VOLUME XII, ISSUE II
2016-2017
S T. SMEBASTIAN’S AG A Z I N E
March Break Trip to Haiti (see pg. 12)
2016-2017 Board of Trustees FEATURES
IN EVERY ISSUE
10 A Classics Adventure in Rome
Students travel to Rome to learn about the city’s religious, classical and historical importance
12
A Transformative Trip to Haiti
16
Students spend an inspiring week in the remote mountains of the Central Plateau
75 Years of Milestones & Memories
A nostalgic look back at highlights from each decade of St. Sebastian’s history
48 A Fresh Take on Oatmeal
2
Around Campus
8
Trustee News
36
Fine Arts
38
Winter Sports
47
Alumni Events
50 Class Notes 54
In Memoriam
56 From the Archives
Alan Donovan ’09 opens Oat Shop, Boston’s first oatmeal cafe, in Somerville’s Davis Square
10
March Break Trip to Italy
16
75th Milestones & Memories
St. Sebastian’s School Mission Statement A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.
Credits St. Sebastian’s Magazine publishes three times a year. Photos: Joey Spadoni
St Sebastian’s School 1191 Greendale Ave Needham, MA 02492 781.449.5200
Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM. Cap. Chairman James L. Elcock ’77, P’08 President William L. Burke III P’95,’97,’00,’04 Executive Officer, Headmaster Douglas A. Kingsley, P’10,’10,’12,’13 Secretary Robert M. Wadsworth, P’10,’15 Treasurer Devin C. Condron ’92 Assistant Treasurer David M. Calabro ’78, P’16 Barbara E. Connolly P’10,’12,’17 John P. DiGiovanni ’84, P’14 Rev. Michael E. Drea Kevin F. Driscoll ’72, P’05,’09 Patrick J. Hegarty ’89, P’22 Jane M. Hoch P’07 John W. Hueber ’71 Ross M. Jones P’16,’17 Susanne C. Joyce P’20 Carolyn M. Lemone P’16,’18 Wesley D. Mateo ’03 John E. McNamara ’81, P’14,’18 James F. Mooney, III P’18 Mark L. O’Friel ’79 William A. O’Malley P’09,’10,’13 Robert M. Reardon P’15 Kristin E. Reed P’15,’17 John A. Sebastian P’18 Randall P. Seidl P’17,’19 Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. Kurt R. Steinkrauss ’91, P’19 Mary L. Supple P’09,’10,’15 Stephen P. Ward ’96 Andrew Wasynczuk P’14,’17 Lucy Kapples P’16,’18 President, Guild of St. Irene Michael P. Muldowney P’12,’16,’22 President, Men’s Association Timothy P. Doherty ’87, P’17 President, Alumni Association James A. Cotter, Jr. ’57 David F. Gately ’73 J. Brad Griffith ’58, GP’19 Trustee Emeriti
From the desk of the headmaster Wil l ia m L . Bu rk e I I I
Because the outcome of great events becomes so well established in our minds, there is a tendency to think things had to go as they did. But there is nothing inevitable about history. (David McCullough) How richly blessed we were to welcome and learn from renowned historian, narrator, lecturer, and Pulitzer Prize winning author, David McCullough, in September, when we embarked upon our 75th Anniversary celebration! Our hopes for his presentation were sky high, and Mr. McCullough exceeded them all! By focusing our attention on the truth that history is the result of real people making real decisions that might have been otherwise, Mr. McCullough inspires us to appreciate our own history and to grow in gratitude to God and to the people who cooperated with Him to establish, sustain, and strengthen the treasure that is St. Sebastian’s School. When the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 severely damaged the buildings on the campus of the Country Day School for Boys of Boston, effectively shuttering the school, there was nothing inevitable about William Cardinal O’Connell purchasing the property in July 1941, repairing the facilities, and opening St. Sebastian’s Country Day School just two short months later. Nor was there anything inevitable about Jack Birmingham ’59, Tom Swan ’60, Rev. John Boles ’47, and a few other heroes creating our Board of Trustees in 1972. Intelligent, multi-talented, truly devoted visionaries, these first trustees apprehended the good and labored mightily to build St. Sebastian’s into an ever-stronger Catholic independent school of academic rigor, spiritual depth, and excellence in the arts and athletics. This issue of St. Sebastian’s Magazine honors the efforts and achievements of those who have laid our foundations and celebrates the accomplishments of our beloved students, families, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and friends who continue to build on them. I thank you all for your countless gifts of love. May we connect soon and often, and may God continue to bless you every sacred step of the way. With love and gratitude,
William L. Burke III Headmaster
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AROUND CAMPUS
News and Notes from Our School Community
“ There are times we choose our
challenges and we set our goals and there’s other times when the challenges simply choose us, but it’s what we do in the face of those challenges that defines who we are—more importantly, who we can and will become .
”
— Travis Roy
The Importance of Goal Setting Travis Roy continues to inspire our School community with his story of perseverance
G
uest speaker Travis Roy held our School community spellbound on the morning of January 31 as he addressed our students and faculty in Ward Hall. Roy was a promising Boston University freshman hockey player in 1995 when, eleven seconds into the first game of his college career, he hit the boards, cracking his fourth vertebra and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. He recounted his story of tragedy, courage and triumph in Eleven Seconds, which was St. Sebastian’s All School Read in 2011. This was the fourth time our School has been blessed to have Roy share his incredible journey of grit, determination and hope. “I speak at a lot of schools and colleges around the country, but
truthfully there’s something special about coming here,” expressed Roy. “I feel like family.” He told the students about a few experiences on his road to recovery. At the start of his sophomore year at BU, he committed himself to be more outgoing, to be the one to start conversations and break the ice with strangers. He encouraged our students to welcome people they view as “different” into their lives, to make an effort to talk with people and learn their stories. Roy also urged the boys to appreciate their loved ones and to express that love whenever possible. Roy talked about the importance of setting goals and of sticking to them. As a teenager, he wrote down his aspirations to receive a scholarship and play hockey at the college level, and ultimately in the
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NHL and at the Olympics. He worked hard every day towards accomplishing his goals. logging countless hours practicing his skating and shooting abilities. Although his dreams of playing hockey at the college level and beyond were cut far too short, he did receive a scholarship to BU, attended college and made it out onto the ice for the Terriers—one of the most storied teams in Division I hockey—essentially achieving three of his goals. Nowadays, Roy has a new list of goals, and he works just as hard towards reaching them. “I hope that by hearing my story today I can help make a difference in your life. Maybe help you make a difference in someone else’s,” said Roy. “I’d even settle for just getting you to look at your life from a different perspective because you might be surprised at what you find.” Thank you, Travis, for coming to St. Sebastian’s and once again making a difference by sharing your inspiring story with our community.
AROUND CAMPUS
A Riveting Championship Chess Match
Jack Dumouchel ’19 and Ellis O’Donnell ’19 face off in an intense game of chess to determine the School champion.
United We Stand: Black History Month Assembly Men with Positive Attitudes (MPA) hosted its annual Black History Month Assembly in Ward Hall on February 6, with a presentation of “United We Stand.” Through songs and speeches, the program combined both the power of the spoken word and the community-building nature of music. The assembly began with a welcome from MPA President Adama Kaba ’17, followed by words from Father John Arens. Aidan Noonan ’22 recited
On the afternoon of February 14, under the merciless glare of the AV room lights, two young stalwarts—Jack Dumouchel ’19 and Ellis O’Donnell ’19—met in a valiant effort to achieve glory at the 5th Annual St. Sebastian’s School Championship Match. The showdown was narrated from the AV booth by Joe O’Malley ’17, Cole Jarczyk ’17 and Jake Milbury ’18, who provided witty and entertaining comments as the match was broadcast live throughout the School. In the end, Dumouchel was victorious in what was perhaps the most competitive championship match this tournament has ever seen. Congratulations to both Jack and Ellis on a hard-fought game!
“Brotherhood” by Georgia Douglas Johnson, Orvin Pierre ’18 read Langston Hughes’ “I, Too, Sing America,” and Nathaniel Kocho ’19 presented “Spoken Word: Truth Is Equality.” After the recitations, a few Dana Hall and St. Sebastian’s students participated in a fishbowl discussion, which was broadcasted from the AV Room into Ward Hall for all to see. MPA Vice President Jackson McKeigue ’17 introduced the keynote speaker, David Coleman, Director of the Dana Hall Gospel Choir. Coleman shared his inspirational thoughts on diversity and racism in our culture. “It’s okay to
be proud to be black,” stated Coleman, “proud to be Christian, proud to be American, and proud to be a man, as long as the pride does not cloud us from a deeper bond than all of those—that we are all human.” Afterwards, the audience joined together with the Dana Hall Gospel Choir in singing “We Shall Overcome.” Thank you to the Dana Hall Gospel Choir for their contributions to our Black History Month Assembly. And a special thank you to David Coleman, whose music and words touched our hearts and minds!
LEFT: David Coleman, Director of the Dana Hall Gospel Choir, delivers the keynote address. RIGHT: MPA members participate in a fishbowl discussion in the AV Room while the School community watches from Ward Hall. WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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AROUND CAMPUS
Reversing Roles during Catholic Schools Week
LEFT: Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne performs clean-up duty in Ward Hall. RIGHT: Vaughn St. Marie ’18 assumes the role of teacher.
In celebration of Catholic Schools Week, several events took place during the week of January 30, including Class Masses throughout the week, Student Appreciation Day on Wednesday, Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day on Thursday, and First Friday Mass for the entire school community. In recognition of Student Appreciation Day, faculty and staff completed daily work duty typically performed by students. The roles were reversed on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, as National Honor Society student volunteers went to the front of the classroom to lead lessons in English, Spanish, Mathematics, Science, and Latin.
Celebrating 100 Days to Graduation The St. Sebastian’s Senior Class gathered in Ward Hall for the annual “100 Days to Graduation” breakfast on February 28, celebrating the milestone with a delicious buffet prepared by the dining staff. While the seniors enjoyed eggs, bacon and Belgian waffles, they were addressed by the Alumni Office staff, offering their congratulations and stressing the value of the bonds students have formed with their Arrow brothers during their time at St. Sebastian’s. Headmaster Bill Burke concluded with a charge to the seniors to continue to work hard, savor every moment, and finish strong.
Sixteen Arrows head to Boston to participate in Harvard Model Congress.
A Strong Performance at Harvard Model Congress For three days in February, 16 Arrows assumed the roles of real life congressmen, senators, and members of government when engaging in Harvard Model Congress— the largest government simulation program in the United States. The students at the conference adopted the political positions of their assigned roles and gained first-hand understanding of governmental policies and procedures. St. Sebastian’s has participated in this event since it was founded 31 years ago in 1986. This year’s delegation, led by faculty member Brian Lewin, was one of the largest in the School’s history. The St. Sebastian’s team received the following four awards: Stephen Karol ’17—Honorable Mention; Senate Armed Services Tyler Goldman ’17—Honorable Mention; National Economic Council Ryan Curran ’18—Honorable Mention; House Homeland Security Patrick DuFour ’18—Honorable Mention; House Homeland Security The Arrows Supreme Court team of Joe Maalouf ’19 and Tom Olson ’18 competed admirably. They were undefeated through six matches (winning three unanimously) and finished with only two losses. Although they were not recognized with an award, they did a tremendous job. Will Evans ’17, Will Coyne ’18, and Jake Milbury ’19 also performed well and a number of students were able to pass one or more bills. Great job, Arrows!
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AROUND CAMPUS
Robotics Team Competes in State Competition The St. Sebastian’s Robotics Team traveled to Ursuline Academy on Saturday, February 11, to compete against 24 teams from the New England area, with a chance to qualify for an invitation to the State Championship on the line. After a day of competing, the Arrows were ultimately invited to the State Championship on March 4, at Natick High School. They competed against 31 other teams in the FIRST Tech Challenge Massachusetts State Robotics Competition. The Arrows performed at a high level throughout the day, with consistent, quality execution during both “autonomous” and “teleop” functions. At the end of the qualifying matches, the Arrows found themselves in 5th place, with a record of 4-1 and serving as an Alliance Captain in the semifinals. Ultimately, the St. Sebastian’s team and their Alliance were defeated in the semifinals, but did not go down without a fight, losing 150-110 to the number one seeded Alliance.
Arrows Host Annual Debate Tournament On February 19, St. Sebastian’s hosted our annual Parliamentary Extemporaneous Invitational Debate Tournament for students in both novice and advanced divisions. Congratulations to Jake Milbury ’18 who won a Speaker’s Prize in the Advanced Division. Twenty independent schools and over 200 students and faculty participated in the Tournament, making this our largest tournament ever. Participating schools included:
The Mind Body Connection On February 27 and 28, the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at MGH came to speak with our students and demonstrated various ways to alleviate everyday stressors. The boys learned some effective techniques regarding stress reduction and relaxation. The response to the program was overwhelmingly positive.
Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School Belmont Hill School Choate Rosemary Hall Commonwealth School Deerfield Academy Phillips Exeter Academy Governor’s Academy Groton School Hotchkiss School Loomis Chaffee School Milton Academy Noble and Greenough School Northfield Mt. Hermon School Roxbury Latin School St. Paul’s School St. Sebastian’s School Stoneleigh Burnham School Westfield Academy Winsor School Worcester Academy
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AROUND CAMPUS
Andrew Elcock ’17 Named National Merit Finalist Senior Andrew Elcock has advanced to Finalist standing in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by demonstrating high potential for future academic accomplishment through distinguished performance. Andrew was selected from a group of 16,000 Semifinalists named in September, and has met all the requirements to advance to Finalist standing in the competition. Finalists will be considered for National Merit Scholarships to be offered in 2017. Congratulations to Andrew for his continued academic success.
Charlie Wagner P’19 Speaks with the Finance Academy On March 7, the Finance Academy was privileged to host guest speaker Charlie Wagner P’19, CFO at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. Before describing his current job in private equity, Wagner ventured into his history of employment with other companies, including Bain & Company, Bruker, Progress Software, and Millipore. Wagner then took the Finance Academy through the basics of private equity, providing some background on how company acquisitions work and the financing behind leveraged buyouts. Wagner used some examples from his current position to demonstrate these concepts, giving the Finance Academy members some insight into the world of Private Equity Investing. It was an informative evening for the students, giving them an opportunity to learn about the complexities, goals and rewards of a successful acquisition.
Arrows in Ireland
St. Sebastian’s students with their host students from St. Michael’s College.
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Five sophomores—Griffin Wagner, Liam McCarthy, Devlin McCool, Stephen Jessup and Ted Hoppe—participated in St. Sebastian’s 6th Annual exchange with St. Michael’s College in Dublin, Ireland during March Break. The students stayed with Irish host families and attended classes at St. Michael’s, an all-boys’ Catholic high school. They also had a chance to explore some of Dublin’s many historic sites, attend the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and watch a rugby match. The five students then hosted their Irish friends at St. Sebastian’s in mid-April. In addition to sitting in on classes, the visitors were given a tour of Boston, visited the JFK Presidential Library & Museum and attended some sporting events to give them a taste of American culture.
AROUND CAMPUS
SERVING
Our Neighbors
I
ntegral to the St. Sebastian’s mission, our Service Program lives the order of the day of loving God, working hard, and taking good care of one another. Chopping up produce for the Pine Street Inn, assisting aspiring robotics practitioners and making blankets, are just a few of the many ways our students have served our neighbors recently.
Slicing and Dicing for the Pine Street Inn St. Sebastian’s fathers and sons headed into Boston on January 29 for the Chop-A-Thon. This sixth annual event, organized by the Men’s Association, has become a wonderful tradition, bringing fathers and sons together to help the largest resource for homeless men and women in New England. Scottie Wait, Director of Volunteer Programs for the Pine Street Inn, told the 63 St. Sebastian’s volunteers that the shelter prepares close to 3,500 meals a day, motivating them to dice, slice and chop close to 800 pounds of produce! The donations and efforts made by the St. Sebastian’s community provided enough produce for the Pine Street Inn for an entire week.
A Day of Robotics with San Miguel School Students On January 24, the members of the St. Sebastian’s FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Team hosted 32 members of the San Miguel FIRST Lego League Robotics Team. This special day of robotics served as a great way to deepen our relationship with the San Miguel School while sharing our resources. The teams met for a series of two show-and-tell style sessions of sharing and learning. Each team spent the sessions demonstrating their robot’s capabilities and explaining the challenges faced during the design and build process. At the end of each session, team members fielded questions, shared stories, and discussed how each team could learn from this season’s lessons to improve moving forward.
Making Blankets for Catching Joy Fourteen 7th and 8th graders traveled to Ursuline Academy on February 14 to work on a community service project that supports Catching Joy. The non-profit, founded by Maxwell Surprenant ’22 and his parents, Joy and Michael, promotes the joy of giving that children and families can experience through hands-on activities. The students from St. Sebastian’s and Ursuline helped make 25 new blankets for family shelters and hospitals throughout the Boston area. WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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Former Trustees Honored for Service Former Trustees Bill Connolly P’10,’12,’17 and Celeste Wolfe P’09,’12 were honored for their service on the Board at a reception held on January 20 at the Wellesley Country Club. Below are some of the remarks Headmaster Bill Burke shared about each of them and their families at the event, as well as a brief summary of their many contributions to St. Sebastian’s.
William T. Connolly, Jr. P’10,’12,’17 Bill Connolly served as a Trustee from 2007-2016. During his time on the Board, he was the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee, as well as a member of the Facilities, School Life and Nominating & Governance Committees. Bill further demonstrated his commitment to St. Sebastian’s as member of the Faith & Future Campaign Committee. He and his wife, Barb, have three sons, Will ’10, Jack ’12, and Mikey ’17, and a daughter, Molly. Like their father before them, Will ’10 and Jack ’12 graduated from Dartmouth College, and Mikey ’17 will be starting his days at Dartmouth in the fall. Bill is the CFA Co-Head of Global Distribution for Putnam Retail Management. Through the Connollys’ tremendous support of the Faith & Future Campaign, St. Sebastian’s is blessed with the beautiful McKinlay Room in honor of Barb’s parents.
“As a trustee, Bill has articulated and advanced our most important mission with remarkable intelligence, passionate eloquence, true believer’s zeal, and worldclass wit and wisdom. He has been a huge driver in our phenomenal success, and we are forever in his debt... Whenever you reach out to him, you know in your heart that you are connected to one of the world’s truly great guys who forever asks: What more can I do?” —Headmaster Bill Burke
Headmaster Bill Burke and Board President Jim Elcock ’77, P’08 with Barb and Bill Connolly P’10,’12,’17, and two of their children, Mikey and Will.
Headmaster Bill Burke and Board President Jim Elcock ’77, P’08 with Tom and Celeste Wolfe P’09,’12.
Celeste E. Wolfe P’09,’12 Celeste served as a Trustee from 2006-2016. In addition to leading the Guild of St. Irene during the 2006-07 School year, she contributed to several Board committees, including School Life, Development, Mission & Catholic Identity and Endowment, and served as Vice-Chair of the Parents Fund. She continues to stay involved as Co-Chair of the Parents of Alumni Fund. Celeste and her husband, Tom, have raised two wonderful sons, John ’09 (Princeton ’13) and Kevin ’12 (Georgetown ’16). Celeste and Tom started the Michael P. Nerbonne Scholarship Fund this past year. Through their generosity to the Faith & Future Campaign, they are naming a room in memory of Celeste’s parents, Edward and Mary Hynes.
“Whoever coined the phrase—Come early and stay late— must have been thinking of and celebrating the beauty and truth of Celeste Wolfe. Over-the-top bright and erudite with an MBA, deep faith, boundless energy, and ten thousand other strengths, Celeste never does anything half-way. Rather, she throws her heart and soul into the task at hand. She gives and she gives and she keeps on giving, and she inspires others to give as well, and do we love her for it!” —Headmaster Bill Burke
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Arts Building Conference Room Dedicated in Memory of John O’Hearn On September 18, members of the O’Hearn and Doherty families gathered to dedicate the Arts Building conference room in memory of John O’Hearn ’57, P’84, GP’15,’20—alumnus, past parent, grandparent and longtime distinguished trustee of St. Sebastian’s. The event included a Mass celebrated in the School Chapel, followed by the dedication of the conference room and a reception. The plaque, which hangs in the conference room, reads “The O’Hearn Room, given in memory of John P. O’Hearn, Jr. ’57, P’84, GP’15,’20, Trustee 1997-2003, A Friend to All, by The Doherty Family, Jack ’62, P’86,’87, GP’17, Jed ’86 & Tim ’87, P’17.’” John and his lovely wife, Ann, boast the following St. Sebastian’s family ties: their son John ’84; their grandsons, John Rourke ’15 and Patrick Rourke ’20; their nephews, Jed Doherty ’86, Tim Doherty ’87, and Joe Tomasello ’91; Ann’s brother, Joe Tomasello ’63; brother-in-law, Jack Doherty ’62; and great nephews Jack Doherty ’17 and Nick Price ’19. “Whenever we hear the call for a meeting to be held in the O’Hearn Room or learn of a young scholar being granted an O’Hearn scholarship, the beauty and truth of a great man and his loving legacy fills us with joy,” shared Headmaster Bill Burke at the dedication.
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Follow us on Instagram @StSebastiansSchool Like us on Facebook /Stsebs Follow us on Twitter @StSebsNeedham Watch us on YouTube St. Sebastian’s School TOP: John O’Hearn’s wife, Ann (center), with Headmaster Bill Burke and Tim, Jack and Jed Doherty. BOTTOM: Ann with her children and grandchildren.
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A Classics Adventure in
ROME
BY
BY JOSEF CRESSOTTI & CARLA CALLINI
T
his past March break, just as another winter storm was pummeling Boston, nine St. Sebastian’s students and we two faculty members arrived in warm and sunny Rome, Italy to begin our adventure in the ancient capital city. For the next six days, we learned about the religious, classical, and historical importance of Caput Mundi.
The trip was run by the Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of the classics. Together, Paideia and the Classics Department of St. Sebastian’s worked together to create an itinerary that would complement our School’s curriculum and be of special interest to the students, all of whom are currently taking Latin. They included Will Evans ’17, Harry Carlson ’18, Henry DeMatteo ’18, Luke Diggins ’18, Nick Howell ’18, Peter Julien ’18, Robert
Lordi ’18, Orvin Pierre ’18, and Rory Casey ’19. Faculty members Josef Cressotti and Carla Callini chaperoned the trip with help from a Paideia teaching assistant, Meaghan Carlie. The aim of the trip was to educate and inspire our students by bringing them to places they had only read about at St. Sebastian’s. From classes such as Latin, Art History, Religion, and History, they were already familiar with famous sites such as the Forum, Palatine Hill, Colosseum, Pantheon, and Circus Maximus. Standing on
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the actual grounds of these ancient Roman ruins, the boys gained a deeper appreciation of their power and beauty, while learning more about the origins and significance of each site. We further immersed ourselves in the experience by reading Latin together, using a packet of readings assembled by Paideia. In St. Peter’s Square, we read the Latin Vulgate account of the naming of Simon, “Tu es Petrus.” In the park overlooking the Colosseum, we read Martial’s poem comparing the new amphitheater to Nero’s ostentatious palace. Students were also able to use their Latin by decoding ancient inscriptions inscrutable to the average tourist. A further aim of the trip was to explore the city from which the Catholic Church has spread to all corners of the globe. At St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican Hill, we saw where Peter was martyred and his bones were laid. We also visited St. Mary Major, one of Rome’s most sacred and beautiful
churches. In total, we visited twelve major and minor basilicas, including Santa Cecilia, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, and the Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Society of Jesus. For many hundreds of years, pilgrims have come to these places to visit the relics of St. Cecilia, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. A clear highlight of the trip occurred on Wednesday, the Ides of March. Our group was incredibly fortunate to attend a general audience with the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. Sitting in front of the facade of St. Peter’s, we were only a short distance from Pope Francis as he addressed the hundreds of people in the piazza below. After a brief sermon in Italian, the Pope greeted pilgrims from many nations and of many languages. In his greeting to all the English speakers, the Pope saluted in a particular way all the young students in attendance. The general audience concluded with the singing of the Pater Noster in Latin. Students were thus able to experience both the diversity and unity of the Church. The memory of our School’s patron saint is very much alive in the Eternal City. Representations of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian can be spotted everywhere, including the Vatican museums, the Borghese
Gallery, and several of the churches we visited. Yet the place where St. Sebastian’s presence is most clearly felt is the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, which are located outside the city. On our last day, we explored the ancient tunnels where the early Christians buried their dead, including St. Sebastian. Today, his bones lie in a side chapel of the basilica above. After paying respects to our beloved patron, we returned to the city to attend a traditional Latin mass at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims. For all of the calories we burned walking through the city streets, we restored ourselves more than adequately in some fantastic restaurants. Students enjoyed fresh pasta, pizza margherita, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, tiramisu, caffè, and, of course, gelato (including the Tartufo touted by Mr. Albertson). The trip was a wonderful experience for both the students and chaperones. “I loved my time in Rome!” shared Rory Casey. “The school did a great job combining quality fun with education and made the trip a blast!” We are thankful to each of the students for making our Roman adventure so enjoyable, and to St. Sebastian’s and Paideia for making it possible.
CLOCKWISE: St. Peter’s Piazza and Basilica; faculty members Josef Cressotti (far left) and Carla Callini (far right) with Robert Lordi, Orvin Pierre, Peter Julien, Rory Casey, Harry Carlson, Luke Diggins, Will Evans, Henry DeMatteo, and Nick Howell at the Vatican Museum; Students read Ovid’s tellling of Daphne and Apollo with Meaghan Carlie from the Paideia Institute in front of the Borghese Gallery; Arrows enjoy tartufo gelato while strolling the streets of Rome.
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A Transformative Trip to
HAITI BY MICHAEL LAWLER & JOHN EATON
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N
ine students and two faculty members traveled to Haiti’s Central Plateau region during March Break. During our week in Haiti, we were confronted with the stark realities of extreme poverty. Yet, at the same time, we also saw the oneness that all people share in love of family, joy found in friendship, and the belief in the transformative power of education.
The St. Sebastian’s group was hosted by Summits Education, a non-profit that operates a network of 40 primary schools in the remote mountains of Haiti’s Central Plateau, the region with the lowest literacy rate in the Western Hemisphere. Student participants were Connor Bertsch ’19, Julio Castelo ’18, Justin Charles ’19, John Farley ’19, Jack Gallagher ’19, Andrew Ko ’19, Emmanuel Messele ’19, Mudia Onaiwu ’18, and Ruben Shapiro ’19. Accompanying the boys were faculty members John Eaton and Michael Lawler. After preparing for the trip for months, including raising $10,000 for Summits, the group flew to Haiti’s capital,
Port-au-Prince, on March 12. Our first stop was the National Museum of History and Culture located directly across from the Presidential Palace. The museum told the complex and riveting story of Haiti’s history, providing the boys with a better grasp of the pride that the Haitian people have in their nation. From the capital, the eleven of us piled into a van to make the two-hour trek to Mirebalais, the city where we would be staying in the Central Plateau. The region’s major industry is subsistence farming. The sight of goats, chickens, pigs, and bulls was ubiquitous and many of the villages of the Central Plateau do not have
electricity, plumbing or easy access to clean water. The group spent the majority of our time while in this remote area visiting schools that Summits operates. The second day of the trip began with an early morning three-mile hike to a school on top of the mountain village of Morne Mouton. The St. Sebastian’s group was joined by students and parents from Newton Country Day and Thayer Academy who were on a trip with the St. Rock Haiti Foundation. As the hikers from Boston labored up the mountain, young students from Morne Mouton bounded up the trail barefoot. A tiring and challenging hike was simply part of the daily routine for the people of Morne Mouton in order to receive water for bathing, drinking, and cooking from the bigger village. When we finally reached the school, we learned that it also served as a community center, explaining the presence of not only schoolage children, but infants and toddlers, as well as the elderly. Following our descent, we visited a hospital operated by Partners in Health “Zanmi Lasante” in the more urban setting of Mirebalais. This health care facility gained fame through Tracy
LEFT: Young students play a simple game of catch as they hike up the mountain to their school on top of the mountain village of Morne Mouton. ABOVE: (from left) Julio Castelo ’18, Jack Gallagher ’19, Justin Charles ’18, Emmanuel Messele ’19, Andrew Ko ’19, Connor Bertsch ’19, John Farley ’19, Ruben Shapiro ’18, Mudia Onaiwu ’18 and faculty members Mike Lawler and John Eaton pose after a day of painting and socializing at a Summits’ sponsored primary school. (photos courtesy of Summits Education) WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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CLOCKWISE: St. Sebastian’s students watch an energetic dance performance in the rural village of Kai Epin; Julio Castelo ’18 connects with a student from the Dominican Republic who also shared Spanish as his first language; Mudia Onaiwu ’18 makes friends with many of Summits’ students despite the language barrier.
Kidder’s award-winning book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, about Paul Farmer, the hospital’s founder. The hospital was full of people who receive the free healthcare that Zanmi Lasante provides to any person in need. We learned that many patients wait several days before they see a doctor. The third day provided the opportunity to work alongside students at a school sponsored by Summits called Lachateau. The two groups strove to beautify the school’s preschool area by painting chairs and desks with vibrant colors. The day brought much laughter, singing, coconut water breaks, and spilled paint. When the project was complete, the area was much more colorful and the language barrier did not deter either group from sharing smiles and jokes. On the final day in the Central Plateau, the Summits’ staff exposed the St. Sebastian’s students to some of the more severe living conditions that Haitians, especially the elderly, endure. After traveling on trucks for an hour over rocky terrain, we came to a community that had minimal exposure to the outside world.
A team from Zanmi Lasante happened to be present that day, making one of their three trips a year to the region to weigh children, deliver inoculations and provide medical attention to anyone in need. The region’s sparse living conditions consisted of one-room dwellings for an entire family and the roofs, made of palm tree leaves, provided an insufficient barrier during the rainy season. Despite these difficult living conditions, Summits successfully endeavors to bring education to this region with many of the young people traveling two hours by foot to reach the nearest school. To close our time in the Central Plateau, the St. Sebastian’s group engaged in a spirited game of soccer against members of the Summits staff. Our hosts’ hospitable nature had come to an end, as the Arrows team was on the wrong side of a lopsided score. Despite the defeat in the soccer game, there was no doubt that through our time together in the Central Plateau, the students and faculty developed strong bonds and deepened these bonds through nightly reflections. In these discussions, the boys detailed the joy
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they had witnessed, voiced questions on the living conditions they encountered, and reflected on how their experiences in Haiti connected to the Gospel’s message of seeing the divine in the face of the poor. Thank you to Summits for hosting our students on an inspiring, memorable, and incredibly fun trip to Haiti, to all of the donors who helped to raise over $10,000 for Summits’ life-changing work, and to the boys’ families who supported this endeavor. Our hope is that these fine Arrows will tell the story of the people they met and inspire others to seek out the poor, hungry, sick and those thirsting for knowledge in all areas of the globe.
Summer Workshops in Writing & Science Two sessions for Summer 2017:
July 10–21 & July 24–August 4
These two distinct workshops, run by our experienced St. Sebastian’s faculty, are an enriching learning opportunity for students looking for a challenging and fun summer experience.
Open to all boys entering grades 5–9
stsebs.org/workshops WWW. WWW.SSTTSSEBASTIANS EBASTIANSSSCHOOL.ORG CHOOL.ORG
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1940s Milestones u In July 1941, Cardinal William
O’Connell, the Archbishop of Boston, purchases a 4-acre property atop Nonantum Hill and sets in motion his plans to open a new school, based on the country day school model, for the Catholic boys of Boston and the surrounding towns.
u On August 1, 1941, less than two months before St. Sebastian’s Country Day School opens its doors, renovations begin to the property, which had been badly damaged by the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. u On the morning of September 29,
1941, 21 freshmen navigate their way through the bustling construction site and enter a dining hall dedicated to education. Led by Headmaster McInnis, seven faculty priests guide our School’s first students through their studies, extra-curricular activities, and spiritual growth. u Each fall, students gather on a
Monday morning in mid-September to begin the new school year with a Mass of the Holy Spirit celebrated by Headmaster McInnis. u On April 22, 1944, Cardinal
O’Connell dies just a year shy of the first Commencement. The following September, Bishop Cushing is named the third Archbishop of Boston and continues his predecessor’s dedication to St. Sebastian’s and its success.
u By September 1944, with a full complement of classes—from freshmen to seniors—enrollment swells to 135 boys. u The first edition of The Walrus, the student newspaper, is published in February, 1945. The School yearbook, The Arrow, also makes its debut with the first graduating class and receives a prestigious national prize awarded by the Catholic School Press. u On June 1, 1945, fourteen members
of the Class of 1945 participate in the School’s inaugural Commencement exercises on the grounds of the Archbishop’s Residence in Brighton. Many of their classmates have already left to fight in Word World II. u The School’s early athletic efforts are impressive, especially given the small size of the student body, with several winning seasons in football, hockey and baseball and undefeated teams, including baseball in 1945 and hockey in 1948-49. u Alumni and parents show their support, establishing the St. Sebastian’s Alumni Association in 1946, the St. Sebastian’s Association (now called The Men’s Association) in 1948 and the Guild of St. Irene in 1949. u In September 1948, John Walsh
becomes the first lay teacher to join the all-priest faculty, many of whom stay for several decades.
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Memories “My father decided I ought to go to a boys’ school. He saw an ad for this new school, St. Sebastian’s, in The Pilot. There were two brothers there— George and Bobby Baker— when I went to sign up, so I was officially among the first three students... The schooling all took place in one room where we could smell the food from the refectory and would wait for lunch all morning.” —Hank Barry ’45
______________________________ “There were twenty-five boys in the class of 1947, all from Catholic families in the greater Boston area. At least five would be ordained to the priesthood, something that may be explained by the fact that all of our teachers were priests themselves.” —Richard Griffin ’47
______________________________ “So many memories… The walks up Nonantum Hill each morning from the MBTA until we were old enough to drive, the locker room shenanigans during morning recess, the talks given by Msgr. McInnis and Fr. Flanigan after each lunch, and Fr. Keating talking tough as a fire-fighting priest from Southie.” —William Flanagan ’49
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1} Fr. Keating speaks with the football team. n 2} A football schedule from the 1947 season. n 3} Fr. Barrett gives dining hall instructions to a student in 1948. n 4) St. Sebastian’s Choristers gather around the piano in 1946. n 5} Leon Kelley kisses the Archbishop’s ring during the first graduation on June 1, 1945. n 6} Parents on the sidelines, referred to as the “Royal Rooters” in the 1948 edition of The Arrow.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1950s Milestones u In 1950, Fr. Charles R. Flanigan
becomes the second Headmaster of St. Sebastian’s. For the previous two years, the veteran faculty member had served as Assistant Headmaster under Monsignor McInnis. u In September 1952, the Lower
School opens with Fr. Keating serving as the first Dean. The squash courts are converted into two classrooms for the new 7th and 8th graders. u On September 21, 1952, a statue of
Saint Sebastian is dedicated in memory of Robert E. Higgins ’46, a Trappist Monk. The symbolic marble statue is a gift from the School’s alumni. u In the fall of 1953, Fr. Richard Powers joins the faculty and starts the Dramatic Society. His first play, “The Hasty Heart,” wins both the Massachusetts and New England Drama Festivals in 1954-55, making St. Sebastian’s the first school with an all-male cast to take first place in the Festival’s 24-year history. A series of award-winning productions follow. u Fr. Myron Bullock ’46 and Fr.
Robert Giggi ’46, the first ordained priest graduates of the School, return to campus to celebrate First Friday Mass on October 2, 1953.
u In February 1954, the first closed
retreat for seniors is added as part of the annual retreat tradition.
u St. Sebastian’s Chapter of the prestigious National Honor Society is established. The School inducts its first members into the Society during a ceremony on November 12, 1954. u The Arrows continue to excel in athletics, with a slew of talented athletes, as well as excellent coaches, including alumni Tom Green ’48 on the gridiron and Henry Lane ’49 on the ice. The basketball team wins the Class B New England Championship two years in a row in 1951-52 and 1952-53. u McInnis Hall, named in honor of the School’s first Headmaster, is newly acquired as campus housing for the priest faculty.
Memories “As a history teacher, Fr. Keating brought the subject matter to life. He would dramatize a lot the characters and historical figures and really made it a living thing.” —Barry McDonough ’50
______________________________ “Travelling to games with the varsity basketball team was the best fun in my life.” ——Joseph de Vicq ’51
______________________________ “The priests were always involved with what we were doing, whether it was study hall, football, or golf. They were more than just teachers. The camaraderie was something special. St. Sebastian’s was family, and still is.”
u In 1955, Patricia Chisholm, the older sister of John Chisholm ’56, becomes the first female teacher.
—David Sullivan ’54
u On January 20, 1958, Cardinal Cushing dedicates the Robert N. Daley, Jr. Memorial Rink, named in memory of Bobby Daley ’55.
“Some of my memories include bouncing our feet in unison so the walls and doors would rattle, bringing a sharp reprimand from whoever was at the lectern at the time...giving each teacher pet nicknames, which I am sure each of us can instantly recall... Being a table captain and having the underclassmen at our mercy... My first midnight Mass held in the gym... Getting the finest education possible.”
u By the end of the decade, the
size of the faculty doubles in size to accommodate the increasing size of the student body, with more lay teachers coming on board. u The proceeds of the Guild of St. Irene’s Christmas Shop increase steadily—from $5,600 in 1949-50 to almost $12,000 by the end of the decade.
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______________________________
—Arthur Gorman ’57
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1} Dedication of the statue of St. Sebastian in 1952. n 2} Students in the dining hall on Nonantum Hill in 1955. n 3} Members of the 1952-53 basketball team with a St. Sebastian’s banner. n 4 } Baseball coach Henry Lane in 1955. n 5} Members of the Radio Club with Fr. Harrington. n 6} Cover of a 1950s viewbook.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1960s Milestones u As the Class of 1960 begins its final
year on “The Hill,” St. Sebastian’s welcomes presidential candidate John F. Kennedy to campus in November 1959. A year later, Kennedy becomes the first Catholic President of the United States. u At the end of the 1960-61 School year, Cardinal Cushing names Fr. John F.X. Harney the third headmaster of St. Sebastian’s. u In 1962-63, St. Sebastian’s is accepted
for membership into, and awarded accreditation by, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. u A restructuring of the leadership
takes place in September 1966. Msgr. Harney assumes the newly established role of Rector and Fr. John Boles ’47 becomes the new Headmaster. Fr. Keating is appointed Vice Rector and Fr. Barrett the Assistant Headmaster.
u Several teams across multiple
sports complete the season undefeated, including the 1960, 1967 and 1969 football teams, the 1960-61 and 1961-62 hockey teams, and the 1965 baseball team.
u The basketball team, led by Fr. Daniel Gilmartin, captures the New England Class “B” Championship two years in a row, losing only five of its 58 games from 1963 to 1965.
u The Dramatic Society delivers another decade of spectacular performances under the direction of Fr. Powers, frequently emerging victorious at the Massachusetts State Drama Festival, as well as the New England Drama Festival. u Fr. Harrington continues to inspire his students with his lessons in chemistry and physics, as well as activities outside of the classroom, including club activities and the Science Fair. u During the 1966-67 School year, a
long-awaited student government is organized.
u As a reflection of the School’s academic rigor, graduates continue to be accepted into the nation’s top colleges, from the traditional Catholic choices of Notre Dame and Georgetown to Harvard. u In September 1967, Headmaster Boles overhauls the curriculum to include Advanced French IV and Theatre Arts—both co-educational classes with Newton Country Day School of The Sacred Heart. The experiment proves to be short-lived. u Several new clubs are organized over the course of the decade, including the Glee Club and the Sailing Club. Meanwhile, The Arrow and The Walrus continue to be recognized with awards.
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Memories “One enduring memory is Fr. Barrett at the blackboard, barking at us in Latin class, with chalk dust on his cassock sleeve. Occasionally, Msgr. Flanigan would burst into the classroom, pick up the textbook, and ask one of us a question about some obscure item of grammar.” —Ed Burke ’61
______________________________ “I found our two-day Retreats remarkable and powerful. We heard talks from the visiting priests who came in, and then we would have a private conversation with them about who we are and our struggles in life. It was wonderful to experience that.” —Tom Galligan ’62
______________________________ “I vividly remember watching lowlight films after a football game and Fr. McCoy kept playing a clip of me doing a cartwheel back and forth and back and forth (I was trying to avoid a piling on penalty). I believe his comment was ‘this is why we lose football games, because of clowns like this.’ However, that cartwheel led to my being asked to be a roustabout in Fr. Powers’ production of Carousel, the play during my senior year.” ——Arthur Conway ’66
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1} John Hickey ’65 and Mike Hess ’65 during a physics experiment. n 2} The 1961-62 Hockey Team praying before a game. n 3} Arrows with their dates at the 1965 Senior Prom. n 4} Hockey letter from the 1961-62 hockey season. n 5} A student takes the polio vaccine from Mrs. Walsh in 1962. n 6} Families and faculty gather for a sports banquet in 1967.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1970s Milestones u Steve Brady ’60 and Fr. Fredrick
Collins formalize the St. Sebastian’s Alumni Association in 1971 by establishing an alumni office and developing official by-laws of the Association. u In 1972, the Senior Service Program
begins as well as the first class in computer programming.
u Fr. Frederick Collins is named the
School’s fifth headmaster to succeed Fr. Boles ’47 who is appointed Director of Education for the Archdiocese in 1972. Brother Raphael and Fr. Robert McAuliffe serve as headmasters later in the decade. u On November 28, 1972, with the blessing of the Boston Archdiocese, St. Sebastian’s follows the lead of top Catholic colleges and universities by incorporating as an independent private school governed by a board of laypeople. Tim Cronin P’64,’65,’71, ’76 serves as the first President of the Board of Trustees, followed by Tom Swan ’60 in 1978. u Exceptional mentors such as Fr.
Gilmartin in math, Fr. Harrington in science, and Fr. Barrett in Latin move on to new assignments for the Archdiocese, as do other excellent priest faculty who are given parishes. As a result, an increasing number of lay teachers join the faculty.
u Henry Lane ’49 is appointed Athletic Director in 1973. Over the course of the decade, he leads one sport after another into what would become the Independent School League, beginning with basketball. u The 1973-74 Student Council hits its stride and becomes a vital part of St. Sebastian’s and a valuable medium for students and the administration. Accomplishments include Ecology Day and Senior Independent Projects. u Fr. Richard Powers directs The
Music Man, his last production at St. Sebastian’s, in 1973. u In 1976, Cardinal Wojtyla, who would become Pope John Paul II, visits the School and dines in McInnis Hall as the guest of Headmaster Collins. He also tours the main building and prays in the Chapel. u Sports Night, a fundraiser held
in February 1976, is attended by a standing-room only crowd of 700, with special guests Bobby Orr, Luis Tiant and Red Auerbach. u St. Sebastian’s continues to shine
in sports. The 1970 tennis team, led by Fr. Contons, compiles the best record in the School’s history, 10-2-1. The 1976-77 varsity basketball team, coached by John Borden, wins both the ISL and New England Prep Class C titles. The 1977 football team finishes the season 7-0 under Coach Sweeney. Swimming and soccer join the list of varsity sports.
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Memories “Fr. Gilmartin would always tell us that we had to ‘keep up with the Russians! Study hard every day so we would not fall behind in the space race!’ At the end of every quiz or exam, he would select a random number. We had 3 seconds to write-down the square-root of that number. No slide-rulers or TI calculators (they weren’t invented yet). I can still get to the Square-root of 17=4.123!!” —Tom Whalen ’71
______________________________ “When I was on the hockey team, we’d get a call from Coach Henry Lane whenever school was cancelled. We’d all go to the rink at 10:00 o’clock with our shovels and we would shovel the rink. We’d all be out there—varsity and JV players—shoveling snow for hours.” —Dr. Richard Mulroy ’73
______________________________ “All of those lunches lovingly provided by Ruthie & Nina.” — John Lawler ’78
______________________________ “I still have fond memories of the Walk-a-thon. Bill Mulroy, Tom Looney, myself and others ran the event...It took me three weeks to recover!” —George Quinn ’78
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1} 1970-1971 Walrus staff. n 2} 1979 Classmates Kern Fitzgerald, Michael DeRouche, and Mark O’Friel at Commencement. n 3} 1977 Football helmet. n 4} The undefeated 1977 football team celebrates. n 5} Red Auerbach goes for the shot at Sports Night ’76 as Bobby Orr looks on. n 6} Jim Elcock ’77 tries to keep the line in order for the new payphone. n 7} Students perform “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1972.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1980s Milestones Riepe begins his tenure as Headmaster.
u In November 1983, St. Sebastian’s begins making annual class trips to Washington, D.C. with a stop at the offices of Congressman Tip O’Neil P’68 and Senator Ted Kennedy.
u Headmaster Riepe adds academic
u Success in athletics continues. The
u In September 1980, Fr. Charles K.
department chairs for the first time, and bolsters the academic program through the excellent leadership of David Wolk and Jerry Ward. He also names Morris Kittler, a popular faculty member since 1969, as the Dean of Students to oversee the boys’ discipline and extracurricular life. u In 1981, varsity soccer joins the
Independent School League and lacrosse begins as a varsity sport.
u St. Sebastian’s celebrates its 40th
anniversary. Governor Ed King presents the School with a banner during a special convocation held on January 20, 1982, the Feast of Saint Sebastian. u During the 1982-83 Christmas break, St. Sebastian’s moves from Newton to Needham. The Class of 1983 is the first class to graduate on the new campus. u The Arrows have a standout year
in athletics in 1982-83. The football team plays its final season on Nonantum Hill and wins the ISL. The basketball team finishes with a 22-2 record and wins the NEPSAC Class C Championship. Coach John Borden is named Coach of the Year. The 1983 Golf Team, led by Coach Dan Williams ’64, wins the School’s first ever ISL Golf Championship.
1983-84 basketball team wins the ISL Championship, and in 1985, golf wins both the ISL Championship Tournament and the League Title.
u Brad Griffith ’58 becomes the
third alumnus to serve as President of the Board of Trustees in May 1984, followed by Jack Birmingham ’59, P’84 in May 1988.
u In September 1987, total enrollment
stands at 300 boys and the Class of 1988 is the largest class to date with 68 students.
u Upon the excellent suggestion of Mrs. Karen Birmingham, Fr. Riepe institutes a Chapel Speaking Program, which calls upon every student to write and deliver a speech in his weekly grade level service in the small Chapel. u In 1987, the School launches
the first Capital Campaign on the Needham campus with the purpose of renovating and expanding the academic building. On October 20, 1989, the new atrium, library and arts facility are formally dedicated in memory of the School’s founder, William Cardinal O’Connell.
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Memories “As young adults, we would often have trouble keeping our feet on the ground and things in perspective. Mr. Kittler was always there to have a chat with us… to make sure we were well-grounded no matter who we were, or thought we were.” —Justin F.X. Kennedy, Esq. ’84
______________________________ “The dining hall at Nonantum Hill was a special place. There was a pool table in the back. It was almost like combining Ward Hall with today’s student lounge. All along the walls were plaques of captains from different sports teams. You were living a real athletic history of the School each time you looked around the room.” —Jed Doherty ’86
______________________________ “Dot Curnane was like our school Mom, always there to help us with a nice smile and a warm heart.” —Ricardo Jeremiah ’80
______________________________ “While Fr. Riepe is most remembered for his emphasis on discipline, honor and moral character, he was also a priest of great compassion. He often reminded his students that ‘we all make mistakes. It’s how you handle the mistakes that really counts.’” —Craig E. Collins ’89
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1} SSTV crew with faculty moderator Peter Kittler in 1982. n 2} May 1983 issue of The Walrus. n 3} Needham Campus in the 1980s. n 4} 1983 Commencement. n 5} 1982 Basketball Team. n 6} 1986 Commencement. n 6} Students waiting in the lunch line.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
1990s Milestones u In July 1990, St. Sebastian’s
welcomes its first lay headmaster, William L. Burke, III, a 39-year-old devout Catholic man and devoted husband and father of four boys.
u Fr. John Arens is appointed the
School’s Chaplain, carrying on the legacy begun by Cardinal O’Connell and all the priests who served the School over its first five decades. u Headmaster Burke converts the Monday Chapel Program for Seniors to a weekly all-School “Corporate Chapel” program, with seniors delivering their Chapel speeches in front of the entire School community. u Michael Nerbonne is appointed Assistant Headmaster and Dean of Studies in 1993. u In 1993, the St. Sebastian’s writing program is born, with the unique Freshmen Writing curriculum as its centerpiece. u The St. Sebastian’s mission statement
is written in 1994 as the School prepares for its re-accreditation process with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
u In 1994, “The Walrus” wins first place in The New England Scholastic Press Association. The publication wins awards in every category entered.
u Men with Positive Attitudes (MPA) holds its first dinner in April 1995 for students, parents, alumni and faculty. u New traditions begin in 1996,
including Grandparents Day and the Boston Business Breakfast. u On January 3, 1996, during a snowstorm, the hockey rink collapses. A year later, on January 11, 1997, the new hockey rink is complete thanks to the success of the New Century Fund Campaign. The rink is dedicated to Henry T. Lane ’49, P’77; over 500 people attend the ceremony. u The New Century Fund Campaign
leads to significant improvements to the campus, as one project after another is completed over the following years, including the Birmingham Academic Building, the McCulloch Room, Ward Hall, the Chapel of St. Sebastian’s given by Tom ’60 and Carol Swan and the Griffith House. u Throughout the decade, the Arrows
achieve high levels of excellence in athletics. including many championship teams and first place finishes across several sports. The School wins ISL titles in football (1991, 1994 and 1999), hockey (1991-92 and 1992-93), golf (1994), and baseball (1996), as well as a NEPSAC Class C Championship in basketball (1995-96).
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Memories “I vividly remember Mr. Burke’s tremendous impact on me, our class, and the school. The connections he made with each of us—from knowing our names and our parents’ names to what sports we played—showed that he truly cared about the school and each individual student in a manner that would prove to be contagious.” —T. Ryan Kennedy ’93
______________________________ “I joined the school in the summer of my sophomore year. The tryouts for Mr. Nunan’s soccer team were held in the middle of July. Not knowing a person at the school, the teammates who befriended me have become life long friends.” —Bill Bowman ’91
______________________________ “During my sophomore year, the old ice rink’s roof collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow. I remember sharing those 5am bus rides to Belmont Hill with my teammates for hockey practice...youthful exuberance! And the following year, we all pitched in and did anything we could to get the new rink ready for my junior season. It was a lot of work and dedication, but we were all so excited for the new rink!” —Elliott Otto ’98
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
2000s Milestones u The new Art and Academic Center
is formally blessed on November 8, 2000, adding to the long list of campus improvements made possible by the phenomenal success of the New Century Fund Campaign. u The 2000-01 Hockey Team coached by Steve Dagdigian and Jed Doherty ’86, finishes 29-1-1, capturing the ISL title and the New England Prep School Division I Championship, the first New England hockey championship in the School’s history. The hockey team repeats the feat in 2001-02, winning both the ISL and NEPSAC Championships, and claims the ISL title again in 2002-03. u The Arrows win ISL Championships
in several other sports, including football in 2001, baseball in 2007, and golf in 2009, following an undefeated season. The 2008-09 swim team also finishes the season undefeated. u New sports are added to the athletic program, including Squash in 2002-03 and wrestling in 2007-08. u In 2002, for the first time in many
years, a musical, “Man of La Mancha” is performed to standing room only crowds in Ward Hall. u The Griffith House, named for J.
Brad ’58 & Patty Griffith and their family, is dedicated as the new Headmaster’s residence on September 25, 2003.
u The evening before Commencement in 2006, Headmaster Burke begins a tradition of teaching the seniors to tie black and red bow ties given to them to wear for the Baccalaureate Mass and Senior Parent Dinner. u In 2007, 23 seniors and juniors,
along with faculty, travel to New Orleans during March Break to assist in the cleanup efforts in a section of New Orleans which had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. u St. Sebastian’s holds its inaugural
Cum Laude Society induction ceremony on April 11, 2008. The Society is dedicated to honoring high scholastic achievement.
u In 2006, David Gately ’73 succeeds
Brad Griffith ’58 as the President of the Board of Trustees. Brad Griffith served his second term as President from 2002-2006. u Within a year of assuming leadership, David Gately and his fellow board members launch another highly successful capital campaign, “Faith & Future.” u The Faith & Future Campaign
results in the purchase of several abutting properties; two new synthetic turf fields, adding a second soccer/ baseball field and a natural grass football and lacrosse field; and the Science, Math & Library Center.
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Memories “My favorite memory of Fr. Arens was his lesson about the Passion narrative in 10th grade. Out of the countless conversations and hallway chats I’ve had with Fr. Arens, this memory stands out most because it so perfectly captures his thoughtful, but always jovial spirit, his boyish humor, but ever faithful outlook.” —Matt Butler ’08
______________________________ “The lessons of sportsmanship, discipline, and hard work that I gained from running Cross Country for Coach Rest have stayed with me ever since.” —Michael Buckley ’04
______________________________ “I remember each year’s Chapel speech vividly, and still think so highly of the yearly practice. It gave each of us time to reflect on a story or issue that was meaningful to us and present it to the class, and equally as important, it allowed all of us to be much more comfortable with public speaking.” —Matt Perry ’06
______________________________ “I miss playing lacrosse and lunches in Ward Hall. I can attribute my values of hard work and doing the right thing to amazing teachers/mentors like Mr. Eaton and Ms. Callini.” —William O’Brien ’09
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1} 2000-01 Championship Hockey Team hoists trophy. n 2} Arrows show their support from the sidelines through the pouring rain. n 3} A plate featuring St. Sebastian’s seal. n 4} Mass led by Bishop Boles in 2005. n 5} Students on a service trip to New Orleans during March Break in 2008. n 6} Pie eating contest at Red & Black Day in 2003. n 7} 2004 Winter Play. 6
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75TH ANNIVERSARY
2010 s Milestones u Arrows teams set new milestones
during the 2009-2010 School year. Varsity golf and swimming once again enjoyed undefeated championship seasons, hockey played Belmont Hill at Fenway Park, and skiing became a varsity sport in the ISL. u In 2010-11, the varsity soccer,
wrestling, lacrosse and baseball teams are each selected by the head coaches in the ISL to receive team ISL Sportsmanship Awards. u In 2011, James Elcock ’77 succeeds David Gately ’73 as the President of the Board of Trustees. u The Robotics Team is selected as one of three teams to represent Massachusetts in the World Championships in April 2012 for their performance at the state level. u The Science, Math & Library Center formally opens with a blessing and dedication on September 7, 2012. In total, 32,000 square feet is added to the School’s teaching and learning space—a two-fold increase—including a gorgeous new library and eight state-of-art Science labs. u The 2012 Varsity Football team wins the ISL and the New England Prep School Valicenti Bowl Game, achieving a perfect 9-0 season. The football team wins a bowl game again in 2014.
Memories
community gathers on the Class of 2013 Courtyard to dedicate an elegant new statute of St. Sebastian, donated by The Kingsley Family (Doug and Joanie Kingsley P’10,’10,’12,’13) and designed and sculpted by renowned artist Ann Hirsch.
“I will never forget Latin IV AP with Mr. Albertson, especially the days leading up to the AP test. One of the memories I have of junior year is sitting in the library with nine guys trying to translate the lines of Virgil’s Aeneid. We had spent all year doing 30 lines a night, we read through it a million times, but we still felt compelled to work hard right up until the time of the test.”
u The varsity ski team, coached by
—Ned Kingsley ’10
u On September 19, 2013, the School
Deirdre Rynne, wins the school’s first ever NEPSAC Class C Championship in skiing in 2013-14, and makes it a three-peat by winning the Class C Championship again in 2014-15 and the Class B title in 2015-16. u During the 2014-15 School year, St. Sebastian’s recognizes Headmaster Bill Burke, Fr. John Arens and Jim Sullivan for 25 years of service to St. Sebastian’s through a series of events. They join 34 other individuals who have served the School for a quarter-century or more on the Wall of Honor. u The 2016 Varsity Golf team wins the ISL Regular Season Championship, achieving a 17-0-1 season. u St. Sebastian’s celebrates its 75th
anniversary with a series of special events, beginning with Founder’s Day on September 29, 2016, to mark the day the School first opened its doors 75 years earlier on September 29, 1941. The milestone anniversary celebration culminates with the 75th Gala, a black-tie affair attended by almost 750 guests at the Fairmont Copley Plaza on October 1, 2016.
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______________________________ “As a third generation of Birminghams to have graduated from St. Seb’s, I felt very lucky to have been able to come here and experience the brotherhood that my grandfather and father so proudly spoke of. It is true that every class becomes a brotherhood before they graduate. Whether you are on a retreat, working hard in the library, or cheering on your fellow Arrows in Henry’s Corner, we are all together.” —John Birmingham ’14
______________________________ “‘Guys and Dolls’ was the first time I’d ever been to a play at our school. I was captivated by the way the cast owned the stage. It was their moment, and from then on I knew I wanted to share in something like that. I will look back on the fall play as one of the best things I ever did.” —Matthew Karpowicz ’16
75TH ANNIVERSARY
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1
5
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4
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1} MPA Banquet in 2015. n 2} The iconic bow tie given to seniors to wear at the Baccalaureate Mass and Senior Parent Dinner. n 3} Students test their mousetrap cars. n 4} 2012 varsity football team wins bowl game. n 5} Headmaster Burke teaches 2013 graduates how to tie a bow tie. n 6} Founder’s Day Mass on September 29, 2016. n 7} Freshmen gather for Chapel in 2010.
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#75reasons
Be a part of our #75reasons to be thankful for St. Sebastian’s School! In honor of our 75th anniversary, we are collecting at least 75 unique reasons why members of our community—from alumni to parents and grandparents— love St. Sebastian’s. Check out some of the responses we’ve received, which we’re also sharing on our social media channels, tagged #75reasons.
We want to hear from YOU! Share your reason online at:
www.stsebs.org/75reasons
“
I am thankful for all of the life-long friendships that have been developed from my time at St. Seb’s. These friendships have endured and grown in depth—all possible from our time together and shared experiences. —John Sullivan ’66
We are thankful for the St. Sebastian’s community that helps form young boys into strong, intelligent, Christian, young men. We feel so blessed that our two sons have had the opportunity to be a part of this amazing school.
I am thankful for the way St. Sebastian’s stays true to its mission in living as a community. I’m thankful for the many beautiful memories created over the course of my son Marlon’s attendance at St. Sebastian’s.
—Kris and Jim Blue P’15,’21
—Allison Matthews P’14
I am thankful that St. Sebastian’s has given me the gift of a better night’s sleep! As a mom, I can rest easier knowing that my son is going to a school full of faculty and friends who love and care about him. I can sleep more deeply understanding that St. Sebastian’s has reinforced the lessons that we teach at home— be kind, be honest, work hard and above all, love God.
As grandparents we always felt that our grandson, Kevin, was in good hands when he was at school. The only thing we would have regrets about is that we do not have any grandchildren there now. Thank you Mr. Burke, and the rest of the faculty for giving Kevin this special place. —Kevin and Claire Martin GP’12
—Cara Real P’13,’19
I am very thankful for having met a certain priest and faculty member at St. Sebastian’s who helped me understand what becoming a real man was all about and also the importance of a deep spiritual foundation that has guided me for over 50 years. In addition, he taught me the profound connection between the two. For that, I am deeply grateful.
I am thankful for the robust curriculum in small classes with such incredibly talented and caring teachers who often double as outstanding coaches, while alongside classmates and teammates who inspire each other to excellence. —Karen McCarthy P’15,’17,’22
—J. Timothy Sullivan ’65 WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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DRAMA CLUB PRESENTS
Slactivist St. Sebastian’s drama club, The Slings and Arrows Players, presented its winter show, Slacktivist, in Ward Hall on February 17 and 18. Slacktivist was written and directed by our very own Andrew Elcock ’17. The play focuses on a young activist who doesn’t know what he is protesting. The recent college graduate meanders his way throughout the story, bumping into a number of characters, including a police officer, the chief of police, a crooked lawyer, and even a mime! The students excelled at acting, stage design, lighting, and sound, under the direction of Elcock and faculty members Mark Rogers and Thomas Moriarty. Slacktivist was also performed at the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival on March 4 at Norwood High School. During the preliminary round, Will Forman ’18 won an acting award and Andrew Elcock ’17 won a playwriting award for Slacktivist. The Drama Festival included 112 one-act plays produced by member high schools throughout Massachusetts. Congratulations to the students for their brilliant performances in the winter play and at the Drama Festival!
FINE ARTS
The Art of ABSURDITY BY JOEY SPADONI
Picture a stage with a young activist who doesn’t know what he is protesting, an incompetent lawyer who describes himself as an “attorney near law,” and even a mime. All of these characters functioned as instrumental pieces in Andrew Elcock’s ’17 selfproclaimed absurdly humorous play, Slacktivist.
T
ime and again, Andrew’s characters deliberately violated reason and behaved in routinely illogical ways, hinting back to his primary inspiration. The idea for Slacktivist was born while Andrew was reading Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. “There was a lot of absurdist humor in it,” said Andrew, “a lot of jokes that didn’t make a ton of sense. I was sitting at my summer job and then it came to me, what if there was a protester who didn’t know what he was protesting? I could see something like that fitting right into Catch-22.” Andrew’s first foray into theater was in the sixth grade, when he helped design and create the sets for a Needham Middle School production. The experience was so formative
that Andrew specifically recalls inquiring into St. Sebastian’s theater program while touring the campus for the first time. Six years later, and with School productions such as Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Don’t Drink the Water, Crazytown, and Treasure Island under his belt, Andrew felt ready to write and direct his own play. “In terms of directing,” recalls Andrew, “it’s more about pointing the actors in the right direction, rather than having to tell them what to do.” Andrew trusted his actors and relied on their acting experience to help shape the play. For example, take the character Frank Townsend, played by Will Forman ’18; originally Andrew wrote that character in a more subdued role. Will had other plans though. “He was louder and more aggressive than I had anticipated. When I first heard it, I was hesitant, but then I heard him do it again and it was great! He was really good at re-interpreting the character, and I think it was way funnier than how I had intended.” Although Andrew gave his actors room to experiment and mold their respective characters, anyone who was fortunate enough to see Slacktivist knows Andrew is a gifted writer. “I really like to write,” said Andrew, “that’s the main thing I hope to pursue in college. St. Sebastian’s has definitely played a big part in my development as a writer.” Andrew remembers writing stories for a seventh grade course with English teacher Ed McCarthy. Getting feedback from McCarthy helped Andrew see that writing was something he enjoyed, and not just an academic activity. “Mr. McCarthy suggested that I take a summer class in writing,” recalled Andrew. “I followed through on his advice and took a course at Emerson College. That was one of the biggest contributors to the development of my writing, and I never would have done it without Mr. McCarthy’s encouragement and inspiration.” Andrew believes that all of his English courses have helped him become the writer he is today. “This year, Mr. Lynch’s AP Literature class has really helped me. But in general, English classes at St. Sebastian’s have been instrumental in developing my critical thinking skills.” Writing a play is one thing, but directing it is something else entirely, and Andrew was grateful for the guidance he received from Fine Arts Chair Mark Rogers. “He’s given me feedback about how I could change scenes, and what might work better for the stage since I had never directed a play before.” Andrew has continued a relatively new tradition for the Drama Club, in giving a senior the opportunity to write and direct the St. Sebastian’s winter play. Andrew joins the likes of Mark Lane ’12, Jack Goldman ’14, and C.J. Santosuosso ’15 as Arrows who have shared their talents with the St. Sebastian’s community as writers and directors!
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WINTER SPORTS
Members of the varsity ski team gather at the Class A NEPSACs at Mount Sunapee.
Varsity Skiing BY DEIRDRE RYNNE ANNAN Arrows Skiing completed their season narrowly missing first place in the ISL. Co-captains Luke Jones ’17 and Michael Ragnoni ’17 led the squad of 21 skiers who were able to compete in seven league races despite varied conditions. We competed in four Giant Slalom and three Slalom races in ISL competitions held weekly on Wednesday afternoons at Nashoba Valley. Due to the depth of our team, our lowest finish was third, making this our most consistent season in the team’s history! Legendary soccer star Mia Hamm once said: “I am building a fire and every day I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.”
Comparisons could be made to ski racing. For our skiers, we train, prepare, and pray for snow and cooperating conditions. We trek through traffic and at the top of the course pull from all cumulative experiences to ignite an intense courage to tactically hurl down the slopes at high speeds. It’s about finding the edge without going over and to do that consistently requires practice and determination. The breakthrough for our skiers is when they recognize how important preparation is and that every moment is an opportunity to try to shave a second off their time. Whether it is healthy food choices, sharpening their skis or putting in more time conditioning, every decision contributes to how a skier will perform on any given Wednesday. This season, we had several individual skiers who shaved several seconds off the clock and many who lit
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up the course, helping us place second overall as a team in the ISL. This season came down to a last race which was determined by hundredths of seconds. Both of our team captains exemplified what hard work can do and both were ready to light the match when it was time to race. Jones ’17 and Ragnoni ’17 made contributions to the team through consistent effort and persistent hard work. They raised the bar in terms of fitness as multi-sport athletes with their commitment to athleticism and staying in shape all year. Neither came to the team as racers from a program, but they worked hard with each opportunity they were given to improve. Ragnoni ’17 was a quiet and competitive force, visibly racing against himself, but clearly aware of how all the other racers were doing. He demonstrated how pinpointing areas that need attention, arriving prepared to give your all and not
WINTER SPORTS
giving up when feeling frustrated, can lead to improvement and success. Jones ’17 joined the Ski Team as a middle school student and at that time there were a small number of skiers. As an 8th grader, he helped the team medal 3rd in C Division. As a 9th and 10th grader, he contributed to the team winning two Class C Championship titles and last year a Class B Championship.
This year at Class A’s, he helped our team place 5th racing in the Giant Slalom. During his tenure on the team, he has seen it deepen and he has improved as a racer, always pushing himself to do his best. No one has a bigger smile than Luke when he is on the hill. Consistently a top contributor over his entire skiing career, Jones concluded this season with his top finish 15th on Varsity.
After three back-to-back championships, we were moved up to the highest level of competition in Class A, where we admirably placed fifth, competing against schools who train each day in the steeper and snowier northern mountains. St. Sebastian’s cohosted NEPSAC A on February 15, 2017, at Mount Sunapee, a feat that would not have been possible without the efforts of our accomplished parents and Ski Team alum, Will Vietze ’11. These selfless volunteers shouldered yeoman’s work gate-keeping, scoring and doing course maintenance. Peter Rowe ’17 medaled in the Slalom with a 10th place finish, closely followed by Peter Murphy ’18 and Wilson MacPherson ’18. This trio performed well throughout the season and all were awarded ISL- All League for consistently placing in the top ten. Rowe ’17 placed 4th overall for the season and could be counted on for strong performances in challenging conditions. A tenacious skier who is unrelentingly competitive, Rowe leaves behind an impressive skiing resume during his all too short time at St. Sebastian’s. He was often battling out top finish against Murphy ’18 who won the last slalom race of the season in 60 degree weather and slushy conditions. Murphy placed 5th overall for ISL. MacPherson ’18 had a standout season, with two top finishes of 6th place. Murphy and MacPherson will join veteran skier Reid Walsh ’18 to form a trio of captains next season. Our season would not have been possible without the help of many, most especially our parents who worked hard to volunteer time on the hill during hosting duties, and our Assistant Coach, Olivia Uhlman, for her effort, energy and commitment to our Ski Program.
CLOCKWISE: Peter Rowe ’17 makes a tight turn during a Giant Slalom race; Peter Murphy ’18 zooms down the course; Co-Captain Luke Jones ’17 speeds down the mountain.
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WINTER SPORTS
Varsity Hockey BY COACH SEAN MCCANN 3…2…1…And the Arrows of St. Sebastian’s have defeated the number one seed Phillips Andover in the first round of the playoffs. Senior goaltender Alex Zafonte played extremely well and sophomore center Tommy Lyons netted two goals as Seb’s dominated the second half of the game to propel them to the semifinals. After 106 days, 82 goals scored, 57 goals given up, 45 practices and 31 games, the men’s varsity hockey team earned a well deserved playoff victory that exhibited the work ethic, sacrifice and cohesiveness that is necessary to have success. This process wasn’t without its difficulties on and off the ice, but it certainly made the final week memorable because it was earned the right way. A total team effort was accomplished because “the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” (Kipling) The beginning of the 2016-17 season was one that would represent a big shift
towards the underclassmen. Although the impact of the six seniors was without question, it would be the development of the large freshman and sophomore classes that would reflect the potential for this team. After a few tune up scrimmages, the season was underway against a veteran Rivers team. Caught on our heels early in the first period, Rivers jumped to a 2-0 lead. However, a 5 on 3 power play goal by Riley Hughes in the first period and a goal by freshman Liam Connors midway through the third closed the gap to 3-2. Unfortunately, that was as close as it would get as the push for an equalizer was unsuccessful. The next four games certainly had a different tone especially with an outstanding comeback win against Milton. Down 3-0 after only one period and 3-1 after two, Brendan Goostray scored early in the third period as Seb’s lit the red lamp four times to take over the game and win 5-3. Freshman goaltender Drew Commesso made numerous saves in the second period to keep the game close, allowing the Arrows to gain some composure and confidence.
Colin Kehoe, Connor Joyce and Liam Devlin ignited the offense early and often en route to a strong 8-1 victory over BB&N. While New Hampton proved to be a very difficult opponent, Zafonte stood tall with 33 saves and Liam Gorman netted his first goal of the season late in the first period enabling the team to edge out New Hampton 4-3. The last game before the holidays was against Brooks and RJ Murphy wasted little time scoring only 35 seconds into the game. However, it was Connors who stole the show recording his first career hat trick to cement a 6-0 victory. This year’s Christmas tournament was stacked with great teams and an unfortunate bounce in overtime cost Seb’s the opening game against Williston while a much older team in Albany controlled the second round game. However, over the course of the next four games the Arrows played better defensively. Winchendon could only muster 16 shots on goal as Blake Colman and Eric Jeremiah led the way defensively. Colman also helped secure the 4-1 win with his first goal of the season. Next up was Catholic Memorial and the Mutch Cup. RJ Murphy scored a
LEFT: Eric Jeremiah ’17 carries the puck up the ice. RIGHT: Jack Doherty ’17 finishes his check against a Rivers Academy player.
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WINTER SPORTS
Drew Commesso ’20 keeps his eyes on the puck and makes the save.
natural hat trick in the second period and Tim Kiley was stellar between the pipes, limiting CM to only one goal in a 5-1 win. The following two games displayed some outstanding work ethic from Ryan MacDermott and Evan Reddick as the team only surrendered two goals while beating both Williston and Berkshire. With the strength of the ISL, positive momentum can change quickly and it did when the team found itself only scoring five times in the next four games. Fortunately, some solid goaltending by Zafonte and Commesso enabled the team to secure two important ties against Belmont Hill and St. Paul’s. A strong performance from Chris Joyce against Andover provided a spark offensively with a 5-3 win, while an aggressive and dynamic effort from James Davenport against Governor’s secured a 6-3 victory. However, once again goals were tough to come by and the team only scored six goals over the next five games. An outstanding performance from Zafonte and a two point night by Liam Devlin led the Arrows to a win over Milton while an unusual 0-0 tie against Tabor at the Travis Roy Cup left the team searching for answers.
As the playoffs approached, the group knew that the upcoming series against Lawrence would be crucial in securing a post season bid. Led by the inspired and physical play of Jack Doherty and Eric Jeremiah the team came out flying. While Murphy opened up the scoring for Seb’s, it was the “Liam” line that dominated the night. That line (Gorman, Connors and Devlin) combined for 6 points with Gorman contributing 3 goals including the empty net goal to seal the victory. An 8-0 blowout of Governor’s lead by Wyatt Schlaht, Riley Hughes and outstanding defense from Will Kiley was enough to lock in a playoff spot. Once the season officially ended and the seeds were announced, the squad learned that it was headed to Phillips Andover for a rematch against the Big Blue. An early shorthanded goal by Tommy Lyons and a rebound goal in the second period by Goostray kept the Arrows up by one. Casey and Lyons extended the lead in the third for a commanding 4-1 victory and a semi-final game versus Albany Academy. With a veteran laden team and home ice advantage, it took Seb’s half of the first period to get acclimated. Already down 1-0, Seb’s started to control the game midway
through the second. Numerous chances were available for both teams, but neither was able to capitalize. As the clock counted down the seconds, Seb’s had a handful of glorious opportunities, but it was all for naught as Albany ended the Arrows season a game too early. Although our goals were not achieved, a look back makes one realize how close we were to a breakout season. The fourth hardest schedule in all of New England and 7 one-goal loses combined with injuries to Schlaht, Colman and Lyons tested the determination of this group. Hopefully, lessons learned from past mistakes can pave the way for future success. We’d like to thank the seniors for their devotion to St Sebastian’s hockey. Blake Hailer, Tom Wasynczuk and Joe O’Malley were invaluable as our managers. Chris Joyce provided timely and uncanny goals while keeping the locker room stress free. Alex Zafonte earned the starting position for the past two years and was instrumental down the stretch this year. RJ Murphy led our team in scoring the past two years with his skill and size. As for our captains, regardless of their contributions on the ice, they will be difficult to replace because of their leadership, work ethic and overall selfless approach to the team. Brendan Goostray solidified our penalty kill and was key in shutting down other team’s offense. Jack Doherty was the heart and soul of this team with his willingness to play in any situation and compete with reckless abandon. As a result he was recognized by the coaches with the Jack Doherty Coaches Award which is named after his grandfather. And lastly, Eric Jeremiah was a two-year captain who represented all that we aspire to see in an Arrows athlete. He was not only chosen as a member of the All New England East Second team, but he was unanimously voted the recipient of the ISL Flood Shield award because of his ability, toughness and spirit. Thank you to the Class of 2017.
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Varsity Basketball BY COACH GEORGE MORELLI The 2016-17 Arrows basketball campaign began on November 16, 2016, with a few unanswered questions. Between graduation, attrition and injury, eight of the thirteen roster spots had been vacated, taking with them 43 of the team’s 56 points per game. Sophomore Daman Tate provided some answers to this season’s scoring question as he followed up a 39 point performance in game three versus Beaver Country Day with a 35 point effort versus Nobles—in what has become known as the Silent Night game. The concept was taken from Taylor University; essentially the fans attend the game in festive attire and are a bit raucous during the pregame warm-ups. However, as soon as the jump
ball occurs, not a peep is heard from the crowd… until the tenth point is scored. For the Silent Night game, the Arrows were taking on a seasoned, senior led Nobles team and getting to ten points was no sure thing. However, as was the case most of the year, the team enjoyed playing in front of Henry’s Corner and jumped to an 8-2 lead in the first two minutes and when the tenth point was scored, the stands erupted with noise! The Arrows carried that momentum to a key early season victory. As the injuries and illnesses piled up, so did the Arrows’ determination to compete. The team rallied behind co-captains Tommy Seidl ’17 and Will Phelan ’18 at Roxbury Latin, outscoring the Foxes 26-6 over the last six minutes to earn a ten point victory. In late January, St. Sebastian’s took on playoff-bound Nobles for a second time. The game did not disappoint. The Arrows earned the win in double overtime, with Will Plansky ’18 setting the tone on the defensive end.
Unfortunately though, the victory would mark the last game the Arrows would have their full complement of players for the remainder of the season. In the first week of February, the Arrows took on Rivers in front of a packed gym. Once again faced with a ten point deficit with eight minutes to go, the team battled behind Sophomore Bryce Gallagher’s relentless play and a clutch three pointer by Will Phelan ’18, who played with a broken bone in his hand, which tied the game with two minutes remaining. Unfortunately in the end, Rivers’ lead was too much to overcome down the stretch. Junior Harry Carlson and Sophomores Connor Bertsch and Miguel Vega played key roles in victories against St. Mark’s and Middlesex. Following the two league wins was a road tilt with a talented Lawrence team. Yet again, the Arrows found themselves down ten points with fewer than six minutes to go, but
LEFT: Daman Tate ’19 nails down a clutch three-point shot. RIGHT: Co-Captain Will Phelan ’18 dribbles the ball up the court.
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WINTER ATHLETIC AWARDS The following students were recognized for their performance on the Arrows varsity hockey, basketball, skiing, wrestling, squash and swimming teams during an Athletic Awards Assembly on March 8, 2017.
All-League ISL Basketball: Daman Tate ’19 Hockey: Eric Jeremiah ’17 Skiing: Wilson MacPherson ’18, Peter Murphy ’18, Peter Rowe ’18
Honorable Mention All-League ISL Basketball: William Phelan ’18, Bryce Gallagher ’19 Hockey: Alexander Zafonte ’17, RJ Murphy ’17
All New England Second Team East Hockey: Eric Jeremiah ’17
Flood-Shield Award Will Plansky ’18 saves the ball from going out of bounds and makes a great pass.
as was the case the entire year, there was never any quitting or excuses, and after a Daman Tate ’19 three-pointer and a missed Lawrence free throw, St. Sebastian’s had a chance to win at the buzzer, but just couldn’t get it to fall their way. Following a hard-fought loss against Governor’s, the Arrows had their final home game versus Milton Academy. After a back-and-forth first half, the Mustangs pulled away. However, St. Sebastian’s glimpsed the future as 8th grader Ben Kaczmarek and Junior George Johnson played well to close out the game. The Arrows’ final game of the year, at St Paul’s, was another true team win. Ten of the eleven players who dressed ended up scoring points. The tone was set early with two three-pointers by Sophomore Nate Kocho and the middle of floor was anchored by first year Varsity player, senior James Orscheln.
As stated at the team banquet, it would not be fair to measure this team by wins and losses—those numbers do not measure heart, toughness or competitive fire. This team competed as well as any and the senior leadership of Tommy Seidl and James Orscheln will be greatly missed. The new co-captains, Will Plansky ’18 and Will Phelan ’18, will have big shoes to fill! On behalf of the assistant coaches, Coach Terrell Diggs and Coach Dave Hinman, I would like to thank all of the parents and fans for supporting the team this year and look forward to competing on the hardwood again next year. Finally, thank you to our three senior managers—Cam Cain, Cam Mulvey and Adama Kaba—who were dependable, reliable and an integral part of our team. GO ARROWS.
As voted by league coaches, this award is presented to the hockey player who demonstrates the highest level of determination and sportsmanship throughout the season. Eric Jeremiah ’17
Fr. Daniel J. Gilmartin Award Given by the coaches to the St. Sebastian’s basketball player who possesses the qualities of commitment, teamwork and outstanding attitude. Thomas Seidl ’17
Jack Doherty ’62 Award Given by the coaches to the members of the St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey team who possess the qualities of commitment, teamwork and outstanding attitude. Jack Doherty ’17
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WINTER SPORTS
Varsity Wrestling BY MARTY WHITE ’18 & HENRY DEMATTEO ’18 Wrestling is a sport that requires hard work, strength, and intelligence. The Saint Sebastian’s team was a mixture of both veteran and new wrestlers, but one thing made all of them similar: they were willing to try their hardest and get better at wrestling. As usually happens in sports, the team’s record does not tell the whole story. One of the challenges faced by the team was their small numbers, as they were unable to fill all the weight classes and often had to forfeit multiple matches as a result. In fact, on more than one occasion, the team won the majority of matches where someone actually wrestled but still lost the match because of forfeits. More importantly, thanks to Coach Ryan, Coach Tull, and Coach Salomone, the team learned a lot about wrestling and improved greatly over the course of the season. One highlight of the season was winning the ISL Sportsmanship Award. The award is voted on by every team
in the league, and they decided that St. Sebastian’s was the most deserving of the title. This was a great honor, and we are very proud to have received recognition for being good opponents. This year we had many new wrestlers, both to the sport and to the program. Andy Duong and Will McGovern were both freshmen wrestling for Seb’s for the first time, and they both came ready to learn the sport. They were hard workers who helped motivate everyone else to get better and, in the process, got much better themselves. Similarly, sophomores Joe O’Donnell and Jack Hynes were wrestling their first season for Seb’s, though Jack Hynes had a lot of experience wrestling for his previous school. Both of them improved greatly over the course of the year. The amount of effort they put into practice showed in their matches over the course of the year. These wrestlers look to continue improving next year, and definitely have potential for a great future in wrestling. Returning sophomores Anthony Perez and Stepan Kaprielian looked to grow as wrestlers and continue where they left off the year before. Anthony had a successful season, winning multiple varsity matches
and placing second at JV New England’s. He improved greatly from last season, and developed into a much smarter and stronger wrestler. Stepan’s season was unfortunately cut short very early on due to an injury. However, instead of taking the rest of the season off, he continued to show up to matches and practices throughout the season, helping the team in any way he could. Thanks to both of their hard work, everyone got better. Thomas Olson, Marty White, and Henry DeMatteo were the three juniors on the team, and each picked up where they left off. Thomas Olson improved greatly over the course of the season thanks to his hard work. He pushed everyone else in the room to get better and could often be seen showing the younger wrestlers how to get better. Battling injury, Thomas managed to have a great season. Marty White was a solid wrestler who had two previous years with the team. He improved his record from last year and was able to outlast many opponents, who seemed to be better wrestlers than him, but were not able to go three periods with him. In practice, he worked hard and improved everyone who wrestled with him.
LEFT: Anthony Perez ’19 pins down his opponent. RIGHT: John Petro ’17 immobilizes his rival during a match.
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WINTER SPORTS Not surprisingly, he was voted captain for next year. Henry DeMatteo returned for his fifth season and improved greatly, especially in how smart he wrestled. He had a very impressive record, even managing to qualify for New England’s. There were few wrestlers who could beat Henry, and his hard work and experience helped everyone in the room improve. Henry was also voted captain for next year. These three juniors will be great leaders, and will improve upon their successes this year. The team was led by four seniors: Bryan O’Donnell, John Petro, Will Evans, and Chris Vallace. This year was Bryan O’Donnell’s first year wrestling, but he quickly learned the sport. Through his hard work, he became a much better wrestler. This was evident in the Brooks match, where he came very close to beating a wrestler who would go on to New England’s for that weight class. John Petro, one of the three co-captains, was unfortunately injured in the middle of the season and forced to miss the remainder of what may have been a very successful season for him. He was on his way to qualifying for New England’s for a second year in a row. Will Evans, another captain, was a solid wrestler and a great leader in the room. During ISL’s, he came one match away from taking top four, and therefore, qualifying for New England’s. This run was impressive, but not unexpected. Chris Vallace rounded out the tri-captains for this year. This was Chris’ second year as captain even though he has been on the team for only three years. His dedication and leadership have been visible since he first stepped on the mat. Though it was only his third year wrestling, Chris wrestled very well, qualifying for New England’s for the second year in a row. Chris generated a lot of interest in the program and helped fill the stands at home matches. He, along with the other seniors, will be greatly missed next year.
LEFT: Kevin Oh ’19 launches a serve to his opponent. RIGHT: John Piatelli ’17 sends the ball across the court with a freehand hit.
Squash BY MICHAEL FINUCANE ’17 The St. Sebastian’s squash team had another successful season under the leadership of Coaches Brown and Conway. The players came ready to compete at every practice and match, and they improved greatly over the course of the season with strong individual efforts from every member of the team. Last year, the team graduated nine experienced and talented seniors who made up most of the top half of the ladder. While this may sound like a major issue for the team’s overall performance, this year’s seniors and other players in scoring positions of the top seven, were able to elevate their game and play some very competitive matches against the toptier JV and thirds opponents. In addition, new players John Piatelli ’17, Brian Piatelli ’19, Alex Gainey ’18, Jack Dumouchel ’19, Kevin Oh ’19, and Dylan Knightly ’22 all improved over the course of the season, holding their own in some very tough matches. They will definitely continue to
improve in the coming years as squash players and will serve as the backbone of the team in the future. Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the St. Sebastian’s squash team is the fact that there are no home courts on campus. During the evening, the team travels to Nobles to use their facilities. In addition, the team plays no home matches all season, and matches do not attract the crowds that many other sports do. As long as the squash program has existed, the team has dealt with these challenges. However, this is all set to change soon, as construction of our own squash courts will begin in the very near future. This new facility will allow for a deeper squad that can practice more and compete with higher-level teams. The team this year is graduating five seniors: Michael Finucane, Sam Gordon, Cole Jarczyk, John Piatelli, and Stewart Smith. Their character and attitude of hard work will be missed next year, but the returning players will be able to take over as leaders of the team and carry on the legacy of Arrows squash.
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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WINTER SPORTS
Varsity Swimming BY RICHARD GALLO ’17 The 2016-17 Swim Team season was focused on rebuilding and continually getting better. With only four returning swimmers from the previous year, the need to recruit more swimmers was very important. During the season, three individuals decided to join the team, and although many of them had club experience, it was a challenge to adjust to high school meets and a high school team. The swimmers this year were Sam Cullen ’17, Richard Gallo ’17, Michael Bollas ’18, Kyle Licameli ’18, Aidan Garrity ’20, Tim Williams ’20, and Alessandro Barbiellini ’21. The meet against Dexter was one of the season’s highlights. The Arrows almost beat Dexter with a score of 31 to 38. Many on the team speculate that had all the members been present, we would have won the meet. The team scored very well, with second place in the relays and first place in the fifty freestyle. Many of the
swimmers challenged themselves to swim in longer events, and they showed endurance in doing so. This meet was the closest the team came to winning all season, quite impressive considering that Dexter had home-pool advantage and the boy’s team was twice as big as ours. This valiant effort is symbolic of the season as a whole. Although we were an undersized team with less pool experience than other teams and facing some of the top swimmers in New England, we were able to make our presence felt. Every member had a teamfirst attitude, which allowed this small group to compete against much larger and much more established teams. Another highlight was the Eastern Independent League Championship. Since St. Sebastian’s School is in the Independent School League, we were unable to collect points at EIL’s. Regardless, the members of the team swam with all their effort, and placed in multiple events. At EIL’s, there were roughly 20 swimmers competing in each event in two heats. Those with times finishing in the top eight receive a ribbon, and those with times finishing in the top three receive a medal. For relays, the top three teams receive a medal. The individual
members of the team scored very well, even though we could not collect points for St. Sebastian’s. We scored both eighth and third in the 50 freestyle, 3rd in the 200 freestyle relay, and countless other awards in breaststroke, backstroke, and other events. This was the team’s last meet, and we finished on a strong note. More important than the ribbons and medals, every member of the team was able to achieve a personal best at the EIL’s and many were able to achieve season long goals. The Arrows’ performance showed how hard work and determination lead to achievement. Over the course of the season, Coaches Callini and DiMeo helped each swimmer improve at practices, encouraged us in meets, and celebrated both our individual and team accomplishments. Their support allowed us to grow as swimmers and as people. In addition, the Dana Hall aquatic staff, Dana Hall coaches, and Dana Hall swimmers all created a welcoming and supportive environment during our practices at Dana Hall.
LEFT: Aidan Garrity ’20 comes up for air during the breast stroke. RIGHT: Michael Bollas ’18 dives off the block, signaling the start of the race.
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Florida RECEPTIONS Headmaster Bill Burke, along with Rich Arms, Director of Development, and Ed Davis ’65, Director of Planned Giving, headed south for the annual Florida receptions, held from March 9 to March 12. All of the receptions were well attended, and offered alumni and friends of St. Sebastian’s the opportunity to reconnect and share memories. Special thanks to our wonderful hosts in Florida: Bill ’68 and Mary Fran Driscoll (Vero Beach), Chip ’67 and Bobbie O’Hare (Jupiter), Kip and Peggy Condron P’92,’94,’95 (Palm Beach), and Bob and Pat McCool GP’16,’19 (Naples).
Help Us Build Our
Archives
In honor of St. Sebastian’s 75th Anniversary, we’ve been building our archives to preserve our history for future generations of Arrows. Perhaps you or your parents have something buried in a box in the attic, whether its a reel of film, a favorite photo, an older issue of The Walrus, or a sports jersey. We’ve already received some incredible treasures from our alumni and past parents! For more information about how to make a contribution to our archives, please contact Ed Davis in our Alumni Office at ed_davis@stsebs.org or 781.247.0158 or visit: TOP ROW: Attendees gather at the Vero Beach Reception with the evening’s hosts, Mary Fran and Bill ’68 Driscoll; Ken ’66 and Colleen Ulrich at the Naples Reception. BOTTOM ROW: Jimmy Coleman ’58 catches up with Gerry Healy ’59 at the Naples Reception; Kip Condron P’92,’94,’95, Brian Burns ’53 and Headmaster Bill Burke at the Palm Beach Reception.
stsebs.org/archives
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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A Fresh Take on Oatmeal Are you tired of the same old breakfast options—cereal, muffin, bagel, rinse, repeat? The world is in need of a unique spin on the most important meal of the day, or at least it was before Alan Donovan ’09, founder of Oat Shop in Somerville’s Davis Square, had something to say about it. In January 2017, Oat Shop became Boston’s first oatmeal café and has been giving its customers a healthy and tasty way to start their day!
O
at Shop offers a creative take on the more typical oatmeal options, from “Nuts Over Berries,” to “Apple Pie.” But that’s not all. Alan sees his oats just like any other grain and therefore doesn’t shy away from experimenting with unusual ingredients to create savory oat bowls. “A lot of my inspiration for the oat bowls on the menu came from other cuisines or certain foods I like such as the ‘Sushi Bowl,’ which doesn’t have raw fish in it, but does have a lot of the flavors you would get in sushi like ginger and soy sauce,” says Alan. As one might imagine though, running your own café is no easy task, and to be successful, Alan has had to wear many hats. It can be challenging for Alan to be the sole entrepreneur, and sometimes his business responsibilities keep him from making bowls and interacting with his customers. He knows that is just part of the gig and does a good job finding that balance. Before opening Oat Shop, Alan actually had zero experience working in a restaurant. After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in 2013, and receiving a Master’s in Commerce from the University of Virginia in 2014, Alan moved to Washington, D.C. and worked in the finance world. Before starting his work
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day, he kept noticing a lack of options in the breakfast market. Fast forward a year and Alan was working at a pop up, a chance for him to give his idea a real live test run in someone else’s establishment at a café in Brookline. “It was a low-cost way to quickly get in front of customers, put bowls on the menu, and refine the process,” says Alan. “It’s one thing to make oatmeal bowls for friends and family, but quite a different experience to sell them to customers.” Alan credits St. Sebastian’s School with arming him with the necessary tools to make his vision a reality. Whether he was presenting his ideas to potential investors or attempting to convince the landlord to lease him the space with a written proposal, Alan relied on the fundamental skills he acquired at St. Sebastian’s. Alan’s leap of faith paid off and now he is hard at work to ensure his oatmeal café thrives. With so much to do, Alan has to keep his energy up; what oat bowl does he turn to in the early morning hours to sate his appetite? “The Sriracha Fried Egg,” says Alan. “When I was tweaking and playing around with the recipe, I finally hit this combination and was pleased!” Alan was excited to bring the “Sriracha Fried Egg” to the menu. Next time you find yourself in Davis Square, stop by Oat Shop and give this Arrow’s oatmeal a try.
“
A lot of my inspiration for the oat bowls on the menu came from other cuisines or certain foods I like such as the ‘Sushi Bowl,’ which doesn’t have raw fish in it, but does have a lot of the flavors you would get in sushi like ginger and soy sauce.
”
— Alan Donovan ’09 WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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CLASS NOTES
Notes & Announcements from Arrows Alumni
WHAT’S
NEW? Keep your classmates updated by sending us your news! Send us photos, too!
Submit class notes and photos at: stsebs.org/classnotes Deadline for next issue:
JULY 15, 2017 Photos will be published based on quality and available space. Please be sure to send the highest quality image possible and identify everyone.
1964
Dr. Jerome Delli Priscoli, Chair of the Global Water Partnership Technical Committee, recently addressed experts from around the world in a workshop at the Pontifical Academy of Science in the Vatican City. Scientists, politicians, educators, and leaders gathered on February 23-24, 2017, for an interdisciplinary discussion on the role of policies in water and sanitation management. Jerome represented GWP in a panel on challenges for the future, speaking on the topic “Water Resources Management and Potential Nexus of Theological, Ethical and Pastoral Approaches.” “Allocating and reallocating water is the heart of water resources management,” said Jerome. “It is achieved, for good or bad, within a variety of political cultures and governance systems. As development changes, so too do societal needs and thus the way people value water and its uses. No matter the system there are always costs and distributive ethical issues.” During his visit to Vatican City, Jerome had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis. (see photo)
1967
Chip O’Hare and his wife, Bobbie, are proud grandparents once again! The newest arrival, Alice, was born on March 26, 2017, weighing in at 6lb 15oz. Unfortunately, their son, Matt, will not be sending one of his children to St Sebastian’s unless the school goes co-ed! Ed Quinn is an attorney in Norwood and is happily married and has four girls, two of whom work in his firm part time. Congrats to Phil Quinn on the birth of his third grandchild, Riggs, a strapping boy who was born on April 10 at 8 pounds 13 ounces. All is well in the Quinn household.
1989
Craig Collins, author of Yesterday’s Law, was invited to speak about his book at the Massachusetts Citizens for Life Annual Convention at Boston College on April 8, 2017. Following his speech, he participated in a panel discussion organized by MCFL President Anne Fox, who also happens to be a parent
SHARE YOUR IDEAS
for Alumni Profiles Do you know an alumnus you would like to see profiled in an issue of St. Sebastian’s Magazine?
Tell us about it! Send an email with your suggestions to our Communications Office at communications@stsebs.org.
’64
’89
LEFT: Dr. Jerome Priscoli meets Pope Francis while in Vatican City for a workshop. RIGHT: Craig Collins ’89.
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CLASS NOTES
Check us out on ’92
’00
’77
LEFT: Chris ’92 and Meg LeBoeuf with their baby boy, Camden. RIGHT: Alzeda Jane, daughter of Jim ’00 and Leah Madison.
of two St. Sebastian’s graduates, John ’00 and Rob ’02. Craig also shares, “I am pleased to report that I have been accepted to graduate school at Yale. The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a one year MA program in history, my favorite subject. I plan to take a one year leave of absence from my law practice and enroll at Yale in August. It will be fun going back to the classroom after 21 years!” (see photo)
1992
Chris LeBoeuf and his wife, Meg Atkinson welcomed their new baby boy, Camden Payne LeBoeuf, on March 23, 2017, weighing in at 7lbs 3oz. (see photo)
1993
Justin McCullen started working as a global business continuity and risk management manager at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. He is living right down the street in Needham with his wife, Jane, and two daughters (April, age 3, and Faye, age 5).
2000
Jim Madison and his wife, Leah, welcomed their daughter, Alzeda Jane, into the world on Christmas Eve at 9:45 p.m. (see photo)
2002
Richard Faro shares, “My wife, Cori, and I recently had our first child, a beautiful baby girl, Blake! I am still living in San Francisco and still killing it!!”
Follow us @stsebastiansschool
for new photos and updates of what’s happening on campus. For those who may not know, Instagram is a mobile photo sharing site (you can download the app on your smartphone). We post images daily—and you can tag us in your own St. Sebastian’s photos. This is a fun way to stay up to date with all things Arrows, including a “75 Reasons Countdown” of why our students love St. Sebastian’s leading up to Commencement Day!
VIEW ST. SEBASTIAN’S MAGAZINE ONLINE Did you know that St. Sebastian’s magazine is available online? View the publication, including recent back issues, in a flipbook format on our website: www.stsebs.org/magazine
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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CLASS NOTES
2003
Ryan McLean reports: “After graduating from St. Sebastian’s, I attended Merrimack College and now work as a music paraprofessional in the Boston Public Schools. I live in Braintree, MA, where I recently moved into my own condo, and am loving every minute of it so far. Both of my parents have remarried; my father married his high school sweetheart and my mother married a Bermudian native. My younger sister is married and gave birth to a baby girl in June of 2015. My youngest sister is also a paraprofessional in the Boston Public Schools. All are well and are living happy, healthy lives. In my free time, my favorite activity is being the proud uncle of my niece. I’ve also had the
privilege of traveling to different places since my high school graduation. I’ve been to Italy, where I was part of an audience at the Vatican and had the chance to meet Pope John Paul II before he passed away. I studied abroad at the National University of Ireland in Galway and visited the home where my maternal great grandmother was born and raised in Donegal. I am planning on visiting Austria in the summer. In addition to traveling, I also enjoy reading, and singing as a choir member at my church.”
2005
Peter J. Smail, Jr. married Elizabeth Auger in September 2015. He is working at Fidelity Investments as Services Manager.
in the NHL Danny O’Regan ’12 is playing his first season in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks, following his graduation from Boston University in 2016 and an outstanding career as a member of the Terriers men’s hockey team. He scored his first career NHL goal on April 8, 2017, at home against the Calgary Flames in the final game of the 2016-17 regular season. Danny joins two other Arrows currently playing professional hockey, continuing a strong tradition of alumni suiting up for the NHL. Brian Boyle ’03 was recently traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Noah Hanafin ’15 is finishing his second season for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Arrows Harvard Luncheon On February 22, several St. Sebastian’s alumni who are either currently enrolled at or who have graduated from Harvard College enjoyed an informal luncheon at the John Harvard Brewery & Ale House in Harvard Square. Those attending included Richard Griffin ’47, Bill Looney ’77, Tom Looney ’78, Andrew Conway ’06, Michael Haley ’13, Chris Riley ’13, Thayer Wade ’13 and Caleb Aldrich ’14. Joining them was the St. Sebastian’s Alumni Office team of Ed Davis ’65, Fred Daly ’70 and Jim Walsh ’86. Luncheons with other schools are currently being planned.
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CLASS NOTES
2007
’07
Michael Misasi writes, “Good news to report all around—my wife, Elizabeth, and I now have a wonderful and healthy daughter Eleanor (Nora) Misasi.” (see photo)
2010
Max Kingsley graduated from Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC, on February 23, 2017. He is now at Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. (see photo)
’10
2012
Doug Kingsley was joined by his family at his Army ROTC Commissioning last May at Providence College (see photo). Doug is a Second Lieutenant currently training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, in the Army Military Police.
2013
Alex Calabro, a senior at Connecticut College, is serving as captain of the Varsity Lacrosse team for the second year. Alex came back from a torn hamstring his sophomore season and a torn ACL near the end of last season to establish himself as one of the top longstick midfielders in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
’12 ’11
2015
Jordan Barros, a Studio Art major at Boston College, had his work on display during the month of February in the Level One Gallery in the O’Neill Library. The exhibit was part of BC’s Black History Month program. The marker drawings in “My Black is Beautiful” celebrate the widely varied ways in which individuals make their marks upon the world.
From top to bottom, left to right: Nora Misasi, daughter of Michael ’07 and Elizabeth Misasi. n Max Kingsley ’10 with his parents, Doug and Joanie, at his graduation from Army Basic Training in February 2017. n Doug Kingsley ’12 (center), at his ROTC Commissioning in May 2016, with his brothers —Max ’10, Ned ’10, and Scott ’13 —and his parents, Doug and Joanie. n Doug with his cousin, Patrick Kelly ’08, who is a Captain in the Army. n Patrick Wallace ’11 brought students from Harlem Lacrosse Boston’s middle school program to campus for a joint practice during March break with Coach Adam White and the varsity lacrosse team. WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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IN MEMORIAM We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the graduates and friends of St. Sebastian’s School whose deaths are reported with sorrow.
ALUMNI RELATIVES & FRIENDS Rita M. Coyle January 23, 2017 Grandmother of Nicholas Urban ’20 Joseph DiCalogero April 8, 2017 Grandfather of Tim ’00, Tony ’01, Mike ’04, and Nick ’05 Coskren and father of Paula Coskren, Assistant to the Headmaster Joanne Harr March 5, 2017 Grandmother of Luke ’14 and Thomas ’17 Wasynczuk Janet Newell Hilliard March 30, 2017 Grandmother of Mark Holland ’06 Daniel C. Julien April 8, 2017 Brother of Peter Julien ’18
Catherine Mannix February 9, 2017 Mother of Francis (Frank) ’72, past trustee John ’74, and Richard (Dick) ’75 Mannix Mia Rose McCaffrey March 17, 2017 Daughter of Jim McCaffrey ’99 John McManama February 10, 2017 Father of Carl ’66, Dan ’71, Steven ’72, Michael ’74 and Peter ’76 McManama Judith Simmons February 21, 2017 Grandmother of Camryn Cain ’17 Ellen Kelley Burke White January 19, 2017 Mother of Chip ’72 and Ted ’78 White
This listing contains deaths reported between December 23, 2016 and April 10, 2017. To report a death of a St. Sebastian’s alumnus or relative to the Development Office, please contact Kelsey Johnson at kelsey_johnson@stsebs.org.
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Kevin Connell ’59
Kevin passed away on February 19, 2017. While at St. Sebastian’s he was a mainstay of the varsity football team and did quite well scholastically. According to The Arrow, “Kevin brought a ray of sunshine onto campus.” After graduation he attended Holy Cross and Georgetown University. He then went on to manage Clyde’s Restaurant in Georgetown and became the key advance man for the 1968 Presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy and organizer for George McGovern’s reelection. Kevin was a member of the Washington Forum consulting firm and established and operated The Yellow Brick Bank restaurant in Shepherdstown, WV. He opened several more restaurants, including two in New Hampshire. Kevin leaves behind brothers Lawrence ’54, Jim ’67 and Anthony, and son Keper.
Francis (Fran) Downey ’49
Francis passed away on February 18, 2017, with his loving family at his side. While at St. Sebastian’s Fran had an inseparable group of friends and was the proud owner of his 1937 Ford Model “T.” After graduation, he attended Boston College and then joined the U.S. Army Security Agency in 1953 where he served his country until 1955. Fran began his executive career with Lever Brothers and then with the Getty Oil Corporation. In 1970, he started his own business of car washes, “Fill-It-Up, Please,” with locations throughout the Greater Portland area which was family run for over thirty years. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Brenda, and their seven children: Francis Jr., Daniel, Brenda, Susan, John, Louisa and Edward; his sister, Maureen; fourteen grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
John (Jack) Hoare ’63
Jack passed away in his home on March 17, 2017. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was involved in many activities, including writing for The Walrus and The Arrow, singing in the Glee Club and serving as manager of the varsity football team. Upon graduation, he attended Boston College School of Law, where he graduated Cum Laude. He worked as a corporate attorney for the former American Mutual Life Insurance Company for 15 years. He was a co-owner of Atlantic North Seafood in Malden for many years. For the past 25 years, John had his own private law practice. He leaves behind his brother Jim ’66, children Allyson, Jonathan and the late Joshua, and grandchildren Mikayla, Sean, and Jake.
Ed Sweeney Former Faculty Member and Coach
Ed Quirk ’47 with his wife, Jane, and their children in a family portrait.
Edward S. Quirk, Jr. ’47 P’73,’76,’77,’80,’82, GP’08,’09,’15 Past Trustee Ed passed away on January 5, 2017, at age 87. According to the 1947 edition of The Arrow, he was considered one of the “founding fathers” of his class and was known for his serene, happy-go-lucky disposition. Ed had a natural flair for athletics and despite a reoccurring back injury, participated whole-heartedly in football, hockey and baseball. After graduation, Ed attended Boston College where he was a member of the varsity baseball team. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Navy as a Lt. JG during the Korean Conflict. Ed was President and CEO of the Edward S. Quirk Co., Inc. (D.B.A. Quirk Tire Co.) from 1955–1985. Ed served as a loyal member of the Board of Trustees from 1973-1980. He also hosted several alumni events throughout the years, including golf outings and receptions in Florida. His legacy as an Arrow lives on through his children and grandchildren as the first three-generation family at St. Sebastian’s. Indeed, the Quirk family set not just one, but two St. Sebastian’s records. The first was set in 1973 when Ed and his wife, Jane, saw their oldest son, Edward III, become the School’s first second-generation student to be graduated from St. Sebastian’s. In June 2008, history was once again made by the Quirk family when Ed’s grandson, Matthew, became the first third-generation student to be graduated. To date, Ed’s five sons, three of his grandsons, and two nephews have attended the School. Ed is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jane, and his children—Edward Quirk III ’73, Ellen and her husband, David, Robert ’76 and his wife, Hallie, John ’77 and his wife, Sarah, Thomas ’80 and his wife, Nancy, and Peter ’82 and his wife, Ellen. He was also the uncle of Douglas ’73 and John Shaw ’76. He leaves behind 16 grandchildren who cherished him, including Caroline, Peter, Catherine, Leigh, Addy, Matthew ’08, Roderick, Maddie, Meradith, John, Codi, Abby, Cameron ’15, Courtney, Tucker ’09, Grace and Lexi, and great granddaughter Ava.
Coach Ed Sweeney passed away on January 28, 2017. Ed taught history and coached football at St. Sebastian’s from the fall of 1975 through the spring of 1978. During his three years as coach, the football team’s record was an impressive 15-5-1, with the 1977 team finishing the season undefeated. Ed then moved on to Boston University as the defensive back coach. During his career, he had success as head coach at Dickinson and Colgate. Though he had a wonderful career coaching football, Ed told Coach Bob Souza that his favorite years were as Head Arrows Coach. He leaves behind three children: Kaitlin, Sean and Callie, and siblings Kathleen, Geraldine and Tom.
Gertrude H. White P’73 Past Trustee Gertrude passed away peacefully on January 6, 2017. She was Guild of St Irene President from 197174 and a member of the Board of Trustees from 1974-79, serving on the Academic Affairs Committee. Trudy’s greatest joy was her family, and she was happiest when surrounded by her loving children, grandchildren and many friends. A devout Catholic with a generous and loving heart, she devoted herself to family and volunteer work throughout her life. Trudy had a natural sense of style and elegance. She loved interior design, decorating, gardening, her books, and hosting exquisite dinners and parties for her large family and her many friends. Beloved wife of the late Joseph H. White. Devoted mother of Joseph ’73 and his wife, Mary Ellen, Kathleen and her husband Mark, Susan, Carolyn and her husband, Greg, and the late Annie H. White. Trudy is also survived by six loving grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
WWW. S T S EBASTIANS S CHOOL.ORG
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From the Archives
1957
Miniature statue of St. Sebastian donated to the School’s archives by Raymond Smith ’61.
In the summer of 1957, St. Sebastian’s second headmaster, Monsignor Charles Flanigan, took a tour of Europe, including Rome, Italy. While there, Headmaster Flanigan saw the Pope three times, including a private meeting at the Vatican when he presented his Holiness with a miniature statue of St. Sebastian, as well as a copy of The Arrow yearbook with the papal seal on the cover. At the beginning of the new School year, the Monsignor presented each member of the student body with the same small statue of St. Sebastian as a momento of his once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy St. Sebastian’s planned giving society was founded in the late 1990s and named in honor of the School’s first headmaster, Monsignor Charles D. McInnis, a devoted and beloved leader. The purpose of the Society is to recognize and honor the individuals and families who support St. Sebastian’s by making a gift by will (bequest) or other legacy gift to support the School. There are many reasons members of our community choose to remember St. Sebastian’s in their estate plans. Some remember our School to say thank you for the education, athletics, and friendships they experienced here, while others are touched by the inclusive, nurturing community that strives to empower students for success in college and in life. Please consider joining a growing number of alumni, parents and friends who haven chosen to remember St. Sebastian’s with a legacy gift, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of our students, teachers, and alumni community.
For more information about gift planning and including St. Sebastian’s in your estate plans, contact Ed Davis ’65 in the Office of Planned Giving at 781.247.0158 or ed_davis@stsebs.org or visit plannedgiving.stsebs.org.
Monsignor Charles D. McInnis Society
1191 Greendale Avenue Needham, Massachusetts 02492
Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Boston, MA Permit No. 19943
William L. Burke III Headmaster Richard F. Arms Director of Alumni & Development Christine Y. Robertson Director of Communications
Combining Robotics & Service St. Sebastian’s students host students from San Miguel School for a day of sharing and learning (see pg. 7)