WINTER EDITION 2019

This is the 43rd edition of the Golden Burrs Quarterly Newsletter sponsored by the Events Committee members.  All the committee members wish you and yours a very..... 

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year 

In this issue under the "West Catholic Prep Banner" you will find a report on Nia Ali's World Championship win; a pictorial report of Frank Adolf's visit to West Catholic; an update on Big Daddy Graham; a report about the visit of the Superior General of the Christian Brothers to West Catholic; and Jim Lynch's Varsity Football reports.  Also, don't miss the "Mark Your Calendar" notice about the next Class of 1958 luncheon.

In the "News Features" section there is an abbreviated history of the life of St. John Baptist De La Salle, and information about the beatification of Blessed James Miller FSC.

Once again we have sad news of the passing of two classmates; Denny Brennan, who came to West from St. Barnabas parish, passed in September, and we learned that George Buffington, who came from the Holy Name of Jesus parish, passed in 2018.

We conclude this edition with Mail received from our Classmates and Friends; a "Remember When" series of pictures from our youth submitted by Frank Adolf;  prayer request for classmates who are ill; remembrances for our deceased classmates; and Rich Buzza's "Final Thought".

EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH WEST CATHOLIC PREP

Nia Ali, 30, who was raised in Germantown, finished first in 12.34 seconds Sunday on the last day of competition at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Doha, Qatar.

When she looked at the scoreboard after breaking the tape and saw her name posted in first place, Ali broke into tears.

"I replayed this race so much in my head, and every time that's the way it ended for me," she told the Associated Press. "So just to see it play out exactly how I envisioned it, that was my natural reaction."

MY VISIT TO WEST CATHOLIC

submitted by: FRANK ADOLF

Last year I received a letter from Lauren Stager who is the Director of Major and Planned Gifts at West Catholic Prep.  

Lauren stated that she was new to West having been hired in the advancement office in the summer of 2018.  She indicated that she wanted to meet with me to discuss my thoughts and perceptions of the school today and more specifically my experiences with West Catholic.  Well my hip issues and ultimate surgeries to replace both hips got in the way of setting up a meeting.  Now that I am recovered and walking again unassisted, I arranged with Lauren to meet at West as I wanted to see the improvements that have occurred over the past couple of years.

On Thursday afternoon, October 24, I drove into West Philadelphia to meet with Lauren.  After arriving at West, I parked next to the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine which was constructed using stones saved from the original shrine at West Boys' along with the statues of St. Bernadette and the Blessed Mother.  The sale of memorial plaques, which are placed in front and to the side of the shrine, helped pay for the construction. 

Lourdes Shrine with memorial plaques

My daughter Cindy and son-in-law Tim purchased the below memorial plaque as a Christmas gift for me.

My plaque with its own personal greenery

There still is plenty of space for additional plaques.  Perhaps, you may want to remember a fellow classmate or someone who has served in the military, or have your name on a plaque as part of the memorial.  Purchase instructions are available on the Alumni Website at:  www.westcatholicalumni.org

The 1920 cornerstone from the Boys' original school and the 1923 cornerstone from the "Annex" were preserved and are next to the shrine. 

I then headed toward the school and was greeted in the parking lot by a student who was in her junior year.  She escorted me to Lauren's office.  While talking with Lauren, Andrew Brady stopped in to say hello.  He expressed his appreciation for all that the Class of 1958 does for West Catholic, especially the newsletter. 

Lauren took me on a tour to see the updated Cafeteria, the refurbished Gym, the renovated Library, the Engineering Lab, the Chapel, and the Auditorium.  

The Gymnasium floor was renovated and named after the late Irene Mazur '64, sister of Len Mazur '63..  The court was redesigned, with branding throughout, including the Philadelphia skyline. 

Lauren introduced me to Daryl Blodgett who came to West in 2018 as the school's Family Coordinator.  He explained that his role is to "fill in the gaps" which includes everything from helping students who are overwhelmed, to just being a good listener.  The Lounge is an ideal place for students to mingle, study or do homework, or even take a nap.  While I was there the "dismissal bell rang" and the students began exiting.  They all fist-bumped or high-fived Daryl as they left the room.  

In 2014, through a partnership with Drexel University's School of Engineering, a curriculum was designed as a four year program where students can even earn college credits.  At the time, an anonymous donor made a generous commitment to fund the program, including the cost of teacher salaries.

The Engineering Technology Lab has been equipped with the latest state of the art machinery.  Several local businesses who see students as potential employees upon graduation from high school or college, have helped with outfitting the Lab. 

The old card catalog from the Library was saved and is displayed in the Lab.

Back in her office after the tour, Lauren discussed the various ways one can make a legacy contribution to West Catholic.  Essential Lauren's goal is to build the endowment to ensure that West Catholic will continue to provide a quality education to future generations.  

Lauren walked me to the exit, and once again thanked me for the time and resources that I and our committee expends on behalf of West Catholic.  I thanked Lauren for taking the time to show me around and for the warm welcome that I received.  It was great to see that the traditions of a Lasallian education are continuing at West Catholic. 

I encourage everyone to respond to the school's open invitation to stop in if you are in the neighborhood.  It will be well worth your time.  

UPDATE ON BIG DADDY GRAHAM

Ed Graham, 66, is back in the ER just weeks after returning home following an 88-day recovery from a spinal cord injury in July that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

BLESSED JAMES MILLER, FSC BEATIFIED

    submitted by: FRANK METZLER

Bob Houlihan:    FRANK:   MY BROTHER, DEAN HOULIHAN, CLASS OF '46, PASSED AWAY ON 9/17/19.  HE WAS 91 YEARS OLD.  DEAN PLAYED VARSITY FOOTBALL AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE '45 CATHOLIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.  HE WAS AN AVID FAN OF WEST, SPORTING MORE CAPS, T-SHIRTS, JACKETS, ETC. THAN YOU COULD COUNT. ( BY THE WAY, HE LEFT ALL OF THESE ITEMS TO ME.)  HE WAS A FREQUENT ATTENDEE OF THE "BURRS ON THE BEACH" AND WAS PICTURED, ALONG WITH MYSELF,  IN A PAST COPY OF THE NEWSLETTER.  HE WAS A GRADUATE OF MBS. 

Jim "Dutch" O'Malley:  Hi Clarkie,  No problems this time.  Got about 12 inches of rain over 48 hours and we can handle that.  Problem is these slow moving storms can stall periodically and some towns/cities can get deluged with rain.  Forty miles north of us got 20-25 inches and the same distance East got 40 inches!

Jim Lynch:  Frank n Frank.  Another great job on the newsletter; really enjoyed it.  Lynchie 

John McCloskey:  Great job Frank on your publication.

Bob Dowd:  Frank and Frank:  I just read the Fall Edition.  It was very informative.  Thanks to you and the staff for putting it all together.  Also, I read in the Inquirer yesterday the price that Prendergast got from DC Community College for their property was $3 million.  The sale you mentioned in your newsletter.  Bob Dowd '58

Brother Kevin Stanton:  Thanks very much Frank to you and your associates.  Always an enjoyable and informative read.  Best to one and all.  Br. Kevin

Brother Pat Carney:  I am honored that you decided to send my note to such an esteemed group.  And nice job with the newsletter, by the way.  Pat

Editor's Note: 

A little background on what Lou Baldwin has done over the years.  Lou was a reporter for the now defunct Catholic Standard and Times in Philadelphia and is now an award winning reporter for the Catholic News Service.  Over the years, Lou has covered all significant parish anniversaries  and continues to do so to this day for CatholicPhilly.com.  

In this role he has covered MBS extensively.  In 2001, he wrote about MBS's 100th Anniversary Mass.  He also reported on the closing "Unity" Mass at MBS in 2007.  On January 28, 2010, he wrote an extensive article about plans to install historic artifacts from MBS at St. Bede the Venerable Church in Holland, PA.  As a follow-up to that article on September 28, 2011, he covered the rededication of the renovated St. Bede.  He was the one of the main sources for my article on the history of MBS which was published in the Winter 2013 Newsletter.  

Joe Myers:  Frank, Really enjoyed reading the latest Burr's newsletter.  I'm sure my fellow classmates of the Class of 58 feel the same, and deeply appreciate the work that you do and the other Burrs put into its creation.

I want to commend you for the memorial tribute to our recently departed classmates and in particular the careful and respectful way you worded the notification of the passing of my good friend Dan Remy.  I had sent to your staff the scant info I had received about his death based on what his daughter had told me.

I tried in vain to forward the news letter to his daughter as an attachment.  She emailed me this morning saying she was unable to open it.  I know how much it would mean to her and the other member of his family to read the announcement and to see his accompanying yearbook photo.

So I ask if you would kindly forward such, both to her and this other good friend Bill Campion ('59).  I appreciate your help with this. 

Comments received on the passing of Denny Brennan:

Tom Hughes:  Hi Frank, Some more sad news for the Class of 58.  Denny Brennan from St. Barny's died on Monday morning Sept 23, 2019.  The services will be on Saturday, September 28th 2019 at St. Anastasia in Newtown Square.  Visitation will be from 9:00 am to 10:30 am followed by a Funeral Mass.  Denny was a good guy and great friend.  I will really miss him.