Wow. Jack called me yesterday with the news that my high school is $325,000 in debt and closing at the end of the year. The students and faculty will be redistributed to other schools.
Driscoll Catholic High School lived for over 40 years and as I've chronicled here, produced state championships in three sports, including a state-record 7 consecutive in football.
Dad worked there 14 years, had a number retired, a scholarship named after him, and planted the earliest seeds of the girls' basketball program that produced its first state championship this year.
Jack holds the school record for saves by a baseball pitcher, and made the last 3-point basket in the school's most important boys' basketball game.
I participated in a couple of career days since graduating.
Earlier this year I was solicited for $1,000 as part of a fund raiser. I'd also considered planned giving, taking out a life insurance policy with the school as beneficiary. Guess it's a good thing I didn't, or someone from the Catholic mafia might have shown up!
Diagnosis: This greatly reduces the odds of our 20-year reunion, and increases the street value of my Driscoll memorabilia... might be worth dozens of dollars soon.
3 comments:
I graduated the year before you did. I think I remember your father--white hair, kinda looked like Leslie Nielsen, and a very nice man. Unfortunately I did not have the best time there. If you were kind of a quirky character it could be a pretty unfriendly place. I parted ways with the Catholic church over its stance on several issues, not the least of which being their intolerance toward gay people and their not allowing women to be priests. So even as a grad myself I'd be hard pressed to send my kids to a Catholic school. But I do feel bad for the current faculty and staff. They were lucky to have dedicated people like your dad.
Ah, thanks for sharing, you do remember Dad well. How easy is high school for anyone? The world needs oodles of quirkiness and it's too bad that it didn't work out for you. I'm just glad you made a choice that you're at peace with now. Your kids will be better off for it!
If you do Facebook, feel free to get in touch.
Thanks so much, will do. I haven't gotten on board the Facebook wave as of yet, but soon. I'm still looking for just the right picture that makes me look 20 pounds lighter--and gainfully employed.
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