“There’s a time for joy
A time for tears
A time we’ll treasure through the years
We’ll remember always
Graduation day“
— The Four Freshmen
June 10, our graduation day, was a Wednesday in 1964. The event began at 3 pm, at the Eastern States Coliseum, West Side, at least according to the invitation (at left). Probably started a little late.
While the Four Freshmen make a confident assertion above, I, at least, remember . . . not much at all about graduation day. The last issue of the Cathedral Chronicle (see below) came out the same day as graduation, so no pictures of the event were published in it, just a preview picture of our top three students in caps and gowns. The only copy of newspaper coverage we have (at right) is brief and includes no pictures.
Who has pictures? Even better . . . movies!
What memories do you have? Exciting day, boring ceremony? Special evening out with family and friends? I remember an extended family get-together soon after graduation where I received my first tangible benefits from graduation, in the form of cash and checks from dutiful family members.
Last Chronicle
Our last issue of the Chronicle had a two-page spread of photos of “Senior Class activities” (pages three and four) from throughout our senior year and a farewell to the classmate called “Mr. CHS Athlete” in the article (page five) by Reid Oslin. I think we all know who that was. Hint: His initials were E. R. Yeah . . . Eugene.
This photo from the issue shows the “action” in the Model Senate, featuring George Shannon as president pro tempore, Diane Dillon as senate clerk, Tim Swearingen and Judy Maloney, Mike Reavey getting back to his seat, and Kevin O’Malley looking off to the right from his front row seat.
If I don’t remember our graduation ceremony, I do remember how bad we all felt when our Purple Panthers took second place in the 1964 Western Massachusetts basketball tournament. In another picture in that last Chronicle, the faces of our co-captains, Gene Ryzewicz and Rich Murphy, mirror the expressions of all Cathedral fans that night.
Here’s the Chronicle of June 10, 1964
Page one
Page two
Page three
Page four
Page five
Page six
I remember graduation day being very warm. In addition to Bishop Weldon being there to give a speech, I remember it being a very long speech. We had practiced for the ceremony and I remember having to sit very still, eyes forward, not moving, hands on our knees. We were not to move, even if a fly came to land on us or it we had an itch. The graduation lasted a long time, like 2 1/2 hrs., maybe more
Afterward, I remember pictures outside the Coliseum at the Big E ( Easter. states Expolsition). And, like Bill, a family party at home with all the extended family. I remember getting a bouquet of flowers from my parents
It was a special day for me. I did recognize it as being the end of things as we knew it. I did not recognize fully, how much our lives would be different the next year. Summer would be simar to other summers but returning to CHS was not going to happen.
Little did we realize back then , how much each of our lives would change. We. Or not appreciate all of the good and difficult ultra times each of us would have experienced.
I was off to Umass in the fall. I loved my years at CHS although it hadn’t started that way.
I can to CHS from the public school system. On my first day at CHS, I ake home telling my mom how much I hated it. I knew I had to remain for the year ( my parents and had agreed before the sch