Reflection #32 (Only 1044 to go!): Reunions

     I don't recall the exact year, but it was around 40 years ago. During the half-time of an Ignatius varsity basketball game, I was walking through what-was-then the commons, and I saw an alumus from a few years earlier standing by himself with a lost look on his face. I said, "You look like you've lost your best friend. What's up?" He said matter of factly, "This isn't my school any more."

     I tried to reassure him that sure it was, but even I thought that sounded pretty lame. As I continued on my route, I felt a little bad and thought about the incident. It's not uncommon for deans, principals or presidents during commencement speeches to assure the graduates that they will always be an important part of the school community and the school will always be their "home". I've been to enough graduations to know whereof I speak.

     As I thought about this fellow, it occurred to me that "his school" consisted, to a large extent, of his classmates. It was the four years of shared experiences, good and bad, that constituted his school more than the bricks-and-mortar.

     That brings me to the real point of this "reminiscence". Three Fridays in a row over the last month, there were gatherings of alumni. Two were "mini-reunions"* with alumni from a couple of different eras, and the third was the induction of four new members into the Athletic Hall-of-Fame. (*By mini-reunions, I mean gatherings of alumni that are not generated by the school, but by one or more of the members of a class or classes.)

     The earlier reunion, on Jan. 27, was organized by members the class of '67, but was not restricted to that class. In fact, there was a member of the class of '61 as well as a couple of men from '68. There may have been others, but those are the classes that I am aware of. The other reunion, prompted by Mark Kosiek ('73), centered on the early to mid-70's, although John Reilly ('63) was there in addition to Cas Baczinskas ('68). In fact, Cas came to both reunions. These reunions consisted of a lot of reminiscing and catching up, along with pizza and pop or beer, after which the fellas went over to the basketball game.

     Frank Raispis and I were at the reunions as "links", if you will, to the days when these men were students at Saint Ignatius College Prep or High School (depending on the years). I'd like to think that we've helped to fulfill the promise made at graduations. He and I really do care about Ignatians, past, present and future and we enjoy our visits. We have tried to stay as involved in the school as our age and energy...not what it once was...permit.

     An important last point is that NO ONE got hit up for contributions. There were just some former classmates with shared experiences renewing there friendships, catching up on each others lives and recreating "their school" for a couple of hours. Oh, ya! A whole lot of laughing.

Reflection #31 (Only 1045 to go!): The Omen

     For more than 40 years, one of my best friends on the Ignatius faculty has been Jim Connelly.  I can almost hear some of you, who knew both of us, say, "You have got to be kidding!" What can I tell you? No accounting for taste...on either of our parts. Where I tended to have a laissez faire (French for "fairly laz...er...ah...laid back") approach to teaching and coaching, Jim is a "by the book" kind of guy. "Be in your seat when the bell rings; don't tell me you have A.D.D. You're either an Ignatius student or you're not." I think a good "model" of what he is like is seen in the movie "Stand and Deliver". If you haven't seen it, it's worth a look.      Pat O'Mara, also one of the "giants" at Ignatius, always had the deepest respect for Jim. No matter how tough Jim seemed to be, the students knew what was expected and he always gave the students, even the weaker ones, a way to succeed.
     Jim tends to be a private person, and I was reluctant to write a "reminiscence" about him because I didn't want to disclose anything too personal.  "You can't un-ring a bell".   Mary Jo and I are close friends with Jim and Sue, and last week we met for dinner.   Sue told us that their daughter Mary ('87) reads my "reminiscences" and enjoys them. (Hey, Mary! How are things goin'?)   Anyway, I take that as an omen, so I throw caution to the wind and write about her dad.
     The basis for our friendship, I think, has been our trust in one another.  With Jim, you know exactly what you'll get.   He does not "broadcast" his private life, but you don't have to know him for very long before you become aware of how he sees the world.   In the interest of full disclosure, I don't always see things in the same way.   He and I don't argue about our respective view points, but we are open with each when the occasion arises.
     Jim's bio isn't all that unique for a teacher.  Jesuit high school in New York City, Notre Dame degree in civil engineering, taught at De La Salle "Institute", before coming to Saint Ignatius in 1967, where he taught math and social studies and coached track and cross country until he retired a couple of years ago.
     Jim and Sue have been married well over 50 years.  (Apologies, Sue, for putting the word "well" in there.)
Things become more interesting when I tell you that they have 15 children, biological and adopted, and have been foster-parents for a slew of other children. Describing Jim Connelly without mentioning his family would be like trying to understand him by looking at his shadow on a wall.
     To add some texture to his image, he is a staunch Catholic, patriot and family man...a good man.  The real proof of the influence that Jim and Sue have had on their children is that 3 of the 15 are officers in the armed forces,  one is married to an FBI agent and one is going into the priesthood.   Through their efforts in providing a loving, caring home for so many children, both Jim and Sue have been awarded the Dei Gloriam Award from St. Ignatius and the Family Exemplar Award from Notre Dame University.
     Each time that I've written a blog about a person, I've tried to find one or more adjectives that help to describe that person. A word, possibly the first word, that comes to mind when I think of Jim is "courage". I have never known him to back down from saying or doing something that he felt was right no matter what the possible consequences. He would never let an injustice or a wrong go unaddressed.
     Over the years, Jim has stirred passion in students, both positive and negative. I've known students who would "run through brick walls" for him and those for whom his style was, perhaps, more rigid than they would have liked.  My kids loved Mr. Connelly; often their friends were...shall we say "anxious".
     For my part, thanks, Jim, for being my friend.