Winter 2009 Explorer

Winter 2009

E X PLORE R

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

E X PLORE R

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

E X PLORE R

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

NOW…FOREVER!

THEN…

Grand Reunion

Saturday, April 25, 2009 6:00 pm La Salle College High School $60 per person Classes of 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, and 1999

To register, please visit www.lschs.org/alumni, contact Mary Frances Kelly at mfkelly@lschs.org, or call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (215) 233-2350.

Class of 1964 45-Year Reunion Class of 1969 40-Year Reunion Class of 1974 35-Year Reunion Class of 1979 30-Year Reunion Class of 1984 25-Year Reunion Class of 1989 20-Year Reunion Class of 1994 15-Year Reunion Class of 1999 10-Year Reunion

La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038 www.lschs.org

E X PLORE R

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

WHAT’S INSIDE Features

Take Me To The River Page 4

The Genuine Article Page 8

The “Go To Guy”

Departments

Page 12

From The Hip

Alumni Service Award

Letter From The President

Page 15

Page 2 Page 3

Bridging The Digital Divide

Photo Gallery

Class of 1969 Blog

Class Notes

Page 24

Facebook Page 25

Pages 18-23 Pages 26-31

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From The Hip! I often wonder who reads the Explorer. Is it read cover-to-cover or do people simply flip from page-to-page? What draws people to the content or do people go immediately to their class notes? After all, I take great pride in the publication and put an enormous amount of effort into each issue. The overwhelming comments and responses generated from the most recent issue – Men of Service (Autumn 2008) – clearly provided the answers to my questions.

Like many alums of my decade, I never served in the military. I did, however, grow up in a home with a full colonel and Army green. I learned to salute at an early age and visited many a military base. I have a great deal of respect for all of the men (and women) who have served our country as well as those who continue to do so.

The article on 1st LT Patrick McCarthy was one of many that could have graced the pages of the publication and the Memoriam on the last page was intended to be a tribute to all of the alums who gave their life in service to our country.

Shortly after the magazine reached homes, the Office of Institutional Advancement began to receive phone calls, letters, and emails from alums that remembered their fallen classmates and saw that their name was missing from the Memoriam. I knew that our alumni records did not contain this type of information and that names were missing from the Memoriam, which is why I put the disclaimer that followed the list and apologized in advance for the names that were omitted. My hope was that by publishing an incomplete list, I would hear of others. The response that followed did not leave me disappointed.

I learned of many alums who were killed in action. Not only did I discover their identity, but every missing name seemed to be accompanied by a wonderful story or memory. I was truly touched by the incredible outpour of responses.

The most notable exclusion was that of LTC Vincent J. Connolly, USAF ’51, a pilot whose plane was shot down in North Vietnam in 1966 and died as a POW (see page 27). Prior to learning of LTC Connolly, the school had thought that CPL Carl F. Hynek, USA ’63 was the only alum whose name appeared on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

I used the occasion to teach my 7-year old son about the Vietnam War. We went down to the Philadelphia Vietnam Memorial at Front and Spruce Streets and witnessed first-hand LTC Connolly’s name. We did a rubbing of the engraving and brought it home to his Alma Mater. The same will happen next month when La Salle makes its 54th consecutive class trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. The rubbing of LTC Connolly will join that of CPL Hynek as part of a display that will be erected in the Fall at the school. The display will be a lasting tribute to ALL alums of La Salle College High School who lost their lives in service to our country.

I encourage the entire La Salle community to send me the names of those alums who were killed in action. Use this as an opportunity to share their names, tell their story, and evoke their memory. Please contact me directly at (215) 402-4810 or carabello@lschs.org.

E X PLORE R

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

President Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 Principal Joseph L. Marchese Vice President of Institutional Advancement Daniel L. McGowan Alumni Association President Anthony J. Gillespie ’68 Editor Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Editorial and Production Assistance Barbara Franks Cathleen P. Winning Contributing Writers Christopher J. Doyle ’69 Brett T. Foley ‘00 Robert F. McAnespey ‘66 Robert T. Szostak, Esq. ’72 William J. Wasylenko, Jr. ‘69 Photography Greg Bobowski Braden J. Bonner ’07 John J. Burns Christopher M. Carabello ‘82 Davor Studios Donnelly Photography Kerper Studios Michael Maicher Brother James Rieck, FSC ‘57 Artwork and Design John Burns Graphic Design Address Explorer La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, PA 19038 215 233 2350 phone 215 836 4502 fax alumni@lschs.org The Explorer is published by La Salle College High School.

Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Editor

The Explorer welcomes letters to the Editor concerning alumni, school, and topics published in the magazine.

The Editor of the Explorer reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the content and information published in the magazine.

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Letter from the President Dear Fellow Alums and Friends, Let me begin by offering my congratulations to the five men who are being honored at our Communion Breakfast/Hall of Fame Induction. I am very knowledgeable of each of these men and can personally attest to their qualifications. La Salle is honored by these graduates and their accomplishments. The new inductees into the Hall of Fame – George Hines ’46, Joe Slabinski ’67, and Bill Whiteside ’46 – will join the fifty-four previous honorees to serve as models for today’s young Explorers. Their biographies will be the source of inspiration for many generations to come. Tim Foley ‘66 and Larry Wentz ‘55 have certainly distinguished themselves in their service to La Salle and the Alumni Association and clearly deserve to receive the William J. Whelan ‘55 Alumni Service Award. All five of these men are men “who love to sing La Salle’s praises”.

I am also happy to report that our students have taken a great sense of pride in their new “digs” and the continuing renewal of McLean Hall. This spring, our athletes will enjoy a new varsity baseball diamond and two new fields for lacrosse and football. Campus visitors will certainly leave La Salle knowing of our commitment to the future. I invite you to stop by and take in one of our many events this spring.

The Class of 2013 is now taking shape. Over 520 young men took the Scholarship and Entrance Exam in early December. We will be looking for a class of approximately 275. Fifty-one of these students were recipients of a Presidential Scholarship. The Admission’s Office has done a wonderful job of presenting La Salle as an option to qualified eighth graders from both the city and suburban communities. The Class of 2013 will reflect La Salle’s commitment to young men across economic, racial, religious and academic lines as well as students who will add to our reputation in athletics, technology, and the arts.

In the last issue of the Explorer you saw the extent of your support of La Salle. Without your support, La Salle would not be the strong school that it is today. La Salle College High School has always provided a challenging environment for young men to discover and develop talents that may not have materialized without our rich offerings in academics, athletics, and the arts. Thank you for helping La Salle provide for the Men of Tomorrow.

Join me in singing La Salle’s praises.

Sincerely yours, Mission Statement adopted by the Middle States Evaluation Team March 2006 La Salle College High School, a Catholic independent, college preparatory school for young men of varied backgrounds, is conducted in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Through a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, La Salle College High School guides each student in the development of his unique God-given talents and fosters a commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.

Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 President

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Take Me To The River

by Christopher J. Doyle ‘69

On a warm, sunny day in the summer of 1965 my parents dropped me off at Boathouse Row on East River Drive. I was going to enter La Salle as a freshman that fall and I wanted to become a sculler at Malta Boat Club, following in the footsteps of my two older brothers, and hoping that this would give me an advantage during the try-outs for La Salle’s freshman crew the next winter. I opened the Malta door, carefully stepped inside and made my way down to the floor of the boathouse, past rows of shiny wooden shells and oars…

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…As my eyes became accustomed to the darkness inside, I noticed a handsome, distinguished-looking gentleman working at a bench along the inside wall. He was intently repairing a broken rowing seat, while chomping on a cigar that appeared to have been extinguished long ago. I stepped towards him timidly, fearing that he would be annoyed by my interruption, and inquired respectfully, “Mr. Hines?”

He didn’t acknowledge me immediately and kept chiseling the seat.

Finally, he tilted his head in my direction and we made eye contact.

Realizing that he was being confronted by a frightened fourteen year old, he winked and said, “Mr. Hines is my father.” He returned his attention to the seat, and without looking up, he smiled calmly and said disarmingly, “Just call me George.” Such is the poignancy with which I so fondly recall my first encounter with La Salle’s legendary, rowing coach, George C. Hines.

George Hines is being inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame for three reasons.

First, he was an enormously successful rowing coach who, during his twelve year tenure from 1956 through 1968, piloted La Salle to preeminence in high school rowing at a time when the sport had been long dominated by schools from Washington, DC and Canada since the end of World War Two. George coached both sculling and sweep rowing and guided his crews to victory in twenty Catholic League and City Championships in every boat class from singles to eights. His first National Championship in the Varsity Eight came in May of 1965, upending an eight year reign by Washington and Lee High School on their home river in Washington, DC. At the Stotesbury Cup in 1966 his crews made a breathtaking sweep of the Varsity Eight, JV Eight; followed

by Assistant Coach Mike McGee’s scullers – Varsity Quad and Varsity Double (Mike: a twice National Champion Sculler with Larry “Wash” Walsh) – all in the final afternoon. During his tenure, La Salle’s rowers were highly competitive in every boat class, establishing La Salle’s first dynasty in rowing.

Secondly, he is the archetypal embodiment of the Lasallian educational philosophy, and had an enormous influence upon the intellectual development of hundreds of alumni, many of whom are notable in business, journalism, academia, medicine and law.

He impacted the lives of everyone he encountered by setting an example in the way he conducted himself; he was demanding, yet empathetic. He was tough, yet he had a heart of gold. He was always focused on performance and he was “all business” while on the water. At practices and races, he established high standards by the way he carried himself, and he conveyed those standards in a natural way by his own actions. He always wore a dress shirt, sport coat and tie, and almost always wore a hat. He never uttered a curse word and never once used foul language.

Unlike almost all other sports, every freshman rower is a rank novice walk-on with absolutely no prior experience. A high school rowing coach molds both the body and mind of a young oarsman over the course of four years; teaching him the most basic elements of the rowing stroke and very gradually shaping him into a skilled competitor who can function effectively in unison with others. This requires a rowing coach to be highly skilled in communication and teaching, and George Hines was a master. He would straddle the bow of his coaching launch, his wadered feet dangling in the water, orchestrating the crew through a three foot megaphone like he was conducting a symphony. He had a vision of how he wanted every crew to perform, and he approached the building of every crew as a creative work beginning in February and ending May. At the Stotesbury Cup Varsity Eight race in May of ’65 (which La Salle came in second, one length behind W&L) my brother Marc, who rowed in the two seat, was bitterly disappointed in the outcome, having been undefeated up to that point in the season. After the race, George was at the workbench in the boathouse, tinkering with some equipment. Marc approached the bench. The other members of the crew gradually joined, standing quietly before George. Marc finally asked, “George, what did you think?”

After an awkward pause, George responded in characteristic fashion, with a question, “Marc, what did you learn today?”

Marc was dumbfounded and did not know what to say. Finally, George turned and bellowed to the entire crew the words that transformed them from self-pity to determination, “You learned that you can win!” Which they did the following week at the National Championships, leaving W&L in third place on their home water: La Salle rowing in a borrowed shell—courtesy of Hammond High School, Canada was second.

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Over the course of a year, a rowing coach spends far more time in direct contact with students than any teacher does, and George was enormously influential for his musings with students on all facets of life.

George maintains a large scrap book containing articles, race line-ups and photos of his days at La Salle. Sitting with him in his office at the George Hines Realty Company in West Conshohocken the other day, we leafed through the memorabilia together as George vividly recalled the names of every rower in every picture, and reported on what each did later in life. The students who rowed under George’s tenure comprise a veritable “Who’s Who” of La Salle alumni from 1956 through 1968. He remains beloved by hundreds of men who revere him for his influence on their lives; grateful for his imparting upon them a sense of discipline, self-control and respect for others. Many of us find great personal strength in the recollection of our times with George, not only about rowing, but in the greater perspective about the meaning of life and our place in the world.

At George’s 80th birthday party last year, alumni traveled from all over the country to celebrate with him at a large gathering at the Fairmount Boat Club. No fewer than twelve people paid their respects that evening with speeches recalling their fondest memories of George.

Last fall, La Salle purchased the rights to commemorate the trophy for the Varsity Eight at the King’s Head Regatta. The trophy was named for George C. Hines and was inscribed, “For his enduring commitment to developing the best qualities in young men.” George had already made arrangements to vacation in Hawaii, but postponed them. He said, “I must be with my boys.” The trophy, together with the picture of George awarding it to the winning La Salle crew, remains in the Main Office.

Finally, George is being inducted because he is revered by the greater Philadelphia rowing community as one of the finest gentleman coaches who every stepped into a launch on the Schuylkill River. George always conducted himself with dignity and had tremendous respect for everyone else in the sport. In 1963 he received the prestigious Ilman Award for service to the Philadelphia rowing community.

He established the benchmark for what it means to be a true gentleman of the river. In every aspect of the sport, in dealings with all constituents, referees, judges, other coaches, he embodied self-control and professionalism. He always adhered strictly to the rules and demanded the same from his rowers.

If there was ever a dispute after a race, George settled it with respect for everyone.

At the time, few people in Philadelphia, other than those in the rowing community, fully comprehended the significance of the 1965 National Championship, and its importance in establishing Philadelphia as the center of high school rowing. Al Rosenberg, the coach of Vesper’s Olympic Gold Medal eight in 1964, was a close associate of George and recognized the importance of La Salle’s triumph that year. He lobbied the City to recognize the event, and two weeks later the City Council and Mayor James H. J. Tate cited the La Salle Crew in a ceremony in the City Council chambers.

Ken Shaw ’60, who rowed under George and later reigned over La Salle’s Second Dynasty in rowing from 1983 to 1993, was his protégé. Ken said, “During my ten years of coaching at La Salle I used the same coaching launch that George used. I thought of him every day that I proudly stepped into that boat.”

George was born on December 8, 1927, the only child of George, Sr. and Margaret Hines. He attended St. Francis Xavier elementary school in Fairmount, in the shadow of Boathouse Row. As a child, George vacationed on a lake in the Poconos and became enamored with rowing boats. He was an ardent hobbyist and constructed model boats and airplanes. Each month he anxiously awaited the latest issues of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, and eventually constructed small gas engines for model airplanes. He attended La Salle High at 1240 North Broad St. On the advice of his Guidance Counselor, Brother David Albert, he attended summer school at West Catholic, preparing him for early graduation in January, 1946.

He enlisted in the Navy aviation branch and served as a flight line mechanic.

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La Salle’s rowing program dates back to 1918, but was dormant during the War years, until it was revived by John B. Kelly, Sr. at Vesper in the spring of 1945. In his senior year, George tried out for the team but was cut. Any other 130 pound student would have abandoned the sport at that point. Not George.

He walked across the dock to Malta and learned how to scull, and competed for Malta in races that spring and summer.

George attended La Salle College and earned a degree in Business Administration in 1952. He was on the crew there for four years, and won a gold medal at the Dad Vail Regatta in Boston his senior year. He attended Temple Law School, but instead of practicing law he decided to enter the family real estate brokerage business. To this day, at the age of 81, George still has a real estate brokerage license and manages rental properties.

In 1956, George was asked to join the coaching staff at La Salle High by Chuck Colgan, who knew George from their days together in elementary school. George initially coached a four-oared shell that won the Stotesbury Cup that year. After Chuck Colgan moved over to coaching at the University of Pennsylvania that summer, Brother Joseph Regan appointed George the Head Coach of La Salle High rowing. Chuck Colgan and George remained close associates, and Chuck instructed novice rowers at La Salle for many years. In 1963, George built a training barge with seating for 12 rowers, six to a side, with a cat walk down the middle for the coach. He and Chuck used this vessel to instruct hundreds of novice rowers for many years.

An iconic photo of George instructing students in the barge was featured in Philadelphia magazine in the fall of 1963.

In 1961, George moved the La Salle program to Malta Boat Club, where he was Captain. Malta remains to this day the beginning and center of George’s rowing life.

In 1968, George was appointed Head Coach at La Salle College, and was joined there by a young protégé; a renowned La Salle High sculler and later coach, named Vince Madden. George was later commissioned as a Judge/Referee by the National Association of Amateur Oarsman1, and served as the Vice Chairman of the Dad Vail Regatta Committee until 1984, as well as the Starter.

George remained a bachelor for many years, but at the age of 52 he married Lois Trench, who was a sculler at the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club and a member of the first USRA Women’s National Team in 1973. Today, Lois and George have established the Whitemarsh Boat Club, LLC, in Conshohocken where a number of high school and college crews are based—including La Salle High.

George Hines deserves to be in the Alumni Hall of Fame for his record as a great rowing coach, for his dedication to the Philadelphia rowing community, and for his tremendous positive influence on the lives of so many hundreds of young men who today comprise a grateful generation.

1.

This national organization became the U.S. Rowing Association, which is to this day rowing’s governing body.

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The Genuine Article

By Robert T. Szostak, Esq. ‘72

Bill Whiteside has profoundly impacted society by a lifetime of sustained leadership dedicated to fundamental fairness grounded in shared values and mutual respect. Unanimously bestowed Hall of Fame status by his peers, Bill believes in the power of the collective human spirit driven by a steadfast hard work ethic and the American vision that all people deserve equal opportunity. He is a very decent, very good man, whose mark on our community far exceeds the great generational challenge of our times to assure that the Lasallian mission continues to be fulfilled in the new age. Through the bond of common humanity, Bill has earned an unparalleled level of respect for his exceptional leadership, scholarship, and unwavering capacity for always doing the right thing.

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A self-made man of principle, Bill grew up in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. His father, William A. Whiteside, Sr., was a well-decorated World War I veteran, who without a formal education rose to an executive position with Quaker Chemical Corporation.

“We were by no means wealthy,” Bill fondly recalls, “but we did not want like so many families in those days.” His mother, Ellen, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, raised he and his three younger sisters before returning to work with the Atlantic Refinery. Together, they instilled in young Bill, a firm determination to learn and to serve well before he crossed the threshold at 20th and Olney.

Whiteside believes that the defining formula for a good education is a balanced combination of three basic components – Academics, Athletics, and the Arts. Driven by innate gifts of intellect, athleticism, and a keen appreciation for the arts, Bill had a natural feeling for La Salle. He entered La Salle in 1942 on an academic half scholarship (“my tuition was a whopping $175 per year”), and quickly distinguished himself through his exercise of action and example. By the time of his graduation, Bill held a 98+ average, was the two-way All-Catholic quarterback and safety for the football team, and the “seven seat” of La Salle’s National Junior Eight Champion Boat. Bill explained that the success of his boat was the product of extraordinary volunteer coaching by Olympic Gold Medalists, Jack Kelly, Sr., Charlie McIlvaine, and Paul Costello. “Seven of us were first year rowers and we beat St. Joseph’s Prep Varsity and a number of international boats that year.” On graduation day, Bill received La Salle’s top student-athlete award, “the one I wanted because it represented overall accomplishment in two of the aspects necessary for a balanced education.” Clearly, the Class of 1946 had produced one of La Salle’s most enduring rising stars.

“Since I was of the age of reason, I wanted to go to Notre Dame.” Although accepted into Notre Dame, because of his youth, Bill deferred matriculation for one year while finishing a fifth year of high school at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington. He attended The University of Notre Dame from 1947 to 1951. He was a walk on quarterback/safety. Although he suffered a major upper arm fracture that resulted in a long period of dysfunction and rehabilitation, Bill overcame his injury and was a member of Notre Dame’s 1949 National Championship Team under legendary Head Coach Frank Leahy.

Another La Salle High grad and Hall of Fame Member, Gus Cifelli ’43, was the starting All-American tackle on that team.

In his Sophomore year, Bill joined the ROTC and decided to become a lawyer. He took a few courses in the Notre Dame Law School, “one of which set me off in the area of labor law.”

With a major in finance, Bill graduated Magna Cum Laude and returned to Philadelphia. He obtained his law degree from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1954.

Immediately after law school, he completed his military service as a JAG Officer at the former Sampson Air Force Base in Seneca County, New York. Bill tried legal cases of all types over the next two years, and was honorably discharged in 1956 with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. A man of great integrity and personal strength, his orientation has always put duty first and self second.

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It was during these exciting and electrifying times that Bill married, Eileen, his wife of fifty-four years. Incredibly, they met when he was in the first grade and she in the second grade at St. Francis Assisi. “I always had a crush on her, but she wanted no part of me until we met several years later on the Ocean City boardwalk in the summer of 1950, just before my senior year at Notre Dame.” They married in 1954 and had four sons, Bill, Mike, Rick and Chris (”nicknamed ‘Gump‘ by his brother, Billy, after Gump Worsley, a less than attractive goalie who played for the 1965 Montreak Candians“) and two daughters, Muffin and Mary. “Eileen was the original supermom and raised the children in their delicate years as I developed my private legal practice.” Sadly, Eileen recently passed away, but with profound affection and admiration, Bill openly credits Eileen as being “responsible for the quality of our family.”

Bill Whiteside was destined and firmly determined to join the ranks of the most important and influential Philadelphia lawyers of our time. Over the course of the next five decades, Whiteside’s unbounded energy, uncompromising integrity, and extraordinary skills as an advocate, negotiator, and counselor distinguished him as one of the greatest labor and employment lawyers in the height of the American labor movement.

Whiteside was also equally known for his work involving international law where he represented the needs and liabilities of many foreign nationals in the USA.

Bill began his career as a labor lawyer in 1956 after joining the firm of Speiser, Satinsky, Gilliland and Packet. The consummate professional, he made partner in one year. When that firm merged into the firm now known as Fox Rothchild in 1960, Bill grew the firm’s Labor and Employment Section, ultimately serving as its Chairman in 1975. In this position, Bill’s leadership helped to transform the practice of labor law. Although he always represented management, Bill strongly believed that for a company to survive, the individual in the workplace must be properly treated and compensated. Bill Whiteside, based on this primary philosophy, thus affected hundreds of companies and countless of American workers in all aspects of the employment relationship.

His confidence, natural charisma and remarkable ability to communicate on all levels with all people, distinguish Bill among his peers. Throughout his illustrious career, he advanced the causes of justice with fairness in his heart guided by a righteous blend of principle and pragmatism. A man of his word, he always delivered. As his firm grew from 20 to 300 lawyers, Bill’s forward-thinking practice developed both nationally and internationally. He was counsel to many prominent companies and institutions, including Holt Marine Terminal, Consolidated Cigar, The Community College of Philadelphia, Resorts International, Montgomery County, Albert Einstein Medical Center, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Bachman Industries, and Konica USA, Inc. Through it all, he saw and changed the world.

Bill’s stewardship and counsel have motivated many very special professional and personal achievements. He is listed in Who’s Who in the World and The Best Lawyers In America. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association and the National Association of

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College and University Attorneys. Among his many endeavors, Bill is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He co-founded and served as a Trustee of the American College of Management and Technology of Dubrovnik, Croatia. He and Eileen were the recipients of the Nathaniel Rochester Award for their years of dedication to RIT and the City of Rochester. Bill is a member of the President’s Advisory Council at the University of Norte Dame. Bill also served as President of the Notre Dame Philadelphia Alumni Club. Locally, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia (PAL) for several years. PAL named Bill its “Man of the Year” in 2004. Today, Bill continues to serve PAL with unbounded virtue because he believes PAL affords relief and salvation for inner city youth at a time when Philadelphia needs it the most. A charter Hall of Fame Inductee of the Wissahickon Skating Club, Bill has also served on its Board for many years. He and Eileen dedicated infinite hours to this program. Bill was President of the Board of Trustees of Germantown Academy for five years and continues there as an Emeritus Trustee.

La Salle has been the fortunate beneficiary of Bill’s commitment to community, legacy of service, and selfless benevolence. At the urging of Brother Rene Sterner, FSC, he served as Trustee for seven years. He continues to serve as an Honorary Board Member, attending every meeting of the Trustees and the Governance Committee. He was instrumental in bringing Principal Joseph Marchese to La Salle. Bill’s optimism and extraordinary character have given voice to so many at La Salle.

“There are no regrets.” Bill retired from the active practice of law on March 31, 2001. “Through it all, my greatest accomplishment is my family.” In retirement, he spends a good deal of time with his family, particularly his eleven wonderful grandchildren. “The second best part of what I have accomplished is the friends I have made.” Personal relationships are clearly a major cornerstone of his being.

According to Bill, the secret to success is simple: “1. Don’t take yourself too seriously. 2. Don’t be afraid to work hard as hard work overcomes a lot of other shortcomings (he typically worked seven days a week and 10 to 12 hours a day). 3. Laugh a lot, laugh with and not at others, and enjoy making fun of yourself. We all take ourselves too seriously these days.” Bill urges that everyone appreciate and support the Arts. He and Eileen never missed a New York show, particularly musicals. An accomplished amateur drummer, “Bill can hold his own with a tune,” and when encouraged, will tell his story about playing with the Harry James Orchestra and knowing Frank Sinatra.

Like so many Brothers’ Boys, Whiteside credits La Salle “for giving me an excellent education, and the opportunity to play football and row while meeting so many good people with whom I am still very friendly. Even more importantly, La Salle gave me a good set of values, made me understand the need to work hard, and instilled in me the need to give back.”

From his enduring commitment to helping others, Bill Whiteside has raised the bar of personal and professional integrity for us to follow. Bill is cherished by La Salle for his wisdom and counsel. He is a true friend to all. His many diligent efforts, and his intense sense of purpose and fundamental mutual trust in mankind, have enabled a more informed and balanced view of the world’s inherent complexity. As a tireless positive force in the world, Bill is the genuine article. He has protected and advanced our Lasallian interests and values over a lifetime of humble service to others. Bill is the exemplar of the good person in all of us. His equanimity is second to none. As reflected in our deep commitment to Saint La Salle’s work, Bill Whiteside has fulfilled the promise of our Christian Brothers education.

He is the keeper of the La Salle legacy. Forever trusted and true, we thank and salute Bill, and we congratulate his greatest achievement – his family, for sharing him with all of us.

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The

“GoTo Guy”

By Robert F. McAnespey ’66

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“Joe Slabinski ’67 is going into La Salle’s Hall of Fame”?

“You’re kidding, aren’t you”?

“No, he is. He’s deserves it.”

“I know that; I assumed he was already in”.

“What took you guys so long”?

Ever since the news of Joe’s impending induction into the Alumni Association Hall of Fame in July became public, that conversation has been repeated in various forms over and over. Yes, it did take us a long time to do the right thing and yes he does deserve it!

With the reorganization of the Association in the early 1980’s, Joe was one of the first men to step forward and offer his time and his talent in establishing a working group to reach out to other alums to help further the mission of the Christian Brothers and to help provide financial support for his Alma Mater.

Joe was the organization’s first Vice-President and succeeded Connie Miller ’50 as the second President of the Alumni Association. But the truth is the mere fact that Joe was an originator of the revamped Association and the second President is not the reason that Joe is being inducted into La Salle’s Hall of Fame. No, Joe’s impact on everything he has lent his name to has led to this honor coming to him.

Joe has served the Bridesburg community of Philadelphia with energy and honor for over thirty-five years. The Bridesburg Boys and Girls Club recently presented Joe with the Carson Stewart Award in 2008 – an award that is very respected in the Delaware Valley and is not offered lightly within the Bridesburg community. But what some people may not know is that Joe was offered the award previously, but turned it down because he thought that others were more deserving. Joe, of course, was wrong and the good people of Bridesburg knew it. They persisted and Joe relented. Joe serves as the President of the Bridesburg Business Association. As if that is not enough, he also leads, as President, the Bridesburg Community Development Corporation. Both organizations are dedicated to the well being and future of this wonderful neighborhood.

In his “spare” time, Joe serves on the Board of the Third Federal Bank. Until recently, Joe served on that Board with two fellow La Salle alums and current members of our Hall of Fame, Tom Gola ’50 and Joe Gerngross ’43.

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The Slabinski Funeral Home has been in business since 1917.

Originally operated by Joseph Slabinski, Jr. and then Joe’s mother Elizabeth until her death in 2000, today Joe, his wife Donna, daughter Nicole and son Joseph, IV ’01 are all active in the day to day activities. The Slabinski Family is synonymous with Bridesburg and practically every civic non-profit initiative in that community over the past thirty-five years has been wholeheartedly supported by this wonderful family.

Over the years as La Salle and the Alumni Association have grown, all types of needs and concerns have come through Alumni House and the Association. Usually, when the solution is not readily available, someone will say “why don’t you call Joe Slabinski?” Joe has long been known as the “Go to Guy”. In the early 1980’s, Joe was the weight lifting coach at Villanova University. He often brought his team to La Salle to work out and help our athletes improve. La Salle had a need for some equipment to help condition our football players. With the guidance of Joe Colistra ’63, Joe contributed the first “Olympic set” to the weight room at La Salle. When La Salle purchased Alumni House in the early 1980’s, the association had a home.

Joe, in collaboration with Florence Ward, Brother Fred Stelmach, and Pat Dever, decided that La Salle needed a school seal in the board room and also a sign outside to identify the house. Both were promptly supplied by Joe and his family (created by a skilled craftsman from Bridesburg).

Joe has reached the highest level of his professional life. He has been and continues to be a pillar of his community. He is a mainstay of his church and has been as consistent and energetic a supporter of his Alma Mater as any graduate of the school. Few, if any, have so admirably proven themselves to have earned the title of “Brothers’ Boy”. Joe Slabinski wasn’t created for the Alumni Association Hall of Fame, but clearly our Hall of Fame was created for graduates like Joe Slabinski. When you meet Joe on the street and say to him, “How are you?” invariably his response is “fannnntastic”. Well the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is a special day for La Salle and of course a special day for Joe and his family. I’d like to think that this day is the day that we can say back to Joe that your association with us over the years has been just that, “Fannntastic”.

Thanks for everything.

15 Explorer Winter/ 2009

William J. Whelan ’55 Alumni Service Award The Alumni Service Award was established in 2001 in an effort to recognize the dedicated and consistent service of an alumnus to La Salle College High School. The award is presented in memory of William J. Whelan ’55, a man of both kindness and principle, who at all times was a loyal son of La Salle. Bill was a friend and teacher, and the identification of this award to his life reflects the true spirit of his service to La Salle and its Alumni.

The Alumni Association recognizes the contributions of two distinguished Alumni.

Lawrence H. Wentz ’55

Timothy J. Foley ’66

La Salle College High School lost one of its greatest boosters last year with the passing of Larry Wentz. If you had attended any one of the forty or so golf outings hosted by the Alumni Association over the years you would have seen Larry, early to arrive, anxious to do anything he could to help, and happy to be spending the day with fellow alums and telling “La Salle” stories. And Larry had a lot of them.

Tim came to La Salle College High School in 1963 from St. Joseph’s in Cheltenham Parish. He became the second of six sons of Jack and Betty Foley to graduate from La Salle. When Tim was invited to be a member of the Alumni Association back in 1988, he jumped at the chance. His only requirement was that he wanted something to do and didn’t want to just come to meetings. Tim was given the task of revitalizing the Alumni dues paying initiative. He along with a sub-committee of alumni met regularly over the course of six months and completely re-worked what the alumni did. An initiative that produced barely $1,000 in 1987 has generated over $500,000 since then. A majority of these funds supports the Alumni Financial Aid fund for sons and grandsons of graduates. Many young men and their families have benefitted greatly from this program.

Larry had many loves; most notably, his wife Louanne and their thirteen children. For most men that would have been enough, but Larry loved everything Notre Dame, having graduated from there in 1959. Larry loved baseball – especially Philadelphia baseball (both the Phillies and the “A’s”). Larry loved La Salle and kept a special place in his heart for his beloved La Salle College High School baseball team of 1955 who were Catholic League Champions.

Larry carried the banner of La Salle High wherever he went.

Larry and Louanne had six of their sons graduate from La Salle. He took whatever opportunity he had to extol the virtues of the education he received from “the good Brothers.” He credited his teachers at La Salle with preparing him at an early age for his success as a family man and a business man.

As the president of the “Dick Littlefield Club,” an area organization of baseball devotees, Larry would expound on facts and figures about nearly every baseball player who ever played the game, but his eyes really lit up when he spoke about La Salle, his Class of 1955, and the Championship they won. Larry was and will always be the epitome of school spirit here at La Salle.

Tim’s work for La Salle was really just beginning. He subsequently was involved in the Alumni Golf Outing as Sponsorship chair; became Vice-President, and then President of the Alumni Association.

For many of us this would have been enough. Not Tim. When his son T.J. entered La Salle in 2001, Tim became active in the Men of La Salle. Active does not really describe his efforts.

He has chaired LaSale – the school’s auction, been involved in the Men of La Salle Golf Outing,and finally, served as President of the Men of La Salle.

In 2006, Tim’s twin sons Kevin and Michael entered La Salle.

Since Kevin, now a junior is a rower, it is only natural that Tim get involved in the rowing program. Today Tim is the President of the Rowing Club. Few if any alumni have given more of their time, their talent, and their treasure to La Salle College High School.

49

Annual Alumni th Golf Outing

Monday, June 29, 2009

Philadelphia Cricket Club 6025 West Valley Green Road Flourtown, Pennsylvania Play will take place on both courses Wissahickon (Old) and Militia Hill (New).

ALUMNI

GOLF To register, please visit www.lschs.org/alumni, contact Mary Frances Kelly at mfkelly@lschs.org, or call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (215) 233-2350.

Registration (Driving Range Opens)

11:00 am

Buffet Lunch

11:30 am

Shotgun Start

12:30 pm

Cocktail Hour (Open Bar and Hors D’Oeuvres)

6:00 pm

Dinner and Awarding of Prizes

7:00 pm

TO REGI CH GUA STER OIC RA TO E O NTE DAY FC EY OU OUR RSE S

Presenting Sponsor $7,500

Hospitality Cart Sponsors $3,500

• Company Name on All Printed Materials

• Sponsorship Sign on Hospitality Cart Golf Cart (one cart per course)

• Company Name on Gift Package • One Corporate Foursome • Lunch for Four • Cocktails and Dinner for Four • Gift Package for Four • Patron Listing in Golf Program

Golf Course Sponsors Wissahickon or Militia Hill $5,000

• One Corporate Foursome • Lunch for Four • Cocktails and Dinner for Four • Gift Package for Four • Patron Listing in Golf Program

Beverage Station Sponsors $3,500

• Prominent Signage on 1st and 10th Tees

• Sponsorship Sign on Beverage Station (one station per course)

• One Corporate Foursome

• One Corporate Foursome

• Lunch for Four

• Lunch for Four

• Cocktails and Dinner for Four

• Cocktails and Dinner for Four

• Gift Package for Four

• Gift Package for Four

• Patron Listing in Golf Program

• Patron Listing in Golf Program

Golf Cart Sponsors $4,000

• Company Name on 36 Golf Carts

• One Corporate Foursome

• One Corporate Foursome

• Lunch for Four

• Lunch for Four

• Cocktails and Dinner for Four

• Cocktails and Dinner for Four

• Gift Package for Four

• Gift Package for Four

• Patron Listing in Golf Program

• Patron Listing in Golf Program

• Four Raffle Tickets

Putting Green Sponsor $1,000 (sponsorship sign placed alongside practice putting green entrance)

Driving Range Sponsor $1,000 (sponsorship sign placed alongside driving range entrance)

Corporate Sponsorship $2,500

Individual Golfer $400 Hole Flag $250 Tee Sign $150 Dinner Only $75 Raffle Ticket (Cash Prize) $20

18 Explorer Winter 2009

Photo Gallery

Auction

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The LaSale 2008 Auction Committee Chaired by Bill Begley and Barbara Grelis-Houldin

Stephen Duzinski, Roseanne Duzinski, Sean Quigg ’04, and Rosemary Gedeik

Joe Eble ’75, Jean Eble, Jim Gabriele ’87, and Helen Gabriele

Tim Foley ’66 and Mike Montgomery

Beth Foley, Chris Foley ’83, Ron Guerra ’76, Karen Guerra, and Sue Mischler

Jen McGoldrick, Liz Walker, and Barbara Grelis-Houldin

Excitement of the Silent Auction

Brian Stefanowicz ’82, Mary Beth Stefanowicz, Amy Lintner, and Dale Lintner ‘86

19 Explorer Winter 2009

Homecoming Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Lew Clark, Jack Crouse ’05, Mike Grant ’05, Brother James Rieck ’57, Joe Winning ’05, Andrew Rocks ’05, and Ryan Gibbons ’05

Jim Sacchetta ’03, Paul McGurkin ’00, Brendan Whitaker ’02, and Rory Heenan ’03

Andrew Rocks ’05 and Mike Donohoe ‘79

Jason Santini ’94 and Brian McGeehan ‘95

John Meko ’86, Fran Spause ’69, and Paul Colistra ‘00

Ed Solvibile ’58 and Ben Ventresca ‘70

Bob Szostak ’72, Colin Whitaker ’03, Jim Harkins ’03, Bill Loughery ’70, and Bill Loughery ‘03

Joe Greco ’69 and Bill Wasylenko ‘69

20 Explorer Winter 2009

Photo Gallery Continued

Dedication Sunday, October 5, 2008

Reverend Anthony Janton ‘69

Chris Carabello ’82 with Student Ambasadors Steve Stanton ’09, Mike McGee ’09, Kevin Merlini ’09, Neil Hubbert ’09, and Sean Brooks ‘09

Paul Benyovszky ’78, President of the Men of La Salle and Trish Sinnott, President of the Mothers’ Club

Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bill Thomas ‘10

Cardinal Justin Rigali, reverend Anthony Janton ’69, Chairman Al Gabriele, Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60, and Principal Joseph Marchese

Cardinal Justin Rigali and Reverend Anthony Janton ‘69

Reverend Anthony Janton ’69 and Cardinal Justin Rigali

Dedication of the Marian Chapel by Cardinal Justin Rigali

21 Explorer Winter 2009

Kim Driscoll, Mike Driscoll ’04, Peg Driscoll, and Reverend Anthony Janton ‘69

Steve Stanton ’09, Deborah Berg-McCarthy, Mike McCarthy ’65, and Bob McAnespey ‘66

Bob Moran ’69, Mary Moran, Erin Moran, Shaun Moran, and Will Begley ‘10

Dedication of the College Counseling Offices by Cardinal Justin Rigali

Ben Ventresca ’70, Susan Ventresca, and Brother Kevin Dalmasse, FSC

Nevis DePaul and Peter DePaul

Duane McCarthy, Bernadette McCarthy, Cardinal Justin Rigali, and Alex McCarthy ‘12

Tom Mills and Jennie Leary at the Memorial to Commissioner Howard Leary ’35

22 Explorer Winter 2009

Photo Gallery Continued

Grandparents Day Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Grandparents During the Prayer Service

Edward D’Orazio, Tom D’Orazio ’12, and Mary D’Orazio

Patricia Farris, Sam Farris ’12, and John Farris ‘50

Freshman Boys During the Prayer Service

Mayor William Green and Bill Green ‘12

Conor Janda, Jack Derewicz, Helen Grady, and Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ‘60

Christian Ciametti, Molly Sabia, Joan Healy, and Ryan Healy

Margaret McGann, Michael Mars ’12, and John McGann

23 Explorer Winter 2009

President’s Dinner Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Marie Becker, John Becker ’57, and Joe Ciccimaro ‘57

Kim Driscoll, Mike Driscoll ’76, and Trish Sinnott

Dinner Crowd

Jerry Hathaway ’72 and Ward Fitzgerald ‘81

Tom Mills, Jennie Leary, Walt Small ’38, Mike Brown ’76, and Barbara Brown

Jim Osborne ’56, Pam Lawler, Sally Osborne, and Denis Lawler ‘66

Chairman Al Gabriele

Tom Stone, Suzanne Stone, Susan Dearolf, and Chip Dearolf ’74

bridgin 24 Explorer Winter 2009

Over forty years ago, Brother James Brown pioneered an obscure Fortran course for a few fledgling computer geeks from the Class of 1969, creating the first fissure in the 69ers’ digital divide. The chasm widened beyond graduation, as several class members sought professional adventures in the high-tech world; most muddled along with an as-required involvement in the computer age.

In 1984, a bridge was built over the expanding gulf, as classmate Len Bosack founded Cisco Systems, developing some of the initial communication building blocks of the Internet. Indirectly, Len’s visionary work contributed greatly to the Class of 1969’s reconnections a quarter of a century later.

The night before their 35th Reunion, the Class of 1969 shared a happy hour at a local watering hole.

This was a watershed day for class members, many of whom haven’t seen each other since graduation.

Sixty-five miles to the west in Lititz, PA, it was also a watershed day for classmate Bill “Sonny” Haggerty, who learned of the presence of cancer in his brain.

Amazingly, Sonny’s ailment also contributed greatly to the Class of 1969’s reconnections.

ng 25 Explorer Winter 2009

For two years, Bob Moran kept a group of fifteen classmates apprised of the ebbs and flows of Sonny’s condition. He utilized email as our media, and the communication path was peppered with reminiscences of our La Salle days. Those electronic conversations were flooding the in-bins within a few months, and a simple chronological cut-and-paste exercise onto a Word document allowed publication of the first “blog” issue in November of 2006, archiving our ramblings into an easier-to-read format.

Through word of mouth, others learned of the email list and the blog, and the numbers grew to about thirty by April of 2007, when fifteen classmates visited the Haggerty family to spend the day. The list grew as blog members tracked down fellow classmates, and recruited them to “get onto the blog”. When Sonny passed away in November of 2007, twenty-four classmates attended his funeral Mass. The email list had now grown to about sixty.

by William J. Wasylenko, Jr. ‘69 and Brett T. Foley ‘00

Recruiting for the email list took on new dimensions, as Internet searches turned up the whereabouts of some long-lost classmates. Email still proved to be the most common denominator of communications, but new avenues were pursued, including a Class website, and a Google Group. Reconnection avenues through LinkedIn, Classmates.com, Reunion.com, and Facebook were taken by some, unknowingly widening the digital divide for others.

The imminent 40th Reunion for the Class of 1969 was the stimulus package for the reunion committee members to contact all classmates near and far, from Oreland to the Orient. The challenging quest paid dividends: With only three months to go before the reunion, the email list had grown to 142 members, each of them receiving the first seventeen issues of the blog. These communications allowed many individual reconnections to take place, and the audacious goal of classmate Geoff Meyer to “get a hundred for the 40th” was now more than a pipe dream.

Though email is still the most common denominator for the Class of 1969, other journeys into cyberspace will be planned, but insuring that the digital divide for the class is always bridged is most important for this reconnected group. In retrospect, the class owes a debt of gratitude to Brother James Brown, classmate Len Bosack, and deceased classmate Sonny Haggerty, all of whom, in their own special way, contributed greatly to the unexpected, unforeseen, and unbelievable closeness that the class now experiences.

Looking to re-connect with old classmates?

An increasing numbers of alumni have been linking up on the social networking site Facebook. What used to be a tool strictly for students in college, Facebook is now a tool welcome to us all. A closer look into the website shows the many benefits of such a community. Many alumni classes have formed their own “Groups” to stay in touch. Users can communicate with their entire group – be it for re-connecting, networking, or simply catching up. Athletic teams and special interest groups have used the site to organize reunions and events, such as the recent Alumni Basketball game. The general alumni group that was assembled – aptly named La Salle College High School Alumni – currently boasts 750+ members.

La Salle’s official “Page”, launched in September, has hundreds of subscribers. It is here where current and past students alike can view current campus photos, watch various videos associated with La Salle, and stay updated on events in our community.

Subscribed users to the page receive intermittent updates regarding upcoming events, school news, etc. Those who think Facebook is still only for college-aged students may be surprised at what they find upon joining. A quick search shows eighty active members from the Class of 1995, thirty from the Class of 1985, seventeen from the Class of 1980, and six from the Class of 1960! Your re-connecting doesn’t have to stop with La Salle alumni. Many people use the site to link with grade school classmates, college classmates, and co-workers. You’ll be amazed as to who you might find!

26 Explorer Winter 2009

Class Notes 1940’s Class of 1944

65-Year Reunion Golden Explorers Luncheon October 2009

Class of 1949

60-Year Reunion Golden Explorers Luncheon October 2009

Gerald Crumlish ’42 celebrated his 85th birthday with family (daughter Katherine came in from London and son Kelley in from Philadelphia). Gerald’s brothers Joe ’40 and Ross ’46 also attended – great gathering!

Charles Hodges ’44 reports that his health is 100% - no aches or pains. He visited London twice in 2008 and summarizes his travels as 41 trips to Europe, 37 trips to Canada, two trips to Africa, four trips to Mexico, and over forty US cities. He attends about 300 socials each year and saw forty-two plays.

Vince McAneney ’47, one of four McAneney Brothers to attend La Salle College High School, coached more than 300 games in a career that began at West Catholic in 1957, included three years at Cherry Hill West in the late 1960s, and culminated with a remarkable 25-year run at Pennsauken High School.

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, hundreds of McAneney’s former players, including many from his first team at West Catholic, attended a dedication and postgame reception in honor of the man who wore his Sunday best with such passion and distinction on so many Saturday afternoons. Pennsauken Township, NJ honored Vince’s commitment to Pennsauken High School Football by naming the stadium Vince McAneney Football Field.

McAneney was an original – a firm, fair, fun-loving, fast-talking Irish American who dreamed of becoming a football coach in the fifth grade at Little Flower elementary school in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia and fashioned a career that stretched over five decades and featured 244 victories. Many of his players went on to compete in college, and some even made it to the NFL. To see McAneney during his glory days at Pennsauken - where his teams won four South Jersey Group IV titles, and went 91-19-1 from 1979 to 1989 – was to see a coach who would sneak a pregame cigarette to calm his nerves before launching into a pep talk that would send his players charging up that hill and onto the field. McAneney’s secret was no secret: He loved what he was doing. He was a high school football coach, and he couldn’t imagine a better job. His enthusiasm rubbed off on his assistants, on his players, on everybody.

Jim Phelan ’47 was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City on November 23, 2008.

His record of 830 wins is fourth best in the country, and he has coached more basketball games than any other coach in the history of the game.

Joe Pettineo ’49 is pleased to report three wonderful additions to their family this year – two new great grandsons, Ryan and Lucas, and a great-granddaughter Hannah.

Memoriam World War II Louis DiOrio, USA ‘42

Korean War Fred J. Boudreau, DDS, USA ‘49 Richard Buck, USAF ‘46 Joseph Gibbons, USA ‘46 LT Francis Keck, USN ‘46 LT John (Jack) McCoy, USMC ‘47 LT Raymond Rudolph, USN ‘47 William Scanlan, DC, USA ‘46 Thomas Summers, USA ‘46

Vietnam War LTC Vincent Connolly, USAF ‘51 The aforementioned names were omitted from the Memoriam contained in the Autumn 2008 issue of the Explorer. The La Salle community is encouraged to send the names of other alums who were killed in action.

Please forward all information to Christopher Carabello at (215) 402-4810 or carabello@lschs.org

27 Explorer Winter 2009

1950’s Class of 1954

55-Year Reunion Golden Explorers Luncheon October 2009

Msgr. Thomas Birch ’50 reports that he is now residing at Immaculate Conception Rectory in Douglassville, PA. Joe Labrum ’50 is pleased that his grandson, Kyle Martin, son of Ron Martin ’82 and nephew of Michael Labrum ’77, Mark Labrum ’80 and Jim Coligan ’87, is a freshman at La Salle College High School.

Edward Schmid, Jr. ’50 is living in Raleigh, NC and has one year left of work before retirement. “I could not have done it without a La Salle education and faith”.

Reverend William W. Spencer ’50 was named Pastor of Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic Church in Harbor Beach, MI. William dePasquale ’51 continues his teaching at Temple University, Boyer College of Music and is co-artistic advisor of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and Conductor of its String Orchestra, PRYSM. Brother Joseph Scheiter,FSC,PhD,’53 is currently teaching physics and computers to university undergrads training to be physics teachers and to graduate students who are high school and college physics and science teachers.

Francis Ponti, PhD ’56 has developed a new quantitative technique for estimating Federal Government accounting accruals under the CFO Act. Jack Schmidt ’56 just retired after forty years of teaching chemistry at Shepherd University in West Virginia.

Ed Miller, PhD ’58 will be presenting a paper on Medieval Studies at a conference in Carlow, Ireland.

Class of 1959 will celebrate its

50-Year Reunion

in Conjunction with Graduation on May 29-30, 2009 Members of the Class of 1959

who wish to help plan and organize this special occasion should contact Mary Frances Kelly at (215) 233-2350 or mfkelly@lschs.org

LTC Vincent Connolly, USAF ’51 graduated from Saint Joseph’s University and was an Air Force

Pilot during the Vietnam War. During his 41st mission, on November 4, 1966, he was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over North Vietnam, just north of Hanoi. Then 32, Captain Connolly was injured in the crash and held in captivity as a POW. The military listed him as MIA until reports of surviving prisoners were announced in 1973. The following year, the Department of Defense officially declared him killed in action. In 1984, his body was returned by the North Vietnamese in a prisoner exchange and he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.

Vincent Connolly was based at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio at the time of his imprisonment. The Department of Defense mistakenly listed his hometown as San Antonio, TX and he was placed on the San Antonio Memorial. Friends and family intervened and had Vincent Connolly’s name engraved on the proper memorial in Philadelphia. A search of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC does not show him listed amongst Pennsylvanians who were killed in action; however, his name appears on The Wall in Washington, DC on Panel 12E – Line 20.

28 Explorer Winter 2009

Class Notes Continued 1960’s Class of 1964 45-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

EITC Class of 1969

40-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

John Fisher, DDS ’63 was recently elected Vice-President of the Massachusetts Dental Society.

Rob Yacobellis ’64 retired in 2008 and enjoys living in Florida.

John Schulte ’65 retired in 2005 after spending over thirtytwo years in Radnor School District as a math teacher (16 years), interim principal at RMS (1 year), dean of students at RHS (15 years) and finally coordinator of the graduation requirement program (2 years). After three years of retirement, he has reentered the education theater as an instructor of the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Program at Early College High School in Horry County, SC. Early College is a magnate school attracting the ‘middle student’ from the ten base high schools in Horry County.

Albert Keller ’66 retired after twenty-eight years with Sunoco. He moved to St. Louis, MO to spend time with his new grandson, but will continue to spend his summers in Ocean City, NJ. John O’Donnell ’66 writes that he has retired to South Carolina with his wife, Mary.

Paul Partyka ’66 is President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Winter Springs, FL and was on a 10-day business trip to Dubai from November 27, 2008 to December 6, 2008.

Kevin Colgan ’69 reports that his son Brendan, a goalie for the Junior Flyers, will be starting La Salle in September 2009.

Geoff Meyer ’69 became a first-time grandfather. Geoff’s daughter Christine had a son, Matt, and is now expecting again in April 2009.

Fran Spause ’69 and his wife Sue are awaiting their eighth and ninth grandchildren. Fran just bought a Harley and loves it!

Did you know that you can earn a substantial tax credit by helping a La Salle student reach his full potential?

The Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) provides businesses the opportunity to invest in the education of La Salle students.

Companies who donate through the EITC program can contribute to the academic success of students and earn a substantial tax credit in the process.

EITC donations for students at La Salle College High School are used to provide need-based tuition assistance subsidies. Last year, over forty La Salle students received such assistance.

A one-time donation can earn your business a 75% tax credit; however, a two-year commitment results in a 90% tax credit. Your business, or any of its operating subsidiaries, can receive up to $200,000 in tax credits annually.

Although several large companies participate, most EITC contributors are small businesses, donating smaller sums of money. The charitable contribution reduces the amount of a business’s taxable income as tax credits reduce tax bills dollar-for-dollar.

If you are interested in participating in this program or receiving additional information, please contact Brett Foley ’00, Director of Annual Giving, at (215) 233-2350 or foleyb@lschs.org

29 Explorer Winter 2009

1970’s Class of 1974 35-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

1980’s Class of 1979

30-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

Class of 1984 25-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

Class of 1989

20-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

Fred Hoeck ’70 made the World Cruise on MS Amsterdam and circumnavigated the globe.

Joe O’Connor ’80 joined Airborne Systems, NA of Pennsauken, NJ in November 2008 as an Industrial Engineer.

William Haury, Jr. ’72 has been appointed by Governor Charlie Crist in Florida to fill a judicial vacancy on the 17th Circuit Court in Broward County, FL.

Tom Gizzi ’85 is the assistant women’s basketball coach at Loyola University under Head Coach Joe Logan ’92. He formerly served as the head varsity girls basketball coach at McDonogh School in Owings, MD, where he directed the Lady Eagles to a 100-32 record and was named Baltimore Sun Coach-Of-TheYear. He was also an assistant football coach at McDonogh and taught chemistry. He currently lives in Finksburg, MD withhis wife, Holly, and their two daughters, Hannah and Leah.

Christopher Szal ’73 has changed careers and is now owner/ partner of MAKEADVD.net.

William Garrity ’74 has been appointed Vice President, National Accounts, South Central Region, Océ North America Document Printing Systems.

Ronald Tomasso, AIA ’74 is busy working on new U.S. Embassies and Conciliates in Milan, Oslo, and The Hague.

He ran his first two marathons in October 2008 – Buenos Aires Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon.

Peter Lyons ’86, his wife Susan and son Benjamin, have relocated to Pittsburgh, PA where Peter is a Senior Portfolio Manager for the BNY Mellon Financial Group.

Stephen Bacica ’89 was recently appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of MCG Capital in Arlington, VA. Matt Booth ’90 writes that after running track all four years at La Salle, he is still competing and has completed four marathons.

Honorable George Kenney ’75 retired as Pennsylvania State Representative for the 170th District. He was honored at a luncheon at La Salle College High School and presented with a commemorative print of his Alma Mater by Dan McGowan and Dave Diehl ’55.

Pat Noonan ’76 started his own radio station at IMRADIO.com Riley Smith ’79 has been promoted to Global Marketing Leader, Global Strategic Marketing for Johnson and Johnson – his 21st year with J&J.

Looking to make a difference in the life of a child?

Can you make a place in your family for a special child?

Can you provide a safe and loving temporary home?

Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is seeking single and married adults in the five county Philadelphia area to become foster parents for children of all ages, races, and religions. Some children have emotional or medical needs, while some children are siblings and wish to be placed together.

If you can help or would like more information, please contact Melissa Kosmin in the Child Care Department at (215) 587-2458.

30 Explorer Winter 2009

Class Notes Continued 1990’s Class of 1994 15-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

2000’s Class of 1999

10-Year Reunion Saturday, April 25, 2009

Daniel DeDominic ’90 was recently promoted to Manager, National Accounts for TYCO Fire Suppression and Building Products.

Jason Gathman ’90 has recently relocated to Palm Harbor, FL and works as a Senior Technical Consultant for Bayshore Technologies, the leading technology integrator in the Tampa Bay Area.

Captain Adam Frey, USAF ’96 is stationed at Barksdale AFB, Shreveport, LA. Stephen Crognale ’98 was married to Mary on May 19, 2007.

Ryan Tuman ’98 has been accepted into Temple University’s School of Dentistry and will begin in the Fall of 2009.

Jim Sullivan ’99 is owner of All-Met Recycling a processor and dealer in all non-ferrous scrap metals.

Alumni Basketball Game Sunday, January 25, 2009

Class of 2004

5-Year Reunion – Homecoming November 2009

Peter Magee ’00 is pursuing a Masters Degree in Education at Syracuse University. He is a graduate assistant with the Crew Program. Peter graduated in May 2008 from The George Washington University.

Sean O’Toole, SJ ’00 is studying philosophy and theology at the Bellarmine House of Studies. Sean has been very active in Amnesty International and entered the Novitiate at St. Andrew Hall in Syracuse, NY in 2004. He spent last summer at Hopeworks and working with the youth of Camden, NJ. Steve Andrews ’01 is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at Rosemont College.

Michael Bondiskey ’01 graduated from Vanderbilt University with Doctor of Jurisprudence in May 2008.

Tom Gorman ’01 married Meghan O’Keefe in Chicago, IL on August 30, 2008. Tom and Meghan met at Notre Dame. He is the State Manager of New York for E&J Gallo Winery.

Jim Devery ’02 continues to work toward his PhD in Organic Chemistry at Lehigh University. He recently traveled to India as part of a collaborative research project.

31 Explorer Winter 2009

Anthony DiJulio ’02 received a B.S. in Chemistry at Muhlenberg College and landed a scientist position at Novartis Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover. He is currently attending Seton Hall University part-time in pursuit of a M.A. in Chemistry.

Joseph Guerra ‘03 recently completed his first year at Drexel University Law School where he is a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. He spent the summer as an intern for the Honorable Robert Matthews ‘55 at Philadelphia’s Family Court.

Stephen Miller ’03 graduated from Drexel University in June 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Pennoni Honors College).

David Naab ’03 recently passed the CPA exam and is employed by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Christopher Miller ’04 graduated from La Salle University in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a minor in Economics.

Michael Andrews ’05, a senior at Fordham, spent the summer as an intern for the Philadelphia Eagles.

5-Year Reunion for the Class of 2003 Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Anthony Phillips ’06 spent the fall semester at Moorehouse College as a domestic exchange student. He is completing his last semester at Bates College and is looking to pursue a honors thesis in African American Studies and Philosophy.

In August 2008, he was on the Tavis Smiley Radio Show presenting a commentary for the show’s “My America 2008” program and spoke on education and the No Child Left Behind policy. He mentioned his La Salle english teacher, Dennis Bloh in the commentary. In October, he received the Tavis Smiley Foundation’s “Emerging Leader Award,” an award presented to alumni of the Tavis Smiley Foundation who has demonstrated a drive and determination toward becoming a leader.

Evan Raisner ’07 has accepted membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) and was recently honored at an Induction ceremony on the campus of Drexel University, where he is sophomore. Membership in the society is by invitation only and is based on GPA and class standing.

J.T. Walchonski ’07 was one of fifty college student in the United States to be recognized by the International Scholar Laureate program for his leadership and outstanding academic performance. He was nominated to serve as an international delegate this summer. He is currently a sophomore at Susquehanna University, where he is majoring in International Studies with a focus in Asia. He has a full ROTC Scholarship and is member of the lacrosse team.

Eight decades of Alumni…

…working together.

For almost thirty years, the Alumni Association has served two primary purposes: • Foster communication among alumni and between alumni and the school, and • Provide financial aid to sons and grandsons of alumni.

Since its inception, the Alumni Association has provided almost 250 grants to qualifying sons and/or grandsons of alumni who might not otherwise be able to attend La Salle College High School.

Membership in the Alumni Association makes both of these goals a reality.

Join today and help make a difference.

Please use the enclosed envelope, call the Alumni Office at (215) 233-2350, or join online at www.lschs.org

The De La Salle Annual Fund 2008–2009

In its first few months, the 2008-09 De La Salle Annual Fund has exceeded expectations and raised about $325,000. To date, we have over 1,000 donors and have reached 35% of our goal. We’d like to thank all of you for continuing to make La Salle a priority in this economical climate and encourage those that have yet to make their gift to consider us.

Your investment in our students is what keeps our institution among the greatest in the area.

You can make your gift online at www.lschs.org or use the enclosed envelope.

La Salle College High School The De La Salle Annual Fund 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038 215 233 2350 phone 215 836 4502 fax www.lschs.org

E X PLORE R

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Lansdale, PA Permit No. 93

The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School

La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, PA 19038 Change Service Requested THE NUMBER APPEARING ABOVE YOUR NAME IN THE ADDRESS AREA IS YOUR CONSTITUENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO GAIN INITIAL ACCESS TO THE ONLINE ALUMNI DIRECTORY.

You earned it. Don’t give it to the IRS. Leave your IRA to La Salle College High School.

The Problem

Discover the benefits of giving wisely…

If you are single or a surviving spouse, any balance you leave in your traditional IRA, 401k, 403b, or other qualified retirement plan when you die is potentially subject to multiple taxes, including federal income tax, federal estate tax, and state inheritance tax. If you are in a taxable estate bracket, the combined taxes could be 85% or more of the balance of your plan, which will leave very little for your heirs.

For additional information, please contact: Robert F. McAnespey ‘66 Director of Development and Major Gifts (215) 402-4808 mcanespey@lschs.org www.lschs.org/plannedgiving

The Solution Make La Salle College High School the beneficiary of your retirement plan and leave other, less tax-burdened assets to your heirs. How? It’s easy. Just fill out a Change of Beneficiary Form, available from your plan provider. La Salle College High School will receive any remaining assets tax-free.