Feature Story - St. Joe’s Memories

St Joe’s Memories

The Blue Jay Tradition

The legacy of St. Joseph’s High School has endured, despite the closure of its doors at Jay and Orleans in 1964. The ending of an era created a new partnership of St. Joe’s Alumni with De La Salle Collegiate. This partnership has made a significant difference as these men, these “Brothers’ Boys” work together to continue the Lasallian tradition.

St. Joe’s - In the Beginning

Christian Brothers began teaching in the St. Joseph Parish school in 1877, and the parish opened St. Joseph’s Commercial College in December 1889. The first group of 13 students received diplomas at the first graduation exercises in June 1892.

In succeeding years, there were remodelings and additions to the original structure.

In 1923, 14 St. Joe’s alumni, noting the population shifts in the city, conducted a $100,000 fundraising drive to purchase a 10-acre tract of land about 5 miles away, near Gratiot Avenue, at Connor and Glenfield. The groundbreaking took place in 1925, the cornerstone was laid in January 1926, and in September 1926, 85 students began classes. Shortly after DLS had its first graduation ceremony in 1929, the stock market crashed. De La Salle’s future was in peril, as many ceased paying on pledges, and families were unable to pay tuition. The Brothers had few resources, but the St. Joe’s Ladies’ Auxiliary redoubled its efforts to carry DLS through the crisis.

Better days came, and by 1936, DLS expanded to serve its increased enrollment of just under 500 students.

Meanwhile, at St. Joe’s, the Archdiocese of Detroit decided in 1942 to close both St. Joe’s Grade School, and the girls’ high school. Eleven Christian Brothers took over the school, and in 1944 purchased the building from the Archdiocese, renaming it St. Joseph’s High School. At the time, 495 young men from 60 Detroit area parishes were registered. By 1964, only one student was actually a St. Joe’s parishioner. The school building had fire and building code violations; rebuilding carried a staggering price tag. The decision to close, a decision that had lingered for several years, finally came. The Archdiocese repurchased the building, holding the land to see if the building would be needed. The 1964 graduates left, some to then Bishop Gallagher, conducted by the

St Joe’s Memories

Christian Brothers from the Chicago Province, some to other parish high schools, and many to De La Salle. Eventually, the old school building was torn down. That space is now the parking lot for St. Joseph’s Church.

Pilots vs Blue Jays

The rivalry between the two schools was intense. Both served a Detroit-area population. Both served boys. And both were conducted by the Brothers of the Christian Schools from the New York Province.

Br. Bob Carnaghi, SJ ‘48, recalled the chants to the tune of “The Old Grey Mare.” For De La Salle students, the chant/song was “Old St. Joe’s, she ain’t what she used to be, ain’t what she used to be, many long years ago.” And, Br. Bob says, the Blue Jays would chant back “Old St. Joe’s was old St Joe’s when De La Salle was a pup. Old St. Joe’s will be old St. Joe’s when De La Salle grows up.”

Br. Patrick McNally, SJ ‘55, also recalled the rivalry between the two schools. “Once we had a football game, and our St. Joe’s Principal had told us we could have Monday off if we won the game. We lost, but the game was so close, the Principal told us we had won a moral victory. We spent that Monday driving around DLS, who had won but had school anyway. Those were fun times. Honking our horns at our rivals all day.” The influx of “Old St. Joe’s” Blue Jays in 1964 had an impact at DLS. The Provincial at the time thought it would be good for Br. Patrick McNally, SJ ‘55, to return to Detroit to help ease the transition for the St. Joe’s students.

Br. Thomas Lackey, ‘65, current President of De La Salle, recalled that year. “I was going into my senior year at De La Salle when St. Joseph’s High School closed. About 70 to 80 new students joined the Class of 1965. The DLS football team improved to 5 - 2 because of some of these young men. “But I most remember one Brother who made the move to DLS - Br. Leo Michels. He taught Math and was one

St. Joe’s Memories

of the best teachers I ever had.

“I can only say that St. Joe’s students and faculty added so much to De La Salle.”

Blue Jay Support of Christian Brothers and De La Salle Unwavering

Despite being closed for the last 50 years, the spirit of St. Joe’s and its alumni continues. Their alumni have served on the Board of Trustees at De La Salle and several have been honored at the Christian Brothers’ Dinner. Several classes hold joint reunions. Alumni from St. Joe’s attend the annual Senior Alumni summer luncheon and the holiday gathering. And the St. Joe’s Alumni Association makes a significant contribution each year to De La Salle.

Remembering St. Joe’s

My education was the best. The Brothers were great men, and had respect for all the students. I loved the rivalry between our Brothers’ schools. The nights before the “big game” were memorable. The “shack by the tracks” gave “the fort by the port” many exciting moments. Our alumni group is still strong. Thanks to Br. Kevin Gilhooly who brought both alumni groups together when he invited “us “ to La Salle for our alumni meetings. We kept in touch with many Brothers after our closing, talking about the memories at St. Joe’s. The motto “Builders of Boys, Makers of Men” was so true as you look back at what the Brothers were trying to instill in us. I still attend St. Joseph Church and encourage all alumni to do so. The Church is still one of the most beautiful churches in Detroit. Live, Jesus in our hearts, forever.

Sal Passalacqua, SJ ‘63

St. Joe’s was better known as the “Shack by the Tracks.” What a great facility - old with a lot of enthusiastic features. Mass in the morning. Ties to enter into the school. Lunch in the basement. Waiting for the bell to ring at 2:15 p.m. You could leave if your grades were at the proper level. We had great sports programs - football, basketball, track. I would do it all over with the same educators - Br. Christopher Foley, Br. Arnold Francis, Br. James, Br. Dominic. I have great memories.

Julius Cicchini, SJ ‘55

Class of 2014 at St. Joe’s

The De La Salle senior class held its Senior Retreat at St. Joe’s over two days in February. Br. Bob Carnaghi (SJ ‘48) and Br. Pat McNally (SJ ‘55) shared the history of the Christian Brothers in Detroit , St. Joseph’s Parish, and St. Joseph’s High School. The two also explained how St. Joe’s Alumni created De La Salle in 1926, and the influence of the Blue Jay Alumni in continuing the Lasallian mission of education.

Clockwise from above: The Choir Loft at St. Joe’s. Br. Bob Carnaghi in the third pew at St. Joe’s, the same pew he was in for his graduation from St. Joe’s in 1948. Senior Paul DiTrapani (center), with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul DiTrapani. Mr. DiTrapani is a classmate of Br. Patrick’s from the St. Joe Class of 1955 . Fr. John Kiselica, DLS Chaplain, celebrates Mass. Br. Pat McNally explains the history of St. Joe’s. Seniors at Mass. Br. Bob Carnaghi and half of the seniors at the altar of St. Joe’s.