St. Xavier Magazine, Spring 2011

SPRING 2011

Greater Cincinnati’s Jesuit High School

Men for Others

Women at St. X

Mother’s Club Female Faculty Also: Healy Society

WHAT WE ARE WHAT WE WERE WHAT WE STRIVE TO BE

A M D G

CONFESSION TIME. I don’t get the Ignatian Prayer for Generosity. As one of the lucky ones who never worked a day in his life, the line “to toil and not to seek for rest” baffles me. Sure, I’ve spent a lot of time on the job, but I’ve never considered any of it toil. Am I being a deliberately obtuse here? A little facetious? Sure. It’s not hard to understand what Ignatius seeks in his prayer—the fortitude to do all we can in service of God’s greater glory. And then to do a little bit more.

I’ve been blessed with a lifetime of teachers who prepared me for this particular service.

Teachers who, because of their bedrock beliefs, have made my career path clear and enjoyable.

At St. X, freshman and sophomore English teachers Wally Koral, Larry Merkel and Dave Mueller (’72) instilled care for the written word and hammered home fundamental language and writing truths. Junior- and senior-year teachers Jim Downey, John Hussong, Paul Hendrick, Pat Culley and Mike Marchal exposed me to a wide array of literature for inspiration and patiently encouraged me to seek my own voice. Faculty members outside of English—Karl Hauck, Michele Mascari and Bill Sandquist leap immediately mind, though there were many others demanded (and appreciated) good writing, too.

Every year I head to the bookstore to pick up the newest edition of the The Best American Sports Writing anthology. Series editor Glen Stout recounted a story this year of a columnist talking to students about why they want to pursue careers writing about sports. “Because I love sports,” students usually replied. “Wrong,” the columnist would reply. “You have to love the writing.”

Stout goes on to say the tale inspired the name for the anthology: Sports Writing, as compared to Sportswriting. “The compound word would be a different collection entirely. First and foremost this has always been a book for those who love writing. …My goal has always been to seek out stories that are so well written that the subject matter hardly matters… because of the artistry displayed by the writers.”

FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD

And so he did—with an assist from guest editor Peter Gammons, who selected the final roster of 20-some stories from the 75 or so supplied by Stout—in a piece by Wright Thompson called “Shadow Boxing.” While I’m not a boxing guy, I understand the fascination.

What happened in life to make standing toe to toe with another human being, willfully trading punches, seem like a good option? In “Shadow Boxing” Thompson chronicled his years-long and ultimately fruitless search for Jim Robinson, a man who fought Muhammad Ali Feb. 7, 1961.

A memorabilia collector had signatures of the 49 other boxers who fought Ali professionally, but struggled to track Robinson. The killer line in the 23-page story: “In a way, Jim Robinson didn’t begin to exist until someone realized he was missing.”

The line reminded me of several scripture passages, including the tale of prodigal son and the parable of the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to find a single one who strayed. God tells us we are never lost or alone. We are always forgiven.

We always have salvation within our grasp. What we don’t always have is the courage to ask for those things or the humility to seek help getting them. In those moments of fear and pride we are most like Jim Robinson, a footnote, condemned to evaporate like the morning dew. When we are part of a community committed to others—as we are blessed to be at St. Xavier—we are most grounded, most able to become our best selves. When we join St. Ignatius in his prayer under those conditions, it makes perfect sense.

MARK D. MOTZ, ’87 EDITOR MMotz@stxavier.org

CONTENTS spring 2011 COVER FEATURE

VOL. XXXIX, NO. 2, SPRING 2011 “If you want to be of use to others, begin by taking pains with yourself: the fire that is to enkindle others should be lighted at home.”

—St. Ignatius Loyola

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cover story Mother Knows Best St. X Owes Much to Mom

by Mark D. Motz (’87) Cover story, page 14.

EDITOR Mark D. Motz, ‘87 ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER June Pfaff Daley CONTRIBUTORS Rev. Dennis P. Ahern S.J., ’56 Cheryl L. Asper Sylvia M. Betz Grace DeGregorio Richard P. Klus Heidi B. Eveleigh John Schrantz, ’96 Mark D. Motz, ’87 Ralph A. Nardini, ’77 Michael A. Sadouskas, ’74 Anthony E. Schad, ’81 Jynefir D. Slusher Catherine Smith Paul J. Zook, ’57 ADMINISTRATION Rev. Timothy A. Howe S.J., President Mr. David B. Mueller, ’72, Principal Rev. Ed L. Pigott S.J. ’55, Rector BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mrs. Beth L. Basil Mrs. Ann M. Berger Mr. David J. Cassady, ’75 Mr. Robert J. Davis, ’84 Rev. Joseph D. Folzenlogen S.J., ’58 Mr. Thomas A. Gill Rev. Michael J. Graham S.J. Mr. Richard A. Haglage, ’73 Mr. Steven L. Hils, ’71 Dr. J. Richard Hirte Rev. Timothy A. Howe S.J., Ex Officio Mr. Michael K. Keating, ’73, Board Chair Mr. Lawrence A. Leser, ’53 Rev. Patrick E. McGrath S.J. Mr. Michael S. McGraw, ’73 Dr. Gerri S. Mosley-Howard Mr. William J. Mulvihill, ’65 Rev. Edward L. Pigott S.J., ’55, Ex Officio Mrs. Patricia P. Robertson Mrs. Bettina Ross Mr. Timothy J. Schroeder, ’75 Rev. William L. Verbryke S.J., ’71

PHOTO BY JAY BACHEMIN, ’73 St. Xavier High School Mothers’ Club President Donna Broderick and Timmy Broderick (’11) share the sacred bond of mother and son.

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features Right Place, Right Time Full-time Female Faculty Finds a Home

departments 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Mark D. Motz (’87)

3 WE ARE ST. X 9 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Healy Society

20 ALUMNI X-CERPTS

Helping Minority Alumni Come Home

22 ST XAVIER Q & A Healy Society, page 18.

24 X-PEDITIONS 28 BACK PORCH 29 CALENDAR

PRINTING Joseph Berning Printing Company St. Xavier Magazine is published three times a year by the alumni, development and public relations offices.

St. Xavier High School 600 W. North Bend Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499 Phone (513) 761-7815 ext. 121 (513) 761-7600 ext. 121 Fax (513) 761-2586 http://www.stxavier.org e-mail mmotz@stxavier.org Alumni Hot Line 1-800-572-5340 ext. 114 Direct all Letters to the Editor, address changes, or other correspondence to the above address.

Postmaster: Send address corrections to: St. Xavier Magazine, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499.

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

BY TIMOTHY A. HOWE, ’72

O

ur Alma Mater proclaims “we are Xavier men forever.” And yet we are proudly dedicating this issue to honor the women of St Xavier High School. You might not notice it at first, but if you look carefully around St Xavier you’ll see that women fill a wide variety of important roles in the education and formation of our boys.

Our board of trustees benefits from the wisdom and insight of members Ann Berger, Beth Basil, Susan MosleyHoward, Pat Robertson and Tina Ross.

I’ve turned to the Mothers’ Club on several key occasions in the past two years to help me address an important needs at our school. They’ve always responded with generosity and competence. (If you want to get something done at St. X, ask a mom.) The Mothers’ Club plays a key role in welcoming new families to our community as each new freshman class enrolls. The Women’s Club has been working hard to build community and to raise money for the Margo Locaputo Women’s Club scholarship endowment fund. Lisa Castellini, Lynn Sabatalo and the many mom volunteers in our bookstore quietly run a very successful retail operation as they promote school spirit for our students, alumni and families.

And the lion’s share of the planning and execution for our annual gala dinner-

auction, X-Travaganza, is carried out by women.

Among our faculty and staff, women care for our students as if they were their sons own (ask Mrs. Jill Thurman, better known to the boys as Mama T). They offer considerably more than the allotted class time to help our boys learn. As I think of them, I remember my days teaching Spanish as a Jesuit scholastic in the 1990s. Mrs. Huguette McDonnell was an experienced French teacher and the foreign language department chair. She was an excellent mentor for me as I was learning how to teach. A woman of deep faith and commitment to St X, she and I tossed pedagogical ideas across the desk to one another in the foreign language office for three happy years. Then in the afternoons, I’d work with Cindy Fazio and her fellow volunteer lawyers in the Mock Trial program. She’s still helping our boys learn how to reason under pressure 20 years later. Cindy is also one of many women to receive the school’s Magis Award, given to honor people who have made exceptional contributions of service to St. Xavier High. In recent years other women honorees have included alumni parent Lois Doyle, librarian Julie Conlon, president’s secretary Sylvia Betz and super volunteers Marianne Zook, Joan Ackerman

“You might not notice at first, but it you look carefully around St. Xavier you’ll see that women fill a wide variety of important roles in the education and formation of our boys.”

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and Sue Palermo.

St. Ignatius—the founder of the Jesuits—opened a home for women in Rome and always professed a deep devotion to Mary, the model for women and all Christians. As he was leaving behind the military life to begin his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he spent the night in vigil before the image of Our Lady of Montserrat.

Later when he composed the Spiritual Exercises, he invited us to present our prayers first to the Blessed Mother. In Rome, he often prayed before the image of Our Lady of the Way in our Jesuit Church Il Gesù. Thanks to the generosity of the Gusweiler family, we now have our own image of Our Lady of the Way presiding over the chapel’s narthex.

At St X, “blessed are we among women.” Let’s celebrate with grateful hearts all of the many women who enrich our community, the women who on a daily basis help our Xavier men grow into men for others.

We Are... St. X

NEWS AND NOTES AROUND THE ST. XAVIER CAMPUS

Exuding Gratitude SONGS FROM The Little Mermaid may not be the first thing one associates with St. Xavier High School. Still, when the school’s vocal ensemble Something Blue sang from the Disney movie, an audience of more than 300 students and benefactors listened in rapt attention.

They gathered for the annual Named Endowments Reception Oct. 12, a celebration of thanks for many generous contributors to the school who support a scholarship fund. Donors met the students their scholarship benefits and boys got to give a personal thank you to the people who help them meet tuition demands.

“You can see the talent of these young men,” said master of ceremonies Mike Sadouskas (’74), major and planned giving officer for St. X. “Something Blue and Men in Black (the string ensemble) are just a couple of examples of how students grow and how faculty push them to be their best. It happens

across the board here and it happens because we have such generous benefactors who support our mission.”

Student speaker Max Scholarship recipient Liam Sollquist (’13) meets Dick Neubauer (’40) during the Danenhauer annaul Named Endowments Reception. (’11) agreed.

“There is a deepEby—an Elder High School graduate— er message that your money is invested discussed coming to St. X more than in,” he said. “Although the environments 20 years ago and hearing the stories of and methods have changed, there are the St. X from people like Tom Ballaban. same core values being instilled in each Eby eventually realized he was helping and every student; dedication, compasperpetuate a living, growing institution sion, and faith. committed to educating young men well “You finance the implementation beyond academic subject areas. With the of the Graduate at Graduation into support of the benefactors, the faculty students otherwise unable—students has the opportunity for professional such as myself—and help in providing development, as well as the chance to incredible facilities and teachers so we teach a diverse and gifted student body. can be the best that we can St. X President Fr Tim Howe S.J. put be. So that we can grow to gratitude into a scriptural context, using be religious, loving, intelthe gospel account of 10 lepers healed lectually competent, open

by Jesus, only one of whom returned to to growth and learning to thank him. Gratitude, he said, is not an be committed to doing obligation, but a value-added gift to the justice in our world.” many God already gives us.

Faculty speaker Dave

Gratitude is not an obligation, but a value-added gift to the many God already gives us.

Something Blue—the St. X vocal ensemble—entertained an audience of more than 300 bebefactors and scholarship recipients.

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We Are... St. X Grand Reunion Weekend Welcomes Bombers Home THE THIRD ANNUAL Grand Reunion weekend kicked off Oct. 22 under perfectly blue skies as more than 120 golfers tackled Glenview Golf Course. The golfers and that many again converged on the Berning Gym for a celebration of the classes of 1965, ’70, ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95 and 2000.

Amid music, cookout food, class balloons and school tours, Bomber alumni caught up with one another well into the night.

“It’s always fun to see so many guys together,” said John Schrantz (’96), alumni director. “People seemed to have a great time. Some of them hadn’t been back for 20, 30 or 40 years and were amazed at how the school had grown. Even some of the more recent grads hadn’t seen things like fine arts wing or wellness center.

“The student development chairs who led the tours were outstanding. It’s very cool to give the grads a chance to talk Dave Michael (’85) found his brother Patrick Michael (’73) on The Living Walls during with the students Grand Reunion Weekend. of today, and a great chance for the current students to see 10, 20, 30, 40 years out the friends they have now will be the friends they keep for a lifetime.

“I’m also grateful to all the faculty and staff people who came back. Fr. Pigott is a rock star; he was mobbed all night. I think they get as much of a kick out of seeing the guys as the guys do seeing them.”

Grand Reunion Weekend continued on Saturday with the St. X-St. Ignatius Jesuit Bowl football game, Mass and a Taste of Cincinnati dinner.

Maybe the only thing missing was a stack of jug slips.

Phonathon Callers Help Selves, School THE ST. XAVIER HIGH School Annual Fund Fall Phonathon employed about 300 student callers—a record total—to raise more than $213,000 in pledges. More than 1,672 alumni answered the calls and made contributions.

The Annual Fund directly benefits tuition assistance for 28 percent of the St. X student body.

Students who make calls not only help the school in general, but literally help themselves by maintaining the opportunity for any academically qualified student to receive a Jesuit education.

Student development chairmen are integral to the success of the program.

The senior chairs—including Matthew Berning, Ryan Brady, Tim Bryson, Max Danenhauer, Steven Daniels, Nathan DeMeo, Marcus Hughes, Brian McCullough, Andrew McLaughlin, Neil Mullen, Joe Neiser, Chris Ryan, Peter Siegel, Nick Siemer, Dan Telles and John Whitaker—not only train the callers and manage students on 4

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call nights, but also volunteer their time during lunch periods and free bells to record data and organize pledge cards.

“The kids are great, but we have a fantastic staff involved, too,” said Tony Schad (’81), director of development services, who oversees the Annual Fund. “None of this happens without Cheryl Asper, without our faculty coordinators John Cole (’85), Ed Nardini (’81) and Jim Telles, without the support of Fr. Howe and the help of the whole development team. We’re fortunate.

“It’s a great chance for our guys to reach out to alumni, to share their stories of St. X today and to hear some of the stories of St. X from the past. It’s fun for the callers and fun for the alumni. We get great responses from the graduates who like to hear what’s happening here now.”

NEWS AND NOTES AROUND THE ST. XAVIER CAMPUS

St. X Celebrates Patron, Anniversary

Chicago-Detroit Provincial Fr. Tim Kesicki S.J. celebrated the Feast of St. Francis Xavier and the 50th anniversary of St. X on North Bend Road.

THE ST. XAVIER HIGH School community had plenty to celebrate Dec. 2.

An all-school Mass on the vigil of the feast of St. Francis Xavier combined with the 50th anniversary of the school’s move from downtown to Finneytown to make a joyful liturgy.

Chicago-Detroit Provincial Fr. Tim Kesicki S.J. celebrated the Mass along with nine other Jesuits, including President Fr. Tim Howe S.J. and his two most recent predecessors, Fr. Walter Deye S.J. (’66) and Fr. Bill Verbryke S.J. (’71).

Referencing everything in his hom-

ily from Stephen Colbert to a dreaded fifth-grade teacher, he called a congregation of students, faculty, staff, board of trustees members, alumni from the first graduating class at the North Bend Road campus and other guests to remember Francis Xavier not just by rote recitation of the facts of his life, but by continuing the work of being men for others.

After Mass, the board and alumni repaired to the Reynolds Room for a reception and the students were treated to cake in the cafeteria to celebrate the occasion.

“This was a great celebration of who we are as a school and as a community of faith,” Fr. Howe said. “To have so many links in the chain from downtown to our present campus was especially meaningful, for them and for us. To jointly celebrate both our patron and our specific circumstance of 50 years on North Bend Road gives the current students a tangible reminder of the fact they are part of something with depth and history and value.”

Three Student-Athletes Sign ST. XAVIER HIGH School’s athletic department hosted a signing ceremony for three senior student-athletes who made their college decisions and took advantage of the NCAA’s early signing period to ink letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers.

Connor Gilligan signed with the University of Evansville to play baseball for the Purple Aces. George Rohde signed with the University of Dayton to play golf for the Flyers. Chris Rutz signed with Miami University to play baseball for the Redhawks.

“These guys have worked hard to get to this point, and we’re proud of them,” said John Sullivan, St. X athletic director.

“They’ve learned a lot in the classroom and in competition and what they have learned in one arena they’ve applied in the other. It’s exciting to see them move on and continue to represent St. X in

Seniors Chris Rutz, Connor Gilligan and George Rohde signed NCAA letters of intent in the fall.

college. We wish them the best of luck, congratulate their families and look forward to watching their continued success.”

In addition to the signees, there were plenty of other success stories in the athletic arena this fall.

St. X took sixth place in the state cross country meet, the best finish of

any Cincinnati-area team. In golf, the Bombers won the sectional title, took second in the district and placed eighth in the state tournament. The soccer squad won a sectional title before falling in the regional semifinals. St. X football made the playoffs after a 5-4 regular season and won a pair of games before falling in the regional finals.

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We Are... St. X Students Sending Christmas Greetings Overseas SCIENCE TEACHER Kathy Menno —along with her integrated science freshmen—took action to help soldiers serving abroad make merry over the holidays. They spent part of the day before Thanksgiving break writing Christmas cards to soldiers, part of a Red Cross program to distribute holiday greetings to American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.

“Every day, we begin our class prayer by requesting intentions from the students,” she said. “One student always wanted to pray for the troops. After a while I asked him why he said that, wondering if he had a family member or friend serving. He replied he did not, but that the troops were fighting and being courageous and we should keep them in our prayers. From that day on, all the rest of the students started making the same prayer intention.”

Alex Grigsby (’14) is the student

who sparked the plan. His grandfather was an Army chef during the Korean War, but he hasn’t had anyone else close to him serve. “(I pray for them) because they ensure the freedom of the country,” he said. “In other countries people don’t have as much freedom as we do. The troops protect us abroad like police officers do at home.”

Menno hit on the card idea while working with Fr. Fran Daly S.J. of the adult faith department; she was looking for opportunities for spiritual growth as part of her fifth-year teacher program.

“My idea is to use their prayer intention and actually do something nice for the troops this holiday season,” Menno said. “Who knows, this may become an annual activity for this particular group of students.”

Freshmen in Kathy Menno’s science class took time to send Christmas wishes to United States troops stationed in foreign countries.

Grigsby would be fine with that idea. “I was excited when she told us about it,” he said. “A lot of people don’t do anything, but the troops are doing important and dangerous work. We’re praying for them to get home safely, hopefully in time for the holidays, but for the ones who can’t, maybe these cards made their holiday a little better.”

Record Numbers For Grand Raffle PYTHAGORAS BE damned, not all equations are terribly difficult.

Some are downright simple according to X-Travaganza Grand Raffle chair Sarah Klein. Add food and drink to competition and silliness and you get a winning effort.

So much so that Sarah and her volunteer crew of football parents obliterated the single-night record for selling tickets Jan. 5. The first phonathon resulted in 557 tickets sold; the previous one-night record was 419 set in 2009 “You make it fun for everybody and you’re going to get a lot more done,” she said. “We had beads we were giving, crazy hats,

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a lot of food. People were just having a good time. They did a great job calling and selling and competing with one another.”

“I have to thank my captains for the night. They were amazing. A special thanks goes to Todd Washburn for so much help with food and putting together the best first-night crew I could have imagined.”

Captains included Washburn representing the senior parents, Bob Dorger for the juniors, Bob Brodbeck for the sophomores and Laura Curry for the freshmen. John Hart was the top seller with 69 raffle chances sold.

Grand Raffle is a big part of the bottom line for X-Travaganza. Ticket are $100 each, three for $250 or seven for $500. Multiple ticket buyers get a bonus ticket tossed in the hopper when called by a volunteer during a phonathon. Grand Raffle offers a top prize of $20,000 cash, with additional prizes of $10,000 and $5,000.

“Every penny from Grand Raffle goes direcly to support tuition assistance,” said Sara Schindler, X-Trav director.

“When people support the raffle, they really help the students.

We want to maintain and increase the diversity of our student body. Tuition assistance helps ensure boys from every part of town, every ethnic, religious and economic background have a chance to get a St. Xavier education.”

NEWS AND NOTES AROUND THE ST. XAVIER CAMPUS

Hands Gets Hands-On

DIFFERENT IS just different; it’s neither good nor bad.

So says St. Xavier High School’s Hands Across Campus organization, a group dedicated to breaking down barriers of culture, ethnicity, religion, race, orientation, socio-economic status or other differences—real or perceived.

What the members tend to find is people have a lot more in common than they might otherwise suspect.

So it was for the 25 or so Hands students and three chaperones who visited the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in West Chester.

They spent an afternoon in prayer at the center’s mosque, followed by questions about both the service and the mosque itself with the imam who preached. Other members of the community—including current parent Shakila Ahmad—offered insight into the Muslim world. Students ended the visit by sharing food and conversation with young

Muslim women who attend local public high schools.

Where they may have entered with preconceived notions, they left with knowledge.

“I really don’t think that could have gone any better,” said John Ravenna (’87), Hands Across Campus moderator.

“I think our guys saw their belief system through the Church is remarkably similar to what Islam teaches. I think they saw some preconceived notions of Muslims stripped away, and that’s always a good thing.

“The real power we have as a group is to make sure people know what we learned. We do that by making sure we talk to our friends, talk to our families, share our knowledge.”

Hands examined the Hindu religion and Indian culture Nov. 18 and 19, following closely on the heels of the October look at Islam.

About 30 students and faculty mem-

bers took part in some or all of a two-day cultural sharing. During the first, several St. X students of Indian descent discussed their heritage and topics ranging from food to worship, from arranged marriage to the caste system.

During the second, Dr. Arvind Modawal (father of Priyam (’12)) spoke on the topic of the Hindu religion. Afterward, Hands bused to Brig Mahon in Sharonville for dinner to sample Indian food at the restaurant owned and operated by the family of alumnus Gopal Gaba (’07). The group then proceeded to the Hindu Temple in the Eastgate area, taking in the various forms of worship and participating in prayer.

“We put in some miles Friday, but it was a good day,” said Ravenna. “We’re lucky to have students and families of other faiths who are so willing to share their time with us. It’s important to see the differences and similarities from one religion, one culture, to the next.”

Top Scholars Feted by St. Xavier MANY OF THE best and brightest from the St. Xavier High School class of 2015 were on hand in the Walter C. Deye S.J. Performance Center Jan. 13.

That the class of 2015 wasn’t yet officially registered was of little consequence. What was of consequence is the fact so many young men qualified as St. Francis Xavier Scholars.

“Some of you may wonder why we’d have you here, why we call you by name up to this stage to receive an award, when many of you have not made your decision on where you will attend high school,” said Assistant Principal Dan Minelli, who served as emcee. “We do it because we recognize your gift of a good brain and want to encourage you to use it to do great things in high school and all your lives.

“This community calls you by name because it wants to get to know you as a person, to invite you be part of a community that will do real work to foster that good mind of yours.”

Each student in attendance received a framed certificate

recognizing his achievement on the entrance exam. St. Francis Xavier Scholars scored in the top four percent of eighth-grade students who took the test across the city.

“We had 120 of 157 students who qualified actually attend, which is more than 76 percent” said Rod Hinton, director of admissions. “By comparison, last year we had 70 percent with 101 out of 143 eligible students attending. I think it’s a good sign for the class of 2015.

“I have received great feedback about the talks delivered by Dave Eby and senior Matt Devine. We surely appreciate both of them sharing their words and experiences with these families.

It’s a great night for us. We are excited so many bright young men and their families are interested in St. X and took the time to join us. We’re hopeful all our St. Francis Xavier Scholars will join the Long Blue Line.”

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We Are... St. X

Bowties Belie Bengals HIS NAME MEANS “thinking man” in Hindi, and it’s clear he is.

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones visited St. Xavier High School with a message of service very much meshing with the St. X motto of being men for others.

“Men for others and to serve is where we meet,” Jones told a group of nearly 100 students during a flex-time talk Dec. 14. “As men for others we must be part of those communities that supported us, and we must support them back.”

Jones eschewed standing in front of the room for a lecture. Rather he gathered the students in a circle and sat among them. “As men it’s important to gather and have a good conversation,” he said. “If we can’t converse, we can’t learn and if we can’t learn, we can’t serve.”

More than just the leading tackler for the Bengals, Jones is a businessman, world traveler and philanthropist. He stars in two television shows, including Dhani Jones Tackles the World, wherein he learns about a foreign country

NEWS AND NOTES AROUND THE ST. XAVIER CAMPUS

through sport and food. His Bowtie Café coffee shop in Mt. Adams is a place for conversation. His Bowties For a Cause charity will partner with X-Travaganza this year to help support the school.

Jones began wearing bowties in support of a friend battling lymphoma. He eventually embraced the look and used it to shape his message. The four corners of the bowtie represent service, self representation, collaboration and critical thought, all of which are crucial to being a citizen of the world. He said the white bowtie he wore to St. X represented the blank slate everyone is at birth.

“Your trials and tribulations are what shape you, what become your foundation,” Jones said. “When you set your foundation you can build anything from that. What you find is life is this amazing evolution. As you progress and change—as people come into and out of your life, as you influence them and they influence you - your bow tie will change colors.”

In addition to his flex talk, Jones met with students, teachers and admin-

Students from the Companion Scholars program visit with Cincinnati Bengals linebacker and television star Dhani Jones.

istrators from the Companion Scholars program, toured the wellness center and visited a visual art studio where he offered St. X students the opportunity to design their own bowties.

Gavin Gerrundo’s (’11) design was selected for auction at X-Travaganza 2011 and replicas will be available for sale to benefit Companion Scholars.

“This is just a very cool opportunity for us to get involved with Dhani and Bowties for a Cause,” said Sara Schindler, X-Trav director. “He’s obviously somebody who has put a lot of thought into his message, and he’s living what he talks about. He’s an example of what we hope our boys become—intelligent, thoughtful, generous, curious, insightful and a leader.”

The Pain from Twain is Mainly to Explain FORGET A LOVE triangle. Geometry doesn’t properly explain the awkwardly shifting shapes and angles of art and romance.

Neither—frankly—does a brief written overview.

What would explain them, though , would have a trip to the Black Box Theater for Theatre Xavier’s production of Is He Dead.

Mark Twain’s century-old-yet-nearlynew (more on that in a moment) comic play of art, intrigue, secret identity, love, fame and money opened Jan 13 and ran through Jan. 16. Twain’s 1898 manuscript never made the stage until playwright David Ives (whose work TX performed in its 2006 winter show Mortals and Saints) adapted it for a 2007 Broadway run.

“It’s hysterical,” said director Michele Mascari. “There’s something about artists in France by celebrity authors. We’ve done Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapine Agile twice over the years. Those artists and these are such fun characters to play.

They are over the top and the kids enjoy the fact they can just let loose.

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“We only had about 13 rehearsals for this show, but the kids have jumped in with both feet and found the comedy. Not that it was terribly hard to find. The material is sharp, but they’ve brought so much physically and vocally to their roles that you can’t help but laugh.”

The story centered on the French painter Jean-Francios Millet (played by junior Joe Deye). Lamenting his sorry financial lot, his apprentices stage Millet’s death in order to drive up the value of his work. Millet hangs around disguised as his own widowed twin sister, adding suitors almost as rapidly as he/she adds to his/her bank account.

“The premise is funny, but it’s also grounded in reality,” Mascari said. “Artists aren’t often recognized as geniuses while they live. All these machinations the apprentices pull to make the master famous—and all of them rich—aren’t too difficult to believe.”

TX performed the comic musical Zombie Prom in the fall and is well into rehearsals for the spring production of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Phantom of the Opera, which opens April 7.

PRINCIPAL’S

traditional high school subjects, just as I did. Yet exponential changes in communication and trade now make it important for students to gain additional skills that were not as urgent a generation ago. Because it has become just as easy to communicate with someone across an ocean as down the street, and because universities and firms expect their members to collaborate with diverse team members, students need to develop multicultural competence—the ability to meet and interact successfully with people from other cultures.

Two years ago a team of Parents Across Cultures members and school administrators focused an aspirational goal—to identify steps to make St. Xavier a destination school for families who value education for multicultural competence. Here are examples of current school resources advancing multicultural competence: • 10 faculty members represent minority races and ethnic groups; 11 percent of students (including 14 percent of the class of 2014) are from minority groups. Students come from more than 90 elementary schools around the area.

• Summer mission trips enable 80 rising seniors to live in different cultures.

• Students from other countries study at St. Xavier, and St. Xavier students take study trips to Spain, France, and Germany. Students also develop international relationships through Skype conversations in language classes.

• Through community service experiences students develop relationships with people who live in poverty.

Service experiences during the school day are integrated

MESSAGE

BY DAVID B. MUELLER, ’72

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wo summers ago Community Service Director Matt Kemper (’91) and I accompanied eight students on a service trip to Camden, New Jersey, one of the poorest cities in the nation. Our group spent time with people in a nursing home, people in a long-term rehabilitation center and people who are HIV positive. We planned our meals for the week based on what we could buy with food stamps. We met with executives of service agencies and gathered for prayer and reflection.

Last September, 10 students from our partner Jesuit school in Barcelona arrived for a three-week visit. Around the same time, four students from other countries arrived to study at St. Xavier for the year. Shortly before Christmas, I enjoyed Holidays Across Cultures hosted

by Hands Across Campus and Parents Across Cultures. Attendees sampled food and holiday traditions from a variety of cultures. On Martin Luther King Day, I joined 15 members of Hands at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center to experience an exhibit about modern slavery. Once a month I join a group of students at the St. Vincent DePaul center on Bank St. Some of our group accompanied parents as they shopped in SVDP’s free toy store in December; others kept those same parents’ children busy with crafts.

These are a few of the ways in which St. Xavier students interact with people who come from different backgrounds and see the world in different ways. It is essential for students today to learn the

“These are a few of the ways in which St. Xavier students interact with people who come from different backgrounds.”

into some courses.

• Hands Across Campus arranged for students to visit the Islamic Center (joining Muslim students for prayer, a meal and conversation), dining at an Indian restaurant and visiting a Hindu temple, and experiencing the America I Am exhibit at the Museum Center.

• Through the One Book, One St. Xavier program, invited members of the school community to read and discuss the book Three Cups of Tea. • Students in visual arts classes and adults with disabilities made portraits of each other and exhibited them.

In January, I attended “All Are Welcome?”—a forum on race and the Catholic Church sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the University of Dayton. Keynote speaker Fr. Bryan Massingale of Marquette University asserted Catholic schools have a special responsibility and special gift for educating students to respect and interact well with people from different backgrounds.

Fr. Massingale pointed out Jesus modeled “radical table fellowship” by dining with people others despised and left us the Eucharist as an ongoing challenge to follow His example. We work diligently to meet that challenge.

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Clockwise from top left: Faculty members Teresa Hale, Kathy Menno, Patty Luehrmann, Carol Lee Morgan and Michele Mascari.

TOP THREE PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY JAY BACHEMIN ’73

Right Place, Right Time F

or what is often thought to be an all-male institution, women certainly have played an important part in the education of boys for virtually the entire history of St. Xavier High School. This edition of St. Xavier, for example, discusses Mothers’ Club and its long history assisting the young men of the school.

Women have served the school in staff and support roles from time immemorial. Women even attended St. X Commercial School downtown through the 1950s. There were a handful of part-time women faculty members, particularly in art, over the years. But full-time female faculty members are a relatively new phenomenon. In fact, the concept was unheard of downtown and it took the better part of a decade on North Bend Road before the school had its first full-time female faculty member.

Huguette McDonnell was the pioneer, joining the foreign language department in the fall of 1967. Hired

by Fr. Jack Beckman S.J. (’39)—who made another pioneering hire in a few years earlier with Myron Kilgore’s appointment as the first black teacher in the school—she taught French through the spring of 1996. Her husband, Ed McDonnell (they married in 1971), was a St. X guidance counselor

1968 yearbook photo of Huguette McDonnell

Full-time Female Faculty Finds a Home from 1969 to 2000; between them they share 60 years worth of service to St. X. Huguette came to St. X by way of a swimming pool. “I had met (former faculty member and Athletic Hall of Fame inductee ) Mr. Howard Tolbert

By Mark D. Motz (’87)

and he was the pool manager where I lived,” she said. “We would talk and he knew that I was a French speaker.

There was somebody retiring from the department and they wanted somebody to replace him and Howard gave them my name. I had been in Canada as a translator for the Canadian government and had been at the Catholic Center at the University of Ottawa, working on the magazine there before I came to Cincinnati. When I got to St. Xavier, it was love at first sight. I was comfortable with the atmosphere at St. X and the boys were all very polite. There was never any problem being a woman with the faculty or with the students. I don’t think it was a need necessarily to hire a woman. I think if they had gotten a qualified guy he would have been there instead of me. I don’t necessarily look at myself as a pioneer, just somebody in the right place at the right time.”

McDonnell said she was happy to have the company of other females in the building and even championed the librarian at a time when her position went from a staff contract to a faculty hire. By the same token she was grateful for the chance to work with—as she called them—“some of the biggies” at St. X. “I’m glad (the women) were SPRING 2011

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Sr. Georgia Messingschlager is one of 23 women in St. Xavier High School history to accrue 20-plus years of service to the school; here she teaches a Latin class proper verb tenses.

there, to be honest,” she said. “I was happy to have at least some other women there with me at first. And of course more came as the years went on. But what I take from those early days is that it was very congenial. I worked with Dick Berning, Karl Hauck, Tom Ballaban, Mr. Tolbert, Jack Emmett, John Hussong, Myron Kilgore.

They were great teachers. They cared about the boys. I took some classes at XU with some of them in addition to teaching with them. I was fortunate to have those people there, too, because St. X obviously meant so much to them and they taught me what a great place it was. As far as breaking ground, they had broken it. The faculty was extremely nice and respectful of me.

Of course Fr. (Bob) O’Connor S.J. was the language department chairman then and he was also a French teacher. He was wonderful and a great help to me.”

More than her colleagues, though, Huguette fondly recalls her students. “Of course my own boys went to St. X, and that was special for both me and for Ed. But to this day I remember so many of my students. I even remember their grades in a lot of cases, but you don’t have to say that. (Editor’s note: Sorry, Mrs. McDonnell.

Too good a quote. Had to let the cat out of the bag.) What I enjoyed at St. X was when one of my students was not doing well and 12

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he had the opportunity to come see me any time I wasn’t teaching. That’s when you really got to know the boys and to challenge them. And when they did well, that’s when you were most proud of them because they took the time and initiative to work at it. When I started there was a policy if any student got an overall grade of 70 or below, they were let go. That 70 grade loomed large and I would help them later in the day, after class or during lunch.

I would be there sometimes at 7 o’clock giving advice to students who wanted help. I guess devoted would be a good word for me and my students. Motherly and devoted.”

Huguette said very little of the historic turbulence around the country or the school at the time of her hire affected her teaching days. “Yes, there was a faction that was trying to push their wings,” she said. “But that wasn’t just the ‘60s or early ‘70s. It was young men growing up. Some wanted to push boundaries, but they knew they had boundaries and they respected them when they knew what they were. I had a great relationship with my students.

They really accomplished a lot of marvelous work over the years.” Now a greatgrandmother and still living in Cincinnati, Huguette thinks she left St. X a better place than when she found it, not that it was bad to begin. “I felt sorry that I left,

but only because of missing the students.

I really loved to teach. I was sorry to let go of teaching in 1996, but there came time when you had to. I did a lot of tutoring for quite a while after that, tutoring in the summer to help boys repair their grades. But I think that the atmosphere at the end, when I left, the atmosphere was more congenial still than it was when I got there. It was a great place to work.”

Principal Dave Mueller (’72) was a high school senior when Julie Conlon and Dr. Sally Vonderbrink joined Mrs. McDonnell on the faculty. While female teachers were rare in his student days, he’s more than happy to call women his colleagues now. “I think the best thing we can do is simply look at our faculty as teachers,” he said. “I think that dividing line is long gone, which is a good thing. Both men and women here have a passion for their students. Huguette certainly had that passion and she helped get that ball rolling for other women. But if you look across the school now you’ll see women following in her footstep in the classroom, yes, but also as coaches, as department heads and as cocurricular moderators. We’ve come a long way.”

Religion teacher Mark Wilkins (’66), who studied at St. X in an era of no full-time female teachers, agreed. In his role as president of the St. Xavier Faculty

Mary Ann Meyer—one of 23 women to teach 20 or more years at St. X—assists a student with his artwork.

Association, he is glad the time of the male-only faculty is a bygone era. “Women are not secondary in our lives,” he said. “I don’t think anyone would call their wives, mothers, sisters or daughters secondary.

They’re essential. Why should that be any different at school?”

Wilkins said the timing of adding women to the faculty was a natural function of the evolution of the school. “The overall sense of cura personalis the school has adopted these last 30 or 40 years, it’s no coincidence that the two came together. Thinking back to 25 or 30 years ago when Joan Whitaker was head golf coach and chair of the math department and Doctor Sally Vonderbrink was head of the science department, you didn’t really think of women at that time in those subjects,” he said. “But nobody here batted an eye because they were so good. I think it’s important for our guys to have the experience of working with strong, intelligent, reflective women from whom they can learn.

The fact that particularly Joan and Sally were in what some would call the harder subjects didn’t make a difference. There were and are tough, excellent teachers in every subject. But to see women in the leadership positions of math and science— then and now when you look at Joyce Vogt in math and Julie Doyle in science—sent and sends a really good message to these

kids about the role of women in the wider world.

“Joan was also president of the faculty association, which means she had the respect of her peers. These are not figurehead positions. These are the best available people to lead not only our students, but also to be the voice for the entire faculty.

That’s not an accident. It’s not an accident that Kim McLaughlin will be replacing me as the president of SXFA. The women at St. X have challenged the boys-club mentality here, and that’s a good thing.

I think we’ve seen women go from being second-class citizens to being among the primary voices for who we are, what we try to teach our students.”

For her part, Huguette McDonnell believes that progress continues under the guidance of one of her former colleagues in the foreign language department, President Fr. Tim Howe S.J., who was then a Jesuit scholastic teaching Spanish.

“I told him he had to mind his Ps and Qs because I had to write a report on him,” she said with a laugh. “We were sort of the same mind, very interested in teaching the boys, in challenging them. When he came back he called me to wish me a happy birthday. That’s the kind of place St. X is.

Special.” X

20+ Years of Service HUGUETTE MCDONALD (pictured to left) was St. Xavier High School’s first full-time female faculty member.

She also became one of the longest-tenured with nearly 30 years teaching in the foreign language department. She helped pave the way for the 22 other faculty and staff women listed below to accrue at least 20 years of service to the school.

Huguette McDonald (1967-1996) Sylvia Betz (1969 to present) Julie Conlon (1971 to present) Sally Vonderbrink (1971-2001) JoAnn Kremer (1972-2004) Mary Lou Carson (1975-2008) Mary Ann Meyer (1979 to present) Judy Schrand (1979 to present) Terry Hale (1980 to present) Michele Mascari (1982 to present) Linda Smith (1982-2007) Joyce Choquette (1983-2009) Sr. Georgia Messingschlager (1983 to present) Cathy Creason (1984-2010) Carol Morgan (1984 to present) Peggy Steir (1975-1997) Joan Whitaker (1975-1997) Sherry Friesen (1979-2000) Elaine McCarty (1984-2004) Lindy Michael (1984-2006) Donna Moore (1986 to present) Kim McLaughlin (1988 to present) Kathy Sollmann (1988 to present) SPRING 2011

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Mother Knows Best M ore than 800 women are dressed for the holidays and clearly enjoying one another’s company.

They’ve descended on the Savannah Center in West Chester, the first time the annual St. Xavier High School Mothers’ Club Boutique, Luncheon and Fashion Show has moved off campus. The room is packed.

They’ve already shopped the tables filled with seasonal crafts they themselves and their peers created. They’ve applauded the winners of various raffles and enjoyed an elegant luncheon. A whisper of anticipation cuts across the room. The fashion show portion of the day approaches. Veteran attendees may spy the curtain on one end of the banquet hall and know a phalanx of professional models flutters behind it, ready to show off casual wear, career wear, accessories, furs, cocktail wear and evening attire from an array of local fashion outlets. Most know the senior sons of Mothers’ Club board members await their turn to strut the runway, too, which remains a highlight of the day. But the program promises special guest models. And Mothers’ Club always delivers on its promises.

And then some.

The curtain finally parts, revealing St. X Principal Dave Mueller (’72) bundled up in a coyote hooded parka. He strolls—glides almost—

before stopping halfway down the runway to turn and blow kisses. The reaction is raucous, the kind of awed female adoration usually reserved for the likes of Justin Bieber. When the curtain opens again, out pops St. X President Fr. Tim Howe S.J. decked out in a mink bomber jacket and Ivy cap.

Again, sounds associated with the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show erupt.

“Only for the moms,” Mueller said of his uncharacteristic star turn. “There’s no way I’d ever do that for anybody but the Mothers’ Club.” Fr. Howe concurred.

“How do you say no to c them? You don’t, that’s how.

With all they do for us, it’s the very least we could do for them.” Mr. Mueller and Fr. Howe are maybe more pliant than most when it comes to requests from the Mothers’ Club. After all, the club presents checks to both president and principal on a regular basis for things like tuition assistance, special projects, supporting the Canned Food Drive or making honormemorial gifts in the name of a departed loved one. “Mothers’ Club is incredibly generous to the school,” Fr. Howe said. “It’s not just the money, either. The moms around here make this place work. They are always doing things—little and big things—so the faculty and staff can focus on their work of educating men for others. The Mothers’ Club is very visible, very active in that process, and we’re grateful.”

St. X Owes Much to Mom

TEXT BY MARK D. MOTZ ’87

Photo to left by Jay Bachemin (’73). The Madonna and Child

hanging in the lobby of St. Xavier High School’s Chapel of the Holy Companions is filled with images of many other saints, mothers and sons.

Long affiliation Current Mothers’ Club President Donna Broderick comes by her affinity for St. X honestly.

Her grandfather—Al Neyer (’18)—father—Insignis Award winner Don Neyer (’48)—and three brothers— Barry (’73), David (’77) and Joe Neyer (’84)—all attended the school. Her husband— Dr. Joe Broderick (’74)—is also part SPRING 2011

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of a multigenerational Bomber clan, with father Jay Broderick (’45) and brothers Tom (’75), Jim (’79), Tim (’82) and Bill (’85) as graduates. That Donna and Joe sent sons Joe (’02) and Timmy (’11) to St. X could hardly be a surprise.

That Donna ascended to the presidency of the Mothers’ Club might be. She joined as an occasional Christmas boutique crafter when young Joe was a freshman. “When my oldest was a freshman I did a few things; I went to boutiques and started going along to events. I got to know people,” she said. “But I had other small children at home.

I was involved in their grade school. When Timmy came along and there was no one else at home, I really had more time to devote to Mothers’ Club. He just knows I’m going to be around now. At first he was like, ‘What are you

The 2010-11 Mothers’ Club Board and their sons, who served as models during the annual Boutique, Luncheon and Fashion Show.

doing here?’ Now he’ll give me a hug when he sees me.”

Donna said being part of Mothers’ Club is something of a parallel journey of mom and son. “One thing we tell our kids when they get in high school is to get involved, to

meet new people,” she said.

“If they do something out of their comfort zone they might make new friends they wouldn’t have met if they didn’t stretch themselves. We have to say the same thing as parents. Get involved. When

Joining the Club WHILE MEMBERSHIP in i Mothers’ h Club l b may endd with i h the h graduation d of a son, affiliation with St. X need not entirely evaporate.

The St. Xavier Women’s Club is an active group of alumni moms who like to maintain the friendships they fostered when their sons were in school.

Like the Mothers’ Club, Women’s Club engages in social, spiritual and philanthropic activity.

According to a welcome letter from President Barb Bennie, “The St. Xavier Women’s Club is open to all wives and mothers of St. X alumni and teachers. The club was instituted so women could keep in touch with friends made at St. Xavier and who want to continue to support the school. We have several social gatherings a year and participate in the Mother’s Club Ash Wednesday Day of Recollection. We support X-Travaganza and have named our endowment the Margo Locaputo Women’s Club Scholarship Fund. The fund is endowed with our dues and any other contributions which can be made at any time throughout the year.”

Like the philanthropy of their forbears, both Mothers’ and Women’s Club endowments are used for the betterment of St. X and its students.

“The Mothers’ Club Endowment Fund and Women’s Club Endowment Fund have been established to assist in providing scholarships to qualified St. Xavier students,” according to stxavier.org.

“Anyone may contribute to these funds, with contributions made at any time and in any amount.

Please consider these funds when needing a special remembrance for a special occasion such as Mother’s and Father’s Day; graduations (from St. X or other school); birthdays; in honor of an alumnus, family member or other person; in recognition of an achievement; a memorial for deceased loved ones; and any other time you would like to contribute. As the funds grow, their impact likewise increases.”

Contact Mike Sadouskas (’74) at msadouskas@stxavier.org or 513-761-7815 ext. 115 for more information on contributing to the Mothers’ Club or Women’s Club endowment.

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you do that you get to see the school more. You understand better how it works. You know the people who are teaching your kids and you know the boys who are your son’s friends. I found myself wanting to be more a part of that, to take a more active role in letting that happen for other mothers. It’s growth. Any time you become involved, you have some ownership, and when you have some ownership, you want to share that experience with more people so they can have ownership, too.”

Mission driven Mothers’ Club has a three-fold mission of spiritual, service and social opportunities for moms, all in an effort to assist the school in any way possible. Whether it’s helping fund tuition assistance through the Mothers’ Club Endowment or making Christmas cookies for faculty, staff and administration, little goes on at St. X without some motherly input or assistance.

“When I think of service I think of a lot more than the money we donate to the school,” Donna said. “We give service to the school in a lot of ways—the Baccalaureate

Principal Dave Mueller wows the Mothers’ Club crowd with his modeling acumen.

breakfast, Christmas cookies, making and serving breakfast for sophomores on Knightwatch, the end-of-year faculty appreciation luncheon. We’re involved in X-Travagazna, we make gifts to the faculty-staff

professional endowment fund.

But the financial element is not even in our mission statement. It happens because it goes back to the whole spiritual thing. To whom much is given, much is expected.

So much was given to us that we want to be part of giving back. For the moms, it’s nice because they get to meet the faculty and staff. It’s fun to be there in a social setting.

It’s great to see teachers away from what your son is doing in their class.”

One of the more recent— and more popular—projects Mothers’ Club handles is a series of welcome parties for incoming families. “Mothers’ Club makes and assembles the school directories people use a lot, and we are in charge of the welcome coffees for incoming families,” Donna said. “We divide up all the

incoming freshman families by locations and invite them. A Mother’s Club board member comes and talks and tells some of the ins and outs that you want to know, but don’t always know what or who to ask. A lot of kids are coming from places where only one or two boys from the school are at St. X. We want to help them get carpools and let them know what jug is about.

It gives the parents a few faces they know before they get here. It’s kind of like the house system for the parents.”

From a spiritual perspective, an annual highlight of the school year is the Lenten Day of reflection. The 2011 version is March 9 and includes Ash Wednesday Mass, reconciliation services, praying the rosary and a reflection by St. X board member Fr. Joe Folzenlogen S.J. (’58) called

“Mary pondered all these things in her heart: Praying the Scripture of our lives.”

‘That female touch’ While St. X is an all-boys school, having an active Mothers’ Club helps provide some balance.

“As much as I love that is a single-sex school, I think it’s important to have that female touch,” Donna said. “The boys come from families and families include women. They need to see women who are living the mission of the school with them, women who are part of the bigger St. X family, who are passionate about their sons and their sons’ education. We have a great time when we get together, but in the end, we’re here for our boys. It’s important they see that.” X

History of the Club

The 1936-37 Mothers’ Club helped not only St. X students, but provided food for the needy during the Great Flood.

THE MORE THINGS change, the more they stay the same.

While records of when the St. Xavier High School Mothers’ Club began are unavailable, moms are part of the earliest existing yearbook the school has (1926).

An entry in the 1937 X-Ray points to an organization deeply invested in not only its sons, but also in community service: “It stands to reason that when one mother, holding close to her heart the interests of her boy, looks out for his welfare, a group of mothers, in united efforts, may accomplish much for their boys. No boy can forget the innumerable times in the past when the dances in the gymnasium were made more homelike and delightful by the capable and eager hands of our mothers.

The Thanksgiving Eve dance and the dance given April Second serve to refresh our memories and we seniors look back with longing to the farewell dance of June fourth.

“But the Mothers’ Club of 1936-37 has been engaged in other activities more important than the management of dances. When the raging waters of the Ohio left its banks to hurl its wrath against the low-lying houses, abandoned at the first hint of disaster, many of our mothers were busy in the school kitchen, preparing wholesome food for those unfortunates who had to seek temporary shelter in various institutions nearby.”

Fifty years ago, the Mothers’ Club of 1960-61 helped make the new school on North Bend Road a home for its students, both in creature comforts and in funding.

According to the 1961 X-Ray, “Two of the major organizations of St. Xavier do not have any student members. The organizations are the Moms’ and Dads’ clubs. The purpose of these clubs is to give the parents the opportunity to meet the faculty and discuss their sons’ progress. The clubs do not confine themselves mere to monthly meetings with the faculty. …The Moms’ Club holds several card parties. This year much of the proceeds from these was contributed towards a fund to decorate the new junior-senior lounge. Besides this, they do more than their share of the work on the May Fete.”

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Healy Society Helping Minority Alumni Come Home Phhil Cox Phil C (’65) ((’665) receives rec eceives i his hi St. Xavier High School diploma, one of the first two black students to graduate from the school.

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he previous edition of St. Xavier touted the record number of minority students enrolled in the class of 2014. “I think it speaks well to our efforts to make St. X an option for everybody,” said President Fr. Tim Howe S.J. “We’re not where we want to be—a place where the diversity of the St. X population mirrors the population at large in Greater Cincinnati—but we’re getting closer to that point. We want young men who come here to look around and see other people who look like them. We want students feeling like this is home for them, not that they are going to somebody else’s school.”

By the same token, the school is aggressively wooing its minority alumni, inviting them to be a part of the Fr. Healy Society and rejoin the Long Blue Line. By way of history, Patrick Francis Healy was born into slavery in Georgia in 1834. His mother was a slave and his father was a white slave owner who legally owned his mother and their children.

Patrick’s parents sent him to school in New York, where he studied Catholicism and lived under the protection of his father’s white side. He graduated from Holy Cross and entered the Jesuits in 1850. By 1873 he was acting 18

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president of Georgetown University and became full-time president the next year. Healy’s mixed-race heritage didn’t come to light until the 1960s, but he is credited as being the first African American Jesuit and the first black president of a predominantly white university.

Around the time Healy’s heritage came to light, St. X broke its own color barrier both in the student body and on the faculty. Then-Principal Fr. Jack Beckman S.J. (’39) hired Myron Kilgore to teach in the English department, the school’s first black faculty member. (Kilgore also served as a football and track coach in his 10-year teaching tenure.)

Kilgore’s first year at St. X—the 1964-65 academic year—saw the first black graduates from the school.

“Phil Cox (’65) always gets credit for being the first black graduate, but that’s just because his name was higher up the alphabet,” Kilgore said. “Michael Walker (’65) was part of that class, too. They were both honor students, both involved in the school, but I don’t think they had an easy time here. I don’t know that any of the early minorities had an easy time.

Now that we’re getting better about making sure minorities can do well here, we have to make sure they can be part of the school forever. We have too many minority students who, when they leave, they don’t return. I want to get them back and get a network going. They have to network within their own group first, to see some people who look like them, people who succeeded, and who are still part of the St. X family.”

While not a graduate himself, Kilgore remains a source of inspiration for minority students, as well as an integral part of the Bomber family. (True even in a literal sense, in that grandson Trey Kilgore is part of the class of 2013.) Myron left St. X for other teaching positions in the 1970s, but always stayed in touch. He became the school’s first black board member in 2000 and has been a strong advocate for diversity at the school ever since. Now in retirement, he tutors students in English and assists with the Companion Scholars and retention programs. “The world is smaller now,” he said. “Most of the world is people of color now. We’re doing a disservice to the black kids and the white kids and the Asian kids and the Hispanic kids if we don’t bring that to them at St. X, because when they go out into the world, it’s going to be all different people. We have to be able to live with, work, understand and share with all kinds of people. Not just different colors, but different cultures and beliefs.

And the best way to start is in school.

“That can be an integral part of alumni to the school. We have a quite a few minority grads out there now and many of them have done very well. We want to know about that, celebrate that. I think about somebody like Eric Kearney (’81), who has a successful business and is a state senator now. I look at somebody like Rob Davis (’84), who travels all over the world in his job and is now a member of our board of trustees. Having them at our football tailgate or making it out for our basketball dinner is great. I look at somebody like Jeremy Smith (’00) or even somebody as young as Brandon Bryant (’05), having these guys come to Healy Society events is important.

“We follow successful people. Our current kids need successful people to follow; they need models. They have to see how those guys are doing and how they

become successful. That was the whole philosophy of the Healy Society, to get people in touch with each other and with the school. We can help each other and we don’t realize it. A lot of the minority grads are not in a network. Some of these guys are doing great things and it needs to be known. By getting them back here, back in touch, we can let people know what they’re up to and they can tell their story to an audience who needs to hear it.”

Kilgore is pleased to see the perception of St. X as a white enclave evaporating. “I don’t think the minority people when I taught here really knew about the school. We didn’t especially reach out to let them know it was an option. One factor involved, of course, was financial and another was transportation. All of those things nowadays are just a fallacy because the school has picked up and filled some of the rough spots. We market the school

Graduate Phil Cox

well, we have excellent tuition assistance and there are a lot of transportation options. I think most parents want their kids to have a good education. They want their kids to be safe and secure. That’s what St. X is all about. We’re a college prep school and what parent doesn’t want to give their kids a chance to go to college? It’s like leaving your parents when you’re grown.

You have to go home sometimes. A lot of our alums don’t realize some of the changes that have gone on here in the last 10, 20, 30 years. You have to be involved.

That’s our next step at being better. I think part of education is learning the culture and learning to mix. The world is so small now that you have to be used to it. It has to be common. And we have to impress upon the minorities that they have something to contribute to society.”

X

Graduate Michael Walker

First AfricanAmerican St. X Graduates and Faculty Member English Teacher Myron Kilgore

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Alumni X-Cerpts

70s

The class of 1953 gathered for its annual luncheon and to watch a Bomber football game in October.

’70 KEVIN FOGARTY is an attorney and law reform consultant who in November 2010 completed a year as a consultant in Afghanistan. ’71 RICK GREIWE and the Greiwe Development Group recently broke ground on Emery Park Mariemont, a 36 one- and two-bedroom condominium project adjacent to Mariemont’s Village Square. It follows his successful Jordan Park development which recently sold out.

30s 40s 50s ’33 JACK GRAYSON was named “Steward of the Century” by Blessed Trinity Parish in Ocala, Florida. The 95-year-old spent the past 30 years assisting the parish in a variety of ways, including 29 years serving the poor with the Brothers Keeper program. He recently moved back to Northern Kentucky to be closer to his family.

’46 HERBERT MENKHAUS and wife Allene celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy in May of 2010.

’48 ROBERT LIPPERT serves as docent at the Heritage Village Museum at Sharon Woods; he and wife Mary travel frequently and recently returned from a trip to Rome and Instanbul.

’55 MIKE MESTEMAKER recently completed a novel titled Thomas Ward Custer—Uncommon Valor. ’58 JOSEPH LUTTMER was named 2010 Hyde Park Person of the Year by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council.

60s

’66 STEPHEN D. WOLNITZEK recently was named Outstanding Member of the Year for the Kentucky State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, for 35 years of service as general counsel to the 9,500 members of the statewide organization, affiliated with the 330,000 members of the national organization. ’66 MIKE COLER recently joined The Kenwood—a luxury retirement and best care practices assisted living and memory care community—as co-executive director. He came from working at St. Catherine Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque, where he served as interim operations administrator. Other experience includes service at Cincinnati’s Brookwood Retirement Community and The Jewish Hospital, where he served as chief operating officer for many years.

Bob Mackey makes some announcements to classmates during the annual class of 1961 Christmas luncheon at Pompillio’s in Newport.

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’67 THOMAS R. HERMAN was elected to the Clermont County Common Pleas Court after 19 years on the municipal bench; he took office in January.

’74 KEVIN DONNELLON joined the communication committee of Golf 20/20, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation. Donnellon is president of Macali Communications, a marketing PR firm that specializes in golf marketing, PR and social media. Golf 20/20’s mission is to galvanize the industry around analytic initiatives and grass roots activation to ensure the future vitality of the game of golf. He will assist 20/20 in its “Image of the Game” campaign. ’75 JAY JOHANNIGMAN missed the reunion for class of 1975 while deployed to the Craig Theather Hospital at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He is, however, very proud and pleased his son Evan is a member of the class of 2014. ’76 RICHARD KAMMERER was selected president of The Christ Hospital Foundation, an independent charitable organization with the sole mission of raising and maintaining funds in support of the hospital and its affiliates. In his new role, Kammerer will provide leadership for all short- and long-range fund development programs for the hospital; develop strategies and programs to invite major gifts; establish goals and procedures for achieving fundraising objectives; acknowledge gifts and grants; and engage community leaders, boards, business, philanthropic leaders, physicians and hospital employees to generate financial and community support. Kammerer has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, including 10 years in professional fundraising development.

Kammerer most recently served as system executive of development at Memorial Hermann Foundation in Houston.

80s

’81 TOM POSSERT recently spent six weeks in India starting up some school projects and helping build a school in a poor village. His website is: www.schools4schoolsindia.org. ’82 V. BRADLEY DOYLE celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Lisa in June. Their 20-year-old daughter Brittany is a student at Miami University, while 18-year-old Andrea is at the University of Cincinnati. ’83 JOHN PALAZZOLO is director of marketing and sales for Adphos North America, Inc., which provides drying solutions to the graphic arts and industrial marketplaces. He also was recently elected President of CCCA—Chrestos Ministries, a ministry to incarcerated, elderly and sick individuals. The vision of the ministry is to change the world through expressing the goodness (Chrestos) of God and encouraging those we serve into a relationship with Jesus. ’83 KEN BOEHME received the Defense Superior Service Medal from the U.S. Army in September. His citation reads in part, “Colonel Boehme’s sustained clear vision, superior leadership and exhaustive efforts resulted in numerous significant achievements that will have lasting impact on the United States’ relations with its allies and global partners.”

The class of 2005 returned to St. X for its five-year class reunion over the Christmas holidays.

’89 BRIAN BESANCENEY has been named senior vice president, Walt Disney World Public Affairs and Worldwide Government and Industry Relations. Besanceney will oversee all media relations, internal communications and community relations for Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as all government and industry relations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide. Additionally, Besanceney will retain the responsibilities of his previous position as vice president, Public Affairs for Business Development, overseeing all public affairs efforts for business development at existing parks and resorts businesses and new projects. He joined Disney in 2009 after serving as deputy chief of staff for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. ’89 BRENDAN RHOADS was re-elected as President of St. Patrick’s Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians

90s

’91 BRIAN REDDEN joined the Cincinnati law firm of Buechner Haffer Meyers & Koenig Co., L.P.A., where he will continue to practice employment law, business litigation and professional sports law. ’95 DAN REITZ was named an Ohio Rising Star for 2011 by Super Lawyers magazine (after receiving similar honors in 2005, 2009 and 2010). Ohio Rising Stars are chosen by their peers as being among the top up-and-coming lawyers in the state of Ohio. Only 2.5 percent of Ohio attorneys receive this honor each year. Dan is a commercial real estate partner at the law firm of Graydon Head in Cincinnati. ’98 BRIAN AUGUSTINE an associate attorney for Roetzel and Andress in the company’s Cincinnati office, was admitted to the Kentucky Bar. His practice is focused on litigation, including transportation, construction, retail, commercial disputes, products liability and insurance.

00s

’00 BOB HAGLAGE has been modeling in New York City for the past few years after college (Ohio State ‘05) and just signed with an agency in Beijing and in Taipei. He will be modeling in Beijing for two months and Taipei for three and returns to New York on March 1, just in time to come to Cincinnati to be a groomsman in Dave Menninger’s (’00) wedding.

Tom Possert (’81) poses with some of the students learning in a school he helped build in India.

’00 BRIAN GRAWE graduated from medical school at the University of Cincinnati in 2008 and is now a thirdyear orthopedic surgery resident at University Hospital. ’01 CRAIG NEIHEISEL received his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in May 2010. He recently started as an associate in the intellectual property department of Kirkland & Ellis LLP where he focuses his practice on patent infringement litigation. He resides in Chicago with his wife, Amy. ’08 SCOTT BOYLE will be a leader this summer for ND Vision, a series of summer conferences for high school students at the University of Notre Dame. Participants find the opportunity through one of these conferences to recognize their gifts and understand how God is calling them in their lives. ND Vision is open to all high school students entering grades 9 to 12 in the fall of 2011, or graduating in the spring of 2011. Throughout the week at ND Vision, participants explore God’s call for them to live fully and faithfully through dynamic largegroup experiences, reflective small group time, profound liturgies and excellent music. The program is led by Notre Dame students. Participants get to experience student life by eating in the dining halls, staying in the dorms and enjoying the campus. For more information, contact Scott at sboyle2@ nd.edu or 513-505-1966. ’09 JOE KONERMAN will participate in the 2011 Journey of Hope bicycle ride benefitting Push America. The 64-day trek begins in San Francisco and ends in Washington D.C. Follow his progress this summer or make a donation at http://secure.pushamerica.org/ josephkonerman.

SPRING 2011

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Alumni X-Cerpts

10s

’11 ADAM YOUNG was the local Make a Wish Foundation’s celebrity kid at the World’s Largest Office Party at the downtown Hyatt. He was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia last May. (He is doing fine now, thankfully.)

He received his wish to visit Mallorca and Barcelona in July, where he and his family will see his godmother for the first time since sixth grade and reconnect with his host family from his student exchange last year.

WEDDINGS ’97 BERT HEHMAN and Amy Marie Sander, 6/21/10 ’97 JIM SCHWALLER and Maria Ly, 7/11/10 ’00 BRIAN GRAWE and Erin Schmidt, 5/15/10 ’01 ANDREW BOBINGER and Macaira Rooney, 5/8/10 ’01 NICK DEPPERMAN and Karen Mahaney, 9/4/10

BIRTHS ’89 BRIAN AND JANIE DOYLE, Dominic Albert and Kieran Dennis, ’94 JAY AND CYNTHIA SAGEL, Jonathan Steven, 3/31/10 ’94 DAVE AND DANA ALLSPACH, Grace Caroline, 12/23/10 ’95 KEITH AND KRISTIN KLEIN, W. James, 7/15/10 ’95 JOE AND AHNA NICHOLS, Aria Claire, 12/2/10

Clockwise from top: Fraternal twins William Vincent, left, and Benjamin Thomas Sellers; Sammy Caruso

already has some Bomber style.; twins Dominic Albert and Kieran Dennis Doyle.

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The Healy Society (see page 18) hosted a successful tailgate party prior to a Bomber football game in October. ’97 ROBERT AND JESSICA MATTHEWS, Sarah Marie, 5/4/10 ’97 ANDY AND TANIA FLEGER, Tobin Andrew, 8/31/10 ’00 SAL AND ERIN CARUSO, Salvatore Anthony Jr., 4/11/10 ’01 BRIAN AND AMY SELLERS, William Vincent and Benjamin Thomas, 8/12/10 STAFF BIRTHS DAN AND MOLLY DERY, Benjamin Owen, 11/13/10 TOM AND SARAH CLINE, Emma Grace Mae, 1/6/11

DEATHS ’29 JOSEPH D. CICCARELLA ’34 VINCENT H. BECKMAN ’34 ROBERT D. KEHOE ’37 HERMAN F. ELSAESSER ’39 R. K. FEDDERS ’39 FRANK E. RITTER ’40 F. JOHN DERRICK ’41 RICHARD L. NURRE ’42 RICHARD G. NIKLAS ’46 ROBERT J. HAGEE ’46 MAX P. LAMMERS ’46 JAMES H. SCHULTZ ’46 JOHN J. WOODS ’47 CHARLES E. BEVERDING ’48 VIRGIL P. HOLMES ’49 JAMES J. HUNT ’49 STANLEY G. THOM ’50 JOHN E. BOGGS ’50 THOMAS J. KULLE ’50 JAMES N. MCHUGH ’50 CHARLES A. PFEIFFER

’50 WILLIAM B. SONTAG ’51 LAWRENCE A. CHINERY ’51 JOHN T. LEONARD ’51 JOHN J. MURPHY ’51 WILLIAM H. SCHIMANSKI ’52 ALVIN D. POWELEIT ’54 JAMES M. DWYER ’54 JAMES A. MCSWIGAN ’56 RONALD G. WIDOLFF ’57 CHARLES G. REINSTATLER ’60 DENNIS J. MOORE ’60 GERALD T. VILLING ’62 JOHN J. DUWEL ’62 J. DAVID HESKAMP ’62 LAWRENCE J. RUSSELL ’65 TIMOTHY C. CAHILL ’65 WALTER F. MARTIN ’66 THOMAS C. CRUMMEY ’70 THOMAS P. SANDER ’74 DAVID A. TALLARIGO ’06 EVAN J. SINGER

CORRECTION In the Fall/Winter 2010 edition of St. Xavier, the name of alumnus Miles Grier (’96) was misspelled in the Alumni X-Ceprts section. Grier earned his Ph.D in American Studies from New York University and earned a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University. St. Xavier regrets the error.

St. Xavier Q & A ST. X: How did you get involved in Boosters?

BR: Because all my sons were and are hockey players, I got involved in the program. We would run into other hockey parents at games and practices. When Dominic was a freshman, a senior parent asked me to take over as the liaison to the Booster board, so I did. I have been on the Boosters ever since. The boosters are in good shape. We just want to bring the boosters more in line with the mission of the school, to make sure the boys have every opportunity.

ST. X: You’re passionate about Bomber athletics. What’s your favorite sports moment in your time at St. X? BR: I’ll be very myopic and go with my specialty in hockey: when St. X won the regional title and went to state frozen four for the first time (in 2008). At that point the hockey program had only been in existence here for five years. It was an incredibly memorable moment for the St. X hockey program. Selfishly, because my sons were on the team together, it was rewarding for our family. More importantly it was great for Dominic and Michael’s relationship. Watching them battle together in some very tough moments was remarkable. It was formative for them as brothers, teammates and friends.

ST. X: Describe what the Boosters organization does for St. X. BR: The Boosters is a service organization providing financial and volunteer assistance to Bomber athletics at large.

That includes more than 1,000 students annually in 16 interscholastic and club sports, as well as the band. Boosters provide funds to help with athletic facility improvements, too. Membership dues in the Boosters are our main source of revenue. For less than a $100 annually, Booster members do great things at X.

Bob Rinaldi

Current parent and Athletic Booster Club President Bob Rinaldi is not a Cincinnati guy by birth, having grown up near Pittsburgh and gone to college at Michigan State. He came to the Queen City to visit his older brother (who attended the University of Cincinnati and stayed) after college, found a job and stayed himself.

His subsequently met his wife, Diane, whose nine brothers attended Moeller High School. When it came time to explore high schools for his sons, Bob had to use subterfuge to get his oldest to even attend the St. X Open House. But the proverbial shoe fit and the Rinaldi clan now wears it proudly. Bob and Diane are parents of three boys—Dominic (’08), Michael (’09) and William (’13)—and seventh-grade daughter Madi.

John always says athletics are just another classroom. His job is to advance the teaching and the Jesuit mission outside of academics. I’d like to think we’re helpful in that regard.

ST. X: How do you see the role of the Boosters evolving?

BR: The Boosters and the development

ST. X: How can people join the Boosters?

BR: Whether you are a family with a current student or an alumnus, you can help us continue our mission by joining each and every year. Booster membership is only $55. Please register online at http:// www.stxavier.org/page.cfm?p=432.

department historically have been two different groups. As far as I’m concerned the Boosters are just an extension of development, except our donors have a strong affinity for band and athletics. That’s a wide group of people we can tie together for the betterment of the school. Historically Booster members are families of current school students.

I’d like to extend that so alumni can be Booster members, too. It’s just another connection to the school. I am so impressed with St. Xavier and am frankly jealous because I feel like I missed something not being part of it myself.

ST. X: What’s the most important role of the Boosters?

BR: The Boosters assist John Sullivan and his team in the athletic department. They run a remarkable yet very lean operation.

We support and help in their mission— which is a part of the greater mission of the school—and let them do some things they might not otherwise be able to do.

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X-Peditions ON THE GLOBE, the long blue line is the equator. In St. X parlance, the Long Blue Line of alumni and student body appears all over the globe. Bomber blue turns up all over the map and we want the evidence. Send us your pictures wearing St. Xavier High School gear or hoisting a copy of St. Xavier magazine at an exotic locale or local landmark. Maybe a picture of Bombers at the Pyramids of Egypt or posing at the Pit. Either way, let us know where you’ve been displaying your X pride.

Send your high-resolution digital images to mmotz@stxavier.org or mail prints to Mark Motz c/o St. Xavier magazine, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224.

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1. The 1982 St. X Social Club made its annual retreat in the Great Smoky Mountains. From left to right are Bradley Blust, Greg Dittrich, Mark Jacob, Joe Dusa, David Kircher, Pat Monahan, Jonathan Bordeaux and Brendan Burns. 2. Art Arand (’78) and son A.J. Arand (’07) stood on the Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge) overlooking Neuschwanstein Castle in Hochschwangau, Germany. The whole family spent two weeks in Germany over the summer researching the Arand family tree and enjoying the German beer. 3. Robby Lewis (’08) Tim Giblin (’06), Tyler Brodbeck (’08) and Robert Seiber (’06) made the trip to Gorge Amptitheatre in George, Washington, for the Dave Matthews Band concert over Labor Day weekend. 4.

Aiden Brock was 15 months old in this photo, but daddy Tony Brock (’89) already has him geared up for freshman orientation in 2023. 5. Dick Felger (’66) Visited Seoul, South Korea, to see son, Andy Felger (’97), his wife Tania and new grandson, Tobin Andrew Felger (born 8/31/10).

Andy has been teaching English in an elementary school in South Korea for nearly nine years. The three generations of Felgers posed in a park near Seoul in September.

6. Michael Finley (’89) went to Paris with his wife for a birthday/anniversary trip and snapped a photo in front of the pyramid at the Louvre. 7. Dr. Steve Gamm (’75) hit Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, in September. 8. John Trautmann, Steve Leverone and Tom Herman (class of 1967) met freshman year at St. X and have been best friends ever since. They got together for this photo in the upper peninsula of Michigan on a golf trip.

9. Andrew Bitter (’14) donned a St. X hat and crossed poles to land a couple largemouth bass in the Cleveland area while visiting his grandparents.

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1. The Hasse clan enjoyed a week at a castle near Tipperary, Ireland, in September 2010. Left to right are Brian (’01), Chris (’06), Adam (’10) and Kevin (’03). 2. Daniel Johnson (’08) hiked the cliffside villages of Cinque Terre, Italy, after studying abroad in Europe with Miami University’s Farmer School of Business in June, 2010. 3. Luke Fisher (’04) and Dennis Riechman (’01) are deployed to different camps in Afghanistan, but discovered their St. X connection while riding in a convoy together. Dennis and a few other soldiers from his camp were on the way to Luke’s camp for a day visit. 4. Members of the class of 1977 had their yearly reunion at Doug Adam’s house on Lake Keowee, South Carolina. The guys tried to trump last year’s effort by getting six water skiers up at once. Despite numerous tries, they had to settle for a photo on the shore featuring trip newcomers Tom Nurre and Pete Nerone, as well as veterans Howie Rohan, Andy Schweer, Steve Wenstrup, Kelly Hamad, Mel Kelly, Brendan Blasé, Doug Adams and Chuck Meakin. (Dan Fagel and Kurt Mechling could not attend this year). 5. Six members of the class of 1966 attended the North Carolina State football game against the University of Cincinnati as guests of classmate and head coach Tom O’Brien. Pictured are John Rhoades, Jim Macke, Tom O’Brien, Paul Imwalle, Ed Middenorf, Steve Wolnitzek and Jim Howe. 6. John Palazzolo (’83) was in Moosach, Germany—a suburb of Munich—on business, but brought St. Xavier along to sample some of the local fare. 7. Will Piening (’12) and dad Jeff Piening (’76) posed in front of Old Faithful in June during a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park and Mt. Rushmore. 8. Paul (’57) and Marianne Zook brought some St. X pride to the 49th state while visiting Skagway, Alaska. 9. Doug Kissner (’93) and his wife Lori celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy in Septemeber. They visited Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Sienna, and Assisi. Here Doug poses outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

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1. Future Bomber Daniel Jacob and brothers Alex (’12), John (’13) and Bryan Jacob (’15)—all sons of Bob Jacob (’79)—posed at the Mayan ruin of the Chitza Nitza pyramid in Cancun, Mexico. 2. Ryan Mackos (‘00) reached Uhuru Peak on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest point and the world’s highest free-standing mountain, at 10:35 p.m. EST on Christmas Day (which was really about 6:30 in the morning Dec. 26 in Africa).

3. Blaise Jones (’10) and his brother Connor Jones (’14) showed their X pride on the beaches of Cancun, Mexico, over Christmas. Blaise is a freshman at UNC-Wilmington studying marine biology. 4. Graham Strong and Mike Lawson—both class of 1990—took St. Xavier to Stonehenge in England. 5. The O’Brien brothers—Scott (’08) and Matt (’06)—posed in St. X gear at the final resting place of St. Francis Xavier at the Church of Bom Jesus in Goa, India. Scott dubbed it “The Jesuit Graceland.” 6. Bert Hehman (’97) and wife Amy Marie enjoyed their June honeymoon in Montego Bay, Jamaica. 7. Nick Depperman (’01) and wife Karen displayed St. Xavier while in Salzburg, Austria, on their honeymoon in September. 8. Will Shanley (’13) visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. He posed in front of Red Square, which was closed in preparation for the celebration of Russia Day, the day recognizing Russia’s official declaration of sovereignty. 9. Here’s a shot of 12 St.X alumni, family and friends who traveled 1,500 miles to Red Lodge, Montana, near Yellowstone National Park, for Scott Reenan’s wedding to Regin Beeter Sept. 24, 2010. The guys are singing the alma mater and fight song together. Pictured from left are Andy Ruther (’00), Jim Geoppinger (’58), Adam Bauman (’09), John Cronin (’00), Colin Reenan (’09), Mark Waligora (’00), Scott Reenan (’00), Chad Cutter (’00), Tommy Compton (’00), Kevin Bauman (’69), Philip Bauman (’06) and Tom Compton (’73).

X-Cerpts/X-Peditions What is up? You can let us know in a variety of ways— send a photo for our X-Peditions feature or tell fellow Bombers about your wedding, a recent move, your latest promotion, a family addition, your retirement or other news via the Alumni X-cerpts pages. Just fill out and send in the form below. We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon.

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Mail the form to: St. Xavier High School (Magazine) 600 W. North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45224.

FAX 513-761-2586 or e-mail: mmotz@stxavier.org

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1. Scott Tanner (’03) traveled to Kobe, Japan, to present research on inflammatory bowel disease at the 2010 International Congress of Immunology, part of his Ph.D. work at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After the conference he traveled around Japan for a week and took some photos at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum on Okinawa, where all those who died in the Battle of Okinawa are honored, both Japanese and American. 2. Jack Gauche (’64) and son Josh Gauche (’04) are shown standing above a canal in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where Josh currently works and lives. 3. George Gregory (’87) sent this photo from the site of the future North Houston Catholic High School. He is the marketing co-chair for the Foundation for the Future capital campaign that kicked off this summer. The Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia will administer the school. 4. David Janszen (’02) and Kyle Ransom (’03) display their Bomber gear in Shanghai, China. Kyle is working in Shanghai and Dave went to visit. Kyle works for AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), who own/manage/consult with more than 110 theaters, arenas, stadiums, and convention centers around the world, including a new state-of-the-art arena in Shanghai. 5. Bill Mitchell (’79) and Tom Mathews (’77) posed at Augusta National Golf Club. The pair have been in business together nearly 25 years and get to play the home course of the Masters from time to time. 6. Derek Jung (’10) and Kyle Jung (’14) on their 18-day graduation trip to Italy. They are pictured in front of the Coliseum in Rome. 7. Charlie Perin (’72) brought his St. Xavier magazine while on safari in the Great Karoo, South Africa.

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SPRING 2011

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VIEW FROM THE

BACK PORCH

BY PAUL J. ZOOK, ’57

T

his January marked the 50th anniversary of President John Kennedy’s inauguration and conjured up memories of his inaugural address, especially the ringing challenge, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your county.” That January most of the boys from the St. X class of ’57 were looking forward to graduation from college—and now are facing the reality of invitations to return to their alma maters to be honored as Golden Graduates. Ouch!

The cover story of this issue immediately suggested to me how the words of President Kennedy are exemplified in the unwavering spirit of the St. Xavier community. If ever a group of people did not ask what St. Xavier could do for them but rather what they could do for St. Xavier, it has always been the countless volunteers (and donors) who support this school in so many ways, with the Mothers’ Club as a prime example.

When editing this magazine some years ago, I had the brilliant idea to celebrate the organizations and individuals who gave countless volunteer hours so cheerfully and in so many ways. Some large and long established groups were easy to identify. Mothers Club, Women’s Club, Athletic Boosters came quickly to mind. However, as I sought to account for all volunteer groups and activities, lest anyone be left out, I realized what an enormous universe I was attempting to address and the high likelihood of missing someone and thus failing to thank adequately every one. Following wise advice (“When in doubt, chicken out.”), I sadly—and perhaps unwisely— abandoned the project. The thought of missing even one of our good volunteers was just unacceptable.

This is not to say that people do not and should not ask what St. Xavier can do for them. What students, parents, 28

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staff, alumni and friends of the school ask for, and should demand, is what the school is committed to provide—an outstanding education and everything spelled out in the school’s documents and provided throughout the school’s long history.

This is to say, however, that in the seven years I taught and coached and in the 30 years I served in the alumni/development office, I was overwhelmed by the number of people who came forward on their own to ask, “Is there anything I can do to help?” And who asked when requested to assist with some project, “What do you need me to do?” And the projects and volunteer opportunities have been limitless. Propose a project, discover a need and almost miraculously, without fanfare or fuss, a volunteer or group came forward.

Let me cite just one example I think was the most unusual I experienced. In February 1977 the school had to be shut down because extreme cold had created an area-wide shortage of the natural gas needed to heat the building. Mr. Edward Murray, the president of Mabley and Crew and a St. X dad, volunteered the use of his downtown department store as a substitute schoolhouse. From February

“Propose a project, discover a need and almost miraculously, without fanfare or fuss, a volunteer or group came forward.”

3 to 9, Mabley and Carew was St. Xavier South, with classes conducted in various locations in the store. My late classmate Don Dilg taught Spanish in the carpet department. The rest of the faculty settled in where they could. Learning continued—if in limited and unusual ways.

Perhaps I could have used this page more effectively by simply listing all the things that people do for St. Xavier. Not enough room. Perhaps my fears of missing someone were unfounded. I know that the people who support the school do not do so for recognition or praise or thanks. I just feel strongly that those who do so much deserve more than the satisfaction realized from a job well done.

Somehow the challenge issued by President Kennedy and the spirit of service lived so well by the members of the St. Xavier community resonate very well with the sentiment of St. Ignatius himself: “Love is proved by deeds, not words.” Life is good. God is good.

Paul J. Zook (’57) worked at St. Xavier High School for 37 years and has enjoyed living the retired life with his wife Marianne in Pleasant Ridge since July 2005.

St. Xavier High School

spring 2011 CALENDAR Alumni Gatherings and School Events MARCH

APRIL

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1

11:30 a.m. First Friday Mass/ Luncheon at St. Xavier Church

11:30 a.m. First Friday Mass/ Luncheon at St. Xavier Church

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9:30 a.m. Ash Wednesday Service at Berning Gym

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7 p.m. X-Travaganza First Night at Berning Gym

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5:30 p.m. X-Travaganza 2011 at Ellis Gym

23-25 Third Quarter Exams

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MAY

3 6 p.m. President’s Dinner at Cintas Center

6 11:30 a.m. First Friday Mass/ Luncheon at St. Xavier Church

5:30 p.m. Alumni Retreat in Milford

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6:30 p.m. Michael Benson Concert in Black Box/Main Stage

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7:30 p.m. Opening Night/Phantom of the Opera at Performance Center

7 p.m. 2015 Parents/Son Program in Holy Companions Chapel

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Easter Break/No Classes

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Happy Easter

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9:30 a.m. Commissioning Mass in Berning Gym

Mom’s Prom at Music Hall

7 p.m. 2015 Parents/Son Program in Holy Companions Chapel

11 5:30 p.m. Golden and Then Some Reunion Chapel/Cafeteria

11-12 7 p.m. Spring Concert in Performance Center

14 8 p.m. Prom/Spring Dance at Cintas/Moonlight Garden

15 9:30 p.m. Father/Son Communion Breakfast in Chapel/Cafeteria

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St. X President Fr. Tim Howe S.J. unveils a painting presented to the school during a class of 1950 quarterly luncheon in December.

JUNE

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Fourth Quarter Exams

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7 p.m. Graduation at Cintas Center

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Mission Trips Begin

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5:30 p.m. Class of 1961 50-Year Reunion in Barrett Center

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7 p.m. Class of 1961 50-Year Reunion at Metropolitan Club

MusicFest

23-25 Senior Exams 27 St. X hockey graduates gathered on the ice at Cincinnati Gardens over Christmas vacation to contest the annual alumni game.

10 a.m. Father/Senior Golf Outing at Glenview G.C.

29 10 a.m. Baccalaureate Mass in Berning Gym

30 Memorial Day/No Classes

WE LOOK FORWARD to hosting the classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 in the fall for Grand Reunion Weekend 2011. To get involved in the planning for your class, please contact Alumni Director John Schrantz (’96) at jschrantz@stxavier.org, Local phone: 761-7815, ext. 116 Toll free: 800-572-5340, ext. 116 Reunion information always is available on our web site at www.stxavier.org. Click on the alumni tab.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

600 W. North Bend Road Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499 www.StXavier.org

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X-Travaganza 2011: X-Cape to New England CHAIRS MARY AND JIM THACKER and the entire St. X family invite you to the east coast for all the X-citement of X-Travaganza 2011: X-Cape to New England‌ for a whale of a good time on Saturday, March 12, in the Ellis Gymnasium.

The 2011 X-Travaganza Live Auction features some phenomenal bidding opportunities, including the 2011 NCAA Final Four in Houston for four with lower-level seating, a hospitality reception, airfare and lodging.

Bid on weekend tickets to the Masters at Augusta National or tickets to the U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in our nation’s capital. More of a participant than a spectator? Bid on a GTI Sea-Doo with trailer or a stunning golf package for three in Naples, Florida, including play at Naples National and Calusa Pines. Follow the theme with a lobster bake for 25 of your closest friends or land a fantastic trip for the Fourth of July in Boston that will include a Red Sox

game, a performance by the Boston Pops and many more of the historical and cultural gems of Beantown. An array of other items await, as well as a host of silent auction treasures, a gourmet dinner and some new surprises to make a magical night.

Visit www.stxavier.org and click X-Travaganza under the Supporting St. X tab for more details.