary
for a building permit.
structures would have been more expedient. In his letter
This fear would later come to fruition. By July of
to Fr. McEleney, Fr. Dolan stated in his usual straight-
1944, the Jesuits decided that pressing enrollment
forward manner:
problems necessitated going ahead with the idea of the
I would, therefore, immediately think in terms of a three-
construction of a temporary building until funds could
story structure in Roman brick of a grayish tint, to blend
be raised for a more permanent solution. On July 7,
in with McAuliffe Hall, and to be suitable as the definitely
Fr. McEleney formally presented a petition to build to
accepted material of all future construction. I would add that
the WPB. The plan called for an eight-room temporary
the building ought to be T-shaped, with the central section
building to cost $37,422.
on the location of the present greenhouse, but longer and
On July 24, he received a response from the board.
very much wider, and the long arm of the building directly
The WPB, in fact, denied the Jesuits permission to build
over the path behind the greenhouse.
a temporary classroom building on the grounds that the
There were two major obstacles that needed to be
building was not essential and that local public schools
overcome before such a plan could come to fruition,
could easily handle any students that Prep could not find
however. The first was simply the tremendous task of
seats for in its present structure.
raising the capital needed to finance the project, no easy
The denial from the WPB was quickly denounced
task in wartime. And speaking of wartime, the second
by F.B. Dunigan, president of the Bridgeport Board of
problem was also directly related to it, insofar as the
Education, and by Thomas F. Davis, M.D., President of
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
the Board of Education in Fairfield. Both men made it
request to build a temporary wooden building. At the
very clear that, by not allowing Fairfield Prep permission
same time, however, the Board did acknowledge the
to expand, undue strain would be placed upon their own
importance of the Jesuit mission in Connecticut, leaving
already over-crowded schools. Dunigan clearly stated,
the door open — at least psychologically if not practically
“Without complete re-adjustment of classes, it would be
— for future expansion.
impossible for us to handle any increased pupil load.”
Fr. McEleney, in fear that the request to build a
Dr. Davis went so far as to call the WPB’s decision to
temporary building might be denied, had as early as
deny Prep’s expansion “badly informed and prejudicial.”
March, 1944 developed three alternative plans in order
In a letter to Fr. McEleney, Dr. Davis acknowledged:
to handle the overcrowding in McAuliffe Hall. In the first
Your organization has done a magnificent job in the
plan, the school would admit a freshman class of around
establishment of a classical school the nature of which will
100 comprised of three homerooms — two classes short
be of benefit to the Nation itself. Therefore, any attempt at the
of the original projections. A second plan speculated
present time to restrain or to restrict your activities would
that the school could accept a full five-class freshman
certainly be a step in the wrong direction, inasmuch as the
contingent, but would house two or more of the classes in
entire Nation is now trying to provide for the development of
Bellarmine Hall. And lastly, Fr. McEleney acknowledged
future leaders who shall be called upon to lead our Nation in
that “the renting of some building in Bridgeport for
its many diverse problems.
freshmen is another possibility.” In fact, Fr. McEleney
Fr. McEleney immediately drew up a letter to the WPB Appeals Board stating with great clarity the need
began the search for a building in the Bridgeport area as soon as he received the denial form the WPB.
for expanded educational opportunities for Catholic
Having been thwarted in its attempt to erect a new
students in the Fairfield County area. He was supported
building, the school began its third year in September
in his appeal by the ever-helpful Bishop McAuliffe. Fr.
1944, with 512 students squeezed into McAuliffe
McEleney even secured the aid of U.S. Senator Francis
Hall. The freshman class numbered a whopping 202.
Malone and U.S. Representative Claire Boothe Luce in
The students were instructed by a Jesuit faculty of 31
his petition, which was formally submitted in August
(according to Preville) or 32 (according to Fr. Burke).
of 1944. Mrs. Luce, a convert to Catholicism, was a
Within three months after opening day, a number of
Republican, elected to Congress in 1942, representing
significant changes took place that altered the history of
Fairfield County. In addition to her role as a member of
the school. On December 15, 1944, exactly three years
Congress, Claire Boothe Luce was the wife of the powerful
after the Jennings estate was secured by the Society
magazine magnate, Henry Luce. All these elements
of Jesus, Bishop McAuliffe succumbed to Parkinson’s
should have proved fortuitous for Prep. As an aside it
disease and achieved his eternal reward. In his entry
is worth highlighting that Henry Luce, whose parents
in the Headmaster’s Journal, Fr. Leo Reilly wrote that
served as missionaries in China, was a big supporter
the Bishop was, “A sincere friend and benefactor of the
of the “China Lobby” for Chiang Kai Shek and the
school. Requiescat in Pace.” Auxiliary Bishop Henry
Nationalists in that country. On a few occasions Chiang
J. O’Brien was chosen to succeed McAuliffe. Bishop
and his wife, the Wellesley-educated Mayling, made the
O’Brien followed in McAuliffe’s footsteps as a supporter
front cover of Luce’s Time magazine. It is interesting to
of Jesuit endeavors in Fairfield.
note the heightened interest for China within Prep at this
Another
major
change
affecting
Fairfield
in
time, including special mite box collections to support
December of 1944 was the switching of positions of Fr.
Christian missions there.
Dolan with that of Fr. McEleney. On December 8, Fr.
Yet, despite all the allies, and despite all the good
McEleney assumed his post as New England Provincial
arguments, the Appeals Board turned down Fr.
and on the 18th Fr. Dolan began his duties as Rector of
McEleney’s request. Its response came on August
Fairfield Prep. Before coming to Fairfield, Fr. Dolan had
22, 1944, and it indicated that the shortage of critical
considerable administrative experience. Besides serving
construction materials necessitated the denial of Prep’s
as New England Provincial from 1937 to 1944, Dolan HISTORY OF PREP | 21
YEARS OF EXPANSION
had been president of Boston College from 1925 to 1932.
Fairfield doubted Fr. Dolan’s ability and resolve to build
As Provincial, Fr. Dolan helped to found Cranwell Prep
his dream school. The Dolan plan was soon revealed
in Lenox, Massachusetts. He also arranged the transfer
to the public, complete with a detailed drawing of the
of Cheverus Classical School from a diocesan to a Jesuit
future campus. The detailed lithograph, representing the
institution. As president of B.C., Fr. Dolan oversaw the
future campus and its many buildings, was produced by
creation of the law school in 1929. He also presided over
the firm Chester Price of New York.
the expansion of the graduate school of arts and sciences, and the completion of the library.
There was an immediate positive response to the Dolan plan throughout the greater Bridgeport area, especially from local politicians and business leaders.
Fr. John H. Kelly, S.J.
Striking while the “iron was hot,” Fr. Dolan hired a well-
The Dean of Men was Fr. John H. Kelly, S.J., who had
known Stamford lawyer, E. Gaynor Brennan, to compose
occupied that position since the opening of the school in
a formal application for a university charter. Fr. Dolan
1942. According to Mr. John Lannon ’48, Father Kelly
and attorney Brennan completed the application process
was a rather tough disciplinarian. During the school day
back in April of 1944. One year later, after debate and
he would wander the halls checking to see if students
analysis by the Incorporations Committee of the State
had polished their shoes. Those who had not were forced
Legislature, Fairfield University was granted its charter
to do so in JUG after school. Fr. Kelly was also known
on April 18, 1945. The charter was subsequently
to check on Prep students who used the bus that ran
approved by the Senate on April 25 and by the House
from Bridgeport to Fairfield. Apparently, he would hide,
on the second of May. Governor Raymond E. Baldwin
slumped-down in the back of the bus. From that vantage
officially signed the bill granting a charter to Fairfield
point he could observe the behavior of the students. Any
University on May 29.
student who did not give up his seat to a woman or elder
Officially titled “Fairfield University of Saint Robert
would be punished with JUG and prohibited from taking
Bellarmine,” the school was granted permission to
the bus for two weeks!
operate on four different levels: intermediate, secondary,
In only a few short months after he took over as
undergraduate, and graduate. Fr. Dolan again did
Fairfield Community Rector, Fr. Dolan went to work
not hesitate to act on the newest development. He
with architect Oliver Reagan and put together a detailed
immediately filed a new application with the WPB for the
development plan for Fairfield Prep and what was to
construction of a new permanent building. His request
become Fairfield University. Fr. Dolan envisioned 42
this time met was a favorable response from the WPB,
buildings on campus all built in the “Gothic” style, in keeping with Jennings and Lasher estates. Assessing the present and perceiving the future, Fr. Dolan mused, “In less than three years, Fairfield Prep has become a leading preparatory school in the state, there is no reason why it should not become one of the leading colleges in the nation.” In Fr. Dolan’s plan, the buildings would be broken up into three separate groupings: in the northeast section of campus the Prep school would be expanded; in the central part of the campus, running north-south, would be the college campus; and graduate and professional schools would be located in the southeastern corner of the property. It was truly a beautiful and very ambitious building plan. Nevertheless, no one connected with
22
| HISTORY OF PREP
Loyola Hall, Freshman building in Bridgeport: 1945-47.
1940s
The Zaccari family operated the cafeteria in the basement of McAuliffe Hall.
and on June 5, 1945, Fr. Dolan had his permit to build. The only problem was that the permit stipulated that work on the new building had to begin within 90 days. As an aside, it is worth noting that the charter left open the possibility that Prep could one day expand downward to include an intermediary or middle school, which many other prep schools throughout New England do in fact offer. On the other side of the spectrum, it is no secret to those who knew Fr. Dolan that it was his desire to see Fairfield University add a law school and other advanced graduate programs.
Loyola Hall Meanwhile, as Fr. Dolan scrambled to secure funding for his new building, he had not forgotten the immediate
Prep graduate in traditional white jacket receives a commendation.
concern of the overcrowded McAuliffe Hall. Therefore,
Bridgeport, the building was not considered to be an
in the midst of the charter and building application
illogical addition to the school. After some deliberations,
process, the Jesuits had gone ahead with the purchase
it was decided that the building should serve as a
of the Frederick E. Morgan home on Park Place, in the
freshman building, for those living in Bridgeport only,
Seaside area of Bridgeport. Fr. Dolan first visited the
since the youngsters would have the most difficult
Morgan estate in Bridgeport in January of 1945. His
time making the journey to Fairfield. Although it was
impressions of the site were favorable and on April 13 a
preferable to have all freshmen together in one building,
contract was signed, with formal sale completed on May
this turned out to be an impossible task due to the
10, 1945. The price was $20,694.12.
constraints of the building. It was therefore decided
It was determined that the Morgan house could school
that one or two freshman classes, comprised logically of
around 175 students, or seven classrooms of 25 each. The
those boys living in the Fairfield area, should be located
seven Jesuits who would staff the building would have
on campus in McAuliffe Hall.
their own accommodations and a small chapel on the
The Morgan estate was officially named Loyola Hall
upper floors of the building. There was also additional
in a special ceremony on September 3, 1945. Its grounds
room available to serve administrative needs.
and rooms were blessed and the next day an open house
Since so many of the Prep student body resided in
was held for students, parents, and friends. Thus Fairfield
HISTORY OF PREP | 23
YEARS OF EXPANSION
A visit from the Bishop.
Prep began the 1945 school year with 612 students,
Nevertheless, the Fairfield Jesuit community was
including a freshman class of 215, most of whom would
split on the issue of purchase of the Moorhouse property.
have the “Loyola Hall Experience.” The Loyola students
In a letter to Fr. McEleney, Prep’s Principal, Fr. Reilly,
were linked to the Prep campus by means of a series of
stated: “I feel that the spending of money on such a
buses that shuttled them to the Prep campus for sports
project is leading us farther away from the present and
and other extracurricular activities - not the best of worlds
pressing need, a classroom building.” Fr. Dolan, on the
for the young men, but the arrangement had to do until
other hand, stressed that buildings could always be
Fr. Dolan could finally implement his building plan. In
constructed, but this piece of land would probably never
fact, the “Loyola boys” developed close friendships and
be available to the Jesuits again. This was an admonition
became members of an informal and select fraternity, since
that future Fairfield University administrations would
the school only held onto the building until 1947, when
have done well to heed.
it was leased to the University of Bridgeport. In 1951,
On November 28, Fr. McEleney officially granted Fr.
U.B. formally purchased the building from the Jesuits.
Dolan permission to pursue the Moorhouse property, but
Unfortunately, the house was subsequently extensively
only if the cost to the Jesuits could be kept at $20,000
damaged in a fire.
maximum. Since the asking price on the property was
While Loyola Hall began its tenure as a Prep facility,
$30,000, Fr. Dolan’s chances of securing the land seemed
an 18.2-acre property, owned by Edward B. Moorhouse
bleak. However, the Bellarmine Fathers’ Club again rose
and situated on the southeast corner of North Benson and
to the occasion by donating $8,500 toward the purchase.
Barlow roads, came on the market. The asking price was
Finally, as a result of long negotiations, the Jesuits were
$30,000. Fr. Dolan immediately realized the importance
able to secure the property for $28,694.86 on April 1,
of adding this piece of property as a means of expanding
1946. The role of Prep and Prep parents in the creation
and “squaring off” the Jesuit campus in Fairfield. He was
of the Fairfield University campus should never be
fearful that someone might purchase the spot and build
forgotten.
commercial structures on it, thus detracting from the beauty of the Fairfield campus. 24
| HISTORY OF PREP
By July of ’46, the Jesuits had to submit another application to build a new classroom structure. Due to
1940s
the time-consuming process of securing Rome’s backing
“Fr. Dolan at that time had seen to it that all of Boston
for their project, the Fairfield Jesuits actually exhausted
College’s money was put into the Newton-Waltham Bank
the time limit on their previous building permit.
and kept there. This prevented the bank from going
Unfortunately, the new application was denied on the
under.”
local level. This necessitated a personal appeal by Fr.
The second positive development had actually taken
Dolan at the national office of the WPB in Washington,
place earlier in the spring of the year. On April 15, 1946,
D.C. on August 9.
at a meeting of the Prep Consultors, it was decided to
Fr. Dolan worked his magic on the Appeals Board, and
sever the relationship with the previous architectural
they, in fact, granted him the building permit he so badly
group. Fr. Dolan instead turned to J. Gerald Phelan,
wanted. The Fairfield Minister’s record book recorded
of the engineering firm of Fletcher-Thompson of
the events of August 9th as follows: Rev. Rector called from
Bridgeport, as the chief architect for the new building.
Washington to inform Community that Federal approbation
In his letter to Fr. McEleney, dated Sept. 24, 1946, Fr.
had been received to start the New School Building here at
Dolan related, “The plans are shaping up very well and
Fairfield. Community promised a remembrance in their
it is a pleasure to be working with Mr. Phelan and a
Masses tomorrow of gratitude to God for his signal favor.
very efficient assistant of his, Mr. Andrew Patrick. Their
Special Haustus was given to all community.
own ideas are solid and practical and they are most
Fr. Dolan, in a subsequent September 1st letter
cooperative in helping to keep costs down to a sound
to Provincial procurator McLaughlin, related his
minimum.” Fr. Dolan’s satisfaction with Phelan’s work
impressions of his appearance at the WPB in Washington:
resulted in a prolonged relationship with Fletcher-
It was a formal but very agreeable affair. I was asked to
Thompson, and the company would subsequently be
present our reasons for urging our petition as a ’hardship’
awarded the contracts to construct many of the buildings
case. After presenting our case, I then asked the members
on the expanding campus.
of the Committee to question me on any points that would
On January 4, the contract for construction of the new
be of particular interest to them. This was done with three
building was awarded to the Epiphano and Frassinelli
members of the committee asking me questions. My whole
(E. & F.) Construction Company of Bridgeport, which
session lasted about forty minutes. Later in the evening a
was selected out of a group of nine bidders. The building
phone message came to me from the office of the C.P.A. that
fund campaign began previously with the opening of the
our application had been approved…It was an interesting, if trying, experience. So it came to pass that Fr. Dolan secured permission to begin building his dream of an expanded Prep school and university. His persistence, along with the end of the Second World War, helped to facilitate the end result. Aside from securing the government’s permission to build, two additional factors aided Fr. Dolan in his successful attempt to construct his first building in Fairfield. The first came on September 24. It was on this date that the Fairfield Jesuits were granted their request for the $450,000 construction loan from the NewtonWaltham Bank and Trust Company, at the amazingly low Interest rate of 1.5%. According to Fr. Duffy, the low interest rate was in part due to a desire to reciprocate the Jesuits for an earlier act of kindness. Apparently, back in the 1920s when he was President of Boston College,
Ready for battle.
HISTORY OF PREP | 25
Shown here is a newspaper clipping dating from January 7, 1947 out of the family scrapbook of E and F Construction Co. Special thanks to David Frasinelli for sharing the book with us.
“student building drive,” directed by the very competent
first ceremonial shovelful of soil from the site. It was
Fr. James Barry. The main component of the drive was a
then revealed that the name for the building would be
raffle with four prizes. The first place award was a brand
Berchmans Hall, the name suggested by Fr. Dolan. John
new 1946 Mercury. Incentive prizes were offered to Prep
Berchmans, the 17th-century Jesuit saint, was considered
students and homerooms who sold the most tickets.
by many to be an excellent choice as patron of the new
Official ground breaking for the new building was held on January 6, 1947, with Fr. Dolan taking the
26
| HISTORY OF PREP
classroom building since he was an outstanding scholar and teacher in the Church.
1940s
CHAPTER 3
Building a Great Tradition
B
efore Berchmans Hall became a reality, the daily
throughout the Fairfield area, and the school remained
routine of classes continued in McAuliffe Hall,
closed until Tuesday. Unfortunately, the next day power
as the school began its third year. The first two
failed once more and the boys were sent home after only
weeks went smoothly, but all that changed abruptly
one hour. The problem was solved in time for classes to
on the evening of Thursday, September 14. Fr. Reilly
resume on Thursday morning. There was one positive
entered the following in his journal: “Pre-hurricane
result from the hurricane. Local residents donated wood
weather. Warnings along coast. Hurricane may arrive
from the big oak trees that fell in the storm which was
at 12 tonight.” The hurricane arrived as anticipated and
to some extent used to create the bleachers for Alumni
the coast of Connecticut was hit rather hard. Overnight,
Field.
the electricity to the school was completely knocked out
As the weather returned to normal, the major focus
and parts of the roof were blown off. In addition, there
became the new football season and the re-institution of
were a number of felled trees on campus and in the roads
the various other extracurricular activities. Although the
Rev. Mr. Harris, S.J., prepare his homeroom for learning Arts, Letters and Theology as specified in the “Ratio Studiorum.” HISTORY OF PREP | 27
BUILDING A GREAT TRADITION
entirely produced by Prep students. The Bridgeport Post called the Prep Radio team “the most progressive unit to enter the local broadcasting scene in several years.” Moderated by Fr. Kelly, the “Radio Playshop” presented a “Junior Newscaster’s” weekly program as well as many original plays such as Simon Bolivar. But as seemed to happen all too frequently that school year, triumph and celebration were again followed by sadness and heartache. On Thursday, April 12, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Fr. Charles F. Duffy, S.J., ran the Prep Bookstore in the early days.
28
4:35 p.m. The country, which had been led for so long by Roosevelt, now had to adjust to a new man in the
varsity team posted only a single victory, one noteworthy
White House, Harry S. Truman of Missouri. The sorrow
event occurred when the Prep junior varsity team posted
resulting from FDR’s passing was to an extent lessened
the first-ever J.V. victory in the school’s history, with a
when it was learned that Adolf Hitler committed suicide
12-0 win over Staples High. In this game, the opening
in his Berlin bunker on April 30. International events
kick-off was fumbled by Staples and recovered on the
continued to make news when, on Monday, May 7,
35 by Gearin of Prep. Four plays later, running back
1945, the Germans surrendered at 8:41 p.m. German
Schlenk burst through the defense for the score. The
time, or 2:41 a.m. Fairfield time. The next day Fr. Reilly
Prep J.V squad went on to play Harding to a 0-0 tie in an
had President Truman’s words announcing “V.E. Day”
exciting defensive battle, and also tied Norwalk by the
(Victory in Europe Day) piped into the main corridor. The
score of 7-7. The team defeated Ludlowe in its first home
principal then led the school in a prayerful thanksgiving.
game of the season in a 6-0 shut-out. Brilliant defense
As fate would have it, however, on the very day that V.E.
was the hallmark of the season for Prep with DiScala,
Day was being announced Fr. Reilly received a telegram
Gearin, ldham, and little Bepko leading the way.
informing him that another Prep man, Richard Gerety,
December is usually a joyous season. Unfortunately,
Class of ’45, had died of wounds received in the Battle
holiday preparations in Fairfield were interrupted by the
of the Ruhr on the eleventh of April. So, graduation for
sad news that two very important people in the hearts of
the Class of 1945 was an occasion of mixed emotions.
the Prep community had passed away. James A. Curran,
Students could celebrate their graduation with the
a post-graduate member of Prep’s first class, was killed
knowledge that the war in Europe was over. Yet, its
in action in Belgium. Curran had joined the military
counterpart in the Pacific continued, America had lost a
immediately after graduation and after basic training
president and the war had taken one our Prep brothers.
was sent to war as a member of the glider infantry. On
The summer of ’45 brought with it a series of major
December 15, it was announced that His Excellency,
stories from the war front in the Pacific. On August 6,
Maurice Francis McAuliffe, Bishop of Hartford, had died
1945, President Truman ordered the dropping of the first
in St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.
atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. In one
During the second semester there was a real flurry of
blinding and horrifying blast, more than 100,000 were
activity as the extracurriculars were now all functioning
killed. Despite the devastation, the Japanese refused
smoothly. New clubs were added, such as the French
to surrender. Two days later the Soviet army attacked
Club under the direction of Rev. Mister Desautels.
Japanese forces on Manchuria. With still no word on
The Spanish Club successfully published the Spanish
surrender, Truman ordered a second atomic attack on
language newspaper, El Alumno. Another addition to the
August 9 on Nagasaki. The Japanese finally capitulated,
literary life of the school was Prep Patrol, the school’s first
and on the second of September, on board the battleship
Alumni newspaper. Many of the boys became interested
USS Missouri, General Douglas MacArthur and the
in trying out for the “Radio Playshop,” a radio program
Japanese authorities signed papers terminating the war.
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
August of ’45 was also a busy time for the Fairfield
Alumni Field
Jesuits as Fathers Lawrence Langguth and Thomas
Probably the one change at Prep that precipitated
Murphy took their final vows. That month Fr. Charles
the most excitement and enthusiasm, however, was the
F. Duffy was assigned to Fairfield. For decades Fr. Duffy
near completion of the new Prep football field. After
remained a very important member of the Fairfield
three years of playing without a true home, Prep teams
community in various roles including director of the
would soon have a place to call their own. The creation
bookstore, librarian, and historian. Fr. Duffy was typical
of Alumni Field, as it turned out, was quite an ambitious
of the wonderful Jesuits who served
and monumental undertaking. The idea of
the school in the early days. He was a
a home football field originated with the
dedicated priest with a gentle and self-
very opening of the school in 1943. Formal
effacing persona, and he loved the school
movement on the idea came in June of ’44
and the young men of Prep dearly. His
by the initiative of then-Rector McEleney.
books, Chronicles of Fairfield University,
He, along with Athletic Director Fr. John
1942-1992 serve as a great resource for
Barry and Coach Murphy, drew up the first
anyone researching the history of the
plans for the field. Unfortunately, there were
Jesuit enterprise in Fairfield.
a number of obstacles to be overcome before
The 1945-46 school year began with a novel situation for the school. There
Rev. James D. Loeffler, S.J.
were now 145 freshmen at Loyola Hall,
the field could become a reality. First of all was the serious problem of finding a level piece of ground. Strange as it may seem, no
at Park Place in Bridgeport. Located only two blocks
such patch of land existed on the almost 200 acres of
from Seaside Park, the former Morgan home included
rolling hills of the Fairfield campus.
five classrooms and a chapel on the lower floor and Jesuit
The field, therefore, had to be literally carved out
faculty living quarters above. The new freshman home
of six-and-a-half acres of uneven land on the north
was blessed by Fr. Dolan, Jesuit Rector, on September 4,
end of the campus. The area contained two hills and a
and on the next morning the young freshmen, Class of
considerable amount of rock. Work on clearing the area
’49, entered Loyola Hall. They were greeted by the Dean
was begun under the direction of Fr. John H. Kelly, Dean
of the Hall and Freshman Principal, Fr. Dorsey, S.J.
of Men. By the time the field was ready for leveling and seeding, more than 2,000 tons of rock had been blasted free and removed and replaced by thousands of tons of soil. Most of the finishing touches of leveling and seeding were supervised by Fr. James Loeffler, S.J, who took over the project in September of ’44. Fr. Loeffler’s talents were many. His ability to design and level the field was impressive. According to Mr. John Lannon ’48: “Fr. Loeffler might have had a graduate degree in engineering.” Loeffler, Lannon added, “milled the bleachers from wood right off the property.” Due to Fr. Loeffler’s tremendous efforts in the building of the field, many members of the Prep community thought that it should have been named “Loeffler Field.” Maybe one day the Fairfield community might get around to correcting this error of omission. Because of the freezing of the ground, work on
Fr. Reilly has a little discussion with some students in McAuliffe stairway.
the field was stopped during the winter months, but resumed in March of ’45. Throughout the spring and HISTORY OF PREP | 29
BUILDING A GREAT TRADITION
First Game on Alumni Field Anticipation ran high all during the first week of October. On Friday, October 5, the school celebrated the dedication of the new Alumni Field. The proceedings included a large and boisterous pep rally at noon, followed by the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner,” a series of speeches and prayers offered by the faculty, and the official blessing of the field by Fr. Dolan. The next morning, the entire team sat down together for a team breakfast. Anticipation was high for the game Construction of Berchmans Hall.
as fate would have it, the game had to be postponed due
summer, many students and parents volunteered and
to a very heavy rain that pelted Fairfield throughout the
worked on the field in order to get it ready for its grand
afternoon and rendered the new turf unplayable.
opening in October of 1945. More than occasionally, the
Finally, on Sunday, October 7, the sky cleared, and
Jesuits were able to secure “JUG labor” to perform minor
the first game on the new Alumni Field was played
tasks such as picking rocks out of the topsoil. JUG labor
before a crowd of more than 3,000. With the pressure
was not always all that dependable, however. Rumor
on, Prep was able to win the contest by a score of 20-
has it that one particular Saturday juggee, whose initials
12 against a stubborn Cranwell team. Quarterback and
were “WB,” angry over being given Saturday detention,
Captain, Ed Dailey played a great game, as did the elusive
surreptitiously moved the stakes for the field layout,
running back Frank Feroleto. Ed Jurgielewicz turned in
thus causing a delay in its completion. Once finished,
a stellar performance at defensive back and made a key
the field immediately became known as one of the very
interception. The great season ended on a rather sad note
best in the region. Surrounding it was an oval, one-
as head coach Mr. Thomas Murphy, Prep’s first coach,
quarter-mile track, and to the north was added a baseball
resigned his position.
field. The entire project would thus accommodate three
And, as if to remind us that the end of war does not
sports upon its completion. By the fall of 1945 the school
mean the end of suffering, the Prep family was soon
had come a long way toward becoming a complete
stunned by the news of the death of Charles F. Laughlin
educational institution that would provide for both the
’45, who was killed instantly when he was struck by
intellectual and physical needs of its students.
an automobile on the second of November in Olean,
On September 28, the Prep football team set the tone
New York, where he was a freshman at St. Bonaventure
for the 1945-46 school year with a victory in its first game
College. Ironically, the driver of the automobile was a
of the season. Principal Reilly recorded the following
recently returned war veteran.
remarks in his journal: “Sept. 28th: Noon rally. First
November held two important events. On Friday,
game with Fairfield High. Victory 7-0. Egad! First major
November 2, the school was visited by Mr. Fred Need of
opponent we’ve ever beaten.” The lone score of the game
the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary
was provided by a two-yard run into the Ludlowe end
Schools. Prep was receiving its first-ever evaluation
zone by the fleet-footed Frank Feroleto, who also kicked
in anticipation of being admitted as a member of the
the extra point. The entire team played magnificently
New England Association. On December 6, Fr. Reilly
against a Ludlowe team that had not lost a game in
journeyed to Boston to meet with the evaluation
its previous 20 contests. Especially great was the Prep
committee. The next day he received the good news that
defense, led by Briggs, Lamoureux, Ford, Fitzsimmons,
Prep was admitted into the N.E.A.C.S.
Jolson and McBride. The victory provided the positive impetus needed as the Prepsters looked toward their opening game on their new field the following Saturday. 30
against the visiting Cranwell Prep that afternoon. But,
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
Prep Pranks
on to distinguish themselves in the Society. Fr. Jolson
On or about that time of the year, so the “grapevine”
became Bishop of Iceland, but he returned frequently to
tells it, a scheme was hatched one Friday evening at the
visit his friends and Jesuit brothers in Fairfield. Fr. Lynch
local ice cream parlor in Fairfield. A certain student, whose
became a formidable Shakespeare scholar and taught for
last name begins with the letter “G,” was “kidnapped,”
decades at Fairfield University. Fr. Pelletier has had a very
tied-up, and left at the doorstep of the Jesuit residence,
interesting life indeed. He served for a time as Dean of
Bellarmine Hall. Then, the doorbell was rung, and the
the Jesuit high school in Baghdad, Iraq, before returning
culprits attempted their get-away. Fr. Dolan must have
to Fairfield Prep to serve in many capacities including
been standing very near the door, because he answered
guidance counselor, registrar, and math teacher superior.
the ring almost immediately, and discovered the writhing
Another first in the school’s history occurred in ’46 when
student at his feet. “After them,” he called to the group of
Mr. John McNulty, S.J., assembled Prep’s first track team,
Jesuit Scholastics who had assembled upon hearing the
which entered into competition against a number of the
commotion. The perpetrators by this time had expected to
local schools.
be long gone. However, due to Divine intervention or just
Regarding the graduating Class of 1946, there were a
bad luck, their convertible failed to start. As they attempted
number of interesting facts that need to be mentioned.
to push-start the car by rolling it down Bellarmine hill with
First of all, the class was the first four-year group, meaning,
the group of Scholastics in hot pursuit, the scene unfolded
they had spent their entire high school years under Jesuit
like a Marx Brothers’ comedy, becoming the archetype for
supervision. Additionally, a number of the grads went on
a tradition of Prep “pranksterism.”
to establish great careers. Aside from Al Jolson and Don Lynch joining the Jesuits, others maintained a strong
The Class of 1946 - The first “Four-Year” class
connection to their alma mater. After graduation from
Spring 1946 brought with it another first in the
Prep, George Bisacca attended and played basketball for
history of the Prep. Senior Al Jolson, an outstanding
Georgetown. He later returned to Prep as head basketball
student and a stellar member of the football team, left the
coach and teacher. From Prep, he moved up to Fairfield
school in order to join the Society of Jesus and so became
University, where he guided the young program to great
the very first Jesuit vocation in the school’s history. He
heights. John Kartovsky, after attending Holy Cross,
was soon joined by Donald Lynch ’46 and then Walter
returned to the area where he successfully ran the West
Pelletier ’47. All three of these young men would go HISTORY OF PREP | 31
BUILDING A GREAT TRADITION
Jeffrey Cuffee (middle row, second student in) and classmates attend Mass in McAuliffe Chapel. “In nòmine Patris, et Fìlii, et Spìritus Sancti. Dòminus vobìscum. Et cum spiritu tuo.”
End Moving and Storage Company. John later became
of the private and public schools In the North, Prep was
a great benefactor to Prep, and for a number of decades
racially integrated from its very inception. Mind you,
the school area between Berchmans and Xavier was
this was a year before Jackie Robinson broke the color
called the “Kartovsky Quad.” Then there was Richard
line in baseball by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, and
J. Grich, who became a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy.
nine years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat
John H. Shannon became a probate judge, while Joseph
to a white person in Montgomery.
D. Potter joined the priesthood and later was elevated to Monsignor Potter of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Ed Dailey later had a successful career owning and operating Dailey’s Flower Shop in Fairfield.
In the 1946 Hearthstone, Jeffrey was called “… dignified,” and “… a perfect friend.” The story of Jeffrey Townsend Cuffee is indeed an interesting one. Jeff’s mother, Elizabeth, was known for breaking barriers in her own right. A graduate of Hunter College, and
Jeffrey Townsend Cuffee
became a social worker for the State of Connecticut.
deserves special mention: Jeffrey Townsend Cuffee. Jeffrey
Over time, her talents brought her to high administrative
has the distinction of being the very first black student
levels within the department. In a wonderful article
to graduate from Fairfield Prep. It is certainly significant
about her by Anne Whalen in the April 16, 1961 edition
that Jeffrey was among the first freshmen to enter the
of the Bridgeport Post, we learn that, “Mrs. Cuffee was
school on opening day, back in 1942. What that indicates
the first woman of her race to hold an administrative
is that Prep was an integrated school from Day One. The
position in the State Welfare Service.”
importance of this fact should not be underestimated. At
Jeffrey’s father, the Rev. Aaron J. Cuffee, was an active
a time when there was de jure segregation under the Jim
Episcopal minister in various churches in Bridgeport
Crow Laws in the South, and de facto separation in many 32
in possession of an MSW from Columbia, Mrs. Cuffee
One name from the list of 1946 graduates, however,
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
and Ansonia. The Cuffees lived on South Benson Road.
April 4, and Robert Kennedy likewise fell to an assassin
Thus, it was logical that they would send Jeffrey to
on June 5. The summer brought riots at the Democratic
Prep. The school was close by, and the family was both
National Convention, and the whole country was on
academically accomplished and very religious, and the
edge. In 1968, civil rights factored prominently on the
Jesuit school satisfied these elements. Meanwhile, it is
national stage. In a manifesto entitled “What’s Happening
interesting to note that the Cuffee lineage can be traced
to the Negro in the Episcopal Church,” a large contingent
back to Long Island, where ancestors can be found
of black ministers signed a petition to have more blacks
among the African-American and the Shinnecock Indian
promoted within the church hierarchy. Jeffrey Townsend
communities. Descendants of the Cuffees of Connecticut
Cuffee was among those signing the document. It was
claim an ancestry that goes back even deeper in time.
also around this time that Jeffrey became a chaplain at
Although as of this writing a direct link cannot be
Sing-Sing Prison, then called the Ossining Correctional
undisputedly established, it is at least somewhat possible
Institute, in New York. There, on May 7, 1970 he began
that the lineage might indeed go all the way back to the
teaching the first black history course at the prison.
Cuffee family of Revolutionary War times. Research
Jeffrey eventually returned to Connecticut with his wife
indicates that there was a brave civil rights advocate
Carol and their five children. Carol served as a nurse at
and sea captain named Paul Cuffee, (1759-1817) the
Griffin Hospital in Derby for a number of years, while
son of a freed Ashanti slave by the name of Kofi and a
Jeffrey continued his ministry at various Episcopal
Wampanoag Indian mother, Ruth Moses. Paul had at
churches in the area. The Rev. Jeffrey Townsend Cuffee
least two other male siblings, John and David, who most
passed away on May 29, 1987, having lived a Christian
likely were activists as well.
life dedicated to social service. After Jeffry, other students
Both
parents
became
Quakers,
the
religious
of color followed in his footsteps, including: Thomas A.
persuasion of John Slocum, the man who had granted
MacCalla ’47, Ronald B. James ’48, George C. Gardiner
Kofi his freedom. The Quakers, of course, were one of
’53, Eugene J.W. Ervin ’55, and Kermit G. Mitchell ’58.
the first groups to disavow that infamous institution of slavery. Paul Cuffee, who took an anglicized version of
New Principal
Kofi as his surname, became an advocate for civil rights
A major change at the school transpired on Tuesday,
for black Americans and even became part of a “back-
August 6. On that date Fr. Walter E. Kennedy, S.J.
to-Africa” movement when he feared that those rights
commenced his duties as the new principal of Fairfield
might be forever denied.
Prep, replacing Fr. Leo A. Reilly, S.J., who then began
Thus, if true, we find Jeff’s biography fitting neatly within this framework of civil rights activism and the Jesuit spirit of social justice. Following
his
father’s
footsteps, Jeff became an Episcopal Priest, ordained on June 29, 1961. After serving at various churches in the area, he was transferred to the Diocese of New York in 1968. The year 1968 was one of turmoil. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on
The “Buy a Brick” Campaign for the construction of Xavier Hall begins.
HISTORY OF PREP | 33
BUILDING A GREAT TRADITION
his new post as superior of the Jesuit retreat house at
animals on campus (besides the students) in the days
North Andover, Massachusetts. So came to a close a very
before the construction campaigns. Well, David Auger
important period of the school’s history. Fr. Reilly had
had the distinction of being the Prep’s only “trapper.”
presided over the school in its infancy and during the
He would catch the wild foxes and other animals that
difficult war years. The Dean of Men was Fr. Darcy, known
called the campus their home. During lunch or a free
to the students as “the shadow” due to his uncanny ability
period, David would sneak away into the woods to
to appear seemingly out of nowhere to catch students in
inspect his traps. One fateful morning, however, young
the midst of violating one rule or another. Fr. Darcy held
David unexpectedly encountered a little striped animal
the post until June of 1950, when he was replaced by Fr.
which proceeded to spray him with its odoriferous gift.
Charles “Chuck” Munzing.
As David attempted to re-enter the school he was met by
As September arrived it was clear that there was
the Dean of Discipline, Fr. Darcy, who greeted him with a
going to be still another
simple phrase — “Get Out!” That incident brought about
first at the Prep. Over the
the rapid demise of the Auger Fur-Trapping Company.
summer five lay faculty members
were
hired,
including Mr. Carmen
On January, 6, 1947, following Christmas recess, Fr.
Mr.
Dorsey was relocated from the freshman building to
James Mooney, Mr. Fella
McAuliffe and Fr. Charles Lyons was assigned to take his
Gintoff,
Charles
place as the administrator of Loyola Hall in Bridgeport.
Mr.
As mentioned previously, on that same day there was the
John Coakley. Student
ground-breaking ceremony for the new school building,
enrollment
to be called Berchmans Hall. Witnessed by Prep students
Donnarumma, Mr.
Moroney,
Rev. Walter Kennedy, S.J., Principal, 1945-1951
A Change in Plans?
and reached
a
and faculty, the first ceremonial shovelful of dirt was
high of 692. football
taken at the site by Father Dolan. On February 10, Fr.
season found the team under the leadership of Mr.
Rector Dolan officially appointed Fr. Kennedy director
Gintoff, who came to Prep after three years of playing
of the school building fund-raising drive. Father Duffy
varsity football at Boston College, where he garnered
reminds us that, “Up to February 3, 1947, we Jesuits and
several “All American” citations. After graduation from
the public at large assumed that the building now going
B.C. he went on to coach and teach at St. Raphael’s
up was to be used by Fairfield Prep. Nothing had been said
Academy in Rhode Island and then B.C. High in Boston.
to the contrary.” Indeed, the Jesuits appeared to be in no
Serving as assistant coach was another lay teacher, Mr.
immediate rush to open a university. Despite comments
James Noone, a graduate of Holy Cross.
to the contrary as certain members of the university
The
new
The fall of 1946 brought the inaugural season of the
community practice their version of revisionist history,
cross country team, led by Captain Joe Miko. The other
the original intention of the Jesuits was that Berchmans
harriers were: Tetrault, Fray, Drongoski, Luchansky,
Hall be used exclusively as a Prep building. Funds for
and McCormick. Miko set the first school record on the
its construction were raised by members of the Prep
home 2.5-mile course with a time of 14:50.
community and they never presumed that their efforts
Saturday, October 19, was a special day for
were for any other purpose. Of note, there is a very
Prep because the 1946 edition of its yearbook, The
good article in the Connecticut Post, dated Apil 17, 2017,
Hearthstone, was awarded first place at the Scholastic
celebrating the 75th anniversary of Fairfield University.
Press convention.
In a timeline of the school’s history, the article mistakenly states that in 1947 both Berchmans and Xavier halls were
Wild Life
34
built for the university.
Fall also brought one Prep student’s unusual hobby
Fr. Duffy points out, however, that two factors
to an abrupt end. Believe it or not, there were many wild
emerged to alter that original plan. The first was the
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
realization that President James H. Halsey of the Junior
about to begin.
College of Bridgeport had submitted a petition to the
The end of May at Prep brought final exams and
State Legislature requesting that the school be elevated
preparation for graduation. The school year officially
to a full university. It would, of course, become known
ended on Friday, June 6. Graduation was held on June 12
as the University of Bridgeport. The second factor was
at the Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport, where
simply related to demographics. Following the end of
129 young men received their diplomas.
the war in 1945 there were many thousands of returning
As was the custom, the week after graduation the
war vets, ready to secure higher education, aided by
scholarship examination was given. On Saturday, June
Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (a.k.a. the “G.I. Bill”).
14, a total of 310 boys took the test. In their usual
The specter of competition so close to home and a
fashion, the Fairfield Jesuits had all the exams graded by
large crop of applicants from which to choose seemed
3 p.m. that afternoon. The remainder of the summer was
to accelerate plans for the establishment of the Jesuit
spent cleaning the school buildings, taking registrations,
university. Thus, we see the genesis of the idea of using
and watching the workmen construct Berchmans Hall.
at least part of the new structure for Fairfield University.
There were a few changes being made in McAuliffe Hall.
Unlike Berchmans, Xavier was intended from the
A two-way communications system was installed in each
outset to serve the new university as well as Prep.
classroom, later simply referred to as the old “P.A.” Also,
Regarding the construction of Xavier Hall, that project
in the basement, a new lab was added as room 3-B was
was hastened into existence when Fr. John H. Kelly,
converted to a chemistry room. All new equipment was
who was the dean of discipline at Prep, was given the
purchased for the lab.
task of coordinating applications and interviewing prospective students for the university. As stated by Fr.
University Opens
Duffy: “Fr. Kelly was getting so many applications for
To the surprise of many, Berchmans Hall was
freshman college that the administration foresaw that
completed in time for the start of the 1947-48 school
the combination of that year’s and the next year’s new
year. Actually, the start of school had to be delayed by
people (College and Prep) would likely mean that more
a few weeks as the finishing touches were applied to
classrooms would be needed.” Therefore, there was a
the building. For that reason the “brief schedule” and
push for Xavier Hall. The building, named after the great
orientation for freshmen was held on September 21,
Jesuit missionary to East Asia, was to be constructed
with the first official full day of school for all coming
parallel to Berchmans and situated directly on North
on September 29. The first three floors of the building
Benson Road. Ground-breaking was on Friday, August
would serve as classrooms. There was a new library
22, 1947 with a target opening date set for September of
located on the third floor, intended to serve both Prep
1948. The dynamic Father Dolan had begun his second
and college students. A cafeteria/auditorium was
building project within one year.
situated in the basement with a Jesuit dormitory on the
Spring of 1947 brought with it the much anticipated
fourth floor. Apparently, the addition of that fourth floor
start of the baseball and track season at Prep. Though a
was made as an alteration to the original plan, for that
very young school, Fairfield Prep was already developing
purpose. Jesuits lived on Berchmans fourth floor until
a reputation for fielding extremely competitive teams
the completion of Ignatius House many years later.
filled with hard-nosed players exuding a “never give
Of course, the other important feature to the new
up” attitude. And speaking of hard-nosed players,
building in 1947 was the addition of the very first college
history was made on the national stage on April 15th
class of Fairfield University, comprised of 303 students,
when Jackie Robinson broke the color line and took the
90 of whom were Fairfield Prep grads. One hundred
field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in major league baseball.
thirty of the new University students proudly sported
Following “Number 42” would be a whole generation
their gold “discharge” buttons, an indication that they
of great African-American stars such as Willie Mays and
were veterans of the war. The university thus served
Henry Aaron. A “golden age” of American baseball was
a very important function. It catered to young men HISTORY OF PREP | 35
BUILDING A GREAT TRADITION
1948 Pitching staff featuring “No Hit” Vinnie Burns. L-r: Burns, Murren, Homa, Scholz, Piro, O’Bara (Mgr.).
returning from war who were using the funds available
players for Prep were Joe Kraynick, Gaynor Brennan,
to them from the new “GI Bill” in order to secure a good
along with such memorable characters as “Duck”
college education.
Incerto and “Bonesy” Connelly. At the end of the season
Once Xavier Hall was completed, the Prep campus
it was announced that Coach Gintoff had been selected
thus expanded to include three buildings: McAuliffe Hall
to be Fairfield University’s first head coach when it
on top of the hill and the two mirror-image, gothic-style
commenced play in the following year.
buildings of Berchmans and Xavier. Prep only had use
The other big part of the “Prep Experience” during
of parts of those buildings, however, until the university
the winter and spring of 1948 was the “Operation Bricks”
started adding buildings of its own on the west side of
campaign in support of the building fund for Xavier Hall.
campus.
The boys were hard at work selling facsimiles of the
The 1947-1948 school year began with student
bricks that symbolized the construction of the building.
enrollment at 849. Three new lay-teachers were hired:
At the end of each brick was a serial number which
Mr. Vincent McIlvain, Mr. Joseph Yabrosky and Mr.
represented a chance in the drawing for a brand-new
Toal. Mr. Yabrosky and Mr. Toal brought with them
1949 Lincoln. In the spirit of friendly competition the
their talents as coaches. Mr. Yabrosky assisted with
various classes challenged each other to see which group
football and baseball, Mr. Toal with track. Mr. Yabrosky
could sell the most bricks. Added incentive was that the
in particular deserves a word of mention. Later known
highest salesman would receive a new 1949 Ford. Other
as Joseph Brosley, this remarkable man went on to have
top brick sellers would receive scholarships.
a distinguished career as a coach and teacher at Prep. One of the most popular and loved faculty members, he would forever simply be called “Coach.”
Finally, spring arrived and with it the grand opening
With the addition of Mr. Yabrosky to the staff,
of the new cafeteria in Berchmans Hall on Monday, April
Coach Gintoff’s 1947 football team had a reason to be
5, 1948. The other great news of the season was the
optimistic. Team spirit was high due to the leadership of
opening day victory of the baseball team against Harding
captains Pat Ryan and Bill Scholz. An additional factor
by a score of 2-0. April 26, 1948, is a date that will live
that contributed to the great school spirit displayed at
on forever in the annals of Prep baseball history. Vinnie
the games that season was the appearance of the first
Burns pitched the school’s first no-hit, no run game
Prep Band. Under the directorship of Father Francis
against Hamden High, on a day that also saw the Prep
Deevy, the band made its first home appearance at the
team bang-out seven straight hits and plate nine runs
Harding game.
in one inning. Vinnie’s performance ranks as one of the
As the winter arrived, the boys were hard at their
36
Perfect Game for Vinnie Burns!
single best in Prep sports history.
studies and loud in their support of their basketball
Another extracurricular accomplishment occurred
teams. The varsity hoopsters, sporting a largely
when the 1948 edition of the school yearbook, The
inexperienced team, finished with a record of 6-7. Stellar
Hearthstone, under the guidance of editor-in-chief,
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
James T. Murphy, was awarded the first place award
’64, long-time sports columnist for the Connecticut
for excellence from the Columbia Scholastic Press
Post, “Gintoff’s teams became well-known for using the
Association.
vaunted single-wing formation to perfection, with an
During the summer of ‘48, a major cultural event
occasional use of the `T`.” Co-captains were QB Ron
on campus was the series of “Pops” concerts held on
Habansky and guard Howie Bodell. Joining Habansky
campus by the Bridgeport Symphony. The musicians
in the backfield were John Maiocco Joe Gromults, and
performed on a new, acoustically modern stage and band
Jim Roach. In the first game of the season, Prep traveled
shell located near the baseball field that was specifically
to Providence, Rhode Island, for a game against tough
constructed for the events.
LaSalle Academy. The Providence school was the
September 13 brought the traditional Schola Brevis for
defending New England champions and had a winning
freshmen. Subsequently, there was the first regular day of
streak of 17 games. As Sulzycki tells it, “Prep was not
classes of the 1948-49 school year on September 17, and
given much of a chance and was described as a `warm-
the Mass of the Holy Spirit. The school population was
up` opponent by the Providence papers.” Gintoff’s boys
at an all-time high of 924. On a somber note, the school
surprised everyone and pulled off the upset by a score of
mourned the death of lay-teacher Mr. John Coakley, who
20-17. Joe Gromults scored two touchdowns for Prep,
passed away on the morning of October 29.
one on a 4-yard burst, and the other on a magnificent
A few weeks later came the long-anticipated raffle
40-yard run. The other score came on a nice pass play
drawing for the Lincoln as the “Buy-a-Brick” campaign
from Roach to Risley. The Prep defense was really great
came successfully to a close. The car was won by Mrs.
in this game, holding LaSalle to only 5 first downs and
Mary Boyle of Fairfield. The ’49 Ford was awarded to the
83 yards on the ground. As a result of the great upset, “A
top salesman, Fred Foster of 2-E, and the full scholarship
relatively new Catholic school served notice that it was
was won by William Kanber and a half scholarship was
on the regional sports scene to stay.”
won by Frank Cneagli.
The second win of the year came against Stratford,
The next year, 1949, arrived quietly enough. There
by a score of 27-6. Once more, a balanced offense and a
were a few minor changes made during the break. Fr.
great defense won the day. The third game came against
Huss and the school secretary, Mr. Richard Reidy moved
Iona Prep in New Rochelle. Gromults, Judd, Risley, and
into the new office that had been constructed next to the
Wallace were outstanding in the 19-0 whitewash. The
principal’s office, Fr. Darcy moved into the health room,
next two games of the season, against Harding and
and the students settled in for a rather uneventful second
Greenwich respectively, would as usual make or break
semester.
the Prep season. The Prepsters shut down Harding 13-0,
The summer of 1949 began with the scholarship
and outlasted Greenwich 26-14. A victory over Xavier of
exam on Saturday, June 11, with 300 boys participating.
New York by a score of 27-7 brought the Prep record to
Summer school commenced on the fifth of July, with
6-0. In all of these contests, the Prep linemen ruled the
Fr. Kennedy teaching algebra II, Fr. Grady teaching
line of scrimmage.
geometry, Fr. Cahill teaching algebra I, and Fr. Landry
Among the players contributing to that great line
teaching chemistry. On July 26th, summer school
included: George “Babe” Risley, Howie Bodell, Mike
for Latin started with Frs. Darcy, Lynch and Glavin
Slosek, Larry Gaboury, Joe Kaluzynski, David “Daisy”
instructing.
Lane, Earl Lavery, Charlie Luedee, Charlie Neverdousky and Lenny Riccio, Phil Hyde, G. Sarsfield Ford, and Ed
The Miracle Team of ’49 The 1949-50 school year began on September 19, with
Wallace. Many of them were “two-way” players, meaning that were on both offense and defense.
school enrollment up to 983. A tone of anticipation for an
Meanwhile, many of the players went on to make
outstanding year was set by the football team, under the
their mark in various endeavors. Charlie “Choo-choo”
direction of Coach Fella Gintoff, which recorded its first
Luedee also excelled for the track team. He posted team
undefeated season (7-0-1). According to Sandy Sulzycki
bests of 2:09 in the half-mile and 5:00 in the mile. Earl HISTORY OF PREP | 37
Prep’s 1949 football team enjoyed an undefeated season.
“Duke” Lavery was also a star shot-putter on the track
of years as a third baseman on their Triple-A team), the
team. Lavery, after a successful college football career
team came up with a big victory on the tenth of February,
at Holy Cross, later returned to the school as a teacher
when it defeated a talented Harding team in overtime.
and became the most successful football coach in Prep’s
Other starters on the team included Jack O’Connell, Ed
history. According to Sulzycki, John Maiocco won the
Dardani, and Bobby Gerwein. The team finished with
district scoring title, made the All-District team, and
an outstanding record of 12 wins and only 2 losses,
received more than 20 college football scholarships.
averaging almost 49 points a game.
He chose to continue his schooling with the Jesuits at
A major piece of news was made on February 20
Georgetown and subsequently went on to be a Superior
when it was announced that Fr. McEleney had been
Court judge in Bridgeport. G. Sarsfield Ford also later
named Bishop of Jamaica, Fr. Dolan was installed as
became a Superior Court judge.
Vice-Provincial of New England, and Fr. William E.
The 7th straight win of the season came on November
Fitzgerald was given the post of acting-rector of the
11 over Ludlowe by a score of 34-7. The very last game of
Fairfield community. Of note, Fairfield University began
the season was the traditional Thanksgiving battle with
offering its first graduate courses in education during
Stamford. More than 9,000 frenzied fans witnessed one of
that spring semester of 1950, as the school established an
the great high school contests of all time. When the dust
M.A. in education program. Since then, many dozens of
settled the final score was tied at 6-6. There was great
teachers at Prep have availed themselves of the program,
disappointment in Fairfield over the tie. Nevertheless, a
aided by a tuition remission benefit in their contracts.
tie salvaged an undefeated season, and all who attended
This explains why at Prep graduations so many teachers
the game agreed that it was a magnificent game played by
are sporting those red and white Fairfield University
two of the greatest defenses in Connecticut high school
colors on their graduation hoods. A thin, two-inch red
football history.
trim represents a bachelor’s degree, while the wider
The school entered the holiday season on a high note. Not only had the football team been undefeated, but the
The spring of 1950 was welcomed as a time for better
basketball team was off to a good start and had potential
weather, baseball, and graduation. Final exams were
for an excellent season. As February came into focus,
given during the last week of May. Graduation was held
the team was in the process of compiling a great record.
at the Klein on Thursday, June 8, at 4 p.m. Fr. Hunter
Led by Captain John Maiocco and George “Babe” Risley,
Guthrie of Georgetown was the guest speaker. A total of
who also excelled in football and baseball, (Risley later
179 young men received their diplomas.
signed with the Detroit Tigers and played for a number 38
three-inch trim indicates the master’s level.
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1950s
CHAPTER 4
Consolidating the Traditions
O
n June 25, 1950, world peace was shattered
Bob was later drafted by the Green Bay Packers where
as the North Korean army crossed the 38th
he was made offensive captain by the legendary Coach
parallel and staged a surprise invasion of South
Vince Lombardi. For 11 seasons Skoronski anchored
Korea. President Truman immediately sent General
the line from his left tackle position. He earned five NFL
Douglas MacArthur, who had been orchestrating the
championship rings, including one from the first official
occupation and redevelopment of post-war Japan, into
Super Bowl, played on January 15, 1967. In that game the
action to aid in the defense of the South Koreans. The
Packers trounced the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 35-
United States was once again at war.
10. Bob was subsequently inducted into the prestigious
By September, there were a few significant changes in
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
the Prep administration. While Fr. Walter E. Kennedy
On September 15, a major breaking story came out of
continued as principal, Fr. George Mahan became the
Korea. General MacArthur staged a surprise amphibious
new assistant principal and Fr. Charles Munzing was the
landing of American and U.N. troops at Inchon, miles
new dean of men. Fr. Thomas Murphy became student
behind enemy lines. In a few weeks, MacArthur’s bold
counselor, in addition to his role as teacher of senior
move paid dividends and the North Koreans were pushed
religion. There were 972 Prep students on campus as the
back to the 38th parallel.
year commenced.
There was some news of importance to the entire
As the 1950-51 school year began, there were hopes
Fairfield community as well. On Tuesday, the 10th
for another great season for the football team, even
of October, it was announced that the relatively new
though the team’s strength was greatly diminished by
Jesuit Rector, Fr. William Edmund Fitzgerald, had been
the graduation of a number of its stars. The Prep gridders did not disappoint, and got off to a great start defeating LaSalle 33-12, Hopkins 36-12, Stratford 46-14, and Notre Dame of West Haven 32-6.
Bob Skoronski One extremely talented member of the 1950 team was Bob Skoronski. Bob will go down in Prep history as one of the most successful athletes ever to play at the school. His stalwart efforts at center on the Prep line earned him a scholarship to Indiana University.
All-State Bob Skoronski ’51 went on to lead the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowls.
HISTORY OF PREP | 39
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
by graduation on Thursday, June 7th, at the Klein in Bridgeport. The occasion marked the ninth graduation exercise in the school’s history. Five days later, Fairfield University held its very first commencement exercise. At the band shell on Alumni Field at 10:30 a.m., 210 men received their degrees. Honorary degrees were awarded to Bishop Arnold, Bishop O’Brien, Bishop McEleney, and to J. Howard McGrath, the Attorney General of the United States and principal speaker at the graduation. Also addressing the graduates was the Honorable John D. Lodge, governor of Connecticut. Graduating at the top of his class was Roger Ratchford, who later “Give me an F!” Cheerleading squads were all male until 1971 when the ladies of Lauralton Hall joined the scene.
elevated to New England Provincial, and that Fr. Dolan was returning to Fairfield. A week later it was revealed that Fr. Langguth had been named Dean of the College, Fr. Walsh, Freshman Dean; and Fr. Saunders, Dean of Men. December brought with it the basketball season and Christmas vacation. Classes resumed on January 2, 1951. Just as everyone was settling down to their studies came the unfortunate news that Robert R. Plouffe of the senior class had died at his home on the third day of January. The remainder of the school year was taken up with studies, sports, and some great cultural events. There was the Holinko Concert on February 4, the performance of the University Glee Club at the Klein on February 22, the highly successful school play, What a Life, and the annual Sports Night, which was held in Berchmans Cafeteria. On May 1, at 9:45 in the morning, a solemn High Mass was said on the porch of McAuliffe Hall. The principal celebrant was Fr. Dolan. Spring, of course, brought with it the sounds of baseball and other sports of the season such as track and golf. But the spring of ’51 was special in Prep History, because it was the year of the very first tennis team for the school. Coached by Mr. Allen, S.J., the school’s first tennis team was led by senior James Prokop, along with Bob Kelley, and Charles Cellar. Other team members included Phil Carroll, Gordon Willard, and Pete DeMarco. The team compiled a record of 2-8 for the season, with the only two wins coming against Stratford. With the end of May came final exams, followed
40
| HISTORY OF PREP
returned to Prep as a member of the foreign language department, in which he served for almost four decades. The summer of ’51 was a time of summer school and clean-up chores at Prep. Renovation of the kitchen of Bellarmine Hall was completed, and the paving of the front entrance of the building was also undertaken. The “Pops Concerts” were performed on campus to large crowds. On the national scene the big story was the presidential campaign season with Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower running against Democrat Adlai Stevenson. At the same time, the specter of McCarthyism was beginning to rear its ugly head.
The Carty Years On September 17, the school opened for its 10th year with an enrollment of 854. When the students arrived at the school they were greeted by a new administration. Fr. Francis X. Carty, S.J. was the new principal,
replacing
Fr.
Walter E. Kennedy who
Rev. Francis X. Carty, S.J., Headmaster, 1951-1959
held the post from 1946 to 1951. In addition, Fr. Philip Moriarty was the new assistant principal, and Fr. Joseph C. Dooley was the new dean of men. On October 18, Fr. Joseph D. Fitzgerald, S.J. became the new rector of the Fairfield Jesuit community and president of Fairfield University, replacing Fr. Dolan who moved on to Boston College. The autumn edition of the Bellarmine Quarterly celebrated its tenth anniversary with a special article
1940s
1950s
documenting its history over the years. One fascinating
presidential election as Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated
sports article in the B.Q. for 1951 was written by Martin
Adlai Stevenson. A Republican would occupy the White
Reidy. He and the sports editors of the journal, along
House for the first time since the last days of Herbert
with Fr. Bernard Murphy, S.J., compiled the 10-year “All-
Hoover in 1933.
time” football, basketball, and baseball teams for the school’s first decad
Political concerns at Prep centered on the Alumni Association, chaired by Thomas Wrynn. About 200 former Prep men attended as it met to draft a new
Prep’s All-Decade Football team for 1942-51: PLAYER POSITION CLASS
constitution. In the spring of ’52, the sports teams all had better-
John McBride
End
’46
than-average seasons. Coach Toal’s track team turned
Joe Kaluzynski
Tackle
’50
in some great efforts, defeating three of its first four
Howie Bodell
Guard
’50
opponents, including the ever-tough Stamford High. In
Bob Skoronski
Center
’51
the Stamford meet Bob Skane ran a school record 4:44 in
Phil Lamoureux
Guard
’46
the mile, breaking the previous record held by Charlie
Al Jolson
Tackle
’46
Luedee. The Prep pole vault record of 10 ft. was tied by
George Risley
End
’50
the versatile Dan Miko. Brother Joe Miko had previously
Bill Scholz
Half Back
’48
made the Prep record book with his high-jump mark of
Fred Judd
Full Back
’51
5 feet, 6 ½ inches.
John Maiocco
Half Back
’50
The 1952 baseball team, unfortunately, did not meet
Ronald Habansky
Quarterback
’50
with great success. The only noteworthy event came with
Prep’s All-Decade Basketball team for 1942-51: FIRST TEAM
SECOND TEAM
CLASS
Matt Forman ’46
Jack O’Connell
’51
Emil Garofalo ’45
Mickey McBride
’46
Babe Risley ’50
John Maiocco
’50
Bob Gerwien ’51
Ed Dailey
’46
Dick Shea ’46
Fred Lane
’51
Prep’s All-Decade Baseball Team for 1942-51: PLAYER POSITION CLASS
Walter McVety
1st Base
’49
Richard Shea
2nd Base
’46
Emil Garofalo
Short Stop
’45
John Liptak
3rd Base
’49
George Risley
Right Field
’50
Fred Judd
Center Field
’51
Leo Broadbin
Left Field
’46
Howie Bodell
Catcher
’50
Vincent Burns
Pitcher
’48
William Scholz
Pitcher
’48
Matthew Forman
Pitcher
’46
As the autumn of 1951 gave way to colder weather, the Prep community turned its attention to the
a victory over Stratford by a score of 8-0. John Bruzas threw a three-hit shut-out for the win. The game was significant because it marked the first time in six years that Prep defeated its district rival. The other significant aspect of the season was that it brought to an end the Prep coaching career of Mr. Gintoff, who had coached football, basketball, and baseball for the school since his arrival on campus in May of 1946. Graduation for the Class of ’52 was a special occasion, since it was the school’s tenth commencement. The ceremony was held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 5th, at Mill Plain School. Leo Curran, who did a great job of writing the history of Prep’s first decade for The Hearthstone, was the valedictorian. The guest speaker for the day was Attorney John F. McGowan and 177 young men received diplomas. . The second decade of the school coincided with an important event in the history of the Society of Jesus, the 400th anniversary of the death of the great Saint Francis Xavier. Special events throughout the year honoring the great Jesuit were planned for the school. As the 1952-53 school year began, the Prep experienced some changes. The school hired a new coach for football and baseball, Mr. Thomas R. Seymour, to replace the departed Coach Gintoff. Coach Seymour HISTORY OF PREP | 41
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
Students “At Work” circa 1954.
had the good fortune of emerging victorious in his first
six years at the helm
two contests as Prep bested Stratford by a score of 13-0,
of
and Notre Dame in an 8-6 nail-biter. Led by Captains
Bisacca
Jerry Starratt and Joe Samsel, the team posted a record of
record of 89-32. He
5-2 to cop district honors. It is worth noting that Starratt
was then recruited by
later became principal of Prep in 1969
the fledgling Fairfield
Prep
basketball compiled
a
The major negative occurrence of the autumn was
University program in
the death of freshman student, Paul Dunleavey, who was
1958, where he went on
stricken with polio. The disease poliomyelitis reached
to have a distinguished
epidemic proportions in 1952, with more than 50,000
career, overseeing the
Americans contracting it, more than 3,000 dying, and
university’s transition into the ranks of Division I, and
thousands of others becoming permanently crippled. As
posting a record of 151-87 in eleven seasons. Called the
the disease raged, Dr. Jonas E. Salk worked furiously to
“father of Fairfield Basketball,” Bisacca was honored for
find a vaccine. By the end of the year he would succeed.
his service and accomplishments on November 13, 2015.
George Bisacca ’46
Before a large gathering of family, friends and former
George Bisacca
42
players, the basketball court in Alumni Hall was officially
As mid-year exams gave way to second semester,
dedicated in his honor. A very good article covering the
attention focused on the basketball team under new
event, called “Court of One’s Own,” written by Don
Coach Mr. George Bisacca. Coach Bisacca, a member
Harrison, appeared in the March-April 2016 edition of
of Prep’s first four-year graduating Class of 1946, in
Town Vibe Fairfield.
his youth played ball for both Prep and Georgetown
The track team also had a new Coach, Mr. Allen E.
University. He has the distinction of being the first Prep
Sullivan. The season saw a new high-jump record of 5
grad to return as a coach. In his inaugural season the
ft., 7½ in. set by Dick Noble. That record was bested later
team compiled a respectable record of 8-8. During his
in the season by John Card, who jumped 5 ft., 8 in. The
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1950s
half-mile record was also broken by Bob “Skinner” Skane
on September 26, the Prep juggernaut marched on to a
with a time of 2:05. In pole vaulting, Ron Soltis tied Dan
perfect record of eight wins and no losses — the first
Miko’s record with a 10 ft. vault.
undefeated, untied team in Prep history. The ’53 team
The Prep graduation exercises were held on Thursday,
simply dominated the opposition. Lopsided victories
June 11, at the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport. Thus,
came over Stratford 42-6, Bullard Havens 33-0, and
the curtain fell on the successful 1952-53 school year.
Notre Dame 47-0. The team proved itself over some of
On June 19, the big news on the national front was the
the great teams from out of state with a 47-12 win over
execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg for their alleged
B.C. High, a 20-6 whitewash of All Hallows of New York,
conspiracy to send top secret government information
and an impressive 38-14 victory over the ever tough
to the Soviet Union. On the international scene, July 27
Mount St. Michael’s of the Bronx. Included in the string
marked the signing of the truce agreement to stop the
was an exciting win over an also undefeated Stamford
fighting in Korea.
team by a 22-12 score in the annual Thanksgiving clash.
As September arrived it brought with it important
Anyone who witnessed the Prep football team in
news for the entire Roman Catholic population of the
action that autumn would agree that it was one of the
State of Connecticut. On the second day of that month,
all-time great teams in the state and region, finishing the
Pope Pius XII declared that he was raising the Diocese
season at 8-0.
of Hartford to the level of Archdiocese, and that there
Unfortunately, due to a technicality in the rules, the
would be two new dioceses in Connecticut: Bridgeport
Prep team was denied a state championship title, and
and Norwich. The Holy Father then appointed the Most
Prep players were not allowed on the all-state team.
Reverend Lawrence J. Shehan, D.D., as the first Bishop
The rules of the day specified that only public school
of the Diocese of Bridgeport, a post that he filled from
could be voted for in the coaches’ polls. Catholic schools
1953-1961. As the 1953-54 school year commenced, the
did not have their own state leagues or titles, or all-star
entire Fairfield Prep community anxiously awaited the
teams. If they had, or if the state rules had been different,
Bishop’s first visit to their school.
undoubtedly Jack Ringel would have made everybody’s team. Jack was an outstanding running back on the 53
A Perfect Season
team, and he set a new Prep and regional scoring record
The first day of school for the 1953-54 year came on
with 128 points. Jack also scored 21 touchdowns that
September 8, with the Schola Brevis for freshmen. The
season. Jack was aided offensively by an excellent line
entire school was in operation Friday, September 11. The
and a group of talented offensive threats including:
big news on campus that fall was the great success of the
Donny Dew, Dolph D’Aulisa, Mickey Forte, and “Ziggie”
football team. Starting with a 42-6 victory over Stratford
Zisk. The entire coaching staff, led by Coach Seymour and his assistant Joe Brosley (formerly Yabrosky), did a magnificent job with the team. The coaches and players were honored at the football banquet at the Ritz Ballroom on Wednesday, on the 9th of December. Another major happening of the 1953-1954 school year was the creation of a new Honor Society at Prep. The idea behind the association was to reward students for excellent grades as well as their active participation in extracurricular activities. Students would accumulate points for various achievements: two points for honors grades for example, and one point for being on an athletic team, club etc. Two points were awarded for being an
Having fun at the Senior Prom.
organization leader such as editor of the yearbook. A total of six points was required for membership in the HISTORY OF PREP | 43
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
Graduation, Class of 1954.
Honor Society.
Court decision on May 17th in the case of Brown vs. the
After having an undefeated season in football, there
Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas. This ruling declared
were high expectations for the basketball team. They
segregation in public schools illegal and unconstitutional.
did not disappoint their fans. The 1953-54 team posted
On a lighter note, frozen “TV dinners” were introduced
an excellent record of thirteen wins against only five
by Swanson & Sons. Also, December of 1954 marked the
losses. The talented starting five were comprised of
first showing of the Davy Crocket TV program.
Ronnie Liptak, Bill Gilhuly, Vin Martin, Lou Viglione,
The baseball team in 1954 was very successful
and Ken Samu; with Dolph D’Aulisa, John Bruzas, and
with a record of 8-2. Included in that record were two
Tibor Guthin in the top sub roles. A memorable game
heartbreaking losses to Stamford. Both games were
was played against Stamford High with Prep winning 59-
decided by a score of 2-1 to the team that went on to
57. In that game Dolph D’Aulisa tied a school record by
become state champions. Prep was led by a talented
pumping in 24 points.
pitching staff comprised of Johnny Bruzas, George
On December sixteenth, the Prep family was honored to have the newly-installed Bishop Shehan of Bridgeport as their guest for the day. The Bishop spoke to the
Brodie, and Eddie Skinski. Every member of the starting team that year batted over 300. The ’54 track team did not meet with much success.
students at a specially called assembly in his honor. Two days later the Christmas vacation began. School commenced again on January 4, but classes had to be cancelled for two days in the following week due to a major snowstorm. After
mid-year
exams,
the
second
semester
commenced. With the new semester came the annual drama production, this year held a few months earlier than was the custom. The play for 1954 was Room Service, performed on February 26, before an enthusiastic audience. Spring of 1954 was interesting in many ways. Beginning on April 22, and lasting until June, Senator Joseph McCarthy chaired the Senate Investigations Committee
hearings
on
“un-American
activities.”
Communist-hunting was the order of the day. Also, on the national scene there came the earth-shattering Supreme
44
| HISTORY OF PREP
Mr. Emanuel Ondeck in action.
1940s
1950s
Although expectations were high due to the positive
One major event of the fall was the activity of Our
showing of the cross country team, which produced the
Lady’s Sodality, which was dedicated to prayer and
best record in the school’s history to that point with a
devotion to the Blessed Mother. Every year 15 to 20
4-3 record, the success did not carry over into the track
freshmen were inducted into this association. Aside from
season. The team only won one meet and lost seven.
religious activities, the Sodality was involved in such
The bright spots for the team were Zysk in the shot-
things as canned food drives, etc.
put, javelin and broad jump, and Makarczyk who broke
On Saturday, September 11, the area was struck by
the school record in the discus. Other good performers
Hurricane Edna, which caused considerable damage to
included Redgate in the 100, Quirk in the 880 and
the many large trees on campus. It also caused a power
Kramer in the mile.
outage at 11 a.m. and some damage to the roof and
The months of May and June brought final exams,
Bellarmine Hall. Nevertheless, school was able to begin as
the senior prom, and graduation. Commencement
scheduled on Monday, as everything returned to normal.
for the class of ’54 was held Friday, June 11, at 4 p.m.
The student body, as usual, turned its attention to the
The summer of ’54 was filled with the usual activities:
playing field, and football was once again the focus of
summer school, classroom repair, registration, etc. A
attention. Unfortunately, the gridders could only muster
major event occurred on Thursday, August 31, when
a 3-4 record for 1954. After soundly defeating Stratford
Hurricane Carol smashed into southern New England.
by a score of 26-13 on Saturday September 25, the rest of
There was considerable damage to trees and such, but
the season was an up-and-down affair, with the biggest
the school escaped serious trouble.
disappointment at the annual Thanksgiving game where
School began on Wednesday, September 8, 1954 with
Stamford handed Prep a 49-19 beating.
the Schola Brevis for freshmen. Classes for all commenced
Despite the rather mediocre football season, the
by the following Monday. Among the faces new to
school was a busy place in the autumn of ’54. There were
the teaching faculty of Prep that year was Emanuel F.
many extracurricular activities offered on campus besides
Ondeck. Mr. Ondeck was a Prep graduate of the class
sports. There were the Greek and Classical Academies;
of 1949, and he went on to a distinguished career as a
the math, chess, and German clubs; the debating and
teacher and administrator that spanned four decades.
dramatic societies; the Radio Playshop, the Glee Club,
This ’50s Bellarmine Guild event was a formal affair with hats, lace tablecloths, china, silver tea sets, floral centerpieces, and candelabras. HISTORY OF PREP | 45
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
Argianas and Robinson. Liptak, Robotti, Viglione, Samu and Poillon contributed with timely hitting and fielding.
Prep Scientists While the Class of 1955 did not have bragging rights to athletic championships, a phenomenon emerged within the class that was certainly newsworthy. As related by Edward J. Foster, Class of 1955, he and two other members of that graduating class, Bob Buccino and Johnny Burns, accomplished an amazing feat when they placed in the top 300 nationally in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. Foster and Burns actually made it into the top 40 finalists, with Burns earning honorable mention. Mr. Foster credits one young Jesuit scholastic for their success. “… Our achievement … Prep’s achievement … was due to one remarkable man, the ¿Cómo se dice en español?
Reverend Mr. Walter J.C. Grant, S.J. who took it upon himself to study the areas of science we lacked, and each
band, The Hearthstone, Bellarmine Quarterly, and others.
day after class, lectured anyone who wished to enter the
Added to all the list of activities for the first time in 1954
competition. He guided and encouraged the research
was the History Academy, which was created to present
projects and scrounged up whatever we needed.” Foster
an opportunity for interested students to learn more
and Buccino, along with a young lady named Alice
about their favorite subject through discussions, debates,
Hartley from Bassick, were named as the top three high
book reviews, and guest speakers.
school scientists from Connecticut. Mr. Foster added
In addition to all the above, a few events caught
that: “Alice was my date for the senior prom.” After
everyone’s attention in October. Hurricane Hazel hit on
graduation, Mr. Foster attended Fordham, while Mr.
Friday, October 15, forcing the school to close at noon in
Buccino went on to Yale. The three were proud to be
order to get the boys home before the storm. The other
photographed with President Eisenhower in a ceremony
noteworthy happening that fall was the work being done
honoring their achievements. It should be mentioned
in McAuliffe to create a teachers’ lounge area.
that in 1955 America was deeply involved with the
The year moved pleasantly along from autumn
Cold War with communism and the government was
to winter. January of 1955 was filled with study, mid-
beginning to stress science as a way of keeping ahead of
year exams, and basketball. Coach Bisacca’s cagers put
the Soviet Union.
together a very successful year, compiling a 14-6 record.
Prep’s graduation for the Class of 1955 was held on
Noteworthy for the season was the new single-game
Thursday, June 9. The exercises had to be held at the
scoring record of 30 points achieved by Ron Liptak in a
Bridgeport Brass recreation center due to inclement
57-53 loss to Naugatuck High School. Other stand-out
weather.
performers for Prep that season were Sonny D’Aulisa, Henry Rojas, Lou Viglione, Mickey Buckmir, Ron Grudzinksi, and Jim Keane.
46
The Flood of ’55 The summer of 1955 will be remembered as being
Spring was another basically good season for Prep
exceedingly hot and humid. The hot weather spawned a
sports. Although the track team only went 2-8, the
number of heavy downpours. August brought hurricanes
baseball team managed to post an 8-3 record. The only
Connie and Diane, and some of the worst flooding in
losses came to Stamford, Darien, and Notre Dame. Much
Connecticut’s history. Anyone living in the state that
of the team’s success came from the great pitching of
summer will always remember “Black Friday,” August
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1950s
19th 1955, when the remnants of Diane dumped almost
record. Arnold Lopez-Cepero was the most outstanding
one foot of rain on the already saturated soil. Particularly
member of the team that year, winning many meets. The
hard hit were the Housatonic and Naugatuck river
team entered the C.I.A.C. competition for the first time.
valleys, where flood waters rose more than 20 feet
They finished a very respectable 15th in the state.
above normal. More than 100 people died in the flood,
And speaking of sports, let us not forget that the
and property damage was estimated in the hundreds of
autumn of 1955 was the time when the Brooklyn Dodgers
millions. “Old timers” in the area still refer to the terrible
won their first and only World Series, defeating the New
storm as the great “Flood of ’55.”
York Yankees, four games to three. You can be sure that a
School began for the year 1955-56 on Wednesday,
good number of Prep students and undoubtedly a number
September 7 for the freshmen, with the rest of the school
of the faculty had a difficult time keeping their minds on
in session by the following week. During the last week
academics during the week of that hotly contested series.
of the month, the student retreats were held in Monroe,
World Series games were played during the afternoons in
led by Frs. Tom Murphy, Talbot, and Mr. George McRae,
those days, and it was not unusual at all for enterprising
S.J. The retreats functioned to get the school year started
students to attempt to smuggle transistor radios into the
with a positive spirit, and this carried over into many
classrooms in order to listen to the contests. More times
other activities. Across campus, meanwhile, Fairfield University was in the early stages of a building boom. The Prep football team commenced play with a solid victory over Stratford by a score of 32-7 on September 26. Following that was a 21-0 whitewashing of Bullard Havens. The only loss of the season came at the hands of Stepinac of New York. Prep fell by a score of 19-0 as the offense could simply not get in gear. After that loss, the team finished the remainder of the season with a 4 game winning streak. This streak would carry over to the next two seasons and reach 13 straight. The ‘55 team had outstanding leadership in cocaptains Jim Lesko and Dennis Poillon.
Frank
Robotti,
Joe
Sikorski and quarterback Pete Rowe added considerably to the team’s offense. They finished the season at 7-1, with great promise for the future due to the many juniors on the squad. The fall of ’55 was also a successful one for the cross country team. The harriers compiled a very good 8-3
The Schola Brevis for September 8, 1953.
HISTORY OF PREP | 47
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
Over the years the Bellarmine Fathers’ Club has been willing to go that extra mile in support of the school. The above photo shows Prep Dads in a Field Day competition in the 1950s.
than not, the scheme unraveled.
give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery,
Later that month the youth of America were stunned
Alabama. This incident seemed to be a minor one at
to hear that the “teenage rebel” James Dean had been
the time, but we now know that, along with the black
killed in an automobile accident. Many a Prepster was
teenager Emmett Till by white racists in Mississippi
familiar with Dean’s movies, and his passing deprived
earlier that summer, the arrest of Rosa Parks provided
the youth of the country of one of their favorite actors.
the spark that to a great extent ignited the civil rights
Speaking of teenagers, the year 1955 would forever be
movement in America. The subsequent Montgomery
known as the year that gave birth to “Rock and Roll.” The
bus boycott brought a young 26 year old minister by the
number one jukebox hit of that year was “Rock Around
name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to prominence and
the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets. Another song
he of course became a driving force in the movement.
playing big at dances was “Maybelline” by that new guy,
As the autumn turned to winter, the school’s
Chuck Berry. “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White”
basketball team kicked into gear. The team compiled a
by Perez Prado was perfect for “slow” dancing.
respectable record of 13-6. The team benefited greatly by
Meanwhile,
wet
weather
conditions
persisted
the leadership of Captains Henry Rojas and Jim Keane.
throughout the autumn of 1955. Starting on Friday,
Coach Bisacca was very pleased with the progress of his
October 14, an “extra-tropical disturbance” with
players.
50-mile-per-hour winds and a deluge of rain once again
December was a good month for Prep. There was
struck southern New England. The storm was so fierce
the football banquet held in Berchmans cafeteria on the
that it forced the cancellation of school on the following
fifteenth, and Christmas vacation starting on Tuesday,
Monday, since so many roads remained closed due to
December 20. On New Year’s Eve, there was a very
flooding. One teacher, Mr. Raymond Carey, nearly lost
successful and well-attended dance for the Prep Alumni.
his life when his car stalled in rising, turbulent water.
January 3, 1956 saw the school back in session. Later
Although school resumed on Tuesday, 130 students and a
that month, right after mid-year exams, the upper class
number of faculty were still not able to return to campus.
Sodality made a very interesting visit to the Russian
On the thirteenth of November, Bishop Shehan
center at Fordham University, where they learned all
arrived on campus to inspect the school. That same day
about the rites and history of the Russian Orthodox
marked the first Mass ever said in the new St. Pius parish
Church.
of the diocese of Bridgeport. The Liturgy was celebrated
That winter was also important to the Prep Chess
in Loyola Hall Chapel at nine in the morning. The
Club, as it received notification that it was officially
chapel was located in Loyola Hall, the University’s first
accepted into the Southern Connecticut Chess League.
dormitory, which was completed that year.
The team would now be able to compete in chess matches
December 1, 1955 brought the news of the arrest of a black seamstress named Rosa Parks, who refused to 48
| HISTORY OF PREP
against some of the most brilliant players in the state. On Friday, March 16, the school received the great
1940s
1950s
news that the Bellarmine Quarterly had been the only
So it came to pass that the school could get back to
gold medal winner at the Columbia University Scholastic
the usual rites of the season. Spring was, of course, also a
Publications competition. As if to further reward the
time of baseball, track, final exams, and graduation. The
Prepsters for their good work, nature cooperated by
baseball team had a particularly good season. Prep won
belting Fairfield with a 13-inch snowstorm that Sunday
the district and moved on to the state tournament where
night. Needless to say, classes were cancelled that
the team was unfortunately defeated by Naugatuck on
Monday and Tuesday. Being a late winter storm, the snow
June sixth.
did not last very long. In a little over a week it was Easter
The month of May was also a somber time. Fr.
Sunday. Spring was on the way, even though winter tried
John Golden, S.J., who was admitted to the hospital in
to rear its ugly head once more with a day-long snow on
February, passed away on Friday, May 11th. Fr. Golden
Sunday, April 8.
was a well-liked and respected teacher of freshman and
As the spring of ’56 rolled around, news was made
sophomore religion, as well as English and history, and
with the initial edition of the school’s first science
he left a deep impression on many of the young men
publication, Der-Kircher, which was dedicated to the
of the Prep. The school celebrated its annual May Day
discussion of important issues and findings in the
Mass at the band shell on the 15th. Due to the death
world of science. The journal derived its name from
of Fr. Golden, the affair became a memorial Mass in his
Athanasius Kircher, S.J., a 17th century German scholar
memory. Bishop Sheehan was the principal celebrant.
of science, medicine and religion. Fairfield Prep racked
Final examinations were given in the beginning of
up another prestigious award on Thursday, April 19,
June, with graduation exercises being held on a very hot
when it was announced that the school’s Latin scholars,
and humid Thursday, June 14. Fr. Hewitt was the guest
led by Father Edmund J. “Lefty” Welch, captured first
speaker.
place in the Junior Division of the New York University
The summer of ’56 was a busy one on campus. There
Latin contest. The school finished ahead of a total of 114
were the usual happenings at the Prep, including summer
competitors. It was indeed a great day for the school and
school, cleaning of the buildings, and registrations for
for Fr. Welch. During his many years at Prep, Fr. Welch was without doubt one of the most loved and respected teachers. No student who was fortunate enough to have been in Fr. Welch’s classes will ever forget his rough exterior, his “growl,” his paddle, his heavy black book bag, and his heart of gold for his “kiddos.” Another important event of the spring was the annual dramatic production. The play was: Eleven Against the Sea, directed by Rev. Misters Owen Finnegan, Daniel Sullivan and James Sheehan, S.J. The play was performed on the evenings of April 27 and 28, and was well received. In addition to his work on the play, Mr. Sullivan helped to form the Dramatic Academy, which was dedicated to studying and discussing various aspects of drama. Tuesday, May 1 was an important day for the school. Prep was visited by about 50 investigators who were there to determine if the school was worthy of receiving state accreditation. Their evaluation was very positive. Both students and faculty were happy to have their guests leave so that they could get back to the normal routine.
Bill Redgate ’59 and date at the 1959 Prom.
HISTORY OF PREP | 49
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
1958 Baseball Team: Featuring the “Ace” pitcher Pat Jordan. Kneeling: J. Obbagy (Mgr.), S. Jakab (Mgr.), Row 1: Fr. Quinn, S.J., P. Waves, R. Gadus, L. Benedetto, M. McLaughlin, P. Guerra, D. Combs, G. Barber, E. Rowe, T. Barleto, J. Brosley (Coach). Row 2: M. Guarcello (Asst. Coach), S. Bevet, R. Murphy, P. Jordan, V. Lynch, P. Lopusznick, S. Meehan, R. Robinson, F. Giordano, J. McGourthy, D. Emilia (Mgr.).
next year. In addition, however, the sounds of heavy machinery could daily be heard from across the campus
Among the new faculty at Prep in 1956 was Fr.
as the college was busily erecting a new classroom
Thomas O’Connor, replacing Fr. Kennedy, who had been
building. The other big event that summer was a highly
transferred to the University. Also, of great consequence,
successful jazz festival held at Alumni Field before a
three new members of the teaching faculty were added.
huge crowd. The period from the mid-1950s through
In science there was Rev. Eugene Brissette, S. J. who over
the early 1960s was to become a golden age of bebop
time became the very embodiment of everything that
jazz in America, with the likes of Miles Davis, Chet
was great about Fairfield Prep. Among the lay faculty
Baker, and John Coltrane dominating the scene. For the
there were two additions, Mr. James Earl Lavery and
average Prep student, however, the musician making the
Mr. Thomas W. “Tim” McGillicuddy. Both men were
most significant impact was a 21-year-old “cross-over”
brought in to teach mathematics. Mr. Lavery, of course,
artist from Memphis named Elvis Presley. In 1956 his
known as the “Duke” to his admirers, went on to become
“Heartbreak Hotel” became an instant success. Rock &
the most successful football coach in Prep history. Mr.
Roll was sweeping the country.
McGillicuddy for many years functioned as a teacher of
The
50
Pillars of Prep
school
year
1956-57
began
on
mathematics, but his most important and memorable
September 5th, when the new freshmen arrived. Full
role would be as the very first lay dean of discipline. Mr.
schedule for the entire school commenced on Monday,
McGillicuddy actually defined the role and will forever
September 10. Prep was celebrating the 15th anniversary
be in a sense the embodiment of that administrative
of its founding, and hopes were high for a great year.
post. The boys of Prep always feared the seemingly
As the students filed into the buildings for the
omnipresent dean, yet they respected his fairness and
opening of school, they were welcomed by the Principal,
they knew that they could count on him for assistance
Fr. Francis X. Carty; the Assistant Principal, Fr. Edward
when their indiscretions got them into “hot water” on
J. Fayne; and the Prefect of Discipline, Fr. Andrew
campus or off. Later in his career, he functioned in his
B. Ochs. Fr. Ochs will forever be known for his great
usual efficient manner as the Comptroller of the school.
personality, and his inventive use of “the keys” as a
In addition to these roles, Mr. McGillicuddy also has the
weapon of intimidation.
distinction of having been the first lay principal in the
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1950s
THE RECORDS OF THE PREP HEAD FOOTBALL COACHES:
Thomas Murphy: 1942-44
2-17-2
Fella Gintoff: 1945-51
26-21-4
Thomas Seymour: 1952-55
23-7-0
Joseph Brosley: 1956-65
55-27-5
Earl Lavery: 1965-92
231-53-8
Richard Magdon: 1993-2008
95-69-2
Bill Pinto: 2009
0-10-0
Tom Shea: 2010-2014
32-23-0
Keith Helstern: 2015-
11-9-0
Prep spirit before the Bomb Squad.
(Many thanks to Lou Pintek ’72 and Sandy Sulzycki
school’s history, a post he held (with the title of acting
’64 of the “Connecticut Post” for their work in
principal) during the 1972-1973 school year. These three
updating and correcting the coaching records as they
men, Brissette, Lavery, and McGillicuddy were indeed
appeared in earlier editions of this book.)
the “pillars of Prep” for many decades.
November of ’56 also brought the presidential election,
Prep football had an exceptional season in 1956.
with President Eisenhower rather easily defeating the
Boasting a strong offense and an overwhelming defense,
Democrat Adlai Stevenson by almost 9 million votes. In
the team compiled a perfect undefeated, untied record
Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was organizing the
(8-0). The team was led that year by a new head coach,
civil rights movement. On the international scene the big
Joseph Brosley, who took the helm from Coach Seymour.
news was the Soviet Union’s crushing of anti-communist
What an incredible way for a head coach to begin his
uprisings in Poland and Hungary. Nikita Khrushchev,
career!
recently elevated to the top post in the Soviet Union,
THE 1956 PREP FOOTBALL STATS:
made his famous “We will bury you” speech to a group of
Prep 19 – Stratford 0
Western ambassadors assembled at a Kremlin reception
Prep 47 – Bullard Havens 6
on November 17th, as the “Cold War” expanded.
Prep 33 – Stepinac 0
A positive news story at Prep came with the
Prep 39 – Notre Dame 6
announcement on March 15 that the Bellarmine Quarterly
Prep 32 – Hillhouse 12
won the first place medal from Columbia University for
Prep 25 – Mount St. Michael 0
literary excellence.
Prep 39 – West Haven 6
As spring 1957 came into focus there were more
Prep 27 – Stamford 7
successes for the Prep. In April the school held a
The team out-scored its opponents by a margin of 261-
successful fashion show and raffle for a new Cadillac. The
37. Co-Captains Frank Robotti and Joe Sikorski provided
affair was a great success, with a considerable amount
outstanding leadership as well as great play. Quarterback
of money being raised for the school. May brought the
Larry Merly provided more than his share of offense, as
production of the play Journey’s End and the annual May
did Pete Saur and Jeff Donohue, Bob Maelstrom, and Bill
Day Mass celebrated by Bishop Shehan.
Robinson. Other great contributors to the team included
The graduating Class of 1957 was an outstanding
Dan Coombs, Tom Catalano, Jim Stark, Bob King, Bob
one, even by the very high standards of Fairfield Prep.
Dorian, Jim Hellauer, Kevin Keating, Matt Pugliese, Ed
A quick look at Alumni Today, 2012 edition, reveals that
Galemba, and Dom Galluzzo.
at least eight members of the class went on to achieve
Coach Joe Brosley thus became the 4th head football
law degrees, eight received PhDs and pursued careers
coach in Fairfield Prep history. Before he stepped down,
as college professors, ten became doctors, many others
he would win a state championship (1960) and achieve
received MBA degrees and had very successful business
the all-time winning mark, only to be overcome by
careers, and five entered the clergy as Catholic priests or
Coach Earl Lavery many years later.
Protestant ministers. Interestingly, one name not found in HISTORY OF PREP | 51
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
the directory is that of John “Jack” Greenspon, brought
for 1957 was successful with a 7-3 record, including four
to my attention by Sandy Sulzycki. His amazing career
shut-outs in Coach Brosley’s second year. The record
is worth mention. After leaving Prep and securing his
was good enough for an MBIAC championship. Among
college education, Jack, under his professional name
the great accomplishments that year was the exciting
John Laurence, went on to an incredible career as a news
13-12 victory over the ever-tough Mount St. Michael’s
correspondent and journalist. His onsite reporting from
team from New York. The biggest heartbreak had to be
Vietnam during the war years garnered Laurence many
the 14-13 loss to Stamford on Thanksgiving Day. On
awards and accolades. One of his books, A Cat from Hue,
an individual level the greatest performance of the year
recounting his nearly two year experiences in the field,
was by Lou Zowine who scored four touchdowns in one
received wide acclaim. In a review of the book on April
game against Milford.
21, 2002, Stanley Kutler in the New Yok Times stated,
The rest of the autumn moved along at a normal pace
“Laurence’s eloquent, at times acerbic, recollection of
with no major events happening at the school. On the
Vietnam is one of the finest books in its genre.” A review
west side of campus 1957 brought with it the opening
in Goodreads points out that Lawrence “was judged by his
of Canisius Hall, which performed many functions, one
colleagues to be the best television reporter of the war.”
being that it served as the home of the university library
After a rather normal but hot summer (the
All the country was abuzz that autumn about the news
1957-58 began on Monday, September 9. Prep football
that the Russians had successfully launched the world’s
Above is a yearbook photo of the 1956 Prep football team. At right are some former team members enjoying a reunion in Florida in 2004.
52
until Nyselius Library opened its doors in 1968.
temperature hit 103 on July 22nd), the school year
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
1950s
first satellite, Sputnik I, into space on October 4th. The “Space Race” had begun, and many moaned that America had been left in the starting blocks. On the domestic front, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road was published, and the nonconformist Beat generation was born. Although there was considerable snow and much cold throughout the month of January, the Jesuits were easily able to get around campus thanks to a very generous gift of a new jeep made by the Fathers’ Club. The Dramatic Society brought some warmth to the school with two productions: If Men Played Cards as Women Do, a satire; and Night at the Inn, a mystery. Easter 1958 saw a change in the literary magazine of the school, as the Bellarmine Quarterly was changed to the Bellarmine Letters. The new journal was published three times a year, thus the dropping of the “Quarterly” part of the title. Spring brought with it the much anticipated warmer weather and a new rector as Fr. James E. Fitzgerald replaced Fr. Joseph D. Fitzgerald. Later in the month work started on the new field house, Alumni Hall, which became the home of the Prep and University basketball teams. Speaking of spring and sports, many a baseball fan was singing the blues in the spring of ’58, as the Dodgers and Giants played their first games in their new homes in Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively. There were now no National League baseball teams in the New York metropolitan area. Sad indeed! The mourning of the Prep baseball fans was somewhat mitigated when on Tuesday, June 10, both the Prep and university graduations were held, for the university at 12:30 and for Prep at 6 p.m. When students returned to school in September of 1958, their commute was greatly enhanced by the opening of the I-95 interstate highway, located a mile or so south of campus. The main focus of attention of the school, as usual, was the football team. As the yearbook put it: “This team had everything — size, speed, and experience.” Led by captains John McGourthy and Bill Lang, the team posted a 7-1-2 season. Quarterback Joe Witkewics and running back Ken Maiocco contributed tremendously to the offense, as did “Punchy” Flanagan and “Crazylegs” O’Toole. McGourthy, Bob Murphy, Jack Mahar, and Vinnie Lynch did great work on the line. The ’58 cross country team also had a very successful
Earl Lavery with Joseph Brosley
formidable competition. The harriers were led by captains Ken Bondi and Dean Kramer and coached by Mr. J. Vasmer Dalton, S.J. They were able to take the MBIAC league championship, 4th place in Fairfield County, and 11th in the State. Christmas vacation 1958 was cold, but all was quiet on campus. Students returned to mid-year exams in January and the news that a rebel named Fidel Castro had begun a revolt against the Battista government on the island of Cuba. The newly organized Amateur Radio Club, moderated by Fr. McGrath listened in to the various reports about the changes going on in the world on their ham radios. The biggest story coming out of Prep athletics in the spring of ’59 was the great success of Patrick Jordan of the baseball team. Pat excelled both at the plate and on the mound and he received several post-season honors. Subsequently, Pat was drafted by the Milwaukee Braves and worked his way through their minor league system before coming up with a bad arm. Maintaining his interest in sports, Pat went on to write a number of baseball related novels and later worked as a reporter for Sports Illustrated magazine. Throughout the spring of ’59, the big attention-getter on campus was the construction of the new gymnasium, or field house, located behind Berchmans Hall. The structure was unique in its design in that it had large half-moon trusses to support its Quonset hut-shaped roof. Many people believed that such a daring design would never work. Nevertheless, the building, erected by the E&F Construction Company, became the longtime home of the University and Prep athletic teams.
season, compiling a record of 4-3-1 against some HISTORY OF PREP | 53
CONSOLIDATING THE TRADITIONS
1958 freshman class with Fr. John J. Carrigg, S.J.
Fr. Joseph E. McGrady, S.J. - New Principal
was Fr. John J. McLaughlin, S.J. Many years later Fr. McLaughlin went on to
When the Jesuit Status was posted on
become a national celebrity with his
Thursday, June 18, the announcement
news talk program, “The McLaughlin
was made that Principal Fr. Carty had
Group.”
been selected to move on to Holy Cross.
As the decade of the ’50s closed and
Fr. Joseph E. McGrady, S.J. was to become
the school settled into a comfortable
the new principal. Fr. McGrady served the
routine, world events impinged on
school and the Prep community quite well during his tenure. There was also a new lay faculty
Rev. Joseph E. McGrady, S.J., Principal, 1959-1962
brought
some
tension-provoking
news from the Soviet Union. Russian
member at Prep in 1959, Mr. Louis A.
authorities revealed that they had shot
Saracco, who was brought in to teach
down a United States U-2 spy plane
Western civilization, which he was able to
and had captured the pilot, 30-year-
embellish by relating his many experiences
old Francis Gary Powers. The Soviet
as a world traveler and patron of the
Premier then cancelled a scheduled
arts. In possession of a law degree from
summit
Fordham University, “Uncle Lou” went
Eisenhower in protest over the U-2
on to create an exceptional course in A.P.
incident. The Cold War was again a
Constitutional Government. Mr. Saracco served the school in many capacities,
Rev. John J. McLaughlin, S.J., star of “The McLaughlin Group”
including social studies department chair,
54
the normal school events. May first
meeting
with
President
major topic of conversation on the Fairfield campus. One peaceful event of note was
during a career that spanned well over four decades.
the first solemn Mass celebrated by Fr. Walter Pelletier,
To countless thousands of Prep students he became
S.J. — another Prep graduate, Class of ’47. “Fr. Pell”
the face of Fairfield Prep. Lou went on to teach many
would return to Prep to become a teacher and guidance
grandchildren of his first students! On the Jesuit side,
counselor. Over the years he became a tremendously
joining the faculty to teach English, Latin and theology
respected teacher, by both students and faculty alike.
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s 1940s
1950s
1960s
CHAPTER 5
Decade of Achievement
D
uring the summer of 1960, the big event on campus was the Bob Hope show at the band
shell at Alumni Field on the evening of the 18th of August. The other factor causing a buzz on campus was the presence of the New York Giants football team, which used the athletic fields and dorms for its summer practice sessions. At the start of the 1960-61 school year, the students were welcomed back by Principal Fr. McGrady, Assistant Principal Fr. Fayne, and Dean of
McAuliffe Hall in 1960.
Discipline Fr. Allen. Nationally, the major news that summer was the
swimming team, under the direction of Fr. Edward E.
campaign for president between Republican Richard
Canning, S.J., and his assistant Mr. Joseph Monahan,
M. Nixon and the Catholic Democratic senator from
hit the pool in October, captained by John Brawley, Skip
Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy. Needless to say many
Maxwell, and Terry Shea.
in the Fairfield Prep community were hoping to see
Bowling was the other new official interscholastic
the election of the first Catholic president. As the boys
sport at Prep that year. Although the school had bowling
settled down for their classes, there was excitement in
teams in the past, 1960 marked the first time that the sport
the air. In history class the topic of conversation was
was granted a formal spot in the MBIAC (Metropolitan
the presidential campaign, which had been brought into
Bridgeport Interscholastic Athletic Conference). Coach
everyone’s living room in the first-ever televised debates.
Alfred Winshman, S.J., led the team to a very respectable
The Prepsters had their own campaigns to think
4th place finish out of 10 teams. The members of the
about, however; those of the Prep athletic teams. In
first bowling team were: C. Koller, N. Roberts, B. Toth,
addition to the fall sports programs of cross-country and
P. Stiliha, M. Urbanowicz, E. Millette, A. Frank, and W.
football, there were two new sports being talked about
Sheehan.
in 1960 – swimming and bowling. The very first Prep
HISTORY OF PREP | 55
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
The 1960 Championship Football Team 10-0 State Champs!
Perfect Season
season’s end, Frank Grywalski, Gene Skowronski, and
Although it was great to have two new varsity sports
Ed McCarthy earned All-State honors. Sadly, three years
at Prep, the big news was that the 1960 football team was
later, McCarthy, who also starred as quarterback at Yale,
one of the all-time great teams in the history of the school,
was tragically killed in a car accident.
posting a perfect 10-0 record, capturing the league title
The cross country team, coached by Mr. Vasmer
and gaining the state championship. Sandy Sulzycki
Dalton S.J., and led by Co-Captains Bob Parker and Ron
’64 reminds us that in those days there was no playoff
Pulito, also had a great year as the team won the MBIAC
system in place. There was an award, however, known
championship with a record of 7-2. Parker was especially
as the Waskowitz Trophy, which was presented to the
successful for the Prep harriers, winning first place in
best team as determined by a committee of sportswriters
seven out of the nine meets. The team’s success was a
representing the various newspapers throughout the
fitting tribute to Mr. Dalton, who was finishing his last
state. And In 1960, that trophy came to Fairfield Prep. It
year as coach.
was a great accomplishment for head Coach Joe Brosley and his scrappy team.
As November rolled around, the nation’s attention turned to the presidential election, in which Kennedy
The most remarkable aspect of that memorable squad
defeated Nixon by the small margin of 113,057 votes.
was its exceptional defense. Only Archbishop Stepinac
John Kennedy thus became the first Roman Catholic
High would score in double figures against them, getting
and, at 43, the youngest elected president in United
16 points to Prep’s 24 in the first game of the season. After
States history. Everyone had the feeling that a new era
that, only Milford, N.D. West Haven, and N.D. Fairfield would manage anything against Prep. In all the other games Prep shut out the opposition – a total of six whitewashes in all! Probably the most satisfying victory of the season was the 35-0 humiliation of arch-rival Stamford in the annual Thanksgiving game. Stars of the defense were tackles Don Lynch and Gene Skowronski, along with center Ron Miazga, and guard Win MacLaughlin. Providing great leadership were Co-Captains Bob Fritz and Don “Ducky” Moran. Quarterback Ed McCarthy was superb, as were receivers Frank Grywalski Bob Fritz and, as well as running backs Jerry Niedermeier, and Pete Frigon. As
56
| HISTORY OF PREP
The Spirit of ’61.
1940s
1950s
1960s
was dawning for the country. People anxiously looked
and Mickey Mantle. All baseball fans watched excitedly
forward to the inauguration of the young and active
as the two Yankee sluggers took aim at Babe Ruth’s all-
president and his beautiful First Lady, Jacqueline. “The
time single season record of 60 home runs.
torch has been passed to a new generation…”
As the 1961-62 school year began, all agreed that
December marked the start of basketball season.
it would be difficult to top the sports’ success of the
As with the football and cross-country teams before it,
previous year. And that certainly was proved to be an
the hoop team did not disappoint its rooters. After a
accurate assessment. The football team could only
slow start, Coach Burns’ players went on to capture a
muster a record of 4-5-1, and the cross-country team also
co-championship of the league. The Prep cagers posted
had a rough season under new coach Mr. David Connor,
a very good 13-6 regular season record. They added
S.J., winning only two and losing six meets.
victories over Bassick and Andrew Warde in the state
On a more upbeat note there was a celebration in
tournament, before losing to a very strong and very tall
Fairfield County as the new Bishop of the Diocese of
Wilbur Cross team.
Bridgeport, Walter W. Curtis, was installed in ceremonies
A new society at Prep that year was the German Club,
at St. Augustine’s Cathedral on October 21.
moderated by Mr. (later, Father) Robert Braunreuther, S.J. ’52, and dedicated to the study of the German language, culture, and history. The group kept busy entertaining
Coach Sylvester and the first Golden Age for Prep Basketball
guest speakers and making trips to the United Nations.
As autumn moved along, the sounds of bouncing
The tall and intimidating Jesuit was not beyond enjoying
basketballs could be heard in the gym. The 1961-62
a joke or two. In personal conversation, he related an
season was destined to be a historic one, as the team was
incident whereby he turned the tables on his students.
going to be led by a new coach, Mr. Robert Sylvester.
As Father Braunreuther explained, word leaked out on
Coach Sylvester made an immediate impact on the Prep
one particular day that the students were bringing water
cagers. The team appeared to be scrappier and feistier
pistols to school in preparation for some wet combat.
than ever, and it posted an impressive record of 18 wins
Well, Father Braunreuther had one of his own, which he
and only five losses. The record was good enough for the
said was very realistic looking. Hiding it in his desk, he
co-championship of the league. This was an impressive
began class by asking a particular student the German
feat indeed since the team had only two returning
word for “table.” The student did not know it. Then
lettermen, Jim Lyddy and George Pond.
followed other questions which, time after time, the student could not answer. Finally, feigning an emotional breakdown, the exasperated teacher said “I can’t take it anymore,” reached into his desk, and pulled out the gun. As students recoiled in surprise, he let them have it with the water pistol! By the way, as of the publication of this manuscript Father Braunreuther, an active octogenarian, was still working and living on the Fairfield campus. April, 1961, was a very tense time for America. On April 12, the Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin into orbit on the world’s first manned space flight. On April 17, the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba began. Despite the national situation, after graduation exercises in the second week of June, Fairfield Prep settled in to the usual routine of summer. The story capturing the attention of many Prep students that summer was the home run race between the “M&M boys,” Roger Maris
All-State Basketball star Jim Lyddy ’63 soars above rival Notre Dame players in an important 1963 contest. HISTORY OF PREP | 57
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
One of these young men displays his school spirit with a hat full of buttons and an official Prep duffel bag.
The team made the state tournament and pulled
for the underdog.”
off a major upset when it defeated number one ranked
As spring turned warmer the students all turned
Bristol Eastern. Unfortunately, the Prepsters lost the next
their attention to final exams and summer vacation.
tournament game to the always difficult Notre Dame of
Graduation took place early that June for the Class of
West Haven, and the year was over. Nonetheless, Coach
1962. Students attended the many graduation parties
Sylvester’s impressive inaugural campaign served notice
and danced the night away to the sounds of the Beach
to all that something special was about to happen to the
Boys, Jan and Dean, and other popular groups. The age
Prep basketball program. The end result would be some
of “surfer music” had arrived, along with “Madras” plaid
really exciting basketball being played at the school as
shorts and shirts.
the sport entered a golden age under Coach Sylvester. Another successful sport at Prep that year was
Fr. Fayne Takes Command
swimming. The program, only in its second year,
Over the summer of 1962 there were some major
compiled a record of 8-2. It had a few great competitors
changes in administration. Fr. McCrady was replaced as
including Captain Charles Dattola who broke a number
principal by his former assistant, the capable Fr. Edward
of records that season, along with Terry Shea, John
J. Fayne, S.J. Joining Fr. Fayne’s staff as assistant principal
Brawley and Paul Kurmay. Meanwhile, the Prep bowling
was Fr. Al Morris, S.J., while Fr. Charles Munzing, S.J.,
team, led by Paul Stiliha and Mike Urbanowicz, along
returned to the school from his work in Jamaica to
with a talented back-up of J. Staneck, J. Cerino, J.
assume his old post as dean of discipline.
Bednar, M. Kurylo and H. Karkosky, captured the MBIAC
Prep began the 1962 school year with a healthy
title in only its second year of competition, posting an
mix of Jesuit and lay
incredible record of 39 wins against only nine losses. The
faculty, and a reputation
happy moderator of the team was Mr. Winshman, S.J.
of being one of the best academic institutions in
On the national sports scene in the spring of 1962 of note was the creation of a new National League baseball
Connecticut.
team in New York, the New York Mets. Managed by the
teacher at Prep with a B.A.
legendary Casey Stengel, the new team played its games
degree secured an income
in the old Polo Grounds, the field vacated when the
of $4,200, while a teacher
Giants bolted to San Francisco in 1957. The new team
with a master’s degree and
set a record for failure in ‘62 when it lost 124 games. The
on the top of the pay scale
“Amazin’ Mets” soon became the favorite of many a Prep student as they gave new meaning to the phrase “rooting
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| HISTORY OF PREP
Rev. Edward J. Fayne, S.J., Headmaster, 1962-1965
A
novice
was paid $7,500. To put that in some perspective,
1940s
1950s
1960s
the cost of a new full-size Ford Galaxie was a little over
America. At the Civil Rights March in Washington, D.C.,
$2,500 in 1962, and you could purchase the compact
before a gathered throng of over 200,000, Dr. Martin
Ford Falcon for under $2,000.
Luther King Jr. made his famous, “I have a dream”
As school commenced for the year 1962-63, the
speech. The Civil Rights movement left that amazing day
major headline for all Roman Catholics was the opening
with a renewed enthusiasm that would drastically affect
of the Second Vatican Council on the eleventh of
the history of the country. Many Prep students were now
October, by Pope John XXIII. The Council, which lasted
contemplating the role they might play in bringing about
until 1965, drastically altered the tone and direction of
social justice.
the Church and it directly affected the lives of the young
Fairfield Prep began the 1963-64 school year with
men at Prep. There were many changes brought about
an administration of: Fr. Edward Fayne, S.J., Principal;
by the Council, including having the celebrant of the
Fr. Alfred E. Morris, S.J., Assistant Principal; Fr. W.
Liturgy face the congregation, and the switching of the
Lawrence O’Neil, S.J., Dean of Discipline and Director
language of the Mass from Latin to the vernacular. And,
of Athletics; and Fr. Thomas Murphy, S.J., Student
of course, Catholics were now permitted to eat meat on
Counselor. The school year opened on a down note when
Fridays, except during the season of Lent. An important
it was announced that Rev. John J. Carrigg, S.J., who had
thrust of the Council was a call for ecumenism among
taught freshman English and religion, had passed away
all Christians, and a greater degree of understanding of
over the summer.
and cooperation with non-Christian faiths. At Fairfield
On November 15, 1963 the school received the news
Prep this movement provided impetus for the creation
that William F. Connolly, Jr., a popular young man who
of courses in non-Western cultures and world religions.
had made the varsity football team the previous year
In October of ’62 all eyes were glued to TV screens as
while only a sophomore, had passed away. And, of course,
the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis took center stage. Air
just when peoples’ lives were getting back to normal and
raid drills and discussions of fall-out shelters made clear
the students were preparing for Thanksgiving, came the
the seriousness of the confrontation between the United
shocking news of the assassination of President John F.
States and the Soviet Union. All Americans breathed a
Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. The death of the president
sigh of relief when Soviet Premier Khrushchev finally
on November 22 had a tremendous impact on Fairfield
agreed to withdraw the nuclear missiles from Cuba
Prep students. Each can recall exactly where he was and
and dismantle the launching sites. President Kennedy’s
what he was doing when the news came down. It was a
popularity figures soared in the aftermath of the crisis.
terribly sad day for all.
Back at Prep, although the football team in 1962
After the president was laid to rest, the people of
had a decent year of 5-3-2, there were big losses that year to Jonathan Law by a 40-0 score, and a depressing Thanksgiving Day loss to Stamford with a final score of 14-0. The basketball team, on the other hand, had a very good season with an 18-6 record. Coach Sylvester had a talented starting team that year, including Jim Lyddy, Bill Lavin, Sandy Sulzycki, Larry Carroll, and John Barney. The big offensive weapon of the season was Jim Lyddy, who finished his Prep career with 1,300 points. Bill Lavin also established a new school career record in rebounding. In the 1962-63 season he was named All-League and All-State. The Prep team made it to the semi-finals in the state tournament, losing to Hillhouse, the team that went on to the state title. August 28, 1963 was very important in the history of
“Chinos si, Baggies no” — 1964.
HISTORY OF PREP | 59
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
the school in this year of protests as the Prepsters turned their attention to the dress code. The boys wanted the regulations altered so that they might wear the thenpopular chino pants rather than the traditional baggy suit pants which were the rule of the day. The students therefore created their strategy around such slogans as “ban the baggies” and “chinos si, baggies no.” This was not to be the last time in the school’s 65-year history that the students attempted to change the dress code. Usually these attempts failed, but there was some fun to be had in taking on the establishment in such a manner. And, 1964 Championship Swim Team celebrates.
the country and at Prep struggled to return to their normal schedules. Although it seemed very difficult to accomplish, people just had to get their minds on other things. And so it was that Prep basketball team began its 1963-64 season. Led by Captain Sandy “Sulz” Sulzycki, Mr. Sylvester’s hoopsters put together a 10-10 record in a very difficult and competitive league. However, Sulzycki was lost to the team early in the season with a foot injury, and there just was not enough depth on the team to make up the slack. The swimming team, under the able direction of Fr. Cunning and Dave Speno, was able to post a great record of 12-2 and capture the league championship. Eight records were broken by the sensational Prep swimmers. Those excelling included: Bob Griffin, Tony MacLeod, Paul Werner, Dick Blanchard, Andy Zitnay; and captains Rod MacKenzie, and Ray Basanta. Early 1964 will always be known for an interesting national event. The Beatles made a big impact on the music scene when their single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” made it to the top of the American charts. The Liverpool group subsequently made TV and concert appearances in America. The group was followed by the edgier Rolling Stones that year. The “British invasion” soon became a major force in the culture of young people in America and around the world. Prep mixers would never be the same. As the year progressed toward spring things were quite normal at Fairfield Prep. The young men were busy concentrating on their studies and on the various extracurricular activities which made life at the school so rewarding. Nevertheless, there was a hint of protest at
60
| HISTORY OF PREP
just to show the extent to which fashion has changed, in the sixties the administration worried about students who wore their pants too tight. By the year 2000 the main concern was pants that were too loose. The summer of 1964 brought the ascendancy of Barry Goldwater to the Republican Party nomination for president and the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August, which resulted in Congress giving President Johnson a “blank check” to expand the war in Vietnam. “I see the bad moon arising, I see trouble on the way” – John Fogerty.
Upward Bound President Lyndon Johnson, of course, was elected in a landslide in November of 1964. Most historians agree that Johnson was considerably more enlightened on domestic policy than he was in dealing with foreign affairs. His Great Society and War on Poverty resulted in the creation of many federal programs designed to help foster economic justice and fairness, especially in the realm of civil rights. In that spirit, the Office of Economic Opportunity was founded In August of 1964, under the direction of Sargent Shriver. The impact of that institution was felt locally with the founding of Action for Bridgeport Community Development (ABCD) in September. ABCD was an anti-poverty agency designed to serve the greater Bridgeport area. Among its many programs was the “Upward Bound” educational incentive. A connection between this program and Fairfield Prep was soon established, and hundreds of high school age students from Bridgeport soon found their way to the Fairfield campus to take Saturday college prep courses offered by Fairfield Prep teachers. In many ways this served to pave the way for a greater connection
1940s
1950s
1960s
between the school and the Bridgeport community into the future.
FURST According to Dr. Robert Perrotta, there was an institution in place that predated Upward Bound. It was called Fairfield University Recreation and Study Techniques or FURST. (Note: in Fairfield University online, an article entitled: “Fairfield University during the Restless Years” claims that FURST simply stood for: “Fairfield University Study Techniques”). Starting in 1964, this program brought dozens of disadvantaged
A Burnie writes a ticket for an unsuspecting Prepster’s illegally parked car.
young people to Prep and Fairfield University for classes covering 25 Saturdays, plus 6 weeks in instruction in
high-powered honors section whereby boys could study
the summer, with one of those weeks being an outward-
French, Latin and Greek.
bound experience. The older, college-ready students,
Now, in 1964, the school became completely
could earn 9 credits over the summer toward their college
departmentalized. Gone was the old homeroom system
requirements. Ultimately, talented students could achieve
of class instruction. The new department chairs were
full, four-year scholarships to the University.” Many
as follows: Fr. Charles J. Munzing, S.J., theology; Fr.
of the classes were held in Xavier Hall. The director of
Edward J. Welch, S.J., English; Fr. Thomas W. O’Connor,
the program was Mr. Sean Meehan, who also served in
S.J., Latin; Fr. Robert N. Sproule, S.J., modern languages;
various capacities at Prep, including assistant dean of men
Fr. Eugene C. Brissette, S.J., science; Fr. John W.
and social studies teacher. In the ‘69-’70 school year the
Green, S.J., mathematics; and Mr. Robert J. Sylvester,
program was absorbed into Upward Bound and additional
the only lay chairman, history. The ranks of these new
teachers were added, including Bob Perrotta and Dave
academic departments were to some extent filled by lay
O’Connor. By the 1980s, the program dissolved as part of
faculty. Mr. Vincent MacIlvain, seemingly omnipresent,
the policy of defunding federal social programs during the
taught science and math. Mr. Joe Sikorsky joined the
Reagan years. Nevertheless, ABCD was alive and well into
science department. Also teaching mathematics were
the 21st century, working with Prep for the Thanksgiving
legends Mr. Joseph Brosley, Mr. Earl Lavery and Mr.
food drive and other collections for the needy.
Tim McGillicuddy. Mr. George Thomas, Mr. Vincent Burns, and Mr. Charles Jakiela taught English, with Mr.
Reorganization and Departmentalism
Emmanuel Ondeck teaching both English and Latin. Mr.
As the 1964-65 school year began, many important
Roger Ratchford brought his talents to foreign language
changes came in the area of curriculum and academics.
and Mr. Lou Saracco added his insights into the history
To begin with, Fairfield University and Prep received
classroom.
a new president, Rev. William C. McInnes, S.J., who
The Language department re-introduced French and
presided over an ever-expanding campus which was in
German. Both courses of study quickly became very
the early stages of implementing the many innovations
popular as did extracurricular clubs in each language.
brought about at the Second Vatican Council.
The German Club was the largest in the school that year.
The major change at Prep was the new breakdown of
Language labs were installed and a new era of language
the academic area into separate departments for the first
instruction had begun. Over the years Prep was fortunate
time in the school’s history. Since the school originated
to have many talented teachers of German, including Fr.
back in 1942, there had only been two “tracks” along
John Butler, Fr. Braunreuther, Fr. Charles Munzing, Fr.
which students could move: science or the classics. In
Ned Power, Fr. Ronald Perry, Mr. James Kealey, and Ms.
1958, the classics department had created a separate
Billie Brooks.
HISTORY OF PREP | 61
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
Also, for the first time in the school’s history, a
university security force, the name “Burnie” stuck. It is
fundamental science course was offered to all freshmen,
to this day the name often used by Prep students to refer
in place of the speech class. And, a new word was
to university police, though few if any know why the
introduced into the academic vocabulary at Prep, the
term is used or what it represents. Ah, tradition! By the
“elective.” Seniors were given the opportunity to choose
way, a number of former Prepsters have worked for what
as an elective course either physics or government. The
is now called the Fairfield University Department of
theology department went through some important
Public Safety over the years, most prominently Captain
changes in order to keep pace with the changes brought
Frank Ficko ’78.
about by the Second Vatican Council. New texts were
Nevertheless, despite all the curriculum changes
introduced into the freshman and sophomore courses,
it was football that occupied the minds of most of the
and the weekly class load in the subject was increased
Prep men as the 1964-65 school year commenced. As
from two classes to three.
the ’64 Prep football team worked on compiling a very
So it was that Fairfield Prep made its first major change
respectable 7-3 record, it was cheered on by its official
in the academic structure since the school first opened
cheerleading squad, moderated by the imaginative Mr.
its doors in 1942. The alterations were introduced in
Saracco of the history department, who will always be
order to help the school and its students keep pace with
remembered for bringing the “ah-bey” cheer to campus.
the accelerated rate of change in the world beyond the
Liberally borrowed from the New York disc jockey,
classroom; and in the first year of its implementation, it
Murray “the K” Kaufman, the “ah-bey” cheer quickly
appeared to be succeeding wonderfully.
became a favorite of the Prep student body.
The school had undergone some important changes,
A new sport on campus in the winter of ’64–’65
yet it was still building on the great traditions that
was skiing. Although officially only a club, the new
had made it an outstanding educational institution.
organization quickly became very popular as many
As manifest at Fairfield Prep, Catholic education was
students participated in the various ski outings which
thriving in Fairfield County. But then, it was also thriving
were organized by Rev. Mister Francis Moy, S.J., along
throughout the country. Enrollment in U.S. Catholic
with officers Joe McManus and George Kovacs.
schools reached an all-time high of 5.6 million pupils in 1964.
On January 4th, 1965, the school heard the news of the tragic death of C. Russell Radcliffe, Jr., one of Prep’s solid classmates. Meanwhile, the major national story in
The Burnies Are Coming!
62
the early months of 1965 was the assassination of the
Another change that the students came to face as the
radical Black Muslim leader Malcolm X on February 21.
1964-65 school year began was the presence for the first
In February and March, the civil rights movement made
time of a campus police force. The university hired the
headlines as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a march on
Burns Security company to deal with the ever-increasing
Selma, Alabama.
problems of traffic and parking on campus. From the
In sports, the intramural program, under the new
start, for one reason or another, there was certainly no
leadership of Mr. McGillicuddy and Rev. Mr. Moy, S.J.,
love affair between the Prep students and the Burns
experienced a great revival. The Prep faculty participated
guards. The students accused the guards of harassment
in the various leagues, and their presence added a sense
and abuse of power, and the guards accused the Preppies
of heightened competition in more ways than one.
of being rude, uncooperative, and offensive. Before the
That summer, the staff of Fairfield Prep busily
year was over the students were already referring to
prepared for the 1965-66 school year. Once more there
the guards as the “Burnies.” The call “The Burnies are
would be many changes at the school. In August the
coming” seemed to conjure as much anxiety as did “The
unfortunate news arrived that Fr. Joseph A. Murphy, S.J.
British are coming” during the Revolutionary War.
had passed away.
Interestingly, even after Fairfield University officially
On the national scene, riots flared up in cities across
replaced the Burns Security Company with its own
the nation. The worst riots occurred in the Watts section
| HISTORY OF PREP
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of Los Angeles on August 12, as angry African-Americans
student representatives elected by the various classes.
burned buildings and destroyed over 40 million dollars
Another new institution at the Prep that year was the
of property. Frustrations resulting from unrealized rising
Key Club, which represented the school at all important
expectations that life would improve under LBJ’s “War
functions, including open houses and parents’ nights.
on Poverty” contributed to the chaos. Perhaps even more
Service to the school was their reason for existence, and
ominous, however, was President Johnson’s decision to
entry into the group was difficult to attain, as there were
greatly increase the number of Americans fighting in
many applicants for the few positions available.
Vietnam.
The Prep went through another important change as the Sodality was disbanded for the first time in the
The Morris Years
school’s history. Replacing the Sodality at the school
On campus at Fairfield, the most significant change
was a new organization, Students for Christian Action,
facing the young men of Prep as they entered school in
created in response to the many changes brought about in
September 1965 was the
the Catholic Church during the Second Vatican Council.
appointment of a new
The new group was an activist type of Christianity, with
Principal, Fr. Alfred E.
a stress on such things as food and toy drives for the
Morris, S.J. Fr. Morris
disadvantaged.
is fondly remembered
Two new clubs made their appearance at the school
by those who worked
that year, the Art Club directed by Rev. Mr. Jones, and the
with him as a good and
Folk Club, dedicated to the appreciation and production
fair leader with excellent
of folk music at the school. Songs by the likes of Bob
organizational skills. He
Dylan, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Joan Baez,
quickly
captured
the
respect and admiration of
the
Prep
faculty.
and Peter Paul & Mary were no doubt frequently on Rev. Alfred E. Morris, S.J., Principal, 1965-1969
the playlist. The highlight of the year came in January when members of the Folk Club performed American
Other changes in the administration that year included
folk music at a concert featuring Canadians who played
the splitting of the post of dean of men into two positions,
music from their country given at Sacred Heart Academy
one held by Mr. Edward F. Boyle S.J. and the other by Mr.
in Stamford.
McGillicuddy.
Another first that year was the production of the very
Another major addition was the introduction of
first edition of the school’s newspaper, the Prep Soundings.
physical education. To accommodate this 90-minute
The first issue was put together on an old typewriter in a
period, changes were made in the daily time order. School
small room in McAuliffe. Although the paper was called
started five minutes earlier and ended 15 minutes later,
“irreverent” by some, it did prove to be a sounding board
shortening the academic periods from 50 minutes to 45
for the feelings and concerns of the Prep student body.
minutes and for the first time in the school’s history, and
One major target of the paper in the first year was the
eliminating the morning recess period. Director of the
school’s cafeteria. Over the years that would become one
new physical education program, Mr. Brosley, stressed
of the favorite focal points of the paper. Another concern
basic conditioning through such things as calisthenics.
was that of the status of the senior lounge, a hot issue at
However, there was still plenty of time for enjoyable
the school for the previous few years. The students loved
events such as touch football.
the senior lounge and always viewed any attempt by the
One of the most significant changes for the Prep men
Prep administration to close it with a sense of alarm.
in the ’65–’66 school year was a complete reorganization of the student government, including a new working
The “Duke” Takes Charge
constitution. Student leaders were entrusted with
The changes affecting the school in 1965 also had a big
a greater responsibility in the affairs of the school.
impact on the athletic teams. In football, Mr. Earl Lavery
President Anthony Dolan was aided by a system of
took over as head coach, replacing Joseph Brosley, who HISTORY OF PREP | 63
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
members of the Prep administration included Mr. George B. Thomas, Coordinator of Prep-University Relations; Fr. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J., Spiritual Counselor for the students, Mr. Joel G. Pascale, Registrar, and Mr. Joseph T. Brosley, Athletic Director. New to the history department was the bright and articulate Mr. Bruce N. Jaffe, a recent Yale graduate. Jaffe quickly added his distinct imprint on the school, both as an outstanding teacher and a successful coach. Meanwhile, 1966 saw the opening of the new, modern-looking Campus Center on the Fairfield University campus. Although intended primarily to serve the college population, over the years many Prep functions such as alumni reunions were held at the site. Coach Earl Lavery ’50
moved on to become director of athletics and physical education. Lavery’s squad went on to an excellent season, posting an 8-2 record and winning the MBIAC championship, outscoring its opponents 264-59. The only losses of the season came at the hands of Rippowam and Bunnell. A major accomplishment was the 33-0 thrashing of Stamford in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. The team was led by quarterback Kevin Connolly who had a superb season. Skip Boyd, Tom Turey, Peter Robb, and Craig Froehlich added to the team’s offense. Meanwhile Coach Speno’s swimmers copped their second straight league title while pushing their winning streak to a remarkable 20 meets. The freestyle relay team of Thurston, Papp, Solkofske, and Zitnay destroyed the MBIAC record in the 160 freestyle relay. Freestyle swimmer Bill Thurston set a new league record in the 60-
The other positive vibe that autumn was the success of the Prep football team, posting a 7-2-1 record, capturing the co-championship of the MBIAC. Coach Lavery’s team, led by Co-Captains Tom Lyddy and Bill Boczkowski, ended the season with a 21-14 victory over the always-tough Stamford team. Tom Lyddy was chosen as a member of the all-league team, the all-state team and the Catholic all-American team. Other outstanding players were center Arnold Rossi, end Vic Lacerenza, and Brian Connolly. Tom Turey, Mark Sulzycki, and Dave Ravenaugh added their talents to the potent offense. The Prep team was urged to great efforts by the all-male cheerleading squad, moderated by Mr. Saracco. Coach Sylvester’s basketball team was outstanding. Led by Jim Fitzsimmons, Pat Foley, Bob Cholko, and Tom Bukowski, the team compiled a 17-1 season record, and a 21-2 overall record. The only loss of the season came
yard freestyle. John Smith set new records for the school in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard freestyle. Diver Ben Solkofske went through the season undefeated. The ’66–’67 school year opened in September with an administration composed of Principal Fr. Alfred E. Morris, S.J., Guidance Director Fr. W. Laurence O’Neil, S.J., Dean of Men Mr. Thomas W. McGillicuddy, and his new assistant, Mr. Sean Meehan. The affable and redheaded Mr. Meehan proved to be no push-over, as the students soon discovered. He strictly enforced the new ban on students using their lockers between classes. Students now had to carry their books all day and could only use their lockers before and after school. Other
64
| HISTORY OF PREP
The Brain Trust: Mr. Meehan, Head Coach Earl Lavery ’50, Co-captains Tom Lyddy ’67 and Bill Boczkowski ’67, and Mr. Sikorski.
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on December 23, when the always-tough Harding team squeaked by the Prep by a score of 54-53. The junior Fitzsimmons led the team in scoring with a 17.8 average. Foley, Bukowski, and Cholko all averaged in double figures for the season. The team captured the league title and made it to the CIAC championship game. The summer of ’67 seemed to move all too quickly. A constant reminder of the impending school year was the troublesome summer reading list. There always seemed to be something else to read and there was little time to spare. Students would much rather listen to the Beatles new album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which ushered in the “psychedelic age” in music. Prep mixers would never be the same. Although the psychedelic movement mostly impacted the colleges that summer, it would only be a matter of time until it filtered down to
Mr. Michael Wolfer, Director of CAPSULE in class, circa 1969.
the high school level. The demanding nature of the Prep curriculum and the firm hand of the Jesuit administration
America’s unique contribution to the world’s concept
tended to mitigate its effects on Fairfield Prep.
of the value of man and to world government. The CAPSULE program brought many innovations to
“CAPSULE” Created In July of 1968, there evolved a major change in the school with the creation of a new academic program called “CAPSULE,” directed by Mr. Michael K. Wolfer. “CAPSULE,” an acronym for “Creative Approach and Performance to Secondary and University Level of Education,” was created to provide an accelerated learning experience for high school and college so that a student could graduate from Prep and then Fairfield University in only six years.
Fairfield Prep, including independent study on a contract basis, the use of teacher as facilitator, team teaching techniques, foreign study, and the incorporation of many cultural activities. Enrollment in the program in its initial year was about two dozen students. Within a few years that number grew to more than 100. The CAPSULE program became a type of “school within a school.” It was located mostly on the second floor of Xavier Hall, and its students moved about the day on a time schedule that was very different from that of the regular Prep.
THE STATED GOALS OF THE PROGRAM WERE:
While some Prep teachers straddled the two programs
a. To telescope the pattern of education in relation to
and taught in both schools, CAPSULE had a small and dedicated group of teachers that only served that
the ability and readiness of the student. b. To coordinate and integrate the various disciplines
institution. As one looks back on the CAPSULE concept,
within the curriculum and to reduce the redundancy
it is amazing to realize how prescient the program was in
in the traditional system of education.
accurately promoting many ideas that have subsequently
c. To develop the individual’s personality and character in relationship to range of achievement, competence,
become ubiquitous in American education. There were some new additions to the faculty that autumn. Aside from Mr. Wolfer in the CAPSULE program,
and interest. and
there was Mr. Thomas A. McLaughlin ’58 and Mr.
experience in fine arts, communication and foreign
Edward J. Rowe ’59 in the mathematics department and
study.
Rev. Mr. James M. Bowler, S.J. in the history department.
d. To
broaden
the
learner’s
understanding
e. To develop the pupil’s understanding of man’s
All three went on to make a major impact on Fairfield
ideas and cultures throughout history; to conceive
Prep — McLaughlin as math teacher, guidance counselor
HISTORY OF PREP | 65
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
and track coach, Rowe as math teacher, administrator,
Lyndon Johnson. After McCarthy’s strong showing in the
and baseball coach, and Bowler, who later returned as Fr.
New Hampshire primary, Johnson announced on March
Bowler and served as principal of the school from 1977
31st that he would not be a candidate for re-election.
to 1983.
After seeing McCarthy’s success in the New Hampshire
The Prep football team posted a remarkable 10-0
primary, Senator Robert F. Kennedy announced that he
record in 1967, and again won the league championship.
would run for president. The political campaign really
Coach Lavery’s men had an explosive offense that year.
began to heat up as the spring progressed.
Fired up by all-league quarterback Brian Connolly, and a
On May 17, 1968, two Jesuit priests, Daniel and Philip
great group of receivers in Jim Walsh, Mike Wolfe, Ron
Berrigan, led anti-war group that came to be known as
Bazza, and Joe Abbanato, they scored over 40 points
the “Catonsville 9” on a mission to destroy draft records
on five separate occasions. Great running was provided
in that Maryland town. Startled workers in the Knights
by co-captains Dave Revenaugh and Mark Sulzycki.
of Columbus Hall, where the records were housed,
Mike Neidermier provided many extra points with his
backed off as members of the group scooped up records,
accurate kicking.
brought them outside and burned them. Many student anti-war leaders on college campuses were happy to have
Bruce Jaffe – New Swimming Coach
66
the Jesuit activists joining the cause.
New head coach Bruce Jaffe led the swimming team
The summer of ’68 proved to be incredibly chaotic.
to an undefeated season in league meets and the MBIAC
The great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
championship. Several school records were broken,
was slain on April 4th in Memphis, Tennessee. Then,
including the 60-yard freestyle by Peter Brawley and the
Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated June 5th in a Los
100-yard butterfly by Chuck Berke. The duo quickly
Angeles hotel after winning the California primary.
earned the name “gold dust twins” due to their many
A sense of shock overcame the country as a second
successes.
Kennedy was laid to rest. In August, the Democratic
Coach Sylvester’s varsity basketball team was again
Party held its National Convention in Chicago. The
outstanding. Its overall record of 20-3 earned it the
convention resulted in complete chaos as Mayor Richard
MBIAC title and a berth in the state playoffs. After
Daley and the radicals went at it. Chicago police and
beating the Harding team 96-62 in the quarter-finals,
National Guardsmen attacked the anti-war protestors
and defeating Waterford in the semi-finals, Prep’s season
who were demonstrating at the convention. They were
was ended by a stunning 75-69 loss to East Catholic in
angry that their candidate, Eugene McCarthy, was denied
the state championship game. Coach Sylvester posted his
the delegates of the deceased Robert Kennedy. When
100th victory during this remarkable season. Prep was
the dust settled, the Democrats had chosen Hubert H.
again led by the magnificent play of Jim Fitzsimmons,
Humphrey as their nominee to run against Richard
Pat Foley, Tom Bukowski, John Sulzycki, and Bob
Nixon, the Republican.
Cholko. One of the highlights of the 1968 spring sports
As the young men of Prep filtered into the school in
season was established by Robert Goulash ’68, when he
September of 1968, it was time to focus once more on
ran a 49.4 in the 440 yard dash. As of 2017, almost fifty
the immediate matter of education. There was a new face
years later, that record had not been broken.
among the faculty. Fr. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J. It did not
A major event captured the attention of the nation
take very long for this warm and loving Jesuit to become
on January 30, 1968, as Vietcong and North Vietnamese
one of the favorite teachers at the school. He seemed to
forces staged the “Tet Offensive,” an all-out attack on
possess the ability to actually make theology fun with
various American and South Vietnamese positions. Public
his stories of “Wu-Wu-Wanda” and “Bazooka Joe,”
support for the war dropped significantly thereafter. The
and warning students to stay off the “wacky-tabaky.”
unpopularity of the war in Vietnam led to the emergence
Father Shaughnessy went on to give over three and a
of a new candidate for president in the Democratic Party
half decades of full-time service to the Prep community.
as Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy challenged
He was frequently solicited to be the keynote speaker
| HISTORY OF PREP
1940s
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to Stamford ended a 23-game winning streak. Five Prep players made the All-League team: quarterback Brian Connolly and linemen Dan Lo, Pat Oates, Dave Lincoln, and Frank Luysterborghs. Coach Thomas McLaughlin’s cross-country team improved from 2-8 in 1967 to 7-3 in 1968, its best record since 1961. Led by Captains Dick Lynch and Eric MacCalla, the team won the Town of Fairfield Meet and placed two runners in the top 20 in the state championship meet, when Richard Engel finished 16th and Pete Thompson finished in the 19th spot.
Prep Wins State Title in Basketball The big event in sports for the ’68–’69 school year Fr. Shaughnessy, S.J., tells another tale about “Bazooka Joe.”
was the state championship title garnered by Coach Sylvester’s outstanding basketball team. The title game
for the senior Baccalaureate Mass and many other Prep
saw Prep defeat East Catholic by a score of 61-51. It was
functions.
the third consecutive trip to the state finals for Prep.
The beautiful Nyselius library, located in the heart
The team was again led by Jim Fitzsimmons, who had
of the campus, was completed in 1968. The facility, by
the best season of any player in Prep basketball history,
agreement with Fairfield University, was made available
breaking the school record when he scored 64 points
to Prep students for research purposes. It thus served as
against Jonathan Law in the 138-67 rout. Fitzsimmons’s
a great tool for the young men of Prep in their quest for
64 points was not only the Prep record, but also broke the
academic excellence. Over the years librarians and staff
state scoring record previously held by Calvin Murphy at
have been incredibly patient and helpful to Prepsters.
62. Other outstanding contributors to the championship
This beautiful library quickly became an added attraction
season were Hall Smith, Jim Connolly, Wally Halas, and
as families considered sending their sons to Fairfield
Jim Naveken. Incidentally, both Coach Bob Sylvester and
Prep. Needless to say, Prep faculty have also greatly
high scoring ace Jim Fitzsimmons were inducted into
benefitted from the facility and its many services.
the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, on September
Meanwhile, at the University, student activism was becoming more evident. Manifestations of this can be
26, 2006. Fitzsimmons was also elected to the inaugural class of the Prep Athletic Hall of Fame in May, 2017.
seen in the creation in 1968 of the Fairfield University
Bruce Jaffe’s swim team, led by co-captains Tim Wolf
chapter of the S.D.S. (Students for a Democratic Society).
and Marc Cichocki, won their second straight league
Known for its role the organizing college students in their
title. Other great performers included Pete Brawley and
quest for students’ rights, civil rights, and in protesting
Chuck Berke.
the war in Vietnam, the S.D.S, though never a significant
Meanwhile, the Prep hockey club, coached by Fr.
factor at Fairfield, did have some impact at the school. It
Dan Sullivan and Mr. Clifford, became fully organized
served to promulgate at least some of the changes that
and began having regular practices at Bridgeport’s
were sweeping across college campuses during that era.
Wonderland of Ice. In its very first game, the Prepsters
As usual, autumn meant football and the 1968 edition
lost 4-0 to Stamford Catholic. Nevertheless, a seed had
of Prep football resulted in the fourth straight league title
been planted and the enthusiasm for hockey would
for Coach Lavery’s gridders. The team compiled a 9-1
rapidly grow.
record with the only blemish coming on the last day
On the extracurricular scene, a second student
of the season when Stamford emerged victorious by a
newspaper, Silence, was published by a group of
score of 22-12 in the annual Turkey Day game. The loss
anonymous students. Silence was willing to deal with HISTORY OF PREP | 67
DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT
State Championship Basketball team of 1969.
some of the more controversial issues at the school. As
set foot on the moon. That
its barbs became sharper, another even more satirical
August, the Woodstock
newspaper called Noise began to surface occasionally.
music festival was held in
In the midst of all this, Soundings nearly died but
Bethel, New York. Some
was brought back to life by Editor Tom Conlin and a
500,000 young people
dedicated staff including Frank Tortora, Pat Neary, Rich
converged on the rural
Engel, Mike Fusco, Tom Raynor, and George Kalapos.
upstate town to hear Jimi
The new Soundings had more bite to it and it was willing
Hendrix and other rock superstars, and the “Woodstock
to deal with issues of greater importance. The 1969
Nation” was born. All the traffic heading to the event
school yearbook made note of the fact that a number of
caused the governor to officially close the New York State
extracurriculars died that year. The Glee Club, History
Thruway. With all these newsworthy events taking center
Club, Math Team, Science Team, and Ski Club all failed
stage, many Americans did not take much notice of the
to recruit sufficient members to conduct their activities.
Stonewall Uprising that had taken place at the end of June
Nevertheless, Prep’s social life seemed to be quite vibrant
and into early July of 1969. The event was precipitated at
that year. A new Prep rock band, Ruben and the Jets,
the Stonewall Inn, a club popular with members of the gay
led by Ruben Sano, became quite popular at the school
community, located in Greenwich Village in New York.
dances. Billing themselves as “anti-psychedelic,” the
There, in the early hours of June 28, a police raid and
band was a throw-back to the early days of rock and
harassment of people at the club, all too common in those
roll. They made their first and famous appearance at the
years, resulted in a spontaneous rebellion of the LBGT
Hearthstone Hop, dressed like greasers from the ’50s.
community in the area. The uprising is considered to be
The summer of 1969 turned out to be a most memorable one in the history of the United States. On July 21st, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to
68
| HISTORY OF PREP
Jim “Fitz” Fitzsimmons ’69 scored a Prep record of 64 points in one game.
the most important factor in the genesis of the gay pride movement and the fight for LGBTQ rights in America.
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
CHAPTER 6
A Time of Change
B
ack in the world of Fairfield
would ultimately span forty-nine years.
Prep, the school year of
As usual, it was football that dominated
1969–70 would prove to be
the thoughts of the Prep community that
another one of monumental change
autumn. The team did not disappoint their
in the history of the school. Taking
fans, capturing their fifth consecutive league
the reins as new principal was Fr.
title. The defense was just awesome that
Robert J. Starratt, S.J. Starratt, a
year, posting a total of five shut-outs. The
member of the Prep Class of 1953
offense was also formidable. At one point
became the first and, as of this
the team scored 104 points while winning
writing, the only Prep grad to lead the school. New words such as convocation,
mini-courses,
and
Rev. Robert J. Starratt, S.J., Headmaster, 1969-1972
four consecutive games. The autumn of ’69 was interesting for many reasons. Sesame Street made its debut,
block scheduling were added to the Prep vocabulary.
and the “amazing” New York Mets upset the Baltimore
Completing Father Starratt’s administration were Dean
Orioles in the baseball World Series. On October 15,
of Men, Mr. Thomas W. McGillicuddy, and his assistant,
regular school activities were suspended for the day as
Mr. David J. Connor. Mr. George B. Thomas, Curriculum
the entire school participated in the national Moratorium
Coordinator and Mr. Michael K. Wolfer, Director of the
Day to end the war in Vietnam. The special day began
CAPSULE program. There were a number of other new
with a Mass for Peace, followed by a series of guest
faces among the faculty that fall. Joining the history
lectures by people such as Congressman Donald Irwin
department were Fr. Donald Barry, S.J. and Brother
and anti-war activist Tom Cornell. After the lectures,
William Quegan, S.J. Fr. Barry quickly became known
the entire school was broken down into a series of
for his demanding Western Civilization course and his
small groups to discuss war-related issues, similar to the
famous “over-head” projector, and “Bro” Quegan for his
“teach-ins” found on college campuses.
bagpipes.
Mr. Jaffe’s swimming team repeated as league
Joining the guidance department was Fr. Pelletier.
champions posting a 12-3 record. Co-captains Peter
The gentle and caring “Father Pell” would go on to
Brawley and Chuck Berke accomplished a remarkable
take a number of roles at Prep, including math teacher
feat by being double winners in every meet of the season.
and scheduling coordinator. In the modern language
Berke went on to cop the state champion title in the
area, Mr. Robert Perrotta made his first appearance at
200-meter freestyle, and the 100-meter butterfly, and the
the school. Mr. Perrotta also went on to function in a
state record in that event. Brawley finished third in the
number of capacities at the school, including academic
50-meter and fifth in the 100-meter.
dean and then principal. His career at Fairfield Prep HISTORY OF PREP | 69
A TIME OF CHANGE
Prep’s First Hockey and Ski Teams Two new interscholastic sport teams made their debut in the ’69–’70 school year. The Prep hockey team, already manifesting the hustle and drive for which it would become well known, posted a 3-3 record under Coach Martin Roos. In that first varsity season, the boys had to foot the bill for their own uniforms and equipment. Few at that time could predict just how popular and important hockey would become to the school. The Prep ski team also made its initial appearance on an interscholastic level, after a number of years as an informal club. The team was very successful in its inaugural campaign as it achieved a 5-2 record. The ski
The man who never forgot a face — Fr. Frank Deevy, S.J., Dean of Men, 1970.
team also went on to become an incredibly successful entity during subsequent decades. Social service also made its appearance at Prep in the
nowhere near the scale of other college campuses. In the
’69–’70 school year. Prep students received their first real
late ‘60s black students on campus became increasingly
exposure to the world of the underprivileged through
political, in keeping with national trends. The month
the Big Brother program, which served the children of
of November, 1969 witnessed an overt expression of
Bridgeport. Another service-oriented project was the
this fact. On the 9th, civil rights activist and former
Harlem Program, an exchange experience with a church
comedian Dick Gregory made an appearance on campus.
in Harlem, New York designed to create relationship
At a lecture delivered at Alumni Hall, he urged students
between Prep students and the people of Harlem.
to become more vocal in expressing their concerns. A
The Debating Club made a rather strong comeback
group of 20 students drew up a list of demands on the
that year also, participating successfully in a number of
administration, including an increase in black student
major tournaments. At the University of Massachusetts
acceptances, the hiring of more black professors and
competition, the Prep team of Michael Roy, Martin Grace,
counselors, etc. In order to prove the intensity of
Robert Tella, and James Hurley finished fourth. In the
their commitment, they subsequently marched to and
New England tournament at Stamford High School, they
occupied Xavier Hall. Meetings with Fairfield President
won third place. The team took second in the University
Fr. McInnes, who was strongly devoted to the cause of
of Bridgeport meet, and the duo of Bob Pitt and Mike
social justice, resulted in a rather prompt resolution of
Wiseman captured first place honors in the Kingswood
the crisis.
Tournament.
The coming of spring, of course, signaled the arrival
There were many strange occurrences during the
of the baseball season. In 1970, Coach Ed Rowe’s team
school year 1969–70. In one incident, the junior class
had a very successful season, accumulating a 14-4 record
officer election, accusations of ballot-stuffing led to three
and securing a place in the CIAC State Tournament.
elections in all before the winners could be determined.
Two Prep players garnered All-League recognition
Prep politics were proving at times to parallel politics in
— homerun-hitting first baseman Walter Welsh and
the real world.
shortstop Bill Sekelsky who also served as co-captains on
There were some very interesting and thought-
Coach Rowe’s talented team. The pitching staff was also
provoking additions to student life in the first year of
outstanding thanks to the consistency of Bob Carlson,
the Starratt administration. For example, there were
with a 5-2 record and a 1.68 earned run average; and
humanities courses, Ecology Day and the previously
Tony Gallo who posted a 6-2 record with a fantastic 1.26
mentioned Moratorium Day.
E.R.A.
The unsettled atmosphere at educational institutions 70
certainly affected Fairfield University as well, although
| HISTORY OF PREP
Coach Ratchford’s golf team was the MBIAC champ in
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1970. The group, composed of Mark Stanzcyk, Raymond
Boston College.
Scinto, Vincent McGoldrick, John Kavanewsky, and
The J.S.E.A. came into existence to a large extent as a
Bernie Witcavitch, was unstoppable in league play that
reaction to the social and educational upheaval that had
year.
occurred in the 1960s. There was a big question in those
Although not everyone was in agreement about the
days as to where the then-49-member Jesuit schools
many innovations in the school that year, certainly
should be headed in light of those new conditions. The
no one was complaining that Prep was a boring place
J.S.E.A. went on to sponsor conferences and workshops
in which to study or work. As graduation brought the
for Jesuit administrators and teachers, and its papers
school year to a close, many expected to see even more
and directives helped to provide direction for the Jesuit
changes at the school throughout the summer of 1970.
schools in America. Above all, the J.S.E.A. made it clear
It did not take very long. The students entered the
to all that whatever direction Jesuit education in America
school in September of 1970 to find that their schedules
would take, those changes would be “…deeply rooted in
now contained more free periods than ever before. The
Ignatian Spirituality and Jesuit tradition.”
free-period concept was to encourage independent
The year 1970 was an interesting one on the campus
study and research projects, which the Prep faculty now
of Fairfield University. September of that year marked
appeared to be assigning in greater degrees than in times
the first time that women were admitted to the school.
past.
This was in keeping with a growing national trend
There was also a new dean of men that year, as
related to the social changes coming out of the 1960s. In
the sociable but wily Fr. Frank Deevy, S.J., replaced
its move toward becoming a co-educational institution,
Mr. McGillicuddy, who moved into the new vice-
Fairfield joined an expanding list of schools that were
principal role. Fr. Deevy was a very gentle man who
doing the same, including the Ivy League schools, Vassar,
had the capacity never to forget a face. Therefore, it was
Connecticut College, and many more. While Fairfield
certainly difficult for a student on his “hit list” to escape
Prep resisted the urge to follow suit, there was at least the
detection as he walked down the halls. Another change
recognition that a female presence was needed among
in administration was implemented when Mr. Sylvester
the Prep faculty.
moved from his post as history department chair to become the assistant director of the CAPSULE program. Taking over as history chair was Mr. Saracco.
Mrs. Betty Kachmar Probably one of the most significant changes at the
In athletics, there was a major change that year as Mr.
school in the 1970–71 year was the hiring of the first full-
Lavery assumed the position of athletic director. Lavery
time female faculty member, Mrs. Betty Kachmar, better
replaced “coach” Brosley who himself moved on to
known as “Mrs. K.” or “Momma K.” in order to start
become the new assistant principal. Mr. George Thomas served as the other assistant principal that year.
J.S.E.A. Created - 1970 An important event in the history of Jesuit education in general and in the history of Fairfield Prep in particular transpired with the creation of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association or J.S.E.A. in 1970. Fairfield Prep
Mrs. Betty Kachmar — Prep’s first woman teacher.
Principal Robert “Jerry” Starratt was one of a number of Jesuit intellectuals who were instrumental in its founding and for providing much of the organization’s early leadership. Following his departure from Prep in 1972 Starratt went on to have a very productive and impactful teaching career at Fordham University and HISTORY OF PREP |
71
A TIME OF CHANGE
Tony — the mini course chef.
a fine arts course at Prep. Actually, it was Mr. Michael
Allen — the mini-course auto repairman.
Mini-Courses
K. Wolfer, a personal friend who had worked with Betty
Another significant innovation that became fully
at the Polka Dot Playhouse, who helped bring Mrs. K
articulated during the Starratt administration was the
to campus to help in the CAPSULE program during the
mini-course program, which was based on the premise
summer of 1969.
as mentioned in the school yearbook that year that, “…
During that first summer of the program the CAPSULE
education is not limited to the two covers of a book,
program, students were exposed to music, photography,
four walls of a classroom and seven periods a day.” Two
and painting. Mrs. Kachmar was brought in to teach art.
mini-course periods of two weeks each were set aside
She was a great success. Soon after, hopes were generated
for the students to study such widely varied topics as
within the Prep administration regarding the possibility of
law, medicine, music, photography, philosophy, auto
Betty joining the school as a full time art teacher. As Mrs.
mechanics, engineering, and many other hands-on
K. told the story, she was at her home in Stratford cooking
subjects. All regular classes stopped during the mini-
dinner on a May afternoon in 1970, when she was visited
course periods and students studied the subject of their
by a contingent from Prep comprised of Mr. Wolfer, Fr.
choice for four hours per day throughout the two-week
Starratt, and Fr. Patrick Cafferty, an artist in his own
period. Students were free to select one course that ran
right. The group took Mrs. Kachmar to McAuliffe Hall in
for the whole period each day or two half-period courses.
order for her to inspect the various areas of the building
The afternoons were reserved for field trips or for the
for use as an arts center. Once there Fr. Starratt offered
researching and writing of papers and projects which
Mrs. K the job as the school’s first full-time art teacher.
were necessary in order to receive a passing grade in each
For her first classroom the school renovated Fr. Brissette’s
course.
old chemistry lab in the room which was at one time the
One very significant aspect of the mini-courses was
kitchen of the old Jennings mansion. The transformation
that it enabled the students to see their instructors
was made possible due to the fact that the 4th floor of
in another light and vice-versa. Here, for example,
Xavier Hall had recently been transformed into the new
was their history teacher now instructing them in the
Prep science area. In September, the arts program began
culinary arts, or their language teacher discussing the
with two periods per week for freshmen only.
finer points of a Puccini opera. Among the courses were Mr. Jaffe’s cooking classes, Dave Driscoll’s “Introduction
72
| HISTORY OF PREP
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to Zen Meditation,” and Tony Canuel’s “Here Kitty, Kitty,” in which students learned about the anatomy and physiology of the family pet. Talented students were even allowed the possibility of teaching a course. Bob Trosan ’72, taught guitar, for example. Another important aspect of the program was that it brought talented professionals from the community onto the Prep campus. Courses in law, for example, were taught by local practicing attorneys. Many students studied off-campus and in so doing received a taste of life in the real world of business or the various professions. Other students became involved in service-centered activities such as working with the physically challenged at the Southbury Training School or with the poor in Appalachia. Many future regular courses and programs
Prep allowed a relaxed dress code in the ’70s – no ties!
at Prep owe their origins to the mini-course program.
The most memorable event of the game, however,
In subsequent years the program was reduced to one
occurred in the 4th quarter with time running down.
session rather than two. The institution was finally
The Stamford offense was able to get the ball to the Prep
ended before the 1988–89 school year, after a number of
2 yard line with two downs to go. With two remarkable
teachers complained that students needed more time on
defensive plays the Prep “D” was able to stop the
task with their regular subjects.
sensational Stamford running back, James Cobb. Twice
The 1970 football team was again under the direction
Cobb smashed in to the Prep line and twice they rose
of Coach Lavery. His able assistants included Sean
up as one to stop him. Following that great display of
Meehan, Bob “Looch” Mastroni, and Dick Morrissey. The
defense, the Prep offense was successfully able to run the
team put together an outstanding record of 9-1, winning
rest of the clock down and the school came away with a
its 6th straight league championship. The only blemish
memorable victory.
on their record was a 20-14 loss at the hands of upset-
The Prep defense, anchored by Serino, Pruzinsky,
minded non-league foe Rippowam. Prep’s great balance
Quinn, Hellauer, Saloomey, Welsh, and Beardsworth
of offense and defense enabled it to overcome all other
had a great season. Offensive greats included LeMieux,
opponents, including the great Stamford High School
Connolly, of course, as well as Gaither, Stanczyk, and
team in the Thanksgiving Day war.
many others. Among the many milestones that season
The Stamford game before more than 10,000
was Coach Lavery’s 50th career victory, in a 52-0 rout of
people at Boyle Stadium is still considered by many as
Bunnell. Moving to the other side of the sports spectrum,
the greatest game in Prep’s history. Stamford entered
during the spring of 1971 the track team had a star
the game undefeated and ranked #1 in the state in all
performer in Daryl Johnson, who set the school records
major polls. The game began as expected with the Black
in the 100-yard dash at 10.80 and the 220-yard event
Knights easily marching down the field for a score on the
at 22.00. Anyone who saw him perform would quickly
first series of downs. But in its second possession, Prep
acknowledge that Daryl was one of the greatest athletes
tied the score with a 19-yard run by Allen Stancyzk.
in Prep history.
On an end-zone interception, Connolly ran the ball back to the Prep 11 yard line. In the next play Connolly,
Convocation and Conflict
now on offense, ran the ball 50 yards to the Stamford
One of the major areas of concern and conflict in
40. The next play, a pass from quarterback LeMieux to
the 1970–71 school year was the proposed Convocation
Connolly, gained 19 yards. Two plays later Connolly
Plan, designed to give students greater participation in
scored and Prep had the lead.
the governance of the school. The plan envisioned a triHISTORY OF PREP | 73
A TIME OF CHANGE
partite process whereby faculty, students, and ultimately
teach French, and Mrs. Wendy Reynolds in Spanish.
parents would work together in order to direct the
Additionally, Mrs. Kate Rogers was hired to teach English.
school’s affairs. As such, student representatives would
Although they were all talented and very personable, for
theoretically attend faculty meetings and thus have
whatever reason, none of these women remained more
a greater say in such matters as dress code and other
than one year at the school. They are not to be found in
school regulations.
any yearbook after the 1972 edition.
More than any other innovation that came along
Another change that year was the expansion of the
during the Starratt years, Convocation Plan created the
guidance department as two new positions were created.
greatest degree of polarization. Some members of the
Filling those posts were Fr. John Borgo, S.J., a gentle
faculty were totally opposed to students attending faculty
and caring soul, and the very professional and organized
meetings and participating directly in the governance
Mr. Peter Madonia, The two joined department chair Fr.
of the school. Others saw the plan as being a logical
Walter Pelletier to create the school’s first real guidance
extension of curriculum reform and progress in education.
department.
The entire process came to a head at the faculty meetings
Tuition for the 1971–72 school year was set at
in September of ’72. At that time a revamped and revised
$900. The students returned in September with great
Convocation Plan was revealed to the faculty. However,
expectations of the implementation of the Convocation
as the result of the emotionally charged meeting, the
Plan. When this proved not to be the case, the young
convocation idea could not muster enough support.
men of Prep held occasional protests against the dress
Although attempts were made to revive it, as the year
code and other rules and regulations of the school. And,
progressed the idea slowly disappeared. The students,
in fact, by the end of the year the dress code was altered
needless to say, were disappointed by the outcome.
significantly.
The 1971–72 school opening marked another year
The 1971–72 school year was also unique in that
of change at Fairfield Prep. In administration, while Mr.
the senior class homerooms were switched to McAuliffe
McGillicuddy continued in his role as vice-principal.
Hall, making it the first class in the school’s history to
Mr. George Thomas was assistant principal and
have exclusive use of the building for two years, first
director of educational research and development. Mr.
as freshmen and then as seniors. Previously, since the
Emanuel Ondeck became assistant principal, and Mr.
construction of Berchmans and Xavier Halls in the late
Robert Levens was in charge of scheduling. Director of
1940s, McAuliffe had served primarily as a freshman
CAPSULE was Mr. Michael Wolfer and his assistant was
building. The thinking in those days was that isolating
Mr. Robert Sylvester. The athletic director was Mr. Earl
the “frosh” in McAuliffe would help to create a strong
Lavery, Mr. Ernest W. Roik was director of development,
sense of class spirit. Now that the building was turned
and Fr. Thomas Murphy, S.J. served as director of alumni.
over to the seniors, the old McAuliffe cafeteria was
A new arrival at Prep, Mr. John Szablewicz, assumed the
converted through hard work and effort of senior class
role of dean of men as Fr. Deevy returned to the English
officers into the new senior lounge, which had previously
department. Aside from his administrative duties, Mr.
been located in Berchmans Hall in the space currently
Szablewicz, with the permission and encouragement of
occupied by the Faculty Dining Room.
social studies department chair Mr. Louis Saracco, added new social science electives to the school curriculum with anthropology and sociology. The two courses were
This is a good point in our journey to take a nostalgic
usually offered in tandem, and many a Prep scholar
look back at what life was like in the golden days of
enrolled in “anthro-soc” during the next three decades.
McAuliffe Hall, the 1970s. Anyone who has had the
In 1971 the school hired four additional women
great pleasure of teaching or learning in that grand old
language
building will agree that there was just something special
department by department chair Roger Ratchford were:
about the place. The building could be accessed through
Mrs. Kathleen Iacobellis and Mrs. Annie Moriya to
a number of entrances, but there were two in particular
instructors.
74
McAuliffe Days
Brought
| HISTORY OF PREP
into
the
foreign
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that were given most use. Students usually entered and exited through a center door that opened up onto a patio, then onto the big lawn that swept down toward Berchmans and Xavier Halls. The building had its own main entrance gate on North Benson Road, about an eighth of a mile north of the present main gate of the Fairfield University campus. A car using the McAuliffe entrance would take a short road that led to a large traffic circle. Parking spots lined the perimeter of the circle, and there were two areas of additional parking on either side of the main entrance door. On the side of the traffic circle that was opposite the building, there were remnants of what was once a beautiful garden. The marble and stone slabs that lined the garden, sitting as they did among the weeds, gave silent testimony of a golden age long past. Entering the building through the main entrance brought the visitor into a large, elegant corridor. Beautifully paneled “humanities rooms” were situated off that corridor, one of which had served as the school’s chapel in the early decades. On the extreme left side of the building (the North Benson side) were the art rooms. The odor of paint and canvas grew stronger as you
The entrance to a McAuliffe cave.
headed east along the corridor. Situated at the end of hall was the art room of Fr. Patrick Cafferty, S.J. Fr. Cafferty
to hear loud bursts of laughter coming from the math
was a wonderful teacher and an outstanding artist in his
office, where Ed Rowe, Bob Levens (who later joined the
own right. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone at
Society of Jesus and returned to Prep as Father Levens),
Prep who had a negative word to say about him.
and Tom McLaughlin held court. There were math
At the end of the corridor was an annex room of sorts, one which probably once served as a kitchen back in the
classrooms situated down a hall which ran perpendicular to the main corridor on the west side of the building.
days when the building was in its heyday as a private
If you ascended the beautiful winding stairway to the
residence. Walking into that room in the 1970s would
second floor you would find the classrooms of the social
bring you to the art room of Mrs. Kachmar. The walls of
studies department. The social studies departmental
the room were covered with students’ paintings, posters,
lounge was situated in the middle of the corridor with
and religious symbols. Hanging from the ceiling were
classrooms on either side. The rooms were like large
various mobiles, many of which had a bird theme.
living rooms. They had big windows looking out toward
And speaking of birds, for many years the room
Long Island Sound, high ceilings and beautiful wooden
was home to Mrs. Kachmar’s pet dove, which fluttered
floors. The second floor lounge always seemed to be
about happily in a large cage on Mrs. K’s desk. A person
filled with an interesting mix of people. It must be added
entering Betty’s room would always be warmly greeted.
that a considerable amount of learning went on in that
The former chapel, located in the middle of the main
informal setting as teachers and students discussed
corridor of the first floor, was transformed into a large
history and current events. The combination of having
humanities room. On the west side of the building there
the free time due to a more flexible schedule and the
was an administration office, occupied by Mr. Sylvester
school’s willingness to provide space for these informal
or Fr. Charles Allen in those days, as well as the office
encounters made for a great educational environment.
of the mathematics department. It was not uncommon
To the east side of the second floor was a door that HISTORY OF PREP | 75
A TIME OF CHANGE
opened up into a collection of small rooms, including
investment on behalf of the school. This is probably
a complete kitchen. In those days the other rooms were
true. Yet, it hurt many in the Prep community to see how
used for student groups such as the newspaper and
quickly Fairfield University repaired the building and
yearbook staffs.
converted it into office space for its own needs.
The third floor of the building was originally a Jesuit dormitory area, but it was later altered to house the chaplain’s office and eventually a religious life center.
During the 1971–72 school year there were high
Part of the McAuliffe Hall basement was used in
expectations for success of Coach Lavery’s football team.
those days as a senior lounge. But there were many
The team did in fact live up to the hype, capturing its
other rooms down there as well. For a time the science
seventh straight league title. However, Prep lost to the
labs were located there, until a new home for them was
newly emerging powerhouse of Jonathan Law by a score
found on the fourth floor of Xavier Hall. There were also
of 32-12 and was thus forced to share the MBIAC title
restrooms, showers, and a large room with a very high
with the Law men. That loss also brought to an end
ceiling that at one time served as a gymnasium. In the
an incredible 41-game winning streak in the League.
’70s the weight room was located in McAuliffe basement.
The only other loss of the season came at the hands of
When the bell signifying the end of class sounded,
Stamford in the annual Turkey Day contest. Prep finished
the sound of dozens of boys bounding down the stairways and corridors could be heard from anywhere in the building. Upon taking egress from the building,
the season with an overall record of 8-2.
Cheerleaders
many students headed down the path toward Berchmans
Of note during the 1971 season is that for the first
Hall. To the right of that path, where the parking lot
time in its history, Fairfield Prep had official female
to Alumni House now stands, was located a really nice
cheerleaders. The young ladies from Lauralton Hall
basketball court. The court was perfect in many ways.
in Milford provided the cheers for Prep football and
First of all, it was shaded to some extent by the big
basketball games that year. The tradition continued for a
trees that stood gracefully in the area outside McAuliffe.
number of years, until it was subsequently dropped by a
Then, there was a stone wall running down one side of
new principal at the Milford school.
the court, upon which students could comfortably sit as
In extracurricular activities, the environmental
they awaited their turn to play or as they rooted for their
recycling club called PERC, which was years ahead of its
friends. Behind the wall was a high chain-link fence. On
time, was formed; the ski team lost its status as a varsity
the other side of the fence was a nice grassy lot on which
sport and reverted to a club level organization. Other
many a spirited Wiffle Ball game was played.
clubs such as the German club and the Spanish club had
A secret aspect of the McAuliffe experience was the
significant enrollment declines. There was also a bit of
presence of a series of small caves or root cellars that
a friction and rivalry growing between the students in
were situated behind the building, in the area that is
the CAPSULE program and those in the regular Prep
presently covered by the university apartments. Most in
program of studies. Name calling and even an occasional
the Prep community were not aware of the caves, but
confrontation occurred that year as the two groups of
there was always a select group of enterprising Prepsters
students seemed to live in separate orbits.
who found them in order to indulge in certain nefarious activities. No matter how you look at it, those McAuliffe days were pretty spectacular. It was a serious loss for Prep when we were forced to vacate the building. At the time the school was told that the building was becoming too unsafe for use by students, as the new health and fire codes could never be met without an exorbitant 76
Football - 7th Straight MBIAC Title
| HISTORY OF PREP
First Spring Auction The big social event of the spring of 1972 was Fairfield Prep’s first official dinner-dance and auction, which was staged in Alumni Hall. The event was a stunning success. The transformation of the space from a gymnasium into a magnificent and elegant ballroom was a sight to behold. The artistic talents of Mrs. Kachmar, along with
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Alumni Hall is transformed into the site for the Prep auction.
the diligent efforts of many Prep parents, students and
as more than three days’ jug, suspension, or expulsion.
faculty all contributed to the wonderful scene.
The idea behind it was to insure fairness and to safeguard
During the first week of June the Baccalaureate Mass
student rights, thus preventing discipline from being
was held on Thursday evening, followed by graduation
used as a political tool of the administration. Although
on Sunday, June 3. The end-of-the-year faculty meetings
Dean Szablewicz wanted to invest the new review board
in 1972 proved to be almost as volatile as those in
with real power to overturn administrative decisions, the
September. The big issue raised in June was whether or
administration instead was willing to allow the board to
not to revise the student dress code. Principal Fr. Starratt
function in an advisory capacity only. Nevertheless, the
agreed to allow the faculty to vote on the issue. Once
Judicial Review Board was created, and its existence as
more the faculty was polarized, this time on the merits
an appeals body was included in the Student Handbook
of the “suit-jacket, neck-tie” requirement. Some people
that summer. Unfortunately, after a number of years the
wanted to maintain the status quo but others, led by
whole idea was quietly dropped and any mention of it
the dean of men, wanted to drop the requirement. After
disappeared from the handbook.
much debate, the faculty voted by a narrow margin to
Curriculum changes also occurred. In the theology
change the dress code. To his credit, Principal Starratt
department a new and innovative course was created.
allowed faculty votes on various issues during his reign.
Called Peace and Human Development, the course was
Also worth mentioning is the fact that there was an
actually meant to be an interdepartmental offering that
intellectual vibrancy at Prep during the Starratt years,
would include both cultural and theological components
and the entire community benefitted from the many
with a focus on the underdeveloped world. Originally
debates and discussions.
team-taught by John Szablewicz and Bob Warner, the
Meanwhile, student rules and regulations were under
course later became known as Geo-Political Systems
revision. One of the major tasks of the dean of men was
or Senior Seminar and was taught by a number of
to re-write the Student Handbook in order to reflect the
people including Mr. Jeff Blangiardi, S.J., and Mr. David
change in the dress code. Dean of Men John Szablewicz
Driscoll. In later years it was coupled with the senior
also received approval from the principal and the
service requirement and taught by teachers such as Mr.
administrative team to begin implementing his concept
Joseph Gerics, Fr. Jack Zupez, S.J., Mr. Michael Quinn,
of a Judicial Review Board. The Review Board was to be
Mr. Thomas Sacerdote, and Mr. Philip Schuchert. Down
a panel of faculty and students that a student could turn
the road it became the staple theology course for seniors.
to in order to appeal serious disciplinary sanctions such
As seniors went off to enjoy a well-deserved summer HISTORY OF PREP | 77
A TIME OF CHANGE
break before heading off to college, many probably were
S.J., whose job was to help secure funds for the school’s
unaware of a major event that occurred during that month.
future growth. The number of women teachers at Prep
The summer of ’72 proved to be a turning point in the
was now at three, with the addition of Ms. Billie Brooks
country and at the school. Throughout the summer, the
in language and Ms. Catherine Dunn in English. While
presidential campaign was the hot topic of conversation.
Dunn left after a half-dozen years or so, Billie Brooks
A little episode at 2 o’clock in the morning on June 17th
went on to teach various modern languages to a number
would later have very serious repercussions. On that day,
of generations of Prep men until her retirement in June
security guard Frank Wills arrested five men inside the
2016.
Democratic Party national headquarters in the Watergate
Another important change at the school in September
apartment complex in Washington, D.C. As the election
of 1972 was the creation of the Chaplain’s Council. The
campaigns continued throughout that summer, liberal
council was made up of young men of Prep who wanted
senator George S. McGovern of South Dakota received
to make a more active commitment to their faith through
the Democratic nomination for president against Richard
Christian living.
Nixon, the Republican nominee, who was the odds-on favorite.
A major aspect of the Chaplain’s Council program was the creation of the McAuliffe Center of the Christian
Less than a week later, on June 23rd 1972, Congress
Life, located in a newly renovated wing on the upper
passed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
level of McAuliffe Hall. The center, designed to serve as a
which called for equal expenditure for men’s and women’s
retreat area for small groups of Prep students and faculty,
sports in any institution that receives federal funding.
included overnight sleeping quarters, dining facilities,
Thus, the future of sports in America was altered as
and an entertainment room. The center also served as
various sports such as lacrosse and ice hockey were open
a place for special religious celebrations and liturgies, as
to women and they would also receive their fair share
well as a place for adult theology classes.
of athletic scholarship aid. In short order this legislation
A highlight of the year’s football season was the
would change the face of interscholastic competition in
halftime entertainment provided by Prep’s own Kazoo
high schools and colleges across the land.
& Drum Marching Band, which provided many a fun moment with their crazy marching formations and
A Lay Principal As
the
curious apparel. The group made its initial appearance re-
during the halftime of the Prep-Kolbe game on October
convened in September
21, 1972. One of the illustrious members of the band
1972, there was a major
was Gregory Marshall ’73. Upon completing his
news story breaking on
college education at UConn, Greg returned to Fairfield
campus. Principal Robert
Prep, where for many years he taught Spanish before
J.
joining the administration, in various areas, including
Starratt,
school
S.J.,
had
stepped down and was
In sports, Bruce Jaffe’s swimming team also took 1st
principal in the school’s
place in the league with a 7-1 record, finishing at 10-4
history, Mr. Thomas W.
overall. Co-captains John Wilkinson and Peter Ferrio
McGillicuddy. In his role
provided great leadership that year. The leadership
as acting principal and chair of the search committee
became vital to the team’s success as Mr. Jaffe took ill
for a new principal, Mr. McGillicuddy demonstrated
and was hospitalized throughout a portion of the season.
outstanding leadership skills and maintained stability
Stepping in to help out the team in Mr. Jaffe’s absence
within the institution.
was Ms. Maureen Hamill, who thereby became the
Mr. Thomas W. McGillicuddy, Headmaster, 1972-1973
78
admissions and marketing.
replaced by the first lay
There were other changes at the school in the fall
first female coach in Fairfield Prep history, if only on a
of ’72. The new administrative post of director of
temporary basis. Ms. Hamill would go on to a successful
development was filled by the Rev. George S. Mahan,
career as a singer, actress and later a theater instructor.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Also helping with the team were Garry Laforest and Tim
the boys received one-third of a course credit, and the
Chacho. Four members of the Prep team made the all-
opportunity to get some early experience in the teaching
league category including John Sullivan, Frank Johnston,
profession by doing such things as preparing teaching
John Evans, and Jim Orr.
units, coordinating class discussions, and correcting
In the midst of the winter sports season there came
quizzes.
some very welcome news from Vietnam. On January 28, 1973, the United States government officially terminated
Mr. George Thomas
direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. By
A word here is in
March 29, the last American troops were removed and
order about Mr. George
the task of healing could commence. Unfortunately, the
Thomas. Mr. Thomas,
news of the Watergate affair was soon to replace Vietnam
himself a Prep grad,
as a divisive issue in the country.
(class of 1948) was one
In many respects, the 1972–73 school year was a
of the first lay teachers
vibrant time at Prep. One area where this was obvious
to join the faculty in
was in the school newspaper, Soundings. The paper
the 1950s. He quickly
took on some unique features that year, including great
established
cartoons and illustrations written by seniors Jerry “Kos”
valuable member of the
Kosturko, and Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher. Also found in
English department. From there he moved into the Prep
the Soundings that year was the fabulous “Zeno,” and
administration, where he served the school especially
various novelties such as chess problems. Kallaugher, by
well as its liaison with the state board of education. Mr.
the way, went on to have an excellent career as a political
Thomas seemed to know all the state educational rules
cartoonist with the both the Baltimore Sun and London
and guidelines. He proved indispensable in helping
Economist. His insightful and satirical drawings were
Prep to prepare for important events such as state
posted in many other national journals and newspapers
accreditation. Finally, he served as friend, mentor, and
as well. Finally, Kal, along with art teacher Mrs. Betty
advisor to many fledgling Prep teachers as they made
Kachmar, designed the famous “Bomb Squad” tee-shirts
their tenuous first steps
that have been worn at Prep athletic contests for many
in the art of teaching.
himself
a
decades. The Bomb Squad, according to Greg Marshall,
As the year came
made its inaugural appearance at home basketball games
to a close the search
in December of 1972.
committee made the long
The student council also underwent some major
awaited announcement
alterations. For the first time, representatives from
that it had selected a new
the CAPSULE program were elected. The new council
principal for Fairfield
attempted some rather interesting activities, including
Prep: the Rev. Harold R.
senior/freshmen day and McAuliffe clean-up day. A new
Powers, S.J. Another new
organization on campus was the Scribes club, organized
era was about to begin.
by junior Joe Grabarz and composed of members of the junior class. Its goal was the development of greater school spirit, and its members were constantly doing their best to drum up increased student involvement in daily school activities. Another valuable program at Prep was a teacheraid group, moderated by Mr. George Thomas, which assisted teachers in their daily activities. For their efforts
Mr. George Thomas
Rev. Harold R. Powers, S.J., Headmaster, 1973-1977
The Class of 1973 - Truly Special Of course, it can easily be argued that every graduating class of Fairfield Prep is special, each with an amazing array of talented students, athletes, artists, etc. But, there is no denying the fact that the Class of 1973 reached great heights. Many in the class were accepted into Ivy League colleges or their Catholic equivalent,
HISTORY OF PREP | 79
A TIME OF CHANGE
such as Notre Dame, Georgetown or Holy Cross. A quick
“Men for Others”
look at the 2012 version of the Prep Alumni Directory
The summer of 1973
yields the fact that at least 16 members of the Class of ‘73
was extremely important
subsequently earned either MD or PhD degrees. About
to Fairfield Prep for
a half dozen more would secure LLDs, and pursued a
another reason. On July
career in law. Additionally, members of the class such
31, Father Pedro Arrupe,
as Tom Shea and Chris McLeod and numerous others
Superior General of the
achieved great success in business or technology. Tom,
Society of Jesus, made
of course, later returned to Prep to teach English and
an important speech at
coach football. Joe Dempsey demonstrated a life-long
the Tenth International
commitment to the Jesuit “man for others” ideal, serving
Congress
in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, as Dean of Discipline at
Alumni of Europe in Valencia, Spain. The title of Father
Gonzaga Prep, and a senior officer of Catholic Charities.
General’s address was “Men for Others: Education for
Bob Wanagil had a successful teaching career In Florida
Social Justice and Social Action Today.” It was a speech of
and was twice named Florida teacher of the year. Pat
monumental importance in that it set out a very specific
Walsh returned to Prep to teach English and serve as a
challenge to all involved with Jesuit education to become
successful varsity basketball coach. A significant member
actively involved in promoting social justice, especially
of the global art community was George Bisacca, who
as it relates to the poor and abused people of the Third
became the Conservator of Paintings at the Metropolitan
World. In Fr. Arrupe’s words, what was needed was “a
Museum of Art. Aris Crist went on to an excellent
firm resolve to be agents of change in society, not merely
career as an architect, Kevin Kallaugher emerged as
resisting unjust structures and arrangements, but actively
one of the foremost political cartoonists in America,
undertaking to reform them.”
of
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J.
Jesuit
Greg Marshall, after years of teaching Spanish, joined
With these words the Superior General gave all Jesuit
the Prep administration.. Last, but certainly not least is
schools the mandate to move beyond the classroom
Sean McManus, a major figure in media, who became
walls and work as “men for others” to promote justice. A
chairman of CBS News and Sports. These talented men
clarion call for real action, the speech became the genesis
represent what we at Prep mean when we talk about a
of many programs for Fairfield Prep students including
“tradition of excellence.”
the Urban Plunge, the Global Mission to Ecuador,
During the summer of 1973, while the Prep family
and the Appalachia and Rosebud Sioux immersion
was up to its usual business of summer school, cleaning
experiences. The person who did a yeoman’s job in
the buildings, and registration for the term, the senate
organizing and operating these programs in the years
sub-committee hearings on the Watergate break-in were
after his appointment as Director of Community Service
played out on national TV. As the drama unfolded the
in 1986 was Mr. Thomas Sacerdote. In the 1990s he was
big question of “What did President Nixon know, and
aided in this work by many faculty members, especially
when did he know it?” became the issue. As Nixon
by Mr. Philip Schuchert.
“stone-walled” throughout the summer, his presidency continued to unravel. By fall, Vice President Spiro T.
A New Leader
Agnew was forced to resign under a cloud of scandal
As the 1973–74 school year began, two new leaders
stemming from his days as Governor of Maryland and
also arrived at Fairfield. First of all the Prep and
was replaced by Gerald R. Ford of Michigan. Amazingly,
University had a new president by the name of Rev.
Ford would soon become the new chief executive,
Thomas R. Fitzgerald, S.J.
thus making history as the only person to become vice
Fairfield Prep had a new principal, the Rev. Harold
president and president without having been elected to
(Ray) Powers, S.J. Fr. Principal Powers quickly became
either office.
known as a “nuts and bolts” leader. He spent much of his attention on the task of fixing up the physical plant, as
80
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1973 Basketball team
well as settling down the curriculum after the previous
Fairfield University. Jim himself later embarked on a long
years of flux. Fr. Powers was a loved and respected
journey as an educator and administrator in Catholic
leader who inspired loyalty within the Prep community.
schools, first at Aquinas H.S. In Lacrosse, Wisconsin.
His steady hand at the helm helped to guide the Prep
He later moved on to Paramus Catholic in New Jersey,
confidently into the future.
where he was named president in 1997.
The Prep administration that year was constructed as
It is worth taking a stroll down memory lane to recall
follows: Mr. Thomas (Tim) McGillicuddy returned to his
the many teachers who graced the halls of Fairfield Prep
old post of vice principal. Completing the administration
in the mid-seventies. The math department was chaired
were assistant principals Mr. Robert Sylvester, Mr. George
by Mr. Robert Levens, who also served as the director
Thomas, and Mr. Michael Wolfer who was also presiding
of scheduling. The department was particularly good,
over his last year with the CAPSULE program. Father
and it contained a number of legends of Prep, including
George Mahan, S.J., served as director of development,
Mr. Joseph Brosley, Mr. Earl Lavery, Mr. Edward Rowe,
Father Tom Murphy, S.J., functioned as director of
and Fr. Frank Deevy, S.J. Joining the mathematics
alumni relations, Father Edmund Power, S.J. was school
department in 1973, the first woman in its history, was
chaplain and Mr. Manny Ondeck was director of media
a skilled young teacher named Ms. Maureen Bohan. The
services. Mr. John Szablewicz served in his third year as
number of women teachers at Prep now numbered four.
the dean of men.
The science department was chaired by Mr.
There were a number of new faces at Prep in 1973–
Arthur Giles and anchored by Father Brissette, S.J.
74. The school now for the first time had its own full-
The department contained an interesting group of
time nurse in Mrs. Janet Smith. Former Prep basketball
teachers including Mr. Thomas Limero, Mr. Lawrence
star Patrick Foley joined the school as athletic director,
Shiffrin, and Mr. Robert Mastroni. In addition to his
replacing Earl Lavery. Aiding in the physical education
teaching and coaching prowess, “Looch” Mastroni
department was Mr. Robert Harris, as Prep would now
will always be remembered for the pet monkey that
make the second attempt in its history to implement a
he kept in his science lab. Unfortunately, the monkey
physical education program for all students. Another
had a rather negative disposition and it was known to
new post, coordinator of student activities, was created.
bite unsuspecting students who wandered too close to
Filling the position was Mr. James P. Vail ’72. Jim’s dad
its cage! A word about Bob Mastroni is in order. After
was a long-time professor of sociology and education at
serving as an assistant to Earl Lavery for a number of HISTORY OF PREP | 81
A TIME OF CHANGE
years, he moved to Bunnell High in Stratford where he
Cafferty, S.J. Lay faculty in the department included Mr.
assumed the position of head football coach. Bob went
Thomas DeTullio, Mr. Robert Perrotta, and Ms. Billie
on to a great 23-year coaching career at Bunnell and was
Brooks. Meanwhile fine arts, still in its developmental
inducted into the Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame on
stage, was a two-person department, with chair Mrs.
November 17, 2016.
Kachmar and Fr. Pat Cafferty, S.J.
Theology was chaired by Mr. Robert Warner. Fr. Shaughnessy, S.J., was the cornerstone of a department that included Frs. Keegan and McCarty. Also in the
In sports, the football team led the way and
department were Mr. Michael Roper and a young teacher
accomplished what no other team had done in the history
named Mr. Joseph Gerics ’68. Joe went on to serve the
of the school. Lavery’s gridders posted an incredible 11-0
school in many capacities, including director of the
record, captured the MBIAC league championship and
service programs. In that vein, it is worth noting that in
then went on to become the state champions. This dream
October of 1974, in the city of Bridgeport, a soup kitchen
team received a number of individual honors: Paul Halas
named after the great Catholic monk Thomas Merton
was named All-State safety, Daily News Quarterback, and
was opened. Over the years to come a significant number
All-League Quarterback. Ray Cal was voted All-State
of Prep faculty and students would volunteer their time
lineman, as well as receiving All-League recognition and
in Merton House, an important institution of service to
Daily News second team honors. A very common sight
the poor and needy in the Bridgeport area. Meanwhile,
that season was Ray’s dad, Mr. Cal, pacing the sidelines
after leaving Prep, Gerics went on to become principal at
and shouting encouragement to Ray and his Prep
Immaculate H.S. in Danbury.
teammates. Other All-League winners were Bob Albert
In the ’70s Fr. Dan Sullivan S.J., was chair of the English
82
State Champs
and the tough, but ever-smiling Al DeJulio.
department. He was aided by Fr. Oliver Nickerson, S.J.,
The greatness of the Prep football team in 1973 was
and two young Jesuits, Mr. John Murphy, S.J. and Mr.
evident in the lopsided scores that year. They started off
John Fagan, S.J. Rounding out the department were
the season by blasting Bullard Havens 55-0, and Bunnell
interesting personas such as Mr. Thomas Longua and
35-0. There followed easy victories over Bassick 35-6,
Ms. Catherine Dunn.
and the ever tough St. Joseph’s 26-0. The closest game of
The history department was chaired by Mr. Louis
the year was a 7-6 nail-biter over Stratford. In that contest
Saracco and contained stalwarts such as Fr. Donald
Stratford scored early to apply pressure to the undefeated
Barry, S.J., and Mr. Bruce Jaffe.
Prep squad. A two-point conversion was turned away,
Language was chaired by Mr. Roger Ratchford and the
and it proved to be the only score that afternoon. The
department was filled with talented teachers including
Stratford “D” was really on its game. Prep’s score came
Father Munzing, S.J., Edward Welch, S.J., and Francis
as a result of a great defensive play in its own right when
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Rich Kondub blocked a Stratford punt deep in their own
junior class for the purpose of promoting class solidarity.
end. The ball rolled to the one yard line where Halas then
The members planned various social activities for the
brought it home for the score on the next play. Halas’
school year and throughout the summer. The Core
extra point provided Prep with the close victory.
Group, chaired by Frank Spodnick, hoped to bring the
After the Stratford game, Lavery’s team returned to form, defeating Notre Dame 33-6, Harding 29-8, Kolbe
class together so that they could become an outstanding senior class and thus make Prep a better community.
40-6, and Central 30-6. The League championship came
The summer of 1974 seemed to pass all too quickly
the next weekend with a hard fought 21-6 victory over
as national news dominated the consciousness of
the Harding Presidents. Prep then capped-off the perfect
Americans. In the middle of July, the House Judiciary
season with a 40-26 conquest over the tough Stamford
Committee voted to present Articles of Impeachment
team before a full house at Boyle stadium at the annual
against President Richard M. Nixon over his cover-up
Thanksgiving battle.
role in the Watergate affair. This came after the Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must surrender his secret taped
Soccer Arrives
conversations with his aides that revealed that Nixon did
A new sport on campus in the fall of 1973 was soccer.
in fact attempt to obstruct justice. When it became clear
The club apparently grew out of a friendly contest the
that the President could not withstand the challenge
previous year between Ms. Brooks’ German class and Mr.
of impeachment, he finally resigned on August ninth.
Perrotta’s Spanish class. Since soccer or “football” as they
The power of the presidency passed very smoothly and
call it is the most popular sport in Europe, the modern
quietly to Gerald R. Ford, and a new era was about to
language department was really not such a strange place
commence.
for the birth of the sport at Prep. The team was given a
As the 1974–75 school year began, Mr. Szablewicz
formal look with the addition of Mr. James Vail as coach/
stepped down as dean of men to take a post as a full-time
moderator. In its inaugural season the soccer club was led
member of the social studies department. His position
by goalkeeper Paul Carlson and Captain Tom Tarczali.
was not filled that year as there was no official dean of
Aside from athletics there were many other activities
men. Instead, the school went with a system of assistant
going on at the school. The chaplain’s council had grown
principals. Mr. Sylvester and Mr. Thomas filled those
to include an inter-denominational quality, with the
positions.
presence of Mr. Jaffe as the Protestant chaplain. Also
The assistant to the CAPSULE director, Rev. James
joining the group were a number of Jewish students who
Keegan, S.J., assumed the post as Mr. Wolfer left the
contributed from their religious perspective. Prep was
school for a new career in public school education.
developing a reputation for openness to diversity and
Although Fr. Keegan attacked the role with great energy,
it contributed to an increase in non-Catholic and non-
the CAPSULE Program, once touted as the prototype of
Christian students in the school.
education in the 21st century, never really mustered much
The Big Brother program was alive and well under
support from the larger Prep community and gradually
the direction of Mr. Robert Warner. The young men of
sank into oblivion. Nevertheless, Mr. Wolfer and his
Prep did a remarkable job working with the inner-city
CAPSULE Program had made great contributions to the
grammar school children and leading them through all
Prep, and many innovative educational ideas developed
kinds of activities.
in that program such as global studies and an elective
The school newspaper, Soundings, attended to many
system later became part of the regular Prep curriculum.
new ideas such as the worst-dressed list as well as a
As the main sport of autumn in those days, football
number of controversial editorials. The paper provided
dominated attention of the community. Expectations
in-depth interviews as well as up-to-date information
were high for Lavery’s boys for the 1974 season. Things
about the athletic teams.
started out pretty well as they stretched their multi-
A new and interesting club that year was the junior
season winning streak to 22 straight games before
Core Group, formed by concerned members of the
succumbing to an unbeaten Stratford team by a score of HISTORY OF PREP | 83
A TIME OF CHANGE
Making sure this juggee didn’t miss a spot.
19-6. Co-captains Al DiJulio and Bill Barron provided
was at a post-war low, resulting in higher and higher
solid leadership as the team finished at a very respectable
unemployment. On top of that, a big rise in oil prices
7-2-1, but out of the running for a state title.
resulted in a staggering rise in inflation – over 12% in
The Prep soccer team, in its initial year of varsity
1974.
competition, hosted a record of 2-7-3. Coach Jim Vail
The one-two punch of inflation and high oil prices
did his best to put together a competitive squad, but it
really hurt the Prep community. First of all, it was more
was clear that the team needed more experience in order
difficult for families to afford a private education. But
to be fully competitive. There were some bright spots,
even more of a problem were the high gas prices and
including the scoring of Jim Orr, Bob Fortuna, and Ed
those terrible gas lines in which people had to wait in
Noonan.
order to get their tanks filled. It was not uncommon to
The 1974–75 swimming season at Prep was very
have to wait up to an hour in line. This led to serious
successful under Coach Jaffe, earning the MBIAC crown
problems for the students and faculty of Prep, since
for the first time during the 1970s, with a 12-4 season.
so many of them had to commute from considerable
A new record at Prep was set in the 500 freestyle by Dan
distances to get to the campus.
Stauder, but it was soon broken again by Chris Kraus
Throughout it all, President Gerald Ford tried his
that same season. Eight outstanding swimmers were
best to bolster faith in his government. With his “W.I.N.”
named All-MBIAC: Art Samuelson, Chris Kraus, Mike
(Whip Inflation Now) button on his lapel, the President
Hughes, Dave Kecko, Jim Roche, Dan Stauder, Rich
eventually had to resort to a series of government
Kraus, and Jim Orr.
controls over the economy in an attempt to secure
Another activity that was very busy that year was
economic recovery.
Fr. Power’s Chaplain’s Council. A new off-shoot of the council was the Jewish Hillel whose purpose was to sponsor a sense of support for the Prep Jewish community.
84
Powers Puff-Bowl Prep did its best to create a refuge from the pressing problems of the day. One memorable event stands out
Unfortunately for Fairfield Prep, the nation’s problems
to anyone associated with the school during the Ray
had a very direct effect on the school that year. A terrible
Powers years. One “Powers’ Puff-Bowl” competition
economic recession throughout the country, the worst
seemed to be even more fierce than usual. The most
in 40 years, began in 1974. National industrial output
memorable moment of the game came when the faculty
| HISTORY OF PREP
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scored an important touchdown. Kicking the extra point
his father had been a long time coach at Yale and had also
for the faculty was Mr. Vail, who also served as soccer
coached the U.S. Olympic team. “Giegs” was a positive
coach and was known for his powerful leg. As he drove
addition who quickly became a mainstay of the Prep
the football toward the uprights, senior defenseman
community.
Mike Shippam broke through the line in an attempt to block the kick. Block it he did - with his face. The impact
Football: State Champs!
knocked the young man temporarily unconscious. Mike
The big story on campus in the autumn of 1975 was
was not seriously injured and was able to return to play
the football team. In the team’s first 12-game schedule,
after a brief recuperation period. Nevertheless, he played
coach Lavery’s boys compiled a record of 11-0-1, with the
the rest of the game with the word “Spalding” branded
tie coming against perennial rival St. Josephs by a score
across his face. As was usually the case, the faculty
of 8-8. Included in that excellent record were a school
won the game and received the “Powers’ Puff” trophy,
record eight shut-outs. It took the CIAC state crown
designed and created by Mrs. Kachmar.
with a 22-6 victory over Xavier. One of the anchors of
The faculty-student basketball games were equally
the team was All-State tackle Joe Miller.
intense. The games were often played as part of a
Other fall sports met with varied success. The cross-
triple-header. In the first game, the student-intramural
country team went 7-2, but the soccer team had a rather
championship was held. The faculty-senior game was
dismal 1-13 record. In winter sports for ’75-’76, Coach
played next, and following that the annual alumni-
Sylvester’s b-ballers compiled a very respectable record
varsity game. After the games were played, most of the
of 15-9, losing In the MBIAC title game to Bassick by
group would retire to Berchmans cafeteria for reunion
a score of 87-74. Senior members of the squad were
with the alumni over a shared spaghetti dinner. Fun was
Captain Dave Liptak, Brian McAndrews, Tom Clark and
had by all.
Mike Salvati. Jaffe’s swimmers had a good season, with
The summer of ’75 brought no major changes to
the medley team of Roche, Wilber, Hughes and Vanesse
Fairfield Prep. Fr. Powers returned as principal. The rest
taking first place in the league meet, as did the 400
of the administrative staff remained the same, with the
freestyle group of Hughes, Stauder, Vanesse and Krauss
exception of the CAPSULE program, where Mr. Thomas
in a MBIAC record time of 3:38.4. Meanwhile, the ski
A. Hildebrand took over as acting director. It would turn
team had a 7-1 season. Hockey had a new home in the
out to be the last year of the CAPSULE program. On the
Milford Ice Pavilion and had a respectable season under
national scene, though few would understand the long
Coach Roos and his assistant Fr. Pelletier, S.J.
term significance of it at the time, 1975 was the year that
As the daily beat of school continued throughout
two visionaries in the realm of information technology,
the year, one part of the Prep staff that so often went
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, founded a new company called
unrecognized was the great group of secretaries that
Microsoft.
basically supported the everyday life of the school. A
A major addition to the faculty in September of
number of these fine ladies spent many years at the school
1975 was Fr. Joseph Trinkle, S.J., in the art department.
and served it well. They included Mrs. Rosemary Baye,
Fr. Trinkle came to the Prep from Fairfield University,
Mrs. Edna Bracken, Mrs. Violet Blamey, and Mrs. Betty
where he had taught for a number of years. There is no
Broadbin. Another member of that group was Ms. Louise
question that the gentle and extremely intelligent Fr.
Woods, who started out as a secretary but later moved
Trinkle would make a tremendous and lasting impact on
into the position of registrar. Ms. Woods later served as
the school community. He quickly became a much loved
registrar under her married name of Mrs. Miller.
teacher. Also joining the faculty in the math department
Last, but certainly not least in importance, was the
was Mr. Edward Giegengack, soon affectionately known
remarkable school librarian, Mrs. Josephine Nalewajk.
as “Giegs.” He was not only was an excellent math
Ruling the library on the third floor of Berchmans with
teacher, but he also quickly established a reputation as
an iron fist, this remarkable woman maintained an
a talented track coach. Ed came from a coaching family:
atmosphere conducive to study during her many years HISTORY OF PREP | 85
A TIME OF CHANGE
at Prep. Although students often jokingly complained
Mr. Driscoll. “Dave” as he would simply be known to his
that Mrs. Nalewajk censored journals such as National
decades of students, had actually taught at the school
Geographic magazines by painting bathing suits on
from 1970-72, but left to pursue the study of Japanese
naked natives, the fact remains that she was always
and Zen Buddhism in Japan and Hawaii. He returned to
there to help the young men of Prep with their research
Prep to take a lead role in the development of the Asian
projects. Over the years she was aided in her librarian
studies program. Additionally, Dave quickly became
role by classics instructor, Rev. Francis Cafferty, S.J. The
known for his coaching talents in track and field, as well
duo ran a tight ship in the third floor library.
as his expertise in developing the strength and agility
The spring sports season saw a major success story
of Prep athletes in the weight room. In his later years,
unfold when Coach Rowe’s team captured their first
Dave Driscoll would simply be referred to as “sensei,”
league championship since 1973, posting a 16-7 record.
the reverential term for teacher or guru.
Outstanding contributors included Daryn Vigilane, Bill
In sports, a word of recognition is in order for the
Fitzsimmons, Steve Kupchik, Craig Jones, and Jeff Davis.
bowling team, which captured the MBIAC title with
The track team, coached by Mr. Giegengack, along with
a 49-14 record. Brilliantly coached by Fr. John Borgo,
Mr. Jaffe, Mr. Driscoll, and Fr. Eagan, captured their
S.J., the keglers were outstanding in league play. Steve
4th consecutive championship. Once more the team
Sabadosh and Ed Rashan made the All-League team that
went undefeated in dual meet competition. Tri-Captains
year.
Wayne DeCarlo, Ted Hedburg, and Mike Janes provided outstanding leadership. Aside from all of the athletic teams that year there
Coach Roos’ hockey team was also outstanding,
were many non-athletic extracurricular events going on
rocketing to a record of 16-1 and capturing the Division
as usual. A pro-life club, organized and moderated by Mr.
II State Championship. Led by all-state selections Mark
Longua, included young men dedicated to doing their
Roy and Joe Motherway, the team featured a well-
best to work toward the goal of ending abortions in the
balanced and disciplined attack. Others making great
United States. On the other side of the extracurricular
contributions were goalie Bob Overton, as well as Mike
spectrum was the “Strat-O-Matic” Table-Top Baseball
Dushay and Drew Burns. The team’s only loss of the year
Club, moderated by Mr. Szablewicz. In this club student
came at the hands of the tough East Haven squad.
general managers such as Frank “San-Fran-Ficko”
Coach Jaffe’s very talented swim team captured
matched wits with “Trader Jay” Kreizer, the “Money
their third straight MBIAC title under the leadership
Boys” and “Wild Ned” Nazzaro.
of senior co-captains Chris Sposato and Chris Kraus.
The big news story of the summer was the presidential
The basketball team, in its last year under Coach Bob
primary show-down in the Democratic and Republican
Sylvester, compiled a very strong 14-8 record. In the state
parties. On the Democratic side, a relatively unknown
playoffs, Prep downed Torrington but then fell out of the
governor from Georgia named Jimmy Carter won the
tournament when it lost to Rippowam. At season’s end
approval of his party. Gerald Ford successfully regained
Jim McGannon was named All-League and All-State.
the nomination despite a tough challenge from Ronald Reagan of California. On the technology front, in 1976 two technology visionaries named Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak formed a company called Apple Computer, Inc. As summer vacation ended, the students returned for the 1976–77 school year to a renovated cafeteria and a new athletic director, Mr. Michael Schultz. Mr. Schultz, who in the previous year served as head trainer, replaced Mr. Foley who left the school to enter the business world. Rejoining the Prep faculty in 1976 was 86
Hockey: State Champs
| HISTORY OF PREP
The Bowler Era The 1976–77 school year turned out to be one of many ups and downs. On the one hand, there was the great success of the athletic teams. On February 23, 1977, another major news story broke on campus. On that date Fr. Harold R. Powers, Principal of Fairfield Prep since 1973, suddenly resigned and was replaced by Fr. James Bowler, S.J. A new era was emerging at Fairfield Prep. Very quickly Fr. Bowler would establish himself as
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an innovator and a hands-on leader. He
passed away. He was one of those old-
ran a very open administration and was
fashioned Jesuits who did it all during
always accessible to faculty, students,
his long and wonderful career. One of
and parents. Many see the Bowler years
the last Jesuits to wear the full-length
as a happy time at Prep. There was a
cassock to school every day, Fr. Cafferty
vibrancy emerging, to be sure.
taught Latin, theology, English, and other
Unfortunately, the old building,
subjects and also served as assistant
McAuliffe Hall, was not looking very
librarian for many years. Fr. Cafferty
vibrant those days. Due to safety
was a selfless and rather quiet man, but
reasons, the “tower” and third floor of the building had to be closed in 1977. Boards were nailed up sealing the
he loved his students and he was very Rev. James H. Bowler, S.J., Headmaster, 1977-1983
devoted to Fairfield Prep. Two Prep students met with untimely deaths that
entrance to those areas. Thus ended the Christian Life
year. The passing of Daryn Vigilane and Matthew Roach
Center.
was very difficult for the Prep community to accept.
There were a number of significant changes at
After the traditional ceremonies marking the
Fairfield Prep over the summer of 1977 as well. As Fr.
beginning of another school year, it was time to get down
Bowler prepared to enter his first full-year as principal,
to the business of education. Another major change at the
he introduced the house system. Thus, his new
school during the first full year under Fr. Bowler affected
administrative staff included three associate principals,
the senior class. In order to provide greater leadership
one for each building. In charge of Berchmans Hall
and make their presence felt throughout the school, the
was Mr. Edward J. Rowe, who left the mathematics
seniors were moved out of McAuliffe and into Berchmans
department and joined the administrative team. Mr.
Hall. Although they were not particularly happy about
Sylvester ran McAuliffe Hall, and a new man on campus,
the move, the seniors accepted their fate graciously.
Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J., moved into Xavier Hall.
One aspect of the change that they found unacceptable,
Completing Fr. Bowler’s team were Associate Principal in
however, was the loss of their senior lounge in the move
charge of the Religious Climate, Rev. Patrick J. Cafferty,
from the old building. Therefore, they petitioned and
S.J., and Associate Principal Mr. George B. Thomas. Mr.
agitated for a new lounge in Berchmans Hall.
McGillicuddy left the administration that year in order to join the guidance department.
For a few years the senior lounge was located in the area off to the southwest corner of the building, on the
Mr. Michael Shultz served as director of athletics. An
landing just above the Berchmans cafeteria. But that
important addition to the science department was Mr.
spot was transformed into a much-needed faculty lunch
Robert Ford. Mr. Ford quickly established himself as a
room. Meanwhile, the space in front the faculty room
pillar of the department as teacher of biology. He later
was claimed by the new Prep bookstore, which was run
served as department chair where he added important
by Mr. Ondeck. Finally, the seniors were granted their
courses such as environmental science. Mr. Ford, an avid
request and room B101 was turned over to them. The
long distance runner, eventually became an extremely
students quickly converted the classroom into a new
successful coach of the cross country and track teams. In
lounge, and before long the sounds of the Gong Show,
that capacity he brought with him an added bonus in his
Happy Days, and other day-time TV programs could be
dad, Mr. Robert Ford Sr. who, after entering retirement,
heard from within the room. Unfortunately, the room’s
volunteered his services to the team.
location, its proximity to teaching classrooms, was a
The 1977–78 school year turned out to be a
problem in the making.
bittersweet time in the history of the school. Although
New to Prep for the 1977–78 school year was the
there were a number of new and important additions
Walk-a-Thon. In this fund-raising effort students solicited
to the community that year, there was also the passing
donations from various sources in order to support their
of others. Long-time faculty member Fr. Frank Cafferty
trek throughout the town of Fairfield and the Fairfield HISTORY OF PREP | 87
A TIME OF CHANGE
The closing moments of an undefeated championship season. This photo of quarterback #10 Paul Halas and the ’73 gridders at Stamford’s Boyle Stadium was enlarged to become the first poster of a Prep athletic team.
University campus. Teachers and administrators were
Prep Football: A Perfect Season!
stationed along the way in order to validate that each
As the autumn progressed, all attention shifted to the
student indeed made the entire journey and did not just
football field where Coach Lavery was in the process of
happen to wander off course. Official cars containing the
creating another monster team. The 1977 Fairfield Prep
school nurse and other health staff patrolled the route
football team in fact went down in history as one of the
in order to treat any student or faculty member who
school’s all-time best as they posted a perfect 11-0-0
might suffer an injury or dehydration along the way.
record to win the MBIAC title. Starting off the winning
The “walk” actually included many runners, especially
streak of ’77 was a very satisfying but hard fought 7-0
members of the various athletic teams, who used the
win over Harding, the team that had defeated Prep in the
occasion as another training exercise. The terminus of
previous year’s championship game. The Harding game
the trek was Alumni Field, where students were feted
proved to be the closest game of the year as the Prep
with burgers, sandwiches, and beverages. Usually a Prep
juggernaut rolled easily onward.
rock band provided some good entertainment for the tired walkers. By the decade of the 1980s the event was
88
Friday Night Football Arrives At Prep
held in tandem with Lauralton Hall, the all-girls school
The biggest blow-out of the 1977 season was the 60-0
in Milford. Needless to say, this alteration in the program
trouncing of Notre Dame in the first game ever played
presented its own unique set of problems, but it certainly
under the lights of Alumni Field. The lighting of the field
made it more popular with the Prep student body. The
was the result of the diligent and generous efforts of the
tradition of the Walk-a-Thon was mercifully ended by
members of the Prep Fathers’ Club. A second night game
Father Arimond in the early 1990s, owing in part to
at the field brought a 27-6 victory over St. Joseph’s. Prep
complaints from the residents of the town of Fairfield
met St. Joe’s a second time in the MBIAC championship
and to the growing complacency toward it by students
contest at Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport. The result
of the two schools.
was a great victory for Coach Lavery by a score of 21-0.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Another big win in ’77 had to be the 14-6 victory over the always tough Stamford on Thanksgiving Day before a huge crowd at Boyle Stadium. It was at this point that the fans of Prep finally realized the greatness of this team. In the Class L State Championship Game Prep knocked off the favored Xavier team by a score of 22-6. And so it came to pass that the 1977 football team made its claim to being the all-time best in Prep history. Although cooperation and teamwork were the reasons for total victory, there were a number of great players on the ’77 team that deserve recognition. Quarterback Al Arison was probably one of the best passers in the school’s history. He was named to the All-League and All-County teams. Not only was he an outstanding passer, but he averaged 42 yards per kick as the team punter. Defense, however, was the hallmark of that ‘77 team. They held opponents pointless in five contests. Important members of the team included the Meyers
A friendly pick-up game.
twins, Tom and Bob. Tom was an outstanding running back while Bob led the defense with nine interceptions.
team members had never played the sport before, Coach
Other making big contributions were Joe Lombardo and
Walsh worked hard teaching the basics and preparing
Tim Roach.
the team to meet the competition. The baseball team had
Coach Roos was also ready to take his state hockey
a new coach in 1978, as Mr. Mike Zavada took over for
champions to a new level in 1977–78 as Prep was
Mr. Rowe, who had left coaching in order to join the
switched from Division II to Division I. With the usual
Prep administration. Coach Zavada proved to be up to
hard work and dedication the skaters finished the regular
the task as his team went 13-3 and captured the MBIAC
season with an excellent 13-3-2 record. The team went
crown. Fr. Ron Perry coached the tennis team to a league
on to play in the state championship game where they
title as well, with a perfect 8-0 record.
lost to the powerful Cheshire team. In basketball, Mr.
With June came final exams and graduation. It came
Pat Walsh took over the reins as coach, replacing Bob
to pass that another school year came to an end. It was
Sylvester.
a year with sadness due to the passing of a few of its
The big event during the winter months of 1978
members. But there were so many good times as well. No
started on the fifth of February, when the “Blizzard of 78”
one who was at the school that year can ever forget the
slammed Connecticut. The storm, a good old-fashioned
great success of the football team.
nor’easter, dumped up to forty inches of wind-driven
During the summer of 1978 there was considerable
snow throughout the area. Needless to say, schools were
activity within the Catholic Church. After the death of
closed. Governor Ella Grasso closed state highways as a
Pope Paul VI the College of Cardinals elected Albino
state of emergency gripped the region. No Prep students
Luciani as the next Pope. In August he was installed
shed tears over the storm, so the rumor has it.
under his new title Pope John Paul I. Unfortunately, the new Pope passed away on September third, just a few
Prep Lacrosse
days before the start of the new school year. Catholics of
A new kid on the block in spring sports was the
the world prayed and hoped that the College of Cardinals
lacrosse team, coached by Prep alum Mr. Pat Walsh
would soon find a healthy and vigorous replacement for
’73. Having started as a club in 1977, the team grew to
the deceased Pontiff.
varsity status within one year. Although many of the
School commenced in 1978 with professional HISTORY OF PREP | 89
A TIME OF CHANGE
development days for faculty on September 6 and 7 and
would take the bus that ran along the Post Road and
a freshman orientation day on September 8. The first
students living in the Town of Fairfield could make use
day of regular classes for all students was September
of the town’s yellow school busses. In the early 1970s a
11. September of 1978 brought with it another school
new edition was made to the bus network. Around that
year and a number of changes. The freshman class of
time Prep became rather popular with those living up the
that year was the first to experience the fun of Freshman
Route 8 corridor – the so-called Valley, due to its location
Field Day, as youngsters from disadvantaged areas of
along the Naugatuck River. Parents of students in that
Bridgeport were brought to the Prep campus for various
region sponsored their own Valley Bus. The bus began
activities and sports. Ribbons were awarded to those who
its trek in the towns of Oxford and Seymour and made
participated in various events. The Prep boys proved
its way down through Derby, Shelton and Huntington
well up to the task of working with their new friends.
and then to Prep. Slowly into the 1980s the demand
Meanwhile, the Prep faculty that year began its work
for the special means of transportation dwindled as
on the process called “The Graduate at Graduation” (or
enrollment from that area of the state diminished.
“grad-at-grad”). Serious discussions were held about the
Probably the most unique method of commuting to Prep
various values and skills that all Prep students should
in the early days was revealed in a conversation with Mr.
possess by the time they completed their senior year.
John Lannon ’48. He tells the story of a student named
The Recreational Complex, or “Rec-Plex,” which
Dick Greenwood ’44, whose daily trek began by hitching
would serve as the new home for indoor intramurals and
a ride on a local milk truck, which brought him to the
physical exercise, was completed. One very important
city bus and then on to Prep. It was not uncommon,
aspect of the building was the swimming pool. Now,
therefore, for Greenwood to be late for his 8:30 Latin
finally the Prep swim team had a home pool. Needless to
class. Nevertheless, Mr. Lannon relates, despite frequent
say, swimming Coach Jaffe was excited by the prospect
reprimands by Principal O’Reilly for his tardiness, Dick
of his team being able to practice right on campus, rather
still achieved an “A” for the class. Meanwhile, many local
than having to travel into Bridgeport.
students opted to take their bicycles to school, as did a
All Roads Lead to Prep!
few teachers, especially Fairfield resident Barry Wallace. Some teachers opted for motorcycles, including Fr. Dan
Since the school’s inception in 1942, the attractiveness
Sullivan in the 1970s, Mr. Ray Oddis in the 1980s and
of a Jesuit education drew students from Fairfield, New
most recently Mr. Greg Marshall. Also in the 1970s, one
Haven and even Litchfield counties, with some boys
teacher, Mr. Gary LaForrest, arrived on campus via a pale
even making the trek from Westchester in New Work.
green motor scooter.
Therefore, the question of transportation to and from campus was of constant concern to students and their
90
Senior Lounge Closes
parents. Many, of course, made their arrival by car, often
Another major event at Prep that year, at least in the
organized into car-pools, dropped off and picked up
eyes of the student body, was the closing of the senior
by parents or by upper classmen. The school’s prime
lounge on the first floor of Berchmans. Although the
location, situated in between I-95 and the Merritt
seniors protested this “injustice,” the fact was that the
Parkway, helped to facilitate travel. Many students over
room had become just too noisy and rowdy. Its proximity
the years have taken the Metro-North train from points
to other classrooms made it difficult for those teaching
east and west. From the Fairfield train station they
on the floor to conduct their classes. And so, a long-lived
would then hop on the “train-bus” to campus. Over
institution, the senior lounge, bit the dust. In retrospect
the years delays with the train would result in the Dean
it was clearly a mistake to locate the lounge so close to
of Students making an announcement over the P.A. to
classrooms.
“please admit the train-bus students” to first period.
The fall sports season in 1978 progressed in the usual
“Train-bus” became a type of mantra often repeated
fashion for Prep, with many victories for the football,
throughout the year. Meanwhile, those from Bridgeport
soccer, and cross-country teams. The Prep-St. Joes
| HISTORY OF PREP
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1970s
Antics in the Berchmans Senior Lounge, circa 1978.
rivalry was as intense as ever, as manifested in a little
from March 26 through April 3. Senior examinations
incident that occurred on the St. Joseph’s campus in
were held from May 21 through 25 and tests for
Trumbull on the eve of a big football contest. Apparently,
underclassmen from June 4 to 8.
some unidentified zealots had somehow snuck onto the
In 1978–79, the winter sports teams, especially
St. Joes athletic field during the evening of October 9 and
hockey, were very successful. Coach Roos and his
painted the Prep logo and some previous football scores
hockey team were able to put together a remarkable
in red paint on the pavement of the football field parking
campaign and claim the Division I state championship.
lot. Fr. Richard Shea, Principal of St. Joseph’s High
Posting a 13-6 regular season record, the team was led in
School, called Father Bowler the next day to inform him
scoring by Mike Dushay, who tallied 24 goals, and by
of the vandalism. Father Bowler of course apologized for
Captain Bill Robinson who had 16 goals and 23 assists.
the incident, and went on to reprimand the Prep student
The other two captains, Drew Burns and Doug Banquer,
body for the “un-Christian and poor sportsmanship
provided great leadership. Goalie Kevin Martin was
manifestations of this behavior.”
superb with a 2.85 goals against average.
By the end of October, the news was released that
The swimming team also had a great year as Mr. Jaffe’s
the Church had chosen a new Pontiff. Considerable
men compiled an incredible 13-1 season and garnered
excitement was generated when it was announced that
still another league championship. The only loss came
Koral Wojkyla of Poland was to be the next leader of
at the hands of powerhouse Darien. Among the great
the Church. On October 22nd he assumed power under
achievements for the team that year were numerous
the name Pope John Paul II. Few could predict at the
school records including one in the medley relay where
time the significance of this election. The new Pontiff
Bill Rodie, Rick Sheldon, Tom Linell, and George Hebner
would become one of the most important and loved
came in at 1:46.1 against Stratford.
leaders in Church history. His role in the downfall of
Wrestling made its debut as a varsity sport in the
communism in East Europe and Russia could never have
1978–79 season. Coach Bruce Sammartino put the
been imagined when he assumed his role in 1978.
young grapplers through their paces and attempted to
Back at Prep, there were some interesting aspects
field a competitive team. Unfortunately, the team was
to the school calendar of note in 1978-1979. Mid-year
not able to do very much in its first season, and ended
examinations that year were held from January 16
up with a record of 0-8. Members of the team included:
through 22, social justice seminars were held for all
Scott Tague, Brian Quain, Ivan Putski, Matt Terry, Roman
students on Wednesday, March 15, the third quarter
Hayda, Carlos Garcia, Dusty Rhodes, Jeff Farrell, Tony
ended on Friday, March 23, followed by mini-courses
Loglisci, Bob Backlan, Chuck O’Hara, and Chet Smith. HISTORY OF PREP | 91
A TIME OF CHANGE
As the calendar moved toward Easter, every spring
Mr. Canuel, Fairfield Prep had assembled a formidable
athletic team experienced great success in 1979, with
team in the science department, which was led in those
track, baseball, tennis, and golf all capturing MBIAC
days by Fr. Brissette. Many future doctors, dentists,
titles.
and scientists received their basic training and love of
As the school prepared to close for the summer in
science while studying in those old labs on the 4th floor
1979, the big news on campus was the announcement
of Xavier Hall. Joining the modern language department
that there was a new president of Fairfield University and
to teach Spanish was Gregory H. Marshall. No stranger
the Prep. Replacing the Rev. Thomas R. Fitzgerald, S.J.,
to Prep, Mr. Marshall was a Prep grad himself, Class of
was Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. And so, another era was
1973 as well as the son of Prep alumnus Harold Marshall,
about to unfold. Fr. Kelley began his reign in September
class of 1949.
of 1979. He went on to preside over an era of prosperity for Fairfield University.
The students returned to a new curriculum in 1979. Now seniors were expected to complete a social justice
At the Prep in September of 1979 the administrative
course that was coupled with a community service
team was expanded. Joining Fr. Bowler, Fr. Allen, George
component. Although many of the students complained
Thomas, Edward Rowe, and Robert Sylvester, were
about this added demand on their time, by the end
Robert Perrotta, and Fr. William Eagan, Michael Quinn
of the year most had actually come to understand
was placed in charge of the service department, which
the importance of service to others. The new service
was in the planning stages of developing new social
program was to become the cornerstone of Prep’s basic
service programs for Prep students. Mr. Robert Harris
goal of “committed to doing justice” as revealed in its
was athletic director. A new addition to the school in
1982 document “The Graduate at Graduation.”
guidance was Mr. John Brennan. He joined an expanded
Earl Lavery’s ’79 football team compiled a nearly
guidance team which included Mr. McGillicuddy, Fr.
perfect 10-1 record, capturing Prep’s 14th MBIAC title.
Kelley, S.J., Fr. Borgo, S.J., and Mr. Gerry Michaud. In
The only loss came at the beginning of the season when
academics, an important member of the faculty was
Prep fell to N.D. West Haven in a heartbreaker, by the
added when the school hired Mr. Anthony C. Canuel to
score of 7-6. Co-captains were quarterback John Flaherty
teach in the science department. With the addition of
and defensive standout Todd Smith. Other notable accomplishments in sports in the 1979– 80 school year included the hockey team, under the demanding but outstanding Coach Marty Roos, which achieved a record of 17-3 for the regular season. Ranked #1 in Division I going into the state tournament, they captured their second straight state title. The talented team included: Tri-captains Mike Dushay, John Siletto, and Bill Godbout; along with many other contributors including the incredible goalie Kevin Martin, as well as Roger McKnight, Hugh Curran, Mark Jelenik, and Pat Kennedy. Meanwhile, Coach Pat Walsh’s ‘79-’80 hoop team, led by co-captains Chris Cummings and Joe McBride, compiled an excellent record of 19-3. After defeating St. Joe’s in the MBIAC semi-final game by a score of 54-53, Prep unfortunately fell to Bridgeport Central 50-42 in the championship game.
Fr. Brissette, S.J., solves a chemistry problem.
92
| HISTORY OF PREP
Another big winner in 1980 was the bowling team,
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
Aerial view of the modern Prep campus. Buildings (from top left to lower right) are Xavier Hall, Berchmans Hall, the Recreational complex (completed in 1979 and renamed the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreational Complex in 2002) and the Fieldhouse (completed in 1959 and renamed Alumni Hall - Sports Arena in 1981).
which captured the MBIAC title. Fr. Borgo coached the
quickly became an institution at the school.
talented team of Kevin Donohue, John Pacelli, Tom
As the month of June approached, the students and
Lewis, Steve Noto, Jim Smeriglo, Will Wiacek, and Paul
faculty prepared for graduation and a much deserved
Breton.
summer vacation. The 1979–80 school year had been
Among the major activities on campus in the 1979-
a very interesting and busy one, no one could deny.
1980 school year was the return of the Prep drama
But there were now new rivers to cross, and summer
program to big-time stature. Mr. Sel Skolnick, in his
vacation is always very short. Indicative of the many
first year as drama director, quickly put his stamp on the
changes the new graduates were about to face, at 6 p.m.
program. Sel’s first production was the comedy: You Can’t
on June 1, 1980, media mogul Ted Turner’s new all-news
Take It With You.
cable network, CNN made its debut.
Another feature of the school which was alive and
The 1980–81 school year began in September with Fr.
well in 1980 was the Saturday bingo in Berchmans
Bowler, S.J., still in his role as principal of Fairfield Prep.
cafeteria. The weekly bingo night, in place since the
In administration, taking over discipline was Mr. John
1970s, was as much a service to the elderly of the
Brennan, as Mr. Rowe returned to the math classroom.
greater Fairfield community as it was a fund raiser. The
September of ’80 brought with it a very fortuitous
prominent faculty member involved with running the
addition to the Prep faculty when Mr. Barry Wallace
evening was Betty Kachmar. Another great service to the
joined the English department.
community was the Christmas dinner, sponsored by the
Mr.
Wallace
subsequently
endeared
himself
Prep service department. In this great event more than
to students, faculty, and administration with his
100 needy elderly were fed a full-course turkey dinner
outstanding teaching skills, his eloquent oratory at
by the faculty and students of Fairfield Prep. The dinner
meetings and assemblies, and his humane approach to HISTORY OF PREP | 93
A TIME OF CHANGE
education. Additionally, Mr. Wallace
science, and English was inaugurated.
served as moderator of Calibre, which
The football team set the stage for
was a new literary magazine for Prep
the 1980 fall season with an 11-1 record
student writers and photographers.
and another MBIAC championship (the
Finally, over the years Barry added his
fifth straight) for Earl Lavery. The only
insights on things that matter in his
loss of the season came at the hands
regular column in the Fairfield Citizen
of the great rival St. Joe’s by a score
News.
of 7-0 in one of the classic defensive
Also
joining
the
English
struggles. The loss ended a 17-game
department in the fall of 1980 was Ms.
winning streak for Coach Lavery.
Donna Andrade. Aside from bringing teaching skills to the subject matter, Ms. Andrade went on to earn an Ed.D.
The two giants would ultimately meet once more in the MBIAC league
Mr. Barry Wallace
championship
degree, enter the Prep administration,
in
Kennedy
Stadium. In that contest the Jesuits
and would serve in many capacities, including creator
turned the tables and reversed the score, shutting
and director of the SEED program. Dr. Andrade also held
down St. Joseph’s by a score of 7-0. The season ended
the post of academic dean for many years.
on another upbeat note when Prep bested Stamford
Meanwhile, on the national stage that autumn, the
Catholic 14-6 in the annual Thanksgiving Day struggle.
Jesuit activist Daniel Berrigan and his brother Philip
Among the quality players on that 1980 team was
created the Plowshares anti-nuke organization on
receiver Brian McGillicuddy, son of Prep administrator
September 9, 1980. To a great extent they were motivated
Mr. Tim McGillicuddy. Speaking of quality players, Mike
by Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan’s
Lesko, Tony Loglisci and Matt Merullo all made the All-
pledge to greatly increase military spending, were he to
State team.
be elected.
Coach Lavery, assisted by the talented defensive coach
Another first for Prep was achieved by Colleen Coyle
Rich Magdon, and secondary coach Bob Maffei, did an
when she was brought into the science department in
outstanding job molding the 1980 team into one of the
the summer of 1980, thus breaking the gender barrier
best in the history of Fairfield Prep. The season ended
there. Also, she became the first daughter of a Prep alum
with Lavery’s overall record at an amazing 147-19-3.
to teach at the school. Colleen’s dad, Hugh E. Coyle was
Another fall team capturing a league championship
a Prep grad of the Class of 1949. Colleen later married
was Mr. Ed Giegengack’s cross-country team. After
Jimmy Keltos, a former Prep student. Known to many
a season-opening loss against N.D. West Haven,
under her married name of Colleen Keltos, Colleen went
the harriers went on to win every remaining meet.
on to be a major force as an administrator overseeing
They ended the season with a 12-1 record, led by the
much of Prep’s technological growth in the ’90s and
outstanding running of Dan O’Connor and Nick Hahn.
2000s. Joining Keltos as the second woman in the
Though only a junior, O’Connor clearly emerged as
science department was Susan Bachman. Finally, new
one of the all-time best distance runners in the school’s
to the secretarial staff in athletics was Ms. Lois Csedrik,
history. He would own a number of school records in
who served the school with quiet professionalism for the
cross country and track by the time of his graduation.
next three decades.
Coach Jaffe had another very competitive team in
In curriculum development, social service was
soccer. The 1980 team, although young and rather
expanded to a four-year program which included
inexperienced, put together a 10-3-2 record. Greg Burns
the creation of the senior seminar devoted to global
and Ron Bertasi were all-state and all-league selections
problems. Elective choices for juniors and seniors were
that year, while co-captains Rob Flynn and Mike Phalen,
expanded, peer counseling was instituted in guidance,
along with T.J. Walsh also made All-MBIAC.
and an accelerated program for freshmen in math, 94
game
| HISTORY OF PREP
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CHAPTER 7
Contrasting Styles
T
he big news on the national scene in November
resisted one of Reagan’s domestic policies regarding the
1980 was the presidential election. The
reduction of federal funding of social service programs
Republican candidate Ronald Reagan was
was Dorothy Day. The social and anti-war activist, and
victorious in a three-way race against the incumbent
one of the founders of the Catholic Worker Movement
Democrat Jimmy Carter and independent candidate John
passed away, however, at her Staten Island home on
Anderson. Many voters were upset with Carter over his
November, 19, 1980.
handling of the economy and the Iran hostage crisis. The
Throughout the fall of 1980 there were many
political conservatism of the Reagan years eventually
happenings on campus. As far as the seniors were
had a “trickle-down” effect on Fairfield Prep. It is always
concerned, the big issue was the re-opening of a new
interesting to see how larger political and social trends
lounge. Although they were given permission to do so,
usually find their way into the educational system in
and even added such items as a pinball machine and a
general and Prep in particular, albeit after a time-delay of
pool table, the lounge was often closed due to rowdy
three to five years. One person who would certainly have
behavior. The on-again, off-again status of the senior refuge was one of the more amusing aspects of life at Prep during the 1980–81 school year. Nevertheless, the discipline of the school was now in the hands of the tough-talking “Riddler,” Mr. Brennan, and by and large things settled down quite a bit. One thing that never settled down in the 1980–81 year, however, was school spirit, or as we call it “PREP PRIDE.”
The “Bomb Squad” Prep pride was manifest in great measure with the creation of the “Bomb Squad,” which was an unofficial, unsanctioned, group of half-crazed fanatics who painted their faces in school colors, created original cheers and chants, and who attended most Prep athletic contests to urge the Jesuits to victory. It was quite a sight to behold when the members of group, dressed in their maroon tee-shirts complete with the “bomb” insignia, burst Prep “Bomb Squad”
onto the scene en masse to take up their position in the
HISTORY OF PREP | 95
CONTRASTING STYLES
1979 State Championship Hockey Team
stands. And stand they did – for the entire contest! The
insisted that they play within his system; he never built
Bomb Squad, which as noted previously was formed by
his system around the individual.
the class of 1973 in December 1972, is one student-based
The swimming team was again excellent. Coach Jaffe
institution that has stood the test of time at Fairfield
had his boys well-prepared to defend their state title.
Prep.
Led by tri-captains Tom Linell, Rich Sheldon, and Geoff
This school spirit, which was birthed during the
Krause, the Prepsters easily won the MBIAC title and
football season, nurtured by the Bomb Squad, and added
finished second in the state. Linell, along with Ralph
to by all the other successes of autumn, was intensified
Barbieri, Mike Sportini, and Tom Polascik all broke
with the coming of the basketball season. There was a
school records in their respective events.
new and incredibly energetic head basketball coach
The wrestling team, in only its second year of
for 1980–81, Mr. Douglas Melody, who took the reins
operation, made great improvement under Coach John
from the departed Pat Walsh. Coach Melody was quite
Rivero. Tri-captains Bill Duggan, Lorin Beresnyak, and
the player in his own right, having starred at U-Conn.
John Palattella provided an optimistic theme for the year.
Although he inherited a young and inexperienced team,
The boys were very competitive throughout the season,
Coach Melody quickly had the group playing very
and Ted Durant was able to win 3rd place in the state.
competitive ball, with a pressing defense that flustered opposing teams with maximum effect.
On December 8, 1980, as the winter sports teams were getting into their schedules, there came the tragic news of the senseless killing of John Lennon outside his home
Three Consecutive State Hockey Titles: ’79 ’80 ’81
96
in New York City. His assassin was a crazed fan named Mark David Chapman. Many Prep students mourned the
In hockey, Coach Roos was able to accomplish the
loss of the former Beatle. With the death of Lennon came
incredible task of winning his 3rd straight CIAC Division
the end of an era, both musically and socially. How sad
I championship. With All-State goalie Kevin Martin
that such a proponent of peace and love would come to
in the nets, the team had solid defense. However, a
such a tragic end.
hallmark of every team coached by Marty Roos was the
There were a number of new activities on campus that
fact that they played together selflessly. Even when there
year. The High School Bowl, coached by Mr. Longua,
were exceptionally talented individuals, Coach Roos
made its appearance. Other unique additions to the
| HISTORY OF PREP
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social life of the school that year included a sailing club
strategies, and compared curriculum and textbook
and a trapshooting club.
choices. The theme of academic growth was expanded in
The literary life of the school was alive and well in the
November when Prep participated in the Province Day
1980–81 school year. The school newspaper, Soundings,
for Jesuit Secondary Education at College of the Holy
now moderated by Mrs. Marcia Norberg, experienced
Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Finally, Prep held
a great revival. The staff of the newspaper endeavored
follow-up professional days on December 16, February
to transcend the trivial and reach for real issues. The
10, March 24, and April 26, and regular faculty meetings
yearbook, The Hearthstone, was certainly in good form
at the end of school on June 14 and 15.
as moderated by the talented Mr. Robert Cornigans, S.J.
The autumn brought with it the hopes of a successful
And last but not least was the literary journal, Calibre,
sports season. Coach Giegengack and his cross country
moderated by the English teacher Mrs. Alice Cavanaugh.
team set the tone with some outstanding running. The
Under her guidance the journal reached great heights in
Prep harriers posted a remarkable 11-0 record and
literary expression.
dominated the MBIAC. Led by the great running of
On March 30, 1981, a shocking news-flash came
Captain Danny O’Connor, Prep was impossible to beat.
out of Washington. On that day John W. Hinkley, Jr.
As usual, however, it was football that captured the
shot President Ronald Reagan and his press aide in an
most attention during the fall of ’81. Coach Lavery and
assassination attempt. Although the president survived
his staff put together another competitive team. The
the attempt on his life, the country went through a time
season started on a rather depressing note with a 13-6
of anxiety until it was clear that Mr. Reagan was back in
loss to Notre Dame, West Haven. The Prep bounced
good health.
back with a series of big victories, including a 28-27 win
Another area of the school that really sprang to life during the Bowler years was music. The Jazz Ensemble,
over arch-rival St. Joseph’s. The Prep gridders went on to capture the Western Division title in the MBIAC.
moderated by Mr. Janiec, explored the interesting sounds
The Prep community very much anticipated the big
of that uniquely American medium. The Liturgical Music
game for the League title. As fate would have it, the
group, with Mr. Janiec and Mr. Canuel and Fr. Bill Eagan,
championship game was a rematch against St. Joe’s.
S.J., reverently brought the sounds of folk music to Prep
This time, however, the boys from Trumbull upended
religious celebrations.
the Prepsters by a score of 7-6. The lone St. Joe’s score
Although September 1, 1981 brought the first woman
came when they recovered a bad punt snap on the Prep
to the Supreme Court in the person of Sandra Day
one yard line. Prep later scored to bring them to within
O’Connor, there were still no female students at Prep.
one point of a tie. Coach Lavery, rather than settling for
The students returned on Tuesday, September 8, to a
the tie, went for the two-point conversion. When the
school that was structured pretty much the same as the
conversion play failed, St. Joe’s had a one-point victory.
previous year. Fr. Bowler was back again as principal.
There were a number of new extracurricular groups
His long reign had brought a real sense of stability to the
on campus in 1981–82. These clubs were reflective
school. The only change in his administration was the
of the fun-loving attitudes of the students in those
addition of Fr. Ron Perry, S.J., who replaced Fr. Eagan
days. New comical organizations included: the Hippo
as chaplain.
Patrol: Southern New England Chapter; the He-Man
Faculty development was a major theme of the
Women Haters Club; and the Funnelating Club. These
1981–82 school year. There were three professional
organizations existed more in the minds of various Prep
development days for the faculty on September 1-4
jokesters than in reality.
prior to the opening of school. Regular classes were
Nevertheless, there were in fact some serious-minded
suspended on Tuesday, October 13, as Fairfield Prep
service clubs on campus that year. In keeping with the
and Notre Dame High School of West Haven held a
“men for others” theme that would be so well articulated
joint professional development day where teachers met
at Prep and all Jesuit schools, the Appalachian Awareness
by departments and shared new ideas and teaching
Club, the Emmaus Community, and the Service HISTORY OF PREP | 97
CONTRASTING STYLES
Leadership Organization all demonstrated Prep’s concern
history. Once the event passed, the outdoor teams geared
for the world outside the school.
up for their new seasons. By and large these teams were
Concrete evidence of this during the 1981–82 school
successful. The Prep baseball team, for example, posting
year could be seen in Freshman Field Day. On this day
a 13-9 record, garnered its fourth consecutive league
in the fall, Prep freshmen entertained underprivileged
title. A standout on the team was the sensational catcher
youngsters from the Bridgeport area. The focus of the day
Matt Merullo.
was to enjoy the outdoors and help foster a big brother
Mr. Roger Ratchford’s golf team posted a 16-1 record
type relationship between the Prep students and the
to win its 6th consecutive league title in 1982, led by
kids of Bridgeport. The sophomores, meanwhile, helped
Captain Tom Rosati along with Mike Martin, Mark
to run the Special Olympics program at the Fairfield
Farrell, Geoff Rodie, Jeff Renzulli, and Jeff Pugliese. The
University gym. Seniors manifested their concern for
tennis team had a slip-up in ’82 and fell to a record of
others through the senior service hours. Each senior
7-6. Their reign of 10 straight years as league champions
was expected to make significant contributions to the
was finally broken.
community outside of Prep. Juniors, meanwhile, were
All things considered, the 1981–82 school year
expected to serve their hours within the school. The
was quite interesting. The school had begun its strong
entire service program was overseen by Mr. Michael
commitment to the service program in keeping with Fr.
Quinn.
Arrupe’s “men for others” mandate. Although there was
As spring approached in Fairfield, thoughts turned to the new sports season. Everything had to be put on hold,
some moaning and groaning, by and large the students took very well to the idea of service to the community.
however, when a major snowstorm ripped into the area
Among the other memorable aspects of the Prep
on April 6. Suddenly, it seemed as though the calendar
scene that year was the Relationships course, team-
had been moved back to February, as well over a foot of
taught by Mr. & Ms. John & Dolores Potterton (who
the white stuff pelted the region. Temperatures were only
also staged great faculty gatherings at their Milford
in the 20s during the day and fell into the 10s that night.
beach home). And who could ever forget the time that a
School was canceled on April 6 and 7. April of 1982 still
teacher’s Kharman Ghia was mysteriously removed from
ranks as one of the coldest and snowiest in Connecticut
the McAuliffe parking lot only to wind up blocking the doors on the patio? The last class day of the 1981–82 school year was Tuesday, June 1, with final examinations taking place from the June 2nd though the 8th. The Baccalaureate Mass was held on Thursday, June 3. As was the custom in the 1970s and 1980s, following Mass, students, their parents, administrators, department chairs, and a group of faculty walked from St. Thomas Aquinas Church on the Post Road in Fairfield to Ottavio’s Restaurant, which was located one block east of the church. At Ottavio’s, dinner was served, a few speeches were made, and various graduation awards were distributed to Prep’s highest achievers. Department chairs distributed the awards to those students voted by each department as superior in each particular field of study. While the affair was indeed enjoyable, especially for the proud parents of the award winners, it had a tendency to become rather lengthy in duration. The affair often went on to well past
Prep standout: Matt Merullo ’83 with the Chicago White Sox. 98
| HISTORY OF PREP
10:00 p.m. For that reason Father James Arimond ended
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the after-Mass dinner when he assumed leadership of the
exorbitant for the school to cover. So, over the summer
school in 1989. Starting with Fr. Arimond, the awards
of ’82 the FCPS weather vane was removed from the
were presented in the church at the end of the Thursday
old building along with all the remnants of the Prep
Baccalaureate Mass. This system expedited the process
school. Unfortunately, many important items were lost
considerably, thereby freeing parents, students, and
or discarded by workmen during the move that summer,
faculty to return home at a reasonable hour. By the way,
including old Soundings newspapers and photos, as well
the site that was once occupied by Ottavio’s is now home
as other Prep memorabilia, which were for one reason or
to a pharmacy.
another deemed unimportant.
The Class of 1982, meanwhile, was quite a talented
In order to compensate for the loss of classroom space
group indeed. Just to mention a few, you have: Paul
due to the closing of McAuliffe Hall, room was made for
Beauvais, who attended Columbia and became an
the Prep school in Xavier Hall. The University vacated
orthopedic surgeon, Stanley Bernard, who studied at Yale
the first and second floors which had been previously
and Columbia; Lawrence Fitzgerald, Ph.D., U. Michigan;
used by the Graduate School of Education. Prep moved
Tom Kearns, who works in TV production for the NBA;
into those areas. From that time onward Prep would
Peter Jankowski, who became a successful film producer
control all of Berchmans and Xavier Halls with the lone
for the big screen and T.V; Kevin Leitão, who attended
exception of the basement of Xavier which remained as
Yale and Brown; Chris McAndrews, a Harvard man;
the university media center and home of a local public
Tom Meuser, Ph.D., a specialist in Alzheimer’s research,;
broadcasting network. The 4th floor of Berchmans was
Jeff Plate, now retired Lt.Col. - Airforce; Lt.Col. Mike
abandoned as a Jesuit residence when the new Jesuit
Provost - USMC; Tim Shannon, Ph.D., history chair at
house, St. Ignatius House, was opened. Later, under
Gettysburg University; Major William Surette, US Army.
Fr. Allen the floor was converted into a social studies
Moving on to the 1982–83 school year, there are a
classroom area.
number of sad tales to relate. The Prep community
Without question the summer of 1982 was an
lost one of its great teachers when Mrs. Cavanaugh
extremely busy one at Fairfield Prep as academic
succumbed to cancer. In her years at Prep “Lady Alice”
departments were relocated. As the students entered
did a tremendous job in teaching the skills of reading,
school on September 10, they were embarking on a
writing, and thinking to her many students. In her role
new era in the school’s history – the post-McAuliffe era.
as English department chair, this talented educator
Aside from that major change, Fr. Bowler was still the
revamped the English program and recruited a number
school’s principal. Except for a few minor alterations,
of very talented teachers to join her in her quest to
the rest of the administration remained the same. Mr.
make her department a truly great one. The death of students Allen Callahan and Marc Farrell also brought great sorrow to the Prep family during that school year. Yet, the outpouring of concern and compassion for their families by the Prep community demonstrated the great love that has been manifest within the school since its inception.
Good-Bye to the Great Lady The other death that occurred that year was not of a person, but of a building. The grand old lady, McAuliffe Hall, was formally removed from active duty as a Prep building after the 1981–82 school year. The reason given for closing the building was that it was becoming a safety hazard and that the cost of renovation was just too
Good-bye to McAuliffe. HISTORY OF PREP | 99
CONTRASTING STYLES
McGillicuddy left the college placement post and took over as associate principal in charge of finances. Taking his place in guidance was Mr. McLaughlin. Joining the administration in the new position of registrar was Ms. Louise Woods (later, Miller). A noteworthy addition to the Prep faculty was Fr. Robert Levens, S.J. Fr. Levens had begun his teaching career at Prep in 1966 as a lay teacher of mathematics. He heeded the call to enter the Society of Jesus in 1975, was ordained in 1981, and made his happy return to Prep in 1982. Of all the changes at the school that autumn, however, it would be Fr. Jack Zupez, S.J., joining the social studies department, who would most affect the lives of the seniors. In his amazing and controversial geo-politics course, Fr. Zupez consistently challenged his students’ preconceptions about the world. In response to the Zupez challenge, a group of his students formed the Ignorant Eisenhower Republican Club. This informal cabal was dedicated to the joyful practice of counteracting the “Zupez effect” on the student body. All joking aside, it should be noted that it was Principal Fr. Bowler who gave impetus to the creation
Fr. Eugene Brissette, S.J., explains to a player that “This is a football.”
of a truly global education for Fairfield Prep students.
named to the All-State team, while Perry, Mike Martin,
Aside from the geo-politics course, the prescient
and Matt Merullo made the All-County team. All the
Bowler facilitated implementation of Asian studies
aforementioned, plus Pete Gallagher, Pat Anglim, Ed
within the social studies department. The Prep Asian
Boyle, Steve Loglisci, and Mark Masiello were All-
studies program later became a model for other schools
League selections. Masiello was selected as league M.V.P.
throughout the nation.
Quarterback Masiello, who would tragically perish in an automobile accident the year after graduation, had an
Lavery and Prep Football – A State Championship The 1982–83 school year got off to a great start with
than 30 touchdowns, ran for 15 others, and accumulated over 4,000 yards of offense.
the success of the football team. Coach Lavery’s men had
Coach Giegengack put together an outstanding
a fine season and put together a record of 10-2. However,
team for 1982. The only team to defeat Prep that season
the two losses came at the hands of the Cadets of St.
was Manchester, in a non-league meet. “Giegs’ boys”
Joseph’s. The second loss hurt even more than the first as
swept through the MBIAC, winning their 5th straight
it decided the MBIAC championship.
title, and the entire team garnered All-League honors.
The Prep team was able to bounce back from the
An outstanding performer for the ’82 team was Jon
loss, however, and defeat Stamford Catholic in the
McNichol, who set a new Prep course record at 14:45, and
Thanksgiving game. This win qualified the Jesuits for
All-State performer Dave Bayliss. The two harriers led
the state championship game against Greenwich. Prep
Prep to a 4th place finish in the Class LL championship
emerged victorious by a score of 18-6 and had its first
meet. Other members of the talented team included Jack
state championship trophy since 1977.
Galian, Tim Silk, Todd Broyard, Mark Zagrotski, Mike
There were a number of outstanding performers on the ’82 football squad. Lineman Bill Perry was
100
outstanding career at Fairfield Prep. He passed for more
| HISTORY OF PREP
Cronin, and Bruno Gallace. In winter sports, Coach Melody’s basketball team
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compiled an overall record of 13-8, and provided fans with many exciting moments. One of the most memorable games was the 70-64 upset win at St. Joe’s of Trumbull. That game will forever be known for the “Marshmallow Incident,” which transpired after Jeff Hartland scored the first points for Prep. As the basket was scored the stands erupted in an enthusiastic celebration that included the showering of the court with red and white streamers and hundreds of marshmallows. There always seemed to be something about those contests with St. Joseph’s which brought out the “beast” in Prep fans. The PrepSt. Joe’s rivalry was the hallmark of the MBIAC years. It only dissipated when the two teams later switched to different leagues. The year 1983 had more than its share of tragedies, two of them affecting highway I-95. In January a truck with brake failure slammed into a line of cars at the toll
Fr. Ron Perry, S.J., presents a Prep student with an award.
booth in Stratford, killing seven people. That terrible
Coach Rowe’s baseball team captured its 6th
event hastened the end of toll collecting in the state. In
consecutive MBIAC Title in 1983 with a 17-6 record. Led
June of that year a 100-foot section of the Mianus River
by the outstanding play of all-state catcher Matt Merullo,
Bridge in the Cos Cob area gave way and fell into the
the team was one of the best in Prep history. Merullo
river below, killing three people. Needless to say, many
later went on to make it to “the show” with the Chicago
Prep parents experienced heightened anxiety knowing
White Sox.
that their sons were traveling on I-95 every day.
The track team had a new head coach in Mr. Dave
On the technology side, 1983 was the year that
Driscoll. Mr. Driscoll, long known as the best weight
Motorola introduced the first mobile cellular phones
coach in the area, if not the state, moved in to the top spot
and the first stages of the modern Internet was just
when Coach McLaughlin resigned in order to take up
coming into the public’s awareness. Cable television
the post of admissions director. Many points were scored
was becoming a fact of life. HBO premiered a popular
by the talented field team led by Pat Anglim. Anglim,
children’s show called Fraggle Rock and MTV was moving
also an outstanding lineman on the football team, ranks
into its third year of existence. David Bowie, Madonna,
as one of the best athletes in Fairfield Prep history. His
Billy Idol, The Police, Talking Heads, and Depeche Mode
abilities in the discus propelled him to all-league and
were among those with popular videos on the station.
all-state honors. In addition, Anglim was named to a
Meanwhile, the Internet was just about to take off as the
number of all-American rosters and still holds the school
most significant technological fact of life.
record in his event at 165 feet.
The spring sports programs at Fairfield Prep were
Another great field man, and holder of the record
very successful in 1983. The golf team had its best season
in his event, was shot-putter Ed Boyle. Added to the
in the history of the school with a 17-1 record. Coach
talented group was the erratic, but talented javelin
Ratchford’s talented group captured still another league
thrower, Chris Flaherty. Chris was apparently a talented
title, and rolled all the way to the State Championship.
artist as well. No one is quite sure about that, however,
The team was led by All-State performer Jeff Renzulli,
since his great masterpiece was a yellow dragon that he
along with Tom Rosati, Jeff Pugliese, Mike Martin, Dave
meticulously painted on the wall of the weight room.
Rush, Jackson Radcliffe, Geoff Rodie, and Dave Renzulli.
The only problem was that the wall was also yellow!
For his great accomplishment, Coach Ratchford was voted Connecticut Golf Coach of the Year for 1983.
The school year ended on Friday, May 30, with final examinations the first week of June. The Baccalaureate HISTORY OF PREP | 101
CONTRASTING STYLES
Mass and dinner were held on Thursday, June 9. There were faculty meetings on the ninth and tenth of June. Graduation for the Class of 1983 was at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. As the 1982–83 school year came to a close, the big news at Prep was that Principal Bowler was leaving his post after 6 ½ years as head administrator. Unquestionably, the Bowler years were good years for Fairfield Prep. Some even refer to them as the “Golden Age.” His easygoing and personal style made him a favorite with students as well as the faculty. During Bowler’s reign, the
The Chapel of St. Joseph.
school went through many transformations. The RecPlex and swimming pool were built, lights were added
of consensus building through a series of We Agree
to the football field, the baseball field was repaired, and
workshops and through participation, along with faculty
the second floor of Xavier Hall was opened for the use
of other Jesuit high schools, in the Colloquium on the
of Fairfield Prep. Fr. Bowler also created the Board of
Ministry of Teaching in 1978. The focus of the workshops
Regents as the overseer of Prep’s future development,
was on “What makes a Jesuit high school unique?” and
and he greatly expanded the school’s curriculum and
how teaching in a Jesuit institution is a ministry rather
commitment to global justice.
than a profession.
Our Mission – The Graduate at Graduation
with the questions of what skills, values, and attitudes
Early in the 1979–80 school year, as faculty struggled The most significant aspect of Bowler’s tenure was the
students should possess by the time they completed four
creation of the “Graduate at Graduation” or “Curriculum
years at Prep, a faculty steering committee devised a plan
Improvement Process.” The process can be traced back
for the development of an actual document. Eventually,
to 1975 when the school prepared for its evaluation
each department became responsible for the process.
by the New England Association of Schools and
The social studies department suggested that one
Colleges (NEASC) and the Jesuit Secondary Education
component was missing in the process: student opinions
Association (JSEA) by having each department analyze
on what skills would be valuable to them upon their
its philosophy, goals, and course offerings.
graduation. Sociology teacher John Szablewicz was
In July of 1979, Fr. Bowler assigned Associate Principal
entrusted with the task of sampling student opinion
for Academic Affairs Mr. Robert Perrotta the task of
using the same “sense-line” system being used by the
developing a curriculum that would meet the needs of
faculty to determine various cognitive and affective
students as they moved into an increasingly changing
goals. The team responsible for writing the formal Grad
world. Along with representatives from other Jesuit
at Grad document included administrator Mr. Perrotta,
secondary schools, Mr. Perrotta attended a symposium
Theology teacher and resident philosopher Fr. Trinkle,
at Fordham University offered by the Commission
S.J, and English teachers Mrs. Cavanaugh and Mrs.
on Research and Development (CORD). As a result
Norberg.
of the conference, two schools volunteered to serve as pilot institutions for the new model of curriculum development: St. Ignatius Prep of San Francisco and
GRADUATES OF FAIRFIELD PREP SHOULD BE:
Fairfield Prep. It would be Fairfield Prep, however, that
1. Open to Growth
completed the process first, and thus set the stage to
2. Intellectually Competent
serve as the model for all other Jesuit secondary schools
3. Religious
in America.
4. Loving
At Prep, the faculty was sensitized to the skills 102
In 1982, the document was completed and would serve as Prep’s educational philosophy.
| HISTORY OF PREP
5. Committed to Doing Justice.
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In light of these five areas, considerable curriculum
journey to Fairfield from
changes were implemented at the school. Courses in
the Bronx and Fordham
global cultures, geopolitical systems and social justice
Prep where he had been
were coupled with a four-year community service
principal for many years.
requirement for all students. Much of this planning
It did not take very long
was conducted by Mr. Michael Quinn, director of a new
for Fr. O’Brien to place
service department. Such events as Sophomore Special
his own distinctive mark
Olympics, Freshman Field Day, junior in-house service,
on the school.
and senior community service hours became part of the academic year.
One and
of
most
the
first
noticeable
Rev. Eugene J. O’Brien, S.J., Headmaster 1983-1985
Additional curriculum changes included computer
changes that Fr. O’Brien
education, enlargement of fine arts offerings, addition
undertook during the
of performing arts, new electives, and advanced
summer of his arrival was the construction of a new
placement classes in English, mathematics, and science.
chapel. Dedicated as the Chapel of St. Joseph, the room
It is worth noting that the Fairfield Prep chapter of the
on the first floor of Xavier became the cornerstone of Fr.
National Honor Society was subsequently named the
O’Brien’s renovation plan for the first and second floors
James Bowler, S.J., N.H.S. Chapter in honor of his many
of the building. The main feature of the chapel was a
academic contributions to the school.
wonderful stained-glass window behind the altar.
Aside from Fr. Bowler, another administrator who left
Joining the social studies department to teach history
Fairfield Prep in June of ’83 was Mr. Robert Sylvester. In
was Mr. John Hanrahan. Over the next two decades, Mr.
his years at Fairfield Prep, Mr. Sylvester occupied many
Hanrahan went on to make an impact on the school
positions: history teacher, department chair, assistant
as teacher, participant in many immersion programs,
director of CAPSULE, assistant principal, director of
soccer coach, and chair of the history and guidance
admissions, and director of development. For many
departments.
people, however, it was Coach Sylvester that they will
On September 1, 1983, just as the school year was
always remember. As the varsity basketball coach for
about to commence, there came the news that a Korean
16 years, his teams qualified for the state tournament
jetliner, carrying a number of American passengers,
14 times. His teams compiled an incredibly good
was shot down by Soviet fighters while flying over
record, including five league championships, three
Sakhalin Island. In all, 269 people perished in the
division championships, and a state championship in
incident. Tensions heightened when the U.S. and Soviets
1969. “The Bird” certainly taught his players how to
traded charges and counter-charges over the affair. The
fly. Mr. Sylvester left the Prep to join the development
Soviets accused the plane with spying on their military
department of Scranton University, a Jesuit institution
installations, while America insisted that the plane was
in Pennsylvania. Ever concerned about the welfare of
simply a routine passenger transport. The Cold War was
Fairfield Prep, Mr. Sylvester was invited back to Prep to
reaping another gruesome harvest.
deliver an inspirational commencement address at the
By the second week of September 1983, the students
1992 graduation exercises, and he returned to Prep in
returned to campus. In those days the school year still
June of 2017 to be present when his former player Jim
did not commence until after Labor Day. Classes for all
Fitzsimmons was inducted into the inaugural class of
began after the usual freshmen orientation, the Schola
Prep’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Brevis and faculty meetings. One of the very first things that they noticed about the school was a change in the
The Pendulum Swings Once More With Fr. Bowler’s leaving Fairfield Prep at the end
faculty dress code. Now all male teachers were dressed in jackets and ties, as mandated by Fr. O’Brien.
of the 1983 school year, the torch of leadership was
Needless to say, the students were all abuzz about
passed to Fr. Eugene J. O’Brien, S.J., who made the short
the possibility of there being a new dress code for them. HISTORY OF PREP | 103
CONTRASTING STYLES
the classroom to become associate principal for religious climate. New on campus was Ms. Mary Murphy as assistant chaplain. The area of guidance and student services had now expanded to include a speech-andhearing therapist (Mrs. Barbara Cofield), a school psychologist (Mrs. Joan Riccitelli), and a substance abuse counselor (Mr. Thomas Halleran). The school’s guidance department had evolved quite a bit from the 1970s, when Father Pelletier, S.J. combined all those roles, along with scheduling and college placement, “Hogbusters” prepare for battle against St. Joes.
in the person of one. As the students settled in for a new year
But that was not to be, for the first year of Fr. O’Brien’s
of school under a new principal, the focus of attention
tenure, at least. On the other hand, although Fr. O’Brien
shifted as usual to the fall sports programs. The
was in favor of the jacket regulation for students, he
expectations are always high for Prep football and over
stated clearly that he was willing to listen to faculty
the years the team has rarely disappointed. Unfortunately,
and students regarding their feelings on the issue.
1983 was one of the few down years for the team. Hurt
Throughout the year the principal invited individual
by graduation, injuries, and inconsistent play, Coach
members of the faculty and individuals and groups of
Lavery’s team struggled to achieve a 5-5 record that year,
students to his office in order to discuss the dress code
the low point in Lavery’s illustrious career.
and other student-related issues. Yet, the conservatism
The Prep soccer team, on the other hand, was
that was sweeping the country during the Reagan years
certainly in the ascendancy in 1983. Jaffe’s boys were
had now reached the doors of Prep.
able to capture a tie for the league title with Bridgeport
In many respects, however, Fr. O’Brien attempted
Central with an 8-2 record. This was without doubt
to bring more of a family atmosphere to the school.
the best success ever achieved by a Prep soccer team.
One very noteworthy method of doing this was to
Their overall mark ended at 11-6 against some excellent
acknowledge and celebrate the birthdays of members of
competition. Tri-captains Brian Flynn, Bob Hubregsen,
the Prep community in the daily bulletin. Another thing
and Mark Franklin provided the spark, and the team
that the principal went to great lengths to do was to
responded.
provide solace and support to students and faculty who suffered from the illness or death of a loved one. At the same time, Fr. O’Brien was of the firm opinion
talented group of distance runners ever assembled
that young men needed a strong sense of direction and
at the school, and they easily captured the MBIAC
discipline in order to reach their full potential as students
championship for the 6th straight year. Led by All-State
and citizens. Consequently, he brought a stricter control
runner Dave Bayliss, along with All-League Tim Silk
over the behavior of the students to the school in his first
(who finished first in the league championship meet),
year as principal.
Jack Galian, Steve Bayliss, Dave Marron, and Bruno
Fr. O’Brien brought some additional changes to the
104
The cross country team also achieved great success in ’83. The team was comprised of possibly the most
Gallace, the harriers were tough indeed.
administration of the school in 1983–84. Replacing
As the fall sports teams were in the middle of their
Mr. Sylvester in the development office was Mr. James
seasons, there came a few days in October that would
Stanley ’74. He was assisted by Mr. Kevin Grogan.
temporarily divert the attention of Prep and the nation
Another addition to the team was Rev. John Crabb, S.J.,
from their normal affairs. On October 23, in Beirut,
as academic administrative assistant. Fr. Perry, S.J. left
Lebanon, a truck laden with explosives was driven into
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the barracks housing U.S.
club staged mock elections,
Marines and sailors who were
debates, and entertained guest
part of a peace-keeping force
speakers on various issues.
sent by President Reagan. Two
An interesting addition to
hundred forty one Americans
the school that year was the
perished in the attack. This
Inter-Racial Youth Council,
event proved to be a harbinger
which was formed in order
of things to come. The Middle
to facilitate dialogue between
East would from this point
the various racial and cultural
become a focus of America’s
groups at the school.
consternation
for
decades
to come. Two days later the
Fr. O’Brien’s Norway spruce being delivered.
Another new organization on campus during the 1983–
nation’s attention was shifted when Reagan ordered an
84 year was the Historical Society, moderated by Mr.
invasion of the island of Grenada in the Caribbean in
Szablewicz. It is worth noting that the idea of writing the
order to safeguard the lives of American medical students
history of Fairfield Prep grew out of the early meetings
there and to remove an unfavorable radical government
of the Historical Society as the group searched for a
from power.
topic to explore as part of their desire to “do history.”
Back at Prep meanwhile, October was a busy month for the spiritual and social life of the school. Saturday,
The club’s first president, Kevin Lyskowski, helped organize the history project.
October 1st was the first official Freshman Reflection
The winter of 1983-1984 was a mixed blessing to
Day. In this prototype of the contemporary freshman
the Prep athletic teams. Although the hockey team fell
retreat, freshmen gathered in the cafeteria and first
to a very poor 8-10 record, the swimming team posted
floor of Berchmans Hall for a day of spiritual growth
a 13-2 record and captured the MBIAC title, and took
and class solidarity-building. There was a second
3rd in the state. The team was led by Captain Rich
Freshman Reflection Day on Saturday, October 8. The
Schneider, who garnered All-America honors that year.
week of October fourth was officially dubbed “Spirit
Kevin Carley and Tiger Cass were the other two captains
Week,” with various morale-building events taking
that year and they provided a great spark for the team.
place. Included in Spirit Week was Prep’s walk-a-thon
There were changes in the Prep basketball program
on Wednesday, October 5, which was a fund-raising
for the 1983-1984 school year. Coach Douglas Melody
event whereby students solicited funds from neighbors,
stepped down from his position in order to devote more
friends, and family for each mile they walked on a predetermined route that took them through campus and the surrounding Fairfield neighborhoods. October 7-10 was student leadership weekend, and the Emmaus spiritual weekend retreat for upperclassmen was held on October 14-16. Meanwhile, new principal Fr. O’Brien offered a series of special Masses throughout that fall for members of each class at Prep and their families. He offered a special Liturgy for Prep alumni at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 23. Aside from all this activity, there were a number of active extracurricular activities in 1983–84. A new club on campus was the Political Awareness Club, moderated by Mr. Hanrahan. The goal of the group was to explore politics, as well as local, state, and national elections. The
The computer age comes to Prep.
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CONTRASTING STYLES
Class of 1985.
time to his role as guidance counselor. Replacing Melody
A major event in the spring of 1984 was the sophomore
at Central High in Bridgeport. The Prep hoopsters did
service day in the form of the Special Olympics. The
not have a very successful season, ending up with a
event was held on Wednesday, March 14, in the Fairfield
record of 4-16.
University field house. Around 100 physically challenged
The 1983-1984 wrestling team achieved a 9-5 record
children from the greater Bridgeport area were brought
under new coach Joe Benenati. It was the first time in the
to Prep for the occasion. Each child was teamed up with
team’s history that they finished up over .500. Captains
a Prep student who guided the youngster through a
Ted Durant and Mike Ferguson led the way, but there
series of competitions and special activities. The whole
were many talented team members, including Jeff and
event was very moving and uplifting, and made as big an
Jim Flaherty, Scott Dingwall, and especially Josh Tolk.
impression on the Prep sophomores as it did on the great
First-year coach John Leidecker accomplished an
youngsters who participated in the day.
amazing feat with the Prep bowling team. His keglers
April brought with it another round of Prep’s
captured the league title. This was the first time in five
mini-courses, whereby students could take unusual
years that the Prep team made the all-league squad, led
and esoteric courses offered by teachers and visiting
by John Kelly who was also named MBIAC Bowler of the
professionals. The mini-courses started with a special
Year. All of the spring sports at Prep were very successful.
order mini-course preview day on Thursday, April 12.
The tennis team, led by the talented Brad Norton, won
Courses themselves ran from April 13 through April 19.
the MBIAC title in 1984. Brad was named the #1 player
The 1983–84 school year ended on Friday, May 25.
in the state for 1984 and no doubt was one of the best
Final exams were given from May 29 through June 1.
tennis players in the school’s history.
The Baccalaureate Mass and dinner was on Thursday,
Perhaps the most perplexing sports victory, however, was the championship won by the mythical polo team.
106
1983–84 school year ended on a rather unusual note.
as coach was Mr. James Dobbs, who previously coached
June 7, and graduation for the class of ’84 was held on Saturday, June 9.
Even Fr. O’Brien expressed amazement as the official
There was considerable activity at the school
trophy and tee-shirt were presented to him. And so the
throughout the spring and summer of 1984 as Fr.
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O’Brien began to implement his plan to upgrade the
significance, however, was the fact that Fr. Cipolla was
physical plant. The renovations of Xavier Hall were
a married diocesan priest. His story is quite interesting.
continued, a new school-wide public address system was
Father Richard Cipolla was ordained an Episcopal priest
added, and the Quad between Berchmans and Xavier was
in 1970, the same year he married his wife (allowed in
beautifully transformed. New walkways were installed
the Episcopal Church) and began his doctoral studies
and a large Norway spruce tree was ordered to serve as
in theology. Over time, Fr. Cipolla found himself more
the new centerpiece of the area. Additional plantings and
and more attracted to Catholicism. According to Father
sod were put in place and a flag pole and benches were
Cipolla, “The impetus for becoming Catholic was
installed. The spruce tree and the flag pole were gifts of
Blessed John Paul’s formation of the Pastoral Provision
the student government.
in 1980 that made it possible for former Episcopal
The big national news of the summer was the
priests who were married to be considered for the
Presidential campaign. On July 12, the Democrats
Catholic priesthood.” Fr. Cipolla was one of the first
nominated Walter Mondale President and made history
to make the transition, joining the Catholic Church in
when they named a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, as the
1982 and being ordained a priest in 1984. Following
V.P. candidate. One month later, on August 23rd, the
his ordination, he joined Fairfield Prep. Father Cipolla
Republicans met and re-nominated Ronald Reagan and
remained at Prep until 1998, teaching theology and
George H.W. Bush as their candidates.
science. Throughout his stay at Prep he stood firm in his support of many of the traditional aspects of the
From Principal to Headmaster
Catholic Church, such as the Latin Mass. After leaving
As Fr. O’Brien began his second year as the leader
Prep, he continued his career at the Convent of the
of the school, his title was officially changed from
Sacred Heart, a school for women in Greenwich. At age
principal to headmaster. As the students had suspected,
73 Father Cipolla retired from teaching but continued
Fr. O’Brien implemented his new dress code in 1984-
his duties as a parish priest In the Bridgeport area. Father
1985. The jacket-and-tie was back after a dozen years.
Cipolla tells his story in a Feb. 3 Wall Street Journal
Despite the moans and groans, the students took to
article entitled “Being a Catholic Priest and Married.”
the new dress code rather easily. There was apparently
Additionally, there is a very interesting article about Fr.
considerable approval of the change by parents, who
Cipolla written by his daughter Benedicta in the New
liked the appearance of their sons in the jacket and tie.
York Times, dated September 15, 2015. It is entitled,
The 1984-1985 school year was one in which the
“My Father the Priest.” On a personal note, I thoroughly
English department was particularly large. Chaired by
enjoyed my many conversations with Father Cipolla
Mr. Wallace, the department included a number of Jesuits
during his decades at Prep. His historical insight and
such as the scholarly Fr. Oliver Nickerson, S.J., and Fr.
deep understanding of philosophy never ceased to amaze
Charles Munzing, S.J., as well as talented scholastics Mr.
and inspire me. Of relevance to all of this is the fact that
Michael Gareffa, S.J., and Mr. Albert DeGiacomo, S.J.
during the first week of March, 2017, Pope Francis
The department was also home to the greatest number
announced that he was receptive to the idea of married
of women faculty, including Mrs. Norberg, Ms. Donna
men becoming priests. Referring to the Latin phrase vire
Andrade, Mrs. Maureen Diffley, and Mrs. Geraldine
probati, or “tested” men, the Holy Father suggested that
Knapik.
married priests might fill a void in order to minister to
Father Richard Cipolla makes history! Joining the theology department in the fall of 1984 was Fr. Richard Cipolla. His arrival at Prep was newsworthy for a number of reasons. First of all, Fr. Cipolla was a brilliant scholar, having earned doctorates in both chemistry and theology. Of great historical
the needs of Catholics in areas of the world where there was a shortage of clergy. Another significant change in the school in 1984 had to do with the cafeteria. Fr. O’Brien brought Mr. Richard Vassallo and his food service company to the school. A number of the cafeteria workers, especially Vivian and Teresa, became real members of the Prep family over the HISTORY OF PREP | 107
CONTRASTING STYLES
next half-dozen years. Mr. Vassallo was also granted the maintenance contract for the school, and he would introduce a number of new faces to Fairfield Prep as part of his crew. One of the most famous was Angel, who was a favorite of the students. The exploits of Angel were legendary. Who could ever forget the autumn morning when his old car caught fire in the parking lot? That story almost pales in comparison to what happened to a janitor known only as Ruth. One day her Yugo automobile was completely crushed by a chunk of ice that fell off the back of Berchmans Hall! Other memorable members of the janitorial crew included the team of Lenny and his cigarsmoking partner Jimmy. On any given afternoon the two moved deliberately through the buildings cleaning rooms and washing blackboards. While Lenny was the quiet one, Jimmy always seemed to have some yarn to spin. They were great guys and they were appreciated by the faculty. The fall is always a busy time at Fairfield Prep. The year 1984 was no exception. Classes began on Thursday, September 6. Back-to-School Night for freshman parents was held on September 12th, with one for the parents of sophomores on the 16th, and one for the parents of juniors and seniors on the 26th. Wednesday, October 3rd was the date of the annual Walk-A-Thon. There was a very interesting event staged at the Campus Center of Fairfield University on the 6th and 7th October. It was the Appalachia Festival, featuring arts, crafts and music presented by various talented members of the Appalachia communities. Mid-quarter was October 4th, and the first quarter drew to a close on first Friday of November. In sports, Earl Lavery’s football team hoped to bounce back from its rather poor showing in 1983. His ’84 team did, in fact, appear much improved. It featured an outstanding offense that averaged over 30 points a game. The defense was not exactly weak, having posted five shutouts against some very tough opposition. The talented group reached a record of 7-2 and won the league championship. Scoring punch was provided by junior quarterback Kyle Conners, running backs Jeff Roberts, Tony Campos, Tom Gilhuly, and Doug Peterson. A talented group of receivers included Paul Kilmartin, Mike “Whitey” Reardon and Peter Lyons.
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Mike Hebert ’85 surprised the Prep community at the Thanksgiving Assembly, returning after a life-threatening car accident.
Prep’s powerful line was anchored by Justin Cates, Kurt Haffner, Josh Tolk, Bill Hatfield, and Mike Sweeney. The ’84 team dedicated its season in memory of the great quarterback Mark R. Masiello, who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident the previous year. Meanwhile, in soccer, Jaffe’s booters achieved a record of 7-5-3 under team captains Bobby Moore and Bruce Rychlik. Coach Giegengack fielded a talented crosscountry team that finished the season at 9-3. Top runners included Steve Bayliss, who took first place in the league championship meet, Dave Marron, and Rob Troilo.
Prep Leaves the MBIAC It is significant to note that the 1984 football team was the last Prep team to win a championship in the MBIAC (Metropolitan Bridgeport Interscholastic Athletic Conference). The conference had started to unravel as various schools defected to join other leagues. Therefore, Fairfield Prep withdrew from the league at the end of the year and joined the newly-formed ACC, or All Connecticut Conference. The league, however, came to be known as the All Catholic Conference, as all its members were private or parochial Catholic schools. Father O’Brien favored Prep’s entry into this league as it reminded him of the CHSA that has existed for decades in the New York City area. As a member of the ACC, Prep teams would for a number of years venture to distant towns such as Uncasville to play St. Bernard’s, to Middletown for contests against Xavier, and to Hartford where they played various Catholic high schools.
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The wrestling team in 1984 was outstanding. They
1980s
Keith Triumphs
racked up a 14-2 record, which was the best in the
Another big event on
school’s history. Captains Jim Flaherty and Josh Tolk led
campus that year was
a talented senior group which included Ed Palattella,
the reception given by
Bill Bishop, and Scott Dingwall. Peter Tolk also had
the school to Jeff Keith.
an excellent year, finishing 2nd in the state while his
Jeff was a former Prep
older brother Josh took 3rd in his weight category.
student, Class of ’80,
Bishop captured a fourth and Flaherty a second in their
who had the misfortune
respective weights in the state tournament. The Tolk
to lose one of his legs
brothers in particular will forever represent great role
to cancer. Rather than
models of excellence for the Prep wrestling program.
giving in to his illness,
The 1984–85 bowling team, which finished second
Jeff Keith ’80
Jeff decided to be a
in the M.B.I.A.C., was now coached by Ray Oddis. The
spokesperson and fund raiser in the battle to defeat
team also finished 2nd in the state tournament that year.
the disease. His Swim Across the Sound and his Run
Coach Oddis was known to the Prep student body as
Across America were major elements in this fund-raising
much for his motorcycle exploits as for his coaching
effort. Prep took Jeff to its heart and provided him with
prowess. Swimming, meanwhile, was another area where
considerable support.
the young men of Prep excelled. Captains Franco Vigna
One major negative note of the school year occurred
and Andy Boehme led a talented group and finished the
when the new Prep Christmas tree, which had been
season with a 9-3 record.
planted in the center of the restructured quad, was almost
Coach Roos once again had Prep ready for another
cut down by vandals. Fr. O’Brien called in a number of
strong season. The team responded with a 12-6-2 record,
tree experts and the tree was saved as a result of some
led by Mike McNamara, one of Prep’s all-time scoring
emergency repair work. It survived until the summer of
leaders. Mike finished his career with over 100 points.
2016.
Other stalwarts of the team included tough-checking Mike Zowine and goalie Chris Baldino.
A great deal of excitement was generated the day that President Reagan visited Fairfield in the spring of 1985.
Prep’s basketball team was also a scrappy bunch in
His helicopter landed on campus and his motorcade
1984–85. Tri-captains Marc McLeod, Paul Minar, and
whisked him to Fairfield Town Hall where he gave a
Chris Baudouin worked hard against tough competition
major speech to a large and enthusiastic crowd. Prep was
to achieve a record of 9-11. Coach Kalman proved
closed early that day to make sure that the president’s
himself to be a worthy successor to Mr. Melody, who left
arrival ran smoothly.
the coaching ranks in order to pursue graduate studies.
In another sense the president’s visit turned out well for some members of the Prep student body. Two students
Hebert Returns!
working for the Prep newspaper, Peter Norberg and Gil
There were some major social happenings in the
Mendez, won awards from the Hartford Courant for their
late fall and early winter of that year. One of the most
reporting. Norberg won for the best news feature article
touching moments came at the Thanksgiving memorial
and Mendez for the best political cartoon.
service when Mike Hebert, surprising the Prep
On the international scene, the big news in March of
community, walked into an assembly at Alumni Hall
’85 came from the Soviet Union where Premier Chernenko
with his family. Mike had suffered through a prolonged
died and was replaced by a relatively unknown Mikhail
convalescence following a near-fatal automobile accident
Gorbachev. Little could the Soviet Union or the world
months earlier. Fr. O’Brien led the Prep community in
anticipate what tremendous changes were in store for the
the great welcome of this courageous young man, who
communist government during the next decade.
received a long and emotional standing ovation.
As spring arrived at Fairfield Prep, it was clear that
HISTORY OF PREP | 109
CONTRASTING STYLES
the Christmas tree would survive as new growth was seen sprouting from the upper branches. The Prep sports teams hoped that their campaigns would sprout many victories. Coach Rowe’s baseball team had an outstanding year in 1985. The team compiled a 22-1 record and made it all the way to the state finals, where it lost in a heart-breaker to N.D.-West Haven by a score of 5-4. A number of team members had great performances. Mike McNamara struck out 118 batters and Dave Green had a .500 batting average. The team won 22 consecutive games and easily captured the MBIAC league title. Before losing the state championship game, the team achieved a #1 ranking in the New York Daily News area baseball poll.
State Champions in Golf The golf team won their 8th consecutive league title
Rob Broderson, Mike Demaine, Dom Casablanca, Mike
in 1985. Dave Renzulli, along with Frank Dully and
Tunney, and Mike Talman. The female lead was played
Leo Redgate all had good years. Coach Ratchford’s team
by Yvonne Rolzhausen, in an amazing performance.
sailed their way to the state championship once more. It was the team’s 2nd state championship in four years.
May 29th brought the unsettling news of the passing of Fr. Francis Deevy, S.J., who had long served the Prep
State champ Brad Norton along with Tim Nichols and
in many capacities including English teacher and dean of
the cast of talented players led the tennis team to another
men. Those who knew Father Deevy remembered him as
MBIAC championship for Coach Bob Harris. Their over-
one of the most amusing and friendly teachers in Prep’s
all record was 11-5. It was another very successful season
history.
for one of Prep’s most consistently excellent teams.
110
Coach Driscoll and Dave Bernard ’85 at a track meet.
Meanwhile, the school year 1984-1985 was certainly
The track team was excellent in 1985, its last year in
very interesting for many reasons. The graduating Class
the MBIAC. Taking over for Coach Thomas McLaughlin,
of 1985 was rather unique in itself. They had started
who moved into the position of director of guidance at
out as the last freshman class to experience McAuliffe
Prep, was Coach Driscoll. He and his assistants Bruce
Hall. They witnessed the leaving of Fr. Bowler and the
Jaffe, Ed Giegengack, and John Szablewicz put together
coming of Fr. O’Brien. They experienced the return of a
a strong team. A number of its members captured All-
stricter dress code, the renovations of the Prep campus,
MBIAC honors. Included were distance runners Marc
and many other events. In many ways these changes only
McLeod and Steve Bayliss, Bob Fischer, Dave Marron,
served to bring the class closer together and mold them
Doug Cummings, and sprinters Doug Peterson and Dave
into a group with a great sense of spirit.
Bernard, who broke many records as Prep’s best hurdler.
As the summer of 1985 arrived rumors circulated that
Also making All-League in the field events were Bobby
there was a major event transpiring at Fairfield Prep.
Moore, Blake Powell, Rick Turk, and Erik Stockman,
Fr. O’Brien had stepped down from his headmaster’s
who excelled at numerous events. Other noteworthy
position in order to return to the development office at
members of the team included: sprinters John Cureton
Fordham University. Many people were shocked at this
and Bill Walsh, and hurdlers Pat Auger and Tony
unexpected event. Even though he was leaving after only
Canizares.
two years as headmaster of Fairfield Prep, Fr. O’Brien
As always, the arts were alive and well at Prep that
made a very strong impact on the school, both socially
year. A memorable performance of Wait Until Dark
and structurally. While the students moaned about his
was staged by the Prep Players under the direction of
changes in the dress code and discipline policy, the fact
Mr. Sel Skolnick. Star members of the cast included
remains that Fr. O’Brien did a considerable amount of
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Fr. Charles Munzing, S.J., and Ms. Donna Andrade assist Sean Taylor ’91 in the library.
improvement of Prep’s physical plant. Additionally, Fr.
that Prep was becoming too racially and economically
O’Brien made a significant contribution to the school as
homogeneous, O’Brien appointed Ms. Donna Andrade
an outstanding fund raiser and he moved Prep toward a
as director of minority concerns. Ms. Andrade, who
secure financial footing. As a result, faculty salaries were
had previously taught English, was made responsible
substantially improved during the O’Brien years.
for helping to recruit talented minority students and
Another idea pushed hard by Fr. O’Brien was that of
providing counseling support service to retain them. In
adding more music to the lives of the Prep students. He
her now role Ms. Andrade quickly made an impact on
cleared the way for the creation of the Prep choral group.
the school.
He also pushed for the development of a school band and
In the early days of the program, Ms. Andrade created
orchestra. Finally, Fr. O’Brien also wanted to see a revival
several components to assist minority students including
of the teaching of the classics at the school. He restored
the Big Brother Organization, The Inter-Racial Youth
the teaching of Greek and he even considered making
Council, Peer Tutors, and a Guest Speaker Program. By
Latin mandatory once more. Although the Greek course
1987, the program had greatly expanded and the title was
did not last very long, and Latin was never in fact made
changed to the student support service program. Many
mandatory, it was evident that Fr. O’Brien wanted to see
additions were added such as Parents Support Group,
some of the older Jesuit academic traditions revived at
Faculty Committee on Diversity, The Alumni of Color
Fairfield Prep.
Association. They also became affiliated with the New England African-Latino Student Association (NEALSA).
Teaching to Diversity Another O’Brien policy, in conformity with new
The Allen Touch
J.S.E.A initiatives, was to diversify the racial and
Replacing Fr. O’Brien as the new headmaster, starting
economic make-up of the student body. Concerned
in the fall of 1985, was Fr. Charles Allen, S.J. He was
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CONTRASTING STYLES
quite
familiar
with
Fairfield Prep, having previously
served
as
assistant principal and admissions Fr.
Allen
officer. had
been
away serving in the Philippines previous
over two
the years
and returned to Prep Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J., Headmaster 1985-1989
when the call came for a new leader. The
administration under Fr. Allen remained relatively the same as it had been structured by Fr. O’Brien. Mr. Gerry Michaud was Dean of Students; Mr. Robert Perrotta, Academic Dean; Mr. Michael Quinn, Director
Mr. Gerry Michaud prepares the Christmas tree for the season.
of Community Service; Mr. Robert Harris, Director of
After starting the new season off on a negative note by
Athletics; Fr. Jack Crabb, Director of Admissions; Mr.
losing to non-league opponent New Canaan by a score
Thomas McLaughlin, Director of Guidance; and Mr. John
of 21-7, Prep was drubbed 17-0 by ND-West Haven in
Brennan, Berchmans Housemaster. Mr. McGillicuddy
its first ACC League game. There followed a good 28-14
continued as the Business Manager of the school. Mr.
win over East Catholic, but a distressing 20-14 defeat at
George Thomas remained in the administration as
the hands of St. Joseph’s.
Special Assistant to the Headmaster. Mr. James Stanley
Nevertheless, Prep football teams have always been
was Director of Development. This area of the school
known for their pride and never-say-die attitude, and
was in transition as it began to grow in size in keeping
the 1985 team was no exception. They bounced back
with its mission. Evidence of this was that, in 1984 and
from the adversity to win the last seven games of the
1985 respectively, Mrs. Georgina Holdsworth and Mrs.
season to finish with a record of 8-3, earning a share of
Betty Renzulli joined the department in order to keep up
the ACC title. Prep was led by All-State defensive player
with the expanding volume of work. In the decades that
Peter Tolk. Another star on defense was Dave Shannon,
followed, both played an important role in helping the
while running back Curtis Lindsay provided plenty of
development department serve its function as the major
excitement on the offensive side of the ball.
fund raising institution in the school.
The 1985 soccer team also had a good season,
Although it was expected by the students that Fr.
compiling a 12-2-1 record in their first go-round in the
Allen would immediately change many things at the
ACC. Jaffe’s scrappy squad finished second to Xavier in
school, the fact remains that it did not immediately turn
the new, very tough league. The rugby team, meanwhile,
out that way. For example, Fr. Allen liked the idea of the
traveled to the New England tournament to take the
jacket-and-tie requirement and decided to keep the new
championship title under the captaincy of Peter Norberg.
dress code. Some other Prep traditions such as the walk-
The Christmas vacation in December 1985 was a
a-thon, mini-courses and the auction continued.
much-needed break from all the hard work of the first semester. The students returned after the New Year’s
First Year in the ACC (All Connecticut Conference)
112
celebration to a week or so of classes and then mid-year examinations. At the end of the month of January, 1986,
One thing that never changes at Prep is the excitement
however came the tragic news of a terrible accident.
over the football team. The 1985 team was the first Prep
On January 28th the space shuttle Challenger exploded
team to compete in the new and more challenging ACC.
upon take-off, killing all six astronauts on board.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Excellence in Education 1986-87. L-r: Mr. McKiernan, Board of Regents; Mr. Daly, Development Director; Mr. John Leverty, Board of Regents; Mr. Bruce Jaffe, Teacher; Fr. Charles Allen, S.J., Headmaster; Mr. Robert Perrotta, Academic Dean.
On the international scene there were two major
In addition, the social studies department was without
news stories in April of 1986. On April 14, President
a real home since the closing of McAuliffe Hall in 1982.
Ronald Reagan ordered the bombing on the Libyan
For a brief time the department had an office on the
capital of Tripoli over his frustration with Libyan-
second floor of Berchmans on the south side of the
sponsored terrorism. Later that same month there was
building. The office was closed by Fr. O’Brien at the end
the frightening news of the Chernobyl nuclear power
of his second year as headmaster in order to make more
disaster in the Soviet Union. Scores of people would die
room for the expanding music program. Now in 1986,
and many more become seriously ill from the radiation
Fr. Allen wanted to help the social studies department
which was released in the accident.
become re-centralized and at the same time expand the total number of classrooms so that each teacher would
Berchmans 4th Floor
have a home base.
As the spring of 1986 arrived at Fairfield Prep, Fr.
The spring sports programs in 1986 progressed in
Allen revealed his plan for the renovation of the fourth
typical fashion. All the teams were competitive. The track
floor of Berchmans Hall as a new social studies center.
team, now coached by Mr. Szablewicz and assisted by Mr.
The area had in the early days served as a Jesuit residence
Driscoll and Mr. Jaffe, was loaded with talent. Tri-captains
area. After the new Jesuit residence called St. Ignatius
were Steve Bayliss, Keith Fenton and Bill Davidson.
House was built, Berchmans fourth was vacated. The
As the summer of 1986 progressed the school
south side of the wing was temporarily used as an office
prepared for Fr. Allen’s second year as headmaster with
for Mr. Quinn and the service department during the
a series of new hires. Joining the guidance department
Bowler years. Subsequently, the floor became totally
was Fr. George Gallarelli, S.J. “Father G” as he was
available when new administrative office space was
affectionately known, would quickly become a popular
created elsewhere.
figure with the boys. He brought to Prep considerable
Fr. Allen believed that it was imperative that every
experience, having served in the guidance department
teacher had his or her own classroom. He disliked the
at St. Joseph’s H.S. and then as an admissions director
practice of teachers as “floaters,” without a home base.
at Fairfield University. You would have to search long
HISTORY OF PREP | 113
CONTRASTING STYLES
The 1980s saw a rise in the number of women faculty at Prep. In the photo, the popular Ms. Elizabeth Masciale shares a happy moment with her English class.
and hard to find a stronger student advocate than Fr.
unexpected resignation of Director of Community
Gallarelli. An addition to the social studies department
Service, Michael Quinn, the newly arrived Mr. Thomas
was Mr. Richard Magdon. Before coming to Prep Mr.
Sacerdote was appointed to that post. Over the next few
Magdon taught for many years at Seymour High.
decades Mr. Sacerdote expanded the outward-bound
Previous to his teaching duties as instructor of Western
thrust of the program as it became a significant aspect
civilization and American history, however, he had
of the Prep experience. Meanwhile, there was one very
already served as assistant football coach for Earl Lavery.
popular face missing from the faculty in September 1986.
An important addition to the science department was the
“Coach” Joseph Brosley could not return to teaching due
talented Mr. Harvey Mamrus, who came to Prep after a
to serious illness. Coach had undergone throat surgery
successful career as an engineer. Joining the Prep faculty
earlier in the year when it was discovered that he was
to teach Latin and to help with the hockey program was
suffering from cancer. The entire Prep community was
Holy Cross grad Mr. Robert Bernier.
deeply moved by the Coach’s bravery in the face of such
Fr. Allen’s administration had a few changes from the
114
adversity.
previous year. Mr. John Redgate, formerly of the English
There were a number of issues during the 1986-
department, replaced Mr. Gerard Michaud as dean of
1987 school year that complicated Colonel Redgate’s
students. Michaud left Prep in order to pursue a new
administrative duties. One issue that emerged was that
career in the business world. It should be mentioned that
of the dress code. Somehow it had been determined that
during his years at Fairfield, Gerry Michaud proved to be
students in sport jackets should not be permitted to wear
a very effective administrator. Since he was open-minded
athletic jackets or short coats during the winter. Everyone
and fair, he was liked and respected both by students and
agreed that it looked rather silly to see a student wearing
faculty. Tragically, Mr. Michaud and his three children
his school jacket over his sport coat, since the bottom of
were killed in August 1989, in an automobile accident
the sport coat would invariably hang out below the outer
while vacationing in Florida. Only his wife survived.
jacket. To eliminate this it was decided that students
Years later, she was finally able to move on with her life,
coming to school during the winter would be prohibited
marry, and start another family.
from wearing short jackets over their sport coats. It was
There was also a new director of development in
therefore mandated that only full-length overcoats could
September 1986, Mr. William Daly. Also, after the
be worn to school during the winter. This rule proved to
| HISTORY OF PREP
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be quite unpopular with students.
1980s
proved to be quite active.
In 1986 the document Go Forth and Teach was
One group that was growing in popularity by leaps
composed. The thrust of the document was to define
and bounds was the concert choir, directed by Mr. Mario
the characteristics of Jesuit education and place these
Dell’Olio. The group’s numbers swelled with many
characteristics in an international perspective. The
talented singers, and their numerous performances were
Society of Jesus wanted to make sure that all their schools
extremely well-received wherever they went that year.
adequately reflected the basic elements of the Ignatian
The highlight of their year came with their trip to France
philosophy. In the words of Dr. Perrotta, Go Forth and
in April of 1987. They also made their first appearance
Teach resulted in the creation of an international ‘Grad at
at the Fairfield Dogwood Festival that spring. Another
Grad’ for all Jesuit schools.”
event for the choir that year was the production of its
In fall sports in 1986, the cross country team had a new coach in Mr. Robert Ford. Mr. Ford, a long distance
first recordings, some copies of which can still be found in the archives.
runner in his own right, appeared to be the right man for the difficult task of replacing the very successful
Good-Bye “Coach”
Mr. Giegengack. Ford’s harriers had a very successful
The month of March 1987 was a very sad one for the
season. One of the highlights was the 1st place victory
Prep community. It was then that Coach Brosley finally
the
competitive
lost his long struggle with cancer. His wake and funeral
Wickam
Invitational
were attended by large numbers of his friends and former
Meet. Lavery’s football
students. The outpouring of love for this wonderful man
team almost repeated
was just an incredible sight to behold.
in
Alcindor R. Rosier II ’87, All-League running back
as ACC league champs,
Amazingly, many former members of the Prep Jesuit
though a tough 7-6 loss
family passed-away in the 1987, including: Fr. John L.
to Xavier prevented that
Barry (3/16), Fr. Frederick Blatchford (3/29), Fr. John
from happening. Prep
H. Kelly (3/31), Fr. John W. Ryan (5/4), Fr. Edward L.
featured a great, All-
Murray (5/19), Fr. Raymond Bertrand (6/4), Fr. Robert F.
League running back
Healy (6/12), and Fr. Robert B. Clark (10/25)
that season in Al Rosier,
In keeping with this depressing trend, April 23 brought
who led the team in
total yards and touchdowns. In other sports that year, new coaches included: in basketball, Mr. Larry Menta ’75, himself a Prep alumnus and former hoopster; in wrestling, Mr. Mike Degarbedian; in bowling, Mr. John Roche. The ski team, as moderated by Mr. Tim Kelly, enjoyed resurgence in 1986–87. Five members of the team made it to the state individual slalom championships: Mark Cashion, Dave Vogel, Jeff Flemming, Jack Nicolet, and Jim Carolan. There were many non-athletic extracurricular groups flourishing at Prep during the 1986–87 school year. Three new groups were added to the long list of activities: the Stock Market Club, moderated by Mr. Harvey Mamrus; the Rifle Club, moderated by Mr. Dave Ellis; and a water polo team, moderated by Mr. Bruce Jaffe. Meanwhile, he Political Awareness Club under Mr. John Hanrahan; and the Historical Society, moderated by John Szablewicz,
Coach Joe Brosley
HISTORY OF PREP | 115
CONTRASTING STYLES
tragedy to many in the Bridgeport community at the
Education. After all the work and preparation before
L’Ambiance Plaza construction site. Workers there were
the visits, and all the anxiety and tension during the
in the process of erecting a 16-story luxury apartment
evaluations, everyone at the school was in need of a
complex when the floor slabs began “pancaking” or
much deserved break.
falling, crushing them as they collapsed. When the dust
During the summer of 1987 Community Service
settled, 28 workers were dead and 22 others injured,
Director Thomas Sacerdote attended an important
in what became known as one of the most horrible
conference in Boston where he learned about the PULSE
accidents in the history of the city. In the aftermath of
program. Using information garnered from that program,
the event, slab construction was discontinued in many
Mr. Sacerdote returned to Prep ready to install a senior
areas of the country.
service and reflection module into the senior theology
On a more upbeat note, the 1987 lacrosse team
classes. Thus the idea of Christian social service was
was very successful and finished at 14-3. The team
integrated directly into the academic curriculum. More
was clearly making great strides and becoming a well-
changes would be added over the years as the Service
respected and competitive unit. Coached by Mr. Will
program evolved.
Mraz, and captained by Dave Bernard, Dave O’Connor,
All too quickly, September of 1987 arrived. Fr. Allen,
and Tim Shannehan, the team reached heights previously
Headmaster of Fairfield Prep, prepared to continue his
unrealized by the program.
mission to “challenge with affection.” He had good reason to be excited as the school year began. In the
Excellence in Education
month of September he received the news that Prep had
During the spring of 1987, Fairfield Prep was gearing
been awarded the honor of “Excellence in Education”
up for a major event. In May, the school was visited by
by the US Department of Education Secondary School
officers from the U.S. Department of Education for the
Recognition Program.
purposes of evaluation as part of the Exemplary School
September of ’87 was an exciting time for Catholics
Program. For almost a week a group of these officials
of the United States and in Fairfield for another reason.
visited classes and talked with administrators, teachers,
Pope John Paul II visited the country for a second time.
and students. Although everyone at the school was
During this second trip to America the Pontiff visited
optimistic that the committee viewed Prep in only the
many cities including Miami, New Orleans, San Antonio,
most positive light, the results of the evaluation would
Phoenix, and San Francisco.
not be revealed until the following fall.
At Fairfield Prep, the 1987–88 school year brought
By the time graduation for the Class of 1987 arrived,
with it a new face to the school. Joining the development
summer vacation never looked so good. The school had
office was Ms. Cathleen Donnelly. She held the post of
been scrutinized by both the New England Secondary
assistant director of development under Mr. William T.
School Accreditation team and the U.S. Department of
Daly, who was in his second year. The most painful moment of the fall came when Tim Halapin died suddenly on Thanksgiving evening. The shocking death of Tim left the entire school in a state of sadness. Tim was a good student and wonderful person and his tragic loss personally affected many in the Prep community.
The Demise of Mini-Courses There were a number of changes at Fairfield Prep during the 1987–88 school year. Among the most Father General Kolvenbach, S.J., addresses the Prep community, October 7, 1988.
116
| HISTORY OF PREP
notable was the official announcement that the school was dropping the mini-course program. After months of
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research and work on the concept a faculty committee
honors course added a new dimension, the teaching
presented its findings to the Prep community. Included
of Japanese. Mr. Driscoll’s course was unique in the
in the report were an evaluation of the program by
way that it blended language, history and culture. The
students, parents, and faculty and a recommendation for
course held an attraction for certain students and a
changes and/or options in the future. In a subsequent
number of students taking it subsequently went on to
faculty vote the teachers voted against continuing the
major in Japanese in college. The success of the course
program. The majority believed that the time allotted
eventually led to a full, four-year Japanese language
the mini-courses could be better spent in teaching the
offering from 1992 through 1998. Declining enrollment
regular school curriculum.
and a lack of commitment by the administration led to
For more than a decade the mini-course program
the termination of the program. Still, there are members
was offered in January, at the end of the first semester. In
of the Prep community who look forward to the day that
those years January was actually a rather active month.
the school might once again offer Asian languages such
The usual pattern was that students returned from
as Japanese and Chinese, given the importance of Asia in
Christmas vacation, had a week or so of classes, then
world affairs today.
midterm examinations were given. Following the exam period there was a week of mini-courses. Only after all of this would the second semester commence.
A number of other new and unique organizations graced the school in ’87-’88. Among them were: Amnesty International, Youth Ending Hunger, the Psychology Club, and the Great Books Club. Another new group was
With the death of mini-courses came an alteration
Mr. Saracco’s “Looking at the Constitution” Club. Then
of the mid-year exam schedule. Starting in the 1989-
there was the Strategic Games Club moderated by Fr.
1990 school year, the first semester was shortened and
Shaughnessy, and its counterpart Non-Strategic Games
examinations were moved up to December. The students
club moderated by Mrs. Yankowski. Still another unique
seemed to really appreciate the fact that with the earlier
group on campus was the Remote Car Club.
exams they would no longer have them “hanging over their heads” during the Christmas break.
The jewel in the crown of Prep winter sports for 1987–88 was obviously the hockey team, whose record
What they did not realize at the time, however, was
reached 19-2. They were ranked first at the start of the
that in order to compensate for the unequal semester
playoff season. Tri-captains Sean Curry, Tony Gravanis,
lengths and to increase contact hours between teachers
and John Sather provided leadership, as well as the
and students, the Prep administration would soon start
talented Ted Drury, Craig Duddy, John Lasher, and a
moving up the date of the beginning of the school year.
host of others. The team failed to reach the finals in the
Sure enough, the start of the school year was soon moved
state tournament, however. Meanwhile, the basketball
from the traditional after-Labor Day slot into the last
program experienced a coaching change when Mr. Tim
week of August.
Owen replaced the departed Larry Menta.
New Language Offerings
First Woman Coach
On the extracurricular front, the music program
There was a new coach of the tennis team in 1988.
continued to expand as the Prep band, directed by Mrs.
She was the first female head coach of a varsity sport
Sciascia was inaugurated. Mrs. Sciascia, by the way, also
at Fairfield Prep, with the exception of Ms. Maureen
served in the language department as the instructor
Hammill who filled in temporarily as swimming coach
of Italian, which was a very positive addition to the
when Bruce Jaffe took ill.
curriculum.
Ms. Eileen McKay brought her considerable skills
A novel idea within the social studies department at
to the team and coached them to a very competitive
this time was the creation of an Asian honors humanities
level. After a few years Ms. McKay began dating Mr.
course by Mr. Driscoll. While the department had
Melody, former head basketball coach. The happy couple
offered a course in Asian studies for some time, the
eventually married. In the years to come, as the average HISTORY OF PREP | 117
CONTRASTING STYLES
age of the Prep faculty began to drop, this trend would
Alumni Hall gymnasium. Fr. Kolvenbach delivered a
continue.
moving and uplifting speech to the assembly, after which
On the national scene, the big event of the summer
he was presented with an official Fairfield Prep jacket
of 1988 was the primary contests and conventions of
by Father Brissette, S.J. of the Prep faculty. The Father
the Democratic and Republican parties. The big surprise
General’s visit was certainly one of the highlights of the
was on the Democratic side where Michael Dukakis
school year. His warmth and good cheer were the perfect
of Massachusetts was nominated as the candidate for
incentives upon which to begin the school year.
President. For the Republicans, George H. W. Bush easily won the nomination as expected. Bush, of course won the presidential election in November.
Another State Title for Lavery! As soon as the school settled down from the
As the summer of 1988 progressed there came the
Kolvenbach visit, various assemblies, and other opening
tragic news of the death of another member of the Prep
of school business, the attention of the student body
student body. In August, Luther Niper died after a brief
turned to sports. Coach Lavery’s football team was the
illness. Big Luther was a gentle soul, and his passing was
main attraction on campus during the autumn of ’88.
especially difficult for his older brother Jim ’88, to bear.
After a rather depressing loss by a score of 25-16 to St.
But, as usual, the Prep community converged to provide
John the Baptist of West Islip, Long Island, the Prepsters
solace to Jim and the Niper family in their time of need.
never lost another game that season. They finished with a 9-1-1 record, and captured the ACC League Trophy.
School in August? Classes for the 1988–89 school year began on August
Their one tie came against arch-rival St. Joseph’s of Trumbull by a score of 13-13.
30. The date is significant because it was the first time
The defense was excellent throughout most of the
in Prep’s history that school commenced in August.
season and posted five shut-outs in all. The last shut-out
Needless to say, many students and faculty were unhappy
was the most significant. It was a 7-0 white-washing of
with the early start. Despite their misgivings however,
Greenwich in the state championship game to capture
the trend toward an earlier start to the school year would
the title. Another significant shut-out that season was
only continue, as the Prep administration joined the
the 30-0 victory against St. Bernard’s because it marked
growing national trend to increase educational contact
Earl Lavery’s 200th win as a coach. Coach Lavery was
hours. The good old days of school not beginning until
honored as Connecticut High School “Coach of the Year”
after Labor Day were clearly over. Meanwhile, Fairfield
by the New Haven Register. Among his talented cast of
Prep opened its doors that year to a special class.
players Eric Wuchiski, Jay Sheehan, Mike Bertie, Bruce
The Class of ’92 would become members of the 50th
Sotire, Kevin McNamara, Sean McNamara and Pete Csom
graduating class in the history of the school. Time would
made the All-MBIAC team with the two McNamaras and
tell if this class would live up to the great tradition begun
Csom going All-State.
when that first class graduated from the school back in
Non-athletic extracurricular activities were alive
1943. (The first school year was 1942-1943. The first
and well under the Allen regime. Part of the reason for
graduating class was the class of 1943.) The new class
this was the addition of the 7th period to the school
was as always happily greeted by the Prep faculty. There
day. The extra period came as a result of the work by
was also a new addition to the theology faculty in the
a committee chaired by English teacher Ms. Maureen
person of Mr. Philip Schuchert.
Diffley. The committee determined that there was a need for organized time to be devoted only to extracurricular
Father General’s Visit
118
activities. Under this system the regular school day
A major happening on campus on October 7th was
ended after 6th period at 2 p.m. Following that would
the visit of Rev. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, Father General
be a 7th period set aside for clubs, intramurals, extra
of the Society of Jesus. The entire student body turned
help, and various other extracurricular events. The
out for a rousing reception for the Father General in the
only regular classes that met during 7th period were the
| HISTORY OF PREP
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living firmly within a new “revolution” in the country - the high-tech revolution. The 1980s will go down in history because of the great changes in information technology that swept the land. Computers, the Internet, email, cell phones, fax machines, etc. would soon be the norm in the lives of Americans. For the generation that had grown up with these changes, all these high-tech advances seemed perfectly normal. But to the older generation, especially to teachers who had to make a rapid adjustment to using these devices in the classroom, there was certainly a problem of adjustment. Ted Drury ’89 and Coach Roos.
The terminology alone was enough to boggle the mind,
various science labs, which needed a double period in
never mind the use of the technology itself. The whole
order to accomplish their tasks. New additions to the
thing brought to mind the prophecy of Alvin Toffler in
extracurricular offerings included the Baseball Card
his book Future Shock.
Club, the DaVinci Art Club, the Great Books Club, and Students against Drunk Driving (SADD)
As the 1988–89 school year came to a close, the word began to circulate that Fr. Allen was stepping
As the months rolled into winter it was time for a new
down as headmaster in order to accept a position in the
season of sports. Big things were expected of the hockey
admissions department of Boston College. It was with a
team for the 1988–89 school year. Led by the sensational
sad heart that the students of Prep accepted the news. Fr.
Ted Drury, the team did not disappoint its many fans as
Allen had been an extremely popular leader. His friendly
it went through its state competition without a loss and
manner was appreciated by all the students. He will be
along the way helped Coach Roos to capture his 250th
forever known for his valiant attempts to know all the
coaching victory. Unfortunately, a state title was not in
students of the school by name. “Now, let me see, you
the offing as Prep was knocked out of the playoffs in
are...don’t tell me, ah...give me the first initial...from
1989 and Hamden took the crown with a 2-1 victory
Ridgefield, aren’t you?”
over ND, West Haven.
Fr. Allen’s reign will be also known for the renovation
After the season it was announced that Ted Drury
of the fourth floor of Berchmans, the growth of the
had been drafted by the Calgary Flames of the National
music program, excellence in sports, the re-certification
Hockey League. Ted was the first Prep hockey player ever
of the school by the New England Board of Review, and
to achieve that distinction. However, rather than going
most importantly, the winning of the U.S. Department
immediately to the pros, Ted decided to attend Harvard
of Education award for Excellence in Education. In
University. Ted and his brother Chris went on to be the
their report, the evaluators from the U.S. Department
most famous and successful members ever graduated
of Education made note of the fact that the students of
from the Fairfield Prep hockey program.
Prep really liked the school, their headmaster, and their teachers. The degree of positive informal interaction
Ski Team - State Title The ski team also made headlines during the winter of 1988–89, under new coach Bud McKeon. Led by Tri-
between faculty and students received the highest praise from the committee. Fr. Allen’s credo to “challenge with affection” was clearly successful
Captains Ed Baruch, Chris Lund, and Travis Hjorth,
Most importantly, Fr. Allen placed a distinctly
along with Jim Carolan, Chris Friberg, and Matt Hauser,
humane stamp on the school. He ran Fairfield Prep with
the Prep skiers won their very first state championship.
a flare that was unmatched in the school’s history. He
As winter turned to spring 1989, the decade of the
will always be remembered for his great sense of humor,
1980s was drawing toward a close. One wonders how
his unparalleled speaking skills, and his devotion to the
many of the students of Prep realized that they were now
Prep community. The pain of Fr. Allen’s departure was at HISTORY OF PREP | 119
CONTRASTING STYLES
A group photo of the Prep Jesuits. Front row, l-r: Fr. Sproule, Fr. Trinkle, Fr. Murphy, Fr. Gallarelli, Fr. Pusateri, Fr. Brissette. Second row: Fr. Perry, Fr. Ryan, Fr. Pelletier, Fr. Barry, Fr. Eagan. Back row: Fr. Zupez, Fr. Shaughnessy, Fr. Crabb, Fr. Allen.
120
least to some extent mitigated by a “roast” held for him
gathered in the famous Tiananmen Square in the heart
at the end of the school year. The master of ceremonies
of Beijing in late May in order to petition for change.
was none other than Mr. Jack Roche of the science
Unfortunately, the demonstration was brutally crushed
department, whose acid tongue and quick wit resulted
when the communist government sent in troops and
in great outbursts of laughter throughout the evening.
tanks on the 4th of June. The entire event was covered
As the school year 1989 drew to a close, the attention
24/7 by the cable news networks, as that aspect of
of many turned toward China where a pro-democracy
modern information technology proved its worth in a
movement was erupting. Thousands of student protestors
very critical fashion.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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CHAPTER 8
New Challenges
B
y the middle of August 1989,
within
there was a new headmaster
speaking of consolidation, teachers were
at
office.
And
Arriving
pleased when it was announced that the number of parents’ nights was changed
headmaster of Loyola Academy for 11
from three separate evenings for different
years, then later as assistant principal
grades into one back-to-school night
of academics at St. Ignatius Prep, was
for all parents. The event was typically
Fr. James C.L. Arimond, S.J. A man of
offered on the second or third Thursday of
great experience in Jesuit secondary
September.
Fr.
Prep.
headmaster’s
from Chicago, where he had served as
education,
Fairfield
the
Arimond
came
to
Fairfield with a clear vision of what was
Rev. James C. L. Arimond, S.J., Headmaster 1989-1996
needed to orchestrate the running of a
There were a number of new faces among the faculty and staff in the 198990 school year. Two new leaders of the
successful school. He wasted little time implementing
development office were added as Mr. Larry Carroll
his plan.
’63 took over as director and Mrs. Marianne Birtwell
From the start, two of the major themes of the
as his assistant. Brought in as the new chaplain was Fr.
Arimond administration were logic and consistency.
William Cullen S.J., a gentle man with a winning smile.
Fr. Arimond sought to apply each to the running of the
In general, during Fr. Arimond’s reign, the average age
school. One of the first things that he did was to drop
of the school’s faculty became considerably younger. As
the sport coat requirement from the student dress code.
a number of senior faculty left the school or retired, the
He saw that it was illogical for students to carry two
trend was to replace them with younger teachers. Soon
coats with them throughout the day - their sport coat
added to the faculty were Peter LaVigne, Paul Hogan,
and then their Prep jacket, parka, or whatever. Many of
Mark Stepsis, John Yanosy, and many others.
the students wore jackets that were shorter than their
Once the school settled into its regular routine,
sport coat or simply looked foolish wearing the shorter
attention again turned to Prep football. The ’89 football
jacket over their blazer. By dropping the sport coat idea,
team had a solid season and compiled an 8-2 record.
Fr. Arimond quickly resolved the problem. The shirt and
Unfortunately, one of the losses came at the hands of St.
tie requirement would remain, however.
Joe’s by a score of 20-19. The loss was particularly hard
In a major administrative move, Fr. Arimond
to swallow since Prep came so close to winning in the
disbanded the Board of Regents, an advisory institution
waning seconds of the game. The big play in question
at Prep since the days of Fr. Bowler. Thus, the new leader
was a pass play from Frank Fedak to Mike Quinn with
created a greater sense of consolidation and consistency
eight seconds left. Quinn caught the ball and went out
HISTORY OF PREP | 121
NEW CHALLENGES
annual Hall of Fame event. On the evening of October 28, Fr. Walter Pelletier, S.J. ’47 and Mr. Edward Rowe ’59 were added to the Hall. Both had compiled outstanding careers as educators at the school. Joining them in the Hall of Fame that year were John Shannon and Pedro Wasmer. Unfortunately, shortly after addressing the reception, Headmaster Arimond was stricken by a heart attack and rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital. The illness and the subsequent recuperation period kept Fr. Arimond out of his office until well into the second semester. During his absence, the everyday running of the school was placed in the capable hands of the Pre-Arrupe Hall – Prep students change classes.
While all this was taking place, events in Europe were
of bounds on the one-yard line. At that point, Prep
moving quickly. On November 9, prolonged resistance
attempted to call time out, thinking that there was still
against communism resulted in the destruction of one
some time left in the game. However, the referee ruled
of its most obvious symbols when the Berlin Wall was
that Quinn was downed before going out of bounds.
torn down by the German people. For the first time since
The only other loss of the season came to powerhouse Xaverian Brothers of Massachusetts by a score of 21-8.
122
Academic Dean, Mr. Robert Perrotta.
1961 people from East and West Berlin could safely pass from one zone to another.
Other than those two losses, the Prep team played very
The good news from Europe unfortunately met its
well for the entire season. The team was forced to share
antithesis in the headlines emerging from Latin America.
the championship trophy due to a three-way tie in ACC
On November 16th in El Salvador, six Jesuits who had
competition. Throughout the season, great leadership
championed human rights for the poor were murdered
was provided by a number of people including Fedak,
along with their housekeeper and her daughter. This
Quinn, and Chris Zingo.
terrible event sent shock waves throughout the world
Coach Jaffe’s soccer team was outstanding in ’89,
and the Society of Jesus. The event contributed to a
compiling a 13-3 record and winning the ACC title.
somber tone at Prep’s annual Thanksgiving celebration
The team received a bye in their first round of the state
later that month. Everyone in the Prep community now
playoff. In their first game, they unfortunately fell by a
clearly understood that working for justice could be a
score of 2-1 to a tough Danbury team, and thus their
very costly endeavor.
season was ended. Captain Mike Lonergan was an
As the school attempted to return to normal, one
outstanding leader. He was chosen M.V.P. of the league
of the major changes that emerged in ’89–’90 was the
and made the All-State team for his outstanding play.
flowering of the Prep band under the direction of Mr.
John McHale, the other team captain, and Steve Deveau
Gary Rosoff. The band was comprised of 34 members,
were also named to the All-League team.
most of them underclassmen. They joined the musical
Coach Bob Ford’s cross country team also was very
family that also included the Prep singing group, which
successful in ’89. The harriers finished with a 6-3 record
was in its fifth year, along with the liturgical singers, who
and wound up with a ranking of 5th in the state as well
performed at Prep religious celebrations.
as 17th in New England. Co-captains of the team were
Another change at the school was a new director of the
Todd Sullivan and Doug Lanzo. Lanzo was outstanding
Prep Players. Taking over for Mr. Skolnick was the new
throughout the season, as was the rising sophomore
drama teacher Ms. Suzanne Scoville. In mid-December,
talent Ryan Donovan.
the group put on its first production, An Evening of One
As the fall teams were progressing through their
Act Plays. The two one-act plays that evening were The
schedules, the attention of the school turned to the
Final Dress Rehearsal and An Afternoon at the Seaside. The
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sets for the plays were produced under the direction of
of the season, the team had extended its losing streak to
Mr. Frank Bramble. The evening was a great success. The
38. Great jubilation was realized when the streak ended
“Scoville touch” was evident in another Prep spectacle
in the next game as Prep defeated Darien by a score
that year. Performed to the joy and amusement of a large
of 82-76. Although the team never accomplished very
and enthusiastic audience was the Prep Follies with
much that season, they had at least made the turnaround
Fr. Cullen as master of ceremonies. In this production,
that everyone associated with the program hoped would
various faculty and staff members, and talented parents,
happen. Coach Tim Owen had reason to smile as the
showed another side of themselves, as they sang, danced,
team actually was granted an ACC tournament berth for
and performed in various skits and musical numbers.
having compiled enough wins to qualify, even though
The usual number of interesting clubs and
their final record was under 500.
organizations flourished in the 1989-90 school year. A
The ’89-’90 swimming team gave Bruce Jaffe some
few new groups were organized that year. The Spanish
great moments, with Captains Doug Bescher and Tom
Exchange, a natural outgrowth of the Spanish Honor
Burns leading the Prep swimmers to an excellent
Society, was added to the school. In the area of art the
season. The ski team continued its outstanding work
new organization was the Beaux Arts Club. Soundings,
on the slopes, capturing the 2nd straight Connecticut
the school’s newspaper, underwent some major changes
championship. The skiers were led by Jim Carolan, Chris
in format. One of the first articles of the year had to do
Fribeg, and Matt Hauser, and the coach of the successful
with the sad story of the illness of Fr. Trinkle, S.J.
team was once again Bud McKeon. The Prep skiers were
Fr. Trinkle, one of the most loved teachers in the
quickly becoming noted for their great talent and their
school’s history, was unable to continue his teaching
tremendous competitive spirit. It was clear to all those
duties and was forced to leave the classroom. Sadly,
who followed sports in Connecticut that another great
Fr. Trinkle never again returned to the classroom. His
Prep dynasty was being born. The wrestling team had
condition quickly deteriorated and he passed away on
a new coach in Mr. Mike Pollack. Led by Captains Dan
May 6, 1990. At his funeral Mass the entire community
Kelley and Brett Dickinson, the grapplers were able to
came together to mourn this wonderful priest and
take 2nd place in the ACC, while the Prep bowling team,
teacher. His gentle manner and unconditional love for
coached by Mr. Peter LaVigne, also had a successful
his students can best be summarized in his own word:
season. Senior Captains Lou Faugno and Eric Gramse
“Greetings!”
helped the team capture a majority of its matches against
The winter sports season proved to be interesting
some strong opposition.
indeed. The Prep hockey team, suffering from the loss of many key players due to graduation, had an off year in ’89-’90. The team could only compile an 8-8 record. The most startling news of the season came at its end, for with the termination of the season came the announcement that Coach Marty Roos suddenly resigned after 19 years behind the bench. During his years at Prep, Coach Roos built the program up from a simple club activity to one of the powerhouses of New England. His overall record was 265-127-18. With Roos at the helm the Prep hockey team captured four state championships and made numerous appearances in the playoffs. The Prep basketball team was remarkable in its own right in ’89-’90. When it lost its first game
Fr. William Eagan, S.J., with student. HISTORY OF PREP | 123
NEW CHALLENGES
There was a new winter sport at Prep in ’89-’90 as
were Mike Sprouse, Mark Fitzgerald, Rob Bilek, Brian
indoor track made its first appearance. The first head
Fisher, and Andy Kutner. The golf team was also good in
coach of the new team was Mr. Phillip Schuchert. He
1990. Coach Ratchford had his usual group of talented
was assisted by Mr. Bob Ford. First captains of the team
players. Meanwhile, the rugby team, in its 11th season as
were Doug Lanzo, Paul Bollyky, and Bryan St. Laurent.
an official organization, continued to improve. The track
The team was quite good, and its success paved the way
team also fielded a very good group of athletes, especially
for an outstanding outdoor track season later in the year.
in the middle and long distance events. Track & field had
Meanwhile, the rifle team, coming off an impressive 15-1
always been a strong draw for Fairfield Prep students, in
record the previous year, had high expectations in ’89-
part due to its “no cut” policy and its traditionally strong
’90. In only its third year in existence, the team was able
team spirit.
to compile an excellent record once more.
Fairfield Prep did its share to promote international
In the midst of the winter sports schedule the word
understanding in the summer of 1990 when the soccer
arrived at Prep that it had lost another distinguished
team made a goodwill journey to Japan. Bruce Jaffe’s boys
member of its teaching community. On January 25, 1990,
were aided in their tour by the presence of Prep’s Asian
Fr. Charles Munzing, S.J. passed on to his eternal reward
specialist Mr. Driscoll, who is fluent in the Japanese
after only months of retirement. Fr. Munzing had long
language. Throughout some very hot days during that
been a member of the Fairfield Jesuit community and had
summer the soccer team played well and served as great
served the Prep in many capacities throughout the years
ambassadors of Fairfield Prep and the United States.
as dean of men, athletic director, and teacher of German,
Amusingly, the Japanese people, especially the teenage
Latin, and English. Those who knew the man would
girls, really became enamored with the Prep boys. One
quickly attest to his sensitive character and shyness, often
player in particular, John Ciorciari, took on a Beckham-
masked by a brusque exterior. Fr. Munzing, known as
like persona to the Japanese girls, who screamed at the
“Chuck” to his friends, and later as “Yoda” to his students,
very sight of the handsome Prep star. A little of the glow
was a caring and talented priest and teacher. His loss was
on John’s star was tarnished a bit during the next school
deeply felt by all who knew him.
year when he somehow managed to “park” his car on
After the slow months of winter, the Prep community
top of the stone wall on North Benson Road. John, by
looked anxiously toward spring and with it the new
the way, went on to have a distinguished career as an
sports season. Coach Rowe’s baseball team had a rather
academic. As of 2017, Dr. John Ciorciari is an associate
down season. They were only able to compile a record
professor of the International Policy Center at the
of 8-12. Tri-captains Chris Zingo, Frank Fedak, and Dan
University of Michigan, and author of numerous books
King did their best to keep the team moving in a positive
and articles. Interestingly, the focus of his work is on
direction. However, the competition was just too tough
East and Southeast Asia.
in 1990. Coach Rowe knew that his next season would be one of rebuilding. The lacrosse team also fell under .500 posting a 7-8 record. Co-captains Joe McGlone and Matt Barnard, fresh from a lacrosse camp in Maryland the previous summer, hoped to see better results in the 1990 season. Unfortunately,
the
team’s
lackluster
performance
ensured that the Prep team would be left out of the playoffs for the first time in six years. The tennis team continued its great success under the coaching of Ms. McKay. The team rocketed to their second consecutive state championship. Captains Doug Knuth and Paul Nessel led the very talented team. Other key players 124
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Fr. James Arimond, S.J., brags about Fairfield Prep.
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this system from the faculty, who felt that it was an additional imposition on their already diminishing free time. The system did prove to be functional, however, in that it provided for a quieter atmosphere in the hallways and stairways throughout the day. An additional change was the dropping of the 7th period from the daily class schedule. The other six periods were expanded by five minutes each in order to fill up the time slot. Therefore, the students, although having one less period per day, went home later generally speaking, as the sixth period now ended at 2:25 and not 2:05 as in previous years. In Fr. Walter Pelletier, S.J., is the principal celebrant in the Chapel of St. Joseph.
many respects, the system was beneficial to the average classroom teacher since he or she had more time throughout the year to cover
New Housemasters
the subject. On the other hand, the lack of an activity
As September 1990 arrived, Fr. Arimond entered his
period at the end of a school day was expected by some
second year as headmaster. In keeping with his policy of
to have a negative effect on extracurricular organizations,
bringing the school to a more efficient level of operation,
clubs, and intramurals.
Fr. Arimond instituted a number of changes in the 1990-
A major event on the Fairfield campus in September
91 school year. One of the most obvious changes had
was the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the
to do with the administrative setup itself, as the school
founding of the Society of Jesus. On September 22,
moved to a dual housemaster system. Leaving the social
Prep participated in this historical occasion by holding
studies classroom, and taking the post of housemaster
a special Mass in Alumni Hall. The guest at the Liturgy
of Xavier Hall, was Mr. Richard Magdon. The dean of
was the Rector of the Fairfield Jesuit Community, Fr.
students’ position was terminated and the previous
Thomas P. O’Malley. Making the ceremony even more
holder of that office, Colonel John Redgate, returned to
impressive was the beautiful harmonies of the Prep
the English classroom. Continuing as housemaster of
Liturgical Singers, directed by Mr. Steve Jakab ’84, and
Berchmans was Mr. John Brennan.
featuring the singing of Mr. Tony Canuel.
Another major change affecting the school in 1990-
It was not long before the Prep football season
91 was a new substitute system for absent teachers.
commenced. Coach Lavery, assisted by Mr. Magdon and
In previous years when a teacher was absent, each
Mr. Maffei, put together a typical Prep team. The boys
department was expected to cover his or her classes
were hard-nosed and scrappy. Unfortunately, it was not
in the best way that the department’s members saw fit.
the kind of season that all had expected. The ’90 Prep
Usually, this amounted to assignments being handed out
football team compiled a record of 6-3-1. The big hurt
and the students being allowed to leave and have a free
was the loss to rival St. Joe’s. The high point of the season
period. The new system set up a prefecting schedule,
had to be the upset victory over the Xaverian Brothers.
whereby faculty were assigned during their free periods
Coach Jaffe’s soccer team had a very good season
to cover the class of an absent teacher, take attendance,
with a record of 7-3 in the ACC. However, their overall
hand out assignments, and stay with the students for the
record was only 7-7-1 due to a schedule that included
entire period while supervising their work. Thus, the
many tough non-league opponents. The biggest
students were no longer allowed to use those periods as
disappointment of the season had to be the loss to
free time. Needless to say, there was some opposition to
Shelton in the state tournament. A bright spot for Prep HISTORY OF PREP | 125
NEW CHALLENGES
Peter Sarsgaard ’89
Mike McGlone ’91
was Steve Deveau, who was both all-state and all-league. Larry Lazarides also made the All-ACC team in 1990, while Mike Lavery made second team, ACC.
126
Justin Long ’96
Juwan Crawley ’12
Stars of Stage & Screen In drama, the Prep Players, directed by Ms. Scoville, staged successful productions of An Afternoon at
The 1990 cross country team was outstanding. Coach
the Seaside and Cyrano de Bergerac, starring Mike
Ford’s runners finished with a record of 10-1 and they
McGlone ’91. It is worth noting that after graduation
compiled big wins over rivals St. Joe’s, St. Bernard’s, and
McGlone brought his significant acting skills to the
Notre Dame of West Haven. The team copped 3rd place
big screen, where he starred with Ed Byrnes in The
in the Class LL championship and 6th place at the State
Brothers McMullen. Mike followed that with She’s the
Open. The shining star of the cross country team was
One, where he had the good fortune of working with
Ryan Donovan. Ryan, one of the best distance runners
Jennifer Anniston. He also made a series of GEICO
in the school’s history, received a number of honors in
commercials for TV. Mike McGlone is not the only Prep
the post season, including All-League, All-State, and
grad to make it big in acting. Kevin Heffernan ’86, has
All-New England. Making second-team, ACC were Joe
appeared in various comedies, including Super Troopers
Crespo, Dave Russell, and Sten Swanston.
I and II, Broken Lizard, and Beerfest. Peter Sarsgaard ’89,
Although the elimination of the 7th period activity
has emerged as a megastar with one big screen hit after
session did seem to have an impact on the enrollment
another, including Jarhead, FlightPlan, Garden State, An
in a few organizations, the extracurricular life of Prep
Education and most recently, Jackie. Peter hosted Saturday
was alive and well in ’90-’91. Some varied and interesting
Night Live in 2006. Justin Long ’96, has had excellent
organizations were quite active, such as the Underwater
success in films, including Dodgeball, Galaxy Quest,
Enthusiasts, moderated by Mr. Mark Stepsis; the
Accepted, and Live Free or Die Hard, with Bruce Willis.
Philosophy Club, moderated by Mr. Steve Jakab; and the
Justin also performed on TV on Saturday Night Live,
Outing Club, moderated by Mr. Bob Ford. Other socially
and in those funny Apple computer commercials. Dave
conscious groups were also successful on campus, such
Holland ’88, has made his mark in television as a film
as Mr. Gerics’s Amnesty International, SADD (Students
editor, director and producer for shows comedy shows
against Drunk Driving) and SEED (Students for
Parks and Recreation and The Office, for which he won a
Educational Excellence through Diversity).
Primetime Emmy for Single Camera Picture Editing. The
Meanwhile, the arts at Prep were alive and well. The
great thespian tradition has subsequently been upheld by
major happening in the world of music at Prep during the
talents such as Trevor Fanning, Thomas Simonetti, Alex
’90-’91 school year was the introduction of Mr. Rosoff’s
Tortora, Joseph Homza, Sergio Cruz, Dimitri Kousidis,
jazz band, the Jazzuits, who added their great sounds to
Liam Traynor, and Juwan Crawley. Crawley ’12, by the
the Prep music program. The Prep Band, Concert Choir,
way, made a big splash in the off-broadway production
Chorus, Liturgical Singers, and now the Jazzuits all
Spamilton, a satire of the Tony Award winning Hamilton.
helped create beautiful music at many Prep events.
As September of 2017 Spamilton was enjoying its second
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highly successful year. In a review of the play in The
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period was born and it would last for the next two years.
New York Times dated September 8, 2016, drama critic
As fall headed toward winter it was time for a new
Ben Brantley proclaimed that Crawley “… in an inspired
round of sports. The 1990-91 basketball team, led
interpolation, does a Yoda-like Stephen Soundheim
by captains John Slais, Jim Dawes, and Matt Blagys,
doing Benjamin Franklin.”
compiled its first above-.500 record in 6 seasons,
On the production side, there are several Prep
finishing at 11-9. Coach Tim Owen was pleased that his
grads who became big stars. Among them are: Peter F.
program finally manifested some progress after three
Jankowski ’82, who is the president and CEO of Wolf
years of utter frustration. As news of the team’s success
Films, Inc. His 2003 documentary on 9/11, entitled Twin
began to circulate, the Prep fans began to return to the
Towers, won an Academy Award. Peter also produces the
bleachers.
TV series Law and Order, and Chicago Fire, to name a few. Additionally there is Jeffrey A. Davis ’93, who is the creator and producer of the Criminal Minds and the MTV Teen Wolf series.
A New Hockey Coach – Another State Title The major news of the ’90-’91 sports year had to be the naming of a new hockey coach at Fairfield Prep, as
The music, drama, and art offerings of the school
Mr. Peter LaVigne took the reins from Mr. Roos. So it
were expanded in the fall of 1990 with the addition of
came to pass that the Prep hockey team had only its
a new group of courses. This was a major change in
second coach in its great history. Assisting LaVigne were
the curriculum, and it did have some rather interesting
Mike Brennan and Kurt Johnson. Along with the change
repercussions. The addition of new courses, along with
of coaches came a change in home rinks as the team
the elimination of the seven-period day made for severe
moved from the Milford Ice Pavilion to the Wonderland
scheduling problems, and a number of students found
of Ice in Bridgeport.
themselves in the position of being unable to take both
The Wonderland of Ice was an old rink, and Prep had
their fine arts and history courses. For that reason, the
played many of its early contests there. The rink was
social studies department offered history sections at 8:00
renovated for the Prep team, complete with new paint
a.m. every morning in order to accommodate students
and a new locker room. The new rink had other benefits
with schedule conflicts. Thus, the so-called “zero”
such as being situated closer to campus and having a
Celebration as Prep Hockey wins State Championship — 1991.
HISTORY OF PREP | 127
NEW CHALLENGES
larger attendance capacity than the Milford facility. LaVigne, the energetic novice coach, had an immediate
only served to toughen the Prepsters as they responded
effect on his players. His enthusiasm and coaching skills
by capturing the ACC championship. Captains Bob
were manifested in an outstanding season, from start to
Bishop, Jim Newman, and Dave Tunstall set the stage for
finish. After faltering to an 8-8 record in Coach Roos’
a very competitive group. Jim Masterson, Phil Murphy,
last year, the Prep skaters responded to LaVigne with
Jim Hines, Ben Slen, Mark Hibbert, Mark Kacko, Jaimie
a 13-2 record and a state Division I championship,
Tuttle, Greg Foscato, Freg Chiota, Andreas Argentinis,
defeating Hamden in the title game by a score of 3-1.
Keith Romano, Matt Romano, Jay Fusco, and Rob
The season had many high points, including victories
Millard all contributed to the success of the team. Bishop,
over many of the great out-of-state teams across New
Chiota, Hines, Newman, and Tunstall all qualified for the
England. For example, Prep was invited to participate
Class LL tournament.
in the challenging Providence Journal tournament,
Bruce Jaffe’s swimming team also won the ACC
where they defeated the talented Bishop Hendricksen
championship. The team compiled a 7-6 record and won
of Rhode Island before losing to Catholic Memorial of
the big meets when it counted and grabbed the league
Massachusetts, one of New England’s highest ranked
title. Captains Randy Maultsby, Jason Morris, and Chris
teams.
Kondrath provided the leadership and the rest of the
The Prep hockey team will forever be noted for its
team followed. It was a very good season for the team:
talented and hardworking players, many of whom were
John Webber, Kevin Dahl, Adam Bescher, Jim Dowd, Eric
known for their off-ice personalities as well as their on-
Malico, Jon Bescher, Diego Hernandez, Kirk Holzapfel,
ice success. Anchoring the team were the fun-loving
and Carter Hennessey. Divers Brian Arnow and Roger
pair of co-captains, Dave “Woody” Woodward and Liam
Fekete qualified for the State Tournament.
McCarthy. The talent ran deep on this team, however,
The ski team continued its amazing story when it
with players such as the sensational goal tending Bill
captured its unprecedented third straight CISL and
Towle and Kevin O’Connor, along with skaters Greg
state titles in ’90-’91. Coach Bud McKeon once more
Mello, Jerry Budnick, Jim Solkoske, Jason DePalma, Bob
assembled a deep and skilled team that simply dominated
Hassinger, Seth Kyle, Rudy Mauritz, Jason Roos, Sean
the competition. Senior Captains Mark Falango, Matt
Egan, Matt Sather, John Fouser, Dennis Mastriano, Matt
Hauser, and Chris Hijorth anchored the team, but
Whittier, Brian Hebert, Chris Drury, and Clayton Massey.
everyone on the team contributed to its success.
The Prep hockey program, once an unknown entity
Two other mid-year sports that garnered their fair
at the school, was quickly capturing the attention of the
share of victories were the bowling team and the rifle
entire community while it assumed its place as one of
team. The bowling team, coached by Mrs. Keltos and
the most successful teams in the history of the school.
captained by Steve Delvy, was very successful. Mr. Ellis’s
Under LaVigne, the team went on to capture state
rifle team, captained by Kevin Scully and Steve Duva, and
championships in ’91 ’95, and ’96.
had a very good season. Sharp-shooting Steve Capella
Coach Owen’s basketball team was captained by John Slais and Jim Dawes to successful season. The team had
128
very formidable competition. However, the competition
was particularly effective, and he achieved honorable mention on the All-State team at season’s end.
its best campaign in seven years, with a league mark of
In the midst of the winter sports season, the attention
4-6 and an overall record of 11-9. A real bright spot of
of Americans turned to Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. On
the season occurred when junior Matt Blagys pumped
January 16, 1991 President Bush ordered a full-scale
in 33 points in the game against East Catholic. Other
invasion in order to repel Iraqi forces that had attempted
stand-outs on the team were Tom Ciszeswki, Brendan
to annex the tiny oil-rich state. The war continued
Donahue, and John Ciorciari.
throughout February as the country watched on TV.
In wrestling, Fairfield Prep also reached great heights
As was the case with every war since World War II, the
of success. Under second year Coach Mike Pollack, the
Americans forces overseas included a number of Prep
team posted a 10-10 record in dual meets against some
graduates who were serving in answer to their country’s
| HISTORY OF PREP
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call. Mr. John Brennan coordinated a letter writing
skills necessary to succeed in even the most demanding
campaign between Prep students and their alumni in
and rigorous college program. The proof of this fact lies
battle, in order to bolster their spirits and let them know
in the Prep alumni occupational survey, which reads like
that the prayers of the Prep community were with them.
a “Who’s Who” in medicine, law, business, and various
As the year progressed, the young men of Prep went
other professions.
about their real purpose in life, which was attending class, meeting young women, having fun, and spending
Sports, Spring 1991
some quality time with friends at places like Johnny’s,
It was not very long before the welcome warmth of
Duchess, or some new spot as yet hopefully undiscovered
spring made its way to Connecticut, and with it the start
by the administration.
of the new sports seasons. As usual, Fairfield Prep had
One big social event of the spring of ’91 was the hilarious concert by Dana Carvey and Mike Myers of
more than its share of success among the sports of spring in 1991.
Saturday Night Live fame. The duo performed their skits
Coach Rowe fielded another talented baseball team
such as “Wayne’s World” and “Hans and Franz” before
in 1991. Senior captains Chris DelVecchio and Liam
a packed house of more than 3,000 people at Alumni
McCarthy helped lead the Prepsters to a record of 14-
Hall. The Prep Jazzuits also entertained as part of the
10 and a 2nd place finish in the ACC. But the story of
spring fundraising event, which was orchestrated by
the year for Prep was obviously the remarkable season of
the Prep Development Office, but could not have taken
pitcher Seth Firmender, who compiled a 10-0 record with
place without the diligent efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Robert
a 1.17 earned run average. Only a junior, Firmender was
Wright.
selected to the all-league team, and he garnered many
Speaking of the Jazzuits, it is worth noting that they
all-star nominations, including that of the Daily News in
were really great that night. By the way, the name for the band was coined by Music Director Mr. Gary Rosoff. Although the name has a great ring to it, Mr. Rosoff was a little anxious about using it, fearful that the term would offend the Jesuit Fathers. But Rosoff’s fears were allayed when Headmaster Arimond heartily approved of the title, and thus it remains to this day. Over the years, many a talented Prep jazz musician has received his training as part of the Prep group, including David Hughes, Mark Musico, Mike Maronich, Ryan Fay on piano, and Ed Kapusta and Thom Brennan on trumpet. Despite all the fun of the weekend, however, Monday morning brought business as usual at Fairfield Prep. There was plenty of work to be done as the year was heading toward spring. Nevertheless, by the time March rolled around, all the seniors could do was sit back and wait to see if all their efforts had paid off in their being accepted to the colleges of their choice. Most were. The class of 1991 compiled an outstanding record of acceptances into many of the most prestigious colleges in the nation. But there was nothing new about that. From day one, Fairfield Prep established itself as a school that produced academically sound students in possession of all the
Baseball Coach Ed Rowe ’59 — 350 wins
HISTORY OF PREP | 129
NEW CHALLENGES
New York City. In the state tournament, Prep made it
in 1991. Coached by Mr. Frank Decker, and aided by Mr.
through the first round by a score of 3-2. However,
Hogan and Mr. Stepsis, the team finished in 4th place
the team fell in its second game as Simsbury put on an
in New England. Significantly, they were also awarded
awesome display in defeating Prep by a score of 9-1.
the Murray Grammar Award for good sportsmanship.
The Prep lacrosse team was certainly riding
Coach Ratchford put together another group of talented
a wave of positive energy in 1991. The laxmen
linksters in 1991. John Godina, Doug Holub, John
reached the quarter finals in the state tournament
O’Connell, Pete Cowenhoven, and Mike Laganza were a
and demonstrated their toughness throughout the
formidable group of competitors, and the team achieved
season as they refused to be intimidated by anyone.
considerable success.
Captains Mike Cody, Nick Glomb, and Chris Wright
All things considered, the ’90-’91 school year was a
set the example, and the other players followed. The
very successful one for the students of Fairfield Prep.
team finished with a record of 7-7 during the regular
The spirited senior class contributed its leadership and
season, and they provided Coach Smalkais with many
enthusiasm, and the rest of the school followed their
exciting moments.
lead.
Coaches Ford and Schuchert entered the 1991
Fr. Arimond, in his second year as headmaster,
track season with considerable optimism. They had
continued to place his distinctive mark upon the
assembled a very talented team, led by the great
organization and structure of the school, and the result
runner Ryan Donovan. Donovan, although only a
was a great deal of stability in 1990-91. Although this
junior, served as one of the team captains along with
stability was created at the cost of some free time for
Kevin O’Grady and Eric Zadravec. The team was able
faculty and students, everyone admitted that the school
to put together a very good season and finished with
was cleaner and quieter than in recent memory.
a record of 8-7, which was good for 4th place in the highly-competitive ACC.
During summer of 1991 summer school progressed as usual with a number of incoming freshmen taking
But it was Donovan who served to provide Prep
remedial courses in math, English, or study skills in order
fans with the biggest thrills in 1991. During the regular
to prepare them for the rigors of the Prep curriculum.
season he set a new school record in the mile with a
Near summer’s end, the freshmen attended the annual
time of 4:28.05. He won both the 1600 meter and the
orientation program, run by Mr. Bob Ford and a host
3200 meter events in the ACC championship meet.
of faculty and students volunteers. The program had
Ryan then went on to take second place in the Class
evolved over the years to become an excellent outward-
LL state meet. In the State Open meet he shattered
bound experience, and it served to introduce the
his own school record with a time of 4:23.11. Ryan
freshmen to each other and to the school.
Donovan quickly established himself as the all-time greatest miler in Fairfield Prep history up to that point. The tennis team, now being coached by Athletic
Fr. Arimond orchestrated some major changes in the
Director Bob Harris, had an outstanding season
physical plant of the school during the summer of 1991.
in 1991. The team went undefeated with a 19-0
Due to the rapid expansion of the music and drama
record and easily snared the ACC title. From there it
programs, the southern section of the second floor of
continued to roll through the state tournament on its
Berchmans Hall was completely renovated to include the
way to its 3rd consecutive state championship. The
new music and drama rooms. In those respective rooms,
team was led by junior Mike Sprouse, who won the LL
Mr. Rosoff and Ms. Scoville helped facilitate in students
singles title. The Prep doubles team of Chris Tart and
a greater appreciation of the arts.
Marc Fitzgerald also won the state championship. Co-
There were a few additional physical changes at Prep
Captains Fitzgerald and Rob Bilek provided excellent
over the summer. New carpeting was laid in the first floor
leadership throughout the year.
corridor of Xavier Hall. The deep maroon color was a
The Prep rugby team also had a memorable season 130
Campus Improvements
| HISTORY OF PREP
good complement to the beautiful new trophy cases and
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paneling which Fr. Arimond had installed on the first
Mr. McGillicuddy served again as controller, Mr. Carroll
floor. These were gifts from the Fathers’ Club, the
was director of development, Fr. Pusateri was school
Bellarmine Guild, the Alumni Association, and the
chaplain, Fr. Crabb was director of admissions, and Mr.
1991 student government. For the first time Prep now
Harris continued as athletic director.
had a central location to preserve and display the many
The Guidance department in ’91-’92 was in good
awards which had been achieved by the athletic teams.
hands under Mr. McLaughlin. Working with him was
Also new to the school grounds were additional
the “dynamic duo” of Mr. David Ellis and Mr. Michael
plantings outside each building and metal posts and
Savo. Both men were very popular with the student body.
chains to help keep them from being trampled by
There always seemed to be a crowd of Prep students
traffic. But the most welcome addition to the Prep
in the guidance compound during the days of Ellis
grounds was the installation of a cement stairway
and Savo. They, along with Fr. George Gallarelli, S.J.,
leading down from the Berchmans south parking lot
(“Father G” to the boys) were great advocates for the
to the area behind the Rec-Plex. Work commenced
Prep students, and they greatly expanded the role of the
on the project in the fall and was completed by early
guidance department in the school.
winter. The new stairway made life a little safer for
In addition to the aforementioned, the Society of
students and faculty alike. In previous years, someone
Jesus was well represented that year. Fr. Murphy and
wanting to go down that hill on the loose soil had
Fr. Brissette, although retired from active duty, were
to be either a good surfer, or simply a risk-taker. In
very busy cultivating alumni contacts. Fr. Shaughnessy
keeping with Fr. Arimond’s safety theme, he had
seemed as energetic as ever, Fr. Sproule was still teaching
workmen install fencing along the top of the wall that
French, Fr. Barry was emperor of western civilization, and
ran along the southwest corner of Berchmans toward
Fr. Pelletier was still a stalwart of the math department.
the new stairs.
Two “young-old” Jesuits, Fr. Ron Perry and Fr. Larry
On the international scene, there was an amazing
Ryan, were as usual very popular with the Prep boys. In
development in 1991. During that summer events
addition to their teaching duties, the two athletic priests
unfolded that led to the downfall of the Soviet Union.
were noted for their support of ski trips and other extra-
The Cold War was about to end, and America looked
curricular activities. Unfortunately, over the next decade
forward to a new, and hopefully peaceful future.
the Jesuit presence at Prep and at other Jesuit schools
Worth noting is the fact that students and teachers
experienced a dramatic decline.
would soon be able to keep abreast of international
As usual, it was not very long until the attention of
events with the unveiling of a new technological tool
the students turned to the ’91 sports programs. Coach
called the “world-wide web,” which greatly enhanced
Lavery and his staff did their usual great job in preparing
access to information from all quarters of planet
the football team for the rigors of another tough schedule.
earth. The decade of the nineties witnessed the era
The team posted a 7-4 record for the season. Included
of the “dot-com” revolution, which provided a much-
among the wins was a very satisfying 28-13 triumph over
needed boost to the American economy. Suddenly,
St. Joseph’s of Trumbull.
buying merchandise “online” became a reality for millions of people.
When the dust settled at the end of the season, several Prep players received recognition for their efforts.
As school got underway in September, Prep’s 50th
Powerful running back Randy Zingo, who ran for over
Anniversary year, there were assemblies for all classes,
1,000 yards for the season, was named Most Valuable
as well as the Mass of the Holy Spirit. The school that
Player of the ACC, while Barry Peterson, Anthony
year had a very orderly administrative structure. Under
McKinney, Craig Murphy, and Tim Grant all were placed
Headmaster Arimond was the Academic Dean Mr.
on the first team, All-ACC squad. Most significantly,
Perrotta. Ms. Andrade was director of support services.
at season’s end Coach Earl Lavery was elected to the
In control of discipline were the two housemasters, Mr.
Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame – an honor greatly
Magdon for Xavier and Mr. Brennan for Berchmans.
deserved. HISTORY OF PREP | 131
NEW CHALLENGES
The
soccer
team
the New Haven County championships, and the Eastern
was able to secure an
State championships. Prep also captured 3rd place in the
11-4-1 record, and 2nd
state Class LL meet and 3rd place in the State Open meet.
place in the ACC. The
Extracurricular activities at Prep were certainly alive
team qualified for the
and well during the 1991-1992 school year. One of the
state
but
major events of the year was the incredibly successful
to
musical production of South Pacific as performed by the
a score of 8-0 to East
Prep Players under the direction of Ms. Scoville. The
Hartford in a crushing
play, staged in the beautiful Regina A. Quick Center for
defeat.
tournament,
unfortunately
“The Duke” Coach Earl Lavery ’50 in action on the sidelines.
A
fell
spot
the Arts, was the most extravagant musical production
for the season was an
bright
ever produced by a Prep dramatics group. Many who
excellent play by Steve
viewed it agreed that it was the Players’ finest hour to
Deveau. Steven was not
that point. The sets designed by Mr. Bramble were truly
only named All-ACC, but
outstanding. Among the stars of the show were Joe
also made the All-State squad. Steve later returned to
Farrell, Mike Rice, Dana Gorzelany, Gina Perrotta, and
teach at Fairfield Prep for a few years.
Peter Barbera as “Honey Bun.”
The 1991 cross country team was outstanding. Coach Ford’s harriers went undefeated with a record of
“Beam Me Up, Scottie”
6-0 in a dual-meet competition, and captured 1st place.
Among the new arrivals to
A big reason for the success of the ’91 team was the
the extracurricular scene at
outstanding running of Ryan Donovan. Among his many
Prep was the spaced-out Star
accomplishments that season, Donovan broke the school
Trek Club under the direction
record for a cross country run with a time of 16:24. At
of Commodores Rosoff and
season’s end, Ryan was named All-League, All-State,
Marshall.
and All-New England. Other contributors to the team
behind the establishment of
included: Joe Crespo, Sten Swanston, and Erron Hubbell,
this unique organization were
all of whom also made the All-League team. Among the
Fleet Admiral Jack Simon and
achievements of the 1991 cross country team included
Admiral Alex Weimer. Among
The
main
force
Is it Dr. Perrotta or is it Spock?
the Trekkers were various extra-terrestrials
including
Lieutenant-Commander
Jonathan Stanczyk, Admiral Mike Howard-Meyers, Peter Lesaga, and Daniel Thomas Colpi. As their initial year ended, the big question was whether the organization would “live long and prosper,” or whether it would be sucked into the black hole of dead clubs along with the Non-Strategic Games Club and Strat-O-Matic Baseball. On a more serious note, another new club turning its attention to the great beyond was the Bible Club under direction of Fr. Pusateri. Members of this group, who were devoted to the study of the Scriptures, included Gerald Hopeck, Trevor Fanning, Scott Warren, and Chris Snow. Gerald Hopeck, by the way, subsequently became a Franciscan Brother. In of the summer of 2017, Gerald celebrated his 22nd year as a Catholic educator, most Prep Players perform South Pacific.
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| HISTORY OF PREP
recently at St. Charles High in New Orleans, where he
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teaches 9th and 10th grade theology and conducts the
having a difficult time. It had now been quite a few years
liturgical choir.
since a Prep team made some real noise in state playoff
Before too long it was time for a new sports season.
competition.
All eyes turned to the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport
The swimming team was, as usual, very competitive.
where the hockey team was about to embark on another
The team compiled a record of 7-4 and won the ACC
excellent campaign. Coach LaVigne had his team well
championship meet. The Prep team was buoyed by the
prepared for another run at the state title. The Prep
great performance performances of Matt Webber, who
team posted a regular season record of 13-6 and cruised
was one of the best swimmers in New England. Great
their way through the state tournament until they were
leadership was provided by talented captains Adam
stopped in the 1992 Division I title game by a score of
Bescher, Kevin Dahl, and Jim Dowd.
3-2 by Greenwich High.
One of the most amazing sports stories at Prep was
Team captains Greg Mello, Bill Towle, and Sean Egan
the success of the ski team. The daredevils of the slopes
led a talented and deep team throughout the season. Towle
pulled off the remarkable feat of winning their 4th
was considered by many scouts to be the most talented
consecutive state title in 1992. What was even more
goalie in New England. A prominent member of the team
amazing was the string of 94 consecutive victories over
was Chris Drury, who was already a celebrity in his own
those four years. Coach McKeon deserved credit for
right before entering Prep, as he had been a member of the
this great success story, as did team captains Darren
Little League World Championship team from Trumbull
Mathis, Bart Zaino, and Ted Baltrusaitis. Mathis received
that captured America’s heart when it defeated Taiwan in
many post-season awards and was the #1 ranked skier
the Little League World Series in 1989.
in the State. Even with the loss of captain Tim Grant
Undoubtedly the most exciting event of the winter
to a knee injury, the team continued to sweep away all
of 1992 was the Winter Olympics in France. The entire
the opponents throughout the season. Team members
Prep community focused on the American hockey team
contributing to the success were: Sean Casey, Sean
that included among its roster Prep grad Ted Drury, class
Burke, Kevin McNamara, Chris Dolan, John Godina,
of 1989, and older brother of Chris. Due to the high level
Alex Oracheff, Brian Reidy, Peter Dohrenwend, Mike
of interest in the progress of the team, Fr. Arimond had
Black, Mark Kammerer, and Bob Hughes.
TVs set up in the cafeteria so that students and faculty
The ’91-’92 season for the indoor track team was very
could monitor the progress of the American team.
successful. The dedicated coaching of Mr. Schuchert
Although the team failed to secure a medal, it provided
paid big dividends throughout the season. With the
the country with some exciting moments, and everyone
indoor program now sandwiched between cross-country
at Prep was extremely proud for the play of Ted Drury
and outdoor track, Prep had a number of runners who
and his teammates. Later that spring, Ted returned to
were essentially in year-round training. This was a great
the Prep campus to receive a special award from Fr.
factor in the successful growth and development of the
Arimond. Ted addressed the assembled student body and
program. In the indoor ACC meet, Prep took 3rd place,
thanked them for their support. It was indeed a great day
and emerged victorious in four events. Alex Pfeiffer won
for Fairfield Prep.
the 500 meter run, Joe Crespo took the 800, and Ryan
While the hockey squad was enjoying another great
Donovan won the mile. The relay team of Sten Swanston,
season, the same could not be said about Prep basketball
Joe Crespo, Ryan Baxter, and Erron Hubbell also took
in 1991-1992. Coach Owen’s team could only manage a
home first place honors.
season record of 5-10. Despite the losing season, the Prep
The Prep wrestling team had much to be proud of
team played hard and never gave up. Its co-captains were
in 1992. Coach Pollack assembled a formidable array
Matt Blagys and Tom Ciszewski. Other players having
of athletes, even though only a few had three years of
a good season were John Ciorciari, Brendan Donohue
varsity experience. With senior Captains Mark Kibbert,
and the ever-energetic Ed Green. Despite the spirited
Ben Slen, and Jim Hines leading the way, the Prep team
play, it was clear that the Prep basketball program was
was extremely tough throughout the season. James Hines HISTORY OF PREP | 133
NEW CHALLENGES
the occasion, speeches were made and the Alma Mater and Fight Song were performed by the Prep Singers. April 6, 1992 was another special day in Prep’s anniversary year. On that day Theodore E. Drury ’89 was honored with a special proclamation naming him one of Prep’s outstanding scholar-athletes. Ted, after graduating from Prep, had gone on to great success at Harvard University, both on the ice and in the classroom. He later participated in the Olympics as a member of the U.S. hockey team. He went on to have a very successful career in the National Hockey League. Prep celebrates winning the Stock Market Club Game.
posted an amazing record of 26-0 for the regular season in the 140 lb. weight class. His efforts resulted in a state championship. Later, moving into the New England tournament, Jim wrestled his way into 4th place. For his career, Hines compiled an incredible record of 100 wins against only 15 losses and 2 ties, qualifying him for the honor of being called one of Prep’s greatest wrestlers.
Prep Goes Gold The month of March, 1992 brought a flurry of activity related to Prep’s 50th anniversary. On March 12, Gov. Lowell Weicker signed an official proclamation in recognition of the anniversary of Prep and Fairfield University. Present at the signing were Fr. James Arimond, S.J., Headmaster of Prep, and Fr. Aloysius Kelley, S.J., President of Fairfield University. In keeping with the festivities scheduled to celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary, there was a major event held at the Regina A. Quick Center on Sunday, March 15. On that day Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep awarded Jubilee Year Medals to six individuals who were instrumental to the success of the two institutions. Receiving medals were Helen Gilhuly, John L. Sullivan, Frances Brennan, Frank Feroleto, and Frs. Thomas Murphy and Charles Duffy. The audience in attendance for the event was treated to a special video presentation on the history of the two schools as narrated by Jason Robards. On Monday, March 16, Prep held a special time order, with an extended homeroom from 9:35 to 9:55. During that time the school assembled in the quad for a special flag-raising ceremony to commemorate the official beginning of the anniversary year. In honor of
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| HISTORY OF PREP
Unfortunately, the month of April brought with it some very sad news for the Fairfield Prep community. Mr. George Thomas passed away after a prolonged illness. Mr. Thomas had spent most of his life in the Prep family. He was an honors graduate of the Prep class of 1948, and returned to the school after college to become one of the Prep’s most successful and respected teachers and administrators. Over his almost 40 years of association with Fairfield Prep, George Thomas left his mark as an outstanding educator and loyal colleague and friend. He was one of those old school educators who could off the top of his head explain every level of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. His passing marked the end of an era, and he was mourned by all in the Prep family. As the ’91-’92 school year slowly moved toward warmer weather, it was once again time for the spring sports season. As usual, the Prep teams were very competitive and very successful. In baseball, Coach Ed Rowe had reason for optimism after his success of the previous year. The talented squad was led by captains Seth Firmender and John Dorman. Also on that team were standouts Chris Drury, Rudy Mauritz, Matt Sather and Randy Zingo. The team unfortunately played inconsistently throughout the season but was nevertheless able to stay at about the .500 mark. Probably the most significant win of the 1992 campaign came on Friday, May 22, when Prep bested Bethel by a score of 6-3. With that win, Prep’s 9th of the season, Coach Rowe secured his 350th career win against only 137 losses – an incredible feat in any sport. Over Rowe’s 24 year career up to that point, his teams had made the state postseason tournament every year but one. The Prep track team had a very successful 1992 season. The team was deep with talent in almost all
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running events, especially middle and long distance.
the old mite-box for the
Ryan Donovan continued his assault on the record
needy during homeroom.
books with some outstanding times. The Prep 4x100 and
As the school headed
4x400 relay teams were excellent and came very close to
toward the end of the
establishing new records. Coaches Ford and Schuchert
year, Fr. Pusateri was able
were pleased with the strong showing of their team in
to announce that the Prep
the league and state championship meets.
community
The tennis team again captured a league title. Led by
had
given
more than $10,000 in the
state champion Mike Sprouse, the Prep team was almost
collections
unbeatable. Meanwhile, Coach Ratchford’s golf team
the year. The success of
again easily captured the ACC league championship
the mite-box was certainly
trophy, and the rugby team was very strong and quickly
due
developing into a major force in New England.
natured persuasion of the
The same was true of the lacrosse team, which posted
to
chaplain.
throughout
the
gentle-
Unfortunately
a 14-4 record and achieved a ranking of 3rd in the state.
for Prep, at year’s end it
Unfortunately, the laxmen were defeated by Daniel Hand
was announced that Fr.
High School in the state tournament, and their dream
Pusateri was leaving Prep
season came dramatically to an end. Nevertheless, it was
to take the post of rector
a memorable campaign, and Coach Connors had reason
of the Boston College Jesuit community.
to be proud. Captains Woody Moore and Tim Zaino led an inspired team to prominence in the region.
Fr. B dressed for game day.
When the calendar reached May, members of the graduating class of 1992 were presented with a special
The 1991-1992 year uneventfully passed through a
50th Anniversary edition of Prep’s yearbook, The
rather cool spring and the seniors prepared for graduation.
Hearthstone, entitled “Prep Goes Gold.” The book was
Following the example of previous graduating classes,
beautifully presented by Editors Thomas Ciszewski
the senior class officers petitioned the administration for
and James Dowd, under the guidance of moderator Fr.
a senior exemption from final examinations for all those
Crabb, S.J.
achieving an overall grade average of B+ or better in a particular subject.
As the school year neared its end, Fr. Arimond brought smiles to the faces of the science teachers by announcing a two-year plan to completely renovate
“Senior Comps”
the science classrooms and labs on the fourth floor of
In 1992, however, the administration decided to add
Xavier Hall. In his end-of-year message to the faculty, Fr.
a new wrinkle to the exemption process by mandating
Arimond stated that the project was well overdue, and
that all seniors complete a comprehensive project or test.
very necessary in order to provide the kind of facilities
Those doing well on that project and having a B+ or better
needed to propel Prep into the next century as a leader
average would be exempted from their finals. Although
in secondary education.
many seniors logically protested that the administration
Work was scheduled to begin immediately after
was making them take a test in order to avoid a test,
school’s end, with the entire process being overseen by
most complied and did very creditable work on their
Fr. Arimond and science department chair, Mr. John
comprehensive. The whole affair went over relatively
Roche. All things considered, the building plan seemed
smoothly and was considered by many members of the
like a fitting way to end the 50th year of Fairfield Prep.
faculty to be a tribute to an excellent senior class.
The future of the school was certainly being placed on
As the last month of school arrived, Fr. Phil Pusateri,
a sound foundation. It is worth noting that the 50th
the school chaplain, continued his tradition of his daily
anniversary edition of The Hearthstone was dedicated
readings from Scriptures over the P.A. during homeroom.
to Louis A. Saracco, long-time teacher of history and
Another idea associated with “Fr. P” was the revival of
government and informal dean of the Prep faculty. It was HISTORY OF PREP | 135
NEW CHALLENGES
athletic inspiration for the Prep teams. For anyone who attended Prep football games during the decades of the ’50s through the ’80s, the image of Father B. anxiously pacing the sidelines, rosary beads in hand, is a wonderful memory of Prep football during that era. Regarding the matter of great Jesuits at Fairfield Prep, it should be mentioned that on June 10, only a few days following graduation, the Prep community received the unfortunate news of the passing of Father Francis X. Carty, S.J. Father Carty had been a very successful headmaster of the school in the heyday of the 1950s, and he left his indelible mark on Prep during his reign from 1951-1959. Prep will be forever thankful for his selfless dedication and diligent efforts to the young men of Prep. Meanwhile, the summer of 1992 progressed in usual fashion, with summer school classes in June and July and a flurry of renovation activity in the science wing of Xavier Hall. On August 24, just days before the new school year was about to start, all eyes turned to southern Florida where hurricane Andrew, a category 5 Coach Bruce Jaffe thinking positive thoughts..
storm, devastated the region south of Miami. The town of Homestead was practically leveled. The 1992-1993 school year commenced with
a fitting tribute to a man who had contributed so much
new chemistry labs on the fourth floor of Xavier Hall.
to make Prep the great institution of learning that it had
Much of the planning and a considerable amount of
become in the first half-century of its existence.
elbow-grease was provided by Fr. Arimond and science
On the evening of Thursday, June 4th, the school held
department chair, Mr. Jack Roche. Work on the fourth
its 50th Baccalaureate Mass at St. Thomas Church on the
floor science wing progressed in a two-stage process.
Post Road in Fairfield. It was a grand occasion marked
During the summer of 1992 focus was on the north
by the presence of chief celebrant Rev. Bishop Alfred
end of the building, with the transformation of the two
Jolson, S.J. ’46, the first member of the Prep student
old chemistry labs. In the summer of 1993 it was the
body to enter the Society of Jesus. In a ceremony after
south side of the building and the biology and physics
the Liturgy, Rev. Jolson was presented with a Founders’
classrooms that experienced the face-lift. It should be
Medal in recognition of all his accomplishments.
pointed out that funds to build the science center were
The homilist of the senior Mass was Fr. Eugene Brissette of the Prep faculty. Fr. Brissette gave a stirring
136
generously donated by Christopher McLeod ’73, Robert O’Keefe ’51, and Patrick O’Keefe ’80.
sermon and touched the hearts of all. This is something
The school year commenced with a special 50th
the “Fr. B” often did during his many years at the school.
Anniversary Mass of the Holy Spirit in Alumni Hall.
Fr. Brissette was an outstanding teacher of chemistry at
The Eucharist was concelebrated by more than thirty
the school until his retirement in 1991. Following his
Fairfield Prep alumni who had joined the priesthood.
retirement, he joined Fr. Thomas Murphy in the Prep
The event was quite a sight to behold. It gave one the
Alumni Office. Fr. Brissette will always be remembered
feeling that all in the Fairfield Prep community share a
for his role as chaplain of the football team. For decades
special bond that transcends time and place.
he served the team in this capacity, and his wonderful
Another major event in accordance with Prep’s
team Masses provided spiritual enlightenment and the
Golden Anniversary transpired on October 16, when the
| HISTORY OF PREP
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members of Prep’s first football team were reunited as
in the ACC. The standout played for Prep was Lamine
part of a special old-timers’ day.
Reese, who garnered ACC “Player of the Year” honors.
As the calendar turned to November the Prep
Bob Ford’s cross country team had a successful season,
community’s attention switched to the national stage
led by ACC champion Erron Hubbell, who placed 6th in
as Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush and third
the State Open meet.
party candidate Ross Perot in the presidential election.
Two great success stories came in swimming and
A Democrat was back in the White House after twelve
skiing. Jaffe’s swim team, led by tri-captains Jon Bescher,
years of Republican rule.
Diego Hernandez, and Matt Webber, lost only twice the
The month of November was also a very busy one
entire season and captured another ACC championship.
at Fairfield Prep. In recognition of the quincentennial
Bud McKeon’s ski team went undefeated and captured a
anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus
5th consecutive state title. Even more impressive, as the
in the New World, the social studies department held
team ended its season it had kept an incredible winning
a school-wide essay contest on the significance of the
streak alive. At season’s end “The Streak” had reached
event in history. As judged by the history teachers,
an amazing 113 contests without a loss. Leadership
awards were made for the best essays submitted from
was provided by Captains Bart Zaino, Brent Ryan, Sean
students from the different grade levels.
Burke, and Paul Dohrenwend.
The big social event of the fall of 1992 was the
Coach LaVigne assembled a powerhouse hockey
celebration of Prep’s 50th anniversary with a big Golden
team for the ’92-’93 season. Captained by Matt Sather
Jubilee Gala celebration on November 21 at The Rye
and Brian Hebert, the team also included the powerful
Town Hilton. The black-tie event was exquisitely staged
Rudy Mauritz and the incredible Chris Drury. Though
by Mr. and Mrs. John G. Phelan. All couples attending
the team somehow failed to capture the state title, losing
the festivities received complimentary copies of Fifty
in the semi-finals to ND of West Haven, it had certainly
Years of Excellence, authored by John W. Szablewicz,
developed a reputation as one of the powerhouses of
in honor of the occasion. During the program, special
the region. And, as judging from the attendance at their
jubilee medals were presented to Rev. James Barry, S.J.,
games, Prep hockey had now achieved the status of being
Terrance Donahue ’59, Emil Garafolo ’45, Arthur Hedge,
the most popular sport at Fairfield Prep.
Jr. John R. Leverty ’50, and Carmen A. Tortora. All of
There were a number of interesting extracurricular
those individuals had made significant contributions to
organizations functioning within the school that year.
the welfare and greatness of Fairfield Prep over the years.
The Star Trek Club, moderated by Mr. Marshall and Mr.
The most significant sports story was the news that
Rosoff, was very popular. The Japanese Club experienced
the 1992 season was to be Coach Lavery’s grand finale.
growth under Mr. Driscoll and Mrs. Norberg. The
In keeping with the Lavery tradition, his gridders were
Political Awareness Club, led by Mr. Hanrahan,
a scrappy bunch and the team finished with a very
continued to function regularly. One club that seemed to
respectable record of 6-3. Upon his retirement from
be slowing down was Mr. Ondeck’s Audio-Visual Club,
coaching, Earl Lavery left the sport having accumulated
which was reduced to one member, Joe Barese.
an amazing record of 231 wins, making him the most
A national event thrust itself into the consciousness
successful coach in Connecticut high school football
of the Prep community when, on February 26, 1993,
history. Coach Lavery never had a losing record in
there was a major explosion at the World Trade Center
28 years of coaching! It was only fitting that he was
in New York City. Terrorists had moved a rental truck
inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall
containing 1,500 pounds of explosives into the basement
of Fame in 1992 and the inaugural class of the Fairfield
of the north tower. The explosion rocked the building
Prep Athletic Hall of Fame In 2017.
and sent hundreds of panic-stricken workers into the
In other sports, the soccer team, again coached by
streets. Little could people know at the time just how
Bruce Jaffe and his assistant John Hanrahan posted a
much would the event serve as a harbinger of an even
record of 7-7-1, which was good enough for 2nd place
more cataclysmic fate for the Trade Center? HISTORY OF PREP | 137
NEW CHALLENGES
In the second week of March, just when the
Prep was Dr. Perrotta. The purpose of the conference
community began to anticipate the warmth of spring, the
was to train leaders of Jesuit schools in methods of how
entire East coast was slammed by the blizzard of ’93. The
to directly employ the Ignatian model of education in
storm, although not as large as some of the major events
all classrooms and subject areas, thus ensuring a sense
of the past, dumped two feet of snow on the state. School
of consistency in Jesuit schools throughout the world.
closings were the norm throughout the entire region.
This process was determined to be imperative in order
Even after they re-opened most schools were forced to
to maintain the Jesuit identity in schools where the
have delayed starts due to the weather. In regards to
presence of Jesuit priests was in diminishing supply.
delayed openings, it is worth noting that it was during
Subsequent to the conference in Rome, all novice lay
the Arimond years that the length of Prep’s delayed starts
teachers in Jesuit schools experienced training sessions
was altered from 90 minutes to one hour. The logic for
in the I.P.P.
the change was that at Prep the normal start of the school
The 1993-1994 school year brought with it the
day was already at least 30 minutes after most schools.
opening of the new science rooms in Xavier Hall. Fr.
So, when they started 90 minutes late, Prep only needed
Arimond was understandably happy with the result,
to delay by one hour.
though there were some tense moments in late August as
Spring sports were a big success in 1993. Coach Smalkais’ lacrosse team made the state semi-finals. Bob
there was a delay in the delivery of lab tables and other equipment.
Harris’ tennis team achieved a 16-2 record, garnered the
The teachers who had the joy of experiencing the
ACC championship, and finished 2nd in the state. Bob
new facilities included department chair Mr. Roche, Fr.
Ford’s track team finished with an incredible 15-1 record.
Cipolla, Mr. Canuel, Mr. Ford, Mr. Mamrus, Mrs. Torok-
Coach Rowe’s baseball team went 17-8 and also
Lobelson, and Mr. Pacelli. In keeping with a growing
captured the ACC championship trophy. Craig Murphy
trend, joining the Prep faculty in 1993 was Mr. Peter
was named to the All-State team. The golf team, led by
Cummings ’88. Peter quickly became a popular English
Eric Mallico, Rocky Morris, Carter Hennessey, and Tom
teacher and coach of football and track. Many Prep
Maxwell, had a great season and picked-up another state
students would later boast that they learned to write
championship for Hall of Fame Coach Roger Ratchford.
under the tutelage of Peter Cummings. Other interesting
Some gruesome national events captured the
members of the English department that year included
community’s attention that spring. On April 19, a fire
the wise and talented Mr. Wallace and the energetic
swept the compound of the Branch Davidian cult in
Mr. Hogan. The department chair was Mrs. Maureen
Waco, Texas, as agents of the A.T.F. attempted to end a
Diffley. Rounding out the department was the mystical
stand-off with the cult’s leader David Koresh.
and enigmatic Mr. Joseph Mathews, in his second tour of
Graduation for the Class of 1993 occurred on the first Sunday of June, as had been the custom at Prep for many
duty at the school, having originally been a member of the faculty in the 1960s.
years. Among the many happy young men walking up to
The math department had grown to include four
the stage to receive diplomas that afternoon were Jason
women in 1993-1994. In addition to Ms. Bohan, the
Perrotta, son of the Academic Dean Robert Perrotta, and
other women in the department included Mrs. Everard,
Joseph Palmisano, who subsequently announced that he
who also created the Stock Market Club at the school,
was following his calling and joining the Society of Jesus.
Mrs. Yankowski, and Mrs. Keltos, who eventually went
There was an interesting development regarding
on to become Prep’s first director of computer technology.
the future of international Jesuit education at the Villa Cavalletti in Frescoti, Rome, during the summer of 1993. Teams of educators from Jesuit schools from all continents met for a special conference and training session on what became known as Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, or I.P.P. On the team representing North America and Fairfield 138
| HISTORY OF PREP
New Football Coach – Mr. Richard Magdon The big news on campus in 1993 was that Mr. Richard Magdon was chosen to be the new head football coach of Fairfield Prep. Magdon had many years of experience
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under his belt, first as a coach of the
Jayme Tuttle, who was LL champion in
Seymour team, then as an assistant
the 171 pound class. Tuttle was one of
under Earl Lavery. Magdon’s first season
three captains, along with Mark Kecko
proved to be a challenging one, as the
and Brian Huberty.
team tried its best to adjust to new
The spring teams had better success
coaches and a new play book. Their
in 1994. Bob Harris’s tennis team
record was 4-5-1. On a positive note,
compiled a 17-1 record, copped their
Magdon’s stepson, nose-tackle Jayme
8th consecutive ACC title, and went on
Tuttle achieved all-league and all-state
to become CIAC LL champions for the
status. Another highlight of the season
fifth time in six years. The golf team,
occurred at the half-time of the home
coached as usual by Mr. Ratchford and Fr. Pelletier, had a 16-1 regular
game against perennial rival St. Joseph’s, when former coach Earl Lavery was
Mr. Richard Magdon
honored by having his name added to a
season record and captured the ACC trophy for the 8th consecutive time.
monument that included Coach Joseph Brosley and team
Unfortunately, the team had to settle for 2nd place in
Chaplain Father Brissette.
the state tournament, when it fell four strokes short of a
Mr. Jaffe’s soccer team compiled a 7-2 record, led by
talented Simsbury team. Rugby, led by coaches Decker,
Joe Spinelli, who was voted to the All-ACC team. Other
Stepsis, and Hogan, had a 6-7-1 record and finished a
standouts were Sean Lonergan and Todd Arsenault. Mr.
very respectable 3rd in New England. Coach Rowe’s
Ford’s cross country team, captained by the talented
baseball team had an 8-12 record, and then fell in the
Erron Hubbell, had another good season and finished
playoffs to Notre Dame, West Haven. The lacrosse team
2nd in the league.
was a bit inconsistent in ’94, and finished with a record
With the end of the first semester came the usual excitement of the winter sports. The 1993-1994 ski
of 8-9. Finally, Mr. Ford’s track team had a good season with a 7-3 season.
team, now without retired coach Bud McKeon, compiled
The arts at Prep were in a dynamic period of growth in
a 12-2 record and captured its 6th straight state title. The
’93-’94. The south side of the second floor of Berchmans
season was a great success for new coach Mike McNamara
was transformed into a performing arts area. The wall
and his assistant Mike Czesnowski. The team was led
between the two classrooms on the Rec-Plex side was
by seniors Mike Black, Chris Dolan, Alex Oracheff, and
taken down and the area was converted into one large
Jared Hendrickson, along with juniors Kevin McNamara
band room for Mr. Rosoff. On the opposite side was a
and the Klein brothers.
large room that was used by Ms. Scoville and her drama
The hockey team was once again incredibly talented,
program. Meanwhile, painting and drawing classes were
led by co-captains Chris Drury and Rudy Mauritz.
taught in Xavier Hall by the experienced Mrs. Kachmar
Unfortunately, the team was upset early in the play-offs by
and the talented artist, Mr. Frank Bramble.
a scrappy West Haven team. Meanwhile, Coach Owen’s
The production of Almost Aladdin, staring Trevor
basketball team had another poor season, compiling a
Fanning and Steve Kellogg, was a great success. The
record of 7-14. The swimming team, which finished in
Rogers and Hammerstein musical was a perfect choice
the top ten in the state, was led by tri-captains Justin
for the talented Prep actors. In other activities that year,
Eck, Tim Weeks and Carter Hennessy. But the brightest
the art department staged its annual show in May. The
star on the team was undoubtedly Tom Thomas, whose
exhibit, which was then held in the Quick Center’s
considerable talents placed him on many all-American
Wien Experimental Theatre (a.k.a. the “Black Box”)
teams that year.
had become quite an event. It coincided, as was now the
The wrestling team had a new coach in Dan Kelly.
custom, with the spring dramatic production. The whole
Though the team had an inconsistent season, there were
evening was very efficiently produced. The way it was
some bright spots, especially in the performance of senior
arranged, guests could view the art exhibit for an hour HISTORY OF PREP | 139
NEW CHALLENGES
or so, then move next door to the Quick Center’s Kelley Theatre to see the Prep play. On a more somber note, Oklahoma City became a scene of carnage on April 19, 1994, when a domestic terrorist named Timothy McVeigh exploded a truck at the base of the federal building located there. Scores of people were killed or injured, including a number of children who were playing in a daycare facility located on the second floor of the building. The graduating class of 1994 contained quite an array of talent covering many areas of interest. Aside from the usual business, pre-med and pre-law scholars, the class of ’94 had senior class president Steve Kellogg, who proceeded to have a successful career as a musician and David Zielinski, who went on to study the Chinese
Chris Drury ’94 played in the NHL and went on to become captain of the New York Rangers.
language at Princeton and who went on to great success.
Chris Drury ’94 Chris Drury, another member of the Prep class of 1994, went on to a great career in hockey. Following in the footsteps of older brother Ted, an outstanding player in his own right, Chris ventured up to Boston for college. Where Ted succeeded greatly at Harvard, Chris starred at Boston University. He was subsequently drafted in the third round by the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League. After the franchise moved to Colorado, Chris was a major part of its Stanley Cup championship team and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. Chris later moved on to play for the Buffalo Sabres, where he served as co-captain. On July 1, 2007, as a free agent, Chris made a move that brought him close
Chris Drury ’94 playing for Fairfield Prep.
to home when he signed a multi-year deal to play for the New York Rangers. From his days as winning pitcher for
a valuable member of the social studies department,
the Trumbull Little League world championship team,
varsity baseball coach, and assistant hockey coach under
to his state title in hockey at Prep, college, and the NHL,
Matt Sather, himself a Prep grad (class of ’93).
Chris achieved great success at every level of competition.
Speaking of hockey, a major event occurred in 1994
But, most importantly to those of us who know him as
when the New York Rangers, led by “The Captain” Mark
teachers or friends, Chris never allowed his success to go
Messier, defeated the Vancouver Canucks and captured
to his head. He has remained a true gentleman and “man
the Stanley Cup in the National Hockey League. A long
for others” in the Ignatian tradition, and over the years
dry spell was finally over for the perennially suffering
he has been a quiet but significant supporter of Prep in
Ranger fans.
general and Prep hockey in particular.
140
The summer of 1994 witnessed a revival of the mega-
Last but not least in the class of ’94 is Rudy Mauritz,
rock festival as “Woodstock ’94” was staged, featuring
who returned to Fairfield Prep after a solid baseball career
acts such as Bob Dylan, the Allman Brothers, Green Day
at Providence College. At Prep Rudy quickly became
and Nine Inch Nails. Baseball fans suffered greatly when
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Friends of Fr. Tom Murphy, S.J., honor him with a plaque for his many years of loyal service.
Major League players went on strike starting on August
Stephen Jakab ’84. Replacing the retired Fr. Sproule
13. There was no World Series in 1994.
in the language department was the effervescent Mrs.
On a brighter note, peace came to Northern Ireland
Constance Carrington. Mrs. Carrington brought great
that August when both the IRA and the Ulster Protestants
energy into a language department that now contained
announced a cease fire. The occasion brought tears of
three women, including Chairperson Ms. Billie Brooks
joy to Irish men and women all over the world. One of
and Ms. Michelle Duncanson. Joining the science
Prep’s very own happy Irishmen was Father Thomas A.
department was Dr. Edward Gombos, D.M.D. Mr.
Murphy, S.J. Coincidently, a significant event at Prep
Stephen Filippo came on board in theology, and Ms.
occurred on August 28, when Father Tom was honored
Tracy Garcia in English. The attractive Ms. Garcia quickly
for his many years of service to the Prep community with
became a favorite with Prep students and with English
a special plaque, embedded on a large piece of granite.
teacher and hockey coach, Mr. Peter LaVigne. Within a
The inscription reads: “In loving gratitude from all who
few years Peter and Tracy married and began a family
derived comfort, joy and inspiration from his piety and
together. The couple subsequently left Prep to join the
his music.” The monument was a gift from Father Tom’s
faculty of the Canterbury School in New Milford, where
“…very dear friends in Christ,” and it stands today at the
they remained as of 2017.
north entrance of Xavier Hall. Interestingly, occasionally a contemporary student will mistake the monument as a burial headstone.
Fr. Robert Sproule, S.J. A word is in order about Fr. Robert N. Sproule, S.J.
The ’94-’95 school year ushered in more than an
This gruff and seemingly tough Jesuit priest with a heart
average amount of change. Replacing the departed
of gold served Fairfield Prep extremely well for over
Mr. Larry Carroll as director of development was Mr.
three decades. Aside from his talents as a French teacher,
HISTORY OF PREP | 141
NEW CHALLENGES
Rev. Robert N. Sproule, S.J.
Fr. Jim Hederman, S.J., MD
Fr. Sproule served as moderator of a number of clubs on
the 1950s had accurately predicted the great impact that
campus, most notably the chess club. Over the decades
the electric information age would have on American
many Prep students learned to play this ancient game,
culture. Ratchford, in possession of a doctorate in
and in the process picked up some valuable life lessons,
computer technology, was the first teacher at Prep to
from this interesting Jesuit. His colleagues on the faculty
pioneer the use of computers in the as instructional tools
will always remember him as a loyal friend who was not
(for subjects other than computer programming).
afraid to take an unpopular position on issues related
Otherwise,
Fr.
Arimond’s
administrative
team
to the welfare of the school. Unfortunately, Fr. Sproule
remained pretty much intact. The housemaster system
would not live to enjoy a long retirement. He passed
was still in effect, with Mr. Brennan running Berchmans
away on October 27, 1998.
and Mr. Magdon patrolling Xavier. Admissions director was Fr. Crabb, Mr. Harris was A.D., Dr. Perrotta returned
Fr. Jim Hederman, S.J.
as academic dean and Dr. Andrade was director of
An important addition to the faculty in 1994 was Fr.
support services. Ms. Goggin was the school librarian,
James Hederman, S.J. In addition to being a Jesuit priest,
through the days of the library on the third floor of
Fr. Hederman was a medical doctor with a specialty in
Berchmans were numbered.
psychology. Over the next few years he quickly became a very important and influential member of the Prep
142
Prep Joins the SCC
community. His impact was felt in many areas of the
The big change in the realm of athletics was the
school religious life, from the Kairos experience, to the
announcement that the old All Connecticut Conference
freshman retreats, to the many special programs and
had collapsed and that Prep had joined the newly
activities that he orchestrated during his years at Prep.
formed SCC, or Southern Connecticut Conference.
In recognition of all these contributions to the religious
The conference, created in 1994, was broken down
and social life of the school, the editors of the yearbook
into three divisions, each named after rivers having
dedicated the 2004 edition of The Hearthstone to Fr. Jim
Native American names. Fairfield Prep was placed in
Hederman.
the Quinnipiac Division along with Notre Dame West
As the school began its inexorable move toward the
Haven, Sacred Heart, Xavier, Mercy, West Haven, and
implementation of computer technology, Dr. Ratchford
Wilbur Cross. Meanwhile, the Hammonasset Division
and Mrs. Keltos assumed the roles of coordinators of
contained Branford, East Haven, Hand, Guilford,
computing services. Roger Ratchford was Prep’s own
North Haven, and Hillhouse. Finally, in the Housatonic
version of Marshall McLuhan, the visionary who back in
Division there were Amity, Cheshire, Derby, Lyman Hall,
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Sheehan, and Shelton. Entry into the new league would prove to be quite a challenge for Prep. Many of the teams in the league were very large schools with traditions of athletic excellence in their own right. Coach Magdon’s football team was up to the challenge, however, and posted a very good record of 6-4 against some stiff competition. Led by seniors Dominic Como, Adam Whitby, Sean Ritter, Chris Bogle, Rob Hervey, Tim Troutman, Matt Wilcox, Matt Hernandez, and Tim Nash, the Prep team played in a typically hardnosed fashion. Junior quarterback Brendan Panda had an excellent season, while Troutman scored 13 touchdowns from his tailback position. At season’s end a number of that group had achieved individual honors, including AllSCC awards for Ritter, Troutman, Bogle, and Panda. Sean Ritter was also named to the All-State team and to the Connecticut Post All-Star team. Bob Ford’s cross country team had an excellent season, posting a regular season record of 7-1. Among the talented harriers were Mark Oles, Chris Lupo, Chris Sages, and Matt Linnane. The team finished a respectable 4th in the SCC championship meet and tenth in the Class LL Open meet. Mr. Jaffe’s soccer team had mixed results, finishing the regular season with a record of 8-8. In the state tournament Prep lost to Xavier by a score of 3-0. Sean Lonergan and Todd Arsenault were named to the All-SCC team, with Arsenault also making the prestigious All-State team. Extracurricular activities were alive and well during the ’94-’95 school year. The existence of groups such as Students for Educational Excellence through Diversity (SEED), the Inter-Racial Youth Council, Brothers for Others, and the Asian Students Association all provided ample evidence that Fairfield Prep students were committed to doing justice. The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly was now one of the highlights of each school year. Each January the assembly featured guest speakers and musicians, along with Prep students, faculty and administration who offered their reflections on the significance of Dr. King’s message in their lives. The major force in the establishment of all these programs was Dr. Andrade, whose tireless efforts to establish a respect for diversity at Prep was recognized by the students when they dedicated Hearthstone 2002 in her honor.
A view forever gone between Berchmans and Xavier Halls.
The dramatic arts were alive and well in ’94-’95. Ms. Scoville’s thespians staged two excellent productions, especially Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The play featured the incredible talents of Trevor Fanning. Anyone witnessing Fanning’s performances that year agreed that they were among the best ever in the history of Prep drama. Others who contributed significantly to the success of the production were Chris Altieri, Matt McPartland, Nyle Sykes, Dan Scopp, and Chris McMahon. The sets for the play, as designed by Betty Kachmar and Frank Bramble, were quite beautiful. A major event in the fall of 1994 was the speech by Congressman Christopher Shays, as arranged by Mr. Hanrahan and his Political Awareness Club. The event was the first of many events that the club would sponsor in keeping with its goal of increasing the political education of the members of the Prep community. The big political news on the national stage occurred when the Republican Party, following the lead of Georgia Congressman Newt Gingrich and his idea of a “Contract
HISTORY OF PREP | 143
NEW CHALLENGES
A 1996 view of Xavier Hall from Kartovsky quad (now called Pelletier Quad).
with America,” defeated the Democrats in the November
Romano. It compiled a record of 12-14, and finished
elections and thereby captured both houses of Congress.
8th in the state. Individual honors were garnered by Joe
The Republicans and President Bill Clinton, a Democrat,
Thorne, who became only the third Prep grappler to
were destined to have a number of major clashes in the
make it to the New England regional tournament.
coming years. Winter brought the new sports season. The basketball
144
Another Hockey Championship
team, sporting brand new uniforms, had a good comeback
The big news in sports, once again, was the success
season with a very respectable record of 15-9. Coach
of the hockey team. The team, coached by Peter LaVigne
Owens had some talented hoopsters that year, especially
and his assistants Bob Bernier and Adolph Brink,
Tri-captains Mike Bartlett, Dom Como, and Jim McNiff.
compiled a regular season record of 12-5-2. The record
Additional support came from seniors Guy Jo Gordon
propelled the team into the state tournament, where it
and Jeremy Dies. Others making contributions were
soundly defeated a strong New Canaan team by the score
Brian Cornelius, Emilio Savone, Brendan Panda, Tom
of 6-1. Standouts on the team included seniors Captain
Murphy, Nick Bilotta, Dan Flaherty, and Bob Mpuku.
Mike Peroni, Chris Molyneux, Brendan Kapteina, Brian
The ’94-’95 ski team was led by seniors Kevin McNamara
McShane, Andy Waldera, and a talented junior named
and Jesse Gray, and it had another great season.
Matt Macleod. Other significant contributors were Bill
The wrestling team had its third coach in as many
DeMeo, the Jacob boys, Matt Holub, Chris Remsen,
years as Bill Potosky replaced Dan Kelly. The team was
John Longo, Josh Mello, Mike Marella, Peter Scott, John
captained by Brian Huberty, Joe Thorne, and Chris
Heffers, Jim Donnelly, Richard Chu, and Andy Townsend.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Prom Prankster
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wonderful experience for all to see.
As the calendar moved into March and April of 1995,
The golf team had a great run in 1995. Doc Ratchford’s
it brought with it thoughts of warmer weather, spring
team had another outstanding season as it won the
sports and the junior and senior proms. One of the
SCC championship with a record of 25-1, and defeated
more amusing anecdotes in Prep history happened at
Simsbury in the state tournament to garner another state title for Fairfield Prep. Coach Rowe’s baseball team could only manage a record of 9-11 in 1995. The rugby team was more successful, and it captured 2nd place in the New England regional tournament. The team’s efforts undoubtedly pleased head coach Frank Decker and his assistant Mr. Stepsis. Coach Smalkais had a very successful lacrosse season. His laxmen captured the ACC crown, led by goalies Matt McLeod and Kevin Krober. Other major contributors included captains Ryan Bittman and Chuck Smith. Important members of the team were Dan Redgate, Bryan McShane, Pat McGlone and Chris Bogle. The 1995-1996 school year saw the Fairfield Prep faculty pretty much intact. Father Arimond’s administrative team was led by Dr. Perrotta, Academic
Jeff Pagliaro ’96
Dean. Perrotta also doubled as admissions director that year as Fr. Crabb took a sabbatical leave. Dr. Andrade was
the junior prom that year. A wild and crazy guy named
again director of support services and Mr. McGillicuddy
Jeff Pagliaro failed to purchase a ticket in time to attend
functioned as controller. The bursar was Mrs. Duva
the prom. But that did not stop Jeff from attending. Jeff
and the registrar was Mrs. Miller. Mr. Brennan and
somehow found his way into the kitchen that evening,
Mr. Magdon served as housemasters of Berchmans and
slipped on a waiter’s jacket and began serving dinner,
Xavier Halls. Serving into his second decade as athletic
making his way straight to the administrator’s table.
director was Mr. Harris.
Apparently, nobody realized that Jeff was not a legitimate
In ’95 Mr. Steve Jakab returned for his second year
member of the wait-staff. After dinner, good old “Pags”
as director of development. An addition to his staff was
discarded his waiter’s jacket and made his way to the
Mr. Resnick in the role of alumni affairs coordinator.
music stand, where he proceeded to take the lead on a
Also on the administrative team were Fr. Hederman and
number of tunes. By the way, in the ’96 yearbook, Jeffrey
Fr. Eagan. The school nurse was Mrs. Janet Smith. The
was voted as “craziest senior.” In his actions during the
Prep faculty had few changes. Most conspicuous by his
junior prom of ’95 we can see where he gained his basic
absence was the popular Father Larry Ryan, who was
training!
away studying on a sabbatical. An addition to the math
The spring play in 1995 was Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues,
department was Mr. Ralph Franco.
starring Trevor Fanning in the lead role. Other members of the talented cast included Joe Marcello, Chris Altieri,
Frank & Viv
Tim Nash, Chris Romano, Jim McCormick, and Justin
Taking over the food service were Frank and Vivian
Long. As usual, Mr. Bramble and his tech crew did a
Ahlers, of F&V Services. Vivian had worked for a
magnificent job with the sets. Stage manager was Charlie
number of years for the previous food vendor, Mr.
Reinhardt and the lighting and sound crew was led by
Richard Vassallo, who sadly passed away after a brief
seniors Claudio Guerrera and Joe Pellachia. All who saw
illness. Vivian and Frank filled the breach and quickly
the play agreed the director Ms. Scoville had concocted a
became popular with the faculty and students alike. HISTORY OF PREP | 145
NEW CHALLENGES
Mrs. Elizabeth Kachmar
Mr. Frank Bramble
On any given senior lunch period that year a member of the cafeteria staff could be seen bringing soup to Fr.
Mrs. Dolores Tema
Mr. Peter Scifo ’98
Fine Arts Department Celebrates its 25th Anniversary
Arimond as he sat at what the students referred to as
A significant milestone was reached when the Prep
the “power table” along with other administrators and a
Arts Department celebrated its 25th anniversary in
select group of teachers.
the fall of 1995. Over the years the department had a
A noteworthy change and a promise of trends to
memorable history and it housed some excellent and
come was the fact that Mrs. Keltos had a new title,
interesting personalities. In the 70s there was Mrs.
director of computer science and technology. Mrs. Keltos
Kachmar, Prep’s “First Lady.” Originally, the art program
presided over a pair of brand new computer labs that
was basically limited to one course, Visual Arts I. It was
were created on the second floor of Xavier Hall during
a half-credit course that met twice a week. In 1973 Fr.
the summer of 1995. Father Arimond and Mrs. Keltos
Patrick Cafferty, S.J., joined Mrs. K and the curriculum
planned the layout of the labs and presided over their
expanded to include Fine Arts II as well as Painting and
construction. A crisis of sorts occurred in late summer
Drawing. Fr. Cafferty left for his Tertianship in 1975 and
when the computer tables that arrived were too big to
the wonderful Fr. Joseph Trinkle, S.J. replaced him. Fr.
fit in the rooms. Father Arimond, never known for his
Trinkle added popular courses in architectural design
patience, insisted that the company in charge remediate
and drafting. Joining him was Mrs. Nancy Dzikowicz.
the situation ASAP. They did, and the crisis was resolved.
Later, Mrs. Pat Farley arrived to teach fine arts. In the late 1970s, during the reign of Father Bowler, the fine arts department expanded to include performing arts such as drama and music. The first drama teacher in the new department was Fr. John Diskin, S.J. Following Fr. Diskin was Mrs. Pils, then the wily and popular Mr. Sel Skolnick. Mr. James Janiec inaugurated
the
first
jazz
ensemble. He was followed by Mr. Robert Griffin and Mr. Mario Dell’Olio. Over the years a number of other talented The early days of Prep’s computer lab. 146
| HISTORY OF PREP
artists have served in the
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department, including Mrs. Sciasca, Mr. Gary Rosoff, Mr. Philip Sterling and Mrs. Jennifer Horn in music, and Mrs. Suzanne Scoville, Mrs. Joy Karcher, Mr. Trevor Fanning, Mr. Frank Bramble, and Mrs. Megan Hoover in drama. Mr. Bramble also served as department chair, teacher of painting and drawing, as well as designer of sets for the school plays. Other important additions to the Prep arts department have been Mrs. Dolores Tema, Peter Scifo ’98, and Bob Fosse-Previs ’87. The fall play in 1995 was Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Ms. Scoville’s production was a complete success as every performance was sold out. Mr. Bramble and the tech crew did their usual great job on the sets. Stars of the show were Justin Long ’96 and his brother Christian ’99. It should be noted that Justin’s career in the performing arts continued long after his graduation from Prep. He went on to do films and TV. Most recently he has appeared regularly in a series of amusing computer commercials on television. It also needs to be mentioned that the Prep dramatic productions could not have taken place without the presence of hundreds of talented young women, too numerous to mention, from places such as Lauralton Hall and the surrounding public schools. Thanks for all your wonderful contributions to
Prep student exits Xavier Hall.
our drama program, ladies. Our hats are off to all of you! In early October of 1995 there were a number of
Utzler.
events on the national stage. On October 3, O.J. Simpson
Coach Jaffe’s soccer team had a good season, going
was found not guilty of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole
9-5-2, led by Tri-Captains Misza Tymowski, Steve Ward
and her friend Ron Goldman. The next day, Pope John
and All-State player Dennis O’Connell. Bob Ford’s cross-
Paul II began a four-day tour of the United States. As
country team was excellent, with a 7-2 record and the
often happens in history, the ridiculous is followed by
SCC Quinnipiac Division title. Significant contributions
the sublime!
were made by Chris Lupe, Matt Donavan, Jeff Zeilinski,
In sports, the Prep teams had a busy autumn season.
Chris Scapillato, J.R. Calvey and Mike Smith. The
Coach Magdon’s football team, now in its second season
highlight of the season was a hard-earned victory over
in the tough SCC, posted a fine 7-3 record and garnered
the ever-tough Xavier team.
the crown of the SCC Quinnipiac Division. There were a
The big story of the winter sports season was that
number of outstanding players on the ’95 team, including
Peter LaVigne’s hockey team again captured the State
All-State quarterback Brendan Panda and All-State tight-
LL championship trophy. It was the second time in
end Ryan “Utz” Utzler. Other major contributors were
Prep hockey history that a team had won back-to-back
lineman Sean Flynn, Joe Marcello, John Heffers, Chris
titles. The other time it had occurred was back in 1981
Tymniak, T.J. DiCocco and Roland Newmark. Additional
and 1982. The ’96 team sported an excellent 16-6-1
stand-outs included wide-receiver Kiernan O’Connor,
record against some stiff competition and it shut-out
along with Chris Casper, Dave Breza, Nick Bilotta, Sean
New Canaan by a score of 3-0 in the title game. Junior
Flynn, and Randy Anderson. Making the All-Division
goal tender Scott Jacob was named tournament M.V.P.
team were Heffers, Panda, Tymniak, Casper, Breza, and
Leading the team in scoring that year was Matt McLeod. HISTORY OF PREP | 147
NEW CHALLENGES
1996-1997 Prep faculty and staff.
Other important members of the team were Tory Jacob,
Kelly, Misza Tymowski, Matt Donovan, Chris Morris,
John Longo, Richard Chu, Peter Scott, John Heffers, Josh
Chris Scapilatto, Chris Lapo, Mike Smith, and John
Mello, Andy Townsend, Mike Marella, Bill Morris, and
Thomas all had good seasons. The only winter team not
Bill DeMayo.
to have a good season was the basketball team. After
Coach Jaffe assembled a strong swimming team
success the previous year, the team fell to a record of
that year as well. The team achieved a record of 14-3 and garnered the SCC championship. Outstanding performers included Vin Massey, Steve Thomas, Chris Mosesian and Jeremy Maco. Coach Bill Potowski’s Prep wrestlers had an outstanding season also. They assembled a record of 20-9, copped 3rd place in the SCC tournament and a respectable 7th place in the Class LL tournament. Two Prep grapplers, Sean Flynn and Steve Montgomery, each posted season records of 263. Big wins were also achieved by Chris Romano, Jason Janosko, Scott Rowe, Vin Cleary and James Dupay. The ski team was up to its usual standards in ’95’96. It compiled an amazing 16-1 record, led by senior Eric Klein and the amazing frosh Mike Czesnowski, who both earned all-state honors. Second-year coach Mike McNamara had plenty to be happy about. The indoor track team also had a good season. Team members Pete 148
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Prep spirit in action.
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10-10, owing mostly to injuries. Senior leadership was provided by Nick Bilotta, Brendan Panda, and Emilio Savone. There was young talent on this team in the form of Dan Flaherty, Mike Brennan, Scott Belz, and Bob Mpuku, and the future looked bright.
Urban Plunge February of 1996 brought with it another first in the evolution of Prep’s “Men for Others.” In that month the school held its inaugural Urban Plunge at the Urban Center at St. Charles Parish in Bridgeport. Social service director Mr. Thomas Sacerdote, along with faculty chaperones Mr. Pacelli and Mr. Stepsis, brought a group of Prep students to experience the inner-city environment of Bridgeport and to serve the poor in their time of need. Among the students participating in that first plunge was Peter Scifo ’98, who also went on to join the Prep faculty after his graduation from the College of the Holy Cross. Four spring teams had great success in 1996. Coach of the Year Bob Harris assembled a great tennis
“The Troika”- Housemaster Magdon and Brennan with Father Arimond, S.J., Headmaster
worthy honor for an outstanding golf coach. Two teams that did not live up to expectations in 1996 were the track and baseball teams.
team that went 17-0 that year and captured the state
Coach Ford’s track team finished at 6-6, and 6th
championship trophy. Leaders of the team included Eric
place in the SCC, despite good performances by Chris
Hasenauer, Alex Kay, Matt Davis, Brandon James, Bernie
Scapillato, Misza Tymowski, Pete Kelly, Brendan Panda,
Deysson, and Rick Jamgochian. The Prep rugby team
Matt Donovan, Mike Smith, Chris Lupo, J.R. Calvey,
had an incredible year, going 11-5-1, capturing the New
Andy Bodic, Dave Creal, Tim Sabol, Dennis O’Connell
England regional championship, and taking 5th place in
and Anthony Thomas. Meanwhile, Coach Rowe’s
the entire East coast. Coaches Decker and Stepsis had
baseball team had a down year for sure with a record of
plenty of talent that spring, including Jake Loban, Joe
5-15. Highlights for the team included the play by All-
Riccio, Brian Cornelius, Tony Riera, Steve Ward, Mike
Division Scott Anderson. Other notable players included
Lincoln, Bob King, Dustin Mello, and Mike Finocchi.
Ryan Utzler, John Moore, and Mike Santora. It is worth
The 1996 lacrosse team went 16-4, captured the SCC
noting that a new team was added to the already crowded
flag, and achieved a 3rd place finish in the state. During
roster of Prep athletics in 1996 when the sailing team
the season Coach Smalkais picked up his record setting
made its debut. Of course, Fairfield Prep is well situated
100th coaching victory, clearly a great accomplishment.
for this sport, being located so close to the shores of
Captains of the ’96 team were Dan Redgate, Kiernan
Long Island Sound.
O’Connor, and David Breza. Major contributions were
Among the graduates in the talented class of ’96
made by Matt McLeod, Jack Cullinane, John Heffers,
were great athletes such as Matt McLeod, Dave Breza,
Mark Monahan, Josh Mello, and Scott and Tory Jacob.
Mike Marella, great scholars such as Jeff Zielinski and
Finally, Coach Ratchford’s golf team went 15-1, but fell
Tim Popadic, great actors such as Justin Long, and solid
to 3rd in the state championship tournament. The team
citizens such as Joe Marcello, Cris Kral, and Emilio
of Fitzpatrick, Knott, Lawler, Dudas, and Novak had
Savone. To provide a little yin with the yang, you had Jeff
another great year. Coach Roger Ratchford achieved a
Pagliaro and Todd Ulman. Other noteworthy graduates
great honor when he was named National High School
in 1996 were Robert Rosario, son of the headmaster’s
Golf Coach of the Year at season’s end. This was indeed a
secretary, Mrs. Margaret Rosario, and Andrew Martinez,
HISTORY OF PREP | 149
NEW CHALLENGES
Prep supporters enjoy the 1998 auction “Steppin’ Out...A Salute to Broadway”
150
who later returned to Prep to serve for a while in the
and talented teachers and coaches to the school, and he
guidance department.
provided strong support to the arts programs. His love
As the school year 1995-1996 drew to a close the
and support of Prep’s athletic teams, especially hockey
curtain also fell on the Arimond reign at Fairfield Prep
and football, is legendary. No one attending Prep contests
as well. Fr. Arimond guided the school through some
in those days will ever forget seeing Fr. Arimond and his
difficult and challenging years during his tenure at Prep,
famous maroon beret standing on the sidelines shouting
which lasted from 1989 to 1996. Indeed, Fr. Arimond’s
encouragement to his players or perhaps occasionally
accomplishments were many. He brought great changes
questioning a bad call by a referee. A memory of the
to the physical plant of the school, including new science
Arimond years: Upon seeing his arrival at a game the
labs, Prep’s first computer labs, beautiful trophy cases,
Bomb Squad would often affectionately serenade him
a Hall of Fame wall, and carpeting for the first floor
with their own version of the Prince hit, Raspberry
of Xavier Hall. Additionally, he added a new parking
Beret. Fr. Jim Arimond’s love for and dedication to the
lot on the south side of the school. Concrete staircases
school can never be questioned. After leaving Fairfield
were installed on either end of the Berchmans lot, thus
Prep, Fr. Arimond returned to the Chicago area, where
making the area a safer one for students, faculty and
he assumed the role of rector of the St. Ignatius Jesuit
visitors. Fr. Arimond also brought a number of young
community.
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CHAPTER 9
Tradition is a Wonderful Thing
T
he new Headmaster, Father
that Mr. Bernier, known for his excellent
Michael Boughton, S.J., was
abilities as a Latin teacher, had taken over
no stranger to most in the
the position of director of admissions. Fr.
Prep community. They had seen him
Ryan, back from his sabbatical, took over
throughout the previous five years at
Bernier’s Latin courses. A notable addition
various Prep liturgies and other events
to the teaching faculty was Mr. Brian
in his role as rector of the Fairfield Jesuit
“Pony” Maloney, who joined the theology
Community. The announcement that he
department. Mrs. Antoinette Rideg was
was to be the next headmaster brought smiles to the faces of many. Fr. Boughton had a reputation as a true gentleman
added to the development office. Mrs. Rev. Michael G. Boughton, S.J., Headmaster 1996–2006
Edith Hoyda had the difficult task of being secretary in the office of the dean of
and a good communicator. Few in the community could
students. An interesting twist to the schedule that year
have predicted, however, that Fr. Boughton would, along
was created when first period was “frozen” in order to
with Fr. Dolan, become one of the greatest builders in
accommodate the new part-time music instructor, Mr.
the history of the school. In his inaugural address to
Philip Sterling.
the student body, introducing the phrase “tradition is a
On the national sports stage, Ed Rowe and other N.Y.
wonderful thing,” Fr. Boughton reminded the students
Yankees fans cheered when the Yankees defeated the
that it was customary for a new headmaster to issue
Atlanta Braves, four games to two to capture the World
a decree granting a school holiday in honor of his
Series. The team looked to be in the process of building
appointment. Needless to say, this brought a rousing
another dynasty.
cheer and ovation from the assembled throng. And so,
As so often happens in life, however, the excitement
armed with a governing slogan and the affection of the
over the World Series and Fr. Boughton’s arrival was
Prep community, Fr. Michael Boughton began what was
tempered later that semester by the news of the tragic
to become a very active reign.
passing of John P. Matyjasik ’97, on November 21. John
The school year 1996-1997 began as they all have,
was known as a good friend and loyal member of the
with the arrival of the freshmen and their Schola Brevis,
Prep family and his untimely death deeply affected many
or brief schedule. A few days later the entire student body
in the community. Special prayers and services were held
arrived on campus and the school year commenced. Then
for the fallen classmate.
it was time for the Mass of the Holy Spirit, the event that
The student government in 1996-1997 was especially
marks the genesis of every school year. Fr. Boughton kept
talented and active, led by president Stephen Aldrich,
his inherited administrative team intact, with exception
vice-president Pete Scifo, secretary Randy Adler, and
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TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
the school turn to some professionals to assist with the plan. Thus, Dr. Gerry Cavallo, a marketing professor from Fairfield University, whose sons had attended Prep, was brought on board. He conducted a study in 1997 to learn how Prep was perceived in the surrounding community. Finally, Carol L. Cheney of Cheney & Associates was commissioned in 1997 to help the school to develop its marketing and public relations strategies. Cavallo’s research indicated that, while the perception of Prep throughout the community was generally positive, many had little understanding of the school’s mission and programs. He found that those who actually visited the school had a highly favorable reaction. This ultimately paved the way for the “shadow” program whereby potential students visit Prep during a regular Graduates from the Class of 1998.
treasurer Chris Ward. The group was greatly responsible for a real increase in school spirit, not that all that much encouragement was needed. This interest in political affairs was also in evidence in the activities of Mr. Hanrahan’s Political Awareness Club, which hosted a guest appearance by Mr. William Finch, who was a Bridgeport City Council member and candidate in the 4th Congressional district. Finch, by the way, would go on to become the Mayor of Bridgeport. Such activities were becoming commonplace for the club, which was one of the most active on campus. On the national scene, President Bill Clinton easily defeated his Republican challenger Bob Dole, for his second term in office.
Strategic Planning Among the most important incentives that Father Boughton initiated at the school was the Strategic Planning Committee. Boughton was concerned about the volatile nature of student enrollment numbers. He correctly perceived that he school needed some kind of long-range recruitment and enrollment plan that would enable it to withstand potential dips in enrollment due to changing demographics and other factors. Thus, he formed a special committee to study the issue. One of the immediate goals was to become more scientific in dealing with the problem, and not just rely on anecdotal evidence in planning. The committee recommended that
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school day and follow a student around throughout the day. This program in fact became a great success, with a high percentage of the shadow visitors ultimately submitting applications to the school and enrolling. The Cheney Report added some other specific recommendations, including the need to develop a clear mission statement which particularizes the tenets of the Graduate at Graduation, and the development of a clear admission, marketing, and financial aid program that to attract and retain students. Importantly, the report added one very significant comment about the attractiveness of Fairfield Prep to prospective students and their families: “An educational product of quality is the single most important criterion on which a school is selected.” Soon after, a number of changes were implemented. Mr. Mark Stepsis, who soon transitioned from the classroom into the role of admissions director, added the idea of adding an “early admissions” decision for enrollment in order to encourage a commitment to the school. A number of other changes followed, among them was the creation of a new position of head of school as president, who would have in his job description a stronger role as fund raiser. A second Cavallo recommendation was that Prep should set its sights on becoming a leader in the use of educational technology in the classroom. Soon, the school moved vigorously in that direction. Technological growth certainly became a hallmark of the school as it entered the 21st century. One additional dimension was added when the position of director of admissions was altered to the title of dean of enrollment and marketing.
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That role would soon be competently filled by Mr. Greg Marshall ’73. Thus, forces were put into place that would alter the face that Prep presented to the surrounding community for decades to come. In sports during the fall of 1996, there were a number of great stories. Richie Magdon’s football team had an outstanding season, posting a 9-2 record. Among the wins that season, none was more impressive and memorable than the 14-6 victory on Alumni Field over a nationally ranked Cheshire team that was sporting a 49-game win streak. Unfortunately, an untimely loss to West Haven in the Thanksgiving Day game spoiled the team’s dreams for a state playoff berth. At season’s end a number of the Prep gridders had racked up honors. Tight end Ryan Utzler made the All-State first team, and Jason Wuchiski, Nick Bilotta, and John Heffers achieved second-team status. Quarterback Randy Anderson joined the others in being named to the All-SCC Quinnipiac squad. The ’96 soccer team was also outstanding. Jaffe’s booters finished with a 12-7 overall record, and made
Guidance counselors Fr. George Gallarelli, S.J., and Ms. Lynne Chesbro review a student’s file.
it to the quarter finals of the state tournament where
Kapitan, Jr. Dan Drew, Art Dugas, and Dan Czajkowski.
they were defeated by a Glastonbury team that was
The indoor track team also copped 4th in the state L
ranked 12th in the nation. Prep was led by tri-captains
Division and 9th in the State Open meet. The big point
Bob Mpuku Evan Caliento, and Ted Prendergast, who
earner was junior Chris “Scap” Scapillato, but Colin
achieved All-New England status. Other significant
Rochford, Anthony Thomas, and Andy Bodick all had
contributors were Mike Brennan, Dan Brennan, Mike
good seasons. The wrestling team had a great success
Finocchi, Kevin Quinlan, George Antonopolous, Scott
story in Rob Huberty, who made it all the way to the
Robinson, and David Castle.
New England championship round.
Cross-country was another great success story. Bob Ford’s harriers finished with a remarkable 15-0 regular
New Hockey Coach
season record, took first in the tough Wilton Invitational,
The hockey team suffered a psychological shock when
third in the Thetford Invitational in Vermont, 1st in the
head coach LaVigne made the surprise announcement
Quinnipiac Division of the SCC, 2nd in the Class LL
that he was leaving the Prep team in order to assume
state meet, and 3rd in the state open meet. Among the
the head coaching duties at Fairfield University. Former
talented group of Prep runners was captain Jon Calvey,
assistant Adolph Brink was elevated to the top spot at
Chris Scapillato, Mike Smith, John Thomas, Jim Koniers,
Prep. The team rallied around Brink and went on to
and Colin Rochford.
an excellent season, achieving a record of 16-1-3 and
The wins kept coming for Fairfield Prep as the
capturing the SCC championship. Although the team
winter sports schedule commenced. The ski team
failed in its attempt to repeat as state champions, it had
went undefeated at 16-0, led by Eric Klein and Mike
certainly had an excellent season. Key skaters were the
Czesnowski, both of whom made the All-State team.
Jacob brothers, Pete Scott, John Longo, John Heffers,
The swimming team went 11-2 against some very tough
Dustin Mello, Rich Chu, Shaun Molyneaux, Josh Mello,
competition. The bowling team had a new coach in Mr.
Kiernan Altieri, Jake Siphers, Dave Saunders, and Nick
Tom Kapitan, Sr., and it took 4 in the state led by Tom
Lardis.
th
HISTORY OF PREP | 153
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
1997 basketball team
Basketball team takes the State Championship
the success of the boys of winter. Despite having some talented baseball players in Steve Aldrich, Rich Bennett,
It was the 1996-1997 basketball team however, that
Scott Anderson, and Mike Santora, Coach Rowe’s team
captured everyone’s attention that year. Coach Owen
could only manage a record of 9-11. The lacrosse team
quieted all detractors once and for all when his team
also posted a mediocre record of 8-7, and the track team
finished number one. The team had a 17-3 regular season
finished the regular season at 5-5-1, despite the great
record and went on to defeat defending champs Norwalk
running of Chris Scapillato, and the throwing of Andy
for the state championship by a score of 66-60 in one of
Bodick. In 1997, Prep fielded a very talented rugby team.
the most exciting games in the history of Fairfield Prep
The ruggers posted upset wins over the Japanese Keio
basketball. Leading the team was center Dan Flaherty.
team and St. Paul’s of Winnipeg, Canada, and took 2nd
Others playing sensationally that season were guard
place in the Yale Invitational. Big names on team included
Bob Mpuku, the excellent shooting Dan Pangrazio, the
Rich Chu, Bob King, Dustin Mello, Mike Finocchi, and
tough-as-nails Nick Bilotta and the rugged rebounder Ian
Mike Mulligan.
Walsh. Other contributors included Evan Caliento, Mike
The 1997 edition of Prep lacrosse was excellent
Brennan, Todd Maloney, and Dennis Kokenos. Flaherty
indeed. Coach Smalkais’ boys had regular season
and Mpuku, by the way, went on to be co-captains of the
record of 8-7, but then went on to capture SCC playoff
Tufts University basketball team.
championship. Mainstays of the team included Pete
Another team that quietly had a great year was
Scott, Jack Cullinane, Mark Monahan, Josh Mello, John
the rifle team, which won the state championship in
Heffers, the Jacob brothers, Nick Bilotta, Connor Millar,
1997. The team was coached by Mr. Duckworth and
Andy Britell, Alex Bush, Alex Drybergh, Keith Pyatak,
Mr. Metzger and moderated by Mr. Giegengack of the
and John Urquardt. Meanwhile, Doc Ratchford had
Prep faculty. Leaders of the team were Jon Hanewicz,
another talented golf team, and it posted a 19-3 record
Rob Duckworth, Jeff Manheimer, Paul Nosevich Steve
and finished 2nd in the SCC and 4th in the state.
Schmitt, Vin Framularo and Dave Esposito. The ski team, meanwhile, went undefeated and missed winning the state championship by four-tenths of a second. The spring sports teams were hard pressed to replicate
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The End of an Era As the 1996-1997 school year drew to a close it was announced that four stalwarts of the Prep faculty
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had decided to retire: Mr. Emmanuel F. Ondeck (1954-
produced a new and updated version of the Fairfield
1997), Mr. James Earl Lavery (1956-1997), Dr. Roger L.
Prep Alumni Directory in 1997. The book contained
Ratchford (1958-1997), and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kachmar
the names, addresses, biographies, and class year of all
(1970-1997). Inducement for these stalwart members
former students, as well as a breakdown of occupational
of the Prep community to retire was an early retirement
distribution of practically all Prep graduates to date.
package.
It is interesting to note the some of the most popular
Each of these great educators had made significant
professions of Prep alums as of 1997:
contributions to the school and its great traditions.
Law – 456
Each had garnered the respect and admiration of
Education – 384
administrators, faculty, and students. And each would be
Marketing, merchandising and sales – more than 300
greatly missed after he or she left the school. Actually,
Engineering - 300
Roger Ratchford did not leave completely. His love of
Medicine - 286
coaching compelled him to continue as golf coach for a
Computer technology – 221
number of years after his retirement from the classroom.
Finance - 185 Accounting– 179
Kairos begins
Banking - 119
The 1996-97 school year witnessed the birth of
Manufacturing – 113
another new institution at Fairfield Prep when the
Administration - 111
Kairos program was launched. Kairos includes a three-
Government – 89
day retreat and reflection by a group of senior and junior
Communication/Media - 76
students and their faculty chaperones. The main force in
Aviation/Aerospace - 75
the creation of the program at Prep was Fr. Hederman,
Scientific Research - 63
S.J. Since its inception, two separate Kairos retreats per
Religious/Clergy – 60
year have been undertaken, and there has never been a lack of potential candidates for the program. For many at Prep, Kairos would become a perfect way to affirm their faith while at the same time creating strong social bonds with other men of Prep. Another new institution of note at the school that year was the World Wide Web Club, as moderated by Mrs. Keltos. This organization helped to develop the prototype of the Prep website. It also helped prepare the school to join the email revolution that was sweeping the nation. Big changes in information technology were coming to the school at a rapid pace. The graduating Class of 1997 was a memorable one. The class was comprised of many interesting characters, including Brian “Mookie” Farrell, Jonathan “the Chief” Hoglund, “Danny K” Kiraly, Matt “the Poet” Morong, “Sleepy” Mike Mulligan, “Gentle George” Pipkin, Andy “the Greek” Tsichlas, Ryan “the Animal” Utzler, and “Hip-Hop” Michael Yester. So it was that the class of 1997 now joined the ranks of the group of proud Fairfield Prep alumni. In that regard it is worth noting that the Office of Alumni Relations
Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J.
HISTORY OF PREP | 155
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
A major event occurred that summer of ’97 in East
a diverse student body,” and for “developing programs
Asia when Hong Kong, a British colony since the 1840s,
designed to serve the needs of the range of students at
was reunited with mainland China on June 30. Political
the Prep.” One comment from the committee’s report
pundits and news commentators wondered whether
is especially worth relating in that it reflects the deep
the tiny capitalist island would be swallowed up by the
impact that a Fairfield Prep education has on the lives
communist system of China or if the opposite would
of its students. Regarding our graduates, the committee
come to pass. It did not take very long for the jury of
reported, “Prep’s alumni are characterized by remarkable
history to return its verdict.
loyalty and deep affection for their Alma Mater. They hold in great esteem the opportunities they had as
Father President The second year of the Fr. Boughton era witnessed some changes. Fr. Boughton now had a new title,
students, for intellectual and personal growth coupled with the Jesuits’ dedication for educating the whole person and the ’man for others’.”
President of Fairfield Prep. Dr. Perrotta was elevated to the position of principal. The housemaster system was ended and Mr. Brennan returned to his former position
Coach Ford’s cross country team enjoyed the best
as dean of men. Mr. Magdon had a new title as director of
season in the program’s history in 1997 when it captured
operations. Mrs. Keltos was director of computer science
the SCC crown and took first place in both the Class LL
and technology. One of the important additions that Mrs.
championship and State Open races. The team finished
Keltos implemented that fall was the opening of Fairfield
2nd in the New England regionals and achieved national
Prep’s official website. The significance of that change
ranking in a number of polls. For his achievement Coach
was immense.
Ford was honored as Connecticut Coach of the Year.
Another important change was that Mr. Sterling was
Four members of his team received All-State recognition,
on board as full-time music director. There were also
including Colin Rochford, Brian McGovern, John
some new faces among the Prep faculty. Returning to Prep
Thomas, and Jim Koniers. Other significant members
to teach in the theology department was John Yanosy ’89.
of the team were Chris Scapillato, Mike Smith, Justin
Mr. Paul Zalonski, S.J., also joined the department. New
Novak, Ryan Hoyt, Brian Colleran, Sean Mulrenan, Matt
to the language department were Dr. June-Anne Greeley
Jackson, Tom O’Donnell, and Kevin Higgins.
and Mr. Ulrich Alvarez. An important addition to the
The soccer team had a great year as well, with a record
fine arts department was Mrs. Dolores Tema. Another
of 15-3-1, the best in the team’s history. Jaffe’s boys were
alumnus returning to Prep was Mr. Paul Halas ’74, who
led by captains George Antonopolous, Dan Brennan, and
joined the English department. Paul had been a great
Todd Maloney. The team went to the third round of the
scholar-athlete at Prep. He was the quarterback on the
state playoffs where it unfortunately lost to East Lyme.
remarkable ’73 football team.
Nevertheless, it was indeed a memorable season. Many
A big event at the school in the autumn of 1997 occurred when a visiting committee of the New England
156
Cross Country: #1 in the State
people who saw that team still rave about the superior goalkeeping of Matt Davis.
Association of Schools and Colleges arrived at Prep on
On a negative note, Rich Magdon’s football team
October 5 in order to begin an evaluation of Fairfield
went through a rebuilding year in 1997, and was only
Prep in accordance with the accreditation process. Every
able to post a record of 3-8. Moving into the winter
10 years Prep has had such an evaluation, going back
season, Coach Brink’s hockey team posted another good
to 1987, 1977, etc. As part of the evaluation process the
regular season record of 11-5-1. The team went on to
team of visiting educators looked into every aspect of the
defeat Hamden in the state quarterfinals but then lost to
school, from curriculum, to abilities of faculty, relations
New Canaan in the semifinal game. Indoor track went
with parents and alumni, etc. Needless to say, Prep passed
5-5 that year. Wrestling had a new coach as former great
the 1997 evaluation with flying colors. The committee
Josh Tolk ’85 returned to campus. The team went 4-10,
commended Prep for its “commitment to maintaining
but placed a respectable 11th in the state tournament.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Swimming: #1 in the State
1980s
French
Bruce Jaffe’s swimmers had a great year with a 13-2
Club
1990s
and
the
Spanish Honor Society.
record. The team prepared for its season with an exciting
The graduating class of
tour of Puerto Rico. They went on to capture the SCC
1998 included a number
trophy, the Class LL state tournament and the State Open
of memorable young men.
championship as well. Key performers included Pat
Included
Doherty, Mike Maher, Ryan Russo, Oliver Perez, Brian
was Sean Driscoll, son of
Lyngass, Jay Porteus, Jamie Barone, Peter Massey, Steve
Asian studies teacher Dave
Kinney, Tom O’Donnell, Charles Rathkof, Steve Tamis,
Driscoll, and J.P. Hanrahan,
Greg Hammond, Adam Zachkowski, Jim McGee, Pat
son of American history
Malone, and Brian McGovern.
teacher John Hanrahan.
in
the
class
Phil “the Zen master” Ambrosino ’98
The ski team did its usual great job, going undefeated
There was also Peter Scifo, one of Prep’s all-time greats.
once again, and racking up another state championship.
Additional characters included John “Wacko Jacko”
The team was led by All-State skiers Ryan Coyne and
Schlechtweg, “Crazy Al” Cavaliero, “Gumby” Kirkland,
Mark Czesnowski. Other contributors were Karl
“JC” Mike Smith, Phil and “the Zen master” Ambrosino.
Sandberg, Brad Kellog, Wally Newberger, and Cliff
Each and every member of the great class of ’98 deserves
Rizzi. The basketball team, owing to the graduation of a
recognition, but space will not allow such a celebration.
number of its stars, fell off a bit from its championship
Special mention, however, needs to be given to Mikey
season. It achieved a regular season record of 10-8, as led
Donohue, who all in the Class of ’98 will always
by Dan Pangrazio, Ian Walsh, Todd Maloney, and Dennis
remember fondly.
Kokenos.
Mr. Tim McGillicuddy
Come spring, the sports successes continued.
The end of the school
Ratchford’s golf team went an unbelievable 25-0, won the SCC championship, and placed 2 in the state. Team
year
leaders were seniors Adam Britt, Dave Dudas, and Tony
end of great career at the
Frabizzio. Others included Tim Tracy, Nick Cook, Joe
school as Mr. Thomas
Starzac and Mike Giaquinto. In other sports, the lacrosse
“Tim”
team finished with a record of 11-6, the rugby team went
announced his retirement.
9-7, and the track team went 6-4. Noteworthy was that
Since joining the faculty
nd
Colin Rochford broke the school record in the 3,000 meter event with a time of 8:38. The 4 x 800 team of
also
marked
the
McGillicuddy
as a math teacher back in Mr. “Tim” McGillicuddy
1956, Mr. McGillicuddy
Rochford, Scapillato, McGovern, and Haywood also set
served the school extremely well in a number of roles,
a school record at 7:58. John Thomas’ time of 15:36 also
including dean of men, assistant principal, principal, and
set a school record in the 5,000 meter run. Meanwhile,
controller. More importantly, he was friend, confidant,
Coach Rowe’s baseball team had another disappointing
and mentor to countless students, faculty, and alumni of
season with a record of 8-12.
the school.
The extracurricular social and cultural scene at Prep
He was one in a million and, while Fairfield Prep
was alive and well during the 1997-98 school year.
could find people to cover his many roles in the school,
The music program went full blast under the direction
it could never really replace him. Sadly, Tim passed away
of Mr. Sterling. Ms. Scoville’s Prep Players put on an
on January 4, 2018.
excellent production called The Visit. A number of busy
The 1998-1999 school year brought an unusually
clubs on campus included SEED, SADD, Model U.N.,
large infusion of faculty talent to the school. Two English
Political Awareness, the Historical Society, the Mite
teachers, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Halas, had departed at
Box Committee, Amnesty International, Environmental
the end of the previous year. Replacements were in order.
Awareness, Science Fiction, as well as the Math team,
Joining the English department was Mr. Jack Slavinsky. HISTORY OF PREP | 157
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
savagely beaten to death in Wyoming on October 6. Following the incident, Prep theology and social studies teachers used the tragic story as an opportunity for discussions on intolerance. For teachers, it was gratifying to find that the overwhelming majority of Prep men expressed shock and dismay over the killing. As was often the case, the students of Prep had demonstrated once again their compassion for victims of injustice. Experienced teachers welcomed the obvious lessening of homophobia. The fall sports programs met with their usual degree of success in 1998. The cross country team was again excellent, compiling a regular season record of nine wins and no losses. Bob Ford’s harriers captured the SCC title and repeated as Class LL state champs. They went on to finish 2nd in the State Open meet behind Fitch, and 2nd 5th reunion of the Class of 1991.
in the New England championships. Three Prep runners copped All-State honors, Colin Rochford, Brian McGovern,
158
A man of many books and just as many life experiences,
and Tom O’Donnell. Captains Dave Hennessy and Vin
Jack quickly became one of the favorite teachers and
Framularo added considerably to the team’s success.
coaches at Prep. A much younger face, but no stranger
When all was said and done Rochford and McGovern
to Prep, was Mr. Matthew Sather ’93. As English teacher
reached the pinnacle of being among the greatest distance
and hockey coach, Mr. Sather quickly made a lasting
runners in the school’s history, joining other legends such
impression on the school. Starting as an assistant, Sather
as Dan O’Connor and the Bayliss brothers.
was quickly promoted to head coach in 1999, thus
Other fall teams, including football and soccer, met
becoming the fourth coach in the program’s history. New
with mixed results. Soccer went 8-6-1 and lost in the
to the science department was Dr. Rita Ramnaryan. Also
playoffs to New Britain. While Coach Magdon’s team had
new to science was Mr. Robert Kenyon. Joining foreign
an off season, the presence of talented underclassmen
language was Ms. Sarah Wingate, and Mrs. Joy Karcher
such as Greg Scott, Greg Zielinski, and John Urquhart
was added to the performing arts department. New to
held out great promise for next season. Also busy in the
the math department was Mr. George Baglini. Mr. Robert
fall was the sailing team, which garnered a 5th place
Donohue ’87 joined the office of development.
finish in the annual High School Regatta in Boston.
The secretarial staff underwent some expansion as
Spencer Ogden, Brian Baker and Peter Lelek also led
well. New secretaries included Mrs. Marianne Takacs,
the team to 3rd place in the Connecticut Open. On the
Mrs. Nora Magi, Mrs. Beverly D’Aprile and Mrs. Donna
national sports stage, New York Yankees fans relished
Fallacaro. These fine ladies joined a veteran staff that
another World Championship, as the Bronx Bombers
included Mrs. Patricia Cottle, office coordinator; Mrs.
destroyed the San Diego Padres in four straight games to
Pierettta Evanko, office of the principal; Mrs. Georgina
win their second crown in three years.
Holdsworth and Mrs. Betty Renzulli of the development
Extracurricular organizations were alive and well
office; and Mrs. Suzanne Tucci, office of admissions.
during 1998-99. One of the most active was the
Other significant women at Prep included the registrar,
Political Awareness Club, moderated by Mr. Hanrahan
Mrs. Louise Miller, the bursar, Mrs. Susan Duva; and the
and Mr. Szablewicz. The club had great leadership in
school librarian, Ms. Jacqueline Goggin.
the form of Andrew Mazlowski, Yuri “the Chairman”
A national news event thrust itself to center stage
Kim, Evan McCarthy, and Sang Jeong. They published
when Matthew Shepard, an openly gay student, was
the premier edition of Prep’s political newspaper, the
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Zeitgeist (German for “Spirit of the Times”) during their senior year. The paper became an integral part of the Prep literary scene from that time forward. The title of the journal was created by Andy Maslowski, who just happened to be taking German lessons from Bruce Jaffe at the time. Maslowski, upon entering Georgetown, continued his interest in foreign languages and became an Arabic scholar. Other active organizations on campus that year included SEED, which was moderated by Dr. Andrade. Once again the group ran the annual Dr. King celebration in January as well as the Ethnic Brunch. It also was active in the freshman orientation program. Mr. Wallace’s publication, Calibre, put out some outstanding work. The school newspaper, Soundings, added the popular “man in the quad” section. The Model U.N. and Model Congress clubs were very popular as well. So too was the
5th reunion of the Class of 1993 in 1998.
Science Fiction Club, the Latin Club, the French Club take long for Sather to place his distinct imprint on the
and the Spanish Honor Society. The performing arts were in excellent shape. Mr.
program. Assisted by a talented coaching staff including
Sterling’s Glee Club and Jazzuits were impressive. Mr.
Rudy Mauritz ’94, many victories and championships
Canuel and Mr. Jakab led the Liturgical Music group to
were soon to follow. Three Prep skaters made the All-
great success at the school’s many religious functions.
State team in ’98-’99: Bob Gillon, Mike Healey and Jaime
Mrs. Scoville left the school at the end of the 1988
Sifers, with Healy achieving Connecticut high school
school year. Taking over her role as director of the drama
Player of the Year accolades. Sifers, went on make the
programs was Mrs. Joy Karcher. Her initial play was:
NHL, having brief stints with Toronto, Minnesota and
Waiting for Lefty, starring Patrick Linsey, Christian Long,
Atlanta. The swimming team went 13-2-1 for the season and
and Roophy Roy. The winter sports schedule was packed with
finished 3rd in the league and the state. Great leadership
highlights, as usual. The ski team went undefeated again,
was provided by Steve Kinney, Pete Massey, Chris Kinney,
led by Mike Czesnowski, Walt Neuberger, Jeff Gould and
and Charles Rathkopf. Coach Owen’s basketball team
Dave Yurkerwich. Josh Tolk’s wrestling team could boast
had a down year, finishing with a record of 5-15.
two stars. Rob Huberty was SCC champ, LL state champ
Joining the faculty that spring was a jovial Jesuit
and Prep’s first State Open champ. He finished 4 in New
scholastic named Julio Jimenez, who interned in social
England. John Duggan was SCC runner-up and 5th in the
studies in Mr. Szablewicz’s anthropology class. But Julio
State LL meet. Indoor track, led by Rochford, McGovern,
was known to most in the Prep community because he
Thomas and O’Donnell was very successful.
read the daily prayer each morning during homeroom.
th
Who will ever forget his interesting call to prayer,
Sather takes Command
“Gooood morning, Fairfield Prep!!!”
The hockey team had mixed results. It had a good
During the April spring break, there occurred a very
record at 13-5, but failed to make waves in the state
important event in the history of the Prep Christian
playoffs. Actually, the big news of the season was the
service program. During that week the inaugural version
abrupt resignation of coach Brink just as the season
of the Global Mission to Ecuador was undertaken.
neared its end. He was replaced by assistant coach and
Faculty chaperones included Mr. Sacerdote, Dr. Perrotta,
former Prep standout, Mr. Matthew Sather ’93. It did not
Mr. Yanosy and Ms. Hansen. About a dozen Prep students HISTORY OF PREP | 159
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
participated in this third world immersion experience,
captains were Jeff Depanfilis, Jim Reilly, Rob Russell, and
working with young Ecuadorians, in a sincere attempt
John Murphy. Meanwhile, the golf and tennis teams were
to remediate the conditions of the poor in that country.
excellent, with 8-3-1 and 14-3 records, respectively.
With the Ecuador adventure, a new tradition was born at
The Class of 1999 experienced the annual ritual
Fairfield Prep in keeping with the school’s stated goal of
shared by thousands who came before them. There was
being “committed to doing justice.”
the Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday evening, held at St.
Spring of 1999 brought another down season for
Thomas Church on the Post Road in Fairfield. Then,
Prep baseball. The team finished at 7-13, despite the
on the first Sunday on June graduation exercises were
spirited play of Captains Chris Shukie and Ray Degnan.
conducted in the field house of Fairfield University. The
Rugby was now an official varsity sport at the school.
“boys of ’99” were a spirited and talented bunch, and
In its inaugural season, the team had a record of 3-5,
many were accepted into the top colleges and universities
but finished a very respectable 3rd in the New England
in America. Among the graduates was David Ellis, son of
tournament. An interesting aspect of the season occurred
the renowned Prep guidance counselor.
when the team traveled to Europe to compete against some tough competition in Ireland and France. Team captains were John Tomlinson, Kevin Kery, and Dan Nernchek. Other main contributors included Mac Marrone, Rob Martinez, and Bryan O’Connor. Two Prep ruggers, Nick Cagginello and Dominick Mara, were selected to the national rugby team.
The Landmark Campaign
The ’99 track team was very good. It achieved a regular
The summer months are usually a quiet time
season record of 7-2, took 4th in the SCC and 5th in
on campus. But that pattern was altered in July of
the state Class LL meet. A major highlight of the season
1999 when school President Fr. Boughton, S.J.,
occurred when Anthony Thomas set a school record in the
along with the development department, announced
long jump at 23’3.”
the commencement of Fairfield Prep’s “Landmark
The lacrosse team had a great record of 15-2, captured
Campaign,” which was designed to raise the necessary
the SCC title, and made it to the quarter finals of the state
funds to greatly expand and improve the school in four
tournament, where it was defeated by Cheshire. Team
specific areas. First was a call to increase the annual financial support of the school, in order to maintain a sound operating budget. The second goal was to establish a “Great Teaching Endowment.” Third was a call to increase the endowment for financial aid for those families in need. Finally, there was the ambitious goal of renovating the existing buildings and the construction of two new buildings on the Prep campus, an athletic facility and a connector building linking Berchmans and Xavier halls. National chair of the campaign was William D. Walsh ’47, and general chair was Dr. Robert D. Russo ’65. Fr. Boughton, along with two succeeding vice presidents for advancement, Mr. Robert Bernier followed by Mr. Larry Carroll, soon began the task of appealing to Prep’s friends and benefactors to support the plan. And support it they did! By the summer of 2006 the campaign had surpassed its goal. Meanwhile, moving into the role
A lacrosse game in the spring of 1998.
160
| HISTORY OF PREP
of admissions director was Mr. Mark Stepsis.
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The 1999-2000 school year brought Mr. Rudolph J. Mauritz ’94, to the school as a teacher and coach. Other new members of the community were Mrs. Vidya Narasimhan-Ganti, who taught French. Mr. James Franzetti joined the theology department. Ms. Jessica Halstead was the new director of communications and parent relations. Prep also had a new school nurse, Mrs. Theresa Grisé, who replaced the now-retired Mrs. Janet Smith. The skilled Teri Grisé was the mother of Prep grad Michael Grisé ’84. Ms. Margaret Davis was new to the guidance department. The year 1999-2000 was destined to be a busy one at Fairfield Prep. In early October, the entire faculty
Father Tom Murphy, S.J, celebrating a birthday.
participated in the first modern rendition of the semi-
The team went undefeated during the regular season.
annual Province Day conference, which was held at the
They made it to the semi-finals of the state tournament,
College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts.
where they fell to a talented Greenwich team. Leadership
The Provincial for New England in those days, by the
was provided by Captains Nick Cagginello, John
way, was Prep’s own Fr. Robert Levens, S.J. He warmly
Urquhart, Dave Alpert, and Rob Cunningham. At
greeted the Prep faculty as it entered the conference hall.
season’s end Coach Magdon was voted SCC Coach of the
The idea behind the Province Day convocation was to
Year, an honor well earned. With just a little luck, his
allow the teachers from the various Jesuit high schools
team could have easily gone all the way.
throughout the New England Province to meet, compare
The cross country team finished 8-1 during the
curriculum, textbook choices, etc., and to exchange
regular season, captured 4th place in both the SCC and
ideas about the future of Jesuit education throughout the
class LL meets. Captains Matt Jackson, Kevin Higgins
Province. Participants viewed academic presentations,
were aided greatly by senior Sean Mulrenan and juniors
shared an excellent lunch, and finished the day with a
Brian McGovern and John Xeller. The soccer team,
Mass in the beautiful Holy Cross chapel.
meanwhile, had a record of 9-7-1 in an injury-plagued
Back on campus, things were interesting as well. Richie Magdon’s football team had an outstanding year.
’99 season. November of 1999 was significant in the development of the Prep service program. During that month Fairfield Prep participated in its first Ignatian Family teach-in. The energetic Mr. Thomas Sacerdote served as chaperone. Following the teach-in, Adam Zaczkowski of the senior class built crosses commemorating the tenth anniversary of the murder of six Jesuits and their co-workers in El Salvador. The crosses were displayed in the Quad that fall, and the tradition was continued in subsequent years. On November 18, 1999, the Prep community awakened to the news that Prep legend Fr. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J. passed away of natural causes. Though “Father Tom” was quite elderly, the news of his death came as quite a shock to many. During his long career he served as teacher, guidance counselor, band director,
One-on-one in a Prep classroom.
composer of the Prep Alma Mater and fight songs, long-
HISTORY OF PREP | 161
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
State Open meets. Bright spots included the running of Brian McGovern and the shot putting of John Cambras. Seniors Matt Jackson and Kevin Higgins captained the team. Meanwhile two teams had mediocre seasons, basketball and wrestling. The hoop team went 4-13, and the wrestling team, under new head coach Mike Forsythe, was clearly in a rebuilding stage. Despite “Y2K” fears which plunged many into a techno-panic, the New Year 2000 arrived without a hitch. A new century was about to begin, and anyone involved with Fairfield Prep could not help being a little proud of the great tradition of academic excellence that the school Mr. Tony Canuel uses a model to instruct a Biology class.
had achieved in just over half a century of existence. The future of the school certainly seemed bright as the new
time friend and confidant of hundreds if not thousands of Prep graduates.
century dawned. On the ideological front, Fairfield Prep and the many other Jesuit institutions throughout the world
Sather wins his 1st State title
received a new blueprint for growth in the twenty-first
The winter team that was once again the buzz on
century when the Jesuit Conference of the Society of
campus was young Coach Sather’s hockey squad. The
Jesus published an important document entitled “What
team had a regular season record of 9-9-1, but against
Makes a Jesuit School Jesuit?” The pamphlet dealt with
very strong competition. Sather’s boys then mowed down
two important issues, the first being the relationship
Enfield, Newington, and Darien in the playoffs.
between Jesuit schools and the Society of Jesus, and
They then shut out the rival Greenwich team by a
the other focusing on the distinguishing criteria for
score of 2-0 to bring home the championship trophy in
verifying the Jesuit nature of contemporary schools.
Sather’s first full year in charge of the program. The team
Significantly, in a society and school environment that
leaders were Captains Mike Healey, Dan Nemchek, and
was becoming increasingly diverse, one of the main
Morgan Lewis. Healey, Connecticut Player of the Year
principles included a call to “…develop a dialogue in
and the best goalie in the state, was just incredible during
our approach to believers of other religions.” Fairfield
the play-off run. Other important seniors were Kevin
Prep was ahead of the curve on this issue, with its world
Altieri, Ryan Birge and Kevin Brawley. Underclassmen who contributed significantly included Mickey Girardi, Connor Gleason, and Joe Deck. Named All-State were Joe Deck, Micky Girardi, Mike Healey and Dan Nemchek. In the hands of Coach Sather the hockey program was once again destined to experience greatness. The ski team went undefeated once more and dominated state competition. Captains Jeff Gould, Bryan Swann and Ben Zoghbi led the way to another outstanding season. Coach Jaffe’s swimmers were also excellent. The team had a regular season record of 13-3, and captured 2nd place in the SCC and the state Class LL meet. Three seniors achieved All-America status: Steve Tamas, Peter Mesavage, and Adam Zaczkowski. The indoor track team took 5th in the Class L and 4th in the 162
| HISTORY OF PREP
Guest vocalist Fr. Boughton harmonizes at a Prep auction.
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religions course and offerings in Asian studies and of course, its diverse teaching faculty and student body. One person who had helped to place the indelible stamp of the Jesuit tradition at Fairfield Prep was Father James H. Barry, S.J. On January 4, 2000, Father Barry passed on to his eternal reward. His death closed a chapter in Prep’s history, as he had been the last surviving member of the original nineteen Jesuits who founded the school back in September of 1942. Social and cultural programs once again flourished at the Prep that year. The Urban Plunge, Kairos, and the senior service projects all kept the seniors hopping as usual. The performing arts were alive and well
Headmaster Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J., took a pie in the face in a fundraiser.
as The Prep Players performed The Boys Next Door.
to Coach Rowe’s baseball team. They sported a regular
Mrs. Karcher’s group did a great job, especially Tom
season record of 12-6. In the state tournament Prep
McKeon, Serge Mihaylo, Reggie Edgerton, and Nick
defeated Simsbury in the first round, but then lost
Smalgo. Especially impressive was Tom Simonetti in
to Fairfield High in the next. Co-Captains Boomer
the roles as narrator and social worker. In music, Mr.
Murray and Dave Alpert had great seasons, as did Eric
Sterling’s band and Jazzuits continued to impress. The
Steenhousen, and Dan Timmeney. The lacrosse team
Christmas concert was once again a great success. Dr.
had a similar season. They went 11-6 during the regular
Andrade’s student support services had a banner year as
season, defeated Fairfield High in the first round of the
well. Organizations such as SEED, Brothers for Others,
playoffs, and then fell to New Canaan in the next round.
ASPIRA, the Asian Student Association and the African
The team was loaded with talent, starting with two All-
American Cultural Club all had high enrollments and
Americans, goalie Matt Russell, and mid-fielder John
very active members.
Urquhart. Ryan Rodriguez and Rob Pelletier made the
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in
All-Conference team. The tennis team was very good,
January was a memorable event. Prep’s music director,
compiling a regular season record of 10-6, and took 4th
Mr. Sterling, gave a moving speech, and the dynamic and
in the state. The highlight of the state tournament was
talented duo of Ellsworth and Hicks, drew cheers from
the play of Todd Paul, who captured the Class LL state
the assembled Prep community.
singles title.
The spring sports season brought some good success
The track team had a regular season record of 6-5,
Alumni reunite before the Class of 1999 Commencement with Father Tom Murphy, S.J.
HISTORY OF PREP | 163
TRADITION IS A WONDERFUL THING
Class of 1998
Class of 1948 50th class reunion in 1998
and finished 5th in the state LL meet. Brian McGovern
Ratchford’s team included Nick Cook, Joe Starzec, Adam
was Prep’s greatest victor, winning the 3,200-meter
Goodfellow, Matt Thennes, and Jim O’Brien. Another
race at both the LL state meet and the State Open meet.
team worthy of mention was the sailing team, which
The hard-working Jon Cambras won the LL State title
had an outstanding season. The team made it all the
in the shot put. Other wonderful performances were
way to the National Championship regatta, which was
achieved by Kevin Higgins, who took 2nd in the state
held at Long Beach, California, where they finished a
in the 5,000-meter run; Joe Crowley, who captured the
respectable 18th. Prep’s sailors were: Pete Lelek, Greg
SCC title in the javelin; Terique Timmons and Willie
Hammond, Alex Petisi, Chris Filiberto, Jamie McAvey,
Codrington, who performed well in the long and triple
Rob Stevens, John Quinn, John Ference, Jeff Northrup,
jumps.
Dave Negriero, Brian Howard, Kevin O’Malley, and Andy
The 2000 rugby team was outstanding. After posting a great regular season record, the team went on to win
The graduating class of 2000 was a very successful one
the New England Rugby tournament when they defeated
in many ways, especially academically and athletically. It
Greenwich by a score of 14-4. Mac Marrone and Dominic
is worth noting that within its ranks was Phil Giegengack,
Mara were named M.V.P.s of the tournament. Coaches
son of Prep legend Mr. Giegengack. Also in the class were
Decker, Stepsis, Kravec and Weeks deserved kudos for
a number of young men who later returned to join the
assembling a tough and resilient team. Another team
teaching faculty: Kevin Altieri, Joseph Farrell, Charles
achieving greatness was the golf team, which once
Ritter, and Kevin Kery. In a prescient move, the members
again won the SCC title. The linksters posted a regular
of the senior class that year voted Kevin Kery as “most
season record of 12-3, and went on to take 4 in the
likely to teach at Prep.”
th
state tournament. Outstanding contributors to Coach 164
Debergalis.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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CHAPTER 10
Into a New Century
T
he school year 2000-2001 was destined to be an exciting one for a number of reasons. First
of all, the wheels of change within the faculty spun rapidly that year as a new crop of talented teachers and support staff arrived at Prep. Joining the
mathematics
department
was
Steve Deveau ’92. Another returning alumnus was Trevor Fanning ’95, who taught theology and English. Speaking of English, the department received a real boost when the energetic and imaginative James Chesbro joined its ranks. Chesbro, a talented and published author, subsequently taught
Students gather for the “topping out” of Arrupe Hall.
a popular creative writing course. Joining the foreign language department was Georgetown
The administrative team was expanded to include Mrs.
grad Mrs. Deidre Schoenster. New to theology was the
Kathleen Krochko as bursar and Mrs. Nora Magi whose
bright, articulate Mr. Kevin Johnson and the amicable
title was changed from controller to business manager.
Mr. Jason Kiska. Mrs. Jane Novia was added to the
Mr. Hanrahan left the social studies department and
already strong science department. Mrs. Novia (later,
joined the guidance department, in part to fill the void
O’Reilly) brought to the department practical skills and
created when the popular David Ellis and Mike Savo left
knowledge accumulated through her years as a nurse
to take positions in public schools. New members of
in the burn units of various area hospitals. Another
the evolving technology department were Ms. Jennifer
Prep grad who came back to the school was Mr. Joseph
Medoff and Ms. Tamika Warner.
Miller ’76, who assumed the important role of director of
Last but not least, two friendly faces were added to
alumni relations. Among his various tasks, Joe became
the secretarial staff, Mrs. Kim Gallagher (later, Bernier)
editor of Prep Today: The Magazine of Fairfield College
and Mrs. Patricia Veno. Their presence on the social
Preparatory School. Moving over to the role of director of
committee enhanced the tradition of faculty gatherings.
annual and planned giving was Mr. Robert Donahue ‘87.
Regular events featuring seasonal or ethnic food became
HISTORY OF PREP | 165
INTO A NEW CENTURY
the norm. While a few waistlines might have expanded as a result, so too did faculty morale. These happenings were added to a traditional list of great events, most notably the annual Christmas party at the Jesuit residence on Barlow Road, hosted by theology department. Father Larry Ryan’s bacon and shrimp dish was always a big hit. Another frequent event was the “picnic at Harvey’s,” at which the faculty would convene at Mr. Mamrus’ lake house in Trumbull for a great barbeque hosted by Harvey Mamrus, with lunch provided by food service directors Frank and Vivian Ahlers and their staff of F&V Services.
The High Tech Era Begins As Fairfield Prep entered the first decade of the
166
Tom McLaughlin ’58 helps a senior with the college admission process.
new millennium, the most significant alteration in the
the state of Florida. New terms such as “dimpled chads”
educational process was the increasing dependence
and “dangling chads” entered America’s vocabulary as a
on information technology. Over the next few years
reexamination of punched paper ballots was undertaken.
Berchmans and Xavier halls were outfitted with the
The matter was settled when the Bush team appealed to
most modern technology. Computers were added to
the Supreme Court to issue an end to the Florida recount,
all Prep classrooms. Prep faculty received school email
which if left as it stood would give Bush the state by a
accounts and internet access. In rapid succession came
very small margin. The Court in fact ruled to stop the
the online attendance system and finally an online
recount and Bush was given the state and the presidency.
grading system. A number of classrooms were converted
The election of 2000 was destined to go down in history
to high-tech rooms, with additional computers for
as the most controversial in American history (up to that
students, smart boards, black boxes, and big screen
point.).
systems for PowerPoint presentations, films, and
In preparation for the 2000 election, the Political
various electronic media productions. Additionally, by
Awareness Club was quite active on campus. Under the
2005 the Prep had its own online grade site, known as
energetic leadership of co-presidents Jamie Da Loma
FAWEB. Every teacher was expected to create his/her
and Michael Carrington, the club invited representatives
own course website, employing the Front Page system.
from the camps of the three major candidates to
Course syllabi, outlines, homework assignments, and
Berchmans cafeteria. Before a large crowd they staged a
exam schedules were all posted on the websites. In
real political debate followed by a spirited question-and-
order to prepare teachers for these new systems, the
answer session. Dr. Perrotta cooperated by allowing for
technology department, led by Mrs. Keltos, ran a series
an early dismissal so that students might see the debate.
of training sessions throughout the school year and over
Subsequently, a mock election was held in the cafeteria
the summers. Needless to say, some teachers found the
on the Monday and Tuesday of election week. The
adjustment easier than did others. A type of culture shock
club procured a real election booth and machine from
was natural for those teachers who had gone for decades
the Town of Fairfield and it was stationed in the back
with only a blackboard and chalk as their teaching tools.
of the cafeteria so that Prep students might vote. The
The big news on the national front in the fall of
process was very educational for Prep students as they
2000 was the confusion associated with the Presidential
had their first experience using a real voting machine.
election between the Democrat Al Gore, Green Party
Members of the Political Awareness Club were stationed
candidate Ralph Nader, and the Republican George W.
at registration tables and at the voting machine in order
Bush. Though Gore won the popular vote by more than
to instruct students in its use. The final tally at Prep gave
500,000, the electoral vote was in question, especially in
the nod to George Bush by a small margin.
| HISTORY OF PREP
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Another big event that autumn was the annual
During that championship season, a big event in
edition of the senior dress-up day at Halloween. The
the Wonderland of Ice occurred when Fairfield Prep
day had become quite a tradition at the school over the
officially retired jersey #18, which was the number worn
years and seniors looked forward to it as one of their
by the Drury brothers, Ted ’89 and Chris ’94, when
senior privileges, along with the freedom to eat lunch off
they propelled Prep hockey to greatness. On hand for
campus. The culmination of dress-up day was the contest
the occasion were Mr. and Mrs. Drury and many special
for best costume, which was held in the cafeteria during
guests.
senior lunch. The master of ceremonies for the contest
In other sports that winter the basketball team
was none other than the Dean of Students, Mr. Brennan,
finished with a respectable record of 12-8, but lost out
and the winner was awarded free senior prom tickets. It
in its playoff run. Leadership was evident in the play of
was always amusing to see the kinds of costumes created
Jeremy Neigher, Billie Krol, Jerry Keefe, Mike Spaight,
by the seniors and how they revealed their inner-selves
Pete McSherry, Ben Lehn, and Dan Fabbri. The indoor
or alter-egos.
track team was again excellent and took 3rd in the Class
Fall sports programs in 2000 had their share of
L state meet and an amazing 1st in the State Open meet.
interesting developments. Coach Magdon’s football team
Important contributors included Willie Coddington,
went 5-5, and was greatly affected by a serious injury
Dominic Mara, Joe Stadel, Chris Mack, John Xeller, Jon
to star running back Harold Gaines. Meanwhile, Bruce
Cambras, Jim Gabe, Pat Fraher, James Ford, Tarique
Jaffe’s soccer team was better, at 12-4-2.
Timmons and the incredible Brian McGovern. Under
Bob Ford’s cross country team had a record of
new Coach Mike Forsythe, the wrestling team had a
8-2 in the regular season and finished 6th in the state
good season as well. Tri-captains “Gentle Ben” Mulkerin,
meet. Prep’s great distance runner, Brian McGovern,
Ray Bourdeau, and Pete Mulligan performed well. First
remarkably finished #1 in the SCC, LL state meet, and
year Coach Steve Deveau had a talented bowling team
the State Open meet. He then went on to capture the
and it finished with a record of 9-2. Leadership was
New England championship as well to cap-off one of
provided by captains Jeff Dunn and Ben Johnson, along
the most brilliant careers of any Prep athlete. On the
with Rob Emerson Steve Venditti, and Justin Karcher.
national stage, meanwhile, the New York Yankees bested
Jaffe’s swimmers meanwhile had a typically good year,
their cross-town rivals, the New York Mets in the Fall
finishing at 11-5. Captains Brian Costa, Jim McGee, Pat
Classic, four games to two. The Series M.V.P. was Derek
Malone and Matt Biondi led the team a 2nd place finish
Jeter.
in the state LL meet and 4th in the State Open meet. The
Speaking of success in sports, Coach Matt Sather’s
skiing team, under Coach Dave Gaudioso, had a record
hockey team performed an amazing feat when it captured
of 12-1. Leadership was provided by Chris Tramontano,
back-to-back state titles. The 2000-2001 team, after
Jeff Ryba, Greg Zaino, Chris Rago, and Alex Jessup.
posting a regular season record of 10-8-2, entered the
Spring brought with it Prep’s first modern version of
playoffs battle-tested. Prep defeated N.D. West Haven
the freshman retreat as orchestrated by school Chaplain
the championship game by a lopsided score of 8-0. The
Fr. Hederman, S.J., and his team of senior volunteers.
team was captained by Mike Cruz, Mickey Girardi, and
Freshmen were broken up into groups for the event and
Joe Deck. The goaltender was David Beckles. Other great
each was assigned a classroom as its home base. It was
contributors included Matt Altieri, Colin MacLeod, Brett
interesting to see how the frosh and their senior leaders
Kapteina, Vin O’Hara, Greg Martino, Anthony Jannetta,
uniquely decorated their “homes” with colored lights,
Dylan Cooke, Connor Gleason, Austin Bussen, Kyle
posters and various pieces of borrowed furniture. Included
Mills, Chris Thurston, Charlie Rochlin, Brian Black,
in the retreat were faith talks by faculty members, various
Matt Signore, Rob D’Amato, and Colby Dennison, and
social and athletic activities, liturgies, reflection periods
Pat Mellilo. A great honor went to Mickey Girardi as the
and group discussions. The culmination of the event was
season came to a close when he was named Connecticut
the overnight sleepover, chaperoned by a brave group
Player of the Year.
of faculty. Aside from tending to the spiritual growth HISTORY OF PREP | 167
INTO A NEW CENTURY
was invited to the prestigious national tournament,
served as a great device to
where it finished a very respectable 11th in the America.
bring about a sense of class
The arts were alive in well in 2000-01. Senior Tom
solidarity and school spirit.
Simonetti wowed audiences in the Man of La Mancha.
The freshman retreat took
Mr. Sterling’s various music groups gave a number of
its place along with Kairos
fantastic performances throughout the year. The annual
for
art shows were big successes as well.
juniors
and
seniors.
With these the two events,
The graduating Class of 2001 was a memorable
the spiritual growth of the
one. A number of interesting young men were part of
student body was certainly
that class. There was the “computer genius” Mike Card,
well cultivated by the time
“the Mayor” J.D. DeRosa, the talented singer Reggie
the young men reached graduation. Meanwhile, the act
Edgerton, “Crazy Mikey” Fanning, and “X-Ray” Ed
of putting faith into action occurred in an important
Raynor. Graduates Matt Pierson and Matt Ramos later
spring event, the Global Mission to Ecuador, where a
returned to teach at Prep. Greg Zielinski moved on
group of students and faculty chaperones traveled to be
to West Point and later had his picture appear on the
of service to the poor of that country. Chaperoning the
cover of Time magazine. Andrew Schoenster and Justin
group were Prep faculty Mr. Sacerdote, Mr. Schuchert,
Karcher were graduates whose mothers were among the
and Mr. Fanning.
faculty at the school.
Mr. Tom Sacerdote
168
of the freshmen, the retreat
There were a number of success stories in the spring
The summer of 2001 was a busy one for the Prep
of 2001. The lacrosse team had another good season at
Christian service department. In the weeks following the
16-6. The season ended with a tough three-overtime loss
graduation exercises Mr. Sacerdote and Mr. Schuchert
to New Canaan. But a 2nd place finish in the state was
brought a group Fries, Virginia, for the initial Appalachia
certainly indicative of success, as were the number of
immersion
honors that were bestowed on the team. Senior goalie
volunteers made a big impression on the local residents
Matt Russell made the All-America team for the second
with their willingness to work on various projects needed
time. Making the All-State team were Russell and Ryan
by the community. In turn, the Prep people left with
Rodriguez. The two made the All-Conference team along
memories to last a lifetime. A new tradition was born!
experience.
The
faculty
and
student
with Derek Lemley and Fred Lee. Coach Rowe’s baseball
Back on campus, meanwhile, major renovations of
team went 9-12 for the season, and was knocked out of
the first floor of Xavier Hall were undertaken. Included
the state playoffs in the first round by Xavier. Team M.V.P.
in the project was the creation of an administrative office
was T.J. Baker. Other significant players were Jamie
complex on the south side of the building. The new
Aldrich, Brit Harris, and Joe Kahlden. The track team,
space would house the Fr. Boughton’s office, the office
led once more by Brian McGovern, was very strong,
of Mr. Magdon, director of operations, plus a conference
finishing 5th in the state LL meet. Noteworthy was that
room and a waiting room. All these rooms proved to be
the sprint medley team of McGovern, Dom Mara, Will
temporary, as the construction of the new building in a
Codrington, and Jim Gabel, set a school record. Shot
few years would bring additional changes to the school.
putter Cambras again set a school record. Other big
The 2001-02 school year promised to be a historic
names were John Xeller, Joe Stadel, Rich Gingras, Chris
one, memorable for both positive and negative events.
Mack and Charles Emerson. Tennis took 5th place in the
As students and faculty enter the buildings at the end
LL state tournament. Leadership was provided by senior
of August, optimism filled the air, despite the fact that
Shaun Kempenich. Sophomore sensation Todd Paul was
many were unhappy about the increasingly early starts
named to the all-state team.
of the academic calendar. Along with the earlier starts to
The 2001 rugby team was clearly Prep’s greatest to
the school year another obvious trend was the declining
date. Led by seniors Dominic Mara, Sam “Mac” Marrone,
average age of the faculty. Additions to the language
and Matt McGuire, it finished 2nd in New England and
department were a number of young teachers including
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the athletic and energetic Ms. Kristin Ancona and Mrs. Isolde Perez. Ms. Jennifer Sturges, hired originally as part-time instructor, replaced Ms. Perez at the end of the first semester. Mrs. Perez left the school to join her husband, who had been transferred to a different city. Ms. Sturges (later, Mauritz) in particular quickly established herself as a mainstay of modern language department. New to the social studies department was Ms. Alicia Watson. Ms. Watson became the first women in that traditionally all-male bastion, although decades earlier Mrs. Marcia Norberg had agreed to move from English to history, only to be lured away by the Keio Academy,
The Prep Library
a Japanese school in New York. Joining the mathematics department was Mrs. Denise Weed. New to science
Goodbye Prep Library
were Mr. Brendan Gavin and Mr. Matthew Paschke, S.J.
An additional administrative post created that year was
Additions to guidance included Bret Nichols and Mr.
director of the new learning center, which was given to
Andrew Martinez ’96. Aside from his guidance role, Mr.
Mr. Gregory Marshall. The learning center was situated in
Martinez ran the psychology club as an extracurricular
the southeast corner of the third floor of Berchmans Hall.
activity. English had two additions in Mr. Jon Haug
Many alums will remember that room as Mr. Ondeck’s old
and Mr. Patrick Dolan, a gifted teacher who made a big
classroom, which for many years also served as the audio-
impact on both students and his colleagues. Last but not
visual room, where reel-to-reel and film strip projectors
least, the theology department received a big boost with
were stored. The room, across from the Prep library, was
the hiring of the popular Ms. Janice Mattioli. Another
transformed into a place where students could study and
extremely important member of the department was
be tutored by faculty and peers. Speaking of the old Prep
Mr. Carlton Galligan, S.J. Replacing Mrs. Edie Hoyda
library, the school year 2001-02 would be its very last
as Mr. Brennan’s secretary was the capable Mrs. Cindi Fortunato. The Prep administration in 2001 was largest up to that point the school’s history, with Fr. Boughton continuing as president and Dr. Perrotta serving as principal. Dr. Andrade held the post of director of student and faculty support services, Mr. Bernier was vice president for advancement, Mr. Bob Donohue was director of annual and planned giving, Mr. Joe Miller was director of alumni relations and communication, Mrs. Magi served as business manager, the bursar was Mrs. Krochko, Mrs. Miller was registrar, Mr. McLaughlin was director of guidance services, and Fr. Hederman, S.J., was the school chaplain. Mrs. Keltos held the post of director of technology, Mr. Magdon was director of operations, and Mr. Stepsis served as director of admissions and financial aid. Mr. Brennan and Mr. Harris continued their roles as dean of men and director of athletics, respectively. The Boughton Academic Center
HISTORY OF PREP | 169
INTO A NEW CENTURY
Michael Jacobs ’64
Gary Lasko ’69
year of existence. Older alums can no doubt recall the
That Terrible Day
days when the Berchmans library was a tightly run ship
As the students and faculty settled into the routine
under the watchful eyes of Fr. Frank Cafferty, S.J. and Mrs.
of a new school year, the terrible events of the infamous
Josephine Nalewajk. More recently, the head librarian was
date 9/11 occurred, and America would never be the
Ms. Jackie Goggin. In any event, at this time the school
same. As the extent of the tragedy became clear, many
made the decision that the library was superfluous in the
members of the Prep community made frantic calls to
new computer age. Along with his task of running the
check on loved ones who were known to work in that
learning center, it was Mr. Marshall’s responsibility to
area that became known to all as Ground Zero. The
disassemble the library. In his usual efficient manner, he
entire Prep community drew together, as it has always
first took an inventory of all the books in the stacks. He
done in times of suffering and need.
then held a contest to see who could guess the number
In the aftermath of that terrible day, a special assembly
of books held on the shelves. The winner would receive
was held in Alumni Hall. At the assembly various
a free lunch in the cafeteria. Mrs. Deidre Schoenster of
members of the Prep community spoke about how the
the language department won the contest with a guess
tragedy personally touched their lives. Mr. Brennan
of 6,275 books. The actual total of books in the library
brought the entire congregation to tears as he discussed
was 7,394. In the spring of 2002 Mr. Marshall announced
the toll that 9/11 had on the N.Y.C. firefighters. In his
that the school was giving away most of the books and
address he related that a number of firefighters and their
that faculty and students were free to take whatever
families live in the Rockaway Beach area of New York,
they wished for their personal collections. To some of
and he had come to know them very well in his summer
the senior members of the faculty it was a sad day in
job as chief lifeguard at the beach. It seemed as though
Fairfield Prep’s history to see the library disassembled in
practically every member of the Prep community knew
that fashion. Yet, Mr. Marshall was quick to point out that
someone who perished in the Trade Towers. Among
only nine books were checked out by students in all of the
those lost on 9/11 was Michael G. Jacobs ’64. Michael
previous school year, so students were obviously getting
worked on the 90th floor of Tower Two for Fiduciary
their reading matter from other sources. The space where
Trust. Also perishing in the towers were Gary Lesko ’69
the library once stood was subsequently transformed into
and Seth Morris ’83. Our hearts and prayers go out to
a classroom. The learning
Greg Marshall ’73
170
Seth Morris ’83
| HISTORY OF PREP
these men and their families.
center also later became a
Meanwhile, back at Prep, the chaplaincy team under
classroom. The library and
Fr. Hederman, S.J. did an incredible job in facilitating
the learning center were both
the healing process at the school. Yet, while the wounds
later relocated in the new
might heal, the scars would remain forever. All of us at
connector building, Arrupe
Prep and throughout America understood that the world
Hall, where the complex was
would somehow never be the same after the events of
subsequently renamed “The
that terrible day. For one thing, for the next few years all
Boughton Academic Center.”
academic and extracurricular travel trips were canceled.
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Though everyone at Prep and throughout America
met with mixed success. Coach Sather’s hockey team
suffered greatly as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks,
achieved a record of 10-10-2 and lost in the second
everyone did his and her best to follow President Bush’s
round of the state playoffs to Notre Dame, West Haven.
mandate that they should return to their normal lives as
Prep thus failed in its goal to secure three consecutive
much as possible. For Fairfield Prep that of course meant
state titles. The young team included many talented
academics, sports, and various extracurricular activities.
underclassmen and was led by Captains Dave Beckles,
Unfortunately, the fall sports programs did not achieve
Colin Macleod and Travis Cooke. Though they fell short
high levels of success in 2001. Rich Magdon’s varsity
of the ultimate goal, there was certainly potential for
football team had some outstanding talent in all-league
future success. Two players made the All-State team:
players Ed McCarthy, Kevin Ryan, and Shaun Hunte,
Brett Kapteina and Colin McLeod.
but the team was generally young and inexperienced.
In a similar vein, Coach Jaffe’s young swim team had a
It only achieved a record of 4-6 in the tough Southern
record of 8-8. Team captains were Tom Bladek, Christian
Connecticut Conference. Coach Jaffe’s soccer team
Greer, Dennis Moore, and Chris Rink. A talented group
compiled an 11-7-1 record and captured the Quinnipiac
of freshmen gave the team reason to expect better seasons
Division on the SCC. Unfortunately, it was eliminated by
in the future. Indoor track achieved mixed results as well.
Manchester in the second round of the state tournament.
Coach Ford’s runners included the extremely talented
Good news for the team was the selection of Rob Miller
Jamie Aldrich, one of the best 300 meter sprinters in
to the All-State team. Miller and Kevin Fox made the all-
the state. Captains Rich Gingras, Pat Fraher, and Devin
SCC team.
Rochford led the team. Other significant contributors
The cross country team compiled a record of 6-4 in
included Charlie Emerson, James Ford, Ed McCarthy,
2001. It was captained by Rich Gingras, James Ford and
Bing Zhou, Cleo Hanciles, Evan Hoffman and Shane
Charlie Emerson.
Buckley. Basketball achieved a regular season record of
As usual, the Prep Players staged a successful fall
8-12 and lost to Weaver High in the first round of the
production. Mrs. Karcher directed Neil Simon’s God’s
state playoffs. Coach Owen’s men were a competitive
Favorite, starring Erik Gullberg, Andrew McCarthy, and
bunch, however, and played a number of exciting games.
Ryan Scopellitti. Playing the female lead was Brandi Zorzy of Trumbull High. As usual, Frank Bramble’s tech crew did a tremendous job with the sets for the play.
Leaders of the team were Ben Lehn, Peter McSherry, Dave Menillo, and Dan Fabbri. The ski team was outstanding as usual, led by
The intramural program experienced a renaissance
Captains Alex Jessup, Chris Klinga, and Jason Rago.
in 2001 when Mr. Greg Marshall assumed the position
Coach Dave Gaudioso’s team compiled a 17-1 record and
of intramural director, a post he held along with his
captured the Class L championship. Other outstanding
role as director of the learning center. On any given
skiers included Kevin Yurkerwich, Andrew Colleran,
day Mr. Marshall could be seen walking across campus
Greg Zaino, Warren Howard, Chip Crawley, and Chris
dressed in his striped basketball official’s jersey, whistle
Rago. The wrestling team had a record of 6-9 and
around his neck, and clipboard in hand. One of the more
finished 20th in the state tournament. Coach Forsythe
popular events that he staged was the tug-of-war in the
had a few talented grapplers including Nate Kruska,
Quad. The three-on-three basketball tournament was
along with Andrew and Ryan Duffy. Finally, it is worth
also a great success, with 26 teams competing in four
noting that there was no bowling team at Prep for the
separate conferences. Every morning during homeroom
2001-02 season.
Mr. Marshall announced the results of the previous
The annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in
afternoon’s contests. All-in-all, the program was a great
January of 2002 was a great success. Dr. Andrade put
success, and more Prep students than ever were actively
together a wonderful program based on the theme of
involved in some kind of physical activity.
the “Distances.” The list of speakers included Anthony
The varsity sports teams during the winter season
McKinney ’92, and various members of the Prep
HISTORY OF PREP | 171
INTO A NEW CENTURY
with a regular season record of 7-8, captured the SCC crown with a11-10 victory over Cheshire, and lost in the state quarter-finals to Conard High by a score of 12-11. The baseball team compiled a record of 12-8, won the Quinnipiac Division title, and lost in the first round of the state tournament to New Britain. Coach Rowe had a number of significant players, including T.J. Baker, Tim Currie, Brit Harris, Jamie Aldrich, Joe Kahlden, Ryan Quinn, Donny Poster, Dave Erickson, Scott Manheimer, Nick Erardi, and Steve Vidmosko. Rugby went 8-5, led by captains T.J. McKeon and Steve Kelm. Dr. Robert Russo ’65 and family
The golf and tennis teams were strong, as usual.
community. Musical guest David Said Modell put on a
Ratchford’s linksters had a record of 20-2, but only
dramatic display of flamenco guitar playing.
reached 6th place in the state tournament. Coach Harris’s tennis team finished with a 15-2 record as led by captains
New Construction Begins Ascension Thursday, May 9, 2002 was a special day in the history of Fairfield Prep. Following the school
Pat Krajci and Justin Cavaliere, and captured the Class LL state crown. Other great contributors included Tom Curran, August Vorvis, and Todd Paul.
Mass, the community gathered at the site of what was to
Graduation for the Class of 2002 was held on the first
become the new athletic facility for a ground-breaking
Sunday of June. Many of the faculty agreed that it was
ceremony. Joining Father Boughton for the occasion
an outstanding class in many ways. Included in the class
were senior faculty member Mr. Saracco, board Chair
was Michael P. Carrington, the son of French teacher
Dr. Robert D. Russo ’65, and many other benefactors
Mrs. Constance Carrington, and Ian Brennan, the son of
and friends of Prep. Indeed, Dr. Russo deserves special
Dean of Students, Mr. John Brennan.
mention for his unwavering loyalty to Prep and its
The summer of 2002 was extremely busy. That June,
well-being. He was very supportive of the long-awaited
the Appalachia Immersion Experience, due to its growing
expansion of Prep’s physical plant and the first addition
popularity, expanded to include two separate locations.
since the construction of Xavier Hall in 1948. For the
Prep students and faculty spent a number of days at
next four years the crashing, booming, and binging
Fries and Rural Retreat, Virginia. The Prep visitors were
sounds of construction would echo across campus, as
welcomed with open arms by the two communities.
Father Boughton’s plan for the expansion of the school was underway. At times, teachers found it difficult to conduct classes amidst the din, but they all knew that the finished products, a new gymnasium and a connector building, would be well worth any inconvenience. Faculty, administration and students alike rode out the noise with a positive spirit. Prep’s spring sports teams had interesting campaigns in 2002. The track team went 5-4 and achieved 21st place in the LL state meet. The team’s practices were complicated by the fact that Fairfield University destroyed the gravel track that had served Prep well for many years in order to construct new soccer and lacrosse fields at that location. The lacrosse team, led by captains Colin Macleod, Rob Miller, and Mark Foster, finished 172
| HISTORY OF PREP
Appalachia immersion experience.
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the
as well was Ms. Jennifer Jacksina, Mr. David Ralston,
administration was in transition.
and “Big Mike” Grappone. Finally, the need to staff the
Mr. Larry Carroll ’63, returned to
ever-growing technology department was filled with the
Prep to take over the important
addition of Prep grad and computer whiz, Mr. Matthew
post
Tellis ’89.
Back
of
on
vice
campus,
president
for
advancement. The post became
The fall sports programs as usual captured much of the
available when Mr. Bernier left
community’s attention as the school year commenced.
to pursue a career in business.
The 2002 version of Prep football was stocked with
Mr. Carroll had the difficult
some extremely talented players. Captains Ed McCarthy,
task of pushing the Prep Capital
Sean Hunte, Kevin Ryan and Tom Bourdeau were all
Campaign to fruition. Leaving
outstanding. The team posted a 10-1 regular season
Prep also was the Admissions Director, Mr. Mark Stepsis.
record, posting lopsided scores such as 41-6 over arch-
Taking his position was Mr. Greg Marshall. Mrs. Jane
rival N.D., West Haven and a 65-12 drubbing of Derby.
Marrone assumed the position of director of the learning
Unfortunately, a Thanksgiving Day loss to West Haven
center (which was subsequently renamed the Boughton
kept Prep from the state playoffs. Worth mentioning
Academic Center). Mrs. Marrone, aside from her
is that, after graduation, Ed McCarthy continued his
considerable talents in guidance brought to her post the
success at Yale, where he played all four seasons as an
wisdom of being a Prep mother as well, having sent her
offensive lineman, receiving many accolades.
Mr. Larry Carroll ’63
two sons to the school. Meanwhile, workmen were busy on campus as both Berchmans and Xavier halls received brand new roofs in the summer of 2002. It was sad to see the old slate roofs removed, but the fact is that they were proving to be unsafe. On windy days it was not unusual to find a tile or two on the ground. Also, there were a number of leaks visible in the ceilings of the buildings. For the new roof Mr. Richard Magdon, director of operations, chose a rubberized tile which looked remarkably like the original slate tile and promised to solve Prep’s roofing problems for decades to come. Magdon went on to supervise the removal of all the old windows in Berchmans and replace them with a newer, more energy efficient variety. This was no easy task.
The Passing of Father Brissette and Father Lynch One Prep football fan who would be particularly proud of the team’s great season was Father Eugene Brissette, S.J. For decades Fr. Brissette served as team chaplain. He hardly missed a game. His usual post was on the sidelines, a bit off to the side, where he paced, rosary beads in hand, and occasionally exhorted the team to great efforts. Fr. Brissette had been ill for some time, living in retirement at the Jesuit Campion Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. On December 27, 2002, he was called to his spiritual home and passed from this earth. “Father B” was 83 at the time of his death. To honor this great priest and educator, the future athletic
The school year 2002-03 was one of extraordinary activity on campus. As the young men of Prep arrived at the school there were a number of new members of the faculty to greet them. In the foreign language department, Ms. Melissa Laguzza was added to teach Spanish. Ms. Sandra Stock was a new teacher of the computer courses. Ms. Kate Whamond was added to the science program. Joining Whamond and biology teacher Jane Novia as the other women in the department was Mrs. Denise Weed, who moved over from mathematics. Prep grad and jack of all trades, Mr. Peter Scifo ’98, was brought in to teach mathematics and English. Joining the math department
Father Eugene Brissette, S.J.
HISTORY OF PREP | 173
INTO A NEW CENTURY
manage a record of 3-13, indoor track finished 12th in the Class L championship, and wrestling went 14-14, led by Mike Benedoso, Ryan and Andrew Duffy, and Max Braun. Swimming had an 8-7 season, finishing 7th in the state. Captains were John Donovan, George Massey, and Scott Pennoyer. The ski team achieved real success, finishing 2nd in the state. Team leaders and top scorers were Jason Rago and Chip Crawley. The hockey team continued to be the center of attention at Prep, however, and it had another great regular season, Father Donald Lynch, S.J.
compiling a record of 14-6. With only six seniors to provide leadership, the team made a remarkable playoff
center was dedicated in his honor, and is now called
run. They lost in the quarter finals to Simsbury by the
the Brissette Athletic Center. Only one month later, on
score of 1-0. Senior leaders were Chris Thurston, Dave
January 25, 2003, Father Donald Lynch, S.J., passed
Improta, Colby Dennison, Chris Girardi, Dylan Cooke,
away as well. Father Lynch arrived as a freshman the very
and Matt Signore. Kyle Mills and Chris Thurston made
day that Fairfield Prep opened its doors in September of
the All-State team at season’s end.
1942. A brilliant student, he heeded the call to join the
As winter turned to spring there was a flurry of activity
Society of Jesus, which he did shortly after graduating
at Fairfield Prep. Amidst the din of construction of the
Prep in 1946. Father Lynch ultimately returned to
new athletic center, Fr. Boughton and his administrative
campus in 1961 to teach in the English department
team readied the school for additional renovations. This
where he became famous as a Shakespeare scholar. On a
time it was Berchmans Hall that received the make-over.
personal note, I came to know both of these wonderful
Considerable packing and moving and storing had to be
priests rather well back through the ’70s and ’80s, and
accomplished in a relatively brief time, as every classroom
my many conversations with them about the history of
had to be emptied in preparation for the construction.
Fairfield Prep proved to be a great asset to my work.
successful in 2003. Coach Rowe’s baseball squad finished
cross country team finished 12th in the state Class
with a 13-8 record, led by Captains Jamie Aldrich, Tim
LL championship meet. Soccer finished at 5-9-2.
Currie, and Joe Kahlden. They won the SCC Quinnipiac
Bowling was back as a varsity sport, coached by Jason
Division, defeated Shelton in the first round of the state
“Warhammer” Kiska. The team, led by Don Pagoda and
playoffs, but lost in the second round to an undefeated
Armand Muniz, had a respectable season.
Simsbury team. Rugby had a very good season as well,
In the performing arts, Prep staged two outstanding
finishing with a record of 8-2 and finished 2nd in the
productions during the 2002-2003 school year. Director
Cherry Blossom Tournament in Washington, D.C., and
Trevor Fanning’s Prep Players did Shakespeare’s A Mid-
3rd in the Northeast Regionals. Team captains were
Summer Night’s Dream in the fall and the wonderful
Cillian Brown, Joe Marrone, and Jason Coppola. The
musical Grease in the spring. Grease deserves mention
’03 sailing team had a great season, led by coaches Gill,
as one of the best musicals ever presented at Prep. Aside
Geiger, and Fahy, and Captained by Chris Filiberto and
from the great cast of actors such as Eric Gullberg, Matt
Jon Ference. The team took 2nd place in the highly
Gutierrez, and a host of beautiful and talented young
competitive Fairfield Cup competition. Meanwhile, the
ladies from area schools, the tech crew deserves praise
track team had an off season with a losing record. The
for their remarkable sets. Frank Bramble and his group,
team finished in 18th place in the state.
led by seniors Brad Topar, Pat Moye, and Vince Appel produced memorable sets. In winter sports, the basketball team could only 174
The spring sports programs were all relatively
Other fall teams had mixed results in 2002. The
| HISTORY OF PREP
While internal changes were happening, a hearty group of Prep faculty and students prepared for an outward-bound experience. In the spring of 2003 the
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The unfolding of the war was broadcast nonstop on cable television and delivered by reporters who were embedded with the American troops. By April 9, Saddam Hussein’s reign over Iraq was over. The big question to come was whether a stable government could be put in place in the aftermath of the operation. History would prove this to be quite an elusive task. The 2002-03 school year certainly was a challenging one. According to Dr. Robert Perrotta, there were a total of ten days off from school that year, six for snow and four as a result of construction delays and complications. The summer of 2003 witnessed considerable construction activity in Berchmans Hall, as the first floor and cafeteria were totally renovated as part of the big building boom at the school. Work also progressed, albeit painfully slowly, on the new athletic facility. A Students discover the importance of the tepee in Native American life.
potential crisis occurred when workers accidentally
Christian Service Department selected those who would
The pipe, however, was quickly shutdown, and the
make the inaugural immersion trip to the Jesuit mission
crisis was averted. On a more positive note, the summer
at Saint Francis, on the Rosebud Sioux reservation
of ’03 brought the news that Dr. Robert E. Witt, Prep
in South Dakota. The idea for the St. Francis trip
Class of 1958, who already had established himself as
was initiated by Mr. Carlton Galligan, S.J., who had
a highly regarded educator, was named president of
previously served there. Mr. Galligan and Mr. Sacerdote,
the University of Alabama. In his new role Dr. Witt
Service Program Director, led the group to South Dakota
extended a welcoming hand to the young men of Prep,
in June. Among the Prep men going to Rosebud were:
and a number of them began attending the school in
Alex Aitoro, Kyle Barndollar, Spencer Denham, Andrew
the years thereafter. It turned out to be the match for
Ford, Daniel Hodson, Joe Moukattaf, Lou Riquelme, and
many as Alabama offers the excitement of the big college
Tom Sacerdote (son of the director). Before embarking
experience.
on their journey the group was provided with an overview of Lakota Indian culture and history by John
struck a gas line while digging outside the new facility.
Brissette Athletic Center Opens
Szablewicz, at a dinner meeting at Harrison House. Once
Finally the big day dawned, when on October 4,
“on the res,” the group of Prep men helped to run a day
2003 the Father Brissette Athletic Center was formally
camp for Lakota children called: Body, Mind, and Soul.
dedicated by Fr. Boughton and a group of Prep
The St. Francis immersion proved to be a great success,
benefactors, alumni, faculty, and students. All celebrated
and another excellent example of Prep’s commitment
this much needed addition to the school. To mark the
to the “men for others” mandate. One of the highlights
event, Fr. Boughton assembled the entire student body
of the Rosebud visit occurred when the Prep visitors
for a photograph in front of the new building.
were invited to participate in an authentic sweat lodge experience.
There were several new faces among the Prep faculty and staff in the autumn of 2003. Joining the development
On March 19, 2003, everyone at Prep and throughout
office was the highly capable Mrs. Kathleen Norell.
the nation had their attention diverted to a major news
New to the math faculty, but not to Prep, was Stephen
story as President Bush and his “coalition of the willing”
Donahue ’92. A welcome returnee to the theology
lunched Operation Shock and Awe, an invasion of
department was Fr. William Eagan, S.J., known simply
Iraq, staged to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein.
as “padre” to many of his fans at Prep. Back for a second HISTORY OF PREP | 175
INTO A NEW CENTURY
A word of mention needs to be raised in praise of the contributions to the team’s success by assistant coach Mr. Robert Ford, Sr. Coach Ford, father of head coach Bob Ford, Jr., began serving as assistant coach of the Prep track and cross country teams in 1990, after his retirement from the working world. “Ford Senior,” as he is often called, has made an incredible impact on the Prep athletic program with his patient, caring approach to the athletes, his excellent organizational skills, and his tireless service to the Prep community. All coaching fees paid to Coach Ford were donated back to the school. Coach Ford Sr. – a true man for others, and his many contributions to the school have been greatly appreciated by Prep’s track and cross country athletes. The Prep Players staged a very successful production of The Fantastiks as their main offering. Directed by Mr. Fanning, with sets designed and constructed by Frank Bramble and his tech crew, the play was performed in the Lawrence A. Wien Experimental Theatre (a.k.a. tour in the foreign language department was Mr. Bernier, a stellar Latin instructor. As the days grew shorter and the nights cooler, Prep football moved through the 2003 season under Coach Magdon and his dedicated staff of assistants. The ’03 team started out with a burst, with three amazing victories against Sheehan 47-0, Guilford 53-0, and East Haven 75-0. Senior team leaders were Andrew Urquhart, Mike Rodriguez, Ryan Pratt, Sante Faustini, and Chris Nazaruk. A rising star was sophomore sensation Garrett Brown. The team finished with a strong record of 9-2, with the only two losses coming at the hands of Xavier and West Haven. In soccer, Coach Jaffe’s team compiled a record of 9-4-3, and achieved a ranking of 17th in the state. Captains were Dan Becchi, Cillian Brown, and Jon Piazza-Harper. Colin McCloud and Dan Becchi were granted all-league honors, with McCloud also gaining all-state distinction. Coach Ford’s cross country team had an impressive season at 9-1, finishing 1st place in the Quinnipiac Division and 6th place in the Class LL state championship. Senior Captains Mike Shaw and Doug Banty led the way. Other seniors included Tom Hanley, Paul Emerson, Dan Quinlin, and Zack Breslin. Contributing juniors were Matt Oehlsen, Greg Ziemack, and Matt Lozier.
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| HISTORY OF PREP
“black box”) of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Stars of the show included Sarah Ann Masse and Prep freshman Joe Homza. Other leads included Ryan Loya, Andy McCarthy, and Matt Brewster, and Prep’s very own card shark, Dominic DeRosa. As the colorful leaves of autumn gave way to the gray of winter, there was still plenty of excitement at Prep. For one thing, the basketball team had a new coach in Mr. Bret Nichols. Mr. Nichols was promoted from assistant coach upon the retirement of Coach Owen, who exited the program after many seasons and one state championship. Nichols’ team achieved mixed results, with a record of 6-11, and the coach would only stay a few years before moving on to Newtown High. Captains were Tim Birge, Severin Carlson and Eric Purzycki. The indoor track team placed 12th in both the SCC championship meet and in the Class LL meet. A number of great performances included those by Sean Cain in the long jump and Frank Spano in the shot put. Two Prep performers set school records: Pat Brand in the 55-meter hurdles and Matt Lozier in the 600-meter run. In all, it was a good season for Coaches Ford junior and senior, Driscoll, and Schuchert. Bruce Jaffe’s swimmers had a fine season, compiling a record of 12-4, while capturing 2nd place in the SCC finals. Senior captains were Greg Barone and Justin Gregg. Good performances were
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recorded by Jason Brown, E.J. Verrico, Matt Magura,
victories, and sophomore Kevin Russo demonstrated
Dave and Dan Platow.
excellent skills. The golf team had an overall record of
Another success story was written by the ski team,
17-3-1, and took 5th place in the Division 1 tournament.
which only lost one regular season meet and finished
Great performers for Prep included All-State M.V.P.
2nd in the state. Seniors Captains Jason Rago, Chip
Anthony Custardo, and All-State players Brian Clark and
Crawley, and Curtis Klinga provided excellent leadership
Tim Murphy.
and scored many victories. Coach of the team was Dave
An event in Madrid, Spain captured the world’s
Gaudiso. The wrestling team achieved a record of 14
attention in March of 2004. On the 11th of the month
and 14. Coach Forsythe had some talented and driven
terrorists, in a coordinated attack, exploded bombs
grapplers, including Mike Benedoso, Andrew and Ryan
on commuter trains in that city. The body count was
Duffy, and Max Braun.
staggering, at 192 dead and over 2,000 injured. Since
But it was hockey which once again dominated the
Madrid was often the summer destination of Prep
sports headlines for 2003-04. Sather’s skaters compiled
students studying Spanish, no doubt the level of anxiety
an over all record of 20-3, and captured the state title
was increased as students and their parents needed to
with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over perennial rival
seriously consider whether a trip to that wonderful
ND-West Haven. Coach Sather had a talented cast of
country should be postponed for a while.
players that year, including Captains Dave Arcobello
April was a busy month as the fourth quarter
and Jesse Weinzimmer, along with Mark Arcobello
inexorably moved toward its closure. Term papers were
(who subsequently made it to the NHL), Steve Osipow,
written, and test preparations were begun. For seniors,
J.P. Hansen, Brendan O’Hara, Andy Cunningham, Zach
college decisions had to be finalized. During the April
Helm, Mike Ripley, Dan Diotalevi, Steve Thurston, Ryan
break a dedicated group of Prep faculty and students
Lynch, and Kevin Carey. The championship trophy was
made their way down to South America as the Global
the 10th in Prep’s hockey history, quite a great feat indeed.
Mission to Ecuador experienced its 5th anniversary.
Prep had clearly become one of the great powerhouse hockey programs in all of New England.
The school year 2003-04 came to an end with the Baccalaureate Mass for graduating seniors at St. Thomas
As winter turned toward spring, the construction
Aquinas Church in Fairfield, on Thursday evening, June
teams on campus picked up the pace. The coaches
2nd. The following Sunday, June 6th, commencement
of the spring sports, meanwhile, hoped to construct
exercises were held in at one in the afternoon in Alumni
something special as well. The rugby team fell short of
Hall on the Fairfield University campus.
expectations, however, with a 5-4-1 record. Prep lacrosse did better, with a record of 14-6. The team had a few
Mr. Thomas McLaughlin ’58
standouts, including all-American defenseman Brian
June of 2004 also brought with it the close of the
Sharnick and all-state midfielder Andrew Urquhart. The
career of one of the true pillars of the Prep community
track team compiled a record of 5-3. The team featured
with the retirement of Mr. Thomas McLaughlin. A Prep
a solid group of sprinters, including Sean Cain, Rashae
grad, Class of 1958, Mr. McLaughlin selflessly served the
Verner, and Dan Barnaby. Baseball had a regular season
school in many ways for many decades. A gifted math
record of 9-11. But, despite playing under .500, Prep
teacher in his own right, Mr. McLaughlin also taught
won a hard-fought victory over Simsbury by a score of
economics at Prep, served on every type of committee,
7-6 in the first round of the state play-off. Unfortunately,
and for the second part of his career functioned efficiently
Coach Rowe’s team fell in the next tournament game to
as director of the guidance department. He was also a
Greenwich, by a score of 4-3. Captains of the team were
gifted and successful track coach. Mr. McLaughlin’s
Scott Manheimer and Jordan Gunzy. Tennis and golf
love and devotion to Fairfield Prep was boundless.
were bright spots for Prep, as usual. The ’04 tennis team
His departure undoubtedly left a void in the school.
achieved a record of 15-3. Captains were Tom Curran
Replacing him as director of the department was Mr. John
and Neil Kirmayer. Senior Connor Heine scored many
Hanrahan, who for the next few years worked diligently HISTORY OF PREP | 177
INTO A NEW CENTURY
to fill that void. Tom went
days when he was able to see his beloved Boston Red Sox
on
defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series,
to
enjoy
retirement,
spending considerable time
Mr. Thomas McLaughlin ’58
in Florida with his wife Beth,
Rev. Michael Boughton, S.J., began the 2004-05
enjoying golf, his children
year on a note of great optimism. The construction of
and
Over
the new connector building had progressed with far
the last half decade or so
grandchildren.
greater ease than had the Brissette Athletic Center,
of his life he fought a brave
which always seemed to have one problem on another.
battle against cancer, which
Rich Magdon continued to oversee the construction in
ultimately took him from us
his role of director of operations. Returning members
on June 14, 2017.
of Fr. Boughton’s administration included Principal Dr.
A sense of anticipation was heightened during the
Robert Perrotta, Vice President for Advancement Larry
summer of 2004 as construction on the new connector
Carroll, Director of Development Bob Donahue, Director
building progressed without incident. Another change at
of Alumni Relations and Communications, Joe Miller,
the school was the addition new overhead projectors in
Business Manager Nora Magi, Director of Admissions
the ceilings of twelve classrooms. In the next two years
Greg Marshall, Director of Technology Colleen Keltos,
every classroom in the school would be outfitted with
Director of Athletics Bob Harris and Dean of Students
the new system. These projectors allowed for much
John Brennan. Of note is the fact that Dr. Donna Andrade
better viewing of videos and allowed for PowerPoint
was promoted from director of faculty and student
presentations. They replaced the old TV and VCR on
services to academic dean. In that role, the highly
wheeled carts that had been a fact of life for decades. It
skilled Dr. Andrade supervised curriculum and faculty
was the beginning of another high-tech trend, along with
development.
teachers using laptop computers rather than the old desk
New to the foreign language department in the
top personal computers. At first, teachers were issued
fall of 2004 was Koren Mumma. Scholarly and multi-
Toshiba laptops. Then came the Lenovo Think-pads and
talented, Ms. Mumma went on to teach Latin, Spanish,
followed by Fujitsu systems. The changes continued
theology and English over the next few years. Novices
when the iPad was introduced in 2013.
in the arts department included drama teacher Megan
In the fall of 2004, Prep was also busy constructing
Hoover and music instructor Jennifer Horn, who had
its faculty for the new school year. In keeping with a
begun as a part-timer in 2003. Joining the English
recent trend, there were a number on new teachers
department was Christian S. McEvoy. A fine addition to
brought on board. In social studies, Prep grad Kevin
the science department was Mr. Thomas Cunningham,
Altieri ’00, was hired as a temporary replacement for
a man with many years of teaching experience behind
the ailing Fr. Barry. Little could anyone anticipate at the
him. His mature presence only served to reinforce the
time, but Fr. Barry would never return to the school, as
department’s well-deserved reputation for excellence.
his condition deteriorated quickly. He passed away on
Mr. Cunningham quickly earned a reputation for turning
January 5, 2005. Since coming to Prep in 1969 Father
under-achievers into serious students. Joining the math
Barry had been a cornerstone of the Western civilization
department was Kathryn Post. New to the guidance
program at the school. Over the years, many thousands
department was Prep grad Mr. Richard Hutchinson ’87,
of Prep freshmen were privileged to have the “Fr. Barry
who brought with him great knowledge of the college
Experience.” He was a loved and appreciated teacher.
admissions process, having previously served in the
In honor of Fr. Barry, the editors of The Hearthstone
admissions department of Fairfield University. Rick also
dedicated the 2005 yearbook in his honor. He was also
served as an assistant coach for Bruce Jaffe’s swimming
inducted into the Fairfield Prep Hall of Fame. One last
team, and later took over the head coaching duties upon
note about Fr. Barry: despite his deteriorating condition,
Coach Jaffe’s retirement.
the Good Lord smiled favorably upon him in his waning 178
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| HISTORY OF PREP
Joining the guidance department as well was the
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former Magis Intern, Ms. Lynne Woods. The empathetic
in 2004. As chaplain, Fr. Levens quickly established
Ms. Woods quickly became a favorite of the students and
himself as an indispensable part of the Prep community.
faculty as well. It did not take very long before English
During his first year in that role he sought out and had
teacher Mr. James Chesbro began dating Ms. Woods,
private meetings with practically every member of the
and they subsequently became an item. In a few years
faculty. His empathetic and caring attitude quickly won-
they were married. In so doing they joined a growing list
over even the most cynical of personalities. The extent to
of Fairfield Prep teachers who met their future spouses
which Fr. Levens was an invaluable member of the Prep
while serving at the school. Others couples included
community was wonderfully expressed by Prep English
Jen Sturges and Rudy Mauritz, Kim Gallagher and Bob
teacher, Mr. Jamie Chesbro, in an article he wrote for
Bernier, Dina Cyfeku and Jon DeRosa, and Amy Richards
the JSEA Bulletin, Volume 37, May-June, 2007 entitled
and Greg Marshall.
“The Impact of A Chaplain: Fr. Levens, S.J.” In the article Mr. Chesbro rightfully states: “Fr. Levens serves as a consummate resource of validation and support. His role instills a lasting Ignatian impression giving the laity an enduring ownership of our mission and identity.” This statement undoubtedly represents the sentiments of the entire Prep faculty about the importance of Fr. Levens to the Prep community. Fr. Robert Levens, S.J.
SCC Realignment As the school year 2004-05 commenced there was news in the area of interscholastic sports, when the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) announced the expansion of the league to include two Milford schools, Jonathan Law and Foran. As a result of this, the league
Father Bob Levens
subsequently decided that realignment was in order. A
Mere words cannot describe the significance of the
fourth division, the Oronoque, was added. For most
arrival of Fr. Robert Levens, S.J., who was brought to the
sports Prep remained in the Quinnipiac Division, along
school in 2004 to serve as chaplain to the faculty and
with Hamden, N.D.-West Haven, and Xavier. Sacred
staff. Fr. Levens was previously involved with Fairfield
Heart and Mercy were placed in that division for the
Prep in various capacities over a number of decades. He
purposes of women’s sports. In football, however, the
originally started as a lay teacher of mathematics in 1966.
SCC decided on four division system: Division I, East
Aside from his duties as teacher, he served in various
and West, and Division II, East and West. Prep was
posts such as coordinator of scheduling. In 1975 he
placed in Division I, West, which also included Amity,
heeded the call and entered the Society of Jesus. Father
Hamden, Shelton, and Xavier.
Levens was ordained a priest in 1981 and he returned to
Coach Magdon’s football team of 2004, due to the
Prep the subsequent year. In 1987 he brought his many
realignment, faced an extremely tough schedule. The
skills to Bishop Connolly High School, in Fall River,
team found the adjustment difficult, and only achieved
Massachusetts. The year 1995 saw Fr. Levens named
a record of 3-7. Bright spots for Prep included senior
executive assistant to the New England provincial. He
Captains Scott Howard and Mason Garity, along with
then held the post of Provincial from 1997 to 2003.
rising junior stars Shawn Gaines and Garret Brown.
Though in charge of the entire province of New England,
The soccer team met with greater success. Jaffe’s booters
Fr. Levens’s great love for Fairfield Prep remained
finished with a record of 14-4-2, captured the Quinnipiac
strong. After his duties as Provincial were successfully
Division and finished 2nd in the SCC. In the tough state
completed, he welcomed a chance to return to Fairfield
tournament, Prep defeated Cheshire by a 1-0 score, but HISTORY OF PREP | 179
INTO A NEW CENTURY
went on to lose in the second round to Manchester by
Couple for their spring performance. Meanwhile,
a score of 5-0. Nevertheless, it was a successful season
Mrs. Horn molded the various music groups into
by any account. Team captains were Mike Lynch, Mike
tight knit units which provided many highlights
Waters, and Brian Fothe. Bob Ford’s cross country team
throughout the year, especially the Christmas and
had a regular season record of 4-6 in 2004, took 8th in
winter concerts.
the SCC tournament, and 13th in the Class LL race. Captains were Dan Hodson and Greg Ziemak.
Other
extracurricular
organizations
that
flourished in 2004-05 included: The Nature
On the national sports scene, Boston Red Sox fans,
Enthusiasts’ Club, under President Alex Foley
and there always seem to be many at Prep, had reason to
and VP Brian Cullinane; the Soundings newspaper,
rejoice when their team won the World Series for the first
moderated by Mr. Jack Slavinsky; and The
time since 1918. Manager Terry Francona’s team defeated
Hearthstone yearbook, moderated by Mrs. Dolores
the Angels and Yankees in the play-offs, before sweeping
Tema. A new literary tradition was born when
the St. Louis Cardinals to capture the championship. The
junior Joseph Moukataff began Y-Magazine, which
Sox went on to win additional titles in 2007 and 2013.
was moderated by the tech-savvy Mr. Peter Scifo. In
For one particular Massachusetts resident, John
short order Moukataff and his staff were able to line
Kerry, November 2004 will no doubt always have mixed
up interviews with a number of celebrities including
connotations. Sure, “the Sox” won the World Series, but
Chevy Chase and Julianne Moore. Active members
Kerry lost the presidential championship to George W.
of Y-Magazine included James Hendrie, and Brendan
Bush. On November 2nd Bush and Cheney defeated
“Gooch” Fitzgerald. Other active clubs on campus
Kerry and Edwards by a vote of 62 million to 59 million
were Political Awareness, the Math Team, History
and an electoral count of 286 to 251. The election brought
Club, Science Club, the Spanish Honor Society, the
a new term into the political vocabulary: “swift-boating,”
National Honor Society and, last but not least, the
much to the detriment of Mr. Kerry. So the nation moved
Warhammer Club, moderated by Mr. Kiska.
into the second term of the Republican President, who promised to finish the job in Iraq, following the 2003 invasion of that country.
Lunch Choices The daily lives of Prepsters included classes, an
The fall dramatic production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula
occasional free period and, of course, lunch. The
was a great success. With the charismatic Frank Bramble
most popular lunch special served by Frank and
serving as both director and set designer, the play was
Vivian Ahlers and their staff continued to be the fried
indeed memorable. Starring roles were carried to great
chicken special with fries, although many students
heights by Ryan Loya as Dracula and Joe Homza as
still opted for the old standby, pizza. Speaking of
Renfield. The Prep Players went on to stage another
pizza, there was a new spot for students to find
smash hit when they performed Neil Simon’s The Odd
this epicurean delight when Mike’s Pizza opened at the building known as the Levee, located across Loyola Drive, which is the main entrance road of the campus. Mike’s would change owners and names over time, but most students continued to refer to it by its original title. Many seniors still opted to go off campus to places such as Duchess, Mickey-D’s, Taco Loco, the Country Cow, Lilac House, Senior Salsa, Rawley’s and Super-Dooper Weenie. The winter teams provided the student body with more than a fair share of action and thrills. Prep basketball had a new varsity coach in Mr. Richard
Prep thespians perform on stage.
180
| HISTORY OF PREP
Lee. Mr. Lee brought a new and welcomed intensity
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to a team led by top scorer and rebounder Connor Heine,
by E.J. Verrico, Steve D’Ambrisi, Pete Roche, Dan Plato,
along with Tom Curran, Kevin Cullinane, Sean Nayden,
Matt Watson, Tom Barone, Jim Gaston, Matt Magura,
Frank Feroleto, and Ryan Carlson. The team finished
Jon O’Connor, Christian Rathkoff, Ozzie Torres, Tim
with an overall mark of 11 wins and 10 loses, and lost in
Thornton, and Ryan Jones.
the first round of the state playoffs to a talented Trinity Catholic team by a score of 63-53.
Another State Title for Prep Hockey For a second consecutive year Coach Sather’s hockey team captured the state championship. The star-studded team included high scoring Mark Arcobello, along with other memorable players including Steve Osipow, Dan Diotalevi, Kevin Carey, Zach Helm, Steve Thurston, and a host of others. The Prep skaters finished with a remarkable record of 20-3-1. Their great defense propelled them through the playoffs, with victories of 6-1 over West Haven, 2-1 over Hamden, 5-2 over New Canaan, and 4-1 in the championship game over ND-
Mr. Edward Rowe ’59
Mr. Roger Ratchford ’51
Final campaigns for Ed Rowe and Roger Ratchford
West Haven. It was truly a magical season, one of the
The successes of winter continued through the spring.
very best in the long and starry history of the Prep
Of significance was the fact that the 2005 season was
hockey program. Making the all-state team were Mark
the last campaign of baseball Coach Edward Rowe. In
Arcobello, Kevin Carey and Steve Thurston. Arcobello
his final year at the helm Rowe’s boys played extremely
was named Player of the Year in Connecticut. Note: after
well, compiling a record of 12-9. Major stars included
leaving Prep at the end of his junior year, Arcobello went
captains Jason Rago and Ron Williams. Other significant
on to star at Yale and he ultimately made it to the NHL.
contributors were Steve Osipow, Steve Thurston, Pat
Both the indoor track and the ski teams had good
Ryan, Dan Diotalevi, Will Doyle, Scott Dobrydney,
seasons in 2004-2005. The track team was captained by
Hector Garcia, Nick Sheckatoff, Will Delmore, Rory
Joe Decarle, Andrew Ford, Dan Hodson, Matt Lozier, and
Bernier, Tyler Gionis, Kevin Collins, and Craig Wocl.
Mike Weathers. It finished 10th in the SCC and 16th in
Rowe retired as the winningest coach in the history of
the state. The ski team was captained by the exciting Jason
Fairfield Prep baseball. Following his retirement it was
Rago and George Coleman, and compiled a record of 11-
announced that his replacement would be Rudolph
3, and took 4th in the state. Meanwhile, the wrestling
Mauritz, a former member of the Prep baseball team
program suffered from some difficult times, compiling
and teacher in the history department. His assistant was
a record of 4-20. The team’s chances for a better record
Matthew Sather of the English department.
were greatly hindered when Co-Captain Kevin Dewey
Roger Ratchford was another Prep coaching legend
suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Co-Captain
for whom the 2005 season would be his last. Ratchford’s
Nabil Boutagy did his best to take up the slack, as did
golf team was led by All-State player Tim Murphy, along
the tough Dave Bernstein, who had an excellent season.
with Cory Burns, Anthony Custardo, Jonathan Custardo,
Meanwhile, in swimming, Bruce Jaffe had new assistant
Mike Baldwin, Matt McGarry, Greg Marshall, John
coaches in Rick Hutchinson, Christian McEvoy, and
McKenzie, and Ryan Carlson. The team was outstanding
Paul Lenihan. Jaffe’s swimmers met with considerable
as usual, and decisively won the SCC championship,
success. The team compiled a remarkable regular season
then went on to finish 5th in the state tournament. Coach
record of 15-1, and captured the SCC crown. Leaders
Ratchford left the team at season’s end, his 40th, having
of the team included captains Jason Brown and Dave
compiled a remarkable record that included five state
Plato, but great performances were regularly turned in
championships and 690 wins. Ratchford’s replacement HISTORY OF PREP | 181
INTO A NEW CENTURY
An aerial view of the Prep campus provided by Morgan Kaolian.
was announced to be Latin teacher and avid golfer, Bob
excellent season, finishing with a record of 13-5-3. Team
Bernier. The assistant coach was Steve Donohue of the
captains were Kevin Dewey and Matt Vovitsky. Seniors on
mathematics department.
the team included Dave Bernstein, Bill Coleman, Jonah Demby, Chris Goebel, and Ian Stabler. A great highlight
Death of Pope John Paul II
played to a record of 2-2-1 against some outstanding
Karol Josef Wojtyla, ended his courageous battle with
competition. Meanwhile, the lacrosse team finished with
numerous ailments and passed into eternity. The “Polish
a regular season record of 9-7 then defeated #1 ranked
Pope,” (the first non-Italian pontiff in more than 400
Branford by a score of 6-5 in the first round of the state
years) as he was known to many throughout the world,
tournament. Unfortunately Prep fell in the next round
left an indelible mark both on the Catholic Church and
to Brian McMahon. Captains of the team were Steve
on history during his long reign, which commenced
Bienashski, Kevin Cullinane, and Mike Watters. Other
in October of 1978. With his support of the workers’
contributors included Sean Dennison, Brian Tweedy, Pat
Solidarity movement in his native Poland and his
O’Donnell, Scott Howard, Rob Maiorano, Ryan Hayes,
numerous calls for religious freedom, historians credit
Brendan Kelly, Collin Molloy, and Will Coursen. Finally,
John Paul II for playing an important role in the downfall
the Prep track team and sailing team had mixed results
of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc communism.
in 2005.
Widely traveled, Pope John Paul II served as a messenger
The year ended in typical fashion, with seniors
of the Gospel and traditional Catholic values throughout
finishing classes on Friday, May 24th. On their last
the world. After his death he was beatified on May 9th
Friday at the school, the class was treated to a luncheon
2005 by his successor Pope Benedict XVI. In April of
by the Prep development office. As was the tradition,
2014 he was officially declared a saint by the Church.
that Friday evening the senior prom was held. On the
Back in the everyday world of the Prep sports community in the spring of 2005, the Prep ruggers had an
182
of the season was the road trip to Argentina, where Prep
On April 2nd, 2005, Pope John Paul II, born
| HISTORY OF PREP
first of June, the Baccalaureate Mass was held at St.
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Thomas Church in Fairfield. Graduation was held at
in American history. In July it was a storm named
Alumni Hall, at one in the afternoon on Sunday, June
Dennis (July 4 – 13). The month of August, 2005 was
4. One month later, on July 7th, 2005, headlines flashed
one for the record books. On August 29, Hurricane
informing the world that a terrible terrorist attack was
Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, bringing with
made in the public transport network of London. Three
it utter devastation, including 2,000 deaths and over
bombs were detonated during rush hour in a conscious
$80 billion dollars of damage. The effects of Katrina
attempt to kill civilians. The results: 52 dead and more
would be felt for years to come. At Prep, special mite
than 700 injured.
box collections were conducted in an attempt to help ameliorate the suffering of the displaced and homeless
Retirement for Father Pelletier and Mr. Ed. Rowe The end of the 2004-05 school year brought to a close the careers of two important members of the Prep faculty. Father Walter Pelletier, S.J. ’47, had been involved with the school in one capacity or another for many decades. Having served for a while as dean of students
victims of the storm. Mother Nature was not purged of her tempestuousness, however. Hurricane Rita struck the Gulf region in September and Wilma arrived in early October. The October storm brought torrential rain and floods to New England.
Arrupe Hall Opens
at the Jesuit high school in Baghdad, Iraq, Father
The big event at Prep during the summer of 2005 was
Pelletier was well equipped to handle even the toughest
the completion of the connector building that would
teaching assignment. A gentle and extremely patient
provide a permanent link between Berchmans and
teacher, “Father Pell” was often given the difficult task
Xavier halls. School President Fr. Michael Boughton,
of teaching the less gifted math students. His ability to
S.J., was able to accomplish the task despite having
communicate algebra to even the most resistant students
to overcome many obstacles along the way. The new
was legendary. Aside from his teaching skills, Father Pell
building was named Pedro Arrupe Hall, in honor of the
served Prep as guidance counselor, schedule coordinator,
great Father General of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to
and assistant golf coach. Selfless, compassionate, and
1981. It was Father Arrupe who called on all members of
nonjudgmental, there is absolutely no better example
Jesuit schools to be “men for others.” The building was
of a “man for others” than Father Walter Pelletier.
formally dedicated in a grand ceremony on Thursday,
Mr. Edward Rowe ’59, was also a pillar of the mathematics
September 22.
department for many decades. He was an extremely gifted
Following the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit at Alumni
teacher, of that there can be no doubt. Mr. Rowe served
Hall, the entire student body, faculty, and staff gathered
in practically every aspect of the school, from assistant
in the Kartovsky Quad for the dedication. Among the
principal to member of numerous faculty committees,
speakers was Prep student Greg Jordan ’07 delivered a
to coaching. Mr. Rowe loved coaching baseball almost
speech in which he gave tribute to Fr. Arrupe. On Sunday,
as much as he loved teaching, and he was incredibly
September 25, a large gathering of friends, benefactors,
successful in both areas for many years. He in no small
alumni, administrators, and faculty convened at the Quad
measure contributed to the
for an additional dedication event. The highlight of the
tradition of excellence at
event was a guided tour of the new structure.
Fairfield Prep.
Fr. Walter Pelletier, S.J. ’47
There was a delay of a number of weeks before all the
As students and faculty
final touches were applied to the building. Nevertheless,
attempted to enjoy their
the building was officially open for business on Monday,
summer vacation in 2005,
October 17, 2005. Regarding the layout of Arrupe Hall,
the national weather scene
the first floor of the new building housed a state-of-
was a cause of concern.
the-art guidance compound, a multi-purpose, high-
The 2005 hurricane season
tech conference room, and a teacher work room. The
was one of the worst ever
second floor became the home of a much-needed HISTORY OF PREP | 183
INTO A NEW CENTURY
library and learning center, officially named the Michael
Joining the mathematics department was Christopher
Boughton, S.J., Academic Center, in recognition of the
M. Sadler. Talented in both academics and athletics,
unyielding efforts of Fr. Boughton in the construction
Chris quickly proved his worth to the Prep community.
of the building. Ms. Sandy Stock was given the role of
New to guidance was Kathryn Tokarski. Kate came
chief librarian, with Mrs. Jane Marrone assuming the
to be appreciated by both students and faculty alike,
post of academic center coordinator. Both were aided
and in an unofficial poll of Prep faculty taken at the
by the presence of Fr. Gallarelli, S.J., who served as
Christmas break, she was nominated for “rookie of the
guidance counselor in-residence and dispenser of daily
year” honors. In the technology department, Kristina
crossword puzzles. Finally, the basement of Arrupe Hall
Leonardo, a Blackboard Systems expert, was hired to
became the home of two science classrooms as well as
help with the ever-expanding workload in that area of
the new Prep weight training facility. Any description
the school. Joining the secretarial staff was the ever-
of the basic layout of the new building, however, would
friendly JoAnne Veltri. Returning to Prep in the theology
of necessity fall short in describing the grandeur of the
department, after a few years at the Canterbury School,
building and its importance to the Prep community. It
was Trevor Fanning ’95. Also joining theology were Prep
is worth noting that the entire building project under
grads Kevin Kery ’00, and Matthew Pierson ’01.
the Landmark Capital Campaign was a true family affair. The architects of the buildings were none other than Fletcher-Thompson, Inc., which was the same firm that
Speaking of Prep grads, a very welcome addition
had designed Berchmans and Xavier halls in the late
to the English department was W. Thomas Shea. After
1940s. Indeed, the color of the brick exterior of the new
graduating from Prep in 1973, Tom Shea received his
edifice matched that of Berchmans and Xavier perfectly.
B.A. from Harvard, and continued his education at the
Along with the completion of the new buildings there
London School of Economics, where he achieved an
were a number of new additions to the Prep faculty in the
M.S. degree. Upon completion of his education, Tom
fall of 2005. The new director of campus ministry was
entered the business world, where his natural ability and
the able and extremely dedicated Mr. Elliot Gualtiere.
strong education allowed him to achieve great success.
The position became available with the departure
It seems, however, as with many in the Prep family, Tom
of Fr. Hederman. Fr.
was never able to stray far from Fairfield Prep. He thus
Hederman,
had
found himself returning to the school to teach English
indelible
and serve as JV football coach. Beyond all of this,
impression on the school
however, Tom Shea has always been an active member of
in so many ways, left Prep
the Prep alumni, and he has been an indispensable force
to begin his Tertianship
in the Prep building campaign. The new Prep weight
in Australia. Among his
training room could never have come to fruition without
many tasks, Mr. Gualtiere
the personal efforts and sacrifice of Thomas Shea. Tom
served as the voice of
would later serve as the head coach of the Prep football
the
Prayer
team where he revived the
during homeroom. Additionally, he worked with school
program and returned it to
Chaplain Fr. Ryan, S.J., in developing the many religious
state-level prominence.
placed
Mr. Elliott Gualtiere
184
Mr. Tom Shea
who
his
Morning
programs at the school. Fr. Levens continued in his role
As the student body
as faculty chaplain. A noteworthy change associated with
settled into the routine
the religious life of the school occurred when the title of
of another year, the fall
the Prep service program was officially changed to the
sports programs kicked
Christian Service Program. The role of the director of the
into high gear. Despite
program was changed to a full-time position under the
another tough schedule,
capable and dedicated Mr. Sacerdote.
there were high hopes for
| HISTORY OF PREP
Mr. Tom Shea ’73
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the construction of Arrupe Hall, Fr. Boughton stunned the faculty and staff when he announced that he was leaving Fairfield Prep at the terminus of the 2005-06 school year. Fr. Boughton related that a search committee was already in place and working diligently to find his replacement. It only took a few months for the efforts of the committee to meet with success. On December 16, 2005 the name of Fr. Boughton’s successor was revealed. He was the Rev. John J. Hanwell, S.J. The literary life of the school was alive and well in 2005-06. The Soundings newspaper reported on the major news and sports events of the school. Zeitgeist, the official journal of the Political Awareness Club, published Tom Shea ’73 in the classroom.
Rich Magdon’s varsity football team. Led by the highly recruited Captain Garrett Brown, the team was expected to be highly competitive. Unfortunately, the final record of 2-7-1 was a disappointment. The cross country team was more successful, with a regular season record of 9-2. Coach Ford’s harriers were led by Colin Shukie, John Kavulich, Jay Gould, Adam Schlegel, Sean Philips, Matt Watson, Kevin Mott, and Steve Discenza. The team took 6th place in the SCC meet. The soccer team was more successful. The team compiled a 12-4-3 record, and captured the Quinnipiac division title and the SCC championship. Unfortunately, Jaffe’s boys suffered a heartbreaking loss in the state play-offs to Trumbull. Key players for Prep were senior Captains Brendan Stenier (SCC Most Valuable Player), and Bruno Mozzo. Other skilled contributors were Tanju Kizavul, Andrew Kydes, Dave Manetti, Gerry Zopfi, and Charlie Grover.
Crew – A New Sport at Prep
a number of thought-provoking issues. An important addition to the scene was the Bellarmine Review. The journal had been an integral part of the Fairfield Prep experience back in the 1940s and 1950s. By the 1960s it had faded into history. But the magazine was revived by Mr. Jamie Chesbro of the English department. The journal provided an excellent venue for Prep students to demonstrate their skills in prose, poetry and art. The overall appearance of the journal was greatly enhanced by the artistic touch of Mr. Peter Scifo, who served as chief layout advisor. Meanwhile, the religious life of the school continued to be nourished by the freshman retreat and Kairos. The service component active as well, with the Urban Plunge, freshman field day and the senior service project. A number of dedicated faculty members volunteered their time to assist in the success of the various programs. The Bellarmine Mothers’ Guild was very active as usual throughout the year. On the first Wednesday of every month Prep moms sponsored the “Apple Breakfasts” for the faculty in Berchmans faculty room.
Finally, a noteworthy event in athletics during the
Bagels, pastries, fruit, juice and coffee were provided
fall of 2005 was the addition of a crew program at Prep.
for all. The breakfasts were welcomed and greatly
Crew, a traditionally “preppy” sport, quickly became a
appreciated by the faculty, especially during the tough
popular addition to the athletic lineup at the school.
winter months. Beyond the breakfasts, however, the
It came into being as a result of the tireless efforts of a
Mothers’ Guild conducted the sale of Prep merchandise.
handful of parents and students. As with many athletic
During any given lunch period, especially around the
teams at Prep, it did not take long before the program
time of the Christmas holidays, the mothers set up a table
blossomed into greatness.
on the landing above the cafeteria in Berchmans where
There was another significant event in October of 2005. After the completion of one of his great triumphs,
they sold hats, jackets, ties, etc. to the Prep students and faculty.
HISTORY OF PREP | 185
INTO A NEW CENTURY
Winter brought with it a new sports season. As usual,
Ochs. Wrestling team coaches were Dave Judd and Dan
the big buzz on campus was generated by the hockey
Keefe. The ski team, though weakened by a serious knee
team. Sather’s skaters achieved an outstanding season,
injury to Ryan Nelson, still managed to have a very
compiling a record of 14-6-2. Unfortunately the team
strong season. Led by Pete Crawley, Kevin Fitzpatrick
failed to achieve its ultimate goal of capturing a state title,
and Colin Shukie, Prep’s ski team finished 4th in the
as it lost in the semi-finals of the play-offs. Key players
state. Speaking of skiing, those in love with that sport
included Captain Doug Martin, Robert Summerlin, Matt
had plenty to be happy about after a blizzard struck the
Improtta, Connor Antisdale, Dave Wirkus, Steve Maier,
state on February 11-12, depositing close to 27 inches of
Kevin Carey, Patrick Bourque, Ryan Garvin, Ryan Hayes,
snow in the region.
Tom Raccuia, Jon Cox, and Ken Stern. A large number
As usual, there were many non-sports activities
of young and talented players on the team augured
going on at Prep throughout the school year. In the
favorably for the future.
area of cultural diversity there was ASPIRA, the Latino
The swimming team took up the slack and had
Club, and the African-American Cultural Club, and the
an outstanding season, with a record of 15-1 placing
Asian Student Association. These groups collaborated in
6th in the state tournament. Bruce Jaffe received great
staging a memorable Martin Luther King assembly in the
performances from senior Captains Tom Barrone and
Quick Center in January. The theme of the event was
Greg Elia and a host of younger athletes including Ozzie
“Get on the Bus,” in honor of Ms. Rosa Parks.
Torres. The basketball team, led by Captains Charlie
Other clubs and organizations that were thriving
Adams and Mike Myers-Keitt, achieved a record of 10-
included those relating to Latin, math, science and history.
10. Significant contributions were made by Nick Lehn,
Additionally there was the National Honor Society and
Travis Page, Connor Kelly, C.J. Frank, and Tavon Reid.
the Spanish Honor Society. Then there was the Model
The indoor track team, captained by Matt Camus, Rob
U.N., the Stock Market Club, the Political Awareness
Culliton, Steve Discenza, Tom Lozier and Matt Szondy,
Club, Mock Trial, the Current Events/Weather Club, the
had a successful season, as did the wrestling team. The
Philosophy Club, the Tech Club, and the Debate Club.
Prep grapplers had a remarkable record of 11-4, and
Additionally, there was the Web Club, the Warhammer
finished 5th in the SCC. Senior Captains were Andrew
Club, the Japanese Animation Club, and even a Break-
Gleason and Cornelius Walsh, and James McLaughlin.
Dance Club. The service clubs were alive and well
Significant contributions were made by Brayton Bushby,
with the Chaplain’s Council, the Mite Box committee,
Thomas Lane, Dennis Lee, Tim Lincoln, and Dillon
Cardinal Key Society, and Habitat for Humanity. Student
Dr. Donna Andrade working with students.
186
| HISTORY OF PREP
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government, moderated by Mrs. Magner, (formerly,
southwest to participate in a new immersion experience
Schoenster) was busy under the leadership of president
called Borderlinks. The purpose of the 8-day trip was
Kenneth Stern and vice presidents Charlie Adams and
to provide students with a no-holds-barred look at
Jack Wallace. The secretary was Kyle Langan and the
the situation vis-à-vis the Mexican migrant workers in
treasurer was Thomas Keane. At the beginning of each
America. As part of the immersion each Prep student
school year, as had been the tradition, underclassmen
spent two days in Nogales, Mexico as guests of families
were recruited to these various organizations through
there. The event clearly served as great laboratory for
the Activities Fair which was held in early September in
personal growth on the part of everyone involved as they
Berchmans Cafeteria.
came to grips with the complexity of the issues involved
The 2005-06 school year was also incredibly
with question of Mexican workers in the United States.
successful in the area of the performing arts. The Prep Players, under the direction of Mr. Bramble, staged an outstanding version of Playboy of the Western World in the fall. Stars of the play included Kyle Langan and William Callahan. The spring production was as usual a musical extravaganza. Oliver was directed by Mr. Bramble, with Ms. Megan Hoover adding her skills as choreographer and Ms. Jennifer Horn directing the music. A major event in the area of performing arts occurred when the department staged Mosaic, a potpourri of 14 different acts, ranging from the dramatic to the musical.
Jesuit Jubilee Year: 2006
Mr. Rudy Mauritz ’94
Mr. Bob Bernier
A New Era Begins – Coaches Rudy Mauritz and Bob Bernier
January of 2006 was very important in the history of
Spring brought with it another sports season. After
the Society of Jesus as it was the beginning of the official
decades under the Coach Rowe, the 2006 baseball team
Jesuit Jubilee Year. The purpose of the celebration was to
had a new coach in Mr. Rudy Mauritz ’94, assisted by
honor anniversaries of three men who were instrumental
Mr. Matt Sather ’93. Mauritz, who starred at Prep and
in the establishment of the Society of Jesus. St. Ignatius of
at Providence College, was well prepared to assume the
Loyola, the founder of the order died on July 31, 1556 or
task at hand. In his inaugural season, the team achieved
450 years previous. Two of his closest companions were
a record of 10-10. Team captain was Nick Shekatoff.
born in the year 1506, which of course was 500 years
Other seniors included Rory Bernier, Will Delmore, and
ago. St. Peter Faber was born on April 7 and St. Francis
Hector Garcia.
Xavier on April 13, 1506. At Fairfield Prep and at all the
In golf, Mr. Bob Bernier replaced the legendary Dr.
other Jesuit institutions throughout the world, special
Roger Ratchford. His assistant was Mr. Steve Donohue.
liturgies, assemblies, lectures and other celebrations
Coach Bernier continued the winning tradition of Prep
were held in honor of these three men. All of these
golf. His team compiled a record of 16-4, led by Tim
events reinforced the recognition of the long tradition of
Murphy, Mike Baldwin, Matt McGarry, Owen Foote,
Ignatian spirituality and excellence in education that has
Ryan Morrison, Matt Marshall and Kevin Dishon.
been the hallmark of the Society of Jesus.
The track team had a new coach in Mr. Dave Driscoll.
In keeping with men-for-others mandate that was
Mr. Driscoll, who had been with the team in one capacity
one of the centerpieces of Jesuit education, the Christian
or another since the 1970s, was no stranger to the role.
Service Department, led by Mr. Sacerdote, organized a
He assembled a competitive group that included the
particularly significant event in April of 2006. A group
talented javelin thrower and jumper Craig Kinsley. The
of eight Prep juniors and faculty volunteers Philip
key man in the sprints was C.J. Frank, while distance
Schuchert and Matthew Pierson made a journey to the
runners Colin Shukie, Rob Culliton, and Steve Discenzo HISTORY OF PREP | 187
INTO A NEW CENTURY
added to the team’s success. Thompson Lozier, Masengo Kabongo and Jon Arena scored points in the field events. Other contributors included Jack Orlando, Matt Watson, Jimmy Brand, Andrew Gorzkowski, Kevin Lincoln, John Pierson and Eric Enriquez. Coach Harris had another talented tennis team in 2006. Captains Kevin Russo and Anders Vonderheyde led the team to a very good season. Also having a good season were the sailing team and the rugby teams. The sailing team, captained by Scott Brown, Dave Oricchio and Hugo Fueglein, had an undefeated regular season. Captains of the rugby team were Austin Ryan and Greg Ferraro. The Prep ruggers compiled a record of 10-4 in 2006.
Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J., on the highway to heaven.
Prep Lacrosse – 2006 State Champs
Fr. Dolan as a great builder of the physical plant. He saw
It was the lacrosse team, however, which generated
to it that the Brissette Athletic Center and Arrupe Hall
the most excitement in the spring of 2006. Coach Chris
were constructed. He also presided over the renovation of
Smalkais did a remarkable job guiding his boys to the
many aspects of the school, and he added to the religious
state championship. The championship game against
and artistic dimension of the school by placing statues,
Norwalk was one of the most exciting games ever played
paintings and crucifixes throughout the buildings.
in the state tournament. Prep won in four overtimes, by
His priestly demeanor on a daily basis enforced this
a score of 13-12. Rob Maiorano was a standout for Prep
religiosity in an even deeper way.
throughout the game and the entire season. Other big
To celebrate the Boughton years and to thank him
contributors included Will Coursen, Paul Finlay, Colin
for all that he had given to Fairfield Prep, a great Gala
Molloy, Tom Kralovenec, Alex Aitoro, and Matt Improta.
Dinner was held in his honor at the Hyatt Regency Hotel
The spring of 2006 proved to be quite rainy, which
in Greenwich on the evening of May 6, 2006. It was a
disrupted the athletic schedule. A big storm lasting from
tremendous occasion in every way. Honorary chairs of
May 10-15 brought nearly 13 inches of rain to many part
the event were Dr. and Mrs. Robert Russo. Parent co-
of New England. Some of the worst flooding in 70 years
chairs were Mr. and Mrs. Bill Marshall ’72 Mr. and Mrs.
occurred along small rivers and streams. Near the end
John Walsh. The Prep faculty was delighted to be able
of June, another large storm brought an additional 12
to attend the fest due to the generous contribution of
inches or so of rain along most of the East coast. The
an anonymous donor. Fr. Charles Allen, S.J., Master of
summer of 2006 was the warmest on record.
Ceremonies, blended his own brand of humor with the gratitude of all to create
Goodbye Fr. Boughton
Boughton. The highlight
the reign of Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J. While many
of the evening was a
members of the Prep community were saddened by the
touching and humorous
loss of the popular leader, the fact is that Fr. Boughton’s
video
tenure had been the longest in the school’s history. His
Thing, created by Peter
reign commenced in 1996 and from the very moment
Scifo.
that he assumed his position Fr. Boughton’s vision,
video produced by the
energy and spirit pervaded every aspect of the school. Fr. Boughton will go down in Prep history along with
188
a loving farewell to Fr.
The spring of 2006 brought with it the end of
| HISTORY OF PREP
Fr. Boughton, S.J., displays some parting gifts.
…
A
After
Wonderful dinner
a
Fairfield University Media department
entitled
In
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Their Words presented Prep from the vantage point of
The first Sunday in June brought with it the sight
alumni, parents, students, faculty and administrators. Fr.
of Prep seniors in their traditional white dinner jackets
Boughton’s address concluded the program. Perhaps the
entering Alumni Hall for their graduation exercises.
congratulations from the Fairfield University community
The affair had a bittersweet feel to it as it marked the
summed it up best, “…his expertise and generous spirit
final graduation exercise presided over by Fr. Boughton.
will be missed but he has laid a firm foundation on
Chosen to speak for the graduating seniors was Keith
which to build an even more outstanding Fairfield Prep in the future.” Another member of the Prep community who left the school at the end of the 2005-2006 school year was Mrs. Ellen H. Everard, who entered retirement. Mrs. Everard had served as a stalwart member of the math department for decades and her success as moderator of the Prep Stock Market Club brought Prep many interscholastic awards and accolades. She was a dedicated teacher and active member on many faculty committees and her retirement left a void in the math department that would be difficult to fill.
Prep students hard at work in the Fr. Boughton Academic Center.
HISTORY OF PREP | 189
INTO A NEW CENTURY
The most recent addition to the Prep campus, Pedro Arrupe Hall.
on the school and it had accumulated many academic and athletic accolades. Nevertheless, as was now the custom, the graduation exercise did not bring an end to school-related activities. Two service projects brought Prep students and their faculty chaperones to distant locations. The Appalachia and Rosebud Reservation immersions were very successful during the summer of 2006. At Prep, meanwhile, there was a change about Mr. Chris McLeod ’73
Mr. Keith Hofmann ’06
lounge there was closed and the space renovated for
Hoffman. In his speech he highlighted the fact that:
classroom use. That lounge for many years had served
“We are part of a brotherhood … and we will always be
as a refuge for teachers in that building who did not
bonded to one another.” The commencement address
have the time or energy to make it all the way over to
was provided by Mr. Chris McLeod, from the remarkable
its counterpart in Berchmans. Along with the loss of the
Class of 1973. He wisely reminded the young men: “Just
lounge and its distinctive vibe, to the consternation of
as there is a tradition of academic excellence at Prep, so
many, was the end of a tradition of all the wonderful
too is there the tradition of developing the full character
baked goods provided there by French teacher, Mrs.
of the individual, of forming a man for others.”
Connie Carrington.
The Class of 2006 had made a strong impression
190
to occur on the second floor of Xavier, as the faculty
| HISTORY OF PREP
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CHAPTER 11
The Hanwell Era “Make Mission Matter”
Fr. Jack Hanwell, S.J., greets students on the front steps of Arrupe Hall.
T
he summer of 2006 was one of transition as Fr.
Hanwell, there was a heightened emphasis of the Jesuit
Boughton left the school for a well-deserved
mission of service, and the magis, usually interpreted
sabbatical in Italy and Fr. John J. Hanwell, S.J.,
simply as “giving more.”
began his reign as President of Fairfield Prep. Father
The Mission of Fairfield Prep
Hanwell, a graduate of Boston College High School and
• to offer its students the finest preparation for college;
Boston College Center in Weston, Massachusetts. He
• to inspire in its students a lifelong love of learning;
joined the Society of Jesus in 1979, and was ordained
• to invite each student to deepen his relationship with
a priest in 1991. In possession of advanced degrees from Loyola University and Middlebury College, and with classroom experience as an instructor of French at Cheverus and Boston College High, Fr. Hanwell was well prepared for the task at hand at Prep. Under Father
God; • to encourage each student’s social, cultural, and physical development; • to challenge its students to become leaders, living as men of conscience, compassion and action.
HISTORY OF PREP | 191
THE HANWELL ERA – “MAKE MISSION MATTER”
Magis Some elaboration on the concept of magis is in order.
192
make sure that the behavior of the young men was in keeping with the school code of conduct.
An excellent overview of magis, is provided in: “What
There were other new members of the Prep faculty in
Magis Really Means and Why it is Important” by Fr.
2006. Mr. Matthew Ramos, class of ’01, returned to Prep
Barton T. Geger, S.J., of Regis University, in the 20012
to teach theology and work with various athletic teams.
edition of Jesuit Higher Education. Father Geger points
Ramos quickly garnered votes for the “rookie of the year”
out that probably the best definition of the term magis is
award. Veteran teacher Dr. Charles Miller also joined the
“the more universal good.” One of Father Geger’s main
theology department. Dr. Miller had spent considerable
points is that magis should be viewed qualitatively, not
time working at schools of the Irish Christian Brothers,
quantitatively. He states: “One of the more prevalent-
including the famous Rice High School on 124th street
and-dangerous misconceptions about magis is that it
in Harlem. Dr. Miller soon teamed up with sociology
means working harder or being more generous.” He
teacher John Szablewicz to present an introduction to
suggests the idea of working “smarter” to promote the
city living to students participating in the Urban Plunge
more universal good. Another way of looking at it is to
program. New to the English department, also from
give “more of the self” to those we are serving and to
Derby High, was the jovial Mr. John De Francisco.
reflect on how our actions promote the well-being of all
The 2006-2007 school year began in the last week of
God’s children. That is exactly what happens at Fairfield
August, following a special orientation day for freshmen.
Prep every day.
The annual Mass of the Holy Spirit was held in Alumni
The 2006-2007 school year was marked by great
Hall on Friday, the eighth of September. Following the
changes in the mathematics department at the school.
Mass there was the special ceremony during which Fr.
A total of five new math teachers were hired. Mr. Jamie
Hanwell was missioned as the new leader of Fairfield
Whiteman was brought on to teach algebra and geometry,
Prep. The celebration continued that afternoon with a
as was Ms. Marina Scherban. Two Prep alums also joined
reception for Fr. Hanwell in the new Brissette Center.
the math department, as Mr. Joseph Farrell ’02, and Mr.
Attending the event were members of Fr. Hanwell’s
Charles Ritter ’02 assumed the duty of teaching algebra.
family along with Prep benefactors, parents, faculty and
Mr. Ritter also taught physics. Mrs. Anna DiCenso came
students. As he did at the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Fr.
to Prep from Derby High School, where she had taught
Hanwell addressed the guests with words of thanks and
for over 30 years. Mrs. DiCenso also had many years of
good wishes. It was a wonderful way to begin the new
adjunct teaching experience, which undoubtedly made
president’s term at the school and it started the school
her well prepared to teach advanced math at Prep. Her
year off on a particularly upbeat note.
husband, Charles DiCenso, also joined the Prep faculty
As was the usual custom at the school since the
as a part-time English teacher and assistant football
Arimond days, Back-to-School Night for parents was
coach. Mr. DiCenso brought with him a hefty resume
held on the third Thursday of the month. In keeping
from Derby High School, where for over 30 years he
with the new high-tech environment at the school, as
served in various capacities including teacher, principal,
parents entered the classrooms of their son’s teachers
superintendent of schools, and head football coach.
they were treated to many multi-media and smartboard
Mr. DiCenso was a highly successful football coach in
presentations. Things had certainly changed since the old
his own right as he piloted the Derby program through
days when all parents received was a hard copy of a course
many competitive seasons. His experienced voice of
outline. Beyond the high-tech classrooms, increased
reason would prove to be a great asset to Coach Magdon
communication between parents and teachers was
and the Prep football program. Another member of the
greatly facilitated due to the existence of teacher websites
football coaching staff, the affable Andy Mancini, also
and email systems. Expanded technology brought with
assumed his role as an assistant to the dean of men. On
it the need for additional computer specialists. That
any given day Andy would appear at the Fairfield train
need was met with the hiring of computer expert Mr.
station, in the Prep hallways or in the cafeteria just to
Peter Sarawit in September of ’06. At first, in the minds
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of the teachers at Prep, Mr. Sarawit appeared to be just another member of the tech-support staff. It did not take long for them to realize how indispensable Peter would be to the smooth running of the entire technology infrastructure of the school. In November, Ms. Janet Barker was added as an administrative assistant, and Ms. Deirdre Cannan assumed the role of technology support administer. Meanwhile, it seemed that every student was in possession of his very own cell phone and iPod. September 25 marked the 10th anniversary of the Urban Plunge service project at the St. Charles Urban Center in Bridgeport. The four-day plunge experience for Prep juniors provided them with the opportunity to work with elementary school children from the Beardsley and Barnum schools. As was always the case, friendships were made, awareness was heightened, and a good time was had by all. The fall sports programs elicited plenty of excitement in 2006. Coach Magdon’s football program was in great shape, led by captains Phil DeGennaro, Kevin Collins, Victor Uscilla and the highly-talented Masengo Kabongo. The team compiled an 8-2 regular season record and made it to the state play-offs. Unfortunately, Prep fell to a very talented Greenwich team in the first round by a score of 34-0, thus ending the season on a sour note. Meanwhile, the soccer team compiled a very successful 10-6 record, and it too made the state play-offs. Jaffe’s booters fell in the first round in overtime to Xavier by a score of 1-0. Nevertheless, captains Will Brooks and Joe Rahtelli could be proud of the spirited play that had characterized the team all season. The cross-country team was also very competitive. Coach Ford’s harriers achieved a regular season record of 6-4. Captains Kevin Lincoln and Sean Phillips, along with All-Quinnipiac division runner Tom Corona, led the team to a respectable
Coach Bob Sylvester with Jim Fitzsimmons ’69
presided over a golden age of Prep basketball back in the late 1960s, including a state championship in 1969, entered the hall along with Jim Fitzsimmons, who averaged 32.5 points a game during that championship season. Jim holds the Prep all-time highest single game scoring mark with 64 points achieved against Jonathan Law high school. October 23 marked the beginning of Kairos 29, which was held at the Seton-Neumann Retreat Center in Danbury. On the 24th, the debate team, moderated by Mr. Whiteman and led by team president Ken Jordan, made its way to Hartford where it participated in a major competition at the State Legislative Office Building. The Prep team performed very well and made it to the semi-final round. October 25 was the starting date of the second Urban Plunge of the school year. Unfortunately, the month ended on a rather sour note as the annual senior dress-up day for Halloween got a little out of hand. Some of the costumes and skits put on by students in the cafeteria during lunch were a bit questionable in nature and were considered in poor taste by various members of the faculty. At a subsequent faculty
8th place in the SCC championship meet.
meeting there was a discussion about revamping the day
Coach Sylvester and Jim Fitzsimmons: N.E. Basketball Hall of Fame
decided that certain changes and new rules were needed
or even terminating it completely. The administration for the dress-up day in the future.
The month of October was filled with important
The busy schedule progressed into November. A group
events as the 2006-2007 school year moved into high
of dedicated students and faculty made their way down to
gear. On October 6, at ceremonies conducted at the
Columbus, Georgia to participate in the Ignatian Family
University of Rhode Island, two legends of the Prep
Teach-in for Justice, which was held on November 17-20
basketball program were inducted into the New England
of the month in memory of the anniversary of the murder
Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Robert Sylvester, who
of six Jesuits, their housekeeper, housekeeper’s daughter
HISTORY OF PREP | 193
THE HANWELL ERA – “MAKE MISSION MATTER”
put on an excellent performance. Another artistic event of note in the fall of ’06 was when Mrs. Megan Hoover, in her first year as Director of the Prep Players, featuring the school’s finest thespians, staged the play Dead Man Walking in the Black Box theatre of the Quick Center. Interestingly, the production was coordinated with the theology department, which mandated that all seniors read the book and subsequently interact with the actors through discussion postings each night.
“Gone Running” The flurry of activity continued into December. On the 11th, former Prep teacher Mr. Christian McEvoy in El Salvador in 1989. Faculty members leading the
reached Prep as part of his marathon run across America
Prep contingent were Mr. Tom Sacerdote, Fr. Larry Ryan,
in order to raise funds for cancer survivors. McEvoy was
S.J., Mr. Elliot Gualtiere, Mr. Kevin Kerry, and Mr. Trevor
aided in his monumental 3,500 mile journey by another
Fanning. Prep students making the journey were Tom
former teacher and Prep alumnus Mr. Matt Pierson,
Lozier, Scott Richter, Andrew Garvey, Phil Tapia, Greg
who provided logistical aid and drove the camper that
Jordan, Logan O’Reilly and Matt Krubski.
followed along behind the runner. When all was said
On November 21, the annual Thanksgiving assembly
and done, Mr. McEvoy raised almost $200,000 for his
was held at the Quick Center. In keeping with the spirit
worthy cause. Prep students and faculty did their part
of the Jesuit Jubilee Year, the theme of the assembly
by purchasing “Gone Running” tee-shirts. Mr. Ford and
was “Giving Thanks for Our Jesuit Identity.” School
his cross country team ran along with McEvoy at various
President Father Hanwell led the proceedings, which
points as he made his way through Connecticut.
included reflections on St. Ignatius of Loyola by senior
December 11 was also the date of the official lighting
Kevin Cahalane, on St. Francis Xavier by senior Scott
of the Prep Christmas tree. Following homeroom Father
Richter, and on St. Peter Faber by faculty member Mr.
Hanwell asked all students and faculty to assemble in the
James Chesbro. Finally, service anniversaries of various
Kartovsky Quad for the event that marked the beginning
members of the faculty and staff were honored by Fr.
of the Christmas season. Beautifully decorated, the new
Hanwell. Leading the group was Mr. Bruce Jaffe, who
building, Arrupe Hall, provided an extra-special spirit
was recognized for having given 40 years of service to the
for the holiday. A few weeks later, as was the custom, the
school. Others receiving recognition included Fr. George
annual Christmas party for faculty and staff was hosted
Gallarelli, S.J., Mrs. Suzanne Tucci, Mr. John Szablewicz,
by the theology department at the Jesuit house on Barlow
Mr. Thomas Sacerdote, and Mr. Harvey Mamrus.
Road. At the party Secret Santa identities were revealed,
November 29 was an interesting day. On that day students from the Spanish Honor Society at Lauralton Hall visited their counterparts at Prep. The highlight of the occasion occurred when the ladies of Lauralton
194
great food was provided and, despite the unseasonably warm temperatures, a joyous time was had by all.
State Titles for Swimming and Hockey
provided lessons in ballroom dancing for the men of
By December the winter sports programs were all in
Prep. While this amusing event was transpiring, a group
high gear. Two teams, swimming and hockey, provided
of very talented Prep musicians led by their teacher Mrs.
plenty of excitement during the 2006-2007 campaigns,
Horn made their way down to New York City where
as they both captured state championships. Coach Jaffe
they participated in a major musical extravaganza at
undoubtedly assembled his best swimming team to
Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. By any standard of
that point. His men compiled a perfect regular season
judgment the Prep contingent wowed the audience and
record of 15-0. In the process they defeated arch-rival
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Greenwich on January 19th by a score of 120-64. The
King, Jr. in January of 2007 was a real success. Faculty
season culminated with a great triumph in the state Class
moderators Ms. Alicia Watson, Ms. Kristin Ancona
L meet, where Prep finished in 1st place. There were
and Mrs. Jennifer Sturges coordinated the efforts of
many great performances, especially by the 400-yard
the African American Club, ASPIRA, the Hispanic
freestyle relay team of Andrew Grinalds, Matt Watson,
Heritage Club, and ASA, the Asian Students Association
Pat White, and Ozzie Torres, which established a new
to produce the event, which contained a good mix of
school record with a time of 3:11.01. Team Captains
speeches, dramatic and musical performances. The
were Dan Platow, Tom Corona, and Ozzie Torres. Jaffe’s
songs of the guest musical group “Big Apple’achia” were
able assistant coach was Rick Hutchinson.
especially well received.
Coach Matt Sather and his assistants Rudy Mauritz,
The winter of 2006-2007 started out on a rather
Pat Ryan, and Tim Sather assembled another powerhouse
mild note, but in January there was an ice storm on Dr.
hockey team for 2006-2007. The Jesuits finished the
King day and in February much of the nation was hit
season with a record of 19-3-1. Captains were Dave
by a Valentine’s Day snow storm on February 12th. By
Wirkus, Jon Cox and Ryan Garvin. In their march to
the end of the month both students and faculty were
capture the state title Prep shut out West Haven by a
happy to reach the winter break. Not all members of the
score of 6-0, defeated Conard 4-1, whitewashed Notre
community settled for a quiet week at home, however.
Dame, West Haven 4-0, and then won a nail-biter
As was the custom during the February break, the
against former Prep coach Marty Roos and his gritty
language department sponsored a trip to Europe. For
Notre Dame, Fairfield team. With the victory in the state
2007, faculty chaperones Ms. Magner and Ms. Mumma
championship game coach Sather’s over-all record as
led an energetic group of students on a very enjoyable
head coach of the Prep hockey program was 128-53-10 –
tour of Italy. Unfortunately, as is often the case with
a remarkable achievement by any standard of judgment.
foreign travel, a number of the group, including both
Another team that achieved success was the ski team,
faculty chaperones, became ill with respiratory problems
which finished the season with a record of 15-4. The
shortly after returning from the trip.
indoor track team, coached by Dave Driscoll and assisted
In the area of great music, one of the highlights of the
by Mr. Ford senior, Joe Farrell, and Charles Ritter, had
school year occurred on the evening of March 21 when
a very good season, finishing 8th place in the state. Its
the annual winter concert was held. Under the direction
success was in large part due to the presence of the
of Mrs. Horn, the concert featured the entire Prep music
multi-talented team Captain Craig Kinsley. Kinsley set
program, including the concert band, the concert choir,
school records in the high jump and 55 meter hurdles.
the chamber choir, and the Jazzuits.
Unfortunately for Craig, his best event was the javelin, which is not offered (for obvious reasons) during the
Off-Campus, No More
indoor season. The sprint medley team of Paul Hegeman,
After a rather warm and relatively snow-free winter,
Isaac Chacon, Antonio Lopez and John Pierson posted
Fairfield Prep entered the spring semester on a very
some excellent times.
positive note. School president Fr. Hanwell was kept very
The basketball team was excellent with a 17-5 season.
busy holding meetings with students, alumni and parents.
Coach Lee found strong leadership from the trio of Mike
His Friday afternoon lunches with small groups of faculty
Myers-Kitt, Nick Lehn and Jack Fabbri. Prep wrestlers,
proved to be great information-gathering sessions. Fr.
though competitive, could only muster a record of 9-17-
Hanwell quickly demonstrated his willingness to make
1. Coach Dave Judd’s team was hindered by injuries
difficult decisions if the situation was warranted. An
to senior captains Chris D’Elia, Dennis Lee and Joe
example of this came with the announcement that, for
Fredrickson. In their absence Brayton Bushby and Tom
the first time in decades, the Prep administration decided
Lane performed at a high level, with Lane finishing 2nd
to suspend the tradition of off-campus lunch privileges
in the league.
for seniors beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.
The special assembly in honor of Dr. Martin Luther
Before making this decision, Fr. Hanwell and principal HISTORY OF PREP | 195
THE HANWELL ERA – “MAKE MISSION MATTER”
Dr. Perrotta consulted with the administrative team, the faculty and with representatives of the student body. A major factor in the decision was the looming legal issues related to students taking their cars off campus during the school day, when Prep stands in loco parentis over them, the majority of whom are under eighteen years of age. Needless to say, however, the rising seniors were not pleased with the end of the off-campus lunch privilege. Interestingly, although they could no longer legally leave campus during the school day, doing so virtually was about to become much easier. In early 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone to the American market. It would not take long before the device became a ubiquitous reality as everyone in the young, tech-savvy generation seemed to have the phone constantly attached to the sides of their heads. Slowly, but surely, the device, and its counterparts as produced by Samsung and other companies, would become a necessity, a fact of life for all. Unfortunately, the texting feature soon became the cause of much consternation, and the refrain: “Don’t text and drive!” was born. In March of 2007 members of the Prep community made the journey to Loyola University of New Orleans in order to participate in an Ignatian family teach-in entitled “Rebuilding Communities, Facing Racism and Poverty.” As part of the process they volunteered at “camp restore” on March 12-13. Leading the Prep group was the director of the Christian Service Program, Mr. Tom Sacerdote. He was aided by faculty member Mr. Sadler and Mr. Pierson ’01. The student “men for others” included seniors Tom Connolly, Tom Lozier, Scott Richter, as well as juniors Ken Jordan, Rob LiCalzi, Tom Miglietta, and Mike Miles. A sophomore member of the team was Andrew Garvey. The religious life of the school was vibrant in the second semester. On March 5th, there was Kairos 31. April 15th brought a record amount of rainfall to the area as a powerful nor’easter ravaged the eastern part of the country. Central Park in New York received a record 7.57 inches of precipitation in a twenty-four hour period. Following the storm, the month continued with a busy schedule. Fr. Hanwell celebrated a special Mass on Sunday, April 22 for benefactors and student award recipients. Two days later, Bishop Lori made a special appearance at Prep, where he celebrated the annual Easter Liturgy. Finally, April brought the three196
| HISTORY OF PREP
Fr. Jack Hanwell, S.J., with secretary Margaret Rosario.
day annual freshman retreat. The theme was “Building Bridges, Building Futures.” As the school year entered the home stretch there was plenty of activity on campus. The Prep Players, under the direction of Mrs. Hoover, performed a very entertaining version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Sparkling performances were offered by Alex Tortora, Joseph Homza, Sarah Begley, Mike Brelsford and Richard Johnson. The annual art show was held during the third week of May. For the first time the venue of the show was switched from the black box of the Quick Center to the corridors of the brand new Arrupe Hall. It was a major success due to the great talents of the Prep artists as well as the guidance of their teachers, especially Mrs. Dolores Tema. The ’07 spring sports season was indeed interesting. Every Prep team achieved success. Dave Driscoll’s track team had a record of 7-4. Under Driscoll’s tutelage, senior Craig Kinsley, one of the best athletes in the school’s history, shattered records in the javelin, high jump and hurdles. It is worth noting that Kinsley went on to be a national champion at Brown University, and subsequently joined the U.S. Olympic track and field team – no small feat! Prep’s golf team, coached by Bob Bernier, finished at 15-3-1. Coach Bob Harris and his assistant Mrs. Deidre Magner brought the tennis team to a record of 16-5. In baseball, coaches Mauritz and Sather led Prep to the state tournament with a 13-10 posting. Rugby compiled a record of 9-4 led by captains Vic Uscilla, Mike Cemprola, and Joe Giordano. The sailing team was also successful finishing the season at 5-2. Finally, the Prep
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crew team, coached by Mr. John Turner, placed 3rd in
Perrotta subsequently attended a JSEA Colloquium on
the New England/Mid-Atlantic Regional championships.
Education at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Crew was a sport that was clearly destined to grow in
Joining him was a select group of Prep educators
popularity in the future at Fairfield Prep.
including Dr. Donna Andrade, Mr. Greg Marshall, Ms. Maureen Bohan, Mrs. Megan Hoover, Mrs. Kate
Another State Title for Prep Lacrosse
Tokarski, Mrs. Jane O’Reilly, Ms. Alicia Watson, and Mr.
The big story at Prep in the spring season, however,
Matt Tellis. At the conference Dr. Perrotta delivered one
was written by the lacrosse team. Coach Smalkais’
of the two keynote speeches. The title of his address was
laxmen had another whirlwind season and finished at
“Ignatian Ways of Proceeding,” and it focused upon ways
19-3. Led by team captains Will Coursen and Tommy
that Jesuit secondary schools might retain the unique
Kralovenec, in the SCC championship game Prep
Ignatian philosophy of teaching in an environment
overpowered Branford by a score of 18-11. The victors
which is marked by a diminishing number of Jesuit
ran away with the game with ten unanswered goals down
priests. Following the speech Dr. Perrotta was awarded
the stretch. In the state tournament, Prep swamped
a great honor. He received the JSEA President’s Award
Trumbull in the quarter-finals by a score of 18-5. The
for outstanding dedication, leadership, and service in the
semi-final game against Simsbury was a much closer
apostolate of Jesuit secondary education. For the record
contest, but Prep emerged with a 10-9 win. The finals of
it should be noted that Dr. Perrotta began his service
the Class L tournament pitted Prep against Greenwich.
to Prep back in 1969, making him as of 2017 the most
The hard work and tenacity of Coach Smalkais’ team
senior member of the staff, as he moved ever closer to
paid dividends once more as Prep topped Greenwich by
50 years of service. Bob Perrotta began his career as a
a score of 10-9. For the second consecutive year the Prep
Spanish teacher before entering the Prep administration
lacrosse team captured the state championship. A great
as academic dean, then as principal. His tireless service
accomplishment indeed!
to Prep can never be overestimated. Over the years,
On the evening of May 5, 2007 there was a wonderful
he was the most important force in JSEA relations, the
event held at Alumni Hall on campus. The annual spring
development of the various academic programs, as well
dinner, under the theme of “An American in Paris,” was a
as school schedules and yearly calendars.
great success. Prep parents Martha Hegeman and Monica
The 2006-2007 school year ended with the
Walsh coordinated the efforts of over 100 volunteers to
usual Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday, May 31,
transform the gymnasium into a beautiful rendition of
with commencement exercises taking place at one
a Paris neighborhood. Almost 400 guests attended the
in the afternoon on Sunday, the third of June. The
gala for dinner, dancing and generous amounts of good
commencement speaker was Fr. Ron Perry, S.J., who
conversation. The tradition of a spring gala was begun
had been a popular member of the Prep community
with the first auction back in 1971. Judging from the
before moving on to Boston College High School.
success of the ’07 event, it was a tradition destined to
Selected by his peers to provide the valedictory address
continue for many years to come.
was Daniel Bercik. The young men who received their
Dr. Robert Perrotta As the school year drew to a close, the news arrived
that
principal
Dr. Robert Perrotta was elected to the board of directors of the Jesuit Secondary Dr. Robert Perrotta
Education
Association. (JSEA). Dr.
diplomas that afternoon could leave the stage with the full knowledge that they were well prepared to accept the challenges of college and beyond. They now had become part of the Prep tradition of excellence. School president Rev. John Hanwell, S.J. presiding over his first graduation ceremony, created his own new tradition that day. In accordance with the awarding of the 50 year golden diplomas to the Prep Class of 1957 Fr. Hanwell began taking the assembled throng down memory lane, including mention of the key events and developments HISTORY OF PREP | 197
THE HANWELL ERA – “MAKE MISSION MATTER”
that occurred when they were Prep seniors. Upon
coach and publisher of
mentioning the hit songs of the day, Hanwell, in perfect
the popular Prep Today
pitch, sang a few lines of the various songs. Fr. Hanwell
journal.
repeated this tradition at every graduation ceremony
replacing Mr. Miller in
throughout his tenure at the school.
alumni relations during
In June of 2007 the school found itself well
the summer of 2008
prepared to move through the new century with great
was J Dillon Collins
improvements to the physical plant, an organized and
’98. Taking over the
award-winning administration, a talented and dedicated
journal,
faculty and staff, and a diverse and gifted student body.
new title of director of
The combination of these elements should insure the
communications,
continued fulfillment of the Mission of Fairfield Prep.
Mrs. Colleen Adams. From day one of her hiring, Ms.
under
the was
Mrs. Colleen Adams, director of communications
Summers are always times of activity and fun for
Adams became a fixture at Prep events, camera in hand,
the Prep community. Oftentimes, those endeavors
documenting the Prep experience. Another new hire in
are combined with the Prep mission of service to the
2007 was Jonathan DeRosa in a new post, director of
community. On that note, on August 4, 2007 a group
student activities. Welcome and talented additions to the
of Prep swimmers once again participated in a fund
English department were Elaine Clark and Linda Kaye.
raiser called Swim Across the Sound. Led by assistant
Prep alumnus Gerald “Griff” Reidy ’90 was brought into
swim coach Rick Hutchinson ’87, varsity Captains Matt
the theology department.
Watson and Pat White were victorious on a record-setting
Along with the usual student orientation programs,
relay team. On the second-place team were the three
faculty meetings and annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, the
Platow brothers, Dave, Danny and Bart. Collectively, the
early weeks of the new school year included a number of
efforts of the Prep men raised $30,000 for various cancer
special events. Among the most significant was the special
prevention programs throughout the region.
President’s Reception on Sunday, September 16, to honor
The fall of 2007 brought with it the usual bittersweet
the previous President Fr. Michael G. Boughton, S.J. on
winds of change at the school, beginning with the
the occasion of the official opening of the new library
announcement that Joseph Miller ’76, was leaving his
and academic center that was dedicated in his honor.
post as director of alumni relations, assistant football
The academic center, of course was the centerpiece of
Kairos 30 retreat was held in January 2007 198
Ultimately
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the new Arrupe Hall connector building which was constructed to a great extent due to the dedicated efforts of Fr. Boughton during his ten-year reign at the school. For Prep seniors, there was a major change as well, as their off-campus privilege was suspended. In part, as compensation for losing the freedom to go downtown for lunch, a new senior class trip was added in May. Over the next decade seniors could vote on whether to go to Great Adventure amusement park in New Jersey or to engage in paint ball competition at Hogan’s Alley in central Connecticut. The following year another perk was added when seniors were given a special dress code privilege of being allowed to wear Prep red or white polo shirts to school in the weeks after the April break. This would
Frs. Shaughnessy, Hanwell, and Ryan concelebrate Mass.
later be amended to granting them the same for the first
regular season and the team won 8th place in the SCC
weeks of school, when the weather is often the hottest
Championship meet and 11th in the Class LL event. The
of any time during the school year. The combination of
Prep crew team, in its fifth year of operation, competed
the polos and class trip seemed to smooth over senior
rather successfully in regattas, far and wide. The growing
discontent over losing the ability to go off campus for
success of the sport could easily have been observed by
lunch.
the large number of students who participated in the
Despite all the changes, for the young men of Prep,
program.
however, fall always signifies the commencement of a
As the region moved into the Christmas season of
new cycle of interscholastic sports. In 2007, there were
December, 2007, the state was hit by a series of winter
plenty of positive vibes surging through the school.
storms. The most troublesome was the snow event of
Richie Magdon’s varsity football team was stocked
December 13, when much of the state recorded over
with talent, including lineman Masengo Kabongo, who
eight inches of the white stuff. At Prep, winter sports
received considerable attention from college recruiters.
proceeded mostly unabated. In basketball, Coach
The team compiled an excellent record of 8-2, losing only
Richard Lee produced a spunky team that compiled a 13-
to Shelton and Cheshire. Clearly, the football program
10 record. Led by captains Tavonne Reid and C.J. Ruskay
under Coach Magdon was hitting its stride.
the Prep hoopsters pulled off the upset of the year when
The soccer team also experienced success in 2007.
it defeated #1-ranked Hillhouse in the first round of the
Coach Jaffe’s team, fortified by a few experienced
state playoffs by a score of 56-53. The team was also
players, along with significant number of stars from the
bolstered by the play of seniors Rowan Kane and Taylor
undefeated JV of the previous season, started the season
O’Brien. Junior members of the team, including Brian
with five consecutive wins. Then followed a 5-5 tie with
Murphy and Jake Van Sant made real contributions as
Hamden and a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Xavier. From
well.
there the road was bumpy, and the team finished with a record of 8-4-4. The season put up a brave fight in
Another State Title for Hockey!
the CIAC first round tournament game against a strong
The hockey team got off to an unusually slow start,
Guilford team, but lost the contest by a score of 3-1. At
losing its first three games, including a 2-1 stunner to
season’s end it was announced that Connor Reilly and
Notre Dame of Fairfield. But a tough schedule proved to
Kevin Maxham had been selected to the All-SCC team.
be a long-range benefit to Coach Matt Sather’s team as it
Cross country, led by Captains Jay Gould, Dan
returned the favor to N.D. by defeating it by a score of
Morrison and John Pierson, achieved a record of
5-3 in the Division 1 championship game on March 15th
8-2. Coach Ford’s runners peaked at the end of the
at “The Whale” in New Haven. Captains Rob Summerlin HISTORY OF PREP | 199
THE HANWELL ERA – “MAKE MISSION MATTER”
achieved a winning season, with a 15-14 record. Captains of the team were Julian Campbell and Frank Piro. Coach Bob Harris and his tennis team lost only one match all season, to Glastonbury, and posted an amazing 15-1 record. Led by Captain Terry Keegan and his doubles partner Jason Ottomano, Prep won the SCC league championship and finished 3rd in the state.
Three in a row for Lacrosse! The 2008 Prep lacrosse team, ranked in the top 20 Reunion breakfast before the Class of 2007’s Commencement
nationally, did not disappoint its loyal followers. After cruising to a 15-4 win against Cheshire for the SCC
and Paul Tropsa led a gritty and determined team to
championship, the team won an amazing 15-14 triple
victory. Summerlin was named Connecticut high school
overtime victory versus Ridgefield for the team’s third
hockey Player of the Year, and he, along with Tropsa,
consecutive state title. Coach Smalkais was clearly
John Errico and Darric White were All-State selections.
building a lacrosse dynasty at Prep.
On the rugby front, Prep made good use of the
On the drama front, the Prep Players ended the year
April break to make its second international venture
in great fashion, performing the wonderful musical Guys
to Argentina. Coaches Decker, Stepsis and Caravelli
and Dolls. Members of the cast included Prep’s best actors
brought a talented team to Buenos Aires, where they
and singers, along with incredible performances by the
posted a 2-1 record against a few of the best teams in
women from Lauralton Hall and other high schools, as
that city. Later that spring, it was revealed that two
well as the talented musicians in the orchestra pit.
members of the Prep rugby squad, Kyle Caravelli and
Throughout the 2007-2008 school year the Christian
Louis Baugier, were selected to the rugby all-American
Service Program continued to thrive. Prepsters and
team, a crowning achievement for an excellent season.
their faculty chaperones once again ventured off to
These athletes, along with a number of Prep ruggers
Appalachia in rural Virginia, Ecuador, and the Rosebud
from the Class of 2008, including Brendan Shea, son
Sioux reservation in South Dakota. In addition, a group
of teacher and coach Tom Shea, went on to play on the
participated in the Border Links experience on the U.S.-
inter-collegiate and even professional levels of the sport.
Mexican border. Locally, the Urban Plunge program in
The growing popularity of rugby was hard to dispute.
Bridgeport was still going strong after over a decade of
The Prep swimming team also reached great heights
service to the local community.
of success. Coach Jaffe’s team captured the SCC crown and went on to finish 2nd in the Class LL championship meet and 3rd in the State Open. Captains were Matt Watson and Pat White. A talented cast of seniors and underclassmen bolstered the team throughout the season. The same was true of the Coach Ford’s indoor track team, led by captains Jimmy Brand, a talented hurdler and jumper, Brad Kontra, who won the Class LL state championship in the shot put, and runner Jay Gould. Kontra’s success was nurtured by field coach Dave Driscoll, who produced many state champions in the discus and shot put in his many decades with the program. Coach Judd’s wrestling team, meanwhile,
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Latin Day festivities
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CHAPTER 12
2008 – A Turning Point for Prep and for America Sprucing-up Prep’s Image
A
s the school progressed through the spring of 2008, there were some changes being made behind the scenes relative to the image of
Fairfield Prep. Mr. Greg Marshall, dean of admissions and financial aid, was appointed chair of the Prep visual identity committee. On his agenda was the creation of a standardized school logo and branding which would be used in the marketing of the school and on all official brochures, mailings, stationery, and the school website. One of the first issues to be addressed was that of color consistency of uniforms of the many athletic teams. Marshall observed that over the years there were many variations of red used by the teams, from a dark maroon,
should be mentioned that the new color was not met
to burgundy, to a bright red. Additionally, some teams
with universal acclaim. Older alums and some of the
were even outfitted in black and red. School Principal
more senior faculty members felt more comfortable with
Dr. Perrotta therefore gave Marshall a mandate to
the deeper burgundy or even maroon identity. Worth
standardize the team colors. Upon researching the topic,
mentioning is that some people believe that that darker
Marshall concluded that the color Cardinal Red was
maroon color had its genesis back in the first years of the
most appropriate for the school. After all, the patron
school when Prep borrowed old uniforms from Boston
saint of Prep was Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J., who was
College High School. In any event, numerous discussions
appointed a Cardinal in 1559. Additionally, Marshall
continued about the color issue for some time after the
believed that the color was the one originally intended
change was announced.
by the Jesuit founder of Fairfield Prep. Finally, the color
The issue of an official team mascot was an additional
was already used by Fairfield University, Prep’s offspring.
problem, as for all the decades of Prep’s existence no
Thus, Cardinal Red (Pantone 186) became the new
formal symbol had been employed. Fairfield University,
official color of the school. Marshall also created an
of course, had chosen “Stags” as its mascot. Did Prep
official manual entitled Visual Identity: Style Guideline,
need a mascot all its own? Or, should Prep just solidify
which, aside from standardizing the color scheme,
its informal nickname, the Jesuits? In a subsequent
did the same for logos and letterheads. In fairness it
conversation with the author in the winter of 2015, HISTORY OF PREP | 201
2008 – TURNING POINT FOR PREP AND FOR AMERICA
Greg Marshall speculated that conceivably the name
interesting things did happen in reaction to the abysmal
“Cardinals” might have been appropriate, given the
financial news. According to Greg Marshall, dean of
color change previously mentioned. Nevertheless, the
enrollment and marketing, the Prep board of governors
“Jesuits” remained. There was then a brief period when
held an emergency meeting and funds were allocated
there was an attempt to come up with a visual symbol
to give some financial aid to students already at Prep,
or representation of the nickname. Various drawings of
who did not previously need aid, but who might have
generic Jesuit shadow images were considered. Faculty
to withdraw due to the extreme changes their family
and other members of the Prep community were asked
financial situation. This act of kindness, reflecting cura
for their feedback on the choices. The results were
personalis, enabled a number of young men to graduate
clear: a resounding “none of the above.” Nevertheless,
who might have not been able to do so, given the new
in keeping with the Jesuit logo initiative, much of Prep
economic conditions.
athletic gear and sporting apparel soon had the word
Graduation for the Class of 2008 was a memorable
“Jesuits” prominently displayed on it.
The Great Recession of 2008 While Prep community went about its usual business in the spring of 2008, economic storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. January 2nd was the day that the price of oil reached the one hundred dollars a barrel for the first time in history. This would have a trickledown effect as the cost of gasoline subsequently started to climb upward to record highs. On March 13, gold prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange hit $1000 an ounce, an indication that investors were moving
Rev. Joseph Palmisano, S.J. ’93
funds out of an unstable stock market and onto more solid ground. Sure enough, on March 16, the investment
one. Chosen to represent his class and give the
bank Bears Stearns collapsed as the subprime mortgage
commencement address was Zach Olson, who praised the
bubble burst. The Federal Reserve Bank agreed to back
degree to which he and his classmates were challenged
$30 billion of the company’s assets as the government
intellectually throughout their four years. The guest
agreed to support the sale of the firm to JPMorgan Chase.
commencement speaker was Joseph Palmisano, S.J. ’93.
The dominos kept falling throughout the year as
Joe gave a moving address to the assembled crowd, with
other big companies such as Lehman Brothers dissolved
many references to the greatness of Jesuit education,
as well. On October 3, President George W. Bush signed
Fairfield Prep, and his fellow Prep alums, as he urged the
the record $700 billion bail-out for the U.S. financial
members of the Class of 2008 to become “… agents of
system. By the end of 2008, Congress passed the
positive change.” Later that month, on June 14th, Joseph
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) package, which
Palmisano was officially ordained to the priesthood in
provided for billions upon billions of tax payer-financed
Loyola Chapel on the Fairfield campus. A large group
relief for the banking industry. In the midst of all this,
of family, friends and fellow clergy attended the joyful
the stock market plummeted and millions of Americans
celebration. Sadly, amidst all this activity our dear
(including Prep faculty and staff) saw their retirement
friend Joseph was bravely engaged in a battle with brain
plans ravaged by the crash.
cancer. He passed from this earth at Campion Center,
Among the many questions buzzing around the
in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Christmas night, 2015.
school during this time of duress was, how would all this
On a personal note, Joey was one of my most engaging
economic bad news affect the enrollment and financial
and intellectually curious students. His loss to the Jesuit
well-being of Fairfield Prep? Only time would tell. Some
community, to all those he served as a priest, to his
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many friends at Prep, and to me personally is beyond
Amy Jankowski (later, Ardito) and Mrs. Maura O’Connor,
anything that can be expressed in words. A touching
daughter of Thomas J. Roach ’55 and wife of Brian,
liturgy and tribute to him was held at the chapel in
“Okie” O’Connor ’83. The two talented teachers soon fit
the Jesuit residence on Sunday morning, April 17. Rev.
seamlessly into the school. A noteworthy arrival in the
Brett Stockdale, S.J. was the principal celebrant and
science department was Dr. Brian Lewis, a brilliant man
in his sermon he presented a touching and humorous
of great experience in both industry and academia. Dr.
recollection of his days with Joe as the two served God’s
Lewis quickly became a student favorite. The scholarly
people in Jamaica, back when both were new to the
Anthony Dotolo also joined the science department as a
Jesuit order.
new biology teacher. Replacing Jennifer Horn as music director and teacher was Ms. Christine Dominguez
Prep musicians visit the “Middle Kingdom”
(later, Evans), who quickly impressed everyone with
Shortly after the end of the school year in June of
her vivacious personality and musical talents. Returning
2008, a large contingent representing Fairfield Prep
to teach theology after a two-year hiatus was Kevin
embarked on the more than fourteen-hour flight to
Kery ’00. Mr. Kery replaced Philip Schuchert, a man
China. Once there, the Prep concert choir and concert
who had given his heart and soul to Fairfield Prep,
band performed at a number of locations throughout the
serving as a teacher and working with Tom Sacerdote
country. The adventure was complicated due to the fact
to develop Prep’s outward-bound immersion programs.
that music director Mrs. Horn was unable to make the
Phil would be missed, but Kevin Kery was well up to
trip due to important family issues. Nevertheless, the
the task as his replacement. Joining the development
intrepid group of Prepsters endured. A highlight of the
office was J. Dillon Collins ’98, as director of alumni
tour no doubt occurred when the Prep band performed as
relations. Also to development were Mrs. Julie Pollard
part of the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in
and Mrs. Robyn Fry, and they soon became a positive
Beijing. Members of the Prep administration, including
presence in that department. New to the ever-expanding
President Fr. Jack Hanwell, S.J, and Principal Robert
technology department were Ms.Tamara Dalton and the
Perrotta accompanied the group. An important addition
knowledgeable Ms. Lynn Traski.
was science teacher and professional nurse Jane O’Reilly, who apparently served as the unofficial food tester for Fr.
Tech Changes
Hanwell, a strict vegetarian. Meanwhile, Mrs. O’Rielly’s
Speaking of technology, and in keeping with the
nursing talents were put to good use when one of the
theme of 2008 being a year of significant change, the fall
boys became quite ill one evening.
of 2008 brought with it Prep’s new email domain and
The group visited many historic sites including the
server as the school’s new electronic address was changed
Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace
from fairfield.edu to fairfieldprep.org. In this way, Prep’s
and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, as well as the Great
email addresses and website URL became dissociated
Wall and the city of Xian, famous for its life-sized terra
from Fairfield University’s and the Prep would thus
cotta warriors, which were created during the time of
have control over all school-related email. Additionally,
the Qin Emperor Shihuangdi in the second century
the new server allowed for the implementation of
BCE. It was certainly a memorable trip for all involved
the Blackboard Learn system as a tool for posting
and it served to help further positive relations between
assignments, handouts, etc. The more user-friendly
Fairfield Prep, and the people of China. No doubt, the
Blackboard replaced the old Front Page network, which
Prep students served as role models of American youth
was in use from 2004-2008.
as they traveled throughout the country. In the future, ties between Prep and China would be destined to grow, as we will see later on in our story.
The Jesuit Educators Academy Another change that can be traced back to 2008 relates
The fall of 2008 witnessed many new additions to the
to the area of teacher training at the school. As stated in
faculty and staff. Joining the math department were Ms.
the official Prep website, “The Jesuit Educators Academy
HISTORY OF PREP | 203
2008 – TURNING POINT FOR PREP AND FOR AMERICA
New stained glass windows depicting the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola were installed in Berchmans Hall.
(JEA) is a five year program that immerses new faculty in
stride.
the mission and methods of Jesuit education.” Academic
There were some changes in the physical appearance
Dean Dr. Donna Andrade explained that there was a
of the school in the fall of 2008. Among them was an
need for the program due to the diminished presence of
amazing collection of stained glass panels depicting the
Jesuit priests in the school. To paraphrase Dr. Andrade;
life of Saint Ignatius that were installed in what was
senior faculty came to understand the Jesuit ideology and
previously the outdoor south portico on Berchmans Hall.
mission by “rubbing elbows” with Jesuits on a daily basis.
With the construction of Arrupe Hall, that area was now
We older teachers learned how to teach the Jesuit way, “by
completely enclosed. The door and surrounding area
osmosis.” But with the dearth of Jesuits in the school a
leading to the main office was amazingly transformed
new approach was in order. Therefore, each novice teacher
by the stained glass display. The area behind the door
would be subjected to workshops on Ignatian spirituality
became a new waiting room for visitors and prospective
and expected to create lesson plans that embodied Jesuit
students. The stained glass panels were designed by Judy
pedagogy. Finally, their development as Ignatian educators
Van Wie of Heimer & Company Stained Glass Studio
would necessitate that they participate in various retreat
of New Jersey, based on suggested themes provided by
and service programs. Each novice educator was to be
a committee comprised of various members of the Prep
guided by a senior faculty mentor. The entire process was
community.
then linked to the awarding of tenure for all new teachers.
As is always the case, both at Prep and most schools
Thus, some new acronyms were added to the vocabulary
across the nation, the return to school in the fall signifies
of the Prep faculty: the “JEA,” and the “IPP,” or Ignatian
the beginning of the new sports season. Football has
Pedagogical Paradigm. While many of the senior faculty
played a prominent role in generating excitement
worried that all the work related to this program might
throughout the school. The varsity team, under Coach
divert young teachers from the primary task of mastering
Richie Magdon, entered the new season with a bang,
their subject matter, a majority of the novices were
winning a close game against rival Notre Dame, West
apparently able to do both and take the whole thing in
Haven by a score of 8-7, when Connor Kelly ran a two-
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Coach Richie Magdon
John Hanrahan
point conversion after touchdown in the final minute of
to replace Magdon, commencing for the 2009 football
play. It was a “gutsy” call by Coach Magdon, the kind
season, was Bill Pinto, who had served as an assistant
that was not unusual for the experienced leader. There
under Magdon. Pinto, only the 7th head coach in Prep
followed a big 36-35 come-from-behind victory over
football history, certainly had big shoes to fill.
Xavier. Unfortunately, the rest of the season did not play
A similar situation was faced by Dean of Guidance &
out in a similar fashion, and the team ended its calendar
College Advising John Hanrahan, who had been assistant
with a 3-7 record.
varsity soccer coach for 26 years. A tribute to John by head coach Bruce Jaffe appeared in that same edition
The End of An Era – Coaches Magdon and Hanrahan step down.
of Prep Today. Clearly, John Hanrahan also contributed greatly to the success of his players, both on and off the
Few in the Prep community could have predicted
field. His expert coaching and nurturing provided Jaffe’s
that the 2008 season would be the last for Coach Richie
varsity team with many highly prepared additions for
Magdon. A decision rendered by the Prep administration
two and a half decades.
changed the face of Prep’s athletic programs. It was decreed that Prep administrators could no longer hold
Election of 2008 - History is made!
positions as coaches as well. Since Magdon was head of
There was a stronger than usual interest in national
operations for the school, he had to step down as coach.
politics as the school year began in 2008. The presidential
Magdon had been associated with Prep football on and
election featured the first prominent African-American
off since the early seventies. After five years at Seymour
candidate in Barack Obama, running with Joseph Biden
High, Magdon had returned to Prep as an assistant to
on the Democratic ticket. Obama had bested Senator
the legendary Earl Lavery. In 1993 Richie was awarded
Hillary Clinton in a highly competitive primary season.
the head coaching position, which he held until the
The Republican team was comprised of Senator John
end of the 2008 season. In all, Magdon was involved
McCain of Arizona and Senator Sarah Palin of Alaska.
in coaching football for 36 years, 33 at Prep. His record
While some praised McCain for his bold choice as his
as head coach at Prep was 94 wins, 67 loses and 2 ties.
running-mate, Palin’s lack of experience and political
There is a wonderful article written about Richie Magdon
awareness soon worked against the Republicans. The
by friend, former colleague and coach, Jack Slavinsky, in
Obama candidacy, on the other hand, generated a great
the Prep Today magazine for the winter of 2008. Chosen
enthusiasm among Democrats, especially those in the
HISTORY OF PREP | 205
2008 – TURNING POINT FOR PREP AND FOR AMERICA
African-American communities throughout the nation.
thing, the freshman class (Class of 2012), numbering
Of course, the new president came into office with
270 curious young men, was one of the largest in Prep’s
plenty on his plate, most especially the great economic
history. The class featured many scholars in the making
recession that had hit the country very hard.
and a number of future All-State athletes, including Terry
As usual, Prep’s Political Awareness Club, led by the
Tarpey in basketball and Connor Rog in cross country
scholarly and energetic President Richard Johnson, was
and track. As these youngsters experienced autumn in
deeply involved in covering the election. In its weekly
their new home, they were exposed to their first Mass of
meetings and in its Zeitgeist journal, members of the
the Holy Spirit in September and the outrageous senior
club hotly debated the pros and cons of each candidate.
dress-up day for Halloween.
Johnson skillfully orchestrated Prep’s mock election,
Speaking of autumn and sports, Coach Magdon’s final
held in the days before the real event. When the results
football team posted a record of 3-7-0. Probably the most
were tallied, Obama bested McCain by a small margin.
exciting victory occurred against Xavier when Prep came
In a follow-up to the mock election, the club produced
back from a 35-14 deficit to win 36-35 in a televised
a statistical breakdown of the mock election results,
contest. Joe Dempsey and Connor Kelly were selected
based on many factors that figured in the outcome.
to the All-SCC team. Soccer achieved a record of 10-6-1.
An additional development at the school related to the
Jaffe’s MVP was Kevin Maxham. Meanwhile, the cross
election occurred when Megan Hoover’s Prep Players, in
country team had a 6-3 record and won a remarkable
timely fashion, staged 43 Plays for 43 Presidents.
first place in the Wickham Invitational. Coach Bob Ford
In any event, as had been a long-standing tradition
had to be pleased when he thought about the future as
at Prep, the student vote in the mock election correctly
freshman runners Connor Rog and Billy Schloth were
predicted the real election in November of 2008: the
able to make the varsity team.
United States had elected its first African-American
A new sport was added to the ever-growing inventory
president. Interestingly, while for the students at Prep the
when Prep’s inaugural sailing team hit the Sound. Fall
event was not viewed as significantly earth-shattering,
sailing as an interscholastic sport was led by seniors
for most of the older faculty and staff at the school,
Morgan Feuerhake and Matthew Gurney. The team was
particularly those who were old enough to recall the
coached by Mr. Jay Lipp. Another water-based sport is
days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and the Civil
crew, moving into its second season in 2008. Coach John
Rights Movement in America, the election of Obama
Turner received strong leadership from team captain
was recognized as something that few if any thought
Marc Ioli. As non-CIAC sports, both sailing and crew
that they would ever witness in their lifetime. Many
have two seasons, fall and spring.
wondered if America had finally evolved to becoming a
Winter sports continued the winning tradition. The
post-racial society in which a person was judged, not on
hockey team finished the 2008-2009 season with a
the color of his skin, but on the content of his character,
record of 13-6-1, its success hindered by a number of
to paraphrase Dr. King. Unfortunately, events during the
serious injuries to key players, as can often occur in
Obama presidency would challenge that hypothesis as
the sport. Dreams of a 3rd consecutive state title went
Congress remained deadlocked due to obstructionists in
unrealized, though good leadership was offered by
the opposition party. During the Obama years incidents
captains William Lomas, Tom McGarrity, and Alex Zeis.
of racial strife increased dramatically as well. In parts of
The varsity basketball team had a bit of a down year.
the country there were riots and protests over deaths of
Coach Rich Lee’s hoopsters posted a final record of 5-15.
young black men at the hands of local authorities. The
Nevertheless, the success of frosh Terry Tarpey provided
number of hate crimes increased. The subsequent “Black
reason for optimism.
Lives Matter” movement further polarized American citizens.
There were a number of Prep alums honored at the annual Fairfield County Sports Night for 2008. The
As the 2008-2009 school year swiftly progressed,
Prep hockey program had much to crow about when
there were many highlights along the way. For one
arguably the greatest player in its history, Chris Drury
206 | HISTORY OF PREP
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’94 was named the new captain of the New York Rangers.
Excellence through Diversity),
Chris was also inducted to the Fairfield County Sports
in 1985. Over the subsequent
Hall of Fame. Chris, of course, was an All-State player
decades she nurtured and altered
and member of Prep’s 1991 state championship team.
the program. For example, in
It should be noted that Chris’s older brother Ted was
1997 the SEED concept was
subsequently inducted in the fall of 2015.
expanded from being color-based
A few other former Prep athletes won accolades that
to include other marginalized
winter. Todd Paul ’03 was honored as Stamford’s Sports
groups including those with
Person of the Year. During his tennis career at Wake
different
Forest University Todd racked up every possible honor
socio-economic,
religious, and non-traditional
and had reached the ranking of All-American and the
Dr. Donna Andrade
#1 NCAA singles player in the country. Another honoree
magazine, summer 2009 edition, there is a tribute to
was Mike Myers-Kitt, who was awarded the Chelsea
Dr. Andrade, as well as a number of photographs of
Cohen Courage Award for coming back from a serious
SEED students and Andrade’s capable assistants, Alecia
injury to play basketball at Monmouth University.
Watson and Kristin Ancona. Of note: Yohura Williams,
backgrounds. In the Prep Today
one of Dr. Andrade’s first four SEED scholars, went on
Prep Swimming – 3rd Consecutive SCC Crown
to achieve his Ph.D. and teach at Fairfield University. Dr. Williams was named Dean of the College of Arts and
Nevertheless, it was Jaffe’s swimming team that
Sciences at Fairfield in the spring of 2016. He was the
provided the spark. The team finished league play
guest commencement speaker at graduation ceremonies
undefeated for the 3rd consecutive year. Included
at Prep on Sunday, June 4, 2016.
in the streak was an amazing victory over perennial
The avalanche of sports successes continued into
powerhouse Greenwich High. The team was bolstered by
the spring, as the rugby team compiled a record of 10-
superstar Andrew Grinalds and other standouts Andrew
4, including a very respectable 2nd place in the state
Golankiewicz, Brian Power, Bart Platow, Eric Trotta, Ed
tournament. Coach Mauritz’s baseball team finished
Becker, Justin Marini and Kristof Toth. Coach Jaffe and
with a 10-10 record for 2009. The golf team finished at
his assistants Rick Hutchinson and Jeanine Oburchay
17-3. Seniors Brian Hughes and Daniel Murphy made a
had much to celebrate as their team broke five Class LL
number of area all-star teams. The crew team made the
records along the way.
cut to compete in U.S. Rowing National Championship. The track and field team had a budding star in freshman
Prep Bowling Team – State Champs! Even the Prep bowling team made some headlines for the 2008-2009 season as it racked up a record of 12-0 and captured the CIBL state championship. Team moderator Deirdre Magner saw her varsity keglers, led by Captain Robby Weiss, take home the trophy. Other significant contributors were Rene Medina, Chris DiMuzio, Ray Miller and Eric Schubert.
6th
Annual
honors and placed 4th in the national championship freshman mile competition, held in South Carolina. The golf team finished at 17-3. The most honored member of the 2009 team, however, was senior Brad Kontra, who starred in the shot put and discus. Brad, under the tutelage of Dave Driscoll, shattered a number of school records. He won the SCC, Class LL, and
Dr. Donna Andrade – JSEA Award Winner The
Connor Rog, who garnered Connecticut Post all-star
Jesuit
Secondary
Education
Association conference, held in St. Louis, April 30 to May 3, 2009. Fairfield Prep Academic Dean, Dr. Donna Andrade, was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Diversity. Dr. Andrade, created Prep’s SEED program (Students for Educational
State Open titles. Kontra was named to the New Haven Register and Connecticut Post All-Star teams, and was given the Connecticut Scholar-Athlete Award. Other notable members of the team included pole vaulter Kiki Dormevil, hurdler Jimmy Brand, and middle distance runners Tony Cramond, Jay Gould, Chris Vegliante, and Matt Watson. HISTORY OF PREP | 207
2008 – TURNING POINT FOR PREP AND FOR AMERICA
Spring 2009 lacrosse team celebrate their 4-peat state title
Lacrosse – 4th Consecutive State Title!
Frank Bramble, was displayed to a large audience of
But it was the Prep lacrosse team that once again
students, parents, faculty and administrators. It is worth
generated the loudest roar in the spring of 2009. Coach
noting that both Ms. Tema and Mr. Bramble garnered
Smalkais and his laxmen captured their 4th Class L state
recognition throughout the region for their own artistic
championship in a row with a sound 15-3 drubbing of
achievements.
Simsbury on June 13. A number of Prep players were
Graduation for the Class of 2009 was held on Sunday,
named to various All-American, All-State and All-
June 6. A number of note-worthy events are linked to
League teams, including: Chase Bailey, Harley Brown,
that day. For one thing, English department chair and
Pete Gruppo, Glenn Maiorano, Brendan Rotanz, Tucker
teacher Matt Sather ’93 was honored at graduation as the
Shanley, and Darric White.
Educator of the Year. The award, voted on by members
Meanwhile, the arts at Prep never take a back seat to
of the senior class, was a tradition inaugurated in 1990
any extra-curricular activities. Following the successful
by Headmaster Fr. James Arimond, S.J. The 2009 award
production of Lucky Stiff, in the fall, drama guru Megan
to Mr. Sather was the last of its kind. Starting in 2010
Hoover’s Prep Players performed Don’t Drink the Water
the title of the award would be changed to the Most
at the Quick Center on May 7 and 8. Featuring Alex Tortora and a cast of very talented Prepsters, including Dan O’Rourke, Quinn Rooney, Marcus Santiago, Joe Burgess and young women actors from various local high schools, the play was a great success. The annual spring music concert was held on May 13, directed by Ms. Christine Dominguez, featured the best musicians of Prep in the concert, symphonic and jazz bands. The spring art show was held in Arrupe Hall on May 19. There the artwork or Prep’s talented painters, sketchers, and budding architects, as developed under the guidance of art teachers Ms. Dolores Tema and Mr. 208 | HISTORY OF PREP
The T.F. Gilroy Daily Award presented by Dr. Andrade to Richard Johnson ’09.
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Inspirational Teacher Award, and it would be presented
a ubiquitous presence at countless athletic contests.
at the senior breakfast and send-off near the end of May
Originally hired as a physical education instructor,
and before graduation.
Harris moved into the role of athletic director when
Other last-of-its-kind awards were presented to
the PE program was terminated. In that capacity he
graduating seniors. There was the T.F. Gilroy Daily Award,
deftly piloted Prep through the straits and narrows of
named after the distinguished lawyer and judge, class of
various interscholastic conferences, from the MBIAC,
1948, to a senior who had “distinguished himself by his
to the ACC, to the SCC. Most significantly, Harris had
leadership in matters of diversity and his concern for the
the foresight to recognize that the traditional sports
marginalized.” The award was presented by Dr. Andrade
of football, basketball, baseball and track would not
to Richard M. Johnson. Richard, a British citizen, went on
be sufficient for a new era. He therefore worked with
to study at Oxford in his native land. Then, there was the
parents, students, alums and fellow coaches to add
Elizabeth Kachmar Award, named for Prep’s first woman
significantly to the sports inventory, including hockey,
teacher and one of its finest educators. The award honored
lacrosse, rugby, wrestling, crew and sailing. Moreover,
“that senior who has demonstrated an enthusiastic quest
Harris was an extremely talented tennis coach. His
for excellence.” The award went to Mario D. Felix. At
teams were perennially at or near the top of the league,
graduation ceremonies the following year, neither of those
he produced several pro players, and his teams won
awards were presented. Instead, all graduation awards
an amazing ten state championships. Additionally, his
were named after members of the Society of Jesus. An
players captured thirteen class LL singles titles, with Brad
objective observer can only surmise that this alteration
Norton ’86, Michael Sprouse ’92, Michael Passarrella ’95,
was consistent with the continued Jesuit branding effort
and Todd Paul ’03 all winning multiple titles. Indeed,
that was gaining momentum at the time.
replacing Bob Harris would be no easy task. Yet, the Prep
The top ten students of the Class of 2009 (in
administration was sure it had the right man when Steve
alphabetical order) were: Mario Felix, Andrew Grinalds,
Donohue ’92, was selected as the new A.D. Steve had
Richard Johnson, Brad Kontra, Joe Marotta, John
previously been teaching in the math department.
McKissick, Robert Nayden, Daniel Sacco, Gabriel Sim,
The summer of 2009 offered the usual array of
and Paul Vanderslice. All these excellent students had
outward-bound immersion ventures for the Prep
been accepted to the best universities in the nation (and
community. There were service trips to Appalachia
abroad as well). It is important to note, however, that as
and Jamaica. There was also the Notre Dame Vision
a whole the Class of 2009 did extremely well in regards
Conference at that esteemed citadel of Catholic
to their college acceptances. This was duly noted in the
education, which was essentially a spiritual retreat.
list posted by Director of Guidance, Mr. John Hanrahan.
Rising seniors of the group included Kevin Leitao, Frank
All this is evidentiary support to the fact the Fairfield
Lupariello, Connor Marr, and Chris Walsh. Additionally,
Prep clearly remained a great “bang for the buck,” when
a group of Spanish language students, led by moderator
Prep’s tuition was compared to the so-called higher-level
Deirdre Magner, participated in a four-week language
prep schools throughout the region.
program in Madrid. The 2009-2010 school year began at the end of August. Among the new faces was Mr. Timothy Dee, who
Mr. Robert Harris
Mr. Robert Harris
was brought on board to teach math and help coaching
At the end of the
in the basketball program. Returning in a new role to
2008-2009 school year,
teach math was Mrs. Kristina Leonardo. In theology
athletic
Mr.
there was Mr. Joe Lemme, a young teacher with serious
Robert Harris decided to
potential. Tom Olson, S.J. was a young Jesuit who taught
retire after thirty years
in both the theology and social studies departments. Dr.
of service. For three
Ken Panda ’88 was a scholarly addition to the English
decades Mr. Harris was
department. Later that fall, Ms. Madeline Namin joined
director
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the secretarial staff. After the subsequent retirement of Mrs. Louise Miller in 2014, Ms. Namin would take over the difficult job of school registrar. Aside from new staff, the technology element of the school was as usual experiencing a growth spirt. Mrs. Colleen Keltos, dean of technology and administrative services, opened a tablet lab in Xavier 201. Additionally, 14 tablet computers were installed in the new Academic Center in Arrupe Hall. A welcome addition to the environment of the school was the opening of the new and refurbished Prep Pride store, in Berchmans Hall next to the cafeteria. Store manager Mrs. Beth Enriquez, a Prep mom who sent three
(L-r): Tom O’Brien ’10, Bob Harris, Athletic Director and Varsity Tennis Coach, and Jason Ottomano ’10.
boys to the school, was the inspiration and main force behind the project from its very genesis. The store sold
new head coach, inherited a team that was in a losing
every type of apparel and hardware goods, such as mugs,
trend, having finished the previous season under Rich
lanyards, key chains, etc. and it quickly moved into the
Magdon at 3-7. Yet, no one expected a winless campaign.
consciousness of the Prep community. Needless to say,
When the dust settled on the 2009 season, the once
Prep parents looking for gifts for their sons for Christmas
mighty Prep football team finished with the worst record
and/or birthdays found the store to be very convenient.
in its history, at 0-10. To his credit, Coach Pinto’s team
Upon the retirement of Mrs. Enriquez, management of
always showed a lot of heart. In the true Prep tradition,
the Prep Pride store was taken over by Mrs. Martha Terry.
they never gave up. Yet, suffering from a dearth of seniors
She presided over the relocation of the store from the
and experienced players, having a young coach with a
Berchmans Student Life Center back to the basement of
new staff, most of whom were not directly associated
Arrupe Hall, where it had previously been situated.
with the school, resulted in an inability to move the
The fall sports season brought mixed results. The cross country team achieved a record of 10-2, led by
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program forward. Coach Pinto’s reign ended after that 2009 season.
Connor Rog who was the Class LL champion. Among
The mixed-bag of sports successes and failures
the many post-season honors gained by Connor were:
continued into the winter season as Coach Lee’s
All-SCC, All-state, and All-New England. Coaches Bob
basketball team finished at 9-11. Senior captain Stephen
Ford Sr. and Jr. had reason to be optimistic moving into
Gulish achieved All-ACC honors. On the other side of
the future, as Rog was only a sophomore. Another team
the spectrum, the Prep hockey and swimming teams had
reaching great heights was Bruce Jaffe’s soccer demons,
excellent seasons. Coach Sather’s skaters compiled 15-3
which completed the season with the best record in
season and made it all the way to the state championship
Prep soccer history, at 13-2-1. The team was led by All-
game where it lost a nail-biter to Hamden by a score of
State senior captain Kevin Burt, assisted by other high
6-5. All-stars on the team included Jackson Bargiello,
scorers Matt Benedetto and James Skelton. On defense,
Scott Bialczek, Spencer Sodokoff, and Darric White.
Prep could count on Ryan Morrison, John Monroe, Matt
Bruce Jaffe’s swimmers, meanwhile, were SCC champions
Leonard and Matt D’Ambrisi.
and took 2nd place in Class LL championship. A number
Frosh phenoms included Dave Bruton and Will
of All-SCC, All-State and even All-America honors
Steiner, the up-and-coming goal keeper. Of note was the
were garnered Edward Becker, Ryan Calahane, Bryan
fact that the ailing Bruce Jaffe made the tough decision
Dougherty, Tylor Pramer, Andrew Golankiewicz, and
to hang up his coach’s spikes following the completion of
Kristof Toth. In other news, the indoor track 4x800
the very successful season.
relay team, comprised of Pat Corona, Rob Salandra,
It was the football team that caused the most
Brian Bennett and Connor Rog, coached by Mr. Bob
consternation during the fall of 2009. Mr. Bill Pinto, the
Ford Sr., captured that event in the Quinnipiac division
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championship meet. In wrestling, Alex Amador compiled
Plunge, Freshman Field Day, and the various outward-
an impressive 29-4 record and finished 2nd in the 145-
bound programs such as “Mustard Seed” in Jamaica, the
lb. category of the state Class LL championship meet.
Appalachia immersion to Fries, Virginia, and to Tierra
Other successful grapplers were Eduardo Consuergra,
Blanca, El Salvador. Organizing and running these events
Jason Rojas and Joseph Roberts.
was Mr. Jon DeRosa, Director of Student Activities.
While sports always seems to dominate the
Theology teachers Tom Sacredote and Kevin Kery
conversation within the school, in the 2009-2010 school
seemed to be ubiquitous on these trips. Another service-
year there was a new buzz to be heard regarding the
related institution was born in the spring of 2010, when
incredible successes of the fine arts department. In only
the Rev. Donald Barry, S.J. Columbian Squires Circle
her second year at Prep, Ms. Christine Dominguez was
held its first investiture ceremony. Named after the
transforming the music program into something special.
popular social studies teacher, who was also a very active
Aside from the joyous winter and spring concerts, held
member of the Knights of Columbus, the Squires Circle
in the Quick Center on campus, Prep’s musicians and
was intended to function as a faith-based service club,
singers made their mark on the highest level when they
with many of its programs focused on the school and
performed at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New
the local community. Moderator of the group was Mr.
York City on the 9th of December. Not to be outdone,
Brett Stockdale, S.J. He was assisted by theology teacher
the Prep theater troupe, under the direction of Mrs.
Mr. Corey Dennis (later, Milazzo). All of these initiatives
Megan Hoover, having performed Lucky Stiff in the fall,
were very consistent to Father Hanwell’s call to “make
put on a top-notch version of Don’t Drink the Water in
mission matter.”
the spring. Alex Tortora, an incredible talent, had plenty of good company on the stage, along with the likes of Dan O’Rourke, Quinn Rooney, Marcus Santiago and Joe Burgess. Last but certainly equally impressive were the visual artists, who under the guiding hands and eyes of Dolores Tema and Frank Bramble, once again arranged a dazzling collection of paintings, drawings, and architectural renderings for the annual art show. Meanwhile, Prep’s service mission was certainly progressing in fine form. A large number of students remained highly dedicated to Campus Ministry, Urban
St. Ignatius of Loyola Alumni Award On that note, it is significant that a new alumni award, dedicated
to
the
Prep Mission was created. In the winter 2010 version of Prep Today, there was an announcement made regarding the establishment of this honor. The idea was to have members of the Prep family nominate worthy alums, those who have best manifested the five characteristics of the Graduate at Graduation, which, of course, are: open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice. The recipient was to be honored at the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit in September, with a reception in his honor to follow. Later that year it was announced that the recipient of the inaugural award was Paul J. Connelly ’48. Baseball Coach Mauritz fielded a very strong contender in 2010. The team, led by all-stars Connor Marr, Max Freccia, and Nik Vig compiled a final record of 12-8.
Prep student participating in an Urban Plunge in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The lacrosse team had a successful season, as usual, with a record of 17-6. Unfortunately, its state title chase
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Speaking of Prep men, the spring of 2010 brought two of Prep’s finest back to the area when Lt. Matthew Russell ’01 and Captain Daniel Ford ’03 (son of Prep science teacher Mr. Robert Ford), returned from their tours of duty in Iraq. Their safe return to their loved ones and the wider Prep community was a welcome sight. It also reminded us all of the great contributions, valor and sacrifice that America’s men and women in uniform had provided as the conflicts in the Middle East continued seemingly without end.
Goodbye Father Shaughnessy! Various graduation events for the Class of 2010 were, as usual, held during the first week of June. Among the most memorable moments of the week occurred at the Baccalaureate Mass at St. Thomas Church on Thursday evening, June 3. The homilist was the Rev. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J, theology teacher extraordinaire. In his Connor Rog ’12
was halted by Cheshire in an exciting 9-8 contest. Tyler Cox, Mike Carey, Griff McGoldrick, Brendan Rotanz, and Darric White all achieved various post-season allstar honors. In track and field, Connor Rog broke the
usual fashion, Fr. Shaughnessy brought the assembly to both tears and laughter with his words. It was to be his farewell address to the seniors, as he had been reassigned to Boston College High School, effective after the end of the school year. Among his final words to the seniors were:
school record by four seconds in the 5,000-meter run. Finally, the rugby, crew, tennis and golf teams all had great seasons, with tennis and golf capturing SCC titles. Prep alums achieved their share of accomplishments as well. Craig Kinsley ’07 captured the NCAA javelin championship in the Division I meet. Kinsley, a student at Brown University, won with a remarkable throw of over 250’. Craig taught the event at Prep under the watchful eye of field coach Dave Driscoll, was the two time Class LL state high school champ. On the football front, during the annual NFL draft that spring, Garrett Brown ’06, was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs. Brown was twice selected to the Connecticut Post AllStar team during his years at Prep. The 6’2”, 320-lb. star, had a very successful college career at the University of Minnesota in the nose guard position, which placed him well as an NFL prospect. Prep coach Richie Magdon always pointed to this fine young man as the perfect role model for his players. “Garrett is not only a great player,” Magdon would say, “He is a man.”
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Rev. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J, theology teacher
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And so young men it is time to say goodbye. You were at Fairfield Prep for four long years, and I have been here for forty-two. We never regret and will never forget the time we spent at Fairfield Prep. And so may God bless you – one and all – as we go our separate ways… On Tuesday, June 8, the last day of school for the underclassmen, a rousing tribute to Father Shaughnessy was held in the Quad. English teacher and Hemmingway scholar Dr. Ken Panda ’88, gave a moving farewell in his own inimitable fashion. What a sad day for Prep it was to be losing this giant of a priest, educator, and friend. Graduation for the Class of 2010 was held in Alumni Hall at 10 a.m. on June 6. It was school president Father Hanwell who made the decision to move the start of the ceremony from the afternoon to the morning in the hope that the heat in Alumni Hall would be less oppressive earlier in the day. Among the academic award winners at the ceremony were Harrison Gaa, Thomas Gaudett, Josh Jowdy, Connor Marr, and Kristoff Toth. All these
Gates Scholars: top left Mark Giananni ’13, right Jaimie Rodrigues Jr. ’10, bottom Jairo Martinez ’14
bright young men went on to study at some of the most prestigious colleges and universities.
gain acceptance to the best colleges and universities in America. Clearly, Fairfield Prep provides the best “bang
Gates Scholars
for the buck” when it comes to preparing its students
A student achieving a monumental accomplishment
for and getting them admitted to college. The annual list
was Jaimie Rodrigues, who was the recipient of a Gates
of college acceptances for Prepsters has become more
Millennium Scholarship. This award, created with a
and more impressive and equal to the records of prep
large endowment by Microsoft’s Bill Gates and his wife
schools throughout the area that have a tuition that is
Melinda, comes complete with a guarantee that any and
considerably higher.
all of the future tuition of the student will be completely
There were various end-of-the-year awards for Prep
paid for the duration of his education, including
teachers and administrators, as well. At the senior send-
graduate school! As proof of Prep’s success in creating
off brunch, held on the last Friday of May, social studies
national-level scholars, two additional Prep grads were
teacher Rudy Mauritz was awarded the very first “Most
awarded Gates scholarships in the succeeding years:
Inspirational Teacher” award. This award replaced the
Mark Giananni in 2013 and Jairo Martinez in 2014. On a
previous “Educator of the Year” kudo, which had been
personal note, I knew all three of these young men very
given at graduation since the 1990s. On June 25, at the
well and not only were they top level scholars, they were
annual JSEA conference in Santa Clara, Prep Academic
on that same plane in their value systems as well. A great
Dean Dr. Donna Andrade was given the Ignatian Educator
article on these young men written by Dean of Guidance
Award in recognition for her many contributions to
John Hanrahan can be found in the summer 2014 edition
Jesuit education on a national level.
of Prep Today. Indeed, Mr. Hanrahan and Mr. Hutchinson
The school yearbook, Hearthstone, was once again
deserve praise for assisting the young men as they moved
distributed to students during the last week of school.
through the difficult application process. Any senior
Advisor Dolores Tema and her editors Jaime Rodriguez,
faculty member could tell you what a great job the
Alex Schroder, Max Schroder, and Cristian Taborda
guidance department was doing in helping Prep students
produced a very high quality product, one that stood HISTORY OF PREP | 213
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The Prep symphonic and concert bands performed at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on December 9, 2010.
up quite well when measured against the standards
lovingly referred to as “the swamp,” was renovated for
established by the decades of yearbooks in Prep’s history.
use as a dormitory for the university (later renamed
Of note, however, is the fact that the 2011 version of
Faber Hall). Along with the new building came a new
Hearthstone was to be the last of its kind insofar as its
rector for the Jesuit community when Rev. Paul Holland,
cover was in the traditional burgundy color. Starting
S.J. was named to replace Rev. Walter “Skipp” Conlon,
with the 2012 version, the color of the book would be
S.J. Anyone who supported Prep basketball would soon
in the new Pantone 186 bright red that the school had
come to know Father Holland, as, over the next half
decided would be its new face to the world. The only
decade, he became a big fan and supporter of the team.
previous exception to the darker color can be seen in a
Speaking of Jesuits, the Society lost two of its members
few of the earlier versions of the yearbook.
in 2010, both of whom taught at Prep. On January 18th,
There were some major changes on campus during
Rev. Edward J. Small, S.J., Prep Class of 1957, who had
the summer of 2010. For one thing, the new Jesuit
taught English at the school during the 1970s, passed
community center and residence was opened. The
after a long illness. Rev. John (Joe) McGrath, S.J., who
award-winning, eco-friendly structure was to become the
taught physics during the 1950s, went to his eternal
new home for the remaining twelve Jesuits on campus.
reward on July 10, 2010.
Meanwhile the older, larger Jesuit residence, sometimes
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CHAPTER 13
Another Busy Decade Begins
A
s Prep moved into the second decade of the 21st century, there was the usual flurry of activity throughout the school. In the
summer of 2010 this was especially true in the area of technology, where Mr. Peter Sarawit, technology systems administrator, conducted the difficult installation of
Mrs. Colleen Keltos, dean of technology & administrative services
a new wireless connection to the internet so that all members of the community could have access, no matter their location within the school. And to think, only a few short years before, access to the internet could only be achieved in the computer labs on large, stationary computers. By 2010 every member of the faculty and administration had laptop computers provided by the
Mr. Peter Sarawit, technology systems administrator
school, and wireless connection. All of these changes were pushed and orchestrated under the direction of Mrs. Colleen Keltos, who was the dean of technology & administrative services. Aside from these areas, in the
The school year began, as had become the norm,
2010s Prep made great strides to become a more secure
during the last two weeks of August. Faculty meetings,
environment. All in the community were furnished with
including technology workshops, Blackboard and
personal ID swipe-cards, and entrance to the buildings
FAWEB setups, were followed by freshman orientation
could only be gained swiping one’s way through the
day. A new wrinkle to frosh orientation was the Freshman
locked entrances. Additionally, the Fairfield University
Olympics, orchestrated by the office of student activities.
Department of Public Safety regularly held assemblies
This included various fun and competitive activities,
for the Prep faculty and staff to inform them about safety
from home run derby, free throw shooting, and field goal
concerns. Mock lock-downs and active-shooter drills
kicking, to pie eating and tug of war. Each freshman
were conducted. The contact person from the university
homeroom group entered the fray, replete with their new
directing these events was Associate Director of Public
Bomb Squad tee shirt, bearing “Prep 2014” on the back.
Safety, Captain Frank Ficko ’78. Frank’s son Jonathan
The Bomb Squad, as any man of Prep will tell you, serves
was a member of the Class of 2012. It should be noted
as the official Prep cheering organization, which seems
that Captain Ficko congratulated Prep for being well
to be ubiquitous at Prep interscholastic contests.
ahead of the curve when it came to security and safety.
In every Jesuit school year begins with the Mass of
HISTORY OF PREP | 215
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
216
the Holy Spirit, which at Prep is usually held on the first
I have heard often from Prep old-timers), was the
or second Friday of September. This 2010 version of the
importance of reminding my readers that: “We were here
Liturgy had an additional element. It was the awarding
before the university!” They informed me that while
of the first Saint Ignatius of Loyola Alumni Award.
at Prep, many of those who would later form the Latin
Recommended by his follow alums and selected by a
Scholars were “part of the hell-raising gang” while at the
special committee, the award was presented to Paul J.
school. During the conversation it was obvious that they
Connelly, Class of 1948. A supporter of many charitable
shared a deep commitment to the Mission of Fairfield
organizations and a zealous and active member of the
Prep. Their admiration for their Jesuit teachers was
Prep family, Mr. Connelly was indeed a worthy recipient
highly evident, and their work on behalf of fundraising
of the award. After I had spoken to him at some length,
for special causes, including the Rev. Thomas Murphy,
it was made evident to me that he was extremely proud
S.J. Scholarship Fund and the Rev. James H. Barry, S.J,
of the honor and of being a graduate of Fairfield Prep.
Scholarship Fund, was ongoing.
With him was his wonderful wife of 52 years, Mary,
Regarding the complexion of faculty, the fall of 2010
who clearly was very excited that her husband had been
was noteworthy in that some interesting personalities
selected for the award. Sadly, Mr. Connelly passed away
were added. New to the language department was Ms.
only a few months later, on November 15, 2010. It was
Sandra Gizzi. She, along with Ms. Koren Mumma, would
therefore even more important that he had been honored
often bring various snacks and assorted goodies to the
in this fashion while he was still with us to see how much
faculty lunch room. Of course, Mrs. Connie Carrington’s
he was appreciated by the school and by his friends.
cakes and cookies were notoriously scrumptious. Another
It should be pointed out that Mr. Connelly for years
addition was Mr. Matthew Jaques, who joined the math
served as president of that interesting group known as the
department. New to guidance was Ms. Kostandina
Latin Scholars. The informal organization was formed in
“Dina” Cyfeku, who proved to be a very empathetic
1976 by a small group of alums from the classes ’44-’46,
counselor. Arriving in the theology department was
but also including men from the classes of the late ’40s
Mr. Christian Cashman, an educator with great insight
and early ’50s. I had the good fortune of being invited
and experience, who joined the Prep faculty from his
to lunch with two stalwart members of the group, Mr.
position as principal of East Catholic High in Hartford.
John A. Lannon ’48, and Mr. John “Jackie” O’Connell
During the following years Cashman’s involvement
’51, at Parker’s Restaurant in Stratford on July 14, 2015.
in the spiritual life of the school was extensive and
The first thing the two impressed upon me (something
his wise advice on faculty-related matters was much
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appreciated. Aside from being an experienced teacher,
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second round.
Mr. Cashman proved to be a talented musician and
It was the cross country team that garnered the most
singer. His piano playing at school liturgies, assemblies
accolades in the fall of 2010. Coaches Ford junior and
and dramatic productions significantly enhanced the
senior had an extremely talented group of long distance
professional atmosphere of those events. On the other
runners, to a perfect 9-0 season, led by “all-everything”
side of the experience spectrum was Mr. Corey Dennis
and SCC champ Connor Rog, along with a supporting
(later, Milazzo), fresh out of Fairfield University. With
cast of Pat Corona, Rob Salandra, Billy Schloth, Greg
a flair for the dramatic, Mr. Dennis quickly established
Davis, Mike Whelan, and Tyler Agostino.
himself in the school, not only as a teacher, but also as a wrestling coach. His ascendency to chair of the
Asian Honors Humanities Returns
theology department was meteoric. Speaking of coaches,
For the 2010-2011 school year sophomores who were
added to the social studies department was Mr. Keith
highly motivated and willing to accept the challenge
Hellstern, a football coach with experience at both the
could apply for a new course within the social studies
college and prep school levels. Mr. Hellstern aided in
department, Asian Honors Humanities. The course,
the transformation of the atmosphere within the social
newly reincarnated, was the brainchild of sensei Dave
studies region of the school, especially for the freshmen
Driscoll. It went beyond the regular sophomore Asian
taking his western civilization course. That new sound
studies offering insofar that it was more academically
bellowing down Berchmans fourth floor was soon proof
demanding and it included a Japanese language
to all freshmen that there was a new sheriff in town!
component. In addition to the classroom training in
Keith Hellstern soon demonstrated that he was a
Japanese, all members of the course enrolled in an
positive addition the staff put together by new varsity
online Japanese course, taught by “sensei junior,” Mr.
football head coach Mr. Tom Shea. Coach Shea ’73 was
Sean Driscoll. This new course certainly generated a
the man chosen to revive a moribund program that had
spark within certain students who were interested in a
gone winless the previous year. In addition to coaches
deeper immersion into East Asian history and culture.
Shea and Hellstern, there was man of great experience
For those who did not take either the regular course or
among the staff in the person of Mr. Charles DiCenso,
the honors version, a course entitled Modern Asia was
who had run a very successful program for many years at
required during their senior year. The following year,
Derby High. DiCenso also quickly participated strongly
the department added A.P. European history as a senior
in the spiritual life of the school. His mentoring of young
complement to the Asian humanities class.
faculty and coaches was much appreciated. Additional
The month of November, 2010 featured a diversity
experience and wisdom was provided by Coach Andy
of activities involving Prep parents. On the 15th, there
Mancini. A youthful team, in bad need of seasoning and
was the annual Father/Son Sports Night in the Brissette
experience, Prep football completed the season with a
Athletic Center. Over 250 attended the event which
record of 3-7. Yet, improvement was certain to come as
featured a talk by NHL and New York Ranger legend
there was a crop of very talented underclassmen on the
John “JD” Davidson. A few days later, at the Racebrook
way. Additionally, Coach Shea’s emphasis on rigorous
Country Club in Orange, the Bellarmine Mothers’ Guild’s
conditioning and weight training was bound to pay
annual fall luncheon raised $12,000 for the school.
dividends, sooner rather than later.
Additionally, there was the Fathers’ Club Service Day on
With Bruce Jaffe’s retirement from coaching, the Prep
the 20th, where members of the Prep community, led by
soccer program had a new leader in Mr. Ryan Lyddy
the Prep dads, worked to improve the homes and yards
’93. Coming from a family of Prep athletes, and with
of the elderly, in conjunction with an organization called
a strong understanding of the school, Mr. Lyddy built
Groundwork Bridgeport. Finally, moms, dads, and their
on Jaffe’s success and the team compiled a record of 12-
sons, along with faculty and staff, once again performed
4-3. Success was not forthcoming in the state playoffs,
a very successful Thanksgiving food drive for those in
however, as the team could not make it beyond the
need in the greater Bridgeport area. The coordinators of HISTORY OF PREP | 217
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
the program were the Prep Columbian Squires, under
MVP. As the season progressed, so too did the team.
the direction of moderator Mr. Brett Stockdale, S.J. The
Additionally, Bobby Bier made the All-Tournament team.
Action for Bridgeport Community Development, Inc.
When the dust settled, the basketball team finished the
(ABCD) served as the conduit for getting the food to
season with an impressive total record of 21-7 and made
those most vulnerable during the holiday season.
it all the way to the state championship game vs. St.
The positive vibes continued throughout the season
Joseph’s, where they were defeated by a score of 79-53.
of 2010 as the annual Christmas concert at the Quick
With junior Terry Tarpey named to the All-State team,
Center was held on November 30. Director Christine
there were high hopes for better days to come.
Dominguez had the various instrumental and choral
Snow continued to be a major story throughout the
groups in fine form. Meanwhile, the Prep Players
winter months of January and February, 2011. In January
performed An Evening of Shorts, various plays by Paul De
alone, over 59 inches of snow fell on the state, breaking
Sena, in the Black Box. The Advent Mass and Christmas
the previous record of 45 inches way back in 1945. On
tree lighting occurred on the night of December 5.
January 12, there was a big snow event and there followed
Following mid-year exams, members of the Prep
a second, even more complicated storm on February 25-
community entered the Christmas break in high spirits.
26. In the latter case, the precipitation began as rain, but as temperatures dropped overnight, the ground water
Prep alums make their mark
froze and was then covered by a blanket of deep snow.
The Prep Today magazine, winter edition 2011, features and celebrates numerous alums for their
Ryan Charles Brennan ’11
amazing accomplishments. In medicine, Dr. Lawrence
Only a few days after the storm, the worst possible
Muldoon ’76, was named 2010 Physician of the Year
news reached the school. On February 28, 2011, senior
at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Dr. Michael Paidas ’78,
Ryan Brennan succumbed to his long battle with cancer.
was the recipient of the Yale Clinical Excellence Award.
The passing of this beautiful and loving young man
State Senator John B. McKinney ’82, made an impressive
deeply affected the entire Prep community. During the
speech at the Stamford business breakfast on October
two years that Ryan fought to regain his health, he was
28. Relating to the other side of the world, Christopher
supported by friends and classmates. “Just beat it!”
Alesevich ’03, developed a program to teach Mandarin,
became the rallying cry as fund raising events were held
called: “Wudaokou Borderless Learning.” Nihao!
on a regular basis. Among Ryan’s closest friends was Sean Keane who, along with others, was there in solidarity
Weather Issues
with their Prep brother until the very end. Graduating
Small amounts of snow reached the region throughout
seniors all wore small “RB” badges on their white dinner
early to mid-December. The big event, however, struck
jackets, and Ryan’s seat in the graduation ceremony was
in the days after Christmas. Known as the Great North American Blizzard of 2010, a classic nor’easter hit on the 26th through the 27th. Winds ranged from 70 and 80 mph and snowfall totals from one to two feet were reported throughout Connecticut and the surrounding region. Despite the bad weather, the annual Fairfield Prep Holiday Basketball Classic was held in Alumni Hall. On the 28th Prep, with a new head coach in the person of Mr. Leo Redgate ’86, defeated Ludlowe and then went on to a hard-fought victory over N.D. Fairfield by a score of 60-58 to win the championship. Terry Tarpey, arguably the best Prep hoopster in decades, was named tourney
218
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The late Ryan Charles Brennan ’11
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held open in his honor. Additionally, a scholarship in
affecting both faculty and students, trickled into the
Ryan’s name at Prep has been established in his memory.
collective consciousness of the school. Relating to
A poignant, funny and touching, pictorial tribute to
faculty matters, in 2011 the Jesuit Secondary Education
Ryan by his fellow classmates can be found on pages 92
Association (JSEA) revealed a new document entitled,
and 93 of the 2011 Hearthstone yearbook.
Profile of an Ignatian Educator. In conjunction with this incentive, it was announced that there would be an
Another state title for Prep hockey Matt Sather’s varsity hockey 2011 team was quite
annual award for the teacher who most manifested the following characteristics:
young, with only five seniors to provide experience and
1. Caring
leadership. As the coach himself pointed out in a very
2. Discerning
insightful article in Prep Today, summer 2011 edition, the
3. Modeling
poor weather and especially the passing of Ryan Brennan
4. Building
took a serious toll on his team’s psyche. In Sather’s
5. Animating
words: “We were all on an exhausting emotional roller-
At a faculty meeting in late winter, 2011, school
coaster, and I had no idea what was left in my players’
President Hanwell happily announced that Prep’s version
hearts and minds.” Yet, in true Prep pride fashion, with a
of the award would be named after none other than our
desire to win for Ryan, the Prep hockey team dominated
own Rev. Martin G. Shaughnessy, S.J. In March, faculty
St. Joes of Trumbull by a score of 5-1, an amazing ending
were invited to nominate a fellow teacher for the award
to a very unusual season. Leadership and excellent play
by explaining how the nominee represented the stated
were provided by all-stars Bryan Puffer, John Galiani, AJ
characteristics. There would be an award committee of
Unker and David White and Tom Worsfold. Galiani and
selected administrators to review the nominees and then
Puffer shared the Connecticut High School Player of the
select the winner. It was established that the winner of
Year award.
the award would be announced to the faculty and staff
Another team enjoying success that winter was the
during the annual state-of-the-school faculty meeting
swimming and diving team, which finished the regular
in the spring, with the official presentation being made
season at 12-1 in dual meets. Jaffe’s boys captured their
at the annual Ascension Day school Mass, traditionally
seventh consecutive SCC title and finished second in the
held at or around the 40th day after Easter.
Class LL championships. Brad Helt ’13, Brandon Cole ’14, and Bjorn Davis ’14 made the biggest splash when it
THE FAIRFIELD PREP IGNATIAN EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDEES:
came to post-season honors. The wrestling team, under
2011 – Ms. Maureen Bohan (mathematics)
new coaches Rich Rapice and Corey Dennis, finished in
2012 – Ms. Billie Brooks (foreign languages)
7th place in the SCC. Jason Rojas was selected to the all-
2013 – Mr. John Hanrahan (guidance)
state team. Indoor track star Connor Rog added to his
2014 – Mr. Thomas Sacerdote (social studies &
already long list of accomplishments by winning both
theology)
the SCC and Class LL championships in the 1600 and
2015 – Mrs. Jennifer Mauritz – (foreign languages)
3200 meter races. Last but not least, Prep’s bowling team,
2016 – Mrs. Elaine Clark (English)
moderated by Ms. Koren Mumma, captured 1st place in
2017 – Mr. Elliot Gualtiere (campus ministry)
the CIBL. Team members included Chris DiMuzio, Ray
So it was that two separate faculty awards were
Miller, Rene Medina, Nick Piro, Tyler Wendt, and Eric
presented at the end of the school year, the Ignatian
Schubert.
Educator of the Year Award and the Most Inspirational
Ignatian Educator Award
Teacher Award, the latter determined by a vote of the graduating seniors.
As the difficult winter began to fade in the rear-view mirror, thoughts of better weather and spring activities,
HISTORY OF PREP | 219
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
THE FAIRFIELD PREP MOST INSPIRATIONAL TEACHER AWARDEES:
spring of 2011 brought some awesome successes. Prep’s
2010 – Mr. Rudy Mauritz (social studies)
JETS, in the TEAMS (Tests of Engineering, Aptitude,
2011 – Mr. Tom Shea (English)
Mathematics, and Science) competition, under the
2012 – Mr. Anthony Canuel (science)
leadership of moderator Dr. Brian Lewis, came in at a
2013 – Mr. Barry Wallace (English)
very respectable position of 75th out of nearly 1,000
2014 – Mr. Tom Cunningham (science)
schools in a national competition. The team was led
2015 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz (social studies)
by Captain Brian Calcutt. The “JesiBots,” Prep’s robotic
2016 - Mr. Matt Sather (English)
club, moderated by Mrs. Deidre Cannon, participated
2017 – Mr. Thomas Sacerdote (social studies)
in the F.I.R.S.T. robotic competition in New Hampshire.
Relating to the scientific realm of the school, the
The spring of 2011 brought with it a number of
Finally, sophomore Kyle Ryan garnered four awards
amazing performances in track, where Connor Rog was
at the annual Connecticut Science Fair at Quinnipiac
simply amazing, capturing 1st place in the SCC meet
University, including first place in the High School
for the 1600 and 3200 meter events. He replicated this
Energy competition. Science teacher Mrs. Jane O’Reilly
success in both the Class LL state and State Open meets.
served as Kyle’s coach and advisor.
The heavily recruited Rog chose to attend the University
Graduation for the Class of 2011 was on Sunday
of Virginia for fall 2012. The baseball team finished with
morning, June 5th, in Alumni Hall. Father Hanwell
a record of 15-9 and tied for the Quinnipiac Division title
got the show off and running with a medley of songs,
in the SCC. Pitching sensation Anthony Redamonti, along
colloquialisms, and such that were popular in 1961, the
with C.J. Donohue, Matt D’Ambrisi and Alex Heiman all
graduation year of the men returning for their golden
received post season all-star awards. The rugby (8-7),
diplomas. Class president Jesus Fequiere gave the
tennis (13-7), golf and crew teams all had respectable
welcoming address. Max Rein, representing the seniors,
seasons. In the arts, Ms. Megan Hoover’s Prep Players
gave the commencement address, parts of which he
performed the musical Damn Yankees at the Quick Center
actually sang, based on the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s classic
on May 12 and 13. All who saw the performance agreed
“Forever Young.” It was a big hit with the assembled
that it was a rousing success. Not to be outdone, music
throng, which responded with a standing ovation. Last,
director Christine Dominguez and her talented musicians
but certainly never least, former Prep headmaster and
and singers staged “Story through Song” on May 18. On
Fairfield University administrator Rev. Charles Allen, S.J.
the same day the fine arts department, under the tutelage
was the featured commencement speaker. Father Allen
of Dolores Tema and Frank Bramble, premiered the works
was his usual humorous and eloquent self. All-in-all,
of Prep’s painters, multi-media and architectural designs
many agreed that the graduation exercises were simply
in the Arrupe lobby.
wonderful in every way. Among the social highlights of spring, 2011 were the annual spring fund raiser, entitled “By the Sea,” held at the Stamford Marriott on April 30. Co-chairs Mary Beth Morris and Sima Patel worked diligently to create a great experience for the over 200 guests. Winners of the $25,000 tuition raffle were John and Nancy Wiig. Their son Thomas entered the school as a member of the Class of 2015 in the fall. Thomas proved to be a wonderful young man and a high level scholar, and attended UPenn after his graduation from Prep. Regarding the Class of 2015, Mr. Greg Marshall, the dean of enrollment and marketing, reported that there was a record number of applicants for that class. In fact, the incoming freshman
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class numbered 235.
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Hurricane Irene
There were highlights aplenty on the international
Late August brought the usual faculty meetings,
scene in the spring of 2011. Japan was rocked by an
technology training, orientation day and Freshman
earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, which
Olympics for the incoming frosh. For many of the Prep
compromised the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The
community, this was a time of practice and preparation for
resulting devastation was overwhelming for that island
the fall sports scene. All bets were off, however, when on
nation. It would be a hot topic in Prep’s Asian studies
August 28th Hurricane Irene slammed into Connecticut.
classes. Throughout the Middle East, the spring of 2011
Although officially downgraded to a tropical storm, Irene
became known as the “Arab Spring,” as rebellions and
nevertheless wreaked havoc and devastation throughout
pro-democracy movements spread throughout the region.
the region. A high storm surge and super-saturated soil
Social studies teachers, however, were quick to remind
led to severe damage, including coastal flooding and
their students of the possible unintended consequences
hundreds of fallen trees and limbs. Headlines in the
of such movements. On May 2nd, a clandestine American
Monday, August 29 edition of the Connecticut Post said
commando raid in Pakistan resulted in the death of
it all: “What a Mess.” The paper reported that a record
Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist who had orchestrated
770,000 homes were rendered powerless.
the 9/11 attack on the United States in 2001. Photos of
Basically, half of the state was without electricity.
President Obama, Vice President Biden and Secretary
Though Irene was a weekend storm, Prep was closed on
of State Clinton, nervously keeping watch in the White
Monday and Tuesday due to the power outages and the fact
House as the raid progressed were circulated online and
that travel throughout the region was unsafe. Meanwhile,
in newspaper throughout the world.
the warm weather continued right into September, as
There tends to be a perception that Prep-related
most of the Northeast remained in the hotter-than-usual
activities end with graduation in early June. There is
trend. All of this made teaching in buildings without air
plenty of evidence to the contrary. For example, later in
conditioning even more difficult, especially on the upper
the month of June there was the annual alumni reunion
floors of Berchmans and Xavier halls.
for classes ending in 1 or 6. Then, came the “Summer Kick-Off” concert at the Levee and the 2nd annual Year-
The Berm
End musical event at Stage-One in Fairfield, featuring
As students and staff returned to campus in the fall
the Darian Cunning Band, led by Darian Cunning, Class
of 2011 there was a new feature in the topography of
of ’95. All of this was supplemented by a large number
the Prep parking lot – the berm. After a year of traffic
of informal parent, student and alumni get-togethers and
survey by traffic flow experts, a new berm was installed
barbecues as the warm weather arrived in the region.
at the senior parking lot on Murphy Road. The berm
Last, but certainly not least, a group of Prep faculty and
was essentially a man-made hill of soil, shrubs and other
students embarked for the annual Christian service trip
plantings that was placed approximately thirty feet inside
to Appalachia.
of the driveway into the senior parking lot. It closed off
The summer of 2011proved to be one of the hottest
traffic to the main campus and the senior parking lot.
and wildest ever in Connecticut. The week of July 17-
The idea was to make the Berchmans lot a “Prep only”
23 was the worst, with temperatures reaching above 90
parking lot and to improve traffic flow. Unfortunately,
every day. Friday, July 22 was the worst day of all, with
the berm did not improve matters. In fact, traffic patterns
temps between 102 and 103 being reported throughout
grew worse each morning and afternoon as traffic jams
the state. August brought with it heavy rains, with the
backed up along North Benson Road all the way to the
worst happening on August 14. Some parts of the state
Jennings Road intersection. The experience came quickly
received over seven inches of rain on that day and there
to an end on Sept. 22 as work crews removed the ill-fated
was widespread flooding, especially along river valleys
berm and normal traffic patterns were reinstituted. A few
and the coast.
wise veterans of staff speculated that the real solution to
HISTORY OF PREP | 221
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
L-r: Coach Bob Ford, Jr., Raphael Kinney ’14, James Mulliken ’14, Patrick Corona ’12, Scott Ball ’13, Michael Whelan ’12, (Saint Ignatius), Alec Hilton ’14, Brendan Terry ’12, Christian Alvarado ’14, Connor Rog ’12, James Murphy ’14, Billy Schloth ’12, and Coach Bob Ford, Sr.
the problem would be to simply add a second “exit only”
champion Connor Rog, along with sophomore sensation
driveway in the southwest corner of the Berchmans
Christian Alvarado, Patrick Corona, Michael Whelan,
parking lot. The idea has never received much serious
and Scott Ball defeated all comers, including a decisive
consideration, however.
41-point win over perennial powerhouse Xavier in the
New hires for the 2011-2012 school year included
state championship meet. These great runners, along with
Mr. Harold A. “Dean” Davis as director of the Boughton
contributing members of the team, including Brendan
Academic Center, taking the role previously held by Mrs.
Terry, James Murphy, Raphael Kinney, James Mulliken
Sandy Beyerly. Mr. Thomas Curran ’05, came aboard as
and Alec Hilton were featured in a great photograph in
assistant athletic director and tennis coach. Mr. Curran
Prep Today, winter 2012 edition. Undoubtedly, coaches
also took on many of the responsibilities previously
Bob Ford Sr. and Jr. could be proud of what undoubtedly
held by athletic department secretary Ms. Lois Csedrik.
was the best cross country team in Prep’s history.
Joining the development staff, in the position as director
The soccer team, coached by Ryan Lyddy in his
of alumni relations, was Rory J. Bernier ’06. He replaced
second year at the helm, also posted incredible stats. The
J. Dillon Collins ’98, who was promoted to the position of
booters achieved an undefeated regular season with a
director of major gifts. Joining the theology department
record of 9-0-7, the first in Prep soccer history. The team,
was Ms. Jessica Medoff.
led by All-State goalie Will Steiner, along with additional all-stars Austin Sims and Mike Matera, captured the SCC
Prep Cross Country – State Champs!
championship and moved into the state quarter finals
For 2011, the air was filled with excitement as a
game, where they succumbed to a powerful Pomperaug
number of teams seemed ready to achieve greatness. The
team from Southbury. The final record for the Prep
cross country team paved the way, bolting into a state
soccer team was 14-1-7. Another group gaining serious
championship. Despite the loss of Billy Schloth to a knee
recognition was the Prep crew team. They took first place
injury, the team’s depth, led by SCC, LL, and State Open
in the Philadelphia “Frostbite” meet, held on November
222 | HISTORY OF PREP
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12-13, marking the first time that a Prep crew team had
the Lifetime Service Award. Magdon, who had coached
garnered such an award. They also performed incredibly
at Prep for 33 years, gave a very moving speech in his
well in the Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta.
acceptance of the accolade. A commemorative plaque
Meanwhile, Coach Shea’s football team was still in
of Magdon was commissioned and subsequently placed
the rebuilding mode. It compiled a final record of 5-5. A
besides other greats in the school’s history: Fr. Eugene
number of players received post season honors, however,
Brissette, S.J., along with coaches Joe Brosley and Earl
including versatile Xavier Frey and lineman Serge Jean-
Lavery.
Baptiste.
Alumni golf fans shared a great experience on October 10, when over 80 gathered at the Great River Golf Club,
MSG Varsity – Prep Media Club
in Milford for the annual Fairfield Prep Golf Outing. Led
On the media side, of note is the fact that MSG Varsity
by Chairman John Chiota, Sr. ’86 all benefits from the
sponsored a new club that provided live broadcasts
event went toward the Roger L. Ratchford Financial Aid
and recordings major sporting events. According to
Fund to support scholarships for worthy Prep students.
the energetic club moderator Mr. Kevin Altieri ’00,
“Doc” Ratchford ’51, of course, was the longest tenured
“… MSG Varsity was created in 2011 as a ‘retention
and winningest golf coach in the school’s history.
network’ by Cablevision.” He explained that the
On a sad note, only a few
company offered various incentives to participate in the
days later on October 14, 2011,
program, including a financial stipend to cover expenses,
there came the announcement
camcorders, tripods and system called Final Cut Express,
of the passing of much loved
for editing purposes. Altieri further reported that
former science teacher John
“They also provided a great deal of support through a
“Jack” Roche. Mr. Roche came
regional account manager named Craig Meyerson. Craig
to Prep back in 1984. Later, as
taught the kids and me how to use Final Cut, frame a
science department chair, he
shot, conduct an interview, etc.” The club provided a
(along with then-headmaster Rev. James Arimond, S.J.)
valuable service in live-streaming and recording athletic
was instrumental in the physical transformation of the
events and holding before and after game programs
science classrooms and laboratories. Known for his great
and interviews. Eventually, MSG Varsity withdrew
wit and informal manner, Jack was a brilliant science
its support of these high school clubs in the spring of
teacher who motivated many students to high levels
2014 due to financial considerations. Nevertheless, an
of achievement. Father Arimond clearly enjoyed the
anonymous Prep benefactor donated additional funds to
repartee with Jack Roach. Watching them “argue” over
purchase new equipment and provided financial support
details about the science department renovation was
that enabled the club to survive under its new name,
quite amusing indeed. Roche was named Prep Educator
the Fairfield Prep Media Club. Important participants
of the Year in 1992. Only a few days after Roche’s
have included club president Matt Connolly and James
passing, on October 18, former assistant football coach
Terry, both of whom went on to study communications
Bob Maffei passed away. For fifteen years he had served
in college. In its early years of operation other members
on Coach Lavery’s staff. He also worked in Fairfield
included Tyrone Fleurizard, A.J. Copotelli, Serge
University’s Department of Public Safety. All who knew
Valcourt, Blake Sherwood, Henry Essex, Kyle Dunn
him agreed that he was a good man and dedicated friend.
Ken McCauley, Dan Luciano and Kevin Sinclair. Under
As is often the case in New England, the weather
Mr. Altieri’s direction, the Media Club, with its focus on
made news in the fall of 2011 when a freak snowstorm
broadcasting and filming athletic contests, became an
slammed the region on October 29. The storm, which
indispensable element of the school.
became known as the Halloween Nor’easter, dropped as
John “Jack” Roche
One football-related event that was worthy of media
much as twenty-four inches of snow in many towns. It
attention occurred on September 30, when former coach
caused wide-spread power outages, many lasting well
Richie Magdon was honored at a pregame ceremony with
over a week as many trees in the area had not yet shed HISTORY OF PREP | 223
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
2011-2012 Swimming and Diving Team
their leaves and the added weight of the snow brought
success it was now firmly in the midst of a golden age of
them down. Many weekend plans were spoiled by the
sports greatness. Leading the way was the swimming and
event.
diving team, coached by Bruce Jaffe and his assistants
As the region returned somewhat back to normal
Rick Hutchinson and diving coach Jeanine Oburchay.
in November, the Prep Players kept the arts alive with
The team completed a dream when it achieved a perfect
a production of The Complete Works of Shakespeare,
12-0 regular season, including capturing the SCC crown
Abridged on November 17-19. The Father-Son Sports
for an incredible eighth year in a row. The team went
Night was held on November 14 in Berchmans cafeteria.
on to win the Class LL title, and in so doing it ended
The special guest speaker was New York Knicks
Greenwich High’s eighteen-year winning streak. Finally,
head coach Mike D’Antoni. Meanwhile, the annual
Jaffe’s boys took the State Open championship, always
Thanksgiving food drive proceeded as usual, with
the most difficult of challenges. When the all the waves
hundreds of canned goods and other items collected for
in the pool had settled, an amazing nine members of
those in need. In that vein, mention is deserved for the
the team achieved All-State honors, including Brandon
incredible work performed by Edward Krygier and his
Cole, Matt Connelly, Bjorn Davis, Bryan Dougherty,
group of fellow Prep alums, who annually demonstrate
Keith Dougherty, Bryce Keblish, Andres Ramos, Edward
their commitment to the Jesuits’ Men For Others
Stolarski, and Nick Wargo. Following the championship
mandate by serving dinner for the needy at Columbus
meet, Coach Jaffe announced that he was retiring from
House in New Haven on December 2 at Merton House
his position after many years of success. Jaffe certainly
in Bridgeport on January 2. Ed and his Prep buddies
realized his goals and he left the program that he had
serve as great role models for us all in their quest to fight
personally molded in great shape for future success.
hunger in our area.
Assistant coach and guidance counselor Rick Hutchinson
The winter sports season at Prep provided further evidence that despite the school’s long history of athletic 224 | HISTORY OF PREP
was named to replace Connecticut State Coach of the Year Jaffe.
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Brad Helt ’13
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Rink by Glastonbury by a score of 5-4. Not taking a
Amidst all the joy, however, a tragedy struck the team
back seat to any group, Prep’s ski team, led by first-year
on April 9, 2012, when All-SCC back-stroke champion,
mentors Cary Nadel and Jason Twedt, compiled a perfect
Brad Helt ’13 passed away suddenly. Brad’s death rocked
22-0 record and finished 2nd in the state meet. Team
the school and severely shocked his teammates and
captains Brendan Collins, Rob Nick, and Mike Osborne
classmates. On a personal note, Brad was a member of my
provided the leadership and Greg Osborne, Jack Arrix,
A.P. American history class that year. I remember him as
Logan Racz, Matt Craighead, Will Sargent and Ryan
a bright and humorous young man who enjoyed a rather
King were all solid contributors. Coach Corey Dennis
large circle of friends. The day after his passing, his desk
brought the wrestling team to a 9-13 record, which was
stood conspicuously empty and the degree of sadness
an improvement over past seasons. Shane Dempsey,
within the room was palpable. After what seemed like
Connor Ward, Nick Crowle, Joe Roberts, Tom Voreyer,
an inordinate silence, slowly we began to discuss Brad’s
Jake Pesci, Matt Barnett, Dave Maloff and Matt Fried all
impact on our lives. One of Brad’s closest friends, Dan
worked diligently throughout the season.
Cunn, provided the most moving comments.
Lax again! It was the spring season, however, that brought home the big prizes. Coach Smalkais once again assembled a formidable team that captured the SCC crown, then the state championship with a 9-6 triumph over Ridgefield. It was the 5th title in seven years and Prep was back on top after a two-year hiatus. High-scoring Matt Brophy was named Connecticut High School Player of the Year. He had plenty of help, however. David White, Kevin Brown, Andrew Hatton, Tom Brewster, Austin Sims, Tim Edmonds, Charlie Keady and Mike Seelye all were awarded post-season honors. The track and field team also reached great heights. The great distance runner Connor Rog broke records in the 3000 meter and 5000 meter. The distance medley relay team of Rog, Christian Terry Tarpey ’12
Alvarado, Pat Corona and Adam Vare broke the school record by more than 20 seconds! 800-meter specialist
The Prep basketball team also achieved great success,
Adam Vare (1:55.5) and Patrick Corona (1:56.5) both
posting a record of 22-4. Led by All-State senior Terry
broke the school record in that event set by Chris
Tarpey, the team won the SCC title and moved into the
Scapillato ’98 fifteen years earlier. Christian Alvarado
state playoffs in fine form, only to have its hopes dashed
won the state open steeplechase championship with
in a semi-final contest against Hillhouse High by a score
another school record of 9:42.3. Another distance runner
of 60-47. Tarpey compiled amazing stats that season,
who contributed significantly to the team was senior
averaging 25.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
Michael Whelan. Whelan was subsequently honored as
Making almost every post season all-star list, Tarpey
CAS-CIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
went on to star for Division I College of William and
The baseball team compiled a record of 11-11. The
Mary, where he compiled quite an excellent record. The
highlight of their season came in the first round of the
hockey program added to its already robust reputation
state play-offs when Brett Young threw a complete game
when it compiled a record of 19-4. Sather’s skaters were
shut-out over top ranked Newington. Young was selected
stopped in their quest for another state title when they
All-SCC. Another player having an outstanding season
were defeated March 14 in the semi-finals at Ingalls
was David Gerics, who led the team in five offensive HISTORY OF PREP | 225
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
categories. In other sports, rugby and crew had good
the fine arts department. All in the Prep community were
seasons, tennis went 11-6, and golf finished 15th in the
in solid agreement that this wonderful teacher was well
state tournament.
deserving of the honor.
The spring also brought with it the usual array of social and cultural activities. The Prep Players performed
Changes in the Halloween tradition
Kiss Me Kate, featuring the swing-style song, “Too Darn
Regarding Hearthstone, it is worth pointing out that
Hot.” There were 26 students involved in the complex
for decades one of the prominent features of the yearbook
number, one that Megan Hoover called “…one of the
was the inclusion of many photos of senior dress-up
great accomplishments of my directing career.” The play
day for Halloween. As one peruses the yearbooks, it
received four high school musical nominations, with
becomes clear that the 2012 yearbook was the last to
Juwan Crowley receiving “Outstanding Featured Actor”
include such photos. A little background will explain
for his role as Billy. Meanwhile, the spring concert,
this. As per the tradition, on that day seniors were
entitled, “An Evening with the Masters,” was presented
free to abandon the dress code and dress up in various
at the Quck Center. As usual, music director Ms.
costumes, which sometimes ranged from funny, to the
Dominguez had the various musical and choral groups
ridiculous, and beyond. The day usually reached its high
well prepared and finely tuned.
point (or low point, in the opinion of some members of
Speaking of music, in March of 2012 the news broke
the faculty and administration) with the best costume
that Daniel Aquilante ’75, the long time music critic for
contest during senior lunch in the cafeteria. At that time,
the New York Post, had stepped down after 32 years
various students or groups of students would gather
in order to create his own company. Over those three
on the stage in Berchmans cafeteria and do their thing
decades Dan’s astute and interesting reviews of various
before the assembled crowd. Entire skits were sometimes
major rock related albums was a weekly highlight of the
performed. The event was orchestrated by Master of
paper. “Angel,” as we knew him during his Prep days,
Ceremonies Mr. John Brennan. The costume receiving
had certainly made a big impact on the contemporary
the greatest applause would be judged by Mr. Brennan as
music scene.
the winner. The usual prize for winning the contest was
Meanwhile, as school moved toward the end of May,
a pair of tickets to the senior prom. There is no doubting
the art show, staged in the Arrupe Hall lobby, wowed
the fact that at times the whole affair became quite rowdy
viewers. Parents got into the swing of things with the
and over the top.
spring Fashion Show, the annual dinner, entitled “Off
While sociologists might refer to such behavior as
to the Races,” held on Kentucky Derby Day, May 5th,
rites of rebellion that allow for students to blow off a
and the Third Annual Parents’ Year-End Concert &
little steam from the pressures of school, the Prep
Celebration, held at the Fairfield Theatre Company on
administration thought otherwise, and October of
June 9th.
2010 was the last of its kind. Subsequently, the event significantly altered. According to Rudy Mauritz, it
“Hearthstone” Wins Prestigious Award!
was Jessica Medoff of the theology department who
As is always the case, all these athletic, social and
suggested a “Trunk-or-Treat” alternative to the director
cultural events were documented in the yearbook, the
of student activities, Mr. Jon DeRosa. She had seen it
Hearthstone. Anyone associated with the publication
work rather well at Notre Dame High School, Fairfield,
of yearbooks will tell you what a daunting task it is
where she taught prior to coming to Prep. With Trunk-
to put one together and get it published in a timely
or-Treat, seniors attended their regular classes for the
fashion. It was therefore received with great joy that the
first three periods. They then changed into costumes
2012 edition of the Prep yearbook was selected as the
and decorated the trunks of their cars for Halloween.
best in the country by the American Scholastic Press
Lunch was provided. At that point, children from inner-
Association. The moderator of the Hearthstone, in her
city grammar schools were brought to campus in busses.
fifteenth year in that position, was Mrs. Dolores Tema, of
They would then make their way through the senior
226 | HISTORY OF PREP
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parking lot, picking up candy and treats from the Prep
added to the depth of understanding and the proficiency
seniors. Faculty judges circulated and awarded prizes
of teaching of their subjects.
for the best trunk/costume arrangements. While there
Graduation for the Class of 2012 was held on
were doubters as to whether the seniors would accept
Sunday morning, June 3. Rob Salandra was the student
the alteration to “their day,” the young men indeed
commencement speaker. The guest speaker was Rev.
embraced the new tradition in good spirit. Fun was had
James Martin, S.J., who gave a wonderful and humorous
by all, and the event allowed the seniors to provide a
speech, one that was truly appreciated by all at Alumni
kindness to the underprivileged kids from Bridgeport, in
Hall that morning. During the awarding of diplomas, a
keeping with the Prep Mission. Note: the inauguration
great ovation was given to Kevin Sinclair, whose father
of the event was delayed two years due to a Halloween
had tragically passed away the day before graduation.
snow event in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Quinn Rooney ’10 More sad news reached the Prep community later that month when a fine young man, Quinn P. Rooney ’10 passed away on June 22. A fine young man who contributed so much to his school and to his friends, Quinn’s passing was mourned by all. Experienced educators, of course, will always try to bolster the morale of their students by pointing out that there will always be a bit of positive news to some small extent counterbalance the negative. This was once again true in the spring of 2012, as the graduating class was ready At the Ascension Mass, Senior Hearthstone Editor Nic Girard ’12 and Huythanh Tran ’12 present Mr. Tony Canuel with the yearbook dedication.
to make its mark on the next level. The class was filled
2011-2012 – The Year of Tony Canuel
Connor Rog, Terry Tarpey, Dave Mullany, Pat Hayes,
In many ways, one of the most noteworthy aspects of end of the 2011-2012 school year was the fact that Prep’s
with many wonderful scholar-athletes, in the typical Prep fashion. Among the top athletes in the class were Ryley Wikman, Serge Jean-Baptiste, Connor Barr, and Charles Keady, just to name a few.
great science teacher, Mr. Tony Canuel, was selected
The Political Awareness Society had a most impressive
by the students to receive both the Most Inspirational
array of first-class intellectuals that year, including:
Teacher Award as well as the Hearthstone yearbook
Robert Myers, Henry Burbank, Jackson Roth, Miles
dedication. One would be hard pressed to find even
Steinart, Rob Salandra, Scott Booth, Mike Whelan and
one student or faculty member who would quibble with
Dan Welch.
either decision. Canuel, a dedicated and highly talented
The summer of 2012 was filled with the usual array
teacher, was known for his ability to challenge with
of activities, including summer school, the service
affection in his classes. Many students left Prep highly
immersion trip to Appalachia, and the Christian
prepared for their college science programs after having
Leadership Retreat in August. At home in Connecticut,
taken classes with Mr. Canuel. In fact, aside from teaching
the month of June was very hot, with temperatures over
at Prep, Mr. Canuel also served as an adjunct professor of
95 on June 20. July was the hottest month, with most
science at Fairfield University for many years. It should
of the days being warmer than normal and drought
be noted that there have been a significant number of
conditions affecting much of the eastern part of the
senior Prep faculty who have worked as adjuncts in area
country. In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
colleges and universities. This has served Prep well in
Administration later noted that 2012 was the hottest
two ways. First of all, it has enhanced the reputation
year on record for the United States.
of Prep as a scholarly institution and, secondly, it has
The school year began, as was now the norm, during HISTORY OF PREP | 227
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
the last week of August, following faculty meetings
equipment, tents and emergency vehicles. Needless to
and student orientations. New to the foreign language
say, school was canceled due to this weather emergency
department and teaching Spanish was Ms. Margaret
from October 29th through November 2nd. Few in
Walsh. A major addition to the science department
the Prep community had reason to enjoy the off-days,
was Mr. Steve Nicholson, nS.J. Steve, a novice in the
however, as almost every family had flood, property or
Society of Jesus, quickly made his mark on the school.
personal issues to deal with during that time.
Possessing a friendly and even-tempered disposition, a
A few weeks later, the presidential election captured
highly developed intellect, plus musical talents, Steve
the attention of the American people. For the Democrats,
was seemingly ubiquitous at sporting events, including
the ticket of President Obama and Vice President Biden
Urban Plunges, Kairos retreats, assemblies, and even
faced the Republican team of Mitt Romney and Paul
faculty socials. He apprenticed with science teachers
Ryan. In the days just before the election, the Prep
Canuel, Cunningham and Lewis. Steve certainly made
Political Awareness Society held its traditional mock
his mark on the Prep community. Steve’s farewell to the
election. In an interesting result, the students voted for
Prep family can be found in the summer, 2013 edition of
Romney. It turned out to be the first time that the Prep
Prep Today on page 34.
mock election did not mirror the national reality. On
Sadly, on September 11th, the nation’s attention
November 6th, Obama was re-elected by an electoral
was suddenly drawn to Benghazi, Libya, where the
count of 332 to 206, capturing 26 states to Romney’s 24.
U.S. Embassy was attacked. Four people, including
Sports at any high school has always served as the
U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens were killed by
greatest antidote to the stresses and strains of the real
terrorists.
world. This is especially true when certain teams achieve high levels of success. The Prep teams in fall of 2012
Hurricane Sandy
served as further evidence that the school was in the
Of course a rule of thumb in weather forecasting is
midst of another golden age. The soccer team reached
that extremely warm winters spawn extremely dangerous
great heights, led by All-League, All-State, and All-
storms later in the year. Indeed, a major weather event
America goalie Will Steiner. But Coach Lyddy’s team
crashed into Connecticut on October 29, 2012 when
was certainly more than a one man operation. With an
Superstorm Sandy, a category 2 hurricane, unleashed
outstanding cast of stars, including Dave Bruton, Austin
its fury all along the eastern seaboard and into New
Sims, Kiernan Bracken, Darragh Kelly, Dave Bigley, Pat
England. Although the winds and rain were severe, the
Connelly, Ryan Orvis, Steve Tortora, Blake Roberts, Chris
worst element of Sandy was the incredibly high storm
Molina, Jordan Visosky, Luis Zamora, and Tim Frasetto,
surge that flooded coastal areas. Lower Manhattan was
the team compiled an incredible 20-3-1 record, taking
submerged. Subway tunnels became canals. Conditions
the SCC championship and making it all the way to the
in New York City were so bad that the New York Stock
CIAC Class LL title game, where it was defeated by a
Exchange was forced to close down for two days, the first
tough Norwalk team by a score of 2-0.
time this had happened since 1888. Over $71.4 billion in
Prep football continued its ascendency in 2012.
storm-related losses and property damage were reported
Coach Tom Shea and his staff had prepared their players
throughout the region. In Connecticut, it was estimated
well through successful pre-season practices and
that 650,000 homes lost power. In Fairfield, over 1,000
systematic weight training in the Arrupe workout center.
trees were downed and over 5,000 people had to be
At season’s end, the team proved to all that Prep football
evacuated. The destruction to the beach area was beyond
was indeed back once more, with a final record of 6-4, its
description. All of this, of course, greatly impacted
first winning season since 2007. When the dust settled
Fairfield Prep and Fairfield University. Fortuitously
on the season of 2012, Anthony DiLeo, Chris Golger,
located on the highest ground in the town, the campus
Nick Crowle and Anthony Palozzolo all were awarded
became a staging area for emergency rescue and work
post-season honors.
crews. The Berchmans parking lot was filled with 228 | HISTORY OF PREP
The cross country team had another excellent season,
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Rev. George Gallarelli, S.J., with the Guidance staff, from left: Lynne Chesbro, Dina DeRosa, Kim Bernier, Rick Hutchinson ’87 and John Hanrahan
finishing undefeated in dual meets, finishing third in
following month, Music Director Christine Dominguez
the Jesuit High School Championship and 7th in the
staged the annual Christmas concert. A number of the
Connecticut State Open meet. Junior sensation Christian
performers also participated in the Liturgical Music
Alvarado won an amazing number of post season kudos.
group, which provided inspirational songs for the
Other Prep runners gaining honors were Andy Thane
school’s many Masses and other religious celebrations.
and James Mulliken. In a related development, Prep track and field star and Olympian javelin thrower Craig
Goodbye “Father G”
Kinsley ’07, was named Fairfield County Sportsperson
One of the most bittersweet developments within
of the Year in ceremonies hosted by the Fairfield County
Prep during the fall of 2012, was the announcement of
Sports Commission in ceremonies conducted on October
the retirement of the Rev. George Gallarelli, S.J., guidance
15th. Accepting the award in his honor, as Craig was
counselor supreme.
away in training, were his dad Tom and former Coach Dave Driscoll.
Known to many in the Prep community simply as “Father G,” this energetic and multi-talented Jesuit had
A sport that was growing by leaps and bounds was
just celebrated his 50th anniversary in the Society and
crew. For the fall of 2012, the team had a new head coach,
his 26th year of service to Prep. A farewell party and
Edward Feldheim. The sport of crew was proving to be
thank-you gathering was held in the Boughton Academic
quite popular, as almost six dozen athletes attended the
Center in his honor. Subsequently, Father Gallarelli
initial try-outs. A notable victory was achieved against
moved to the Jesuit retirement community in Weston,
rival Jesuit school Fordham Prep.
Massachusetts, where he brought the light of his warm
The performing arts at Prep are always in season.
personality and quick wit to that institution. Aside from
Megan Hoover’s Prep Players performed an interesting
his wise advice to students and faculty, Father G was
comedy, The Love of Three Oranges, in the Black Box
known for distributing the daily crossword puzzle to
of the Quick Center on November 15 and 16, with
students as a challenge to their continued intellectual
much of the music composed and performed by senior
growth.
Chris Conway. Among the other stars of the show were
Another event of note in the autumn of 2012 was
Markus Santiago, Nick Zeleny, and Brian O’Donnell. The
the annual Thanksgiving assembly and prayer service, HISTORY OF PREP | 229
ANOTHER BUSY DECADE BEGINS
which is always a day of happiness at the school. As had become the custom, the assembly was used to give a show of appreciation to long-serving faculty and staff. For 2012, the honorees were Latin teacher Mr. Bob Bernier for 25 years of service and Registrar Mrs. Louise Miller for 40 years at Prep!
Mrs. Louise Miller Mrs. Miller under her maiden name of Louise Woods first joined Prep back in 1972, when she served as secretary to the then-dean of men, John W. Szablewicz. Recognizing her talents, the school quickly promoted her to secretary of the admissions department. From there she progressed into her role as Registrar, which is arguably one of the most difficult roles in the school. In that capacity Mrs. Miller was responsible for providing schedules for every teacher and student at Prep, not to
Ms. Billie Brooks, language teacher
mention keeping the official grade reports on a regular basis. Mrs. Miller decided to retire at the end of the 2014
the Newtown school system as a show of professional
school year. Her replacement was the affable and diligent
solidarity. Finally, the incident at Sandy Hook provided
Ms. Madeline Namin, whose son Jordan was a member
added incentive for the gun control movement in the area
of the Class of 2013.
and throughout the nation. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy took the lead for the state in this movement to
Sandy Hook
end gun violence.
As students enjoyed their many academic, athletic, and artistic endeavors, and looked expectantly to the
Festival of the Doors
joys of Christmas a dark cloud descended upon the
Spanish teacher Ms. Billie Brooks attempted to
land on December 14, 2012. It was on that day that a
lighten up the atmosphere and bring some cheer to
crazed teenager in Newtown, Connecticut, having first
the community during the 2012 Christmas season. She
killed his mother, then staged a bloody attack on Sandy
initiated the idea of decorating the classroom doors
Hook Elementary School. In possession of a military-
on the second floor language classrooms of Xavier in
style assault weapon, he murdered 20 children, ages 6-7,
the spirit of the season. The following year the idea
and 6 brave adult staff members, a number of whom
spread throughout the entire school under the new title,
surrendered their lives in an attempt to stop the carnage.
“Festival of the Floors.” Various departments put up the
The degree of grief and anguish that enveloped the
most beautiful displays on their respective classroom
region, state and nation was beyond words. From that
doors. In the spirit of friendly competition, the idea of
day forward, the words “Sandy Hook” joined “9-11” in
judging the doors for the most impressive display was
the lexicon of terrorism. Of course, in its usual fashion,
introduced. Judges for the initial event were former math
the Prep community sprang into action to support the
teacher Ed Rowe ’59 and his wife Gale. The winners were
people of Newtown. Aside from morning prayers and
Mrs. Megan Hoover (B301) and Ms. Melissa Laguzza
such, there were collections to aid the families who
(B302). For whatever reason, the “history guys” on
lost loved ones in the massacre. Additionally, the Prep
Berchmans fourth floor just could not muster the energy
faculty social committee solicited donations of gift cards
or the artistic flair to make a respectable showing in the
and other items, which were collected at the December
event. Unfortunately, the event ended after the 2014
faculty retreat and then distributed to teachers within
Christmas season.
230 | HISTORY OF PREP
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CHAPTER 14
Change and Tradition
The End of an Era – Death of the McAuliffe Lawn Oak Tree
and symbolized the heartache we all felt in those days. A beautiful and moving eulogy for the oak by our poet
It was exactly one month and four days after Sandy
laureate and English teacher Mr. Barry Wallace appeared
Hook, on the morning of January 19, 2013, that
in the summer, 2013 edition of Prep Today. Wallace said
workmen arrived on McAuliffe lawn to begin cutting
of the oak:
down the Old Black Oak Tree, which in many ways had
The picturesque tree was a remnant of the
served as a focal point for the Prep campus ever since
Lasher estate that ran down a broad lawn and
the school’s founding in 1942. Anyone who taught or
overlooked the blue waters of Long Island
studied in McAuliffe Hall certainly has fond memories
Sound. Although it stood on the hill above
of looking south down the lawn, with the majestic
Prep, it seemed to center the two brown brick
oak pointing the way toward Long Island Sound.
Gothic fortresses as if assuring us that all the
Unfortunately, the stately oak had been badly damaged
intensity of Jesuit energy was watched over by
by a number of storms, and its demise was unavoidable.
the huge trunk and spreading crown of the
Yet, its death, especially coming so soon after the Sandy
tree. Oak groves were the places where the
Hook massacre, somehow transcended the event in itself
original Christian churches of Celtic Europe HISTORY OF PREP | 231
CHANGE AND TRADITION
were built, and this venerable oak was a major
the writers and artists of the Bellarmine Review. Mr.
part of our faith and endurance at the Fairfield
Frank Bramble moderated the school newspaper,
Jesuit community. I couldn’t pass it without
Soundings. The Political Awareness Society, moderated
thinking of our past and our future.
by John Szablewicz, produced quarterly versions of its thought-provoking political journal, Zeitgeist. Mrs.
S.E.E.D. – 25 years and counting
Dolores Tema, Mrs. Lynn Chesbro, and Mrs. Kristina
Despite all the sadness over the Newtown massacre
Leonardo, worked diligently with students to produce
one of the most important things any school can do is
the school’s yearbook, Hearthstone. Undoubtedly, one of
to provide support for a positive educational and social
the most significant aspects of the Prep experience is that
environment for those in its charge. There are many
of spiritual formation. In that vein, there were several
signs of a healthy and happy school environment. In the
organizations in full operation. Included among them
2010s, Fairfield Prep demonstrated this in grand fashion.
were the Ablaze Fellowship of Christian Service, the
Aside from sports, drama and music, there were many
Squires, who function in accordance with the Knights
clubs and organizations that were active in the school.
of Columbus, and the Campus Ministry, which operated
Mrs. Alicia Thomas, assisted by Ms. Kristin Ancona
to help facilitate religious activities and celebrations.
and Mrs. Maura O’Connor, moderated the African-
The Cardinal Key Society provided essential in-school
American Cultural Club, which was a natural outgrowth
assistance at numerous events throughout the school.
of the SEED program. In 2012-13 SEED (Students for
Prominent faculty leaders of these groups were Rev. Brett
Educational Excellence through Diversity), was enjoying
Stockdale, S.J., Rev. Paul Holland, S.J., Rev. Laurence Ryan,
its 25th anniversary. In 1987 the Jesuit Secondary
S.J., and Mr. Elliot Gualtiere. All of this was in keeping
Education Association recognized a need for increased
with Fr. Hanwell’s challenge to “Make Mission Matter.”
diversity in Jesuit high schools. Responding to that call,
This call was especially reflected in the outward-bound
Dr. Donna Andrade founded the SEED program at Prep.
immersion trips to Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, and
It was the first of its kind and thus became the model
Appalachia. Of course, there are always many academic-
for Jesuit high schools throughout the country. Dr.
based organizations. Among them were: Debate, Model
Andrade’s program greatly impacted the demographics at
U.N., Math, Science, Mock Trial, Stock Market, and
Prep, as the percent of students of color at Prep increased
Political Awareness, and Trig*Star. It is worth noting
steadily over time. Over time, the goals of the program
that Prep’s Trig*Star team, coached by math teacher Mr.
were extended to include scholarships for any young
Matthew Jaques, won the State Championship for the
man in need of financial aid. Thus, ethnic, cultural
second consecutive year, sweeping the top three spots. In
and religious diversity became part of the equation.
1st place was Tony Abbazia, 2nd went to Gavin Granath,
Upon her appointment as academic dean in 2003, Dr.
and 3rd was taken by Nick Martucci. On the other side
Andrade entrusted the program to Ms. Alecia Watson,
of the spectrum, students of Latin, the ancient language
now Mrs. Thomas. Reflecting this there was the Asian
still going strong at Prep, participated in the annual Latin
Student Association, and ASPIRA, which, according to
Day competition in May. Over the years Prep’s Latin
its website, had as its goal, “to expose students of all
scholars have distinguished themselves in this event.
nationalities to the varieties of Hispanic cultures.” Also
In recent decades, the group was moderated by Father
reflecting cultural diversity was the Irish Culture Club.
Larry Ryan, Mr. Bob Bernier and Ms. Koren Mumma.
One offshoot of the Irish Club was the manifested in the creation of Prep’s own Gaelic Football Club, moderated by Mr. Griffin Reidy, which in fact captured various championships along the way.
A Storm Called Nemo On Friday, February 8, 2013 the region was struck by a major blizzard called Nemo by meteorologists. A
There were also several organizations of the written
category 3 event, the classic nor’easter, with winds
word. Mr. Jaime Chesbro, a published author in his
gusting well over 50 mph, slammed into Connecticut
own right, deserves credit for his excellent work with
late Friday afternoon and continued into Saturday
232 | HISTORY OF PREP
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morning. Nemo dumped over 30 inches in Bridgeport,
said of his team: “I believe the success of this team was
38 inches in Milford and a record 40 inches in Hamden.
the cohesion of our senior class. David White, Connor
Governor Malloy declared an official state of emergency
Henry, Nick Bargiello, Kevin Brown, Billy D’Amore,
and closed all state roads during the height of the storm.
Andrew Hatton, Tim Edmonds and Aidan Rush were
Many communities were still digging out by the middle
consummate leaders and generous Men for Others.” The
of the following week. Of course, such storms are not
state title was the 15th in Prep’s history, manufactured by
all that rare in the Nutmeg State and the residents of the
what was arguably the best hockey team in the program’s
state went about their normal routines as soon as they
illustrious history.
were able to do so.
Coach Redgate’s basketball team almost followed suit. The addition of seven-footer Pascal Chukwu, in his
A Jesuit Pope!
first varsity season at Prep, was a major plus. Chukwu
Meanwhile, events within the Catholic Church moved
averaged 13.7 points, 12.1 rebounds and 6.8 block per
swiftly and surprisingly during the early part of 2013.
game. He, along with Tim Butala, (who averaged almost
On February 28th, Pope Benedict XVI, citing health
12 points per game) Chris Kelly, Rich Sekerak, Quinn
issues, stepped down as Pontiff. This highly unusual
Lincoln, Keith Pettway, Ryan Murphy, Tom Nolan Ray
event was followed by something even more amazing.
Featherston, Dave Zeilinski and Ryan Foley, made the
The Conclave of the College of Cardinals subsequently
team a formidable one once more, despite having lost
elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentinian Jesuit of
the talented Terry Tarpey to graduation the previous
Italian ethnicity, to be the new Pope. Taking the name
year. The team finished with an amazing 24-3 record and
Francis, after Francis of Assisi, the new leader of the
made it all the way to the Class LL state championship
Catholic Church was officially installed on March 13.
game, where it lost to Hillhouse by a score of 52-42. At
Thus, it came to pass that something that many in the
season’s end, both Chukwu and Butala were selected to
Church thought would never transpire, the election of
numerous all-star teams. Coach Corey Dennis and his
a member of the Society of Jesus to the highest position
wrestling team reached great heights as well, compiling
in the Church, came to be. Needless to say, there was
a 23-3 regular season record. The young coach clearly
a great sense of joy within the Prep community and in
had made a strong positive impact on his athletes.
Jesuit schools throughout the world as a result of this
With captains Nick Crowle, (3rd in the state Class LL
news. It is worth noting that, aside from being the first
tournament), Connor Ward, (2nd in the LL tournament),
Jesuit Pope, Francis would be the first non-European to
David Maloof leading the way, and despite the early loss
hold the office since the death of Gregory III, a Syrian,
of Captain Matt Barnett to injury, Prep’s grapplers had
in 741. The new Pontiff immediately served notice that
real success. Even the Prep fencing team made news that
service to the poor, social justice and mercy would be the
year. The team, moderated by Ms. Koren Muma, had
major features of his papacy. Catholic progressives hoped
three standout performers: Nikhil Tasker, Rahul Tasker
that this might signal the beginnings of a more inclusive
and John Stefanopolos. The Tasker brothers advanced far
Church, in accordance with the Pope’s comment, “Who
into the state championships, with Nikhil finishing 2nd
am I to judge?”
and Rahul taking 7th.
At Prep, after a well needed Christmas break, attention
The swimming and diving team, now coached by
was once again focused on the winter, then spring,
Mr. Rick Hutchinson ’87, was also impressive, capturing
sports scene. In keeping with the “Golden Age of Sports”
the SCC Championship, scoring a record 1510.5 points.
theme, Prep athletes competed on a grand scale. Matt
The team went on to finish second in the LL and State
Sather’s hockey team was stacked with talented, gritty
Open championships. Achieving All-State swimming
players. It posted an incredible 23-1 record, (the most
honors were Brandon Cole, Connor Davis, Jake Hoin,
wins in the program’s history) and won the SCC title and
Bryce Keblish, Ed Stolarski, and Nick Wargo. Diver Jake
the Division I state championship. Sather, interviewed
Botwell, who broke numerous school records, won the
in the summer edition, 2013, Prep Today magazine,
SCC and State Open championships, was All-State and HISTORY OF PREP | 233
CHANGE AND TRADITION
All-American (for the 3rd consecutive year). Novice head coach Hutchinson was named Coach of the Year by
The Boston Marathon Bombings – Terrorism Hits Home Again
the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register newspapers.
April in Boston has always a month for rejoicing.
Meanwhile, the ski team held up very well, posting a
For the most part, winter is in the rear view mirror,
17-5 season. Greg Osborne was named to the All-State
the baseball season has begun, and on Patriot’s Day, an
team and Ryan King made the honorable mention
official holiday in Beantown, there is the annual Boston
list. The indoor track and field team was sensational.
Marathon. Dating back to 1897, the Boston Marathon
Christian Alvarado, Adam Vare and James Mulliken led
has been a major event in that city. Unfortunately, on
the charge, breaking a number of school records along
April 15th, 2013, the marathon was rocked by two
the way. The success of the track team continued into
major explosions detonated by terrorists, two brothers
the outdoor season, with Alvarado the brightest star,
of Chechen extraction, who used pressure-cooker bombs
shattering many long established school records. Coach
to carry out their hideous plot. Three people were killed
Mauritz fielded an excellent baseball team in 2013. They
and the number of people wounded and maimed came to
compiled a regular season record of 14-6, (18-7 overall)
over 250. In the manhunt that followed, parts of Boston
and were the 4th seed in the state tourney. They made
and Cambridge were placed on lock-down. Those with
it all the way to the semi-final game, where they lost to
loved ones living and studying in the area waited on
Amity by the close score of 3-2. Several players received
pins and needles for affirmation of their good health.
post season honors, including David Gerics, Shawn
The crisis ended on April 19th with the capture of the
Blake and Kevin Stone. Rugby finished at a respectable
second suspect, the first having been killed in a shoot-
8-6-1, with Alonzo Diaz and Greg Terry receiving all-
out with police the previous day. In typical fashion, the
star level recognition. Crew had a good season as well,
people of Boston responded with the affirmation of their
participating and placing highly in several prestigious
determination with the slogan “Boston Strong.”
contests. Tennis had a novice coach in Harold Prather,
In the aftermath of the Boston tragedy, the Prep
who replaced Tom Curran when Curran began assuming
community was certainly in need of some laughter.
more responsibilities in the office athletic director. The
This was provided, when on May 9th and 10th, Megan
team had a strong season at 12-6. Kevin Culligan and
Hoover’s Prep Players performed a hilarious version
Shane Sutera were named to the All-SCC team. Bob
of Monty Python’s Spamalot. The cast included Sergio
Bernier’s golf team, captained by Jack O’Leary and George
Cruz, Brian O’Donnell, Markus Santiago, Alex Decoteau-
Archer, along with frosh phenome Andrew Sciarretta,
Fredericks, Mike Kokias, plus other Prepsters and young
had another good season, placing 4th in the state.
ladies from the neighboring high schools. The play raised some eyebrows due to its mildly controversial
Prep Lax – State Champs Once More!
content and language, but many serious fans of theatre
The big sports story for spring 2013 was Prep lacrosse.
praised the bold choice as the 2013 spring production.
Coach Smalkais once again assembled a powerhouse
It was entertainment at its best. As was the norm, the
team, finishing 9-0 in league play, then defeating Staples
week after the play, on May 15, the annual concert was
High in the state championship contest by a convincing
performed. The theme for the 2013 concert was “The
score of 13-8. All-American and Connecticut State player
Music of Spring.” Music Director Christine Dominguez
of the year, Kevin Brown had plenty of company when it
and her many gifted musicians and singers wowed the
came to post-season honors. David White, Tim Edmonds
audience.
and Andrew Hatton all joined Brown on the All-America
As an interesting side-note, one musical talent in
and All-State teams, a remarkable accomplishment
the Class of 2013, not likely on stage that night, was
indeed. Others receiving recognition on various all-star
Chris Felner. After leaving Prep for the West coast,
teams were Austin Sims (All-State), Connor Henry, Sean
Chris honed his skills as a rap artist, known to his fans
Henry, Troy Foreit, Strecker Backe, Riley Hoffman and
as “Felly.” It did not take long for Felly to gain wide
Anthony Johnson.
recognition and success. On a number of occasions he
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Senior Prank! Members of the Class of 2013 literally covered Mr. Brennan’s office with thousands of multicolored post-it notes, to leave an unforgettable memory of their years at Prep!
returned triumphantly to the area and performed to
Mr. Brennan’s office and covered everything with post-
sold-out venues, well attended by Prep hipsters. Almost
it notes of various colors, some spelling out “2013”
every Prepster could quote the lyrics to Felly’s big hit,
“JB” and other fun messages. One can only imagine the
“Probation.”
surprise felt by the Dean of Men, as he entered his office Meanwhile, for those
that morning. Nevertheless, Mr., Brennan took the whole
with musical tastes that are
thing in stride and good humor, and he even posed
a tad more conservative,
for photos with the perpetrators for the summer 2013
another Prep alumnus often
edition of Prep Today.
toured
the
The adult social scene was alive and well in the spring
region during the decade.
of 2013. On May 4th, the day of the Kentucky Derby,
Stephen Kellogg ’94 and his
Prep held its annual fund raising dinner at the Marriott
band “Stephen Kellogg and
Stamford Hotel. In keeping with the day, the theme was
the Sixers,” have more of a
“And we’re off …to support Fairfield Prep.” The affair,
country/folk/ rock sound.
coordinated by co-chairs Juany Fumai and Susan Owens,
Stephen, by the way, was a tenacious representative
drew over 250 guests. Other events included the annual
example of “men for others” theme. His charity work
Prep Spring Fashion show, with the entertaining John
included fundraising for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital,
Brennan serving as Master of Ceremonies. The Year-
and in 2009-10 he and his band toured the Middle East,
End Concert and Celebration was held at the Fairfield
where they held concerts for the troops in places such as
Theatre Company on May 25th, and the mothers of the
Kuwait and Bahrain and Israel. They also performed for
Class of 2013 gathered at the Brooklawn Country Club
wounded soldiers at Ramstein Hospital, Germany. There
on June 6th for a dinner and celebration coordinated by
is a very good article on Steve in the summer 2016 Prep
Peggie Golger and Mary Jo McAvey.
Stephen Kellogg ’94
throughout
Today magazine.
As was the custom, graduation for the Class of 2013
On May 16, the fine arts people staged their annual
was held on the first Sunday of June, in this case June
show in Arrupe Hall, coordinated by teachers Mrs.
2nd. It was preceded by the Baccalaureate Liturgy at
Dolores Tema and Mr. Frank Bramble. Worth mentioning
St. Thomas Church on the Post Road in Fairfield on
is the fact that simultaneously with the student show,
Thursday, May 30. The senior farewell address was
Mr. Frank Bramble’s own work was on display in the
delivered by David Bruton and the keynote speaker
Quick Center’s art center. His amazing landscapes were
was none other than the Rev. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J.,
further evidence of his great talents as an artist. On an
who had traveled from Boston for the occasion. In his
interesting side note, one of the more amusing incidents
remarkable speech, Father Shaughnessy, just two weeks
that occurred near the end of the year was the senior
shy of his 50th anniversary as a Jesuit priest, began
prank, 2013 style. After hours, several seniors entered
with a reference to the terrible marathon bombing just HISTORY OF PREP | 235
CHANGE AND TRADITION
weeks before, “I come from Boston – Boston strong!”
and empathetic approach. In technology, Iwona Kolotyo
He went on to urge the Class of 2013 to accept the
was brought on board to assist with that ever-expanding
mantle of service to humanity. “This world is hurting,
aspect of the school, especially to aid faculty in their
this planet is wounded, and there are people looking for
Blackboard website updating. One of the elements of the
help, for inspiration– for good men who will respond to
school day that all had to adjust to was the long, sixty-
their cries.” There were 201 talented young men in this
minute third period class. The period was theoretically
remarkable graduating class even by Prep standards. It
created in part to provide science teachers with more
was a very ethnically and racially diverse class. Within
time for labs, etc., and for teachers in other disciplines
its ranks there was an unusual array of scholars, athletes,
to give longer tests and such. In adding the long period,
artists and musicians. Their potential to be not only
homeroom was eliminated from the schedule. Morning
successes in their chosen fields but also as true men for
announcements and the morning prayer were conducted
others was unlimited.
during the first part of third period.
The summer of 2013 was as usual an active one with
Every Jesuit school throughout the world commences
summer school, immersion trips and preparations for
its new year with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. For 2013,
the next cycle. For the sixth consecutive summer Mr.
the liturgy occurred on September 6th, following a
Elliott Gualtiere, director of campus ministry, brought a
shortened class schedule. After the Mass, the St. Ignatius
group of Prep students to experience the program called
of Loyola Alumni Award was presented to Edward
Notre Dame Vision on the beautiful South Bend campus.
Krygier ’60 and Dr. Charles G. (“Jerry”) Hemenway ’61.
It was a moving and faith-reaffirming experience for
A reception in Brissette Center followed and was enjoyed
the young men. At 40 students strong, it was the largest
by many members of the Prep community.
Prep contingent to make the conference and retreat. Speaking of the Catholic faith, and directly relating to
Prep Football - Return to Greatness!
Prep and the Jesuit community, a special event transpired
The athletic program was in high gear during the fall
on June 8th, in the church on the campus of Fordham
of 2013. Coach Shea’s football team generated a high
University in the Bronx. On that day, one of our own,
degree of excitement. Shea’s coaching staff, anchored by
Brett
S.J.,
the experienced Charlie DiCenso and the exuberant Keith
along with six others,
Hellstern, assembled a team of talented and motivated
was officially ordained a
players. The Prep juggernaut simply steamrolled its way
priest by Bishop Thomas
through the competition. As Coach Shea, MSG Varsity
Donato, D.D. It was
and Connecticut Post coach of the year, commented in
an occasion worthy of
the winter 2014 edition of Prep Today, “There was the
celebration, made even
exciting offense that scored a record 491 points and
better by the fact that
the ferocious defense that held opponents to less than
Father Stockdale was
100 yards rushing nine times.” On offense, quarterback
Stockdale,
scheduled to return to
Rev. Bret Stockdale, S.J.
Prep in August of 2013.
Colton Smith was a double threat, running and passing. Often, his passes wound up in the sure hands of tight
The end of August brought with it meetings and
end John Dellisanti or wide receiver Stephen Walsh.
technology training for faculty. Of note, a novel
Running backs Tavon Givens Hunter and Joe Ganim
technological tool that made its appearance at the
were quick and evasive. Fullback Nick Crowle, who
school was the iPad, which was piloted that year among
garnered All-League and All-State honors as a linebacker,
a group of faculty volunteers. It served as stage one of
was an unstoppable force, breaking tackles along the
a more expansive program to follow. Joining the Prep
way. It was almost comic to see Crowle moving up field,
staff that fall was Mrs. Suzanne Gorab in guidance. She
dragging defensive backs along the way, as he gobbled
had interned the previous year and had made a positive
up the yards. The team also sported huge linemen on
impression on the department with her innovative skills
both sides of the ball. On offense there was Anthony
236 | HISTORY OF PREP
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Palazzolo. Playing on both sides of the ball was Tony Fox. Defensive linebacker Crowle was undoubtedly the best player in the state at that position. He was assisted by defensive end Max Trudeau. Punter Stephen Walsh made many all-star teams. Only one thing separated the 2013 team from being ranked among the best ever at Prep, and that was winning the state championship. If it could be done, the 2013 team would join the ranks of the other Prep football state championship teams of 1977, 1982 and 1988. After defeating West Haven by a score of 29-28, coach Shea’s team needed to get by Southington to capture the title. Bad weather, including ice, snow and cold forced a number of postponements of the big game, which was originally scheduled for December 14th. It was finally played on Thursday, December 19th, at Strong Stadium, West Haven. Prep led 28-14 at half, and it seemed as though the game was “in the bag” for the Jesuits. Unfortunately, the talented Southington team exploded for 14 points in the third quarter and 24 in the fourth, with the noticeably tired Prep team only able to score 6 in the fourth. The final score, therefore, was 52-34. Prep finished the season with an impressive record of 11-3. In the end, however, all die-hard fans of Prep football agreed that the team was very exciting and enjoyable to watch. The most frequent refrain that fall was, “Prep Football is Back!” Speaking of Prep football, no person in the school’s history represents the sport more than James Earl “The Duke” Lavery ’50. Fittingly, Coach Lavery was inducted into the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies held in Stamford on October 21, 2013. The following year, on May 12, 2014, at a dinner held by the Greater Bridgeport Athletic Association, Lavery received the Al Bike Outstanding Sportsman Award. Coach Lavery, it should be remembered, piloted Prep teams to the state championship in 1977, 1982, and 1988. Congratulations, Duke!
The Alvarado Era at its Apex, and a Perfect Season for X-Country!
Christian Alvarado ’14
Adam Vare, Andy Thane, Paul Cashman, Jack McGowan, George Crist and Jack O’Connor. Prep finished with a perfect 10-0 record in dual meets, with the amazing Alvarado, undefeated in Connecticut competition, making the clean sweep by taking first place in the SCC, LL, and State Open races. Christian won many postseason accolades. He certainly and indelibly added his name to the list of all-time great distance runners at Prep, along with Connor Rog and Brian McGovern. Coaches Ford Jr. and Sr. were awarded a number of coach of the year honors. Over the years this fabulous duo had produced an amazing array of all-state runners. It was certainly a year to remember. Meanwhile, crew, sailing and soccer all had respectable seasons, with soccer going 9-7-3. The autumn months always seem to move by the most quickly during any school year. Soon enough, the community was preparing for the Thanksgiving break. At the November 26th assembly and prayer service to celebrate the holiday, the keynote speaker was Michael Maggiore ’00. Michael, a close friend of faculty member Kevin Altieri ’00, made a return to campus following a life-threatening work-related accident. His discussion of the path to recovery brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience. The student address was presented by Tyrone Fleurizard ’14 in grand fashion. His speech,
Bob Ford Sr. and Jr. had much to be optimistic about
containing references to the cartoon characters Popeye
as the cross country team began its 2013 campaign. After
and Wimpy, was both amusing and moving. Another
all, they had the highly acclaimed best runner in the state
element of the assembly was dedicated to a number of
in Christian Alvarado. The supporting cast on the varsity
faculty members, who were honored for their decades of
team included Alec Hilton, James Milliken, Matt Scholl,
service to the school. Among them were: “Padre,” Rev.
HISTORY OF PREP | 237
CHANGE AND TRADITION
Bill Eagan and guidance director John Hanrahan, (30
Kelly Theater. The show included performances by
years), teacher and Coach Bob Ford (35 years), math
the Jazzuits, Encords, the select choir, as well as the
teacher Ms. Maureen Bohan, and Spanish teacher Ms.
symphonic orchestra and the wind ensemble.
Billie Brooks (an amazing 40 years!). November brought with it a special occasion for
Basketball Team Comes Close
Kairos, as it held its 50th edition of the retreat program.
The golden age of Prep athletics continued into the
Beginning in 1996, as explained by Director of Campus
winter season with a highly impressive run by the varsity
Ministry Elliott Gualtiere in the winter 2014 edition of
basketball team. Compiling a 27-1 record behind the
Prep Today, “Kairos is a Greek word meaning quality or
dominating play of seven-foot center Pascal Chukwu,
meaningful time with God.”
along with Dave Zielinski, Ray Featherston, Keith
Autumn brought with it another play, Clockwork.
Pettway, Tom Nolan, Ryan Foley, Rich Van de Berge,
Well, Satire, Too, a collection of 30 short plays, selected
and Joe DiGennaro, Coach Redgate’s team won the SCC
by the audience in random order. As was the tradition
crown and made it all the way to the state playoffs. There
for fall productions, it was staged in the Black Box of
they beat Hillhouse in a quarterfinal game, 71-47, then
the Quick Theater. Interestingly, a few faculty members
Greenwich in the semifinals, 59-41, before losing to
participated in the play, including Mr. Tony Canuel. The
Bridgeport Central in an extremely close and somewhat
Prep Players received three Halo nominations for their
controversial championship game by a score of 76-73,
efforts, and they took home the honor of Best Acting By
played at the Mohegan Sun arena on March 22nd. Worth
An Ensemble Cast.
noting is that, in the aftermath of the season, the highly
Soon arrived the December mid-year examinations,
recruited “Big Guy,” Pascal Chukwu, signed a letter
always an anxious time for students. Christmas season
of intent to join the Providence College program the
brought with it the toy drive for underprivileged kids in
following year. As of this writing Pascal has transferred
the area, the Festival of the Doors, and the annual Advent
to Syracuse University and it is easy to predict that his
Mass, followed by the Christmas tree lighting in the Quad
star is on the ascendency.
which had been known for many years as the Kartovsky Quadrangle, in honor of benefactor John Kartovsky, Prep Class of 1946 and graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, 1950. Kartovsky had been the owner of the West End Moving and Storage Company in Bridgeport. A common sight as one drove I-95 in the Bridgeport area was a billboard of West End Movers, featuring a West Highland terrier, or “Westie” for many years. Kartovsky passed on June 14, 2012 at the age of 84. Thus, in December 2013, the tree-lighting ceremony held special value. That night, the Quad was re-dedicated in honor of Rev. Walter Pelletier ’47, and long-time math teacher, now retired. “Father Pell,” as he is affectionately called by members of the Prep community, was on hand to receive the honor, as he did in his usual humble fashion. So it came to pass that the Quad would henceforth be known as Pelletier Quad. The Christmas tree, it will be remembered, had been planted in the Quad way back in 1984 by then-headmaster Rev. Eugene O’Brien, S.J. A month later, on January 15th, the annual winter concert played full house in the Quick Center’s 238 | HISTORY OF PREP
Hockey Seals the Deal – Wins 16th State Title! The 2013-2014 edition of Prep hockey, though not blessed with high-scoring prowess still managed to get the job done and win another state title. Sather’s team went 5-1 in SCC division play and 16-4-3 overall in the regular season. The march to the top entailed a number of close games. In the quarter-finals, Sather’s skaters bested Glastonbury 4-3, then followed with another 4-3 overtime victory in the semi-finals vs. perennial rival ND West Haven. The winning goal, resulting from a coastto-coast rush down the ice, was scored by Matt Wikman. The state championship game was played against Darien on March 19 at Ingalls Rink in New Haven. Once again, it was a low-scoring game. Also once again, Prep won the nail-biter in overtime, as Vinnie D’Amore smashed a slap shot passed the Darien goalie. Captains of the state championship team were Matt Wikman, Ken Kochiss and Dean Lockery. At season’s end, Brendan Kilroy and Matt Wikman made the All-State team, with Wikman
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2013-2014 Prep Hockey Team celebrating their 16th State Title
named player of the year in Connecticut.
provided excitement, as the 2013-2014 team finished
The indoor track team continued its incredible record
at 12-7, a winning season. Led by LL State Champion
of success, spilling over from the fall cross country
Nick Crowle, the team was “humble and hungry,” in the
season. The remarkable Christian Alvarado once again
words of Coach Dennis. Other award winners included
led the way. Christian won every 3200-meter and two-
Jack Bosken, Dave Martins, and Kevin Zentner.
mile race that season, including a time of 9:00.29 in the
Swimming and diving was still on a roll, going 12-1
New England Championship meet. That time broke a
in dual meets, capturing the team’s remarkable tenth
Connecticut state record in that event – a record that had
consecutive SCC title, plus runner-up standing in the
held for 39 years. Coach Bob Ford, Sr. had much to smile
Class LL meet and the State Open meet. Star contributors
about. Aside from Alvarado, the team produced many
included Captains Brandon Cole, Connor Davis and
good performances. James Mulliken won the 1000-meter
Nick Wargo. Bryce Keblish, Jake Hoin, Andrew McPhee,
event in the SCC Division championship and took
Stuart Stritzel, Guido Baldarama, Alejandro Ramos,
second in the all-conference meet. Adam Vare once again
Rob McCrory and Michael Riina also made significant
proved himself as an excellent middle-distance man.
contributions. The 200 and 400 meter freestyle medley
In typical fashion, the rest of the winter teams
quartet of Davis, Wargo, Cole and Keblish were given
did well. The ski team compiled a record of 21-1. A
All-America honors for their remarkable performances.
number of Prep skiers performed well, including Sam
Coach Hutchinson had plenty to smile about in 2014.
Cusick, who finished eighth in the state championship and fourth in the State Open. At season’s end, Sam
Even Bigger Changes on the Way!
was selected to the All-State team. Patrick Lambert
As the calendar moved through the first few months of
made honorable mention. Captains Aaron Simkovitz
2014 there were forces at play which would bring about
and Alan Link provided strong leadership. Not to be
a dramatic change in the school. A decision was made to
outdone, Coach Corey Dennis and his Prep grapplers
offer a select group of senior faculty members an early
HISTORY OF PREP | 239
CHANGE AND TRADITION
Retirees gathered in Pelletier Quad as the seniors presented them with a cake. Missing from the photo is Tony Canuel.
retirement opportunity. Any teacher or administrator
2014. A native of Bath, England,
(according to a legal formula whereby age plus years
Brian joined the faculty in
of service equaled a minimum threshold) had the
2008 after a brilliant career in
opportunity to apply. But, there were only ten slots open,
science and industry. Never in
on a first-come, first-served basis. It quickly became
my memory had a person made
known among the faculty as “the package.” Needless
such a quick and positive impact
to say, the offer caused a bit of a stir within the faculty,
Dr. Brian Lewis
as each person eligible for the package had to make
His intelligence, teaching skills and empathetic manner
the tough decision. When the dust settled, the 10 who
quickly won over the students. His affability, sense of
decided to retire included administrators John Brennan,
humor and joie de vivre quickly made him popular among
Richard Magdon, and Louise Miller. From the teaching
the faculty. Brian was a loyal member of the faculty
faculty Frank Bramble, Tony Canuel, Connie Carrington,
“breakfast club,” the core members of which included:
Dave Driscoll, Ed Giegengack, Harvey Mamrus, and
Frank Bramble, Anna and Charlie DiCenso, Dave
Barry Wallace accepted the offer. Additionally, two
Driscoll, Ed Giegengack, Linda Kaye, Koren Mumma,
other teachers, though not eligible for the package,
Harvey Mamrus, Jane O’Reilly, Tom Sacerdote, and John
also decided to retire, Tom Cunningham and Dr. Brian
Szablewicz. Brian, who drove to school every day in his
Lewis. On a personal note, having worked with all these
classic green MG rag top, from the home in Branford that
wonderful people as educators and friends over the
he shared with his devoted wife Mary, could usually be
decades, their retirement came as a personal loss to me
seen bounding into the faculty room around 8:00 a.m.,
as well. Most importantly, however, I worried about what
grabbing a cup of coffee and asking: “OK, guys, what
the loss of these professionals would mean for the future
is going on in the world that we have to worry about
of the school. They were to a great extent responsible
today?” That usually precipitated the discussion of the
for the creation of a serious intellectual environment at
day. For lunch, Brian’s usual fare was French fries and
the school. Only time would tell if suitable replacements
orange juice. I can still remember our last lunch together
could be found for this group of distinguished educators.
with Brian, when he announced that he was feeling rather
on the entire Prep community.
tired and ill. We all were aware that he had a chronic
Dr. Brian Lewis
illness and we suggested that he take a few days off to
One of the retirees who unfortunately would never
rest. Well, that was the last we saw of Brian. He became
enjoy even one day of freedom was Dr. Brian Lewis, who
very sick the next day, entered the hospital and was gone
tragically passed away after a brief illness on April 14,
before any of us even had the chance to say goodbye.
240 | HISTORY OF PREP
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Frank Bramble, undoubtedly his closest friend at the
National Championship in North Carolina, where
school, was the person who called me with the news. A
Christian ran away from the pack to become National
week or so later, there was a memorial for Brian at one
Champion in the prestigious one-mile event. Kudos
of his favorite pubs, complete with a rolling slide show
are also in order for coaches Bob Ford Sr. and Jr., who
dedication to this extraordinary man. Subsequently, the
worked with this great athlete every step of the way. No
school held Mass in his honor, with school chaplain
team is ever a one-man show, however, and in 2014 the
Rev. Paul Holland providing a moving tribute to Brian.
team had plenty of depth in the distance categories, with
As Father Holland put it: “… he remains alive to us
James Mulliken, Adam Vare, Paul Cashman, Matt Scholl,
in our memories, in those he touched and cared for as
Alec Hilton, Billie Narvaez, Anthony Salta, George Crist,
colleague, teacher, husband, and parent. No doubt those
and others. While the running side of the equation was
memories, and the stories we will continue to tell, will
strong, however, the team was rather weak in the field
enrich and console us in these sad days.” Of note, Prep’s
events. Coaches Bob Ford Sr. and Mark Langston had
Engineering Club, moderated by science teacher Mr.
plenty of great moments to enjoy in the spring of 2014.
Anthony Dotolo, subsequently renamed the organization
The 2014 varsity baseball team was on the ascendency.
as the Lewis Engineering Society (LENSOL) in honor of
Coaches Mauritz and Sather put together a team that had
the esteemed teacher.
great success, finishing with an overall record of 18-3, winning the SCC Division title and gaining a #1 Seed in
The Other Side of the Coin
the state tournament. Although they were defeated by
One of the truths that can be clearly articulated
Amity in the second round, the team ended the season
about Fairfield Prep is whenever something tragic or
ranked #7 in the state. Senior leadership was provided
sad occurs, our young men of Prep will most certainly
by Shawn Blake, Jake Berry, Austin Crane, Matt Beck
show us the other side of the coin – the happy side, the
Chris Dunn and Dean Lockery. Blake, along with juniors
euphoric side, the yang for the yin. In the spring of 2014,
Simon Whiteman, and Kevin Stone all made the All-
the “Alvarado Era” in track reached its zenith. By the time
Division team. Kevin Stone became the first non-senior
he graduated in June, the Georgetown-bound senior had
in the history of Prep baseball to be awarded All-State
accomplished an amazing feat, taking possession of the
honors. With the Stone brothers (Kevin ’16, and Grant
school record in every distance running event, including
’16), along with John Carroll ’15, and the speedy Simon
800-meter (1:52.6), 1600-meter (4:13), mile (4:06.88),
Whiteman ’15, all returning for another season, the
3000-meter (8:26.25), 3200-meter (9:06.67), two-mile
team’s prospects for even greater success in the next
(9:00.9) and the 3000-meter steeplechase (9:42.25) This
season promised to be very high. Worth noting is the fact
does not even include the various relay team records that
that Coach Mauritz and his team were honored with the
he ran in over his career at Prep. The ultimate high point,
John Sharkey Laureno Sportsmanship Award, as voted
however, occurred at the New Balance High School
on by the Fairfield County Chapter of Approved Baseball Umpires. Hall of Fame Coach Chris Smalkais, as usual, assembled a powerhouse lacrosse team in 2014. The team finished the season with a 14-6 record, losing in the semi-final game on June 7th, to Greenwich by a close score of 9-8. At season’s end, a number of players received recognition, especially Austin Sims, who was named to the All-America and All-State teams. Joining him on the All-State roster were John Edmunds and Anthony Johnson. Cam Harris, Burke Smith, Ted Long
The Cross Country team was named 2013 SCC Champions.
Max Trudeau and Jack O’Connor all garnered postseason kudos as well. Meanwhile, the rugby team had a HISTORY OF PREP | 241
CHANGE AND TRADITION
respectable season with a 9-7 record, finishing third in the
66th Annual Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair,
state. Captains were Connor Carey and CJ Dumont. Prep
Nick Siveyer ’15 and Dylan Hawkes ’15 won first and
crew team accomplished a major step, when it joined
second honors respectively in their specific fields. Justin
a new organization, the New England Interscholastic
Consoli ’16, mentored by biology teacher Jane O’Reilly,
Rowing Association (NEIRA) in the spring of 2014.
took third place in the eleventh annual BrainDance
This organization includes within its ranks all the major
competition. Finally, Prep’s Trig*Star team won its third
prep schools throughout the region, so becoming a
consecutive state championship. Tony Abazia ’15 won
member held great significance. Members of the team
the event for an amazing third time in a row. Gavin
included: Steve Schwartz, Tim Moore, Pete Christakos,
Granath ’15 came in second and Thomas Kobak ’16 took
Rob Anderson, Brendan Rooney, Dylan Hawkes, Josh
the third place award. On the other side of the academic
Hunter, Joe Daccache, and Christian Willkehr. Prep
spectrum, 22 of Prep’s Latin students entered Latin Day
tennis, meanwhile, did rather well, compiling a record
competition, participating in various events and taking
of 11-5. Contributors were matt McKinney, Pete Nestor,
first place in the tug-of-war competition. The group was
Will Cannon, Emil Friis, Will Graham, KC McKinney,
moderated by Mr. Bernier and Ms. Mumma.
Theo Allen, and Mike Blevin. Coach Bob Bernier’s golf
The end of the 2013-2014 school year was a bitter-
team also had a very strong season. Led by Andrew
sweet time. While the seniors looked expectantly to their
Sciaretta, who was all-state and all-league, the team
senior week activities and to graduation. The realization
compiled an excellent 6-2-1 record. They came in third
began to dawn on the Prep community that somehow
in the SCC and 6th in the state, for Division 1. Joining
things would never be the same at the school in the
Sciaretta on the all-league team was James Nemia. Depth
upcoming years. Losing 12 administrators and teachers
was provided by Hunter Bohn, Tyler Duffy, Connor
all at once was enough to bring questions about the
Dugan, Tyler Bernier, Steve Bosak, Matt Cesare, Andy
future. This was all driven home that morning when
Spangenberg, and Matt Schmerzler.
Housemaster Mr. John Brennan came on the P.A. to give
The Prep Players staged an interesting production of
his farewell address to the school. The grand finale of
The Mystery of Edwin Drood on May 8th and 9th in the
his presentation included the playing of Frank Sinatra’s
Quick Center. The play received five Halo nominations,
classic song, “My Way,” (played, of course, at a very high
with Laura Cannon winning the Best Performance by
volume). John Brennan, all would agree, made a very
a Leading Actress award for her roles as Rosa Bud and
strong mark on Prep during his thirty-five years at the
Deidre. Others receiving nominations were Dimitri
school.
Kousidis, and Alex Decouteau-Fredericks. Additionally,
Graduation for the amazing Class of 2014 was held
Mike Kokias and Sergio Cruz performed well. The
on Sunday morning, June 1st. President Rev. John
orchestra for the musical, under the direction of Mrs.
Hanwell, S.J. once again regaled those about to receive
Christine Evans (formerly Ms. Dominguez), was also
their 50-year golden diplomas, from the Class of 1964,
nominated for a Halo. Speaking of Mrs. Evans, she and
with a medley of songs that were popular way back when
her musicians and singers held center stage the following
they were seniors. Andrew Ostrosky, selected by his
week, as they performed the annual spring concert.
classmates to give the farewell address, did a magnificent
This transpired as the annual art show was presented in
job. In reference to his solidarity with his Prep brothers,
Arrupe Hall.
Andrew said: “Friendships get remembered, but a brotherhood never dies.”
Prep Scholars
For Father President Hanwell, there seemed never
The spring of 2014 was an active time for Prep math
to be any down-time in his quest for improving the
and science scholars. Charles Paul ’15 captured a major
school. In the spring of 2014 he launched a new
award for excellence in math and science, presented
incentive entitled: Foundations for the Future: 75th
in a joint venture by Fairfield University’s School of
Anniversary Campaign for Fairfield Prep. Part one of the
Engineering and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. At the
grand plan called for the “strengthening student bonds
242 | HISTORY OF PREP
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Student Life Center under construction
Groundbreaking ceremony with Rev. Jeffrey van Arx, S.J., Rev. Jack Hanwell, S.J., and Dr. Bob Russo ’65
and the campus community with enhancements to our
In the years to come, Prep would need its benefactors,
facilities.” The immediate focus of this goal was fixed
alums and the entire family to step up and be counted
on the construction of a new student life center, which
on in order to help the school evolve, adapt and thrive in
was to be built by extending the cafeteria out to McInnes
the decades to come.
Road, known to the students as “Prep Alley.” As part of
The month of June, 2014 ended on an ominous
this construction plan, the existing cafeteria would be
note. On the 29th of that month radicals belonging to
completely renovated and improved. When completed,
ISIS in the Middle East declared the establishment of
the new facility was intended to serve as the social hub of
the Islamic Caliphate, which claimed dominion over
the school. Aside from accommodating as many as 500
all Muslims throughout the globe. Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi
students at a time for lunch, offices were to be built that
was named caliph of this newly invented entity. The war
would house student activities, campus ministry and
against ISIS and its caliphate would come to dominate
community service. Finally, the new center would be
the international news picture for years thereafter. This
perfect for holding class assemblies, parent, alumni and
war was not to be concentrated in the Middle East alone.
faculty gatherings as well as professional presentations
Small groups of murderers claiming allegiance to ISIS
and various special dinners. Most importantly, it would
staged many subsequent attacks on innocent civilians in
give students a clean, bright and safe place to gather
many countries across the globe.
during lunches and free periods. The big groundbreaking
The summer of 2014 was busy for the Prep
and blessing ceremony for the Student Life Center was
administration, especially for Principal Dr. Robert
held on June 18th in Pelletier Quad. Joining President
Perrotta and Academic Dean Dr. Donna Andrade. Aside
Hanwell in the event were Fairfield University President
from their usual duties in getting the school ready for
Rev. Jeffrey vox Arx, S.J., as well as chairman of the Prep
a new year, they had
Board of Governors Dr. Robert Russo ’65 and assorted
the formidable task of
guests. All hoped that the facility would be ready by its
replacing all those teachers
target date of September, 2015.
and administrators who
A
second
element
of
the
75th
Anniversary
had left the school the
Foundations for the Future plan included the expansion
previous
of the Jesuit Educators’ Academy. The goal here was “to
all was said and done, the
further improve an already outstanding faculty.” The
following
administrative
final goal of the incentive was to greatly enhance the
changes
were
endowment for financial aid for Prep students. It would
Replacing John Brennan
be difficult to find fault in these worthy and lofty goals.
was Mr. H. Dean Davis
spring.
When
made: H. Dean Davis, diretor of student discipline
HISTORY OF PREP | 243
CHANGE AND TRADITION
with the new title of director of student discipline. Note:
’06 joined the history boys. Mr. Wallace quickly earned
“JB,” as he was known to many throughout the school,
his stripes by often sitting among the Bomb Squad
actually had held various titles over his many years in
during heated athletic contests. In technology there was
the Prep administration, most often, dean of students,
Ms. Danielle Knapp and Mr. Kyle Hanson. In foreign
dean of discipline, or housemaster. Speaking of JB, an
languages, new additions were Mr. Sean Whalen and Rev.
interesting sidelight happened on October 18th, when
Thomas Simisky, S.J. Father Simisky only taught Spanish
his son Ian ’02, married Kaisa Rittenen in Chicago.
for half the year, however, as his role in the school would
Former Headmaster Rev. James Arimond, S.J. presided
change drastically before the end of the school year. But
over the ceremonies.
more on that later.
Assisting Mr. Davis with discipline and various administrative tasks was Mr. Andy Mancini. Replacing
“iPad Mania”
Mr. Davis in the learning center was Ms. Alecia Thomas,
The school year 2014-2015 will be forever known as
who continued to administer the SEED program.
the “year of the iPad.” The device was the focal point for
Replacing Mr. Steve Donahue ’92 as director of athletics,
discussion throughout the year. For the new teachers,
was Mr. Thomas Curran ’05, who had been a standout
summer ended very early, as there were meetings,
in tennis during his days as a Prep student. He was
orientation, and iPad technology training, conducted by
assisted for a few years by Mr. James (Jay) Turiano.
iPad guru Mr. Robert Bernier during the week of August
The enthusiastic Austin Ryan ’06 joined development
12th. The rest of the faculty reported for meetings
with the title of director of alumni relations. Soon
on August 18th. They also had technology training,
thereafter Austin seemed to be a ubiquitous presence,
especially for use of the iPad, which was the new age
visiting teachers to ask their opinions about the school,
educational tool of choice by the school administration.
attending athletic contests and, of course, meeting with
Training for iPad use had actually been an on-going
a significant number of Prep graduates.
proposition, with faculty training coordinated through
There were many new faculty members in autumn
the technology department throughout the previous
of 2014. Taking over for Mr. Harvey Mamrus as science
school year. While administrators and teachers discussed
department chair was Mrs. Deborah Kiel, who quickly
the pros and cons of the new iPad technology, there was
proved herself to be a more than worthy replacement.
undoubtedly an air of inevitability about the whole thing.
Also added to the science department were two Prep
At Prep, the likelihood of the success of the iPad was
alums, Brian Camus ’04, and Thomas Corona ’07, who
enhanced due to the large number of young teachers on
had excelled as a member of the track team during his
staff. Enterprising teachers, both new and experienced,
days at Prep. While Mr. Corona left after a few years
soon found many interesting ways of employing the
to begin his studies at medical school, Mr. Camus
device in their classrooms. Of course, Prep was not alone
remained to become one of the new anchors of the
in its rush to embrace the new device. The iPad had been
science department. His presence was all the more
carefully marketed as the new “best thing” and “must
important since the department had lost some great
have” for the highly competitive and successful schools
teachers the previous year. Also new to science was
throughout the nation and as a relatively inexpensive
Ms. Jennifer Unger, who taught physics and served as
(when compared to computers) panacea for educating
assistant soccer coach. English gained two new and very
students in the less advantaged school districts. The
talented teachers in Ms. Jayne Penn and Mr. Paul Denby.
idea behind the iPad was that it would become the one
They quickly proved to be very positive additions. Ms.
device that any student or teacher would need. Various
Kathleen Jackson joined the theology department and
apps (another hot term on campus) for note taking, file
made the adjustment seamlessly into the fabric of the
sharing, plus subject specific programs, etc. were added
school. Ms. Jackson also served as moderator of the
to every iPad. The excuse, “I forgot my book” was no
Philosophy Club. Joining the mathematics department
longer applicable, since the devices held e-book versions
was Ms. Katherine Brennan. Mr. John “Jack” Wallace
of most texts. Of course, historians and social scientists
244 | HISTORY OF PREP
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Prep becomes 1:1 iPad school.
have long noted that any new technology inherently
highly deserving of the honor. A reception to in their
contains the possibility of both positive and negative
honor was held in a steamy Brissette Center following
consequences. Indeed, several negative aspects of using
the Mass.
the device in class soon were apparent.
As worked progressed rather smoothly on the new
Another interesting development at the school was
Student Life Center, there was also a complete over-haul
revealed by Mr. Greg Marshall, the dean of enrollment
transpiring on Alumni Field, home of Prep football since
and marketing. In his overview of the various facts
the days that Father Loeffler, S.J. once who worked so
regarding the demographics of the new freshman class,
diligently to prepare the venue for its grand opening in
Marshall revealed that there would be ten students from
October, 1945. Now, the field was being transformed
the People’s Republic of China attending Prep for 2014-
by Fairfield University into what was primarily to be a
2015. The school was busy placing a support network
lacrosse field. Hopefully, once completed, it would also
in place for these young men, with guidance counselor
prove to be suitable for Prep football. In the interim,
Rick Hutchinson leading the way. Clearly, Fairfield Prep’s
Coach Shea’s team was forced to play its home games
reputation as a school of excellence in a values-based
in guest venues, such as the fields at Fairfield Ludlowe
environment had a role to play in attracting them to the
High School and Fairfield Warde High School. The 2014
school.
version of Prep football, for the first time sporting the FP
After a rather cool summer with many nice days,
logo on the sides of their helmets, posted a 7-4 overall
school commenced on Monday, August 25th as a hot
record. It could not, however, replicate the successes
and humid spell moved into the region. The first week
of the previous season, despite a number of strong
of September was even worse. Friday, September 5th
performances by key players. Named to various all-star
was the day of the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit. At
teams at season’s end were offensive linemen Anthony
Mass, the 2014 St. Ignatius of Loyola Alumni Award
Palazzolo and Arthur Mansolillo, as well as quarterback
was presented to John Altieri ’64, (father of faculty
Colton Smith, receiver John Dellisanti and running back
member Kevin Altieri ’98), Monsignor Joseph Potter
Joe Ganim. At season’s end, Coach Tom Shea announced
’46, and Dick McCarthy ’64, who was being honored
that he was stepping down from that post. Coach Shea
posthumously. Mr. McCarthy’s widow, Mary, accepted
’73 had successfully revived a moribund program,
the award on behalf of her deceased husband. Based
achieving a record of 32-23 in his five years at the helm
on their biographies, each of these men for others was
against some of the toughest competition in the region. HISTORY OF PREP | 245
CHANGE AND TRADITION
Following in his shoes and taking over as head coach
Zaire Hall, age 15, passed away following a long battle
was Mr. Keith Helstern, a teacher in the social studies
with cancer. A student at Kolbe-Cathedral High, Zaire
department. Helstern, in possession of a great football
was the brother of Dajon Hall, Prep Class of 2016. A
resume, seemed to be well placed to build on Shea’s
special mite box collection was taken in order to support
successes.
family with its medical and funeral expenses. The Prep
Coach Ryan Lyddy ’93 and his soccer team enjoyed
community raised $4,000 in the effort. On the 5th, the
considerable success, winning the 2014 SCC title and
school celebrated the Feast of All Saints with a special
achieving a 12-6-2 record, and losing on penalty kicks
liturgy presided over by Prep’s friend and our bishop, the
by a score of 2-1 to Conard High on November 3rd in
Most Reverend Frank Caggiano, Bishop of the Diocese
the first round of the state tournament. Post-season
of Bridgeport.
honors went to Simon Whiteman, Chris Montani,
On Monday, November 10th, the Rev. Fernando
and Biagio Paoletta. The crew team enjoyed serious
Cardenal, S.J. of Nicaragua visited the school. Father
success, finishing an amazing third in the New England
Cardenal, at eighty years of age, was in the midst of a
championships. Great performances were achieved by
speaking tour where he stressed the Jesuit mission
Zach Hammer, Austin Prusak, John Pacelli, and Kevin
of social service to those in need. He spoke to Father
Lichtenfels. The cross-country team, in a rebuilding
Simisky’s Spanish III honors class and to various theology
mode in the post Rog/Alvarado era, compiled a record of
classes that assembled in the Arrupe media room. The
4-5, led by captains Paul Cashman, Matt Rusin and Andy
day after his visit to Prep, Father Cardenal addressed the
Thane. Other successful runners included George Crist,
Fairfield University community on the occasion of the
Pat Byrne, Chris Nilsson and Drew Thompson. Of note
commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the murder
is the fact that Jack McGowen placed well in the highly
of Jesuits and their companions in El Salvador. Later that
competitive state open meet.
month, on November 15-17, nine Prep delegates joined a
There were a number of social events for the adult
throng of many advocates for social justice, representing
community during the first semester of the 2014-2015
Jesuit and Catholic institutions throughout the land in
school year. The Bellarmine Guild sponsored a “Welcome
the 17th annual Ignatian Teach-In for Social Justice in
Back” coffee event for mothers on August 25th. In
Washington, D.C.
September there was the freshman parents’ reception.
Capturing significant attention within the school
The October calendar was quite busy. First, there was
that autumn were the preparations for the staging of the
the official Grandparents’ Day Mass and Breakfast, held
powerful play, The Laramie Project. The play was based on
on the morning of October 9th. Mass was celebrated by
the murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew
President Hanwell and Chaplain Rev. Laurence Ryan,
Shepard, who was beaten to death on the night of
S.J. All attending received a Prep Christmas ornament
October 6th, 1998 by those who suspected him of being
as a token of appreciation for their participation in the
a homosexual. Megan Hoover, drama director and arts
event. On the 15th, more than 120 gathered for the
chair, urged the entire school to get involved in the play
Bellarmine ladies’ fall social, which was held at Alumni
by devoting units of study to the issue of homophobia
House on campus. On the 25th, dads and sons enjoyed
and bigotry. Meetings were held at which each academic
some quality time together in the father-son dodgeball
department revealed the plans that had been drawn up
tournament. The 28th brought another event, a mother-
to prepare and to engage students for the event. The play
son social, which featured the magician Vinny DePonto.
was performed by seventeen men and women from Prep
Finally on December 6th, the Bellarmine Guild and
and Lauralton Hall at the Quick Center on November
Fathers’ Club held a Christmas party for Prep parents at
12-14. Additionally, on Tuesday, November 18th the
Fairfield Museum and History Center.
school ran a special events time order so that juniors and seniors could attend a performance. Among the
Compassion and Social Justice On November 4th, word reached the school that 246 | HISTORY OF PREP
actors who really distinguished themselves were Dimitri Kousidas and Liam Traynor.
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Interestingly, just as the school was working diligently to address the issue of intolerance and social justice in preparation for The Laramie Project, one of the unintended negative consequences of the iPad project surfaced. The inappropriate use of the device, complete with the posting of anonymous photos (some taken in classes) and comments on a new app called Street Chat stood at the heart of the crisis. While some suggested that the problem should not be blamed on the iPads, but on social media in general, teachers pointed out that previously they could ban cell phone or other electronic devices from their classrooms, thus precluding any temptation to take photos, etc. in class. But with every
Ryan Matera ’15 and Andy Spangenberg ’15 of the Monday Preport
student in the room now expected to have his iPad on
The 2014 edition of “Trunk or Treat” for Halloween
the desk and open, at that time it was almost impossible
was a great success. Children from grades 2 through 6
to prevent inappropriate use. It needs to be said that Prep
from Hall School in Bridgeport were bussed in for the
was not alone in feeling the fall-out from this techno-
event. Every student was buddied up with a Prep senior,
trend. A quick bit of research on that period will produce
and off they went, playing games and gathering up the
numerous articles critical of the Street Chat app. There
goodies as they moved from car to car in the senior parking
is, for example, the October 4th, 2014 Business Insider
lot. A fun day was had by all. Right after Halloween,
article by Caroline Moss, who researched the effects of
attention was focused on the annual Thanksgiving food
the app on various school communities. In her report
drive. Once again, the main lobby in Arrupe Hall was
she revealed that, “Teens we spoke to in May of this year
quickly filled with canned food, etc. for the needy. At
said it (Street Chat) tore their high schools apart.” At the
the Thanksgiving prayer service and assembly, as was
end of the 2016-2017 school year, incoming academic
the custom, a number of people were honored for their
dean Mr. Timothy Dee announced that technological
long service to the school. Father Larry Ryan, S.J., had
fixes were in the works that would limit the use of iPads
completed 30 years, as had Mrs. Vivian Ahlers, cafeteria
in classrooms to subject-specific activities only.
food service director. Additionally, Mr. Greg Marshall ’73
The Prep community was determined to avert such
and Dr. Donna Andrade each had completed 35 years at
turmoil. Special assemblies were held on November 19th
the school. Topping them all was school principal Dr.
and 20th where faculty members Ms. Maureen Bohan,
Robert Perrotta at 45 years. Also on hand to receive a
Mr. Tom Shea and Mr. Corey Dennis made impassioned
well-deserved honor was U.S. Olympian javelin thrower,
presentations about the negative effects of such
Craig Kinsley ’07.
anonymous postings. Leaders of the Prep student body did an excellent job of working to solve the problem from their side of the equation. Meanwhile, several students
The Society of Jesus – Educational Reorganization
developed and delivered an extremely comical and
On December 3, 2014 the Society of Jesus made a
entertaining commentary on Prep events every Monday
major announcement. On that day it was revealed that
morning, during the extended third period time slot,
the provinces of New England and New York had been
which they called the Monday Preport. Although some
merged into a new USA Northeast province. This was
Preports were more successful than others, the fact is the
the latest move as part of a process, begun in 2010, to
program significantly benefitted the school by injecting
reorganize the structure of the Society of Jesus in North
some well needed comic relief into the air. Note: there
America. Commensurate with the ten-year process,
is a good article on the Monday Preport in the summer
to be completed by 2020, all Jesuit schools in America
2015 edition of Prep Today.
and Canada were to be joined under one umbrella, and HISTORY OF PREP | 247
CHANGE AND TRADITION
the number of American provinces would be reduced
Christmas time at Prep is always a time of joyful
from ten to four. Part of this was a simple recognition of
anticipation of the birth of Jesus. This begins with the toy
demographic realities. After all, there were somewhere
drive. There follows the annual Mass in the Eagan Chapel,
over 10,000 Jesuits in America during the late 1950s,
followed by the tree-lighting ceremony in Pelletier Quad,
while by 2014 that number had fallen to around 2,200.
held this time on December 7th. Less than a week later,
Related to this was a restructuring of the Jesuit
on Friday, December 12, the faculty and staff Christmas
schools’ umbrella organization. For decades, since 1970
party, back after a three-year hiatus, was held in Harrison
to be exact, the Jesuit Secondary Education Association
House, an off-campus Jesuit residence. A good time was
or JSEA was the network of Jesuit high schools in
had by all. The next week brought mid-year exams,
America. In fact, one of the founding members of that
then, Christmas vacation. During the break, work on the
organization was Rev. Robert “Jerry” Starratt, S.J. ’53,
Student Life Center appeared to progress without a major
who was the leader of Prep from 1969 through 1972.
hitch. Everything seemed to be moving swiftly toward the
It was then-Father Starratt, famous for his scholarship
projected grand opening in the fall of 2015.
on ethical leadership in secondary schools, who helped
Father Simisky, S.J. announced!
facilitate the JSEA “Graduate at Graduation” process. Fairfield Prep was the main player in that endeavor. In any event, in April, 2015, the title of the JSEA was
Emerging from the Christmas
changed to the JSN or Jesuit Schools Network, with the
break as 2015 dawned, there
Rev. William Muller, S.J. as its first executive director.
were a number of significant
The organization’s stated goal is as follows: “The Jesuit
developments. The first came
Schools Network initiates programs and provides services
on January 7th when Fairfield
that enable its member schools to sustain their Ignatian
University Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., announced that
vision and Jesuit mission of educational excellence in the
the new president of Fairfield Prep was to be the Rev.
formation of young men and of competence, conscience
Thomas M. Simisky, S.J., effective on July 1, 2015. Born
and compassion.”
in Worcester, Massachusetts, Father Simisky compiled quite an interesting resume, with a B.A. in politics
Father Hanwell – Socius of the Northeast Province
from Assumption College and an M.A. in economics from Boston College. He also spent time in the United
As to the extent to which any or all of these changes
States Marine Corps, serving in the Persian Gulf and
in the governance of Jesuit education would impact
the Western Pacific. Ordained a priest in June of 2014,
the Fairfield Prep community, it did not take very long
Father Simisky was fluent in Spanish and Russian.
to discern. In fact, President John J. Hanwell, S.J. was
Before being named as Prep’s new leader, Simisky had
selected to be the Socius of the newly-formed Northeast
been teaching honors Spanish since his arrival at the
Province. In that capacity he was to serve as an important
school the previous summer. In order to prepare for the
second-in-command to the Provincial, Rev. John J.
daunting task of running the school, Father Simisky
Cecero, S.J., in the daunting task of running the new
reluctantly left the classroom as the second semester was
mega-province, which ultimately would include schools
about to begin.
from New England to Maryland. Thus, in the autumn of 2014 an official search committee for a new president
More Terrorism
was formed, chaired by Mr. Tim Murphy ’85, who also
Unfortunately, in Paris, on January 7th, the very day
served as the chair of Fairfield Prep’s Board of Governors.
that Fr. Simisky’s appointment was announced, radical
In an insightful move, the committee solicited feedback
Islamist terrorists attacked the Paris offices of the satirical
on the selection of the new leader through an official
journal Charlie Hebdo, killing twelve staff members. A
survey, in which many in the Prep community were
subsequent siege of a Jewish supermarket, also in Paris,
happy to participate.
resulted in six deaths. Clearly, the issue of international
248 | HISTORY OF PREP
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terrorism was becoming a pressing reality. Later in the month, on January 20th, came the sad news of the passing of Rev. Francis R. Allen, S.J.
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the state – frost heave on many roads. Driving to school during the end of February and into March brought roller-coaster conditions, especially on the back roads.
Father Allen was known to the students as “the Sheriff” during the years 1958-1962, when he was in charge of
Prep Basketball – 2015 State Champions!
discipline. The day after Father Allen’s passing, Prep held
In sports, the big buzz on campus centered on the
its annual Dr. Martin Luther King assembly in the Quick
basketball team. It is interesting to note that having
Center auditorium. As had become the custom, the
previously graduated two major stars in Terry Tarpey
affair was coordinated by Mrs. Alecia Thomas, Director
’12, and Paschal Chukwu ’14, without capturing the
of SEED. Musical guest was Neddy Jean. Guest speaker
state championship, the odds seemed to be stacked
was Andrew Davenport, Class of 2008. Andrew’s moving
against Prep for winning the 2015 title. Yet the team
speech, where he discussed the African side of his family’s
jelled amazingly well, with the whole becoming greater
biography, was a big hit with the students. It is worth
that the parts. Coach Leo Redgate had assembled a team
noting that Andrew subsequently returned to work at
that worked remarkably well as a unit, achieving a final
Prep in the Office of Enrollment & Marketing, starting
record of 25-2. Each player made great contributions.
in the fall of 2015. Mr. Davenport took the position of
Tommy Nolan was a force of nature and the ultimate
admissions counselor that had been vacated when the
manifestation of pure will-power. Ryan Foley was
previous holder of that spot, Mr. Chris Casaccio ’09, left
incredibly clutch in his shooting, especially from the
the post to begin his studies in medical school. February
perimeter. Both made various all-state, all-region and
was a tough month. Record cold temperatures settled
all-conference teams. Rich the “Iceman” Kelly always
in to the region for most of the month. Things got so
seemed to come up big when it most counted. Big
bad that Connecticut experienced something rare for
man Pat Harding was key with his rebounding and
2015 Prep basketball team celebrating the state champion title HISTORY OF PREP | 249
CHANGE AND TRADITION
passing talents. Ray Featherston displayed great court
Laurian, and Owen Richards all placed in the top twenty
sense and made solid contributions. Joe DiGennaro
in the state. Meanwhile, the hockey and indoor track
always seemed to get the big rebound, especially on the
teams had what might be called off seasons. The hockey
offensive boards. When Allen Gibson, Tate Duran and
team compiled a rare losing record of 9-10, with captains
John Murphy entered the game, the team did not seem
Ryan Deering and Vinnie D’Amore receiving a number of
to miss a beat. Matt Gerics provided tenacious defense
post-season awards, including all-state first and second
and good point guard skills. Bob Haskins, John Kelly
teams respectively. Goalie Jack Taubl had a particularly
and Will Lucas added significant depth and manifested
strong season as well. Additionally, the indoor track
a great desire to help by grabbing that big rebound
team, seriously hurt by the graduation of a number of
or that loose ball. Receiving a bye in the first round,
all-stars, fell to 14-15.
Prep went on to soundly defeat Newtown 80-44 in the second round, then Fairfield Ludlowe by a score of 70-
A Good Year for Prep Wrestlers
48. The round four game vs. Hillhouse was a real nail-
A very positive development was the success of
biter, with Prep coming out on top in overtime, 59-57.
Coach Corey Dennis’s wrestling team, which compiled
The state championship game was played on March 21
an amazing 13-3 record and captured the SCC division
at Mohegan Sun Arena. In another close contest, Prep
crown. Leadership was provided by captains Mike Russo,
bested Westhill by a score of 51-50. Tommy Nolan ended
Yanni Tsiranides, Jake Bosken and Orlando Sanchez,
the first half with an incredible three-point shot from
with Bosken and Sanchez picking up post season honors.
half-court, which later proved to be very significant.
Throughout the early months of 2015 work
Rich Kelly’s clutch free-throws were crucial down the
progressed on the new Student Life Center and cafeteria.
home stretch. The victory brought Prep basketball its
At times, this necessitated some sacrifices on the part
third state title, the other two coming in 1969 and 1997.
of the Prep community, as the usable portions of the
Among those who reacted joyously to the victory was
cafeteria’s footprint were altered in accordance with
Rev. Paul Holland, S.J., one of the team’s most loyal fans.
the work schedule. At times the cafeteria seemed to
A shout-out is in order for assistant coach Mr. Tim Dee,
shrink to incredibly small dimensions, and a dark and
who also coached the freshman team. Coach Dee’s calm
crowded atmosphere reduced the pleasure of dining
and patient demeanor on the bench clearly added to the
in the facility. Everyone, from the food service people,
confident, can-do attitude of the players. At season’s
to administrators, faculty prefects, to the students, did
end, both Tom Nolan and Ryan Foley were named to the
their very best to come with the extreme conditions. On
CHSCA All-State basketball team.
April 21st the new section of the cafeteria was completed
Other teams reported mixed results in the winter of
enough to allow students to use it. Granted, the concrete
2015. Coach Hutchinson’s swimming and diving team
floors still needed to be tiled and the walls had not been
had the most success, going 9-1 in dual meets, taking
painted, but it was a pleasure to have the extra space.
the SCC crown and finishing second in the state Class
All that ended on Monday, May 18th, when the entire
LL championships. The team sported great performances
space was closed down once more. The Brissette Athletic
by All-American and University of Virginia-bound Bryce
Center was temporarily transformed into a make-shift
Keblish. Divers Robert McCrory, Jackson Rotundo
cafeteria as benches and tables were brought in to the
and Mike Connelly all gained medals in the LL State
space. While the hot food options were greatly limited,
Meet. Coach “Hutch” Hutchinson reported that “Other
cafeteria directors Frank and Vivian Ahlers and their
big contributors included Alejandro Ramos, Guido
crew made the best of a tough situation. Burgers and
Balderrama, Gianni Leito, Michael Riina, Sean Paul
franks were barbecued outside the gym and brought
Stolarski, Stan Yarmoussik, Ben Fox and Oliver Rus.”
in to the tables that had been set up. There were also
The ski team compiled a 22-2 record and finished second
sandwiches and drinks to be had. While the lines were a
in the state open meet. The 2015 Hearthstone reported
bit long, everything moved incredibly well. The faculty
that Sam Cusick, Pat Lambert, Dan King, Connor
dining room was also closed for the last few weeks of
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the year, but coffee and treats were provided in the Berchmans Hall Main Office. Mr. Tom Sacerdote, whose classroom was also on the first floor, graciously extended an invitation to teachers to have their morning coffee in that space. It all worked out rather well. Mr. Sacerdote, by the way, had become the social studies department’s go-to guy for teaching the sophomore Asian studies course. His course combined important elements that reached the students on both the cognitive and affective domains of learning. The
spring
sports
season
satisfied
normal
expectations, but also brought a few surprises. In the
All-State golfer Andrew Sciarretta ’16
normal category was the success of the lacrosse team,
Bernier’s golf team, led by All-State player Andrew
now playing in the newly completed Rafferty Stadium
Sciarretta ’16. Senior captains Tyler Bernier and Andy
(formerly known as Alumni Field). Boasting a number
Spangenberg, provided stability, while Steve Bosak, Matt
of all-state players in John Edmonds, Cam Harris, Colin
Cesare, and Matt Schmerzler added depth to a team that
Smalkais, Nick Franchuck, and James Loughran, (all
finished first place in the SCC regular season with an
of whom were also All-SCC), with All-SCC players
8-0-1 record. The tennis team was also a success, going
Chris Brown, Mitch Savoca, Jack O’Connor and Jack
14-4 for the regular season. Senior captain Will Cannon,
McGowen, the Prep team seemed poised to win another
along with junior Will Graham, had great success.
state title. It certainly looked good in the aftermath of
Others making significant contributions were senior
the May 30th game versus Fairfield Warde High School,
captains Emil Friis and Mike Blevin. Steve Westfahl, KC
which Prep dominated by a score of 13-6. In the first
Maloney, Jon Konecny, Shawn Connelly, Theo Allen, Jack
round of the state playoffs, however, Prep was defeated
Caserta, Frank Fortunati, Alex Reza, Ryan Finn, Will
by a very talented Greenwich team by the score of 11-6.
Duffy and Nick Allen were all there when needed. Worth
SCC coach of the year Rudy Mauritz assembled a
mentioning is the fact that Coach Harold Prather was
well-balanced powerhouse of a team for 2015. Finishing
voted SCC coach of the year for his efforts. Well done!
the regular season with an impressive record of 17-3, the
Prep rugby had a strong season, going 10-5 and taking
team was given the second seed in the state tournament.
second place in the state. Leadership was provided by
After defeating Hall on June 2nd in the first round by a
senior captains Colin Ihlefeld, Greg Terry and Peter
score of 3-2, Prep advanced to the second round, which
Antonincelli. The crew and sailing teams had successes
auspiciously was played as a home game. In that contest
in various meets and challenges.
they lost by a score of 2-1 to a strong Stamford squad, thus dashing their hopes for the title. Worth noting is
Excellence In Math and Science
the fact that at season’s end, pitcher Kevin Stone was
As the 2014-2015 school year moved toward its
placed on the All-State team. This was the first time
inevitable conclusion, it became clear that Prep’s math
that a Prep baseball player had reached that pinnacle.
and science scholars had struck gold once more. For
His younger brother Grant, along with Jim Colihan,
starters, the Trig*Star team, moderated by Ms. Maureen
were selected to the All-Division team. Many of the Prep
Bohan and Mrs. Catherine Brennan, captured the state
seniors had signed letters of intent to continue playing
championship for an amazing fourth consecutive time.
baseball on the college level, including All-State Kevin
Leading the way was Haoxiang Zhang, who placed
Stone (Harvard), Simon Whiteman (son of math teacher
first in the state. Other members of the winning team
Jaimie Whiteman) Yale, Joe Ganim (Union), and John
included Gavin Granath, Jack Llewellyn, and Bowen
Carroll (St. Anselm).
Chen. Additional adult leadership was provided by
Another group reaching great heights was the Coach
Mr. Jorge Pereira, a senior surveyor at Readness and HISTORY OF PREP | 251
CHANGE AND TRADITION
Mead. The Lewis Engineering Society, moderated by
May 31st. The Keynote Address to the graduates was
Mr. Anthony Dotolo, took second in their division and
given by the Most Reverend Joseph M. O’Keefe of Boston
seventh in the state. Team members included Charles
College. Among the many graduation honors was a
Paul, Patrick Piekarski, Mike Lagrange, Griffin Roth,
special President’s Award, which was given by President
Chris Calo, Dylan Hawkes, and Gavin Granath. Jonathan
Hanwell to Ryan Matera and Andrew Spangenberg
Siveyer and Junlin Mo achieved great success at the
for outstanding leadership and school spirit for their
Connecticut State Engineering and Science Fair, held at
Monday Preport, which as previously noted brought
Quinnipiac University. Meanwhile, Fairfield University’s
news in a humorous fashion to the school community.
School of Engineering honored the achievements of Luke
The weekly program was one of the highlights of the
Clair. Prep’s Math Team, moderated Mrs. Amy Ardito,
school year.
captured honors at the state championship. Ms. Jennifer
The Hanwell era ended on June 7th when the Prep
Unger, assistant moderator of the Prep Robotics Club,
and University community gave him a wonderful farewell
proclaimed that she was proud to see her students take
reception on June 7th in the Kelley Center. Tributes
tenth place in the highly competitive state tournament.
were made, official citations were given, and a fun time
The mixing of science and the arts is evident in the
was had by all. The summer of 2015 was memorable in
Donate Life Annual High School Visual Art Contest.
many ways, including that on July 1st the Rev. Thomas
In this interesting competition students are challenged
Simisky, S.J. assumed the office of President of Fairfield
to create artwork and posters that will promote organ
Prep. By that date, of course, summer school was already
and tissue donation. Biology teacher Mrs. Jane O’Reilly
underway and plans were being drawn up for the new
sponsored three Prep students to award winning status:
school year.
Mac Berry, Everett Lyons and Mike Manella. Mrs. O’Reilly garnered the teacher award for her work as coach of the Prep participants.
Prep on a Mission During 2015, the summer immersion trips were alive
The artistic, dramatic, musical and social life at
and well. In June, one group visited the towns of Fries
the school is always quite vibrant in the spring. The
and Barren Springs in the Appalachian region of Virginia.
Prep Players quite successfully staged the musical
During the month of July another group made its way
The Drowsy Chaperone, which received three Halo
down to the island of Jamaica, where they would assist
nominations. The Mother and Son Fashion Show was
those at the Blessed Assurance Orphanage for children
held at Testo’s Restaurant in Bridgeport on March 19th,
with severe disabilities. Faculty leaders were Mr. Jaimie
and they gathered once more at the annual Mother and
Whiteman and Mrs. Elaine Clark, whose daughter Mary,
Son Communion Breakfast on April 26th. The annual
a Lauralton student, also joined the group. Previously,
spring gala and auction, titled “Building the Hallways
a Prep Christian Service group made its way down to
to Success,” was held on May 2nd. The affair was also
Ecuador. Finally, the usual venture to El Salvador was
used to honor the Rev. John J. Hanwell, S.J., president of
canceled due to political instability there. Instead, there
Fairfield Prep, who as previously noted was leaving the
was a service trip to Los Angeles, where students worked
school to work as one of the top administrators in the
in a center devoted to the care of the homeless.
newly created Northeast Jesuit Province. Worth noting is
Back at Prep, August always brings the start of
the fact that a scholarship in Father Hanwell’s name was
practices for the fall sports season. For the Prep football
announced by the Board of Governors, and donations
program, those practices would be significantly enhanced
quickly mounted throughout the night, such was the
by the grand opening of the newly installed Barlow turf
popularity of Father Hanwell.
field. Official dedication and blessing ceremonies were
The last Thursday of May, the 28th, brought the annual
held on August 29th, with Fairfield University President
Baccalaureate Liturgy at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on
Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., Fairfield Prep President Rev.
the Post Road in Fairfield, with Commencement for the
Thomas Simisky, S.J., and Prep Student Chaplain, Rev.
Class of 2015 at 10:00 am on the morning of Sunday,
Brett Stockdale, S.J. officiating.
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CHAPTER 15
Heading Toward Prep’s 75th
Fr. Tom Simisky, S.J., jumps into the Prep Bomb Squad at the 2015 Thanksgiving game to cheer for the Jesuits.
The Simisky Era Commences
F
position of school president was no doubt made easier by
aculty meetings for the 2015-2016 school
the presence of his experienced secretary Mrs. Margaret
year were held on the 20th and 21st of
Rosario. Since her arrival at Prep in January of 1999, the
August. Presiding over the events was the new
congenial Mrs. Rosario had served three school leaders,
school President, Rev. Thomas Simisky, S.J. Freshman
Father Boughton, Father Hanwell, and now Father
orientation, with all its many activities, including the
Simisky. It would be foolish to overlook the contributions
fun-filled Freshman Olympics, took place on Monday,
of Mrs. Rosario and the rest of the secretarial staff. She,
August 24th. Then followed the senior retreat on
along with Mrs. Patty Veno and Mrs. Cindy Fortunato,
Tuesday, with the sophomore/junior orientation on
served in the front lines at Prep. They were the people
Wednesday. All of the assemblies associated with these
most visitors and callers interacted with in their dealings
orientations occurred in the new Student Life Center,
with the school. Their contributions should never be
which was indeed an impressive and expansive facility.
underestimated.
Father Hanwell’s plan had produced great dividends. The
At this point it is worth mentioning that Prep
social space of the school was bright, air-conditioned and
weathered the storm brought about with the retirement
very inviting.
of all those senior teachers at the end of 2014. In fact,
Father Simisky’s transition into the demanding
with the exception of a few glitches here and there, it
HISTORY OF PREP | 253
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
can be said the new crop of young teachers brought in to replace the retirees performed up to and beyond expectations. Of course, there is always turnover among the staff of any institution as new additions are made to replace those who leave or retire. New to Prep in 2015 were Mr. Joe Barreira (who originally came to campus to replace Father Simisky during the second semester of the previous year) and Mr. Ciro Romano, both of whom taught Spanish. Mr. Robert Fosse-Previs ’87 joined the art department. Ms. Lise Heller was brought in to teach mathematics. She unfortunately had to leave the school at mid-year due to health problems. Ms. Heller was replaced
Mr. Bruce Jaffe, social studies teacher and head swim coach
by Mr. Attila Levai, who graduated from the school in
fashion, with one class always behind the others. Beyond
1967. Mr. Andrew Davenport ’08 joined the admissions
that, third period, which previously had been longer
office. Ms. Patricia Schickler was brought in to work
than the rest, suddenly seemed too brief, what with
with the growing number of Chinese students, as Prep
announcements, the morning prayer, etc. all taking time
moved into the second year of the school’s International
away from class. This was especially noticeable on test
Student Program. It might be added that the first group of
days.
Chinese students by and large performed extremely well, gaining praise from many teachers. Most importantly, they seemed to be assimilating into the social dimension of the school, always a difficult challenge, but made
Bruce Jaffe Begins 50th Year of Service One person who attended more than his fair share of the professional pre-school meetings was Bruce N. Jaffe.
easier due to the openness of the Prep community.
A word is in order about Mr. Jaffe. Bruce, as he preferred
The 70-Minute Period
from Yale University and spending some time in the
to be called, came to Prep in 1966 after graduating
Although it was no big deal for the new members
U.S. Navy. Bruce’s impact on the school was immediate
of the faculty, since they had no familiarity with the
and substantial. Known as one of the most demanding
old schedule, one major change in the school for 2015-
teachers in the school, his challenging page-long essay
2016 was the creation of a 70-minute-long fifth period.
questions are legendary. In faculty meetings Bruce’s
This period replaced the previous one-hour third period
wise counsel has remained a constant voice of reason
that had been in effect for the previous two years.
for over four decades. He was not hesitant to speak
Additionally, the school lunch periods were reduced
out for the ideals in which he believed. He was a loyal
from three to two, with groups having lunch, not by
colleague and mentor to various members of the social
class, as had been the previous custom, but by building.
studies department. Beyond all this, Bruce was the most
So, those about to go to fifth period in Berchmans, had
significant force in the growth and success of the soccer
the first lunch period, and those in Xavier had the second
and swimming teams. His patient nurturing of these
lunch break. Meanwhile, in the north corridor of the
programs has paid great dividends as both are among the
Student Life Center you could find the Prep Pride Store,
best in the state. For many years Bruce even drove the
and offices for Christian Service director Jon DeRosa and
team “Red Rocket” bus. Over the years he also served
assistant to the Dean of Discipline Mr. Andy Mancini.
as an assistant track coach and functioned as trainer for
There were also three project rooms in that area as well.
various teams. For decades Bruce functioned as head
While the 70-minute fifth period theoretically worked
chef for the annual Christmas dinner for the elderly and
out well enough, many teachers found it difficult to
for the Merton House dinner on Dr. Martin Luther King
keep the various sections of the same subject in synch.
Day in January. In addition to all of this, Bruce was a
It often seemed that the week ended in an unbalanced
major force within the Jesse Lee Methodist Church in
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Easton. It was never a secret that Bruce had chronic
honored guests were Fairfield University President Rev.
health problems. As the years passed, those problems
Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. and the Rector of the Fairfield Jesuit
clearly increased in intensity. In recent years he needed
Community, Rev. Paul Holland, S.J. Additional guests
hospitalization for brief periods at a time during the
included former Prep President Rev. Michael Boughton,
school year. In the spring of 2016, as he moved through
S.J., as well as various members of the Fairfield Jesuit
his 50th year of service to Prep, Bruce’s health problems
Community, several priests representing the Diocese of
worsened. Finally, at a faculty meeting on the morning
Bridgeport, and members of the Prep Board of Governors.
of March 31st, Principal Bob Perrotta read a beautiful
An interesting aspect of Father Simisky’s commissioning
letter from Bruce’s wife Carla, addressed to the Prep
was when he was presented the official mace of Fairfield
community. He then announced that Bruce Jaffe would
University by Father von Arx. Following the ceremony,
not be returning to Prep and that those health issues
there was a joyous reception for Prep’s new president held
were pushing him into retirement. Luckily, the social
in the new Student Life Center. Faculty and staff mingled
studies department could count on sensei Dave Driscoll,
with a large collection of guests, including Fr. Simisky’s
himself in semi-retirement, who came to the rescue to
proud parents. Later that evening, in the Brissette
cover Mr. Jaffe’s classes for the remainder of the school
Athletic Center, Prep held its first scholarship mixer of
year. Worth mentioning is the fact that as of the end of
the year in support of the SEED program. Beyond these
the 2016-2017 school year no member of the teaching
events the month of September had become increasingly
faculty had successfully completed fifty full years in the
busy at Prep. The Freshman Parents’ Reception was held
classroom. Bruce Jaffe almost made it, but, as mentioned
on the evening of the 15th.
above, health problems prevented that from happening.
On the 18th, Prep welcomed back Bill Pappa, Class
The official first day of the 2015-2016 school year was
of 2004 for the inaugural Senior-Alumni Lunch event.
Thursday, August 27. Teachers used the first two days of
Director of Alumni Relations Austin M. Ryan ’06 was the
the new school year to introduce their courses, delineate
driving force behind the program, which was designed to
classroom procedures and seating arrangements, and to
expose members of the senior class to former Prepsters
assign the first reading assignments. Of course, all of
who have achieved success in business and other
this was posted on teachers’ Blackboard websites, with a
professional fields. Among those attending the meeting
number of instructors moving into the Schoology system.
were Aedan Ayer, Gavin Doran, Bill Newbauer, Connor
Either way, all teachers agreed that there was now no
Lynch and Mike Toohey.
excuse whatsoever for students to say they did not know what their homework was or when that next big test was
Dedication of the Student Life Center
to be given. Parents visiting Prep for the annual Back-to-
The official dedication ceremony for the new Student
School Night on the evening of Wednesday, September 9
Life Center on was held on Sunday, September 20th,
were given this information as well.
with members of the Board of Governors, alumni,
Another annual event was the Mass of the Holy Spirit,
parents, faculty, staff, and many special guests, both
which was held in Alumni Hall on Friday, September
clergy and lay, in attendance. The guest of honor was the
11th, which, of course, is the anniversary of a much
former Prep President, Rev. John J. Hanwell, who was the
darker event in America’s history. And while everyone
driving force behind the new facility.
at Prep made note to pray or spend a moment in silent
Guests
enjoyed
wandering
through
the
new
contemplation in remembrance, there was also good
facility, which included a large dining area and three
reason for the Prep community to feel some joy that day.
project rooms for group study and student activities.
In ceremonies following the Liturgy, the new President,
Additionally, there were several offices, including The
Rev. Thomas Simisky, S.J. was officially commissioned.
O’Keefe Campus Ministry Center, made possible with
On hand for the special celebration was the Very Rev.
a gift from the O’Keefe families, including Robert ’51,
John Cecero, S.J., provincial of the newly formed
Patrick ’80, Sean ’09, Robby ’14 and Tim Butala ’15.
USA Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus. Other
During the following week, a small group representing HISTORY OF PREP | 255
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
proceeded to invite members of the Prep community to join him there throughout the season. Aside from being warm and safe from the elements, people invited to the box could enjoy the food and beverages provided for their convenience. It is worth noting that, even in the worst weather, President Simisky simply could not resist leaving the box to join the student body in the bleachers. For the record, Prep’s inaugural game at Rafferty Stadium was a rousing success, with the Jesuits defeating Jonathan Law High School by a score Student Life Center
of 42-0. Unfortunately, despite many bright spots and big victories, Coach Hellstern’s first season at the helm
the Prep community, led by Rev. Brett Stockdale, S.J.,
resulted in a record of 5-5. Several players received post-
and Elliott Gualtiere, made the trip to Philadelphia to see
season honors, including defensive standout Calvin
Pope Francis, who was making an historic visit to that
Reed, along with Aidan Coyle. On the offensive side of
city. The group was hosted by the community at Saint
the ball, running back Nick Franchuk made All-SCC,
Joseph’s Prep, a brother Jesuit school. The busy month of
joining defenders Reed and Coyle on the list. Co-Captain
September ended with the National Honors Society Mass
Connor Bercik was named News 12 Scholar Athlete.
and awards ceremony on the 30th.
Whatever the record, it was clear that Coach Hellstern
The autumn sports scene was significant because of
had put together a good program with many talented
a number of changes that were revealed. For football,
younger players in the pipeline to ensure future success.
there was a new head coach as Keith Hellstern took the
Other fall teams enjoyed success in 2015. Soccer
reins, replacing Tom Shea. Coach Shea, after six years in
coach Ryan Lyddy ’93, guided his team to a 13-2-1
the lead position, decided to move to an assistant post,
record, winning the Quinnipiac Division title for the 5th
thus opening the door for Hellstern. Another new feature
time in Lyddy’s six seasons at the helm. The team made
was the fact that the team played its home games in the
it to the quarterfinals of the Class LL state tournament,
new Rafferty Stadium. It will be remembered that the
where it lost in a very close game to Darien by a score
stadium, built to replace Prep’s own Alumni Field, was
of 1-0. Senior captains were Jack Oricoli, Aiden Rooney
intended primarily as a lacrosse venue. As such, there
and Jackson Day. Oricoli, along with stellar goalkeeper
were some last-minute adjustments that had to be made
Dan Sabo, Julio Ojeda Quintana, and Biaggio Paoletta,
before the field would be football ready. Prime among
were selected to the All-SCC team.
them was the moving of the fences that stretched around
The cross country team had reason to celebrate as
the end-zones, which were originally placed in such a
well, posting a dual meet record of 11-1. Providing solid
way that they intruded into that space. Aside from being
leadership were senior captains George Crist and Jack
in violation of the official rules governing the size of the
McGowen. Other members of the varsity team included
end-zones, there was a safety issue for the players, as one
sophomore sensation Andrew Thompson, along with Jack
might expect. But, that was remediated easily enough
O’Connor, Pat Byrne, Chris Nilsson, Andrew Newcomb,
and the field was ready.
Mac Sheldon and Ed Tristine. Andrew Thompson in
Rafferty Stadium was certainly a great venue for
particular was simply amazing throughout the season.
watching a football game. Among its many features were
He was undefeated throughout the regular season and
excellent restroom facilities, certainly an improvement
he captured first place in the SCC championship meet.
over the old portable toilets. Also, there were enclosed
For his efforts, Thompson won many post year honors,
luxury box seating areas. University president Fr. Von
including All-State, All-League and SCC Runner of the
Arx graciously allowed Prep president Father Simisky to
Year. Crist and McGowen also made the All-SCC 1st
use the President’s Box for Prep games, and Fr. Simisky
Team, with O’Connor receiving Second Team status.
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a few months earlier the news broke that Chris had been selected to be the director of player development, then assistant general manager for the New York Rangers, which was the NHL club that Chris had played for during the last years of his illustrious twelve-year career. Chris was unique among American athletes in that he won championships on every level of competition, starting with the Little League world baseball championships as a youngster. He then won a state hockey title with Prep, a national college title with Boston University, Matthew Sweeney ’16, Grant Ballesteros ’17, James Paul ’19, and Christian Haranzo ’19 (pictured with Coach Marc Jacobi) placed in the National New Orleans Regatta
two silver medals in the Olympics, and the National Hockey League Championship with the Colorado Avalanche. Chris was inducted into the inaugural class of the Prep Athletic Hall of Fame in June of 2017. On
Prep’s water-based teams continued their success
a personal note, having taught all three Drury boys,
as well. The fall crew team, led by senior captains Rob
(Jimmy, the brother in the middle, was also a very good
Anderson, Peter Cristakos, Joe Daccache and Brendan
hockey player, but transferred to the Gunnery School to
Rooney progressed to win medals at the New England
complete his education), I can attest to their intellectual
Championships. At season’s end, Rob Anderson accepted
abilities, academic talents and high moral standards. All
a nomination to attend the United States Military
three brothers were humble and lacking in braggadocio,
Academy at West Point. Meanwhile, the sailing team had
preferring to let their actions speak for them.
considerable success as well. In fact, four members of
Prep alums seem always to be in the news for one
the team, Matt Sweeney, Grant Ballesteros, James Paul
or another accomplishment or service to the community.
and Chris Haranzo, were brought by Coach Marc Jacobi
Another example of that can be found in the work of
to the National Regatta in New Orleans. There they held
Dr. Frank Scifo, Class of 1970. On November 30, Dr.
the Prep banner high by finishing 11th out of a strong
Scifo was honored by St. Vincent’s Health Center. The
field of 36 teams.
hospital named its new Community Education Room at
The many fans of Prep hockey received great news
the Stratford Health and Wellness Center in honor of Dr.
in the autumn of 2015 when Ted Drury ’89 and Chris
Scifo, who has achieved a great reputation throughout
Drury ’94 were honored by various organizations. On
the area as a caring physician in the service to others. It
October 19th, at the Hyatt Regency of Greenwich, Ted
should be noted that Dr. Scifo’s wife Caroline gave great
was inducted into the Fairfield County Sports Hall of
service to Prep in her time with the Bellarmine Guild.
Fame. A group of Prep administrators and faculty were
Their son Peter ’98 returned to Prep as a very successful
present for the occasion. During the auction associated
teacher on a number of occasions. Peter was very active
with the event, Director of Alumni Relations Austin Ryan
in helping colleagues make the transition into the more
’06 made the highest bid on a #18 Prep hockey jersey,
sophisticated technological changes that were being
autographed by both Ted and his brother Chris. This
made in those years.
assured that the jersey would come home to Fairfield Prep. Ted, a scholar in his own right, played collegiately
Schedule Changes in the Pipeline?
for Harvard University. He went on to play for the U.S.
Speaking of changes, on Wednesday, November
Olympic team in 1992 and 1994, then, professionally for
4th classes were canceled as the Prep faculty and their
the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
counterparts from Lauralton Hall in Milford gathered in
Meanwhile, Chris Drury ’94 received the great honor
the new Prep Student Life Center for a joint professional
of being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, in
development day. During the workshop, a number of
ceremonies held in Boston on December 17th. Of note,
Lauralton teachers presented lesson plans on how they HISTORY OF PREP | 257
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
made use of the large class periods in their new block schedule. For Prep, the institution of the 70-minute fifth period the previous year seemed to serve as a transition for the school to have at least limited block schedule of its own. To explain: a block schedule is one where classes meet fewer times per week, but for much longer time intervals. At Lauralton Hall, for example, there are four class meetings per day, each lasting 75 minutes. This differs considerably from the previous Prep schedule, wherein students attended classes in all subjects every day for 40 minutes each. That, of course, had been modified over the previous four years, first with the 60-minute third period, then by replacing that with a 70-minute fifth period.
Tom Gaudett ’10 with Rev. Larry Ryan, S.J.
Happy Retirement, Father Larry Ryan! At Prep, December 2nd was the date of the Junior
Note: A very good overview, including a discussion
Ring Mass – always a happy occasion. The 6th brought
of the pros and cons of block scheduling, can be found
the annual Advent Mass and Christmas tree lighting
in the August 15, 2016 edition of Education World. The
ceremony in the Pelletier Quad. Members of the Prep
timing of the article is very relevant as Prep moved closer
community gathered around the tall Christmas tree
to implementing such a plan. One thing that did not
in what communications director Ms. Colleen Adams
seem to change was the consistent quality of the Prep
called, “Prep’s Rockefeller Center” to sing Christmas
Players theater group. On November 12th and 13th
carols. Little could most of the carolers know that this
Mrs. Hoover’s thespians performed Thornton Wilder’s
would be the last Christmas for the old tree – “Father
classic, Our Town, in the Wien Experimental Theater
O’Brien’s tree.” (Due to old age and disease, the tree was
of the Quick Center. Full houses for each performance
removed in July of 2016.) Mid-year exams were given
testified to the success of the production. On Tuesday,
from December 15-18, followed by Christmas vacation
November 24th, the school held its annual Thanksgiving
until Monday, January 4th. The Prep faculty and staff
assembly and prayer service. Honored for her 35 years of
Christmas party was held at the Fairfield Jesuit residence.
dedication to Prep was Mrs. Colleen Keltos, the dean of
This event became a special occasion in that it served as
operations and technology.
a retirement party for Father Larry Ryan, S.J, who had recently decided to end his illustrious career as teacher,
Bataclan
chaplain, mentor and friend to countless hundreds of
Terrorism once again reared its ugly head on Friday,
members on the Prep community. Father Ryan for many
November 13th as crazed gunmen claiming loyalty to
years had been known as one of the “Young Jesuits,” not
ISIS staged a brutal assault on the Bataclan Theatre in
only because of his age, but also because of his youthful
Paris, where hundreds had gathered for a rock concert.
attitude. He was an avid skier and global traveler who
Separate but coordinated attacks were made on several
enjoyed chaperoning student vacation trips to the Alps
cafés and restaurants in the area. In the aftermath of the
and other great destinations.
carnage, 130 people died and another 368 were wounded.
Unfortunately, this particular Christmas break
As Americans looked forward to the Thanksgiving
brought with it an unusual amount of heartache for
holiday later in the month, their thoughts and prayers
the Prep community. On Christmas night, Rev. Joseph
went out to the families of those affected by the tragic
Palmisano, S.J., Prep Class of 1993 passed away at
Paris attacks.
Campion Center in Weston, Massachusetts. One of my
Paris, of course, had long been a study and vacation destination of Prep students.
all-time favorite students, this author mourned Joey along with his family, his Jesuit brothers, and his many friends at Fairfield Prep. Another tragic event occurred
258 | HISTORY OF PREP
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on December 29th, when Joseph Kulaga, member of the
Larry Carroll ’63, moved into a new and important role
freshman class lost his life in an automobile accident in
of director of planned giving.
Virginia while vacationing with his family. The untimely passing of this talented and much loved young man proved to be very difficult for the Prep community.
Winter Sports – A State Title in Skiing; Basketball and Hockey Come Close
School was canceled on Wednesday, January 6th as
As 2016 began to come into focus, as usual, the
friends and family packed St. Thomas Aquinas Church
attention of the student body turned to sports. Leading
in Fairfield for the funeral mass.
the way was the Prep skiers, who compiled an amazing
December proved to be unrelenting in its sadness. On
27-0 regular season record. They then snagged the Class
the 30th, Fairfield University communications professor
L title and the state open championship. Making first
Gisela Gil-Egui, along with her husband, mother
team, All-State were Dan King and Owen Richards, with
and brother were killed in an automobile accident in
Sam Cusick taking honorable mention.
Florida. On New Year’s Eve, news headlines informed
After great success the previous year, the basketball
the community that there was a major fire in a condo
team had great expectations. Led by high-scoring Rich
complex on Charles Street, Bridgeport. The fire caused
Kelly, and with a great supporting cast that included
upheaval in the lives of the residents of the building,
Matt Gerics, Patrick Harding, Bob Haskins, John Kelly,
rendering over one hundred people homeless, including
Drew Rolapp, and Senay Bellete, Coach Redgate’s
the mother of Tony Fox ’14. Subsequently, a Go Fund
team compiled an amazing 26-2 record. During the
Me account was established for Tony’s mom, and in short
season, there were three epic battles against Hillhouse
order over $35,000 was donated, enabling her to find a
High School of New Haven, with Prep winning two of
new residence.
the three contests, including the SCC championship
Classes resumed on Monday, January 4th. A few weeks
game. Prep began its march through the state Class LL
later Mrs. Evans and her group of talented musicians
tournament in fine shape, besting West Haven, 51-47,
and singers performed the annual winter concert in the
Westhill, 67-47, and in the quarterfinals, Crosby, 84-
Regina Quick Center. In a special tribute to their fallen
68. Then came the semi-final contest against Weaver of
classmate Joey Kulaga, the Encords, an a cappella group,
Hartford on March 16th. The game was held at the Floyd
sang the Irish Blessing in his honor. All agreed that it
Little Athletic Center in New Haven, not the best venue
was a very touching moment in the midst of another
for a Prep team. The stands there are far removed from
successful concert. Monday, the 18th of January was the
the playing floor, thus mitigating the positive effects of
date of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Assembly,
Prep’s Bomb Squad.
which was once again organized by SEED director Mrs.
In that hard-fought contest, Prep fell to Weaver by a
Alecia Thomas. The guest speaker was Mr. Daryl Avery
score of 64-62. Rich Kelly’s drive to the basket in the last
’75, a prominent Washington, D.C. attorney and social
seconds of the game resulted in a shot that just rolled
activist.
off the hoop. At that point, John Kelly, Rich’s younger brother, tipped the rebound out to Senay Bellete, whose
Rick Henderson Arrives at Prep
attempt at a dramatic game-winning three point shot
January, 2016 also brought with it a significant addition
was blocked by Weaver’s Chaylyn Martin. Prep thus fell
to the development office, as Mr. Rick Henderson began
to Weaver, 64-62. Ironically, in the Class LL final game,
his role as vice president of institutional advancement.
held at Mohegan Sun on March 17th, Weaver fell to
Mr. Henderson brought with him all the expertise and
Hillhouse of New Haven, the same team that Prep had
experience he had gained during his years in a similar
defeated two out of the three times that the two teams
position at Choate-Rosemary Hall in Wallingford. His
had met previously that season. No matter how you look
energy and enthusiasm quickly became evident as Prep
at it, however, Prep basketball gave its fans one great ride.
began its march towards a financially sound future. The
At season’s end Rich Kelly received numerous honors,
previous holder of the vice president's position, Mr.
including CHSCA All-State, first team, All-SCC and SCC
HISTORY OF PREP | 259
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
Player of the Year, MVP of the conference tournament,
Guido Balderrama, Liam Colleran, Chris Fusco, Martin
and Hearst Media Boys Basketball MVP. The future of the
Duffy, Ben Fox, Oliver Rus and Stan Yarmoussik. The
program seemed to be in good hands, as junior Patrick
wrestling team, with new Coach Ron Chivinski taking
Harding was also named to the All-SCC and All-State
over for Mr. Corey Dennis, finished the season with a
rosters. Sophomore John Kelly, brother of Rich, also
record of 9-6 and snagged its second consecutive SCC
received several post-season honors.
crown. Earning medals in the Class LL state tournament
The hockey team appeared at first glance to be in a
were Orlando Sanchez, Kasim Khan and Evan Titus.
rebuilding mode, based on its rather slow start, going 1-5
Seniors Jack Bosken, Kevin Zentner, Patrick Grasso,
in the first six games. Their schedule was simply brutal.
Andrew LaGrange and Steve Jacob all made significant
For Coach Sather, however, the most important goal was
contributions.
winning the state championship. So, despite an overall season record of 12-10-2, the team was well prepared for
Intramurals – Alive and Well!
the playoffs. Prep defeated Glastonbury in the first round
Aside from the many inter-scholastic sports that
by a score of 3-1. Then, in the quarterfinals they upset
comprise such a prominent place in the lives of Prep
number one-ranked Xavier, 1-0. From there, in the semi-
students, the significance of the intramural program
finals it was Prep 5, Hamden 2. The state championship
should never be underestimated. In the early years
game was played at Ingalls rink in New Haven on March
of the school’s history, the events were organized by
3, 2016. The opponent was the very formidable team
homerooms. In the modern era, with homerooms
from Darien. Indeed, Darien claimed the state title with
only meeting sporadically at best, groups of students
a 4-2 victory. At season’s end, a number of Prep skaters
formed randomly formed their own teams, often with
received All-League and other honors, especially Justin
hilarious names. The “Guru of Games,” the “Captain of
Blanchette and Christopher Kral. Others receiving post-
Competition,” was Mr. Corey Dennis (later, Milazzo).
season honors included Jack McGowen, Will Schlichtig,
Under his enthusiastic direction, the program flourished
and Jack McGee.
during the 20-teens. Among the most popular sports
In 2015-2016, Coach Hutchinson’s swimming team continued its tremendous run of success capturing its twelth consecutive SCC crown. The team went on to
were Wiffle™ Ball, basketball and ultimate Frisbee™.
SEED Diversity Dinner
take third place in the state Class LL meet and sixth in
On April 27, Mrs. Alecia Thomas, director of SEED,
the State Open. Team members named to the All-SCC
(Students for Educational Excellence through Diversity)
team and receiving other post-season honors included
successfully staged the group’s annual diversity dinner.
Wrestling with their second straight SCC Division Title 260 | HISTORY OF PREP
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(L-r): Junlin Mo ’17, Hanson Mo ’17 and Jonathan Siveyer ’17 achieved honors at the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair held at Quinnipiac University.
(L-r): Joseph Hopkins ’18, biology teacher Mrs. Jane O’Reilly and Stamos;av Yarmoussik ’18 with their BrainDance awards.
The idea behind the culinary event is to have families
of trigonometric concepts to the field of surveying.
bring dishes that represent their various ethnic and
Members of the team included Dongzu Zhang, Haoxiang
cultural backgrounds in one large pot-luck extravaganza.
Zhang, Michael Lin, Bowen Chen and Peter Nguyen. The
The 2016 version of the affair was the most successful
Science Team, with members Junlin Mo, Hanson Mo, Jon
ever up to that point, with more than four hundred
Siveyer and Nicholas Hubbard, participated in the State
people in attendance. Traditionally, so much food is
of Connecticut Science Fair.
left over from the event that faculty members gratefully
At the Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair,
enjoy the leftovers the next day. Such was the case once
held at Quinnipiac University, Junlin Mo, Hanson Mo
again, and the food was wonderful!
and Jonathan Siveyer all took home prestigious awards.
On the national level, on April 30, 2016 the news
Kevin Zentner won an award for excellence in math and
broke that Rev. Daniel J. Berrigan, S.J. passed away at
science in competition sponsored by Fairfield University’s
the Fordham University Jesuit infirmary in the Bronx.
School of Engineering and by the Sikorsky Aircraft
Father Berrigan was 94. He was a strong proponent of
Corporation. Mr. Brian Camus furthered the intellectual
passive resistance to war and nuclear proliferation, and
and ethical development of his A.P. biology students with
he was admired my many, including this author, for his
his senior comprehensive bioethics projects. Mr. Ford’s
dedication to social justice.
environmental science class participated successfully in the No Impact Week challenge.
Academic Standouts – Fairfield Prep Wins Many Awards
In a quickly growing field, Mr. Dotolo’s Robotics Club developed some amazing creations. Led by captains Jack
Academic clubs at Prep were certainly thriving during
Llewellyn and Junlin Mo, along with Hanson Mo, Peter
the 2015-2016 school year. The acronym of the year was
Lekasopo, Shasa Mead and Michael Zhang, the group
“STEM,” which stands for an integrated approach to
took second place in the FIRST (For Inspiration and
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The
Recognition of Science and Technology) competition.
approach was manifest in many areas. The Prep Math
Stan Yarmoussik and Joe Hopkins, biology students of
Team, under the direction of Mrs. Amy Ardito, took
Mrs. Jane O’Reilly, won awards at the annual BrainDance
third place in the very competitive state championships.
Competition, which focuses on the creation of media
Members of the team included Ignacio Altamiranda,
projects designed to help lower prejudice against those
Liuchang Li, Haoxiang Zhang, Bowen Chen, Dajin Lin,
with mental illness.
Tom Paul, and Nick Howard, Stephen Howard and
Moving from science into the realms of business,
Matt Howard. The Trig*Star team, moderated by Ms.
the arts and humanities, the young men of Prep also
Bohan, Mrs. Brennan and Mr. Pereira, captured the state
achieved success. The Business Club, moderated by Mr.
championship. The focus of Trig*Star is the application
Thomas Shea ’73, enjoyed considerable popularity. The HISTORY OF PREP | 261
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
club participated in the Fairfield University Start-Up Showcase competition. The team of Kevin Gallagher and Junlin Mo was awarded first place for their imaginative project. Mrs. Leonardo and Mrs. O’Connor, moderators of the Prep Stock Exchange Club, brought the group down to Manhattan for a visit to the New York Stock Exchange. Prep artists participated in the 26th Annual High School Visual Art Contest. Among those winning awards were Peter Kavanaugh, Cole Avellone, and Christian Haranzo. At the annual Prep Art Show on May 19th the much loved retiring teacher Mrs. Dolores Tema and her successor, Mr. Robert Fosse-Previs ’87 displayed the work of dozens of Prep artists. Outstanding Artist awards went to James Brady, Owen Cirilli, Liam Colleran,
The Jazzuits and Encords perform at the Apollo Theater
Andrew Dafcik, Zackary Furnari, Owen Gannon, Henry
third place in the 2016 State History Bowl. English teacher
Houghton, William Mallek, Finlay Mangan, and Finn
Mr. Denby and his Model U.N. group participated in the
O’Connor. A special award was presented to the very
42nd Annual Yale Model United Nations Conference.
talented Jihad Rogers for his four-year contributions to
The Philosophy Club thrived under the direction of
the art program.
the scholarly Mrs. Kathleen Jackson. The Political
The Prep Players’ production of the classic Carousel
Awareness Society, moderated by Mr. John Szablewicz,
was held on May 12th and 13th. Directing the musical
produced several installments of Prep’s now-famous
was Mrs. Megan Hoover, with Mrs. Christine Evans
journal, Zeitgeist. Strong leadership was provided by
providing the orchestral direction. When all was said and
President Mark Sheffer and Editor Michael Turk. The
sung, the Prep Players received an impressive sixteen
Squires Club, under the direction of Fr. Brett Stockdale,
Halo Nominations for their productions of Our Town
S.J. provided an important service when it held its very
in the fall and Carousel in the spring. Three first place
successful annual blood drive.
Halo Awards went to Prep: Best Orchestra Carousel, Best Featured Dancer, Taylor McCuaig as Louisa in Carousel,
Some Very Sad News
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Classical
The spring of 2016 brought with it a number of
Musical, to Annmarie Fama as Julie Jordan in Carousel.
unhappy events. First, there was the announcement that
Thank you, ladies for contributing so well to the Prep
Mr. Bruce Jaffe was retiring due to health issues. Then,
dramatic productions! In an interesting development,
on April 23rd, longtime football coach and teacher Mr.
Fine Arts Chair Megan Hoover put out a call to Prep
Richie Magdon passed away at age 66 after a prolonged
Player alums to perform David Ives’s All in the Timing.
illness. His death was mourned by the Prep community.
Twenty-seven former Prep thespians, male and female,
His wake was attended by hundreds, including many
heeded the call, staged the play with very little rehearsal
coaches throughout the region, dozens of his former
time, and had a great time in the process.
players, and his colleagues and friends at Prep. Much has
Mrs. Evans moved from directing the music for the
been said about Coach Magdon over the years, but as a
musical production to arranging and directing the annual
friend and colleague, this author was always impressed
spring concert, held in the Quick Center on May 18th.
by Richie’s loyalty to family, friends, and players, and his
Previously, Mrs. Evans and the Jazzuits participated in
biting sense of humor. I was the social studies department
the New York City Jazz Festival, where they performed
chair when he was hired to be a full-time member of
on the stage of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem.
the faculty, and it turned out to be the beginning of a
The Future Historians’ Club gained an impressive
great relationship. While Richie’s coaching prowess is
262 | HISTORY OF PREP
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legendary, any of his history students will quickly reveal
under the leadership of Coach Frank Decker and his
that he was a wonderful teacher – informed, passionate
assistant Mark Stepsis. Additionally, a group of former
and dedicated. We will miss you, Richie!
rugby alums were on hand to help out during the season.
We lost another member of the Prep family on
The team compiled a record of 16-8. One of the team
Wednesday, May 11th when Hal Smith ’69, passed
leaders was Connor Bercik, who made the Rugby High
suddenly after arriving at the school in order to measure
School All-America list. For his efforts, Connor received
juniors for their class rings. For many years Hal’s
a rugby scholarship to UCLA in California. Ten other
company sold class rings to Prep students, and on this
senior members of the team received scholarships to play
particular day he was making a routine visit when he
college rugby. An amazing accomplishment, indeed. As
died suddenly. A great person, with deep roots at the
usual, all of the Prep spring teams achieved success. In
school, Hal’s passing was very difficult to accept. Back
track and field, head Coach Mark Langston had plenty
in his days as a student at Prep, Hal was one of the stars
to be happy about as his team broke records in the
of Coach Sylvester’s 1969 state championship basketball
4x100 and 800 sprint medley races. In both cases, the
team.
runners were Ian Imery, Devonte Shaw, Doug Harrison, and Tom Moore. Theo Jordanides also had success in the
Goodbye Angus
sprints. Drew Thompson had a remarkable performance
On a much lighter note that spring, but a sad story
at the LL state meet in the 3200-meter event. His time
nevertheless, was the April 7th announcement that
of 9:26.68 was sixteen seconds better than his previous
the Angus Steak House at Dolan’s Corner on Black
best. Meanwhile, George Crist, Drew Newcomb, Chris
Rock Turnpike in Fairfield was closing its doors. The
Nilsson, and Jack McGowen all had very successful
restaurant, opened in 1950 by Ed “Cozy” Dolan, had for
seasons in the longer distances. Tennis compiled a record
many subsequent decades served as a popular after-hours
of 12-6. Senior captains were Will Graham and Theo
gathering place for Prep faculty and administrators.
Allen. Others making significant contributions included
During the 1970s, one particular administrator, who will
Will Duffy, Jon Konecny, Steve Westfahl, Chris Hilton
remain anonymous in this book, often invited junior
and Frank Fortunati.
faculty to meet him “at his office” after school. We all knew what he meant by that reference. Once there,
Coach Smalkais – Last Season
business and pleasure were well mixed in equal measure.
The lacrosse team, in what was to be the last season
The old hangout was later opened under a new name the
for Coach Chris Smalkais, had another great regular
“Little Pub,” owned and managed by a Prep mom.
season, finishing with a record of 17-4, once again taking the SCC crown. In the first round of the CIAC state
Spring Sports Highlights
tournament, Prep bested Cheshire by a score of 13-11. In
Spring sports at Prep were certainly alive and well in
the quarterfinals, they felled a stubborn Greenwich team,
2016. The baseball team compiled a record of 12-8 in
11-10. Then, the Prep team was bested by Simsbury by
the regular season and an overall mark of 13-10. Coach
a score of 15-8, thus ending Coach Smalkais’s hopes for
Mauritz fielded a very strong team, led by All-League
another title before retiring. The 2016 team had plenty
players Chase Mascolo, Grant Stone, both seniors, and
to be proud of, however, especially in the play of seniors
junior Karl Johnson. Additional leadership was provided
Colin Smalkais (the coach’s son), Jack O’Connor, Nick
by seniors Sam Auray, J.R. Lopez, Connor Lynch, Jack
Franchuk, Brendan Hoffman. Aidan Coyle, and Matt
Oricoli, and Jeff Santore. The team defeated Cheshire by
Pompa. Juniors Chris Brown, Mitch Savoca, Jack Kornutik
a score of 3-1 in the SCC tournament. It then lost to
and James Loughran made significant contributions as
Amity 3-2 in the semi-finals. Hopes for a run at the state
well and they provided evidence that next year’s team,
title were dashed when Prep lost in the first round of the
whoever the coach might be, had a healthy foundation
tournament to a strong Newington team by a score of
for success. Another team making headlines was Coach
2-0. The rugby team competed in its thirty-fifth season
Bob Bernier’s golf team. The team only lost one match HISTORY OF PREP | 263
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
all spring, finishing at 17-1. It was led once again by senior Andrew Sciarretta, SCC Player of the Year. Sciarretta, Matt Cesare and Matt Schmerzler were the tricaptains in 2016. Other contributing seniors included Jack Garfield and T.J. Hardiman. The spring version of the crew team produced a highly competitive team as well. A boat led by senior Captain Joe Daccache, along with James Exstract and Rob Reilly, took an impressive second place in the national championship competition in Philadelphia. The sailing team, coached by Marc Jacobi and assistant Chelsea Crowley, captured third place in the New England Schools Sailing Association meet. From there, they moved on to the Great Oaks
Rev. Bill Eagan, S.J.
National Invitation, which was held in Louisiana. Prep finished at a very respectable eleventh place. Captains
others values. Their retirement, along with that of Coach
of the team were Jim Stacy, Matt Sweeny and James
Chris Smalkais, was a major loss to the Prep community,
Haranzo. Other participants included Grant, Ballesteros,
no doubt. Additionally, several younger members
Chris Haranzo and James Paul. Last, but not least, the
of the faculty and administration left the school for
Prep Gaelic Football team was crowned Connecticut
various reasons. So, the high turnover rate at the school
state champions, after defeating defending champions
continued.
Xavier. Coaches Paddy Coyle and Griffin Reidy received
Following the Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday, June,
“Man-of-the-Match”
2nd, graduation for the Class of 2016 was held on the
winner Mike Meszaros. Others making significant
cloudy and rainy morning of Sunday, June 5th. School
contributions were senior Captain Adrian Coyle, along
President Rev. Thomas Simisky, S.J. bestowed diplomas on
with fellow seniors Aedan Ayer, Matt Cotto and Nick
201 seniors. Representing the seniors as class speaker was
Urban, Brendan Carey, George Crist, Geoff Hadden,
Jack O’Connor. In his impressive speech Jack expressed
Tom Kelly, Ciaran O’Reilly, Matt Pompa, Jack O’Connor,
the nature of the Prep experience very well when he
Jack McGowen and J.D. Shannon. Worth mentioning is
said: “No matter how far we travel, or how lost we feel,
the fact that the Prepsters, featuring many new players,
we will always know that, as part of this brotherhood,
repeated the feat and were crowned champions in the
we will always have each other.” The commencement
2017 competition as well.
address was given by Dr. Yohuru Williams ’89, who
excellent
performances
from
at the time held the position of dean of the College of
More Retirements - Father Eagan and other Prep greats
Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University. Dr. Williams expressed his view of the meaning of Prep when he said
As the 2015-2016 school year drew to a close, the
that “P” is for Purposeful, “R” is for Resilience, “E” is for
news surfaced that Prep was about to lose additional
Evolving and “P” is for Patience. Also in attendance for
teachers to retirement. Father Bill Eagan, S.J. retired to
graduation was University President Fr. Jeffrey Von Arx,
the Jesuit Campion Center in Weston Massachusetts
S.J. Unbeknownst to the assembled crowd, the 2016 Prep
after a wonderful career that spanned more than thirty
graduation would be the last for Father Von Arx, as on
years. Nicknamed “teddy bear” and “padre,” Father
July 19th it was announced that he was stepping down
Eagan’s absence would be strongly felt. Also retiring were
as Fairfield University’s president. Named to replace Von
legends Bruce Jaffe, Billie Brooks, Dolores Tema, Charlie
Arx was interim President Dr. Lynn Babington, who at
DiCenso and Andy Mancini. Each of them contributed
once became the first non-Jesuit and first woman to lead
significantly to Prep, not only in the education of Prep
the institution.
students, but to the school’s mission and its persons-for-
264 | HISTORY OF PREP
After a rather cool and rainy spring, summer
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enveloped the region. The summer of 2016 was hot and
same month brought eight intrepid Prep students to
dry. With the exception of a few thunderstorms, rainfall
Krakow, Poland in order to participate in the Catholic
was minimal. Those dependent on well water became
Church’s World Youth Day. The men of Prep were
a bit anxious. The weather took its toll in many ways.
chaperoned by Fr. Brett Stockdale, S.J. and Iwona
In mid-July workmen removed the Prep Christmas tree,
Kolotylo, Prep database manager. The amiable Mrs.
which of course was the centerpiece of the Quad. If you
Kolotylo, a native of Poland, no doubt proved to be
recall, the tree had been planted way back in the 1980s,
invaluable as tour guide and interpreter. Excerpts
during the administration of Father O’Brien. It was
from senior Max Moeser’s interesting reflection on the
during the O’Brien years that the modern Quad gained
spiritual journey can be found in the winter 2017 edition
its current appearance. Indeed, the old spruce was
of Prep Today.
showing its age, as many dead branches and bare spots
On August 16, 2016 the news broke that conservative
became more and more obvious. Thus, the decision by
talk show host John McLaughlin passed away at age 89.
Father Simisky to remove it was made.
As Father McLaughlin, S.J. he had taught at Prep back
On a personal note, I stopped by the school in July
in the 1960s before moving to Fairfield University and
and quickly noticed that the old tree was gone and in its
then on to a career as a media icon. Originally an anti-
place was a new, much smaller version. As I discussed
Vietnam War Democrat, McLaughlin’s ideology changed
this with Mrs. Fortunato, who was at her usual post at
as a result of his friendship with conservative political
the front desk in Arrupe lobby, Father Simisky stopped
figure Patrick Buchanan and his time as a speech writer
by to chat. After relating his opinion that the old tree
for President Nixon. McLaughlin left the priesthood in
was too unhealthy to remain in place, he mentioned
1975 and in 1982 he began a popular television news
that he viewed the new tree as symbolic of all the new,
commentary program called The McLaughlin Group,
younger faculty that had recently arrived at Prep, and
which
he envisioned them as growing at Prep along with the
political debate forum. He also served as host of John
tree. As I drove home from the school later that day, I
McLaughlin’s One on One, an interview-based program,
began to ruminate on Father Simisky’s words and found
which ran from 1984-2013. McLaughlin, of course,
myself in agreement. Of course, as the most senior
was reputed to have a rather large ego. Rumor has it
faculty member, I also speculated as to whether that old
that during his years at Fairfield he would occasionally
tree might somehow serve as a metaphor for my own
receive anonymous birthday cards at Christmas.
career at Prep.
became
a
prototypical
liberal-conservative
The summer of 2016 brought with it the usual flurry
During the summer months, the outward-bound
of construction activity within the school buildings. For
immersion trips were in full operation, with the
whatever reason, there always seemed to be changes made
Appalachia trip taking place from June 17-24 and the
to the configuration of offices of school administrators.
Jamaica Mustard Seed experience from July 9-16. That
Walls were town down or built up to accommodate the relocation of various school leaders. Occasionally, the entire process would be reversed during the following summer! In a major alteration, however, the summer of 2016 witnessed the transformation of the third floor of Berchmans Hall as a new fine arts center. Classrooms on that floor were expanded to better serve the large number of students involved in music, painting and drama. Art rooms, once located in Xavier Hall, were moved into the new space in Berchmans. Quite fortuitously, the fine arts department received an incredible boost in
Prep attends World Youth Day in Poland
December when President Simisky and Vice President HISTORY OF PREP | 265
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
students as the school year commenced. Taking over for Mr. Jonathan DeRosa as director of Christian service, now a full-time position, was Ms. Sarah Stanley. The assistant to the dean of discipline, replacing the retired Mr. Andy Mancini, was Mr. Kevin Ahern, who came to Prep after many years with the Shelton police department. Mrs. Stacie D’Eramo joined the development office as gift officer. Mrs. Martha Terry became manager of the Prep Pride store. New foreign language teachers were Ms. Calla Tiberi and Mr. Josef Trembly. Added to the mathematics department was Mrs. Olga Polinkevych who, aside from her skills in the subject, gave Fr. Simisky someone with Dr. Sal M. Santella ’49 (center) with Fine Arts Chair Megan Hoover and Vice President for Advancement Rick Henderson
whom to practice his Russian language skills. Beginning his first full year after subbing previously was Mr. Attila Levai ’67. Mrs. Sheela Kaar joined the science
for Advancement Rick Henderson proudly announced
department. Mrs. Michelle Smith, a Prep mom as well,
that Dr. Sal M. Santella, Class of 1949, and his wife
arrived to teach theology and Mr. Charles “C.J.” Donahue
had made a very generous donation of $500,000 to the
’11 entered the social studies department. Mrs. Patricia
program. Therefore, the new third floor of Berchmans
Schickler returned to work with the thirty-six Chinese
will thenceforth be known as the Dr. Sal ’49 and Marilyn
exchange students now studying at Prep. Finally, as the
Santella Fine Arts Center at Fairfield Prep. Needless to
second week of classes proceeded, it was announced that
say, fine arts chair Megan Hoover, along with her arts
Mr. Graham Niemi, who had served as an assistant at
colleagues Ms. Christine Evans and Mr. Bob Fosse-
Yale for thirteen years, was named as the new lacrosse
Previs, were very excited over this wonderful gift.
coach at Prep. He certainly had big shoes to fill. Within a
The 2016-2017 school year began for faculty with a retreat day on Wednesday, August 24. The following
month Mr. Niemi was also appointed as assistant athletic director, under Mr. Tom Curran.
day was used for varieties of school business, from
Of course, the biggest buzz among the student body
addresses by administrators, to technology training and
was focused on the fall athletic schedule. Coach Keith
departmental issues. Of note was that school president
Helstern’s football team entered the season with good
Simisky announced that Dr. Donna Andrade would be
reason for optimism. They had a number of returning
working in her last year as Academic Dean, and would
veterans and had trained extensively for the combat
assume a new role as Prep’s Dean of Mission and Identity.
ahead. If the first game was any indication, it was destined
Moving in to take the Academic Dean role would be Mr.
to be an exciting season. On Friday, September 9, Prep
Tim Dee, mathematics department chair. During his talk
traveled to Madison to play a tough Daniel Hand team.
Fr. Simisky also revealed that he was “at least partially”
Prep pulled out the victory in overtime on quarterback
rescinding the prohibition on administrators also serving
Pat Conte’s pass to Connor Byrne. The season was off to
as coaches.
a great start. Then followed a 21-6 victory over Wilber
On Monday, August 29 there was the senior retreat,
Cross and a 40-18 drubbing of Hillhouse, which was the
followed by the freshman orientation and field day on
only loss of the season for the team that would go on to
Tuesday. On Wednesday, the orientation for sophomores
capture the Connecticut Class M crown. Unfortunately
and juniors was held, and classes officially began with
for Prep, quarterback Pat Conte suffered an injury that
the Day 1 schedule on Thursday, September 1.
would keep him out of the next three games. Thus,
Following the trend that had been set in motion
on September 30, Prep was soundly defeated by Notre
over the previous three years, there was once again a
Dame of West Haven by a score of 34-7. Then came a
significant number of new faculty and staff to greet the
28-6 victory over Hamden and a 10-0 loss to Cheshire.
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2-1. Unfortunately Prep was blanked 3-0 in the Class LL semi-final game, thus ending its season with an overall record of 16-4-4, and ranked fourteenth in the state. When the dust settled on the season, a number of Prep’s booters made various all-star teams. Defender Biagio Paoletta made All-SCC and New Haven Register All-Area teams for the third straight year. He was also a coaches’ All-State selection. Meanwhile, goalie Dan Szabo, who allowed only 11 goals in 16 regular season games (0.688 goals against average), made All-SCC and All-Area for the second time. Coach Keith Helstern was named New York Jets Coach of the Week
On October 28 Conte returned to action but the team suffered a big 31-7 loss at Xavier. Of note is the fact that Coach Helstern was named New York Jets Coach of the Week in September. The award came with a certificate and a $2,000 check from Chase Bank for Prep’s football program. As the calendar rolled on, the November 4th game against Shelton was probably the highlight of the year, as it snapped a 29-game winning streak by the Gaels. The game was noteworthy for the amazing performance of sophomore running sensation Douglas Harrison, who carried the ball for over 300 yards that night. The following week Prep won a 44-42 nail-biter, on a twopoint conversion on the last play of the game. Helstern’s warriors entered the Thanksgiving game vs. West Haven with a chance to make the state playoffs, but they fell by a score of 28-21, ending their roller coaster season at 6-4. Achieving post-season honors were punter Bruno Perlicki, to the New Haven Register All-Area defense, first team, while taking second team status were defensive linemen Ayinde Johnson and Bobby Haskins. Defensive lineman Nate Miller was a third team selection. Prep soccer experienced a similar season in some ways. With all-star Dan Szabo in goal, Coach Lyddy’s team had some excellent games, including an amazing 1-0 road victory over Shelton on September 27. The winning goal came on an amazing play. Julito Ojeda Quintana hooked a free kick to Biagio Paoletta, who headed the ball into the net. Unfortunately, the Gaels returned the favor in the SCC championship game, defeating Prep by the same 1-0 score. In the state tournament, Lyddy’s team took out Simsbury on November 12 by a score of
Coach Bob Ford, Jr. – 250 dual meet victories! The Prep cross country team had another solid season, led by All-State harrier Drew Thompson. Only a junior, Thompson had incredible success. He was the SCC champion for the second consecutive year, and he took second place in both the LL championship meet and the state open race, falling only one second behind the winner Zak Ahmad of Staples in both contests. Thompson went on to finish tenth in the Footlocker northeast regional meet in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx. The finish enabled him to participate in the national cross country championship meet in San Diego, where he finished at a very respectable thirty-fifth place. In making it to the nationals, Thompson joined other Prep greats such as Brian McGovern (1999-2000), Connor Rog (2011), and Christian Alvarado (2012). Speaking of Prep greats, Coach Bob Ford Jr. achieved a remarkable feat during the 2016 season when his harriers delivered Ford’s 250th dual meet victory. Of note, in a coaching career spanning thirty years Bob Ford maintained a winning percentage of over 80% in dual meets. Throughout many of those seasons his dedicated assistant was none other than his dad, Bob Ford Sr. The Prep harrier group was not a one-man team, however. Senior Chris Nilsson contributed significantly, finishing tenth in both the SCC and Class LL meets. Chris was also a New Haven Register All-Area, first team selection. Regardless of the sport, the rather dry and warm fall of 2016 made the completion of the various schedules relatively easy to complete, including those involved with water sports. The 2016 crew team experienced a
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HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
high level of success as a member of the New England
as an assistant football coach under Rich Magdon. As a
Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA). Senior
member of the English department he taught a popular
captains M.J. Duffy, John Pacelli and James Thornton
course called Hero in the Wilderness. “The Cowboy”
provided strong leadership that resulted in a great season.
would be greatly missed.
The sailing team also performed well, finishing fourth in a field of thirty-seven teams at the prestigious Great
The Women of Prep
Oaks regatta at the Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans.
Could Betty Kachmar ever have imagined the trend
Sailors who represented Prep were Grant Ballasteros,
she started? When she joined the Prep faculty in 1970 as
Christian Haranzo, Chase Latour, and James Paul.
Prep’s first female teacher, the only other women at the school were a handful of secretaries, whose contributions to the school should not be underestimated. Nevertheless, from a single woman among the faculty in 1970, that number had grown significantly over the decades. An interview with Principal Dr. Robert Perrotta in March, 2017 revealed that the faculty gender breakdown at that point was 24 female and 28 male. If the members of the non-teaching support staff were added, the total number of women at Prep came to 46, as compared to 43 men.
Elizabeth (Betty) Kachmar
Jack Slavinsky
Quite a change, no doubt. Of course, to an extent Prep was only reflecting wider sociological trends as the percentage
Goodbye Betty and Jack
of women entering the work force had steadily increased
On Friday evening, October 7, 2016 Elizabeth
nationally over the decades. Also of significance is the
(Betty) Kachmar passed away at age 84, one week after
demographic change in higher education. According to
her husband George had died. Betty Kachmar, as noted
the U.S. Department of Education, 1982 was the tipping
earlier in this tome, became the first woman teacher to
point when more women earned bacheror’s degrees than
break the glass ceiling at Prep when she began teaching
did men. By 1987 more women received master’s degrees
art in September of 1970. In the decades thereafter,
and in 2006 more women achieved doctorates than their
this wonderful educator made her mark on thousands
male counterparts. All of this, of course, makes it more
of Prep students. On December 22, Father Bob Levens,
likely that there will be more women educators in high
S.J. made the trek down from Weston, Massachusetts
schools and colleges. Nonetheless, the progression of
to conduct a memorial mass for Mrs. Kachmar at the
this trend at Prep should not be underestimated. Of note,
Fairfield University chapel. The event became a Prep
there were only two full-time Jesuits at the school as of
family reunion, with Betty’s family, as well as former
2017: President Rev. Thomas Simisky, S.J. and Chaplain
administrators, teachers and coaches, along with dozens
Rev. Brett Stockdale, S.J. The school’s Jesuit identity
of Betty’s former students attending.
remained amazingly resilient, however.
Father Levens gave a memorable eulogy that was
Aside from many women in administration, the
nostalgic, moving and humorous. Following the
development office and working as secretaries, in
ceremony, there was a luncheon for all that included
academics four departments had female chairs, with Ms.
many eastern European dishes, the kind of food that
Elaine Clark (English), Ms. Deborah Kiel (science), Ms.
Betty loved to make for family and friends. Unfortunately,
Meghan Hoover (fine arts), and Ms. Melissa Laguzza
on December 27 we received more bad news when
(foreign language). At the end of May 2017 it was
we learned of the passing of a dear friend and former
announced that Ms. Maureen Bohan would return to her
colleague, Jack Slavinsky. For those of us who worked
role as mathematics chair, replacing Mr. Tim Dee, who
with Jack, it was a terrible loss. While at Prep, Jack served
moved into the administration.
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as nominated by their peers and selected by a special committee. Ms. Bohan won the award in 2011 and Ms. Brooks received the honor in 2012. Well deserved, all at Prep would agree.
Daughters of Prep Despite the fact that once or twice in its history (the 1980s come to mind) was some consideration given Ms. Maureen Bohan
Ms. Billie Brooks
Maureen Bohan and Billie Brooks: more than 40 years of service
to turning Prep into a co-ed institution, as of 2017 the student body remained all male. No doubt, many Prep grads over the years have wished that their daughters could have had attended their alma mater. It is therefore
Math teacher Ms. Maureen Bohan joined Ms. Billie
worth noting that at least four daughters of Prep alums
Brooks as the only women teaching faculty members in
have made their way into the school anyway, as faculty
the history of Fairfield Prep to teach for over forty years,
or administrator. The first to do so was Ms. Coleen (née
surpassing Mrs. Kachmar (1970-1997). An extremely
Coyle) Keltos, whose dad Hugh E. Coyle was a member
talented and dedicated teacher, Ms. Bohan joined the
of the Class of 1949. In 2008 Maura (née Roche)
faculty 1973 and since then has served the school in
O’Connor became a member of the math department.
many capacities over the decades. In her forty-fourth
Her dad is Thomas J. Roach, Class of 1955. Lynne (née
year at Prep as of 2016-2017, Ms. Bohan served for
Woods) Chesbro joined the guidance department in
many years as mathematics department chair and she
2004, having served as the Magis intern in 2000. Her
frequently represented Prep at numerous conferences
father, James G. Woods, was Class of 1969, making
and workshops. Her dedication to the Ignatian vision was
Lynne Woods the third daughter of a Prep grad to teach
obvious on a daily basis through her careful nurturing of
at the school. Finally, when Prep was fortunate enough to
her many students, as well as her participation in many
have the talented Kathleen (née Venus) Jackson join the
service programs to places such as Appalachia. While
theology faculty in 2014, another daughter was added to
highly knowledgeable in the newest developments in
the Prep faculty. Kathleen’s dad is Thomas J. Venus, Class
educational technology, Maureen remained a traditional
of 1963. Mr. Venus, it might be added, followed a rather
“know-the-basics” teacher who labored patiently to
typical trajectory of many Prep men, graduating from the
facilitate the math skills of her students.
College of the Holy Cross in 1967.
How can anyone imagine the Prep language department without Ms. Billie Brooks? Joining the
Taking Care of Prep
Prep faculty back in 1972, Ms. Brooks taught all levels
Back in the late 1960s, in forces probably generated
of Spanish as well as German during her years at the
by President Johnson’s Great Society incentives, the
school. One of the most empathetic and caring teachers,
State of Connecticut passed Charter 169, Statute 10-
Ms. Brooks for over three decades was a selfless advocate
217A, “School Health and Sanitation.” In this statute
for her many students. Beyond all this, she served as a
it was decreed that towns in Connecticut must supply
mentor and role model for the younger members of the
nurses to private schools located in their jurisdiction
foreign language department. Of note, Ms. Brooks retired
if the majority of students attending those schools are
at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.
Connecticut residents. In keeping with that mandate, the
In recognition of their roles, not only as teachers of
Town of Fairfield has provided three nurses to Prep over
excellence, but as true “persons for others” in the great
the decades, starting with Mrs. Janet Smith in 1974. Mrs.
tradition created by the master teacher Ignatius of Loyola,
Smith retained that position for an incredible twenty-five
these two women hold the honor of being the first two
years. The significance of her presence on campus can
recipients of the Ignatian Educator of the Year Award,
never be underestimated, certainly by this author. It was
HISTORY OF PREP | 269
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
on October 28, 1981 that Mrs. Smith saved my life as
negative consequences of misogyny and sexism, would
I suffered an anaphylactic shock from being stung by a
increasingly have an impact of the young men of Prep.
yellow jacket. My daughter Marcella was born the very
As women faculty members were quick to point out,
next day. Fortunately, I was there to experience it.
however, there was much work still to be done in these
Following Janet Smith as school nurse beginning
areas, both locally and nationally.
in the 1999-2000 school year was Mrs. Theresa Grisé,
November is always a busy month as the pace
whose son Michael was a member of the Class of 1984.
quickens with the holidays just around the corner. For
Mrs. Grisé continued to care for the Prep community
November of 2016, however, everything seemed to be
during the first decade of the new century. During her
a bit magnified. The biggest news that month was the
term the nurse’s office was relocated from the first to
election of businessman Donald J. Trump to be the
the second floor of Berchmans. Finally, in February of
forty-fifth president of the United States of America on
2009 Ms. Mary Ellen Lehmann assumed the role and
Tuesday, November 8. In a controversy-filled primary
continued the great tradition of caring for the well-being
and election season Trump bested his Democratic
of the boys, faculty and staff of the school. Most recently,
rival Hillary Clinton 304-227 in the electoral college.
Ms. Lehmann rushed to my classroom to attend to a
The fact that Mrs. Clinton received 2.9 million more
young man who was experiencing a medical emergency.
popular votes than Trump, the hacked Democratic
Her expertise was well appreciated. It should be added
National Committee emails, and the suspicion of
that occasionally temporary replacements have made
Russian involvement in the election left America even
their presence felt. Such was the case in the spring of
more divided than ever regarding the legitimacy of the
2017 when Mrs. Kathy Mulquin was on duty for Ms.
new president. Interestingly, in the Prep mock election,
Lehmann, who had undergone knee surgery. Mrs.
sponsored by the Political Awareness Society, Trump
Mulquin handled a few health crises with in a calm and
won by a large margin. Once again, Prep students had
professional fashion. The Prep community certainly owes
correctly called the election. The only time since the
these dedicated and talented nurses a debt of gratitude.
1980s that the Prep mock election results proved to be incorrect was in 2012, when the student body went for
Concern and Respect for Women
Romney over Obama.
All the words of respect for women ring a bit hollow
On the afternoon of November 9th the school
without concrete actions to support them. I always
held the annual Christmas tree lighting and caroling
remind my students that a value not acted upon is not
celebration in the Pelletier Quad. It was a rather cold
a true value. Therefore, Fairfield Prep demonstrated
and blustery afternoon, officiated by school President
its dedication to the cause of women’s rights in a few
Tom Simisky, S.J. and Chaplain Brett Stockdale, S.J.
concrete ways. First, there was the annual White Ribbon
During the ceremony Prep’s new Christmas tree, planted
assembly, wherein the young men of Prep pledged to do
during the summer, was blessed by Father Stockdale and
their part to end violence against women and to work for
illuminated for the very first time. Later that evening the
gender equality. The 2017 event was held on April 4th
Prep Players, under the direction of Mrs. Megan Hoover,
and it included guest speakers from local organizations
performed a wonderful play entitled The Pirates’ Story,
and from the Town of Fairfield Police Department.
the result of the imaginative stories developed by third
Following that, on April 29th there was the fifth annual
graders at Cathedral Academy in Bridgeport. Noteworthy
“Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event in Fairfield, sponsored
is the fact that the play received several nominations for
by The Center for Family Justice. One of the leaders of
Halo Awards, as presented by the Seven Angels Theatre
the event was Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara.
including Best Performance by a Cast in an Ensemble
Helping to organize Prep’s participation was the Prep
Play and Best Contemporary Play. Additionally, Teddy
guidance department. It was the sincere hope of the
Whiteman was nominated for Best Standout Performance
administration and faculty that these events, when added
in an Ensemble Play.
to the frequent discussion regarding the persistence and 270 | HISTORY OF PREP
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A New Jesuit Father General – the Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J. Another noteworthy event that November was the closing of the Jesuit General Congregation 36 on November 12th. During the six weeks of meetings in Rome, the Jesuit collaborative body of over two hundred priests voted on a new Father General. The new Jesuit leader was Father Arturo Sosa, from Venezuela. He was chosen to replace Father Adolfo Nicolas, who served from 2008 through 2016, when he decided to step down at age 80. Of note is the fact that both Father Sosa, S.J. and Pope Francis were from South America (the latter from Argentina). Prep’s annual Thanksgiving celebration was held in
Fr. Simisky, S.J., honored faculty members John Szablewicz (45 years) and Tom Sacerdote (30 years) for dedicated service to Prep.
Administrative Changes
Alumni Hall on November 22. Prayers were read from
As the school moved toward mid-year exams,
various religions and offerings of thanks were made
President Simisky, S.J. announced a change in the
by students, including senior Kevin Lydon. President
structure of the administration. On December 2nd, it
Simisky, S.J. and Chaplain Stockdale, S.J. presided over
was revealed that Mrs. Colleen Keltos had a new official
the event, which included a recognition of two service
title, that of dean of operations. Father Simisky praised
anniversaries of Prep faculty members: Mr. Thomas
Mrs. Keltos for her many contributions to the school and
Sacerdote for thirty years and Mr. John Szablewicz for
he indicated that in her new role Mrs. Keltos would have
forty-five years at Prep.
many projects to undertake, including the replacement
International news was made on November 25th with
of the Brissette Athletic Center and the creation of a
the passing of Fidel Castro of Cuba. Castro, of course,
technology center in the basement of Xavier Hall, which
was responsible for the revolution on that island in 1959,
Prep was scheduled to take possession of after many
and he created a communist government there during
years of occupation by Fairfield University.
the forty-seven years that he ruled as Prime Minister and
An additional promotion was announced that day
President. For Americans, he most represented the fear-
as Mr. Peter Sarawit, already the defacto “tech guru” of
filled years of 1961 with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion
the school, was to have the official title of director of
and the 1962 missile crisis that bedeviled President John
technology. Mr. Sarawit’s depth of knowledge and his
F. Kennedy. Interestingly, in the last years of the Obama
friendly disposition had already won over many faculty
administration, President Obama began the process of
members and the consensus was that he would be even
renewing ties with Cuba, and many travel and trade
more helpful in the new position.
restrictions were lifted. The 29th of November was the date of the Day of Giving at Fairfield Prep. Administrators, alums, students, families and teachers collaborated to make the day a success. The proceeds from the collections were scheduled to be used to sponsor various programs on campus. Speaking of giving back to “Mother Prep,” it should be noted that the graduating Class of 2017 became the first group to have 100% participation in giving to their soon-to-be alma mater. Well done, my friends!
Teacher Exchange Another change was announced at the end of December. English teacher and football coach Tom Shea revealed that he was about to participate in an international cultural exchange with St. Aloysius College (high school) in Australia, effective for the second semester. Arriving to teach Shea’s classes was Mr. John (Johnny) Caillard. Mr. Caillard quickly endeared himself to the Prep faculty with his great wit, sense of humor, interesting stories about Australia and his unique observations about American culture and society. Johnny HISTORY OF PREP | 271
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
The first Fairfield Prep Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.
quickly became a member of good standing in the faculty
mate Michael Pence took the oath of office as president
breakfast club. No doubt Tom Shea performed a similar
and vice-president of the United States. In what the
role for his new friends at St. Aloysius.
New York Times labeled a “defiant inaugural address,”
Christmas 2016 was, as always, a time of happiness
delivered in weather that was rather mild with a light
and celebration. Despite weather that was warmer and
rain, the new president declared “This American carnage
drier than usual, the Prep community enjoyed a much
stops.” That night, protests in nation’s capital erupted,
needed break from the academic routine from December
some violent. The following day massive Women’s
23rd through January 2nd.
Marches were held across the nation, with the estimated gathering in Washington D.C. believed to number
Prep’s Athletic Hall of Fame is created
somewhere near 500,000 people. Only time would tell
Among the many happenings on campus there was
how the forty-fifth president and his team would alter
considerable buzz regarding the announcement that Prep
the social, political and economic landscape of the
was about to create its version of the athletic hall of fame.
country as he attempted to initiate his “America first”
With a January 31st deadline for the nomination process,
nationalistic policies. Political observers among the
guidelines were established for the honor. A Prep athlete
Prep faculty predicted a bumpy ride ahead as the new
would have to have participate in two full varsity seasons
administration took the reins.
and have to have graduated from the school at least ten years previously. According to the Prep website, “Coaches,
Winter Sports
trainers, and other persons who have made outstanding
For the young men of Fairfield Prep, however,
contributions may also be eligible.” Finally, aside from
January meant that the various winter teams were all
athletic success or support, the people selected for the
up and running well into their new seasons. As usual,
honor must have shown a strong commitment to the Prep
it was hockey and basketball that garnered the greatest
mission. The process was scheduled to be formalized and
attention, but other teams were ready and able to capture
inductions made at a big dinner and gala on the evening of
some of the spotlight, especially swimming & diving,
June 2, 2017, during the graduation weekend.
indoor track and wrestling.
Friday, January 20, Donald J. Trump and his running
272 | HISTORY OF PREP
The basketball team entered the season with great
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expectations despite losing a number of stars, especially
the 2016-2017 season, compiling an overall record of
Rich Kelly, due to graduation. It was hoped that younger
12-10. That being said, it had become tradition under
brother John Kelly, along with the talented Patrick
Coach Sather that his teams would have most likely
Harding, would pick up the slack. In the first big game of
the most competitive schedule in the state. Prep was
the season, played on December 23rd, Notre Dame West
now regularly playing the best out-of-state teams from
Haven, led by Connor Rains and the highly touted guard
traditional hockey powerhouses in Massachusetts,
Tremont Waters, easily defeated Prep by a score of 84-
Rhode Island and New Jersey. Plus, the SCC hockey
70. Harding had twenty-five points and fifteen rebounds
league was arguably the toughest in the state. When all
in the loss and John Kelly added twenty-two points.
was said and done, however, it was FCIAC champion
In the annual Fairfield Holiday Classic Prep bounced
Ridgefield who would most determine Prep’s fate. The
Ludlowe in the first round by a score of 60-59. In the
two state giants faced off three times that season. On
championship game against Warde, Coach Redgate’s
December 12, 2016 the Jesuits lost to the Tigers by a
boys found themselves on the losing side by a score
score of 2-1 in overtime. Sather’s boys bounced back
of 69-65. Fairfield Warde junior Sean Conway scored
with a solid 4-1 victory on January 16th. Then came the
twenty-seven points against Prep, earning his team the
big showdown in the state playoffs on Saturday, March
win and himself tourney MVP. Pat Harding had twenty-
11th. Prep moved through the third period with a lead
seven points for Prep and Kelly added sixteen. Harding
of 3-1, when Ridgefield exploded for two goals to tie
was named to the All-Tournament team. From that point
the contest. Then, in overtime, Ridgefield scored and
the season pretty much followed that trend of win one,
captured the game by a final score of 4-3. Prep hockey
lose one, with Prep finishing the regular season at 10-10.
finished the season ranked as the fourth best team in the
At least a few of those losses came as a result of Harding's
state, according to the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register
absence, as he sat out a number of games with a shoulder
poll. Forward Chris Brown was named to the 2016-2017
injury. The one bright spot of the regular season had to be
CHSCA All-State, second team. Of note: By the end
the upset of previously unbeaten Hillhouse on February
of the 2017 season Matt Sather and his chief assistant
7th at Floyd Little Gym in New Haven by a score of 70-
Rudy Mauritz had compiled an amazing overall record,
62. That win provided a little momentum for the team as
including games against some of the strongest teams in
it headed into the playoffs. There followed two big wins,
the region, of 285-117-17. Sather’s teams won ten SCC
one at Wilbur Cross on March 6 by a score of 70-48 and
league titles and nine Division I state championships.
then a big 76-69 victory at Trumbull on March 8. Clutch
During that time eleven Prep skaters were named
fourth quarter free throws by Brian Noone sealed the
Connecticut high school Player of the Year.
deal for the Jesuits. Mitch Savoca chipped in with 9 big
Prep’s swimming and diving team, under the
points, and Phil Vlandis and Bobby Haskins added four
experienced and patient leadership of Coach Rick
points each in the victory. Unfortunately, Prep’s bubble
Hutchinson, had another outstanding season. The team
burst in the East Catholic game on March 10th by a score
finished with a perfect record of 13-0 in dual meets.
of 66-48. The once-beaten team from Manchester got off
Included was a monumental victory over Greenwich on
to a quick start and never looked back. Thus ended Prep’s
January 28th, by a score of 98-88. It was only the fifth
run for the state title. Interestingly, Hillhouse, the team
time in the program’s history that Prep was able to notch
that Prep had previously defeated, went on to secure its
a victory over the perennial rival and state champions.
second consecutive state title, drubbing East Catholic
On February 15th, Prep took down the previously
by twenty points in the LL championship game. At the
undefeated Cheshire team by a decisive score of 107-
conclusion of the season, Pat Harding, who averaged
76, thus returning the favor to a team that had defeated
eighteen points, fourteen rebounds and five assists per
Prep the previous year. A two-event winner that day was
game, was named to the All-SCC, All-Area and All-State
Oliver Rus, who took both the 100-yard breaststroke
teams.
and freestyle races. On March 13, 2017 the Class LL title
The hockey team had its share of ups and downs in
meet was held at Wesleyan University in Middletown. HISTORY OF PREP | 273
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
Greenwich won its fifth straight championship with 789
place in the 1,600 meters at the SCC meet with a time
points, but was strongly challenged by a determined Prep
of 4:26.06. He went on to sixth place in the 3,200 at the
team that tallied 666 points. Cheshire trailed at third
LL Meet and fourth at the same distance in the State
place with 474 points. Among the stars for Prep that day
Open. For his efforts, Drew was named to the New Haven
were Liam Colleran, Oliver Rus, Stanislav Yarmoussik,
Register All-Area team.
and Martin Duffy, who captured first place in the 200-
January brought with it the annual Dr. Martin Luther
yard medley. They also won the 200-yard freestyle relay.
King assembly. For 2017 the theme was “the diversity
Colleran also won the 100-yard backstroke and Rus took
within us.” SEED Director Alecia Thomas assembled
first in the 100-yard breaststroke. At season’s end, the
an entertaining and informative program that included
young men of Prep won numerous awards. Colleran,
faculty speakers Ms. Jayne Penn and Mr. John Szablewicz.
Rus, Yarmoussik, and Duffy were all named to the All-
From there, the school moved into the second
America, All-State and All-SCC teams.
semester of the year with a relatively mild winter in
There were, of course, other winter teams that
effect. There were no snow days and only a few delayed
reached great heights for 2016-2017. The ski team
openings as the month of February 2017 arrived. In
achieved a perfect season for the second year in a row,
fact, on Wednesday, February 8th, temperatures rose to
with a record of 27-0. Coached by Gary Nadel, the
record highs in the high 50s and low 60s – extraordinary
Prep team was certainly optimistic as it entered the
for that month of the year. Of note, on that day, school
Connecticut interscholastic ski league championship
President Thomas Simisky. S.J. sent an email message
meet held at Mount Southington, on March 2nd. A
to the Prep community announcing the appointment of
stubborn Brunswick team made it rather close, but
Mr. Greg Marshall ’73 to a new post as special assistant
Prep prevailed by a score of 311.04 to 314.62. For Prep,
to the president. In that position Marshall would be
George Visnic, Andrew Gil, Jack Gurnham, and Connor
responsible for all financial aid awards and he would
Gurnhan all finished in the top ten. Others giving strong
become the point person for advanced research for
performances were Connor Laurion, Aidan Feliciano,
financial gifts to the school. Named to replace Marshall
Cade Lewis, Pierce Barry, Danny King and Jack Keehon.
as admissions director was Mr. Kevin Altieri ’00, who would thus be leaving the social studies department. The
Zentner – 100 Wins!
linkage between admissions and social studies continued
In wrestling, Prep had good reason for celebration as
in that Mr. Andrew Davenport, who had served as Mr.
two of its members captured SCC titles. Kevin Zentner,
Greg Marshall’s assistant in admissions, was scheduled
who reached the plateau of one hundred career wins, was
to move into social studies as Mr. Altieri’s replacement.
victorious in the 126-lb. class and Evan Titus won the
In that role Mr. Davenport ’08, was destined to succeed
170-lb. crown. In the CIAC LL wrestling championship
due to his knowledge of the school from a number of
meet held at Trumbull High on Saturday, February 18th,
different perspectives, as well as his strong interest in
Titus came in at second place and Zentner finished at
history. Joining the development office as new operations
fifth in their respective weight classes. At season’s end
assistant was Mrs. Grace Calderon. Returning to Prep in
Evan Titus was named to the New Haven Register All-
guidance was Mr. Peter Francini ’00. He replaced Ms.
Area wrestling team. He completed the season with a
Dina DeRosa, who left for a similar post in a public school
35-10 record, including twenty-two pins. For his high
system. Mr. Francini also quickly became involved with
school career, Titus compiled a record that included
the extracurricular life of the school as he assumed
more than ninety wins. Throughout his years at Prep,
leadership of the important Habitat for Humanity group.
Evan remained a mature and gentlemanly presence,
As the new semester dawned, social studies teacher
both in the classroom and on the field of battle. Turning
and head football coach Keith Hellstern instituted
to indoor track, meanwhile, the big star for Prep was
an innovation that combined both interests when he
Drew Thompson. A cross-country sensation, Thompson
mandated that all football players participate in after-
achieved success in indoor track as well, capturing first 274 | HISTORY OF PREP
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school study hall sessions in the Student Life Center.
The lacrosse team, after twenty-nine years under the
A quick visit to the center on any given day revealed
amazingly successful Chris Smalkais, had a new coach
an organized and serious collection of Prep footballers
in Mr. Graham Niemi. Wasting no time in continuing
working alone and with others to do their homework
the winning tradition Niemi’s inaugural game as head
and other school-related projects.
coach resulted in an exciting 10-9 victory over Newtown
As anyone who has lived in southern New England
on April 1, 2017. Mitch Savoca and Ethan Grandolfo
for any length of time can tell you, the weather in the
scored three goals each to lead the team to victory. Not
state during winter can be quite changeable, to say the
to be outdone, on the very next day Coach Mauritz and
least. Well, on Thursday, February 9th, one day after
his baseball team overwhelmed Fairfield Warde High
those warm temps, the thermometer plummeted by
School by a score of 21-7. Telly Colarossi, Joe Mancini,
about thirty degrees as a nor’easter roared into the region,
Chris Rotundo, and Matt Zuffino all had big days at
dumping between twelve to twenty inches of snow. Most
the plate, and starting pitcher Charlie Hoover went five
schools throughout the region, including Fairfield Prep,
innings with no walks for the win. The team went on
were closed both Thursday and Friday.
to compile a 17-4 record as of May 24th, having lost
Soon enough, however, the calendar turned to March
the SCC championship game against Amity. Then it
and thoughts of spring. On March 23rd there came a
was on to the playoffs. On May 30th Rudy’s boys easily
big announcement pertaining to the newly created Prep
defeated Greenwich 8-2. On the next day Prep bested
Athletic Hall of Fame. The inaugural class of inductees
Newtown 5-3, and it seemed as though the team had
was announced. Included in the group were legendary
established some real momentum. Unfortunately, in the
football coach James Earl Lavery (“The Duke”) ’50, the
quarterfinals, at a home game on the day of the alumni
high-scoring member of the 1969 state championship
reunion, Saturday, June 3rd, Prep fell to a determined
basketball team, James J. Fitzsimmons, Jr., Paul Halas ’74,
Danbury team by a score of 5-2, and the season was over.
quarterback of the undefeated 1973 state championship football team, and Chris E. Drury ’94, the hockey great who won championships on the high school, college and professional levels. The induction was held on Friday evening on Friday, June 2nd. All who attended agreed it was a wonderful event. Kudos were in order to Mr. Rick Henderson and his entire staff in the development office. On April 6, 2017 it was announced that Prep was going to have its own athletic website. Called JESUITPRIDE.com, the new site was to be a central information hub for all things related to the school’s many athletic teams. It would obviously also serve as a great resource for anyone wishing to document the history of the various teams. News was also made on the Fairfield University side of campus when on April 27th, it was announced that Dr. Mark R. Nemec was to become the new president of Fairfield University, effective July 1st. Dr. Nemec would thus become the ninth president in the University’s history and the first non-Jesuit to hold the title (excepting Dr. Lynn Babinton, who served as interim leader following the departure of Fr. Von Arx, S.J. the previous summer). The spring sports calendar was packed, as usual.
Lacrosse team celebrates a goal HISTORY OF PREP | 275
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Robotics Team in action
The bright spot for Prep was Matt Zuffino, who went 3-4 in the loss. At season’s end, Karl Johnson and Will Lucas garnered CHSCA All-State honors.
Golf, Tennis Win SCC Championships Coach Bernier’s golf team pleased its fans when it captured the SCC championship. It was the first time
Earlier on the day of June 3rd, in a quarterfinal game
since 2007 for Prep. From there, the team ventured to
at Rafferty Stadium, the Prep lacrosse team was decidedly
Fairview Farm in Harwinton for the CIAC championship
overcome by Wilton, by a score of 12-5. Thus, the curtain
event, held on June 6. Prep finished an impressive third
fell on Coach Niemi’s inaugural season. At season’s end
place in the state. Best finishers were Mike Knick, tied at
Prep placed a number of players on the All-SCC team,
fifteenth, while John Kane and Tyler Blose tied at twenty-
including Chris Brown, Mitch Savoca, Mason Reale, Jim
third and William Mallek and Evan Farruggio tied at
Loughran, and Oweb Callahan. The track team had some
thirtieth. Mike Knick and Will Malek were selected to
bright spots in 2017. Prep took seventh place overall in
the All-SCC first team. The Prep tennis team won its first
the SCC championship meet. Prep distance sensation
SCC title since 2010. In the tournament championships,
Drew Thompson breezed to victory in the 3,200-meter
held at Yale on May 25th, Prep defeated Hand of Madison
race with a time of 9:27.0 and he took third in the 1600.
by a score of 5-2. Singles victories were garnered by
Joseph Schanne captured second place in the javelin
Nick Allen and Chris Hilton, while the teams of Brian
with a throw of 160.01 feet. The 4x100 meter relay team
Donahue/Steve Westphal, Frank Fortunato/Will Stanco,
of Ian Imery, Devonte Shaw, Douglas Harrison and John
and Pierce Barry and Julian Richtarich all won doubles
Gnibus established a new school record at 44.58. Greg
matches. At season’s end both Steven Westphal and
Anderson came in fifth in the 100-meter dash. In the
Frank Fortunato were named to the All-SCC team.
state open meet, Thompson finished second in the 3200
Coach Harold Prather and his assistant Adam Mirsky
and Schanne finished at a respectable fifteenth. Another
had good reason to celebrate.
Prep team that performed well was rugby, coached by Mr. Frank Decker. A major accomplishment for the team was
The Evolution Continues
when it won the New England Jesuit Rugby Tournament
As another cool and rainy spring progressed, some
on April 23rd. MVP of the tourney was team captain
additional changes emerged from the clouds. At the
Evan Titus, who provided great leadership throughout
annual state-of-the-school address to faculty and staff on
the season. 276 | HISTORY OF PREP
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May 1st, President Simisky announced that Frank and
Prep after many decades of occupation by the University’s
Vivian Ahlers of F&V Services were retiring. Frank and
media department. He suggested that the primary goal
Viv had provided the food service at the school beginning
for the space would be to create a new robotics lab there
in 1995. Their replacement was Catamount Services,
under the direction of the stalwart science teacher Mr.
owned by Mr. John Vazzano. The name was familiar to
Anthony Dotolo. Fr. Simisky ended his comments by
many, since his Vazzy’s restaurants were popular in the
revealing that the Rev. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J. Ignatian
area.
Educator of the Year recipient was Mr. Elliott Gualtiere
Other key elements of Fr. Simisky’s address included
- a great honor for a dedicated servant to Jesuit mission.
his assurance that Prep had “weathered the storm
As the meeting continued, Principal Perrotta
of transition” caused by personnel and instructional
explained that the school had successfully come through
technology changes. The changes in personnel were
the Jesuit school evaluation process, held the previous
indeed formidable. Indeed, in a personal conversation
fall, “with flying colors.” He reminded those present that
with theology department chair Mr. Cory Milazzo, he
the Visiting Committee of the New England Association
affirmed that by surveying the yearbooks from 2012
of Schools & Colleges (the accrediting agency), would
through 2017, he was able to ascertain that more than
conduct their on-site evaluation during the week of
fifty members of the faculty and staff had left the school.
October 15, 2017 in the upcoming school year. At that
Indeed, in the spring of 2017 we learned that three very
point Mr. Greg Marshall took the stage and, in his last
popular teachers were leaving: Ms. Linda Kaye and
report as dean of enrollment, he revealed that the target
Ms. Koren Mumma to retirement, and Mr. Christian
enrollment for the school heading forward would be
Cashman, who had accepted a position to be president
between 825-850 students. He went on to state that the
of Northwest Catholic High School in the Hartford
new freshman class for the 2017-2018 school year (Class
area. These people were great educators and significant
of 2021) would contain 26% students of color, an all-
members of the faculty. Replacing them would be no
time high for Prep. It’s really amazing to think back to
easy task. (Yet, having come to know many of the young,
that Class of 1946, which had only one African-American
dedicated and talented new teachers, I firmly believe that
student, Jeffery Townsend Cuffee, and realize how things
the future of the school is in good hands.) Finally, on the
had changed after all those years.
administrative side, Mr. Larry Carroll entered retirement.
Prep Auction – Another Success! May is a busy time in
He loved Prep dearly, both as an alumnus (Class of 1963)
so many ways. On Saturday, May 6th, the annual auction
and as a leader of the development office. Larry labored
was held in the beautiful student life center in Berchmans
unceasingly to increase the school’s endowment and to
Hall. More than 250 people attended the affair, including
keep Prep on a sound financial footing. I will always be
Senator Richard Blumenthal and Board of Governors
grateful for his support and friendship.
chair Mr. Timothy Murphy. The event raised $313,000 to
Moving on to other issues, Father Simisky stated that
benefit the school's various programs. A popular aspect
the marketing research project by Maguire Associates
of the auction is the $25,000 tuition drawing. The winner
was completed, and he presented a summary of
for 2017 was Mrs. Elizabeth Keresey. The Kereseys had
recommendations made by the research, as Prep was
two sons enrolled at the school: Sam ’18 and Jed ’20.
about to unveil its new strategic plan for growth during
Aside from the wonderful work done by vice president
the summer of 2017. Included in the plan would likely
for institutional advancement Mr. Rick Henderson and
be a step-one feasibility study for the replacement of
his diligent development staff to produce the event,
the Brissette Athletic Center in order to better serve the
special thanks were in order to the event's co-chairs, Ms.
students. The architectural firm of Newman Associates
Beth Kelly and Ms. Nancy Lyons. The auction co-chairs
had already been retained in order to begin the process.
were Ms. Eileen Blees, Ms. Mary Ellen Connolly and Ms.
Father Simisky also revealed that the school had great
Jane Pampa. They were assisted by many volunteers from
expectations for the constructive usage of Xavier
the Prep Bellarmine Guild. A fun time was had by all!
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News from Lakota country On May 10, 2017 the Rev. John Hatcher, S.J, president of the St. Francis Mission at the Rosebud Sioux reservation in South Dakota, announced that the Society of Jesus was returning 525 acres of land to the Sicangu Lakota people. “It’s meaningful that we not continue to hold land that rightly belongs to the Lakota people,” said Father Hatcher. The Jesuits had been a presence among the Lakota since 1886. The many Prep students and faculty who made the immersion trip to the St. Francis Mission in the early 2000s organized by Mr. Carlton Galligan, S.J. will recall the amiable Father Hatcher. He always treated the Prep groups to a great breakfast and he
Urban Plunge 2017
very much enjoyed talking with the Prep students. Most
The month of May is also always a vibrant time for
importantly, Fr. Hatcher appreciated Prep’s service to the
the arts. The spring musical was Into the Woods, the
Lakota community. The many Prepsters who visited and
popular Sondheim production. Director Megan Hoover
worked with the Lakota children on the “Body, Mind and
performed her magic once again as the play was a big
Soul” immersions no doubt have great memories of those
success. Musicals are not easy to carry off on a high
smiling children and their families. Attending Masses at
school level, but the Prep Players, backed by strong
St. Francis infused with the Lakota language and music,
orchestral accompaniment as led by Music Director
signing your name in the church steeple, and, of course,
Christine Evans, put together a memorable event. Of
participating in an authentic sweat lodge ceremony are
note, the women members of the production were
just a few of the experiences that no doubt indelibly
outstanding. For their efforts the group garnered several
remain in the minds of Prep students and faculty who
Halo nominations, including: Best Orchestra; Best
visited the St. Francis Mission in South Dakota. For more
Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Taylor
information about Father Hatcher, look for the article
McCuaig; Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a
entitled: “Jesuits at the Frontier: Father John Hatcher,
Contemporary Musical, Audrey Burns. On May 17th,
S.J.” by Tracey Primrose. It provides more information
the week following the musical, the Prep musicians had
about this dedicated Jesuit priest who serves as an
their chance to shine once again in the annual spring
excellent role model for us all.
concert. Director Christine Evans made good on her promise to cover musical genres from Gregorian chant to doo-wop. At the performance Dr. Sal Santella ’49 and his wife were honored for their generosity in supporting the fine arts program at the school. During those last weeks of May, the annual art show was once again on display in Arrupe Hall. Young artists, nurtured by their teachers such as Mr. Robert Fosse-Previs, demonstrated their excellent talents. On May 30th the seniors had their field trip to Hogan’s Alley in Meriden for a fun day of paintball competition. Chaperoning teachers wisely resisted students’ requests to participate in the battles. In keeping with the long-held tradition, the Baccalaureate Liturgy was held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on the Post Road in Fairfield, on the evening
Members of the Class of 2012 enjoy their reunion
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Members of the Class of 1982 enjoy their 35th reunion
of Thursday, June 1. Following that was a weekend of
graduation, were presented to the Class of 1967. Among
celebration with the first Athletic Hall of Fame dinner
those receiving the award was faculty member Mr. Attila
and reception on Friday and a great alumni party and
Levai. Then came the awarding of diplomas to the Class
dinner on Saturday. Among the most poignant moments
of 2017, with 220 young men, dressed in the traditional
of the evening was when Prep alums moved about the
white dinner jacket and red bowties, making their way
classroom building and entered their old classrooms,
to the stage in Alumni Hall to receive the honor. Once
wanting to sit once more in the exact same desk that
there, they were greeted by President Tom Simisky, S.J.,
they had back when they were students. Among the
Principal Dr. Robert Perrotta, and Academic Dean Dr.
reasons for the success of the great weekend was the fact
Donna Andrade.
that vice president for institutional advancement Mr. Rick Henderson had a big tent erected in the Pelletier
In Closing – Author's Note
Quad for the events. There was something really special
With graduation for the Class of 2017 we reach the
about having the events occur in the Prep Enclave, on
important milestone of seventy-five years of excellence
our own terms, utilizing space elsewhere on campus.
at Fairfield College Preparatory School. At this time
The atmosphere was noticeably more positive than when
some personal observations are in order. First of all,
Prep alums had in the past gathered in the Oak Room at
since I arrived at the school in 1971, I have personally
the Barone Campus Center.
witnessed 61% of the school’s history. Upon completing this manuscript I am sixty-eight years of age, and I have
Prep’s 75th Commencement Celebration – An Historic Event Fairfield
have been at Prep for over 67% of my life! It was not until
75th
the late 1980s, however, that the thought of compiling
graduation ceremony was held
and writing its history dawned on me. I began the process
at 10:00 am on Sunday, June 4,
because to my knowledge no one else was doing it, and
2017. The guest commencement
I firmly believed that every great school should know
speaker
Timothy
its history. Subsequently, I produced my first edition,
Murphy ’85, Chair of the Board
Fifty Years of Excellence in 1992, with a later edition
of Governors. The student speaker representing the Class
in 2008. I realize that both of those editions contained
of 2017 was Phil Vlandis, who gave an insightful and
way too many errors. This third edition, I believe, is
humorous overview of his experiences at Prep. Golden
more accurate than the previous two. But, unlike the
diplomas commemorating the 50th anniversary of their
David McCulloughs of history writing, I have no staff of
was
Prep’s
spent forty-six years of my life at the school. That means I
Mr.
HISTORY OF PREP | 279
HEADING TOWARD PREP’S 75TH
Architect’s rendering of the Fairfield Prep of the future
graduate student researchers and fact-checkers. I pretty
will be of service to those who will compile the history
much work in a vacuum here in my basement office in
of the school decades and even centuries from this point.
Woodbury. So, many mistakes undoubtedly remain from
I know that I will not be around when we make it to our
the old editions and new ones were added as I composed
one hundredth anniversary, but maybe my efforts will aid
this final edition.
some future historian in his or her task.
Also, I realize that for the casual reader of this
Finally, let me just add that my many years at Fairfield
manuscript there is an incredible amount of redundancy
Prep have been greatly rewarding to me on so many
as there is an almost yearly account of teams, records,
levels. I have had a front row seat to witness generations
dramatic and musical performances, new teachers
of our young men grow and move on to great careers,
arriving and older ones leaving. I would like to remind
marry, and set their own children off on educational
the readers, however, of one simple fact. While these
adventures. Some of my students have entered the clergy,
years might seem repetitive to us, each one is of vital
and I would imagine that Prep is always in their prayers.
importance to the individuals living them in their own
I firmly believe that the Jesuit presence in Fairfield has
“here and now.” A major regret for me is that I could not
been a highly noble cause, and I call on all of “my boys”
be better and more accurate in reporting these years and
to remember Prep’s call to service to those in need. I ask
decades. In the era before computers and the internet
them to remember our great school in any way they feel
information about the school and its history was difficult
is appropriate to their personal situation. Go Prep!
to uncover. I realize that many students and their great accomplishments have been left out and I apologize for those omissions. This, unfortunately, is especially true in the area of academic accomplishments. The reason for this I suppose is that we at Prep take that area for granted. Indeed, as related by Principal Perrotta, the school never even recorded a list of valedictorians over time. As I said in an earlier edition, every individual student, faculty member, administrator and staff person deserves mention for his or her contribution, because the greatness of Prep is no doubt because of all of us, from the first and throughout these seventy-five years of our existence. It is my sincere hope and expectation that Fairfield Prep will live on well into the future and that this book 280 | HISTORY OF PREP
Members of the Class of 2021 at their freshman orientation
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CHAPTER 16
Awards Fairfield Prep Hall of Fame 1979 – Rev. Edward J. Welch, S.J. – Rev. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J. – Rev. Francis G. Deevy, S.J. – Mr. John G. Phelan 1980 – Rev. Eugene C. Brissette, S.J. – Mr. Robert J. Connell – Mr. Joseph T. Brosley – Mr. Emil Garofalo 1981 – Rev. Msgr. William Genuaro, JCD – Mr. John R. Leverty – Rev. W. Laurence O’Neil, S.J. – Mr. George B. Thomas 1982 – The Honorable John J. Sullivan – Mr. John A. Lannon – Mr. Thomas W. McGillicuddy – Rev. Robert N. Sproule, S.J. 1983 – Mr. Frank V. Feroleto – Mr. John S. Kartovsky – Rev. Charles J. Munzing, S.J. – Mr. Robert J. Sylvester 1984 – Rev. James M. Bowler, S.J. – Mr. Arthur J. Hedge, Jr. – Mr. J. Earl Lavery – Mr. James F. Stapleton 1985 – Mr. John J. Fitzpatrick – Mr. Emanuel F. Ondeck – Mr. William T. Redgate – Rev. Martin G. Shaughnessy, S.J. 1986 – Rev. Francis X. Carty, S.J. – Mrs. Elizabeth Kachmar – Mr. Thomas H. Savard – Mr. James H. Traynor 1987 – Dr. Charles G. Hemenway, Jr., MD – Rev. Alfred J. Jolson, S.J. – Mr. Louis A. Saracco, Jr. – Rev. James P. Bradley, S.J. 1988 – Dr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Flynn – Mr. Bruce N. Jaffe – Mr. Harold Savard
1989 – Rev. Walter R. Pelletier, S.J. – Mr. Edward J. Rowe – The Honorable John J. Shannon – Mr. Pedro E. Wasmer 1990 – Rev. Frederick W. Blatchford, S.J. – Mr. Thomas A. McLaughlin – Msgr. Joseph D. Potter – Rev. Joseph G. Trinkle, S.J. 1991 – Mr. Jeffrey S. Keith – Mr. Robert A. Perrotta, JD – Dr. James P. Roach, MD 1994 – Dr. Roger Ratchford, EdD – Mr. Timothy A. Hogan, Jr. 1995 – Dr. Robert D. Russo, Jr., MD 1997 – Mr. Christopher K. McLeod – Mr. Frank V. Sica 2001 – Mr. Stephen P. Jakab 2002 – Mr. Stephen F. Donohue 2005 – Rev. Donald M. Barry, S.J. Note: There have been no additions since 2005.
Fairfield Prep Hearthstone (yearbook) LIST OF DEDICATIONS 1943 – Rev. Maurice Francis McAuliffe – Bishop of Hartford 1944 – “To the men of Fairfield Prep who are now in the Armed Forces” 1945 – Fr. John J. McEleney, S.J. – new Provincial and Fr. James H. Dolan, S.J., Former Provincial 1946 – Rev. Henry J. O’Brien – Bishop of Hartford 1947 – Fr. Leo A. Reilly, S.J., - former Principal and Fr. Walter E. Kennedy, new Principal 1948 – Fr. James H. Barry, S.J. – student counselor
1949 – “To the Prep senior parents” 1950 – Pope Pius XII 1951 – “To Mary, the Virgin Mother” 1952 – “To the members of the faculty of Fairfield Prep, past and present” 1953 – Fr. Joseph D. Fitzgerald, S.J. 1954 – Rev. Lawrence Joseph Shehan, Bishop of Bridgeport 1955 – Fr. Walter W. Kennedy, S.J. – math and religion, and Fr. Thomas A. Murphy, S.J., Guidance 1956 – Fr. Frederick William Blatchford, S.J. – math and religion 1957 – St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J. 1958 – “To our mothers, fathers, our relatives, friends, schoolmates and classmates, our grammar and high school teachers” 1959 – Fr. James E. Fitzgerald, S.J. – new Rector of Fairfield Prep and Fairfield University 1960 – Fr. Joseph A. Murphy, S.J., - Latin, Greek, English, religion 1961 – Fr. Eugene C. Brissette, S.J. – science 1962 – no dedication 1963 – Fr. Edward J. Welch, S.J. – Latin, English, math 1964 – no dedication 1965 – no dedication 1966 – no dedication 1967 – no dedication 1968 – Mr. Vincent M. McIlvain Administration 1969 – Mr. Thomas W. McGillicuddy – Dean of Men 1970 – no dedication 1971 – no dedication 1972 – no dedication
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AWARDS
Fairfield Prep Hearthstone (yearbook) LIST OF DEDICATIONS (CONT.) 1973 – no dedication 1974 – no dedication 1975 – no dedication 1976 – no dedication 1977 – Mr. Joseph Brosley, Fr. Francis Cafferty, S.J., Fr. Francis Deevey, S.J., Fr. Thomas Murphy, S.J., Mr. George Thomas, Fr. Edward Welch, S.J., Mrs. Betty Kachmar 1978 – Fr. Oliver Nickerson, S.J. – English 1979 – Fr. Edward Welch, S.J. – Latin, math 1980 – Fr. James Bowler, S.J. – Principal 1981 – Fr. Joseph Trinkle, S.J. – art, theology 1982 – no dedication 1983 – Mr. Robert Cornigans, S.J. – English 1984 – Fr. Eugene Brissette, S.J. – chemistry, and Fr. Robert N. Sproule, S.J. – French 1985 – Mr. George B. Thomas – English, and Fr. Laurence Ryan, S.J. – Latin 1986 – Fr. Walter R. Pelletier, S.J. – math 1987 – Mr. Joseph T. Brosley – math, former varsity football coach 1988 – Mr. John P. Brennan – Dean of Students 1989 – Fr. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J. – theology, and Fr. William Eagan, S.J. – theology 1990 – Mr. David J. Ellis – guidance 1991 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 1992 – Mr. Louis A. Saracco – social studies 1993 – Fr. George A. Gallarelli, S.J. – guidance 1994 – Mr. Robert Bernier – Latin 1995 – Mr. Barry Wallace – English 1996 – Mr. John Hanrahan – social studies 1997 – Mr. Richard Pacelli – science 1998 – Mr. Bruce N. Jaffe – social studies, and Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 1999 – Fr. Michael Boughton, S.J. – Headmaster 2000 – Mr. Louis A. Saracco – social studies (on his 40th anniversary as a teacher at Prep) 2001 – Fr. Martin Shaughnessey, S.J. – theology 2002 – Dr. Donna Andrade – Academic Dean
282 | HISTORY OF PREP
2003 – “To the Prep Administration, Development Office, Board of Governors, Fairfield University Representatives, and all those involved in the beautification of Fairfield Prep.” 2004 – Fr. James Hederman, S.J. – school chaplain 2005 – Fr. Donald Barry, S.J. (posthumously) – social studies 2006 – “For all Prep mothers, here and home, “especially: Mrs. Teri Grisé, R.N. – school nurse Mrs. Margaret Rosario – president’s secretary Mrs. Vivian Ahlers – food services director 2007 – Mr. Edward T. Giegengack – mathematics 2008 – Dedicated Teachers/Administrators with over 30 years at Prep: Maureen Bohan, Billy Brooks, Tony Canuel, Dave Driscoll, Bob Ford, Ed Giegengack, Bob Harris, Bruce Jaffe, Greg Marshall, Louise Miller, Bob Perrotta, Fr. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J., Lou Saracco, John Szablewicz 2009 – Mr. Louis A. Saracco – social studies 2010 - Ms. Maureen Bohan – mathematics 2011 – Mrs. Colleen Keltos – Director of Technology 2012 – Mr. Anthony Canuel – science 2013 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 2014 – Mrs. Delores Tema – fine arts 2015 – Mrs. Elaine Clark – English 2016 – Mr. Bruce N. Jaffe – social studies 2017 – Mr. Corey Milazzo – theology
Educator of the Year Award: (Sponsored by the Fathers’ Club) 1990 – Mr. Peter D. LaVigne – English 1991 – Mr. Barry Wallace – English 1992 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 1993 – Mr. John F. Roche – science 1994 – Mr. Paul F. Hogan – English 1995 – Mr. Peter J. Cummings – English 1996 – Mr. Richard R. Pacelli, Jr. – science 1997 – Rev. Richard G. Cipolla – science 1998 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 1999 – Mr. Brian Maloney – English
2000 – Mr. Matthew Sather – English 2001 – Mr. Trevor Fanning – fine arts 2002 – Mr. John M. Slavinsky – English 2003 – Mr. Bruce N. Jaffe – social studies 2004 – Fr. Carleton Galligan, S.J. – theology 2005 – Mr. Edward Rowe – mathematics 2006 – Mr. Thomas Cunningham – science 2007 – Mr. Barry Wallace – English 2008 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 2009 – Mr. Louis A. Saracco – social studies
Most Inspirational Teacher Award: 2010 – Mr. Rudy Mauritz – social studies 2011 – Mr. Tom Shea – English 2012 – Mr. Tony Canuel – science 2013 – Mr. Barry Wallace – English 2014 – Tom Cunningham – science 2015 – Mr. John W. Szablewicz – social studies 2016 – Mr. Matt Sather – English 2017 – Mr. Tom Sacerdote – social studies
Rev. Martin Shaughnessy, S.J. Ignatian Educator of the Year Award: 2011 – Ms. Maureen Bohan (mathematics) 2012 – Ms. Billie Brooks (foreign languages) 2013 – Mr. John Hanrahan (guidance) 2014 – Mr. Thomas Sacerdote (social studies & theology) 2015 – Mrs. Jennifer Mauritz – (foreign languages) 2016 – Mrs. Elaine Clark (English) 2017 – Mr. Elliot Gualtiere (campus ministry)
Track and Field Records (As of Spring 2017) 55-meter dash – Joe Spinelli: 1993 – 6.71 seconds 100-yard dash – Daryl Johnson: 1971 – 10.8 seconds (Note: in 1980 official distances were changed from yards to meters, except for field events) 100-meter dash – Greg Anderson: 2017, 11.04 seconds
AWARDS
220-yard dash – Daryl Johnson: 1971, 22.0 seconds 300-meter dash – Alex Weimer: 1993, 36.7 seconds 440-yard run – Robert Goulash: 1968, 49.4 seconds 500-meter run – Matt Linnane: 1992, 1:09.2 600-meter run – Adam Vare: 2014, 1:26.86 800-meter run – Christian Alvarado: 2014, 1:52.60 1000-meter run – Chris Scapillato: 1998, 2:30.74 1500-meter run – Brian McGovern: 2000, 3:59.05 1600-meter run – Christian Alvarado: 2000, 4:12.85 1600 Racewalk – Kevin Dougherty: 2009 Mile run – Christian Alvarado: 2014, 4:06.88 3000-meter run – Christian Alvarado: 2013, 8:26.25 3200-meter run – Christian Alvarado: 2014, 9:06.67 3200-meter run (indoor) – Christian Alvarado: 2013, 9:07.00 2-mile run – Christian Alvarado: 2014, 9:00.29 (State Record) 5000-meter run – Connor Rog: 2011, 15:03.30 55-meter high hurdles – Craig Kinsley: 2007, 8:15 seconds 110-meter hurdles – Dave Bernard: 1986, 15.1 seconds 200-meter hurdles – Peter O’Connor: 1995, 26.5 seconds 300- meter hurdles – Jimmy Brand: 2008, 39.93 seconds
Track Relay Records 4 x 100 meter relay – I. Imery, D. Shaw, D. Harrison, J. Gnibus: 2017, 44.58 seconds 4 x 220 yard relay – Johnson, Harris, Stabile, Doran: 1971, 1:30.01 4 x 400 meter relay – A. Weimer, J. Crespo, K. O’Grady, M. Linnane: 1992, 3:22.09 4 x 800 meter relay – A. Vare, C. Alvarado, C. Rog, P. Corona: 2012, 7:50.55
1600-meter Sprint Medley relay – J. Gabal, D. Mara, W. Codrington, M. McGovern: 2001, 3:39.11 4 x 1600 meter relay – M. Whelan, C. Alvarado, C. Rog, P. Corona: 2012, 18:26.2 Distance Medley relay – P. Corona, A. Vare, C. Alvarado, C. Rog: 2012, 10:17.95
Field Events Records High Jump – Craig Kinsley: 2007, 6’04 ½’’ Long Jump – Anthony Thomas: 1999, 23’03’’ Triple Jump – Jim Davis: 1972, 43’07” Shot put – Brad Kontra: 2009, 56’10” Discus – Pat Anglim: 1983, 164’2’’ Javelin – Craig Kinsley: 2007, 192’10” Hammer Throw – Jon Cambras: 2001, 168’02” Pole Vault – Dean Esposito: 1989, 13’6.5” Decathlon – Craig Kinsley: 2007 - 5,605 points Mile Steeplechase – Christian Alvarado: 4:39.68 2000 Steeplechase – Christian Alvarado: 2013, 6:03.44 3000 Steeplechase – Christian Alvarado: 2012, 9:42.25
Cross-Country Records Fairfield Prep Home Course, 2.9 miles – Brian McGovern: 1999, 14:50 SCC Championship Meet – Drew Thompson: 2017, 15:13 *Drew Thompson is the only runner in SCC history to win three championships. State Open (Team) Wickham Park – J. Thomas, B. McGovern, K. Koniers, B. Haywood: 1997, First Place, 83:01.01 State Open (Individual) Wickham Park – (5000 meter) Christian Alvarado: 2013, First Place, 15:31, Drew Thompson: 2017, 15:44 New England Championship (Individual) – Brian McGovern: 1999, Drew Thompson: 2017
Foot Locker National Cross-Country Championship – Drew Thompson: 2017, Eighth Place, 15:13
Swimming Records (As of Spring 2017) 50 Freestyle 1 Bjorn Davis: 20.96, 2014 2 Peter Massey: 20.97, 1999 3 Oliver Rus: 21.14, 2017 4 Nicholas Wargo: 21.16, 2014 5 John Webber: 21.26, 1991 6 Peter Mesavage: 21.30, 2000 7 Steven Thomas: 21.42, 1996 8T Richard Schneider: 21.48, 1984 8T Eric Trotta: 21.48, 2009 10 Edward Becker: 21.60, 2009 100 Freestyle 1 Andrew Grinalds: 44.77, 2009 2 Oliver Rus: 45.53, 2017 3 Bjorn Davis: 45.92, 2014 4 Nicholas Wargo: 46.24, 2014 5 Peter Massey: 46.67, 1999 6 John Webber: 46.83, 1991 7 Kristof Toth: 46.88, 2010 8 Edward Becker: 46.94, 2009 9 Richard Schneider: 47.07, 1984 10 Peter Mesavage: 47.51, 2000 200 Freestyle 1 Edward Becker: 1:40.85, 2010 2 Bryce Keblish: 1:41.25, 2015 3 Nicholas Wargo: 1:41.27, 2014 4 Vincent Massey: 1:43.10, 1996 5 Bart Platow: 1:43.15, 2009 6 Andrew Grinalds: 1:43.22, 2009 7 Patrick White: 1:43.25, 2008 8 Andrew Golankiewicz: 1:43.40, 2009 9 Brian Skarbek: 1.44.60, 1998 10 Brandon Cole: 1:45.53, 2012 500 Freestyle 1 Brandon Cole: 4:38.08, 2014 2 Bart Platow: 4:38.68, 2009 3 Patrick White: 4:40.52, 2008 4 Matthew Watson: 4:44.80, 2008 5 Vincent Massey: 4:45.13, 1994 6 Richard Hutchinson: 4:46.09, 1987 7 Bryce Keblish: 4:46.55, 2015 8 Adam Zaczkowski: 4:46.79, 2000 9 Jason Brown: 4:47.21, 2005 10 Sean Greer: 4:47.64, 2010
HISTORY OF PREP | 283
AWARDS
Swimming Records (As of Spring 2017) (Continued) 100 Backstroke 1 Andrew Golankiewicz: 51.01, 2010 2 Liam Colleran: 51.85, 2017 3 Andrew Grinalds: 52.22, 2009 4 Guido Balderrama: 53.29, 2016 5 Patrick Doherty: 53.46, 1998 6 Edward Stolarski: 53.82, 2012 7 Adam Zaczkowski: 53.89, 1999 8 Bradley Helt: 53.96, 2011 9T Bryce Keblish: 54.17, 2015 9T Daniel Platow: 54.17, 2007 100 Breaststroke 1 Oliver Rus: 55.27, 2017 2 Bryce Keblish: 57.75, 2015 3 Stephen Tama:, 58.64, 2000 4 John Hoin: 59.04, 2014 5 Stuart Stritzel: 59.94, 2014 6 Brian Power: 1:00.14, 2009 7 Kevin Lydon: 1:00.17, 2016 8 Gregory Barone: 1:00.37, 2004 9 Christopher Lubeck: 1:00.41, 1987 10 James Barone: 1:00.53, 1998 100 Butterfly 1 Bryce Keblish: 49.43, 2015 2 Edward Becker: 51.06, 2010 3 Guido Balderrama: 51.21, 2016 4 John Hoin: 51.71, 2014 5 Sean Burke: 52.02, 1995 6 Tyler Pramer: 52.10, 2010 7 Oswaldo Torres: 52.17, 2007 8 Andrew Grinalds: 52.75, 2007 9 Stanislov Yarmoussik: 52.80, 2017 10 Thomas Linnell: 53.12, 1981 Diving (6 Dive Meet) 1 Jake Bowtell: 307.55, 2013 2 Thomas Thomas: 299.84, 1994 3 Tyler Pramer: 2010 Diving (11 Dive Meet) 1 Jake Bowtell: 510.00, 2013 2 Thomas Thomas: 491.43, 1994 3 John Evans: 465.15, 1974 4 Tyler Pramer: 451.75, 2010 5 Art Samuelson: 426.90, 1976 6 Robert McCrory: 425.35, 2015 7 Jackson Rotondo: 410.85, 2015 8 Ralph Barbieri: 384.60, 1983 9 Timothy Thornton: 366.10, 2007 10 David Shay: 364.10, 1984 11 Michael Connelly: 364.05, 2015 284 | HISTORY OF PREP
200 Individual Medley 1 Andrew Grinalds: 1:48.93, 2009 2 Bryce Keblish: 1:49.68, 2014 3 Brandon Cole: 1:53.18, 2014 4 Sean Burke: 1:55.24, 1995 5 Oliver Rus: 1:55.57, 2016 6 Richard Nolan: 1:55.72, 2017 7 Andrew Golankiewicz: 1:56.23, 2010 8 Adam Zaczkowski: 1:56.75, 1999 9 Edward Stolarski: 1:56.77, 2013 10 Daniel Platow: 1:57.60, 2007 200 Medley Relay 1 Colleran, Rus, Yarmoussik, MJ Duffy: 1:33.28, 2017 2 Golankiewicz, B. Power, Grinalds, Trotta: 1:34.59, 2009 3 E. Stolarski, Hoin, Keblish, Davis: 1:34.76, 2013 4 Colleran, Rus, Balderrama, MJ Duffy: 1:35.65, 2016 5 E. Stolarski, K. Dougherty, Keblish, Davis: 1:36.69, 2012 6 Malone, Zaczkowski, Tamas, Mesavage: 1:36.89, 2000 7 Balderrama, Stritzel, Hoin, McPhee: 1:37.08, 2014 8 Dan Platow, Grinalds, Becker, Torres: 1:37.09, 2007 9 Malone, Tamas, P. Massey, Mesavage: 1:37.44, 1999 10 Woolston, Magura, Torres, Fitzpatrick: 1:37.50, 2006 200 Freestyle Relay 1 Wargo, Cole, Keblish, Davis: 1:23.18, 2014 2 Davis, Cole, Wargo, Keblish: 1:24.81, 2013 3 Becker, B. Platow, Toth, Trotta: 1:26.02, 2009 4 Rus, Yarmoussik, MJ Duffy, W. Duffy: 1:26.48, 2017 5 Wargo, B. Dougherty, Keblish, Davis: 1:26.51, 2012 6 Kinney, Tamas, Mesavage, P. Massey: 1:26.54, 1999 7 Costa, Biondi, Tamas, Mesavage: 1:27.14, 2000 8 Becker, T. Pramer, Cahalane, Toth: 1:27.29, 2010 9 Grinalds, Becker, Keegan, White: 1:27.52, 2008 10 Thomas, Burke, V. Massey, Mosesian: 1:27.82, 1995
400 Freestyle Relay 1 Wargo, Cole, Davis, Keblish: 3:01.08, 2014 2 Becker, Golankiewicz, B. Platow, Grinalds: 3:07.50, 2009 3 Toth, T. Pramer, Golankiewicz, Becker: 3:07.94, 2010 4 Grinalds, Watson, Golankiewicz, White: 3:10.51, 2008 5 Wargo, Hoin, E. Stolarski, Cole: 3:10.55, 2013 6 Grinalds, Watson, White, Torres: 3:11.01, 2007 7 S.P. Stolarski, Yarmoussik, Balderrama, Keblish: 3:11.08, 2015 8 Doherty, Skarbek, P. Massey, Zaczkowski: 3:12.30, 1998 9 Wargo, Ramos, B. Dougherty, Cole: 3:13.29, 2012 10 Rus, Yarmoussik, Fox, Balderrama: 3:13.53, 2016
State Championships BASKETBALL Year Coach 1969 Bob Sylvester 1997 Tim Owen
CROSS-COUNTRY Year Coach 1997 Bob Ford 1998 Bob Ford
FOOTBALL Year Coach 1976 Earl Lavery 1977 Earl Lavery 1982 Earl Lavery 1988 Earl Lavery
GOLF Year Coach 1983 Roger Ratchford 1985 Roger Ratchford 1990 Roger Ratchford 1993 Roger Ratchford 1995 Roger Ratchford
AWARDS
ICE HOCKEY
SKIING
Year Coach 1977 Marty Roos 1979 Marty Roos 1980 Marty Roos 1981 Marty Roos 1991 Peter LaVigne 1995 Peter LaVigne 1996 Peter LaVigne 2000 Matt Sather 2001 Matt Sather 2004 Matt Sather 2005 Matt Sather 2006 Matt Sather 2007 Matt Sather
Year Coach Several, Bob Harris
LACROSSE Year Coach 2006 Chris Smalkais 2007 Chris Smakais 2008 Chris Smalkais 2009 Chris Smalkais 2012 Chris Smalkais 2013 Chris Smalkais
SWIMMING Year Coach 1980 Bruce Jaffe 1998 Bruce Jaffe 2007 Bruce Jaffe
TENNIS Year Coach 1986 Bob Harris 1989 Eileen McKay 1990 Eileen McKay 1991 Bob Harris 1992 Bob Harris 1994 Bob Harris 1995 Bob Harris 1996 Bob Harris 2002 Bob Harris 2003 Bob Harris
FOOTBALL: MARK MASIELLO MEMORIAL AWARD Presented annually in recognition of the individual who has the love of the game, courage, strength, and desire to win. 1985 – Curtis Lindsay 1986 – Terry Newall 1987 – Dave Loglisci 1988 – Eric Wuchiski 1989 – Chris Zingo 1990 – Nick Marsan 1991 – Randy Zingo 1992 – Mike Connors 1993 – Matt Colangelo 1994 – Sean Ritter 1995 – Chris Casper 1996 – Jason Wuchiski 1997 – Greg Beach 1998 – Robert Cunningham 1999 – Bryan Karagus 2000 – Greg Scott 2001 – Shaun Hunte 2002 – Ed McCarthy 2003 – Mike Rodriguez 2004 – Mason Garrity 2005 – Shawn Gaines 2006 – Phil DiGennaro
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O U R S EAL Taken from an early yearbook
We know that many have helped us. Through our lives, the Prep seal can remind us of them: of our Lord whose cross, nails, crown of thorns centering on the Greek initials of his redemptive name, form the heart of that seal; of God’s Church which, from our original Hartford diocese, blessed the school (the middle panel shows a hart fording the river); of the Italian saint and scholar who protects our school, Saint Robert Bellarmine (the six pine cones are from his family seal); of our Jesuit teachers whose Society uses the cross, crown, nails, and name of the Crucified Christ as its mark; of our country, localized by the grape clusters chosen to represent Fairfield township; and of our parents, whose reason for enabling us to attend Prep is expressed by the school’s own motto: Per fidem ad plenam veritatem…to achieve the fullness of truth through faith.
PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY St. Ignatius of Loyola Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God, Teach me true generosity. Teach me to serve you as you deserve. To give without counting the cost, To fight heedless of wounds, To labor without seeking rest, To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward Save the knowledge that I have done your will. Amen.
Fairfield College Preparatory School A Jesuit, Catholic School of Excellence
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