Alumni Action
The De La Salle Legacy Society The De La Salle Legacy Society allows the school to recognize those alumni, parents and friends who have chosen to include St. John’s in their estate plans. This group honors the spirit of St. John Baptiste de La Salle, who liquidated his inherited estate at the age of 32 and
distributed the money to the poor during the great famine of 1683-84. Society members may choose to remember St. John’s in a variety of ways. They can make the school a beneficiary of a percentage of estate residuals, leave a percentage of a life insurance policy or portion of their estate to St. John’s or transfer property or stock holdings to the school in their will. In whatever way they choose to make their gift, their generosity will ensure that the school continues to provide a high-quality Lasallian education for the generations of young men and women to come. “I believe St. John’s is at the top when it comes to the premiere schools in our area. St. John’s – the Christian Brothers and teachers – will always be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said John Aydinian ’71. “The De La Salle Legacy Society provides such a unique opportunity for me to thank all of them and continue the St. John’s tradition.”
“My wife and I have a soft spot for St. John’s. We also see the advancement at St. John’s in the curriculum and physical plant and understand that it takes money to keep these things going,” explained Billy Scaggs ’54. “As the nun teaching my fifth grade class said, ‘the only money you can take with you is the money you give to charity.’” “Frederica and I decided to include St. John’s College High School in our estate plan to reflect our appreciation for the quality of education at such a reasonable cost,” said George Valanos, father of Frederic ’11. “St. John’s stood out for its diverse, multicultural environment with a reasonably large student body, yet manageable class sizes.” For more information on the De La Salle Legacy Society, please contact Michael Esten, vice president for institutional advancement, at 202-364-0229, ext. 1059, or mesten@stjohnschs.org.
The McGovern Brothers and Their St. John’s Legacy Every cadet at St. John’s is responsible for knowing about the McGovern brothers, Robert ’46 and Jerome ’48, and a commanding officer might ask any cadet to recite their history during hall inspection. The McGovern brothers each joined the Army and served in the Korean War, and sadly both were killed in 1951 within 11 days of each other. They were highly decorated for their bravery: First Lieutenant Robert McGovern received the Medal of Honor and Second Lieutenant Jerome McGovern was awarded the Silver Star. Both are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The St. John’s drill team, “The McGovern Rifles,” is named in their honor, and their medals are displayed proudly in the Msgr. John J. Enzler Board Room at St. John’s.
Jerome McGovern ’48
Robert McGovern ’46
St. John’s College High School 27