Stage performances were the feature of the October 1963 Chronicle, with the photo above on page one. “Father of the Bride,” according to the accompanying article, was to be presented by the Dramatic Club November 13-15. In addition to the principals in the photo, the play featured classmates Donna Roy, Denis Trelease, John Sheehan, Carol Horr, Frances Veale, Nancy Thompson, Helen Reid, Elizabeth Macolm, and Robert Cardoni (sic) (Cardone). Tickets were $1.

On page six, the photo above appeared with an article announcing the presentation of “Gianni Schicchi,” an opera by Puccini to be performed in pantomime (kind of a combination of acting and karaoke). It was scheduled for Wednesday, November 27, but that was the week following the assassination of President Kennedy, which may have forced its postponement. (Anyone in the cast recall? Paul Donahue? Rita Arsenault? Tom Murphy? Bob McCann?) The opera was directed by Fr. Richard Riendeau and the cast included additional classmates John Collins, William Fleming, Linda Lorraine, Tim McManus, Jo Ann Moore, William O’Malley, and Maureen Pollard.

Page one also reported that Chronicle co-editors Kathleen Ensign and Robert Stroshine, as well as page one editor Jeffrey Powers, were going to tell, in a skit, a freshman assembly that day how the Chronicle was put together. Due to compete in a diocesan speech festival that weekend were 12 classmates: Jim Montanari, Brendan Montano, Daniel Noonan, Susan Barrett, William O’Malley, Reid Oslin, Kathleen Burtt, Jane Curto, Barbara Mooney, Paul Donahue, Kevin O’Malley, and George Shannon.

Michael Reavey was prescient with a page two essay on the troubles facing the Ngo Dinh Diem regime in South Vietnam. His conclusion: “Mr. Diem’s future is very dim.” And short. A week after Mike’s essay appeared, Diem was arrested and assassinated in a coup. The coup was supported by the Kennedy administration, though it is likely Diem’s killing was not.

Page three reports on the Pen and Pallette publication (photo above) and includes the photo of several classmates (below) interviewing mayoral candidate John Pierce Lynch.

Page four includes coverage of Frosh Day, in which very benevolent dictators among the Class of 1964 ordered members of the Class of 1967 about, with kissing of rings, etc.

The sports page (five) led with the football game against Holyoke the next day. It also reported that the 4-1 soccer team was eyeing the cry championship. Classmates among the “booters” were Tom Nolan, Paul Rieker, goalie Bob Fitzgerald, Tom Webber, Ray Siwinski, Lou Valley, and Charlie Parsons.

Also noted on page six was that Robert Menard and Lynn Albano had been elected officers of Le Cercle Francais.

Here’s the October 25, 1963, Chronicle